Looking back...and forward

It's been about a year since my last entry. I wish I had more to report about my waiting timeline, but I don't. I do have some other things to share, though.

Since my last update I have had many blessings. In the fall of 2015 I was notified that I was awarded a grant I applied for. The grant lifts a large weight off my shoulders and removes some of the fundraising stress. Also in the fall, I held a kickball fundraising event. Friends from the area came to a park for burgers, kickball, and basket raffles. We had a great day (despite the wind) and family from all over the state came to surprise me!

The group from the kickball fundraiser.

Throughout the last year I also sold tshirts a few times. These are shirts I designed, and I always love seeing someone wearing one.

Spreading the love. <3

With all this fundraising, I still continue to have Fundraiser Friday items from time to time in the Facebook group. I am working to raise the money needed for travel expenses. I am continually blessed and in awe of the people who are supporting me through this journey - through donations, prayers, and positive encouragement.

That was looking back, now let's look forward. Here are things I know for sure: July 4th marks five years since I decided to adopt. July 2nd marks one year since my paperwork was sent to South Africa. And, in one year from now I am confident I will be a mom, even if that is just having seen my child's picture and paperwork. I also know my child is out there. That's something to soak in. My child is out there in the world somewhere. Wow. That grounds me and shatters me at the same time when I sit and think about it. My prayer is that he/she is being cared for and loved on as best as can be in the situation. I also pray that he/she knows someone out there loves him/her and is working hard to bring him/her home.

THANK YOU for all your support, in all the different ways you offer it. We are all getting there, one step closer, each day.

Updates...

Well, it's been a little bit since I updated you all about the whole journey. Here's the latest:

• Paperwork consumed most of my spring - getting together all the documents that summarize my life and why I would be good parent. This all culminated in June when I was able to send all of my state sealed documents to my adoption agency. They reviewed all of the paperwork and sent it on to South Africa the first week of July - four years after I decided to embark on this journey.
• The wait continues. From the timeline I was given, it should be 12-18 months from the time my dossier arrives in South Africa. SO...in about a year I'll finally be a mommy!
• My newest fundraiser is a tshirt that I designed. (see below) The shirt can be found at www.bonfirefunds.com/one-step-closer and orders will be accepted until July 20.

Thanks for checking in - it's starting to feel more real than it ever has. I am continually in awe and am humbled by the continued support of my friends and family, and people I don't even know. THANK YOU.

...one step closer...

News for the New Year

Sorry for the lack of posts and / or updates here. I've truly been in the waiting portion of this journey, but there have been some things going on "behind the scenes" that I've been keeping secret for a couple months, until I was confident in the way things were headed.

The following is a copy of a message I shared with my church congregation as a testimonial sermon on December 28, 2014. I used Proverbs 3 as one of the passages for the service.

- - - - - - -

I have been called to adopt.

About three and a half years ago I started on my adoption journey through an informational meeting. And on Mother’s Day of 2012 I announced to the world that I would be a mom. Since then, I have been waiting. Sometimes waiting patiently, sometimes anxiously waiting...but waiting.

I did not come to this decision alone. In fact, through this journey I have realized that this decision wasn’t even one I had a hand in. I have been called to adopt.

Let me backtrack...in my early adulthood I decided that I was probably just going to be the “cool aunt” that my brother’s children and my friends’ kids could hang out with and rely on. However, as the kiddos in my life started to grow up I started to long for parenthood, and figured it would happen when it was suppose to. As I continued through life I started to go back to the idea of being the “cool aunt” because life was not presenting me with the occasion to be a mother.

Then, summer 2011 happened.

A great friend invited me over to her family’s Fourth of July celebration. I had a lot of fun, but especially enjoyed all the kids running around, including my friend’s daughter, who is adopted from Guatemala. As I watched the children play I started to think about having my own kids running around and having fun. Watching my friend’s daughter, especially, allowed me to see that other options to motherhood were available to me. It was like a seed had been planted in my brain, one that needed further exploration. The next day, on the way to my own family’s annual Fourth of July celebration I made my life changing decision to start looking in to adoption. When I got to my aunt’s I told my mom I made a big decision during my drive. She said, “You’re going to adopt” before I could even say anything else. Looking back, that’s the first instance where I should have known this decision was bigger than me.

From there, the journey began.

My initial decision was to bring my child home from Ethiopia. Making the country decision was a tough one, but my heart and outside forces led me that way. For instance, it’s not every day that you hear about Ethiopia in your daily life. When I was thinking about a country choice, Ethiopia was EVERYWHERE. It was in daily conversation, it was on a rerun of Two and a Half Men I stumbled across one day when there was nothing else on, it was permeating my life. Again...this decision was not mine alone.

Things continued to progress….I completed the necessary interviews, checks, and paperwork, and, my dossier was submitted to the Ethiopian branch of my agency in December of 2012. This is where I’m at today. As of today, my paperwork has been waiting, like I have been, in Ethiopia for two years.

Now, I’m not up here to talk about the whys of the lengthy waiting process or to relay my impatience with the wait...I am here to reiterate that I have been called to adopt. And, through this calling I have also begun a closer relationship with God. My trust in following Him through this journey has brought me closer to Him. I have to trust in His timing and know that His plans are bigger than I can ever imagine. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” This is a verse that I have cherished for most of my life, but it is also one I hold particularly close now.

I know that I have said “called” a few times now, and I don’t use that terminology lightly. Let me explain why. Throughout time people have been called to do different things, and it means different things to different people. To me, being called by the Lord means doing something you might not ordinarily do - doing something out of your comfort zone - because He knows what’s best for you, He knows the plans He has for you. And, for these reasons, I continue to feel that my decision to adopt - with all the stress, worry, wait, and expense involved - is truly a calling for me. Becoming a mother through adoption was never MY plan, it was never something I thought would be possible...but He knows what’s best for me, He knows what I need and how I will get there.

This past summer I had another instance to illustrate that this decision has never been mine alone. In July I was looking at my agency’s waiting child list and a child’s eyes reached out to me. I felt a tug and needed to know more about him. The waiting child list is a list for children with varying levels of special needs, and being a single parent, I am not open to all that some more severe needs entail, but I look at the list from time to time to see if there is a child I feel I can care for. This little guy’s situation seemed like something I could potentially handle. I researched to the best of my ability this little guy’s needs - asking people I knew in the medical field, Google searching, reaching out to other adoptive parents. I couldn’t get him out of my mind and didn’t know what my next steps should be. I asked friends and family for their insights, and I prayed. When the internal struggle of making a decision was becoming tough, I asked for a sign.

The next day I received a phone call from a worker at my agency that I rarely talk to. She was calling to see how I was doing and wanted to chat. I mentioned the boy from the waiting child list and she told me that he lives in South Africa and that he already had several families inquiring about him. We also talked about a few of the other children, and eventually our discussion ended up turning to me potentially just switching countries - to South Africa. If I was serious about this, I would need to do more research in to the requirements for switching countries - what steps were involved, what would the cost be, what did that mean about my pull and connection to Ethiopia? As our conversation continued, at one point she said, “I just had this pull to call you today.”  When I got off the phone I was shell shocked. When I tell this story I like to say that when you ask for a sign, God doesn’t normally send you a flashing neon one...and that’s what I felt had just happened. Now, I had the decision of whether or not to completely change countries resting on my heart.

This decision was, again, going to be a life changing one that was tearing me up inside. My next call was to my adoptive mom friend to tell her what had just happened. She was surprised about the spiritual intervention that had occurred and had this advice to offer - “Maybe you were suppose to be in a long waiting program because [your child] wasn’t ready yet.” That clarity and insight struck me, but my heart, thoughts, dreams, and plans were invested in Ethiopia. When I thought about switching, I felt like I was turning my back on my child and it tore me up inside. But, I did the research. I talked to the International Case Worker who works with South Africa. And, above all, I continued to pray.

As we heard in Proverbs, we need to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not rely on our own understandings. This was a specific time that I needed to rely on Him and the direction He was leading me. Through my prayers I asked for clarity and guidance and truly placed the decision at His feet. I needed to acknowledge the fact that He had brought me this far in the process and that He would continue to lead me down the path that I was meant to take. This may have been the first time in my life where I didn’t try to be in control, and I felt at peace with that.

Since August, my decision has been to switch to South Africa. For a variety of reasons...but I can not deny the power of prayer and the sign that occurred this past July. What does that mean right now? Well, I am still waiting. Yep...waiting. That’s what I’ve learned to be doing through this entire journey. When I decided to switch I was told that the South African program I was interested in only opens once a year to a limited number of families. Then I was told that the news would be shared in the fall...then six more weeks...then before the South African affiliate closed for the holidays. The week before Christmas was the worst part of the wait since I started this journey...it was like waiting to see if I’d made the cut.

During that week all Ethiopian adoptive families got an update about other countries that were opening in case families were considering changing. South Africa was on the list. After playing phone tag with someone from my agency, we finally connected and were able to discuss the potential of me formally switching countries. She talked to me about the different special needs I would need to be open to, she explained the referral process, she outlined the next steps, and she shared the timeline. During our conversation, she said that she felt the change would be “a good fit” for me and I left that conversation with hope and renewed optimism.

Over the holiday week I was excited to tell my family that the news had come through and the switch would be happening in the next few weeks. This decision feels right, and my step mom even said it feels like this is the way it was suppose to be.

So, after the start of the new year I will basically be starting this process over. I will be updating my home study, I will be seeing doctors and bankers and other officials for needed paperwork, I will be getting my new dossier together, I will be getting documents state sealed...and I will be doing it all with the help and guidance of the Lord.

This new decision is scary. I’m scared about the extended stay in South Africa, and it’s finally settling in that I’m going to be a mom - and that alone is scary! But, I continue to trust in the Lord and the path he is leading me down.

I do not share this story to talk about myself. I share this to reinforce the thought that it’s about more than us, more than here. The Lord has a plan for us, we just have to be open to seeing it and trusting in Him with all of our heart.

In fact, throughout the wait I have continued to say to myself and others “This is not my plan...it never has been. It’s always been out of my hands” because that’s the truth of it.

I have been called to adopt.

- - - - - - -

The journey continues...one step closer.

Update Time

Someone recently let me know that I hadn't updated the blog in a while. True.

I guess since I'm in the "sit and wait" part of the adoption journey, I feel like there's not really anything to update, so I also forget I have a blog to update. :) Well, today's the day.

In April I spent a weekend working in my child's room with my family. We worked on organizing the closet. Since I moved in this closet had become a catch-all and I can honestly say that I don't think I had taken anything out of there since the day I moved in. So, after a deep cleaning, a coat of paint and new tiles, and an organizer, my child now has a presentable and usable closet. It currently houses all of the great books, toys, and clothes that I have received for my child.

May saw my annual Home Study update interview. My social worker commented that she hopes we don't have to do too many more of these - but I think we'll have at least 2 more.

During June I completed my last parenting class where I learned about the different medical and emotional issues internationally adopted children can face. This class was presented by two people from the International Adoption Clinic that is a part of Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. It's great to know that there is such a great resource within our state!

So far July has been pretty uneventful. I'm looking forward to seeing all my fellow Ethiopian adoptive families at the annual camping trip in August.

It's hard to believe that it's been three years since I made the decision to adopt. It's been an interesting journey, and I'm sure the most interesting and rewarding parts are still to come - especially bringing my child home!

Another way to share information

I have created a Facebook group as another way to share information about my adoption journey. One of the first things this group will be used for is an online auction. This auction will allow people to do holiday shopping from the comfort of their own home while also helping me along the adoption journey. It will be a Twelve Days of Christmas online auction that will run from Dec 1 - 12 --> more information will follow.

If you are a crafter, independent consultant, or business owner, PLEASE consider donating an item or two to this event. If you're interested in helping out, please let me know.

T-shirt fundraiser

I will be closing my t-shirt fundraiser at the end of the month. In order for me to receive commission (and not store credit) I need to have a minimum amount. I have not yet reached that amount.

The shirts are great quality and are perfect for you or for a gift.

Please check out my store, pass the information on, and help me continue to get one step closer to two. 

Thanks!

www.adoptionbug.com/rondello

ps: a few people, myself included, feel the shirts run a little big.

Time for an Update

"So, have you heard anything?"
"How's the adoption going?"

I have been hearing those questions (or versions of them) quite often these days, so I figure it's time for an update...

As I said my January entry, my dossier was registered in Ethiopia on December 31, 2012. I have heard the wait can be over a year, close to two, so I'm anticipating a referral somewhere around December 2014, but am always hopeful that things will move faster. This entire adoption process has always been out of my hands, and I know that whatever the plan is, the timing will be perfect. All I know is that six months have already passed! :)

Throughout the last few months I have been working on completing my educational requirements and have made some great connections! I always meet great people at my trainings, and in April I met a couple who adopted their son from Ethiopia and was in the process of adopting their daughter (who is also their son's biological sister!). They gave me some great advice about the process and the travelling. They were also able to help me make connections online to other groups and people going through the same things. I'm looking forward to lasting relationships with families who have also adopted so our children can have connections too.

Since the last time I updated I have started to find myself in "parenting" situations. One of these occurred when my step-brother shattered his heel. When he was at the hospital he needed to have some casting redone and I told him that I heard it was pretty painful for him the first time so I was going to head to the waiting room when they came to do that. He said I couldn't and insisted that I hold his hand (even though his mom was in the room). Of course I did hold his hand and was doing a fine job of helping him keep his mind off things until the nurse came in with a shot. I told my step-brother that I would still hold his hand, but wouldn't be able to watch that part and we both made it through the procedure. The day of his surgery he also insisted that I be there that night to spend time with him (which also included calling the cafeteria to order his dinner). During both of these times I kept thinking that someday it might be my child needing me to comfort him/her (hopefully just at home, sick...not in a hospital bed).

I did take "one step closer" to parenting when I used gift certificates to purchase an iPad. I plan to use this to help me learn Amharic, to help my child learn English, and to stay connected to our family and friends.

One final item - I will probably be closing my t shirt fundraiser at the end of July. If you have been planning on ordering from this, please order before then. Apparently there is a minimum commission amount for the company to issue a check, so please share my fundraiser page with friends and family to help boost my sales. (I will be keeping my coffee fundraiser open, so feel free to check it out whenever you get a chance - the coffee is yummy and it makes great gifts!)

That's pretty much all I have for today. I continue to appreciate everyone's interest in the process, and especially any positive thoughts and prayers you are offering to help with the waiting period.

Another new addition

I had to do a post dedicated to this cute guy...a good friend at church made him for my child!

Too precious not to share! Thanks Jo!

(her pattern was for one piece of fabric, so she even quilted the fabric together first because she knew I liked that look)

Registered!

So, it's been a little over a month since my last update - I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season and enjoyed time with family and friends. I had a wonderful holiday and often thought about what future Christmases will be like when my son or daughter is celebrating with me.

I have a few things to share in this post, but today's news from my agency is that my dossier is officially registered in Ethiopia! They told me that as of December 31, 2012 my dossier is registered! (Little did I know that as I was ringing in the new year so much was happening for me overseas.)

Now comes what can be the hardest part - the waiting period. No one can be certain how long I will wait to be matched with my child, but I am anticipating over a year. I think my mom said it best over the holidays..."Next Christmas will be like this year, and the following one we'll have someone extra to celebrate with."

That's the big news that needed to be shared - but I also have a few other things:

1. Shortly after Christmas, my friend posted to my Facebook wall about a conversation her boys (5 and 7 years old) were having at snack, after they got a globe for Christmas. Here's how the conversation went:
          Luke, "Logan, do you want to see where Angie has to fly to get her baby? She has to go around the globe two times because she is so far away, even across the OCEAN!"
          Logan, "Angie doesn't have to go around the globe two times, she has to go there two times."
          Luke, "What if she goes this way to pick her up and this way to drop her back off."
          Logan and my friend, "Why would she drop her back off?"
          Luke, "WHAT!? She gets to keep her?"
I told these boys about my decision last May and it's especially cute to me that they continue to remember the exciting news and the special addition my child will add to our little group.

2. After winter break I told my students that I'm in the process of adopting. The responses ranged from a class that applauded to one that all simultaneously said "AWWWW!" They were all so great about keeping it a secret until I was able to tell everyone. The teacher in the room next door told me she could tell each hour when I had told the class because of the reaction she heard through the wall. They had great questions and have been supportive in their own ways.

3. On another note, there's already a new addition to the house. A boy (who is also adopted) from my church gave me a gift for "my kid's room" one day after service. He went through a giraffe phase and heard that I am planning to decorate with giraffes and decided to give me a four foot tall giraffe! So, anyone who spends the night at my humble abode will be greeted by this cute, not-so-little addition in the room.

That's all for this update. I, again, want to offer a heartfelt thanks to everyone for their prayers, positive thoughts, and various types of support. I am always awestruck when I receive support from people I don't know, and I am grateful to each and every one of you for what you have done for me during this journey.

There won't be any more "official" updates about the process until I get my referral, but I will be posting as I have other news to share and / or just want to talk about my adoption.

Love to you all. <3

Another step closer

It's been about a month since I've last updated everyone, but, not to worry, things have been going on "behind the scenes." 

After several months of gathering papers, letters, and documents and a few weeks of state authentication, my dossier was complete near the end of November! When everything was ready, I was fortunate enough to have my mom accompany me to the post office over the Thanksgiving weekend to send my completed dossier to my adoption agency's home office. After they received it and reviewed it, they sent it to be authenticated by government agencies in Washington DC on December 3.

Today I heard back that my dossier returned to my adoption agency after being authenticated and is being sent to Ethiopia tomorrow!

Once there, there are a few steps to get my dossier registered, etc., which can take a couple of months. When that process is over I should be on the official waiting list. The important thing today is that my dossier is on it's way and I'm continuing to move one step closer!

While I'm waiting for a referral, I will be completing trainings and education and also learning Amharic. My waiting time can take up to a couple years, but I am so blessed by all the support and positivity I have received from friends, family, and everyone I tell about my journey, that I know the time will go more smoothly for me.

So, that's the update for today, one of the more major milestones. :)

Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayers - I am truly grateful.



Encouragement and Support

"There are saints sitting next to you, making themselves hoarse shouting words of encouragement."

Two weeks ago we held a fundraiser for my adoption journey, and last week my pastor spoke those words in her sermon. Yes, there are saints (visible and unseen) sitting with me, making themselves hoarse, and I couldn't be more grateful.

When my mom and I started planning this fundraiser, I don't think either of us knew what to expect. Family members stepped forward to help gather items and to bake for a bake sale. We all worked for months planning the day, getting donations, and baking. It was also a blessing that my mom's church allowed us to hold the event at the church when the original venue fell through. When the day finally came, I was just hoping that enough people would come to win the items we had collected.

The event turned out to be more than I could ever have imagined! Thanks to my aunt and my grandma, we had more baked goods than I've seen in a long time, everyone helped to gather 30+ baskets to win, and a henna artist was able to come and apply art on the guests. As I think back on the day, I am still overwhelmed by everyone that came to support me and my journey and at everyone's generosity. Because of the kind, caring, compassionate people that come out that day, I was able to raise more than I could have thought was possible.



My cousin and my grandma, showing their henna.



There are a few stories I'd like to share about that day, stories that I am looking forward to sharing with my child:

• I am blessed by a handful of people who travelled a far distance to support me at this event, including my aunt and cousin from Minneapolis and two ladies from my church; however, I was also blessed to be surprised by a good friend and her family, whose lives have also been touched by adoption. This friend has been my guide through this roller coaster of a journey, and having her and her family present was a great show of their continued support.
• Before the event began, when my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and grandma were finishing setting everything up, my cousin-in-law pulled me aside and said she had a special gift for me. What I opened was the most thoughtful gift - a ready made scrapbook I can use to chronicle my journey, with pages for writing my thoughts and pages for pictures, etc. I can tell she spent a lot of time and put a lot of heart in to the book and I'm excited to fill it out and share it with my child.
• About halfway through the event a lady and a young boy came through the door and she told me that they were there to donate to the adoption and handed me a coin purse they had made from a sock. I introduced myself and explained that I was the person adopting, thanked them, and asked them to sign in. The lady (who I found out was the boy's grandmother) filled out her grandson's name, an indicator to me that this sock of change they had donated was from him. There is not a more touching moment to me than the action of this young boy.

There are so many other stories I could share, from an anonymous donation being hand delivered from my mom's pastor, to my young cousins putting together a basket to win and coworkers pre-buying tickets to show their well-wishes, but the most important thing to me is the overwhelming sense of support I walked away with that day.

I know their voices are going hoarse, and I am so thankful and indebted to all of my saints.

Fundraiser Update

We've been hard at work putting together the fundraiser (see post below for date, time, and location). We have SO many baskets available to win...please stop by and bring a friend, or two, or ten. :)

To see more about what items will be available, and pictures of most baskets, check out the Facebook event page.

I also want to take the time to thank everyone who has helped with this - whether it's been making baskets, donating items, or giving of time and energy.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Come One, Come All

If you're looking for a way to help me with adoption expenses, and would like to have a fun time while doing it...consider coming to my fundraiser - scheduled for the end of October.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This is something I've been telling myself the past couple days when some discouraging news and/or discouraging thoughts creep in. The Lord brought me to this decision and I know that He will bring me through it and everything will happen in his time. The final part of this verse from my Good News Bible offers me additional solace in times of frustration and discouragement because it ends with "...plans to bring about the future you hope for."

I guess the reason for this post is that I find myself in uncharted territory. And, yes, I know that working through challenges and surviving through uncharted waters will make me stronger and a more prepared person, but this experience is truly a roller coaster. Just when I think I have things figured out and the days are going smoothly, a curve ball is thrown in and the discouragement starts to settle in my brain (and a little in my heart). That's when, again, I am sent signs from the Lord that calm my fears and worries. (These come in the form of generosity, passing comments, church messages, etc.) My adoption timeline and plans are in His hands and on his timetable, and when I think about that and feel it with my whole heart I am at peace.

Thank you all for your continued support from near and far. Please continue to send positive thoughts and prayers my way as I work through this journey.

I leave you today with a thought (that was calming for me) from the sermon I heard at church today - "In Christ we are able to do what we are called to do." <3

Dossier and Grants and Fundraisers...OH MY!

Dossier:
Lately I've been spending most of my time working on putting together my dossier paperwork. I can gratefully say that I'm almost done. After a trip to the doctor this week and a fingerprinting appointment in the next couple weeks I should have everything ready to be sent to get state sealed. THEN all of those precious papers get sent for translation and off to Ethiopia. The day I send those papers to my agency will be bittersweet - I'll be happy that my part of the paperwork will be over and I move to the waiting and educating stage, but I'll also be emotional because that's when the waiting starts and the timetable will be out of my hands. So, the next update will probably be the day I mail them for the state seal, or the day I send the paperwork to my agency.

Grants:
I've also spent some significant time working on grant applications. As I've said a lot on here (and in person) this is a costly adventure, and every little bit can help me reach my parenting goal. There are a few grants out there for me to apply for, and I'll keep you posted as the results come in.

Fundraisers:
First, thanks to those of you who have taken a look, and ordered, from my online fundraisers. If you still need to check them out, the links are to the left. :)
The planning for the fundraiser scheduled at the end of October is in full swing! My mom and I have been putting together the plan of what will be taking place, and some extended family members are helping out with getting raffle and silent auction items. If you're interested in information about the fundraiser, please contact me for details.
Another fundraiser I'm working on is what I think I'm going to start calling a "love and wishes quilt." Friends, family, and fundraiser event attendees will have the opportunity to write a message of love, good wishes, hopes, etc. to my child. These messages will be stitched on strips of fabric and then these strips will be made in to a quilt that will be used on my child's bed. Then, he/she can wrap up in the love and wishes of those people who care about him/her. Again, if you'd like more information about this quilt, please contact me.

School inservice starts next week, and school a week after that, so my mind and focus will start to shift toward lesson planning and paper grading, but my heart is always focused on my child.

Enjoy the fleeting days of summer before the crisp autumn air joins our days - and thanks for continuing to check in on my journey!

Questions Answered

Today I thought I'd take a second to answer some of the most common questions I tend to get when people hear about my adoption plans. If there's a question you have, that I don't answer, feel free to post it in the comments area and I'll answer it for you. :)

What age are you hoping for?
In my paperwork I have specified that, at the time of referral, I would like my child to be between 1-3 years old. With that in mind, by the time I bring my child home the age would be closer to 2-4 years old. The short answer? My child will be a toddler.

Are you adopting a boy or a girl?
I am open to either gender. When I talk about my adoption you'll hear me switching between the pronouns (unconsciously) because I don't like to say "it."

Why did you choose Ethiopia?
One of my friends was nearby when someone asked me this and she said, "She didn't pick Ethiopia, Ethiopia picked her." Since that's how it happened, that's how I respond. I can honestly say that Ethiopia picked me - through prayers, signs, and scripture. I explored all the options available to me and signs kept pointing me back to International Adoption, and Ethiopia.

How far are you?
I feel like I'm nearing the end of my portion of the process. I am compiling paperwork that will be translated to Amharic and sent to Ethiopia. From there, I wait for my referral - which could be up to two years. During that time (and now) I will be participating in education sessions and reading books that are geared toward adoptive parents.

Do you have to travel to get your child?
Yes. Actually, I get to travel to Ethiopia twice. Each trip lasts close to a week. From what I understand, the first trip is for our court date. Then, the second trip is an embassy date and the time I get to bring my child home. The time between those trips is probably going to be the longest time of my life since I will have seen him/her and won't be able to bring him/her home until a few months later.

Why is this child not staying with their family?
I won't know that answer until I get my specific referral, if ever.

How does your family feel about your decision?
My immediate family is extremely happy about the future and my decision. In addition, all of the extended family I've talked with are happy and supportive.

That's all I can think of. Again, if you have a question you can leave it as a comment. If you don't feel comfortable about the world seeing it, feel free to email me.

Thanks for stopping by and continuing to follow my journey. :)

Let the Fundraising Begin!

As I mentioned in my post earlier this week, I have a lot of fundraising ideas in the works. Well, two of these options are available now. :)

First is for those of you who love coffee. Simply click here or on the coffee bean logo on the left to be taken to my Just Love Coffee fundraiser. Once you've seen my storefront, you will also see a banner at the top of the page thanking you for supporting me - as long as that is present the items you order will be credited to my fundraising efforts. Just Love Coffee sells Fair Trade, Direct Trade, Organic coffee from around the world. They also have some great coffee accessories and equipment. (I think it'd be cool if you tried one of the Ethiopian blends.)

I'm also very excited to let you all know about the Adoption Bug T-Shirt fundraiser I am holding. This company makes shirts specifically about adoption. To get to my storefront, you can click here or on the shirt widget on the left. Adoption Bug sent me options for shirts to sell and I spent a lot of time deciding which would be the best, the six shirts you see on my page are the ones I selected. For each of these shirts ordered, I receive a commission. You can also browse and order additional shirts from their entire site, but my fundraising efforts only occur on the six selected shirts.

Please pass these links on to anyone you think would like them. The more the merrier. :)

I guess that's it. If you have any questions please contact me.

THANK YOU in advance for checking out my blog and my fundraisers.

The Long Awaited Update

What's that saying..."one step forward, two steps back"?

That pretty much describes my frustration right now. On the stepping forward front, my passport came in the mail this week! And, I've also been making progress on gathering my dossier papers. (Though I need to be working faster on this.) But, stepping back is also occuring while trying to gather some of the papers. I don't really want to go in to detail about who, what, etc. but the task of gathering papers of my life has been a test in patience.

This week a close friend got me an Ahmaric dictionary and an Ethiopian cookbook - so in the long run I'm looking more at the steps forward than the ones back.

Moving on to more update news ~

1. Fundraisers: The adoption process is exciting, but can also be costly. To help with some of the expenses I have been trying to figure out some different fundraising options. I am pleased to annouce that some fundraisers are in the works!
• Online: I have set up an online t-shirt sale and will notify everyone (here, email, Facebook) when it's all set up and ready to go. I'll also be having an online coffee sale at the same time. Be watching for blog updates and notification emails for ordering information. :)
• In person:
• People in Northern Wisconsin should mark their calendar for October 27 so you can enjoy a day of games, raffles, and fun. More details are coming VERY soon!
• Fox Valley friends and family, I am just starting work on a fundraiser that will help with some of your holiday shopping! I'm hoping to have the get together during one of the first weeks of November.
• Wautoma area friends, there is something fun in the works...just trying to nail down a when and where. :)
2. Process: Just an update on the process I'm going through for those of you wondering about steps, timelines, etc. I've completed the Home Study (which formally approves me for adoption) and am gathering papers for my dossier. My dossier is what gets sent to Ethiopia and is used when matching me with my child. Matching can take anywhere up to two years after the paperwork is received - see why I need to get moving faster on my dossier? :)
3. Prayers: Thank you to everyone for their prayers and positive thoughts. This is an exciting process but can also be lengthy at times. God's reassurance and presence gives me the patience and calmness that I need to get through this.

<3 Thanks for checking in! <3

Parallels

So, those of you who have read the backstory of my adoption journey know that about a year ago I made the life changing decision to adopt. Shortly after that I started working out pretty consistently, especially enjoying DVDs with Jillian Michaels. When I found out she was in the process of adopting her daughter I felt even more of a connection and kiship to her.

Anyway...since then I've followed her story and was happy to see this Ladies' Home Journal article today. Please click on the link to check it out. Again, I like this article because she shares information that most people who aren't in the process wouldn't be familiar with. And, I really connected with what she has to say about her worries, etc. (The online version that I've shared with you actually includes extra questions about her son that weren't included in the magazine.)

Status update: This week I was sent a copy of my Home Study, signifying that process to be done. Today I was contacted by the Ethiopian Dossier Specialist to set up a time to discuss starting my dossier.

 ...one step closer...

If you want to be updated when I post, there are options on the right side, under the timeline - email or newsfeed.

Fundraising Efforts

First of all, I need to acknowledge all the positive responses I've received from everyone. Thank you all for your emotional support and backing.

While this new chapter of my life is exciting, the most daunting part for me is the financing portion. Throughout this entire process and journey I will be having several different fundraising events, items, etc. Please keep your eyes on Facebook and this blog to find out how you can help me. My first fundraising venture was at a recent garage sale where I sold typical garage sale items, but also had homemade magnets and jewelry for sale. In addition, my awesome friend Ellen donated some items that she sewed for me to sell (reusable bags - like lunch bags, tote bags, pillows, and a baby quilt). Of course, not all items sold, so I still have some magnets, jewelry, and items from Ellen. I will continue to sell them until they're gone...and then I'll probably make more. In fact, if you have a need for my craftiness, I can make custom orders. (I made 50+ custom magnets recently.)

Custom order of Orange Bear magnets,
ready to be shipped.

Again, thanks for all your positive comments and support. Continue to check back here for updates. :)

One step closer

I am happy to announce that my home study is officially done and was submitted to my agency's main office for final approval on Tuesday! One step closer!

And, recently Jillian Michaels has shared about her adoption experience. In this video she talks about welcoming two children in to her family, but the reason I like it so much is that she talks about the adoption process and uses terms you'll hear from me a lot. If you have time, you might want to watch it.

I'm going to be a mom!

...Well, not soon...or in nine months...but I AM going to be a mom!

So, those of you who know me well know I'm probably not the best secret keeper, but I've kept this secret from almost all of you for just about a year.

This past summer a great friend invited me over to her family's Fourth of July celebration. I had a lot of fun, but especially enjoyed all the kids running around, including my friend's daughter, who is adopted from Guatemala. On the way to my family's annual Fourth of July celebration I made my life changing decision to start looking in to adoption. When I got to my aunt's I told my mom I made a big decision during my drive. She said, "You're going to adopt" before I could even say anything. From there, the journey began.

Throughout the past several months I have decided on an agency to work with, and a country I plan to adopt from. Every time I started to second guess or wonder about my decision, the Lord stepped in with a sign that this is what I should do - a reassurance I can't explain.

Currently I am in the home study portion of the application process and my last meeting is this coming week. After that is approved I can start putting together my dossier to send to Ethiopia. That's when the waiting starts.

This has been an exciting and emotional decision and I know that the hardest part is still ahead of me. So, when you're wondering how things are going or when my child will be coming home, please keep checking back here - I promise to keep this updated as often as I find out any news. I will also post any fundraising ideas and events that I have planned.

Please keep me and my journey in your thoughts and prayers, the next year could be very trying on me but the reward is going to be SO worth it.