Why is waiting so hard??? I guess it's not hard to wait if you don't want what's coming...like a trip to the dentist....and I know waiting doesn't kill you! I think of all the times I've waited thinking the day would never come - high school graduation, college graduation, our wedding day, the birth of the boys, each move, each fantastic vacation.....maybe this wait is so much harder b/c it doesn't have a date or even a month attached to it!?!?! It's just plain and simple - wait.
Please join me in praying that God will give me grace during this waiting period. I'm a disaster....I feel like my heart is on the other side of the world...and we don't even know who she is!!!! I find that so incredibly amazing. I love her so much!!! I feel like I'm 9 months pregnant - but maybe I'm only 8 or 7....see what I mean??? It's CRAZY!!! At least with a pregnancy you knew when your absolute DONE date was - of course you hoped it was earlier -but at least there was a definite done date!!!
Every day I wrestle with keeping my head above the water....being loving, patient, nurturing to my family, friends, customers....when all I really want to do is sit and dream about Ellie. It's funny to think that even a year ago we had no idea the path our life would take. And now I can't even envision our life not right here....well...unless we were actually in ET - I can envision THAT!!!
So to pass the time we've decided to get our vaccinations done - tomorrow. We haven't told all the boys that they'll need Hep A :( Apparently it's far too common for your little one to bring it home with her & infect the whole family - even the ones who don't travel. The rest of us (Matt, myself & Jack) will be getting Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, & making sure our Tetnus is up to date. So maybe even more than praying for me not to go crazy waiting - pray for my little ones as they get poked for sissy tomorrow!
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My new Motto!
I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something;
and because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the
something I can do.
Helen Keller
I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something;
and because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the
something I can do.
Helen Keller
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REQUIRED READING! Amazima is run by a 19 year old girl - her story is MORE than worth reading!
Why Ethiopia???
• One in six children die before their fifth birthday
• One in ten children die before their first birthday
• 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old
• 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition
• The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years
• 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)
• 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone
•There are 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia and the country is twice the size of Texas
• Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa
• Drought struck the country from 2000-2002 (first year no crops, second year no seeds, third year no animals)
• Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school
• Coffee prices (Ethiopia’s only major export) fell 40-60% from 1998-2002
• Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000
• One in ten children die before their first birthday
• 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old
• 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition
• The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years
• 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)
• 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone
•There are 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia and the country is twice the size of Texas
• Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa
• Drought struck the country from 2000-2002 (first year no crops, second year no seeds, third year no animals)
• Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school
• Coffee prices (Ethiopia’s only major export) fell 40-60% from 1998-2002
• Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000
Round 2!!!
Nov 3, 2010 - Decide to adopt through CCI
Nov 9 - Contact Home Study Agency
Nov 16 - Decide to adopt B & B
Nov 18 - 1st meeting for Home Study - $1700
Nov 22 - send in application to CCI with $250 application fee
Dec 11 - we've been approved to adopt through CCI!
Dec 13 - sent in contract & $5800 - $5200 agency fee, $100 home study review fee, $500 humanitarian aid fee
Jan 24, 2011 - realized we need NEW birth certificates and marriage certificates - $122.50 to have them overnighted!!!
Jan 26 - spent $16.15 to express mail Dossier cover sheet & Power of Attorney to Olympia for AUTHENTICATION with $30 for processing
Jan 27 - received new birth & marriage certificates!!!
Jan 29 - received notarized copy of home study
Jan 31 - spent $16.15 to express mail I600a application to USCIS with $890 to process our application to bring an orphan into the US
Feb 2 - spent $16.15 to overnight our DOSSIER to The Assistant Stork in VA who will courier it through the State Dept & The Ethiopian Embassy - sent checks for $80 to Stork, $16 to State Dept, and $$189.60 to Embassy
Feb 2 - priority mailed 2 copies of our Dossier to CCI with a check for the first half of our country fee - $8500
Mar 1 - our case is submitted to the Ethiopian court
Mar 18 - FINGERPRINTED for our USCIS clearance
Mar 24 - received court date of May 20th!!!!
Mar 30 - 171h arrived!
Apr 12 - plane tickets purchased! $1372 each - what a BARGAIN!
May 14 - receive news our court date has been canceled....we travel anyway
May 26 - able to give our consent to the ET courts
Jun 1 - travel home
Jul 25 - passed court in ET - they're OURS!!!
Jul 26 - paid the 2nd half of the in-country fee - $8,500
Aug 11 - submitted to Embassy
Sept 12 - Embassy requests interview with birthmom
Oct 11 - Reschedule interview to Oct 25 due to car trouble
Oct 25 - We're CLEARED!
Oct 26 - Given Embassy interview date of Nov 2nd
Oct 27 - Tickets purchased, 1 adult & 2 children - $2800
Oct 31 - leave for ETHIOPIA!
Nov 4 - check out of hotel - $280
Nov 5 - return HOME!
Total so far: $31,878 and worth EVERY penny!
Nov 9 - Contact Home Study Agency
Nov 16 - Decide to adopt B & B
Nov 18 - 1st meeting for Home Study - $1700
Nov 22 - send in application to CCI with $250 application fee
Dec 11 - we've been approved to adopt through CCI!
Dec 13 - sent in contract & $5800 - $5200 agency fee, $100 home study review fee, $500 humanitarian aid fee
Jan 24, 2011 - realized we need NEW birth certificates and marriage certificates - $122.50 to have them overnighted!!!
Jan 26 - spent $16.15 to express mail Dossier cover sheet & Power of Attorney to Olympia for AUTHENTICATION with $30 for processing
Jan 27 - received new birth & marriage certificates!!!
Jan 29 - received notarized copy of home study
Jan 31 - spent $16.15 to express mail I600a application to USCIS with $890 to process our application to bring an orphan into the US
Feb 2 - spent $16.15 to overnight our DOSSIER to The Assistant Stork in VA who will courier it through the State Dept & The Ethiopian Embassy - sent checks for $80 to Stork, $16 to State Dept, and $$189.60 to Embassy
Feb 2 - priority mailed 2 copies of our Dossier to CCI with a check for the first half of our country fee - $8500
Mar 1 - our case is submitted to the Ethiopian court
Mar 18 - FINGERPRINTED for our USCIS clearance
Mar 24 - received court date of May 20th!!!!
Mar 30 - 171h arrived!
Apr 12 - plane tickets purchased! $1372 each - what a BARGAIN!
May 14 - receive news our court date has been canceled....we travel anyway
May 26 - able to give our consent to the ET courts
Jun 1 - travel home
Jul 25 - passed court in ET - they're OURS!!!
Jul 26 - paid the 2nd half of the in-country fee - $8,500
Aug 11 - submitted to Embassy
Sept 12 - Embassy requests interview with birthmom
Oct 11 - Reschedule interview to Oct 25 due to car trouble
Oct 25 - We're CLEARED!
Oct 26 - Given Embassy interview date of Nov 2nd
Oct 27 - Tickets purchased, 1 adult & 2 children - $2800
Oct 31 - leave for ETHIOPIA!
Nov 4 - check out of hotel - $280
Nov 5 - return HOME!
Total so far: $31,878 and worth EVERY penny!
Our Adoption Timeline!
Nov 10, 08 - Sent application to America World & $250 application fee
Dec 10, 08 - Sent first program payment fee of $1350 to AWAA.
Dec 22, 08 - Accepted into the Ethiopia Program at AWAA.
Jan 7, 09 - Requested birth certificates & marriage certificate....sent $60 (? can't remember exact amt!) to State of Wa & Or for these documents.
Jan 15, 09 - paid $95 for the online Hague Compliance training
Jan 21, 09 - Matt & Jill physicals and fingerprinting...$20 for fingerprints....sent fingerprints with $30 to FBI for
background check.
Jan 21, 09 - TB test for everyone :) yeah! $16 each.
Feb 18, 09 - sent $1800 for homestudy & $1050 for post adoption reports.
Feb 19, 09 - first meeting with the social worker doing the homestudy
Feb 23, 09 - Jill's 1:1 interview with social worker for homestudy
Mar 1, 09 - Matt's 1:1 interview with social worker & home inspection for homestudy
Mar 2, 09 - sent $30 to California for the background check for the homestudy
April 16, 09 - final meeting with social worker for completion of homestudy
April 22, 09 - over-nighted I600A paperwork to social worker who included notarized copy of HOMESTUDY (it's DONE!!!) and over-nighted I600A & Homestudy to USCIS - with $870
Apr 30,09 - had all paperwork notarized - for FREE thanks SUSIE! Over-nighted certification paperwork to Olympia with $30.
May 1, 09 - received notification from USCIS that they'd rcvd our paperwork and would be sending us our fingerprinting appt in the next few days!!!!
May 3 - paid $70 for our home study social workers travel expenses.
May 4 - we have our fingerprinting appointment!!! It's set for May 27th....but I'm hoping to see if we can get in earlier - of course!
May 5 - no chance to get an earlier fingerprinting appt :(
May 7 - WOW! Our paperwork came back from Olympia already!!! Now we're just waiting on the I-171!
May 27 - Fingerprints DONE!!!
June 2 - Matt's fingerprints didn't go thru, he has to go back and have them redone :(
June 4 - Matt's fingerprints are redone - pray they go thru this time!!!
June 18 - spent $20 and 3o minutes making 3 copies of the Dossier
June 20 - received our I-171H
June 22 - overnighted Dossier to AWAA with $7500...of which $1000 will be refunded when we do our 3, 6, and 12 month post-placement visits
June 26 - DTE!!!
July 2 - Dossier arrives in Addis Ababa, ET
July 26 - 1 month DTE
Aug 24 - Amend request to include HIV+ child
Aug 26 - 2 months DTE
Sep 16 - Sent $450 to AWAA to update Home study to include HIV+
Sep 26 - 3 months DTE
Oct 6 - Referral Call
Oct 8- Sent in referral acceptance & $5435
Nov 11 - received first pics of Ellie since her referral!!! She is sooooo BEAUTIFUL!
Nov 12- received court date of Dec 3
Nov 25 - received first "official" update on Ellie from AWAA - she's smiling & healthy & drop dead GORGEOUS!!!
Dec 3 - WE PASS COURT!!!!
Dec 21- Concrete travel dates - Jan 15-23
Dec 22 - bought plane tickets - $3244 for Matt & Jill
Jan 13 - paid in country travel fees $3877 for 5 of us
Jan 15 - left Spokane for Addis Ababa, ET
Jan 18 - Metcha Day
Jan 19 - Gotcha Day
Jan 20 - Embassy Day. $400 for her visa.
Jan 23 - HOME!
Grand Total so far: $26,581
Dec 10, 08 - Sent first program payment fee of $1350 to AWAA.
Dec 22, 08 - Accepted into the Ethiopia Program at AWAA.
Jan 7, 09 - Requested birth certificates & marriage certificate....sent $60 (? can't remember exact amt!) to State of Wa & Or for these documents.
Jan 15, 09 - paid $95 for the online Hague Compliance training
Jan 21, 09 - Matt & Jill physicals and fingerprinting...$20 for fingerprints....sent fingerprints with $30 to FBI for
background check.
Jan 21, 09 - TB test for everyone :) yeah! $16 each.
Feb 18, 09 - sent $1800 for homestudy & $1050 for post adoption reports.
Feb 19, 09 - first meeting with the social worker doing the homestudy
Feb 23, 09 - Jill's 1:1 interview with social worker for homestudy
Mar 1, 09 - Matt's 1:1 interview with social worker & home inspection for homestudy
Mar 2, 09 - sent $30 to California for the background check for the homestudy
April 16, 09 - final meeting with social worker for completion of homestudy
April 22, 09 - over-nighted I600A paperwork to social worker who included notarized copy of HOMESTUDY (it's DONE!!!) and over-nighted I600A & Homestudy to USCIS - with $870
Apr 30,09 - had all paperwork notarized - for FREE thanks SUSIE! Over-nighted certification paperwork to Olympia with $30.
May 1, 09 - received notification from USCIS that they'd rcvd our paperwork and would be sending us our fingerprinting appt in the next few days!!!!
May 3 - paid $70 for our home study social workers travel expenses.
May 4 - we have our fingerprinting appointment!!! It's set for May 27th....but I'm hoping to see if we can get in earlier - of course!
May 5 - no chance to get an earlier fingerprinting appt :(
May 7 - WOW! Our paperwork came back from Olympia already!!! Now we're just waiting on the I-171!
May 27 - Fingerprints DONE!!!
June 2 - Matt's fingerprints didn't go thru, he has to go back and have them redone :(
June 4 - Matt's fingerprints are redone - pray they go thru this time!!!
June 18 - spent $20 and 3o minutes making 3 copies of the Dossier
June 20 - received our I-171H
June 22 - overnighted Dossier to AWAA with $7500...of which $1000 will be refunded when we do our 3, 6, and 12 month post-placement visits
June 26 - DTE!!!
July 2 - Dossier arrives in Addis Ababa, ET
July 26 - 1 month DTE
Aug 24 - Amend request to include HIV+ child
Aug 26 - 2 months DTE
Sep 16 - Sent $450 to AWAA to update Home study to include HIV+
Sep 26 - 3 months DTE
Oct 6 - Referral Call
Oct 8- Sent in referral acceptance & $5435
Nov 11 - received first pics of Ellie since her referral!!! She is sooooo BEAUTIFUL!
Nov 12- received court date of Dec 3
Nov 25 - received first "official" update on Ellie from AWAA - she's smiling & healthy & drop dead GORGEOUS!!!
Dec 3 - WE PASS COURT!!!!
Dec 21- Concrete travel dates - Jan 15-23
Dec 22 - bought plane tickets - $3244 for Matt & Jill
Jan 13 - paid in country travel fees $3877 for 5 of us
Jan 15 - left Spokane for Addis Ababa, ET
Jan 18 - Metcha Day
Jan 19 - Gotcha Day
Jan 20 - Embassy Day. $400 for her visa.
Jan 23 - HOME!
Grand Total so far: $26,581
About Me
- Jill
- Colfax, Washington Wife to Matt for 16 adventure filled years. Mom to 4 fantastic boys & one fabulous little girl! Owner of an amazing business that allows me lots of girl time & a chance to decide when that girl time is :) Lover of all things sparkly, fun, loud, and shouter from the mountain tops of the JOY OF ADOPTION!
2 comments:
Jill,
My goodness, look at what time you are posting on your blog. Hasn't anyone told you that "waiting....." goes faster if you can SLEEP through some of it! Here is a hint, at 1:12 A.M. TRY SLEEPING!!! :)
I loved seeing your post. Everyone was reading here at work tonight. We loved it!
Hope you got to bed before me;)
Love you,
Julie
Hey girl, I am praying for you and for Ellie and grace for all of you as God works out the details of bringing you together. (including the vaccinations tomorrow) which I guess is today now...how did it go?
And Julie is right....get some sleep! :)
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