note to blog

updating this blog!!!!   we have decided to go with another country program for our adoption.  ethiopia was turning into a long long wait with their new procedures that went into affect this year.  we have been waiting on another program and got some good news on it recently.  as we know more we will share it here.  when it gets closer to announcing which program we are applying for i will be able to write about it.  for now we continue to try and do our fundraisers and save money for early next year when we will be applying to the program.  good things to come!  stay tuned.

an august post

just to keep this blog from getting stale, here is another monthly post!
with ALL the uncertainty and confussion coming out of Eth this entire year, it seems nothing has resolved in how they intend to go forth with adoptions.  for now we have decided to opt out of this program as it seems too scattered and unstable as of now.  we have known for some time but i had not posted.  we have been focusing on another personal chosen path these past few months.  and perhaps a different international program next year.  we will see what is to come ;)

a June post ;)

no updates here. just an update that there is no update. LOL!!  the international adoption system of eth seems to be mucked up in all directions.  and yes that is mucked up with an M , lol.  we have put that on very distant hold and have come to find ourselves enjoying some other  good decisions we have made that are all-good.  not revealing too much here now.  will one day update with time ; )   till then, have a good June!

not good? (turns better !) an update

update: when the post below was rumor milled it was a truth. but what has occurred since, the head of MOWA and some of their employees (those in charge of implementing such drastic changes) were fired two days after announcing what caused such a stir. we hear this from other wonderful blogs so this info has been made available so it can be shared. Eth adoptions are still processing and mowa settles into thier new administration. the change seems to not be as drastic as the recently fired head of M had proposed yet they remain unsure of the changes to the program as far as the qaunity of adoptions. agencies continue to update as they are informed on the final flow of things. that's all anyone knows : ) but it is something. we continue to see how this palys out - we follow our inner voice, continue to do what we need to do as a family.
and for us, in the meantime we have made some Very Good decisions recently. good and real ones. while keeping this other door open still. the answers will reveal and come with time ; )
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ethiopia has been placed in the 'rumor-mill' as having tentative plans to cut down its adoptions by 90% starting this month. 90% ! we are stunned. while i generally pay no attention to here say, i have researched this one, and for now it appears to be. how a country can disregard its orphans and close 45 of its orphanages knowing the children will die or be placed on the streets is horrifying. once on the wait list (which takes 4-6 months) the wait for a child would now be an additional 3 years! - compared to 3 months as it currently stood. it is too hard to think or write about Ethiopia right now as it only causes mixed & hurt feelings; we may not be continuing with this particular path and possibly need to refocus on another path. SO this blog will be post-free for awhile while i focus on keeping sanity.

multi-colored Binoculars

hush; now...

lyrics of her songs certainly do pull on heartstrings and interpretations by the
ones listening.  in particular, words from this are humbling;  singing dual
Hope to the ears of Both this waiting adoptive mama & our future son.

" [and, the world thought had it all But was waiting for you;  Hush, now see a light in the sky, it's 
almost blinding; can't believe been touched by an angel with love; Let the rain come down, wash
away tears, Let it fill soul, drown fears. Let it shatter walls for a new sun. 'a new day has come', oh] "

upon our Gotcha day i look forward to linking back to this post,
as a reminder of the calm of musical peace it offered. and as reference
to a song i already knew would be used within our family video.

trump!

 
photo source: beautyinthegutter

... this post causes a step back with pause & thought searching. it is a question many want to know about adoption.  yet also very personal.  but it is at the forefront of thought.  people are curious by nature.  we all know adoption is not cheap.  heck, it is downright expensive.  but up until now i have hesitated to even post about the totality of expenses involved because i do not like to give power to money.   the paper dollar is not the forefront of adoption, it is only the tangible token to pass go.  and because i do not like to empower the deception of the green bill, i still Must recognize it in adoption.  before continuing, it cannot be stressed enough that for an adoptive parent, adoption is not about money but it is required to proceed.  whether one has '$' or not, adoption is about love. and to be fair, the agencies involved in adoption are not money hungry; not the majority.  they do genuinely want to place children with families.  but there are guidelines, there are fees, there are fees in each direction of the compass.  that is just how the ball rolls.  domestic , international, government, foreign, you name it the fees add up.  i have found myself in anger visualizing a waiting child half way across the world,  turning my eyes to us as the prospective adoptive parents also sitting here waiting,  and in between are - green bills? is it fair? No!  and it has hurt my feelings that this power facade of the coin must be recognized to reach a waiting child . and that bothers me. deeply. hard core bothers me. yet,  learning now to accept this 'unfairness'  has given calm and as quick as those hurtful feelings come- no is the answer!  'don't go there'  comforts my mind and  my focus turns to God knowing He will provide.  money is just the illusion to scare and create doubt.  this is when my Faith rises and i know that God has placed adoption in our hearts for a reason.  it is a path we are to follow. nothing can smother our feelings of Love for our journey.  Faith does conquer the green dollar and trumps doubt.  and that is what keeps us focused.  to sum this up, we have been asked in subtle ways, 'how much will your adoption cost overall'  and today i will answer that question because grace in truth opens doors for peace in Faith.  the cost- 30,000.  do we have that sitting in the bank?  nope, not at all. will we be taking the path of sacrifice , fundraising and Faith to fulfill our path, yes we will. to humble oneself in being open is a good thing.  and being open about this here is a learning experience for i do not enjoy that when we talk about adoption, money has to also be discussed.  it is part of the package.  money may have its palms up hand  in adoption but we have the greater hold of faith.  it makes us appreciate each and every struggle, step forward, step back, and everything in between that takes us toward that goal we reach along the way.  it is the journey that defines and strengthens us, not the destination.
As others have inquired, we will share:

• our adoption total will be 30,000 +
• the small fees start in the beginning.
• the fees grow as the adoption progresses.
• there are hefty lump sums due to move forward.
• each fee  must be met to progress onto the waiting list.
• more fees upon acceptance of referral
• in country fees
• travel alone will cost us 10,000.

that was a very basic outline.  there is so much more detail than that but maybe that will help others understand and get some idea of the process. something i have not liked to discuss, is now here written out like a bad sticky note tucked away.  but now i feel moved in my humble validation of how money plays it part in this process.  that sticky note can now cling to the frig in view and no longer receive my growl but my smile.  it no longer is a deterrent but a mirror of our accomplishments . 


others may wonder?  why are you doing this if you don't have 30,000 in the bank.  now lets get real!  the truth of adoption is about 1/2-3/4 of committed prospective adoptive parents do not have that kind of cash.  most adoptions consist of fundraising, refinancing homes, loans, etc.  it is all about sacrifice for the children.  those of us who have to work hard toward paying these fees are parents who are truly in this with the appreciation and humbling grace knowing our efforts will be validated in  form of a sweet little boy. all  the obstacles and patience of our journey to get to him will be shown in the reward of love and grace.

 

photo source: xospislovexo

conclusion?  Truth!  money won't get you through adoption
nor anything else. only inner strength will endure and ones Belief
system sustain! money sucks- the good out of Hope and the Truth
out of what is real. within adoption it is not the green dollar, it is
Convictions that get that token to pass Go! now, when  invisioning a
waiting child and then us also waiting, green bills are no longer part of
the in between.   now,  Faith, Love, Hope, Courage, Stength and
Conviction are what are in between the present and the future.
Faith trumps all stinkn thinkn every time  ; )

toll road

okay, so an addendum to last weeks post. as some unexpected

expenses sprang up we will have to wait a little bit longer to send in our

second agency fee. the positive side is we still did manage to save half of what we

need and put it in savings! in a couple weeks we should be posting an updated

post that we were able to mail in our fee in full ! patience and time is being learned

and taught to myself  in full force. and, i have come to see this is a good

quality to have going forth in the adoption process ; )  it is similar to

pulling up to a toll booth with .50 when you need 1.oo. ; coming back

later waiting for that bar to raise to continue on your path. My husband

 told me just today, ' God is preparing us with patience for our journey with him' , 

and that is exactly what this woman needed to hear. 

- thanks hon! -

23Feb

next Wed. we mail in our Request for
Adoption form & our second agency fee.

next?  we receive our list of papperwork to compile

for our Dossier.  prepare for home appraisal as
equity is needed toward  heavier agency(s) fees.
set up our Home Study interviews.  and for the next
3-5 month we paperchase!

there is some yee-hawing &  a happy dance around here;  as for months now, we have worked very purposely to get to this point & we both are happy, content & proud of our persevering patience & focus .

so Hello sweet seven (sabat) days ; )

one step closer. one day at a time. for one little boy.

V to my B

happy v-day, i love Us .

" You know you're in love
when you can't fall asleep
because reality is finally better
than your dreams " 

- quote source Theodor Suess Geisel -

five stars

referring to one of my recent posts Here ,

bye bye satellite tv, hello mr. Flix.

it was SO refreshing to see the high quality and quanity of the movies,
documentaries,

television shows, etc. available thru netflix. 
- no more glaring ' assortment ' of brain numbing broadcasting .

for shows that aren't streaming, dvds can be queued.

our first two are:

Hotel Rwanda

and,
Babel

with about one day turnaround to landing within our mailbox.

our first documentary thru streaming will be,
The Cove


all three are based on truth, and offer to educate those listening.

researching The Cove, it without a doubt is heartbreaking.
in the Hope of its' documentary may it alert all of us viewing to this
 tragedy happening to one of Gods most peaceful creations, the dolphin.

couponing

So, I have been doing my research on ways to save at the market. 
For awhile now I have become interested in finding ways to coupon that actually make
a dent in food bills.  I am new to this.   If anyone has hints or advice on other sites
or these, and ways to get the most for your buck, please chime in. 
I know there is an art to good couponing, so if any artists of the savings kind
are reading , please leave a comment if you have strategies or techniques
you have come across putting pennies back into the piggy bank. 
Not looking to become a fanatic about it nor become overwhelmed as coupon
sites may reveal, but am looking to not just a couple square papers which only save
minimally short term, but rather to a ziplock full of paper savings which result in
the gratitude of walking from the market feeling proud. 
I already offset between the market with the dollar store which
does create savings within itself.  i love our small town however our
local paper does not spill out with savings so i would like to find ways to
get the most from couponing;  at an angle that supports
consumer savings and effort.
  

 These are the sites I have come across so far. 

http://save-a-lot.com/

http://www.kroger.com/Pages/default.aspx

http://thethriftycouple.com/

http://www.hip2save.com/

http://moneysavingmom.com/

http://www.coupons.com/

Curious if anyone is using one or more of these sites and if so, do you recommend?

For now, continuing to research this art form
and preparing to sharpen up the scissors  : }

rhythm

Mr. Watts is ROCK'n that beat.
LOVE it !
- goove'n it into the weekend ...

borrowed from a fellow adoption blogger Here;  thanks for the share :}

jeep'ers

with my husbands touch, things tend to not only get fixed but become

 part of the bigger picture within our family's path. together, we are good at seeing things from the inside out; so when we saw this needed vehicle, offered at a heck-of-a-deal from a friend, an '88 Jeep, loaded not only with personality and charm, but more importantly

4 WHEEL DRIVE;  this baby had us at hello.

it has become hubby's project, with a cause as it will offer us more flexibility,

especially with weather.  it allows us an alternate to drive

at lower gas costs compared to our current work vehicle. 

he has worked purposely over the past months,

toward its' delicate transplant.  next, finding a donor jeep was crucial for

replacing needed parts;  as it would offer up a replacement motor. 

and as of today, the motor exchange is almost complete.

with some love and attention, it will be fabulous.

 like adoption; we saw something that needed us, and we needed. 

under our arm we mix in some patience, understand

what needs to be sustained, for this lone gem to Shine.

the Donor.

happy content cookies

well-balanced nutritional facts filled our souls as our grins grew

in knowing these two fillings were right on !

- - -

last night my husband and i had Chinese food.

we decided to travel to the next town over for our favorite

take out, since it had been a long while since we tasted it

as our local spot suddenly disappeared.

- - -

bringing it home and enjoying our movie night,

we cracked these puppies open.

- - -

...and well, the dessert was simply scrumptiously inspirational .

more than

" you are more than the choices that you’ve made
you are more than the sum of your past mistakes
you are more than the problems you create
you’ve been remade " ,

entitled ' you are more ' & just now hearing this song today, i must say it is wonderful. a solid lyrical reminder for those listening to hold your Faith knowing you really are more than .

yay!

our carpet is home ! ...  link to our CatBlog  for post : )

making the switch

our thoughts based on our experience with satellite television. we have since found a better solution. an alternative to high bills and the avalanche of shows overflowing 'package deals' . we were not asked by a company to review alternative media products, lol. posted by my own free will : )

dearest satellite television: your service has been a ?friend? for some years now. what, with your blinding endless channels of program viewing. and your monthly love letters we receive. you have been so unknowingly helpful with your customer support and friendly service. and, oh how we love your option of paying 5.oo to watch a movie because we do not subscribe to THAT channel. however, we appreciate that you have allowed us to watch ALL 5 of our favorite channels over the years simply by offering no choice but to buy your package deal THOSE 5 channels happen to be placed within. clever, on your part. your online guide is amazing; all those mind blurring channels you have allowed us access to skim. oh how we enjoy the headrush of scrolling thru endless shows, 3/4 of which are nonsense and , in our opinion, contributing to the downfall of youth television not to mention the brain function of the adult community. OH, and the commercials. gotta love em. my ears ring in harmony when the ads are pitched in a volume 5 times greater than the actual show. my mute button has never been used so much.
thank you for your entertainment value which if i were to create a ratio of such it would rank 1:100 as your programs are only worth a hundreth to the love letters you send us each month; those letters so generously demanding their share of our complete viewing pleasure.

well, in the visual of the television Mop commercial who has gracefully been replaced, so have you, satellite. are you shocked that we will save 80.00 a month from dropping you? and don't try and sell us on the 10.00 discount if we stay with you. please! and guess what, you are being replaced with consumer friendly entertainment whose love letters arrive with a note of 7.99/ month. no more scrolling thru endless stupid shows listed on the guide; which we had to pay for . now, we will be able to pick what we want to watch, when we want to watch, and not be polluted with an overflow of programming that serves no purpose. please dont plea to us about the sports programs or other packages as such we will miss out on; we are not a sports watching family! we do not buy into your package deal any longer. now, who is your conqueror you ask? did i mention 7.99 month? easily and manualy installed onesself, the Roku player (the cost of one unit is lower than our satelitte monthly love letter) has the capability to pause shows, limit commercials, and put us back in control of what is coming through our television. So, you ask, what programming has won us over? two names have beat you out, NetFlix and Hulu Plus. ah, don't make fun of their names. don't be envious; be happy that customers who have been true to you for so long will now be treated better! be happy for us. we will save 80.00 month, that is close to 1,000 a year (even more since we had to pay 5.00 per movie with you) . and that 1,000 will go into a great cause; savings for our adoption of our son! see, it is something to be very excited about. a friendly suggestion, you may want to consider more options, satellite tv- i must say, as a former friend, the friendly Roku player is your competitor now. it allows Netflix and Hulu Plus to be watched directly thru our televisions. in conclusion: there are five factors that concreted our decision to let you go; saving money each month to be put toward our adoption of our little boy from Ethiopia- that one wins hands down, control of our television viewing, no hassle programming, choice, and did i mention, oh yes i think i did, saving money. take care satellite tv. i think many more will be letting you go in the near future as well. oh yes, of course those who have to have thier 'packages' will stay with you. but those who see the pros of the Roku and the savings will see the light; symbolically the light weight love letter they receive each month compared to your hefty one.

the above is our opinion only. it obviously does not reflect the population at large. we are one family who has decided to make the switch. for us, it is logical and practical. our choice. and, it works for our family. oh yeh, and so how does this particular post tie-in to our adoption- two words, Saving Money! we also recently ixnayed xm radio- a savings of 170.00/year. it ALL adds up.

star light. star bright.

... one & one-half months & we begin our journey to the second phase of our adoption timeline : )

so where exactly are we in our adoption process?
it has officially been 1 year since we made our decision to adopt from Ethiopia.
we made our decision in jan., 2010. as everyone is aware that was when the economy was in the 'eye' of its' flop. this affected our decision to postpone getting started, slightly; because one of our steps toward our adoption is refinancing our home to use some of our equity. well, with the market being at a standstill at that time we decided to focus on another project, which was to finish reconstruction of our garage into a bedroom. our bedroom; as our 'old' room will now be for our son. so, we spent a good part of 2010 working on the room. it was a step toward being prepared for our home appraisal as well. it must be completed first. and i am happy to say our room has been built; which included some sore muscles and some sweat on our part which involved constructing an entire new floor base, removing all old interior trim that had once been part of the garage (thanks B) hanging new drywall, taping & mudding it, two coats of paint, creating a closet and now... as of Monday , we will be able to pay off our carpet which is being held hostage and get in down in our room. we have done all of this with our own two hands. wouldnt have it any other way. so what does this mean. well, it means that the appraisal is just around the corner (originally we had hoped to get it done by the first of the year, but with property taxes, bills, paying off the carpet, and christmas, well, it had to be postponed a bit longer, since the appraisal itself it not cheap). the market is picking back up and we are ready to go for it. with the economy it is a guessing game, but we know whatever part of our equity we can get back, is better than none and will enable us to start with our homestudy plus get some agency fees paid. i continue to do seasonal fund raiser projects. we both have concrete faith that we need not worry about the lot of adoption fees ahead but rather be firm in our belief that God does provide. our purpose is to adopt our little boy from ethiopia, keeping him safe, and we firmly walk hand and hand knowing that one day he will be here with us, cozied up under a safe fuzzy blanket, cuddling his parents; and if truth be known he will probably prefer to stay in his mom & dads room for some time as we adjust , the one that was built toward the dream of his homecoming, versus his own room. and , well, that is just a-okay with us! a-okay X a zillion. because mommy cant wait for all those snuggles & hugs, looking around our room remembering our goal, and realizing it has come to be while snuggled within my arms .

hope endures in Lincolns symbolic shadow

Happy birthday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. !!

sidenote: i came across a blog post today i would like to link to Here ; one siblings' words for his brother.

lullaby

walking our path

in reference to the following graceful poem, the line 'the other prayed for a child, And God led her straight to you' intrigues me from two angles. while we were ttc (trying to conceive), adoption was not the 'safety net' for us and it did not enter our minds as such. when we miscarried, something changed. instantly. see, I could and did conceive; I was pregnant for a short time. when we miscarried, something transformed. had we decided to continue ttc , chances are we may get pregnant again. after the m/c, something immediately abruptly awoke within myself. we no longer try to conceive & our precautions are concreted. it was as if we knew all along that we needed to walk the path of adoption. to find our son. to give him, to give us, the family as, for us, it was intended.our first choice was within us all along; it just took awhile to see it.God has led our hearts.
the unknown authors poem of love reads:
' Once there were two women, Who never knew each other.One you do not remember, The other you call mother.Two different lives. Shaped to make yours one,
One became your guiding star, The other became your sun.The first gave you life, And the second taught you to live it.And the first gave you a need for love, And the second was there to give it.One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.One gave you the seeds of talent, The other gave you aim.One gave you emotions, The other calmed your fears.One saw your first sweet smile, The other dried your tears.One gave you up, It was all that she could do.The other prayed for a child, And God led her straight to you.And now you ask me through your tears, The age old question through the years.Heredity or environment, Which are you a product of?Neither, my Darling, Neither, Just two different kinds of love ' .
-Author Unknown

Merry Christmas Ethiopia

Beautiful celebration at

Lalibela ;

video footage.

Christmas in Ethiopia is called 'Ganna' and is celebrated on January 7.

2011

happy new year!