John and I just moved. We are now living in Huntersville...the south side of Lake Norman. But I am working in Davidson. We love both Huntersville and Davidson. Any adopted family, and I guess especially adopted parents of international children or children of a minority race or ethnicity, worry about their child "fitting in." John and I have talked about raising our child from Ethiopia -- the joys and the challenges. At some level, we will never be able to identify with our child, culturally and ethnically.
That is why when we moved and instantly became connected (loosely connected right now) with four families who have adopted children from Ethiopia we were thrilled. Even at my church (where I work) there is about to be an adoption support group and there are families with Ethiopian children who are members. We are amazed.
All I keep thinking is how awesome it will be for our child to see other children who like like him/her. They will see other Ethiopian children with Caucasian/American parents and they will not feel so isolated and alone.
We give thanks that we are in a place where others before us have helped pave a way for us. What a joy it is!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
This Time Next Year...
I've found myself saying this a lot..."This time next year we will have the baby here." Or "This time next year we will have to re-think our vacation." Or "This time next year we will have to find a childcare center." Or "This time next year we will be wishing we had Saturday mornings to sleep in." Some say you can't think too much into the future because it is unknown and something we have no control over. But right now, while we wait for the months to turn the only thing that helps with the wait is to think about this time next year.
I listened in on the monthly webinar our agency hosts. We were reminded that the current wait time is 12-15 months. So hopefully, this time 5 months from now we will have received a call. But it very well could be this time 7 months from now we will be waiting for the call. I wonder if the birth mother of our child is thinking and feeling the same thing? Maybe she is saying, "This time nine months from now I have to make a decision on what to do with this baby." Or maybe she and her husband are thinking, "Maybe this time nine months from now we will have the money it takes to support this baby."
Pondering the future can be hopeful or just a giant tail chase. In the end, we just don't know. But I'm going to chose to cling to the hope of this time a year from now we will be celebrating the summer with our Baby Heun and giving thanks to the parents who had to endure a wait of their own.
I listened in on the monthly webinar our agency hosts. We were reminded that the current wait time is 12-15 months. So hopefully, this time 5 months from now we will have received a call. But it very well could be this time 7 months from now we will be waiting for the call. I wonder if the birth mother of our child is thinking and feeling the same thing? Maybe she is saying, "This time nine months from now I have to make a decision on what to do with this baby." Or maybe she and her husband are thinking, "Maybe this time nine months from now we will have the money it takes to support this baby."
Pondering the future can be hopeful or just a giant tail chase. In the end, we just don't know. But I'm going to chose to cling to the hope of this time a year from now we will be celebrating the summer with our Baby Heun and giving thanks to the parents who had to endure a wait of their own.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Ok, God...Just So We are Clear...We've Got the Patience Lesson...What's Next?
John and I participated in a webinar last night with CHSFS (our adoption agency). Many in the Ethiopia program are curious about what is taking so long, why the delays, and wanted a forum to ask questions.
Looks like the current wait time is 12-18 months. The best thing to tell all of you is that we have no idea when we will be getting a call with a referral.
October? December? March 2010? We don't know. But I am hoping that 14 months will be our mark which would mean we won't end 2009 without a phone call from our specialist.
My conversation with God has been: Ok, God. I think we have learned the lesson on patience. We can move on to something else now!
We will covet your prayers as we continue to wait for our child to be matched with us!
Looks like the current wait time is 12-18 months. The best thing to tell all of you is that we have no idea when we will be getting a call with a referral.
October? December? March 2010? We don't know. But I am hoping that 14 months will be our mark which would mean we won't end 2009 without a phone call from our specialist.
My conversation with God has been: Ok, God. I think we have learned the lesson on patience. We can move on to something else now!
We will covet your prayers as we continue to wait for our child to be matched with us!
Friday, April 24, 2009
The Latest Statistics for Us Waiters
Well, Here is the latest look of statistics from our Adoption Agency.
Here is an update about what families are currently experiencing:
- 24 families received a referral in the month of March. So far in April, 12 families have accepted referrals for 15 children.
- the wait time estimate for a single child continues to be 12-18 months from dossier submission. Currently families are receiving a referral of a single child approximately 13 months after submitting a dossier.
- of the families who received a referral of a single child in March/early April, one family waited 13 months and 1 week, while another family waited about 11 months.
- families “at the top of the list” for a referral submitted their dossier in March 2008
- court date assignments that we received at the end of March were for a date approximately 8 weeks after a family accepted their referral; which is a positive change from the 12 week time frame we had previously been seeing. Hopefully this will continue to be the pattern.
-at this time we continue to see families traveling to Ethiopia about 16 weeks after they accept a referral.
On a related note, CHSFS Ethiopia has finally received all of the necessary documents and permissions needed in order to begin referring children from Bethel Orphanage in Nazret, Oromiya! A few children have already been matched with CHSFS families and we hope to be placing more children from there soon.
Maybe it will be October when we get a call afterall! Keep the Faith!
Here is an update about what families are currently experiencing:
- 24 families received a referral in the month of March. So far in April, 12 families have accepted referrals for 15 children.
- the wait time estimate for a single child continues to be 12-18 months from dossier submission. Currently families are receiving a referral of a single child approximately 13 months after submitting a dossier.
- of the families who received a referral of a single child in March/early April, one family waited 13 months and 1 week, while another family waited about 11 months.
- families “at the top of the list” for a referral submitted their dossier in March 2008
- court date assignments that we received at the end of March were for a date approximately 8 weeks after a family accepted their referral; which is a positive change from the 12 week time frame we had previously been seeing. Hopefully this will continue to be the pattern.
-at this time we continue to see families traveling to Ethiopia about 16 weeks after they accept a referral.
On a related note, CHSFS Ethiopia has finally received all of the necessary documents and permissions needed in order to begin referring children from Bethel Orphanage in Nazret, Oromiya! A few children have already been matched with CHSFS families and we hope to be placing more children from there soon.
Maybe it will be October when we get a call afterall! Keep the Faith!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
May Now Be Looking at DECEMBER???!!!!
Well, I got the latest newsletter from our agency and we were told that due to a huge number of applications last late summer to fall, we may be looking at 14 months of total waiting. I have to say that I am heartbroken. What is two more months? It is two more months of going with no control over anything, two more months of waiting for a name then waiting three months to travel, two more months of not having a child. Two more months which leaves me asking, "Did we make the right decision?" "Maybe we should have done domestic adoption." "Maybe we should have gone with another agency." "Maybe we should have gone with another country." Two months, when we have been waiting for so long, feels like a life-time!
But what choice do we have? We wait. And pray that God will maybe speed up time or work with the system to get more needed orphans homes of love!
But what choice do we have? We wait. And pray that God will maybe speed up time or work with the system to get more needed orphans homes of love!
Monday, February 2, 2009
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