Our Family through adoption

Shoes!!

2012-02-15T16:11:00.000-05:00

Our children at our HopeChest Care point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia received new shoes in January!! Look at the smiles! 165 children received new shoes. big thank you to everyone who helped make this possible!

We still have some children who are not sponsored at our care-point. E-mail me mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for details or click on the sponsorship tab on our blog.

Project Sew Important videos

2012-02-01T21:10:00.003-05:00

Project Sew Important is in full production! It's amazing to receive e-mails from friends of friends asking to be a part of this project. Thank you all so much for your support. We are so grateful for your help.

We have had many questions about the pattern and the best method for sewing it. Laura created the following videos to help answer your questions!
Diamond Pattern
Liners
We hope this helps. E-mail me if you have any questions.

Henry turns 5!

2012-01-30T21:51:00.000-05:00

Our sweet Henry turned 5 years old! He requested a donut instead of a cake.
Happy Birthday Henry!

Created for Care

2012-01-29T20:45:00.001-05:00

This weekend I spent the weekend with 400 adoptive moms at the Created for Care retreat in Atlanta. Created for Care is a non-profit ministry designed to encourage, equip and bring rest to adoptive moms via a yearly retreat. Last year I was so encouraged by the speakers. They poured out God's truth about our children and they provided encouragement for those of us who have children from "hard places". This year was just as amazing. I cannot wait until next year.

I had a wonderful time connecting with moms from our agency and moms who have adopted from Russia and Ethiopia.

They are hosting a second retreat March 23-25, 2012. If you have adopted or are in the process of adopting, I highly recommend this retreat. You will come away refreshed! Click here for more details.

Project Sew Important update

2012-01-21T13:03:00.001-05:00

If you haven't read about our newest project- please click here then come back to read the update.

We are delighted by the number of woman who have joined our Project Sew Important group!! This will be an ongoing ministry so we will accept your sewing projects throughout the year. The deadline for our first project is April 1, 2012.

Several of you have asked if you could sew something less complicated. Yes!! We need drawstring bags for the pads and shields. You can find the bag pattern here.

If you don't sew but want to help please visit the la Sucette shop on Etsy. You may buy the finished products on Etsy and have them shipped to a team member. Please contact me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for a shipping address.

We also have several girls who need a sponsor. A sponsorship fee ($34 monthly) provides resources for children to receive at least one meal a day, school supplies, a school uniform, basic medical care and an education! Sponsors not only offer monthly support, but encouragement through prayer, letter writing, and relationship. Please contact me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for more information or to sign up!

Thank you for making a difference in young women's lives.

Project Sew Important

2012-01-19T21:14:00.003-05:00

In April we are going to our Children's HopeChest Care point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. We will be serving 168 children, 96 of them girls.

I've debated about the post... should I share or not share... because it's sensitive, maybe taboo... not everyone is comfortable with the topic and I wasn't sure if I wanted to share this publicly. But after sharing this with my close friends and receiving very positive feedback, I decided to risk it all and post the details of our newest project. It really is that important to me... to the girls at our care point.

The girls at our care point are vulnerable economically. Many of the girls are orphans and receive their only meal at our care point. These girls are in school because someone has cared enough to sponsor them so the required school fees have been paid. But they are still at risk.... Some girls miss school up to 4 days a month. They miss the lessons, the practice time, the homework, the exams and if they have a part time job they miss time a work/income because they cannot afford hygiene products. It happens every day in impoverished communities all over the world... it's happening at our care point.

We want to change that at our care point. We want to ensure our girls and young ladies have their own sustainable, effective feminine hygiene products.

We've started "Project Sew Important". If you sew and can help, please join us! We have two patterns options provided by Days for Girls. Please e-mail me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for all the details. We have a snap machine so we can finish off the products for you.

If you cannot sew but would like to help you may buy the finished product online, here , Please contact me for a shipping address for one our our team members. Please e-mail me for details.

Thank you for making a difference in young women's lives.

Orthodox Christmas

2012-01-08T17:44:00.001-05:00

On January 7th Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas. Igor, Henry and Merone were adopted from countries which are primarily Orthodox. In order to celebrate their culture, we celebrated Christmas with Russian and Ethiopian food and friends. We ate borscht, doro wat, Russian tea cookies and more. The best part was sharing it with friends.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:03:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Advent

2011-11-30T20:35:00.001-05:00

This year Igor and I are doing the Jesse Tree Advent Family Devotional together. It's a sweet time for Igor and I to count down to Christmas.
I am not sure how it happened but Advent snuck up on me this year so I wasn't prepared on the first day. I decided to make a tree out of construction paper and having Igor draw glue on an ornament each day because it was easy and it was time to start. When I mentioned my plan to Igor he said, "Why don't we get out my little Christmas tree instead?" Why didn't I think of that? We pulled out his little Christmas Tree from storage. Igor insisted on lights, the big ones. I downloaded copies of ornaments here . Each day Igor and I go through the Advent devotional. Igor may choose to color in the ornaments or draw his own.
We are on day two. I am enjoying this special time with my son.

Stocking stuffers

2011-11-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

Check out the beautiful stocking stuffers to benefit the uniform fund at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha, Ethiopia!

Grace Baptist Church is in Kombolcha, Ethiopia- which is approximately 7 hours by car from Addis Ababa. The church cares for 375 orphaned and vulnerable children in Kombolcha. In order for the children to attend school they must have a school uniform. For many families, the cost of a new school uniform is cost prohibited so we are currently raising funds to purchase uniforms for the children.

With a donation to the Uniform Fund you can receive these stocking stuffer cards. (business card sized 3.5″ x 2″) These are a perfect fit for stocking stuffers, a little something extra for your kids’ teacher gifts, co-workers or include one in the Christmas card you mail out this year! Here’s how to make a donation:

PLEASE follow these instructions, so that your donation goes to the correct fund.
Go click HERE to make a donation on the Children's Hope Chest site. (Your donation is 100% tax deductible.)

Under “Gift Information,” click on “choose a fund” and select “designated gifts”.

Type in your gift amount (if you’re giving gift cards to more than one person, just add up the total amount to be given and write it in the blank, then when you email, state the number of total gift cards needed.)

Then (this is the important part) under the “notes field” be sure to add in the Fund code which is “ET2116000 Uniforms.”

Finally, add in your info and follow the prompts to complete your donation.

Once you complete your donation, send an email to mommysmoneysavingmadness@gmail.com with your donation amount, your mailing address and the number of gift cards.

The cards will be mailed to you within a two days of your donation/order. To ensure you get your cards before Christmas, be sure to make a donation by December 15th. If you have any questions at all, please email Tracy at mommysmoneysavingmadness@gmail.com
Thanks you so much for making a difference this Christmas!

November 16, 2005

2011-11-17T19:37:00.000-05:00

On November 16, 2005, a Russian judged approved our adoption- Igor was our son! I cannot believe we've been a family for 6 years! We celebrated with Igor's favorite meal- pizza and prince charming pumpkin cake. Life couldn't be sweeter.

Halloween

2011-11-08T13:17:00.000-05:00

USCIS Stakeholder Meeting on Ethiopian Adoptions

2011-10-27T12:07:00.000-04:00

If you are adopting from Ethiopia-
USCIS Stakeholder Meeting on Ethiopian Adoptions - Friday, October 28, 2011 at 10:30am (EDT)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would like to invite you to attend a stakeholder call to discuss USCIS processing of Ethiopian adoption cases which the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa is referring to USCIS as "not clearly approvable".
Recently, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia, has identified a number of adoption petitions (Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as Immediate Relative) that it has determined are not clearly approvable (NCA), and thus, must be referred to USCIS for adjudication. USCIS would like to explain what “not clearly approvable” means and how the processing of such cases will unfold once the cases are referred to USCIS.
To Participate in the Session

Any interested parties may participate in this event by telephone. All participants must respond to this invitation. Please contact the USCIS Office of Public Engagement at public.engagement@dhs.gov This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Thursday, October 27, 2011 referencing “Ethiopian Adoptions” in the subject line of your email. Please also include your full name and the organization you represent in the body of the email. Once an RSVP email has been received, USCIS will provide you call-in details.

Family Update

2011-10-04T20:49:00.001-04:00

The pediatrician called this morning- the most recent giardia test- POSITIVE! ugh! We will pick up another round of antibiotics in the morning. We cannot wait until this pest is GONE!!

Last week Igor was sick. I knew he had a cold but he rarely complains when he is sick and he doesn't slow down so if he doesn't have a temperature I never know how sick he really is. One night before bed he said "I cannot get all my air out." The next morning we were in the pediatrician's office. He had walking pneumonia. He is feeling much better now.

On Sunday the scouts had their annual rain gutter regatta. Igor felt better so we let him race (blow his sailboat down the length of a gutter) He placed third in his den!

Little Ms. Merone is learning new words everyday. She is now saying: buckle, goo gurl (good girl), shool (school), I love you. Her personality continues to emerge. When were in Ethiopia she was quiet and reserved. That personality continued to show itself for a month or so once we were home. Now she is very happy> She loves to be in the middle of whatever is going on. Kickball game in the yard with the boys- she's in! Someone getting a hug- she wants one too. She talks (babbles) all the time, sets up tea parties, loves play dough, plays with babies and LEGOs . She LOVES Henry and Igor. She is a wonderful blessing to our family.

Update on the Kombolcha April 21-30, 2012 trip!

2011-09-26T11:48:00.002-04:00

We have received several applications for the trip to Kombolcha, Ethiopia! There are still spots available.
All the trip details are posted here http://ethiopianadoptionspot.blogspot.com/p/kombolcha-trip-info.html:

Several people have asked about the hotel- does it have electricity and running water? The answer is YES!! Others have asked about the drive to Kombolcha from Addis Ababa. The drive is breathtaking. We will stop to see the monkeys in the highlands. You will see the dry and arid regions as well. If it's market day, the drive will be a bit longer but will be filled with adventure. We've posted a few videos of the hotel and the drive.

9/11

2011-09-12T21:20:00.001-04:00

I watched the 9/11 anniversary events with tears in my eyes. We all remember exactly where we were when we heard the news ten years ago.
Five years ago, on 9/11 we moved from the Washington, DC suburbs to our new home. A bittersweet move but it allowed me to stay home with Igor and Rob to work full time. In hindsight, the move was a huge blessing for our family.

Three years ago on 9/11 we received our second referral from Ethiopia. The picture of Henry was grainy and blurry but the smile on his sweet face was precious.
This year we celebrated Henry's referral anniversary and Ethiopian New Year (which is on 9/11). It was a sweet reminder of how precious Henry is and how grateful we are to call him our son.

Kombolcha 2012!

2011-09-06T20:57:00.002-04:00

Our plans for a mission trip to our Care-point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia have been finalized! We invite you to join the team that will be going to Kombolcha from April 21-30, 2012!

When Rob and I were in Kombolcha in May of this year, the pastor and staff at Grace Baptist Church were delighted that we were bringing a team back in 2012. After we finalized the dates, the in-country staff in Ethiopia said they could talk of little else.

If you have ever considered going on a mission trip or visiting your sponsor child, this is the time. Please prayerfully consider joining us or help with preparations!

The Mission

We will spend time with the 165 children in our sponsorship program at Grace Baptist Church. Our mission is this - to build relationships with these children so they know they are cared for and loved not only by us, but by God. We will spend 5 days with the children at our care-point. We will shower them with love, spend time with them, play games, share care packages and letters from their sponsor families. On our last day in Kombolcha we will have a feast with the children and staff. The feast will include purchasing an ox so all the children, church staff and team members may enjoy a traditional Ethiopian meal.

Travel Details

All team members will meet in Washington, DC. From there, we will travel to Ethiopia together on a non-stop flight into Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After a day of travel, we will arrive and spend the night in Addis Ababa. The next day we take an incredible journey to Kombolcha by van. You will be able to see the high and low lands of Ethiopia. We will be accompanied by a Children Hope Chest and One Child Campaign representative the entire time we are in-country.

The total trip will be approximately $2500, this includes air fare, hotels, transportation, translators, and meals. One Child Campaign has prepared the in-country travel package on our behalf and has fixed the cost at $1,296 per person. Entrance VISA's are $20 per person. The cost of round-trip airfare to Ethiopia will vary but is approximately $1,100-$1,300.

You do NOT have to be a child sponsor to go on this trip. However, all sponsor families are invited and encouraged to meet their sponsor child.

Registration is now open for our April 21-30, 2012 trip to Kombolcha, Ethiopia. If you are interested in joining the team, please e-mail me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com. We would be delighted to have you join us!

If know someone at your work place, church or in your community that would be interested in sponsoring a child - we have several children who are available for sponsorship! According to the pastors of Grace Baptist Church, sponsorship is the number one need. Sponsorship is $34 per month; it provides resources for children to receive at least one meal a day, school supplies, a school uniform, basic medical care and an education! Sponsorship not only offers monthly support, but encouragement through prayer, letter writing, and relationship. E-mail me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for more details.

Shoes for our children at Grace Baptist Church Ethiopia

2011-08-26T12:11:00.001-04:00

I take for granted my shoes. My shoes fit properly and are comfortable. When my kids want to play outside I have more than one pair of shoes to choose from. When Rob and I visited our Children's Hope Chest care-point in May, we saw the needs of the children in a personal way. Oh, how it’s different to see to the needs when you are looking directly into the eyes of a child.

We saw many children who were in need of new shoes. Here are just two pairs of shoes...

Over the last year we have had a fundraising event to purchase shoes for the children. Several sponsors donated to the shoe fund and Sami, a 12 year old girl, raised more than half of the funds needed!! I am delighted to announce we have enough funds to purchase 163 pair of shoes for the children at our Care-point- Grace Baptist Church! Children’s Hope Chest will wire the funds to Ethiopia next month. As soon as we receive pictures of the children receiving shoes I will share the photos with you! Imagine the children's delight when they receive a new pair of shoes. Thank you to all who played a part- either by praying and/or contributing financially!!

Our next fundraising project - new school uniforms for the children. Traci at Mommy's Money Saving Madness is spearheading this fundraising project. Check out her blog for was you may help us reach the goal of $3,255 for new uniforms.

According to the pastor of Grace Baptist Church, there are many needs at our care point but sponsorship is currently the number one need. If you or someone you know would be interested in sponsoring a child - we have several children who are available for sponsorship! Sponsorship is $34 per month, it provides resources for children to receive at least one meal a day, school supplies, basic medical care and an education! Sponsorship not only offers monthly support, but encouragement through prayer, letter writing, and relationship. E-mail me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com for more details.

Giardia Update

2011-08-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, this little pest is still here... he is currently living in Henry's tummy. Henry finished up his first round of antibiotics this week.

We'll be breaking out "the kits" next week to test Merone- we are hoping she is parasite free. Henry will be tested the following week. I am praying that we'll be done "sampling" by the end of the month.

The good news - Igor is parasite free!!

Henry's shoe experiment

2011-08-14T12:10:00.001-04:00

One of Henry's favorite things to say, "Hey Mom, I have an idea!"

We are on day 6 of his great idea-

A different point of view

2011-08-05T21:50:00.009-04:00

Our neighborhood has a Yahoo Group so we share information on contractors, share local events and most importantly, find out who is old enough to baby sit!

Today I checked my e-mails around 5PM and read this message which had just been posted:

Two young teenage african-americans are roaming our neighborhood trying to sell what looks like event tickets I did not open my door - please do not open your door - should I call anyone in the light of recent break in? Do I call 911 or just the police office number?? (fyi- it was an attempted break in at 3AM. No one was apprehended.)

I thought to myself- call the police, really? Why not ask who they are and what are doing/selling first?? And why are you so afraid of teenage African-American boys? My mind raced forward 10 years, I imagined Henry walking with the two other teenage African-American boys in our neighborhood and I thought this woman is ready to call the police because my son is black. My mind quickly races back to the present.

Right now Henry is 4 yrs old, many see him as a cute novelty, adopted from Ethiopia. Okay, some see him as an orphan rescued by his wonderful, loving, and saintly parents (we ONLY meet the loving criteria and we did not rescue him).. but how people see Henry will change. As he grows older his adorable preschool cuteness will be gone and he will be a handsome teenage African-American boy. He won't be holding my hand or yelling from the backyard- Mommy look what I can do!! He will be "hanging out" in our yard, or walking in our neighborhood with his friends who may be African-American boys and someone may call the police because they assume he doesn't belong in our neighborhood or that the boys are up to no good. This is racial profiling. For the first time in my life I feel it in a deeply personal way, I sense the ugliness of it and I know I must do something.

I picked up the phone and thought what am I doing?? I set the phone down but I KNEW I must talk to this woman. I calmed down enough to call this neighbor. I have never met her but she said she knew about our family. We talked about the e-mail, about the fact that two of our children are not white and we cannot assume these teens are up to no good just because they are black teens. She apologized for any offense I had taken to the e-mail.

Two hours later she came over to our house to introduce herself and apologized in person. As Henry and Merone stood next to us we explained that we want our kids to grow up in a neighborhood where they feel safe and our neighbors do not think of them as threatening no matter their age. She said she could see it from our side now and she was sorry she reacted the way she did.

You might be wondering what the teenagers were doing in our neighborhood. They are football players from our high school selling merchant discount cards which will benefit the equipment fund.

Parasite 1, Antibiotics 0

2011-08-03T19:56:00.003-04:00

The doctor called this morning, Merone still has giardia. We started a second round of antibiotics today. I'm concerned about Henry who has some symptoms of giardia sooo we stopped by the doctors office to pick up another "sample" kit for Henry.

Merone had her two year old check-up. As we suspected, she is younger than two. (disclaimer- our agency told us up front they believed Merone was younger than the orphanage reported in their paperwork.) Merone's one year old molars are just breaking through and there are no signs of her two year old molars.

Some of you are wondering how could her age be in question. Most mothers in Ethiopia have their babies at home not in a hospital so there is no hospital record of the birth. Many mother's remember the season (rainy, planting, harvesting, etc) of the child's birth but maybe not the actual date. There is also an issue of the calendar. We use a Julian calendar and Ethiopia uses Ge'ez calendar which has 13 months. So, there could be an issue with the conversion of the date of birth. There is the case of when the child's parents have died or the child has been abandoned so a birth date must be created with the best guess.

The nurse at the doctor's office tried to take Merone's blood but she was unsuccessful. We will visit the hospital for her bloodwork. Henry was a "hard stick" too so we had to take him to the hospital for his blood work as well. I hope Mary is working when we take Merone in but I'll take the Goth guy too.

Look who is Two!!

2011-07-28T23:51:00.001-04:00

We celebrated Merone turning 2 years old!

She was a little overwhelmed by the cake, candles and the singing so Henry helped her out.

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Giardia

2011-07-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

This picture says everything if you have ever collected "samples".

Merone did not have any signs of Giardia but I asked the doctor to test for it, just in case. I was shocked when the doctor called last month saying she did have Giardia. Not only does she have it, she has the most difficult type to kill. Henry had a different type of Giardia, but it still took several rounds of antibiotics before he was parasite free. Merone has taken one round of antibiotics. Rob dropped off her second "sample" this morning for re-testing. We are praying that the Giardia is GONE!!

I had to laugh when I saw this website

Giant Plush Microbe

You can buy all sorts of parasites and microbes, including Giardia.

He looks so soft and cuddly.... but he really is a pest. I am looking forward to saying good-bye to Giardia forever.

Merone is talking

2011-07-25T15:06:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe it! We've been home about a month. Merone is amazing. Our sweet and shy little girl is becoming more confident and is trying to say words. To be exact she either screams words or whispers them. I've looked for volume control on her back but quickly realized she is not a toy but a little girl who wants to be HEARD. I believe she is quite clever. When she whispers we all stop to hear what she is saying. When she screams we cannot help but hear her. I am trying to teach her "inside voice". I am certain she understands me because when I talk to her about it she looks at me with a furrowed brow and a pout on her lips as if she is saying- I will be heard!!! We'll continue working on "inside voice" despite the pout and brow.

Merone says- Mommy, daddy, no, stop, gog (dog), da (down), up, ticky (icky). She is very good a getting her point across. Yesterday Rob had to stifle a laugh when Merone pointed her finger at Henry and said, "No, No!"

Yawn... did I mention we are exhausted? Henry was a terrible sleeper for MONTHS after he arrived home. If sleep deprivation was a sport Henry would have been given a gold medal in parental sleep deprivation. I believe my sweet Henry has been giving Merone tips on how to completely exhaust us.

Sweet baby girl has had night terrors since the day we took her from the transitional home. She continues to have them. I have tried waking her up about 2 hours after she goes to sleep. That worked a couple times but then her night terrors were pushed back a few hours. It's so hard to watch she struggle as she has the night terrors. After the night terrors she wakes up 3-6 times per night, crying out for me. I go and I comfort her and then put her back down. She has slept through the night, ummm, two times... I'm sooo sleeepy... and so is my dear sweet husband. Did I mention that Merone gets up around 4:45AM no matter what time she goes to sleep? Rob is my hero. He gets up with her every morning and tries to get her back to sleep. Most mornings he is not successful so they go for long walks while the rest of us sleep. Rob has logged about 50 miles this month with Merone in the stroller. I'm hoping her sleep patterns change soon, otherwise, Operation Sleep will be back... but not until Merone knows we are her parents and we will always be there for her.

Henry's summer time favorites

2011-07-18T20:45:00.001-04:00

jumping

water table fun

lake fun

puzzles

Summer time fun

2011-07-17T20:47:00.001-04:00

Igor loves summer. Here's a few reasons why:

Jumping in the lake off Aunt Jane's dock is always fun

Beating dad at Yahtzee never gets old

puzzles are more fun in the summer time- especially in PJs.

A new family order

2011-07-05T13:16:00.002-04:00

**** I am not an expert on adoption or claim to have all the answers. This post is to share our experiences after adopting three children.***

Every time a new child comes into our family a new order needs to be established. We experienced this with each of our children. Although, the new order for Igor had the most impact on us, his parents. We moved to a couple with no children to parents of a 3 1/2 year old. Wow, did our lives change quickly! We rejoiced because we were finally parents but there was some grieving for the care-free life style we lived before parenthood.

When we adopted Henry there was a time of disorder that occurred prior to the "new normal". It took months to see the completion of this reordering process but in every family the re-ordering process can look different. The months of re-ordering were very hard for Igor who went from an only child to a big brother. He regressed about a year when Henry came home. It's hard to watch the regression in your children but it's natural, it happens in most families then something clicks for the child and the child moves forward again.

The re-ordering process is a very difficult time for each family member because we are all impacted to different degrees.

I have found it difficult to balance Henry's emotional neediness with the minute by minute needs of Merone who has taken barnacle to a new level. Henry has been regressing before my eyes.... He wants to drink from a bottle, he cries more often, he wants to ride in the stroller, and so on. Igor less impacted because he remains the "oldest" but he still needs to learn compassion and love for Merone.

Today, I am lowering my expectations of what each child is capable of and of what I can do for each child. I'm not doing this because I think my children are lazy or have emotionally checked out... it's because family re-ordering has taken an emotional toll on all of us. Igor is "faking it until" he feels compassion and love for Merone. Henry is experiencing a loss of his position of being the "baby" and I need to have compassion for him as he sorts out his role in our family. So for now, he can have a bottle or ride in the stroller. Yes, some of you are gasping at this thought but I am choosing to meet Henry where is emotionally right now. I know he won't stay in this place for long. When I have a few minutes, I am trying to make some special one on one time for Henry and Igor, after all older siblings need mom too.

The boys meet Merone

2011-06-29T16:00:00.001-04:00

Henry LOVES, LOVES, LOVES his baby sister!!

He wants to feed her, read to her, carry her, etc.

Henry and Merone were up a 5AM this morning reading books in Merone's bed. You cannot tell based on this photo but Merone thinks Henry is awesome. She gave him a kiss this morning. Something she has not given her parents yet.

Igor is a proud big brother. He carries her around and is learning to comfort her when she cries.

Rob and I are over the jet lag but Merone is still struggling to adjust to our time. We are looking forward to sleeping more than a few hours each night.

Merone is with us!!

2011-06-26T16:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture of our sweet girl after her first night with us at the guest house!!

Guess who turned 9?

2011-06-21T09:32:00.001-04:00

Today is a big day. We are on our way to Ethiopia!! We cannot wait to see our girl! Today is also Igor's birthday. He turned 9 years old today.
Last night we had a party for him. He was sooo excited to celebrate a day early.

his Star Wars LEGO ship

We were able to pick the first tomatoes of the season before we left!

we hope to post pictures of our gotcha day tomorrow!!

And so it begins again- please pray...

2011-06-14T11:38:00.001-04:00

We leave for Ethiopia next week!! We are excited but it is tempered by the current action by MOWYCA (similar to social services in the US). MOWYCA does not appear to be writing letters required for court. We have many dear friends who have been matched with their children, have gone to court but have not passed court because the MOWYCA letter was missing. These families long to go back to pick up their child(ren). We have other friends waiting for referrals but the delay for those who have not passed court is causing a ripple effect and referrals have slowed to a crawl.
Our friends in Ethiopia have put out this call for prayer and fasting-
Calling adoptive families, intercessors & orphan advocates: The director of MOWYCA (the agency that approves adoptions) in Ethiopia is not working for justice for orphans. We want to challenge each of you to fast and/or pray this week that her heart is changed or that she is removed from office. This is urgent as it will affect all Ethiopian adoptions. Not looking at circumstances, but on the One who changes them!

thank you for praying!

Embassy Appointment

2011-06-09T13:31:00.001-04:00

We received an e-mail this morning with the sweetest news- We have a confirmed Embassy Appointment on June 23! We are finalizing our travel plans. In less than two weeks we will be in Ethiopia with Merone.

Cleared for Travel!!!

2011-06-08T21:59:00.001-04:00

The US Embassy has clear us for travel!!! We are should receive our Embassy Appointment confirmation tomorrow!! We are so excited to know we will be able to pick up our daughter soon. We also learned that baby girl has the chicken pox!! Please pray she has a mild case and recovers quickly.

Tonight we had a pancake dinner fundraiser to help bring Merone home. We raised almost the exact amount of money needed for Merone's air plane ticket home. Thank you God for providing!!!

Family re-ordering and Supplements

2011-06-07T22:09:00.004-04:00

Prior to going to Ethiopia we had Igor's Neurotransmitters retested. He has been doing great on the supplements but we are about change our family dynamics again. We will all be a bit stressed out during the re-ordering period so we wanted to get a base line reading on Igor before Merone comes home. Igor has been on Neurogistics supplements for 9 months. His ability to control his temper, understand complex feelings and emotions has grown by leaps and bounds. Yes, Igor is maturing but I believe the supplements are helping him remain more calm and have given him the able to handle change and stress in a positive way.

Igor's results were much improved since our last re-test. However, he still has a very high "Fight or Flight" response. More fight than flight in my observation so the practitioner suggested a change in his supplements. We made the change over the weekend and "early 2010 Igor" is back. I don't have any other words to describe him. The on edge, angry Igor is back and no one is happy, most of all Igor. He is 8 yrs old and really does not understand why his emotions are completely off. After some discussion with the practitioner, I am putting him back on his previous supplements to get the more calm and happy Igor back. We will change his supplements again before Merone comes home. I am hoping that we get the right mix before we leave for Ethiopia.

We know that our family order will change. This week Igor has talked openly about how it was when there were just three of us and how it all changed when Henry arrived. He knows a big change is coming.

Moving to the next step!

2011-06-05T22:01:00.000-04:00

Rejoice, Rejoice!! On Wednesday our paperwork for Merone's adoption was submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia. Some of you are wondering what that means.
Our adoption agency must collect post court paperwork such as- new birth certificates, a passport for Merone, a medical evaluation is done, and so on. All the documents the US Embassy requires for review has been submitted! The Embassy has about a week to review the documents, After their review they could:

issue us an Embassy appointment in Addis or
request more information or
do an investigation

We are praying for option 1 because the next steps would be getting on a plane, picking up Merone, meeting with Embassy officials and then flying home!!
We should hear something this week!

Father's Day- a gift of giving

2011-06-03T08:19:00.002-04:00

Father's Day is right around the corner. If you are like me, I struggle to find the "right" gift for my dad. This year we'll be blessing our dads with a gift from the heart, the gift of shoes.... no, not for them... the shoes are for a child in Ethiopia.
Grace Baptist, sponsored by Children's HopeChest, is a care-point for orphaned and impoverished children. Through the support of sponsors, Grace Baptist is able to provide food, clothing, education and Christian discipleship! However, the children have many other needs. One pressing need is shoes.

Tracy, a sponsor mom, and her brother are professionally printing and mailing out Father's Day cards to benefit the children at our care point, Grace Baptist, in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. The printing and postage is being donated! Your monetary gift will be presented to Grace Baptist and will go to purchase new shoes for all the children. One pair of shoes costs $18.

Go to Tracy's blog to send a card to your dad.

Wedding weekend

2011-05-31T21:43:00.001-04:00

Rob's sister was married this weekend. Igor was in the wedding. Here are a few pictures.

Holding the ring

Ring delivered

Great MeMe and Igor

Henry & Christy

Children who need a sponsor

2011-05-23T18:09:00.003-04:00

We have several children who need a sponsor. Many of these children at Grace Baptist Church are single or double orphans. They may live with a relative who can provide shelter but not food or clothing because of extreme poverty. There is also food shortages in parts of Ethiopia. Kombolocha is located North East of Addis Ababa. According to the Famine Early Warning map, Kombolcha is dealing with moderate to high food insecurities.
We can make a difference in these children's lives. $34 per month ensures that a desperately poor and hungry child will have one meal every day, clothing, basic medical care, education and Christian discipleship. If you would like to sponsor a child or receive more information, please email me- mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com
Here are some of the precious children we were with last week who need a sponsor

~~Rabiya is in 8th grade. She lives with her grandmother. She enjoys singing and music.~~ Rabiya is now sponsored!!!

~~Miftah is 11 years old, he lives with his mother and loves sports.~~ Rob really connected with this boy. Miftah is now sponsored.

~~Abubeker is 11 years old and lives with his mother. He is very curious and enjoys sports.~~ Abubeker is now sponsored!! If you would like to sponsor a child or receive more information, please email me- mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com

Kombolcha

2011-05-21T08:31:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe we are home! A week ago today we were handing out care packages to children at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha. The children were so excited to see us, spend time with us, to "talk" to us.
There were several things we noticed about the children. First, they were delighted to see us. They wanted hugs, they wanted to touch us, they wanted to connect with us.

They loved playing with the jump ropes and soccer balls we brought. Thank you sponsor families who helped purchase these items!!

We had a wonderful time with the children.
As we spent time with the children we noticed that underneath the joy, there was a need for some basic items:
proper footwear

and proper clothing:

Our current fundraising event is with Sami- her blog is little goody2-shoes. Sami has raised half the amount needed for the 175 children in the sponsorship program. She is 12 years old and making a HUGE impact. Check out her blog and her necklaces! She's currently hosting a giveaway- it's free to enter.

We passed court

2011-05-18T04:00:00.001-04:00

Today we went to court for our daughter! WE PASSED!!
We are pleased to announce the newest addition to our family -our beautiful daughter - Merone

Court today!

2011-05-17T23:45:00.002-04:00

At 9 AM in Addis - 2AM East coast time we will have a court appointment to adopt our daughter! We are praying for good news.

Kombolcha

2011-05-16T11:13:00.001-04:00

We have returned from Kombolcha. We had a great trip.
We were able to appreciate the breathtaking views as we crossed over the mountains.

When we arrived at the church we were greeted by 300 children. Hundreds of little hands extended to shake our hands. "Hello. What is your name?" That's it, that's all the English they know. They had been practicing in anticipation of arrival! So, after hundreds of handshakes and saying, "My name is Candy," we were able to pass out jump ropes and the soccer balls. the children were so excited!!

The next day we handed out care packages! I have pictures of each child receiving their care package. They were so excited to receive cards and pictures. They loved the stickers. They also loved putting them all over their faces. When we return I will send you photos of your sponsor child.

Ethiopia

2011-05-12T14:28:00.000-04:00

We have arrived!! AWAA picked us up this morning from the airport. They said we could meet our daughter today. We were surprised because we thought our first meeting would be Monday.
Baby girl is cute, she loves cuddles and baby dolls. We were told she has had a rough transition to the transition house but that was not evident today. We were prepared to be met with rejection. We were delighted that she let us hold her. She loved holding in to our family picture.
Igor- she loves to point at you in the photos I brought!!!
Henry she holds onto your picture. Boys- you are going to love her.

Tomorrow we leave for Kombolcha.
Please pray for a safe journey, and complete healing from my stomach bug.
We have been told MOWA is only writing 5 letters a day right now- we may not pass court without this letter. Please pray the letter would be written for our court date - May 18

Ethiopia here we come!!

2011-05-10T17:54:00.001-04:00

We are packed and ready to go! We've had quite a week of trials and hiccups but we are ready.

The first part of our trip will in Kombolcha where our church and other families sponsor children through Children's Hope Chest. We have your care packages, jump ropes, soccer balls and more packed for the children. We pray they will be a blessing to the children. With the help of the One Child Campaign and private donors we were also able to purchase a guitar for the discipler assigned to Kombolcha. The children will learn bible songs and verses to music! Hundreds of children will be blessed by this purchase!

On the second half of our trip we will meet our daughter! We cannot wait to finally be with her. We will go to court to gain custody of her on May 18.
Please pray for our children and Rob's parents who will be caring for them. Also for our meeting with our daughter. We would love it if you would pray that MOWCYA (it's similar to social services in the US) will write a favorable opinion letter to the judge and it will be on the judge's desk the day of court! We cannot pass court without a MOWCYA letter.
Thank you all for your support and prayers. I hope our next post will be from Ethiopia!

Care Packages are arriving!

2011-05-03T20:57:00.001-04:00

Next week we will be in Ethiopia!! Sponsor families are sending us care packages for the children at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Rob and I are so honored to be handing out care packages on behalf of sponsors. Everyday UPS and USPS delivers boxes and envelopes!!
Here is one of the care packages we received today!

Thank you sponsor families for all the care packages! The children will delight in them!

Holocaust and Genocide awareness month

2011-04-28T14:16:00.004-04:00

I didn't know it was is Holocaust and Genocide awareness month until my dear, sweet husband asked me to the movies... he said we'd get a sitter for the boys and head for the movies at our "old time" theater downtown. It sounded like fun until I asked what movie we were going to see. This is when I found out Rob had been invited to be part of event to Honoring Holocaust survivors, liberators and others who had survived genocide.
We would also watch - "The Last Survivor." The film follows the lives of survivors of four different genocides and mass atrocities - The Holocaust, Rwanda, Darfur, and Congo - and presents a unique opportunity to learn from the lessons and mistakes of our past in order to have lasting impact on how we face similar issues today.

The Last Survivor Movie Trailer from The Last Survivor on Vimeo.

We went on our date, we enjoyed our time with one another and we also shared the pain and hope portrayed in the movie. Rob and I left the movie theater with the feeling that we saw the movie for a reason. It was clear that it was not an accident that Rob was invited to the event. Now we are wondering what should we do next. We are praying for clear direction.
The movie will be screened in several locations all over the country in the next 30 days. Please watch the movie trailer. I encourage you find a screening and attend! If you cannot, you may request a screening in your town. The co-producer stated it will be available for viewing on the Internet this summer.

The winner is....

2011-04-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the Blog giveaway!! I loved hosting the giveaway and may host another one soon!
We put all the entries in a bowl and Henry pulled out the winner.

Even though I failed to say it on the video clip- Congrats to our winner!!! We hope you enjoy the magnet.
I wish we could give one to everyone who entered. If you love the magnets you can buy them here. Let Debi know which design you prefer- she makes each one to order. The magnets cost $10 each but Debi is donating $7 to our care point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia! The purchase of each magnet will feed one child for six days!
Thanks again to everyone who entered!

Court date!

2011-04-14T22:04:00.002-04:00

We received a call from our agency this morning. Our court date is May 18!! We are so excited. We cannot wait to meet our daughter! I have so much I want to share but I'm speechless. Right now I'm savoring the sweetest words, "you have a court date"
Thanks to all who have been praying for this call. We appreciate your prayers and support so much.

Blog Giveaway!

2011-04-12T21:08:00.008-04:00

1)2)

3)4)

We are so excited! We have teamed up with Debi's Esty shop! Debi and her husband are adopting from Ethiopia and sponsor a child in Ethiopia! We are doing a giveaway for one of her super cute magnets. The magnet measures approximately 4 inches x 3 3/4 inches. It is stained and has a slit on the top to set your photo in. They are the perfect size for a sponsor child's picture, a referral picture, a photo of a missionary family, your family... the possibilities are endless!

The winner of the giveaway may pick any one design posted above. She also has Russia magnets available!

To Enter the giveaway:

1. To enter this giveaway post a comment on which of the magnets you would love hanging on your refrigerator! (1 entry) You may enter even if you do not have a google ID or blog.
Additional Entries:
2. Tweet about this giveaway with a link to the giveaway. Make sure you comment here telling me you have done so. (1 entry)
3. Blog about this giveaway (5 entries) leave your link in a comment.

4. Share our page on Facebook (2 entries).

If you love the magnets and want to guarantee that one will be hanging on your refrigerator you can buy them here. They are a perfect gift! Let Debi know which design you prefer- she makes each one to order. The magnets cost $10 each but Debi is donating $7 to Children's Hope Chest's care point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia! The purchase of each magnet will feed one child for six days!

Giveaway ends Midnight on Tuesday, April 19th. The winners will be announced on Wednesday the 20th.

Good luck!

Agency conference Call

2011-04-08T08:53:00.004-04:00

This week the USCIS held a conference call on the findings from a joint trip of USCIS and Department of State officials to Ethiopia in January 2011. A hand out from this meeting can be found through the following link here. Our adoption agency held a conference call yesterday to go over the status of adoptions in Ethiopia and the findings of the USCIS and DOS visit.

It was a long call here are the highlights:

The Ethiopian government, judges and MOWCYA are all committed to international adoptions.
The infrastructure is not there for the number of international adoptions taking place. They are doing the best they can. They are committed to ethical adoptions.
MOWCYA is not stating the number of letters it is writing each day, but it appears to be processing a good number per day.
Our agency is hearing conflicting reports on whether or not the number of MOWCYA letters will be impacted for families whose court dates were issued after that date. They should know more in the next few weeks.
The court is being more meticulous with the documentation needed to complete an adoption. In some cases judges have asked for additional documentation. While this can be frustrating to adoptive parents AWAA supports this as the judges are trying to make sure all adoptions are ethical.
USCIS and the Department of State has reviewed the process and adoption program. They did some baseline analysis based on 4000 cases. They were looking for abnormalities. Generally, they did not find fraud but some paperwork was not 100% complete. The process may need some refinement and they are working with the Ethiopian government.
The Department of State sees some weakness in the processes. They have proposed a voluntary option (this is not in place now and no dates were given) which would allow the Embassy to do it's investigation after the referral but prior to the family's court date. This may slow the issuance of a court date but could make the court to Embassy visit faster.

Overall, the call was positive and AWAA stated over and over the Ethiopian is not closing the international adoption program.

If you were on the call and I missed something major- please feel free to comment.\
Thanks!

One day without shoes

2011-04-05T19:27:00.002-04:00

Today we participated in TOMs One Day without Shoes to raise awareness for children who live without shoes.
The day started out cold and rainy! Henry insisted on wearing shorts... which makes sense if you are going barefoot all day (right?). He was a little reluctant to get out of the van during the downpour.

The preschool director allowed Henry attend preschool barefoot this morning saying she supports raising awareness for children who live without shoes. She also invited Henry's classmates to join him.
We were so excited to see Henry's best friend and their teachers barefoot when we arrived at school!

Several of Henry's friends in his class were also barefoot for one day.

Henry's Aunt Shawn and friend also went barefoot.

It was a great day of conversation and awareness.

US Department of State Update 4/5/2011

2011-04-05T17:51:00.004-04:00

Today the US Department issued the following alert click here or see the text below.
Our agency- America World Adoption sent an e-mail today about the release saying:
We are continuing to monitor the situation in Ethiopia and will be in touch with families as we confirm information.
Since the reports of MOWCYA changes in early April, America World has continued to see many families pass court in March and April. The recent staff turnover at MOWCYA has led to many families successfully passing court at their first scheduled appointment. Additionally, we know the court is committed to continuing to process adoption cases in a timely manner.

The US Department of State's alert sounds alarming but I am taking a deep breathe and turning it all over to God. Currently the number of AWAA families which are passing court on the first court date is a very high percent. Three families passed court today on their first court date! Things may slow down so please continue to pray for officials at MOWCYA.

We are asking for prayers for the families who have had a court date (in January, February and March) but did not pass because of the MOWA letter was not present. These families files are in a backlog. Please pray the judges would work through the backlog quickly. Please also pray the judge would issue our cour date.
thanks so much!

US Department alert:
Notice: Significant delays remain likely for cases presented to Ethiopia's Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs after March 8, 2011
The Government of Ethiopia's Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MOWYCA) told the American Embassy officials that adoption cases presented to the Federal Court of First Instance prior to March 8, 2011 will be processed expeditiously. However, cases presented to the Court after March 8 will be processed in a more deliberate manner to allow greater scrutiny and oversight. Based on their March 8 announcement the American Embassy anticipates that MOWYCA will process these cases at a rate of approximately 5 per day.

It is unclear whether there will be an official announcement from the Government of Ethiopia regarding the plan to reduce the number of cases adjudicated daily.

Prospective adoptive parents who did not reach the court summons stage before March 8, 2011, should expect significant delays in the progression of their paperwork through the Government of Ethiopia. Prospective adoptive parents should be in close touch with their adoption service providers to confirm the status of their cases.

The U.S. Embassy continues to work with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to gain a clearer understanding of these procedures, and will continue to post information as it becomes available.

One day without shoes

2011-04-04T08:22:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow we are going barefoot. We are joining TOMs in their One Day Without Shoes campaign to raise awareness for the millions of children who don't have a choice.
Our friends at One Child Campaign have partnered with TOMs to raise money for our Care Point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia.
If you are looking for a knew pair of shoes- check out TOMs! KICKS FOR KOMBOLCHA IS HERE! For each shoe purchase, Toms will donate $5 to One Child Campaign. The money will go toward funding service projects for this year's team to do in Ethiopia. Order online a TOMS.COM use offer code "KICKS".

Are you going barefoot on April 5?

Ethiopia update

2011-03-30T19:53:00.000-04:00

We have been told that the backlog of MOWA/MOWCYA letters have been written! The letters are now with the judges. The judges are going through the backlog of cases daily. This is great news!

In other news, we received an e-mail regarding our little girl. Please pray for healing. She is sick again.
thanks

TOMS SHOES/ONE CHILD CAMPAIGN - KICKS FOR KOMBOLCHA!!!

2011-03-30T19:14:00.000-04:00

Help support our Children's Hope Chest care point in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Thanks to the Stums and the amazing team at First Baptist in Cleveland, TN.

KICKS FOR KOMBOLCHA IS HERE!

For each shoe purchase, Toms will donate $5 to One Child Campaign. This money will go toward funding service projects for this year's team to do in Ethiopia. You can join the team by applying at http://onechildcampaign.showitsite.com/#/trip-dates--events/

Order online a TOMS.COM use coupon code "KICKS" online and One Child gets the $5. Spread the word!

Two families passed court today!!

2011-03-23T20:57:00.001-04:00

Great news- Two families with our agency passed court today - on their first court date!! We are delighted for these families and their children!!

We do not have a court date yet. I have been assured by our agency they have everything they need to obtain a court date. They hope to receive one soon. We hope and pray for the same thing.

I read a fantastic blog post about abandonment and institutionalization of an orphan. You may read the post here. This week we have been living out some of the impacts of institutionalization. I have thoughts about the blog post but I am still processing them.

I should be getting baby girl's room ready- cleaning out the guest room, moving everything out and putting her things in but I'm in some weird holding pattern. I walk in the room, open the closet and slowly close the door... perhaps everything in there will mysteriously disappear on its own??
Next week is spring break. My sister is coming for a visit. Maybe I will be more motivated while she is here... or we'll take the kids to the zoo!

Sweet, sweet news- Ethiopia Update

2011-03-16T14:02:00.004-04:00

We received an e-mail from our agency with good news:
America World has received confirmation of significant personnel changes within MOWA. These changes have resulted in overall staff turnover and changes within the adoption unit. The unit is now called the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA). We are hopeful that the new leadership will not only support processing an adequate number of favorable recommendation letters, but also continue to implement policies that will best serve the children of Ethiopia. Due to the staffing changes we anticipate much transition over the next few weeks until the staff are settled into their new positions. We have continued to receive optimistic feedback and have seen how the Ethiopian government is very committed to adoption.
We look forward to more good news and a court date!

The latest information on Ethiopia

2011-03-11T20:19:00.003-05:00

There are so many rumors about what's going to happen with Ethiopia adoptions. I don't know if any of them are true so I'll stick with the facts. The Joint Council posted the following summary of today's Department of State conference call:

The following are our notes from the Department of State Office of Children’s Issues conference call regarding Ethiopian adoptions conducted earlier today. These notes do not represent nor are they in any way attributable to the Department of State or US Citizenship and Immigration Services. We are providing the notes with respect to those who could not participate in the conference.

We extend our thanks to the Department of State for conducting the conference call and to US Citizenship and Immigration Services for their participation and contributions.
_______________________________________________________________
The Department of State is Actively Involved

The Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs announced a reduction in the processing of intercountry adoption cases from 50 per day to 5 per day, effective March 10, 2011.

The Department of State is actively involved in discussions with the Government of Ethiopia, other governments and stakeholders.

A coalition of countries is preparing a proposal to assist the Ministry increase its capacity.

Embassy suggested that children with special need’s cases should not be delayed.

The US Embassy officials have a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs for Monday, March 14, 2011.

There are areas of concern related to intercountry adoption, however the reduction is disproportionate.
Adoption Cases:
Currently there are no implementation guidelines for in-process cases.
For adoption cases registered with the Ethiopian court, the best estimate is a one-year delay.
The staff change at the Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs has been confirmed as taking effect the week of March 13, 2011. The impact this will have on adoption cases is not known.
It is estimated that between 800-1,000 adoption cases are currently on the docket of Ethiopian courts.

We are looking forward to more information after MOWA and the US Embassy meets.
Today, our agency was able to secure April court dates for two families! It's great to know that court dates are still being issued! It gives us hope that we could receive our court date soon.

Some Encouraging news

2011-03-10T14:02:00.001-05:00

On the first day of the MOWA slow down we have a huge praise from our agency- AWAA!
we received favorable recommendation letters from MOWA today for 4 families currently in Ethiopia resulting in them successfully passing court today!
We rejoice with these familes!

I remain very encouraged that the situation in Ethiopia will be a temporary one. The National Council for Adoption issued the following statement today in regards the situation in Ethiopia:

At the end of February 2011, the Ethiopian Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MOWA) issued an unexpected directive indicating a dramatic reduction in the number of intercountry adoption cases to be processed by the Ministry. This directive is scheduled to go into effect by Thursday, March 10, 2011.

In 2010, more than 2,500 Ethiopian children were adopted by American families. Should MOWA implement the recent directive as indicated, the number of adoptions from Ethiopia could fall as much as 90%, although the full impact of MOWA’s decision is unknown and cannot be predicted at this time.

This ruling follows a year of significant progress in improving and increasing transparency in the Ethiopian adoption process. Following several safeguards enacted last year, NCFA’s confidence in the Ethiopian adoption system has grown significantly. Additional protective measures may still be necessary, however, to increase global confidence in the process. MOWA’s recent decision appears to have surprised many Ethiopian government officials, as well as the Central Adoption Authorities in the U.S., Italy, and Spain. Many within the adoption community, including the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), members of Congress, child welfare officials in many countries, and the National Council For Adoption (NCFA), have criticized the MOWA directive as unfair, unnecessary, and harmful to children in Ethiopian orphanages who await permanent families.

NCFA is grateful for the swift action taken by the U.S. Department of State, led by Special Advisor Ambassador Susan Jacobs, to communicate with Ethiopian adoption officials in an effort to reach a favorable resolution that will serve the best interests of abandoned and orphaned children in Ethiopia.
"We are encouraged by the advocacy taking place behind the scenes and hopeful that these collective efforts will bring clarity and an immediate adjustment to this unjust and unnecessary ruling, which has the potential to negatively impact so many vulnerable children,” said NCFA president and CEO Chuck Johnson.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that personnel changes within MOWA have resulted from the rogue handling of this decision, and because of this, NCFA is hopeful that new leadership will offer opportunities for better communication and a swift resolution to this looming crisis. NCFA respectfully calls on MOWA to amend its recent harmful directive and ensure that subsequent reforms reflect a comprehensive child welfare policy that retains the option of intercountry adoption for Ethiopian orphans while ensuring policies and procedures that serve the best interests of children.

Thank you to everyone who has signed the petition! If you haven't done so, please click here. It only takes 30 seconds or so.

Please continue to pray that meetings and decisions in Ethiopia will align with God's heart for orphans and adoption. Thanks!

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Update

2011-03-09T19:59:00.001-05:00

The US Department of State has issued an alert for Ethiopia adoptions.
Click here for the alert. I have posted the text below:

Government of Ethiopia Plans Major Slow-Down in Adoption Processing

March 9, 2011
Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011. Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing. The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent. If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays. It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches.

Prospective adoptive parents should remain in close contact with their adoption service provider to obtain updates on individual cases.

The Embassy's Adoptions Unit can be reached at consadoptionaddis@state.gov.
Please continue to monitor http://adoption.state.gov/ for updated information as it becomes available

Please continue to pray.

Campaign for Ethiopia's orphans

2011-03-08T15:34:00.003-05:00

By now if you are connected with adoptions in Ethiopia, you've heard the rumors - MOWA- the Minstry of Women's Affairs plans to reduce the number of interntional adoptions dramatically. If you are concerned about the slow down in Ethiopia adoptions there are a couple things you can do.
You can Help via the Joint Council Emergency Campaign for Ethiopia Children.
Click here to go to their website which I have cut and pasted below:

1) Sign the petition to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi – and pass it on!

2) Have you adopted from Ethiopia?
Please send us up to 3 photos and 50 words or less with what you would like the Ministry to know about your child – we’ll compile the information and send a book to the Ministry of Woman’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs. Send your photos and stories to advocate@jointcouncil.org by Sunday, March 12, 2011 to be included. Please note that sending photos and stories gives Joint Council unrestricted right to use the information you provide.

3) Share…Please send this Call to Action to family members, other adoptive parents, and everyone you know! Post, forward and share your adoption stories via Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Make sure you include us in your posts so we can all hear your stories! Here’s links to our pages: Facebook, Twitter and our blog.

4) Stay informed: Get up-to-date information regarding the situation in Ethiopia by signing up to receive information from us: click here to do so, make sure you choose “country and issues specific information” and “Ethiopia.” And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our blog

5) Help ensure our advocacy can continue: Joint Council is a non-profit and receives no government funding. Please join us in ensuring more children live in safe, permanent and loving families. Donate today!

Most of all ....Please continue to pray that meetings and decisions in Ethiopia will align with God's heart for orphans and adoption.

A time to pray

2011-03-06T10:08:00.001-05:00

There are rumors - The Ethiopian international adoption wait time could be increased greatly after March 10. Right now they are rumors.
I've talked with several mom's who are very unsettled because of the rumors. Here's what we know for sure:

Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWA) have made statements that they desire to decrease the number of recommendation letters they write each day. These letters are required in order to sucessfully adopt.
There will be talks this week in Ethiopian between the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) and court officials.

Does this concern us- YES. However, Rob and I know what God has called us to do- Adopt from Ethiopia. That is very clear and we will not be shaken. We have a choice at this time- we can believe God's truth- adopt from Ethiopia OR we can focus on the rumors. We are choosing to believe God's call for us to adopt. That doesn't mean we are in denial or pretending the meetings in Ethiopia aren't happening. We know they are but we are believing God will work through the details.

Please join us in prayer- We want to blanket the meetings between MOWA and court officials in prayer. We are praying that the meetings and decisions made in Ethiopia will align with God's heart for orphans and adoption.

Here are a few verses I will be holding onto this week-
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Isaiah 1:17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Supplement update

2011-03-03T11:31:00.000-05:00

Igor has been taking supplements since the end of August. We have noticed a positive difference in his ability to control his emotions over the last seven months. It's so easy for me to forget where Igor was emotionally when we first started him on the supplements. In seven months Igor has moved to a new normal. There are hard days and I am still working with Igor on how to deal with certain emotions and feelings. Most days a good days and I am so thankful!
Last week I gave Igor 1/2 his regular dose of supplements because I forgot to re-order them! I noticed a difference in Igor's moods and behavior over the last week. Was I was looking for something to justify the use and cost of the supplements? I wasn't really sure.
Instead of riding the bus, Rob took Igor to school today. Igor's teacher pulled Rob aside and asked if we've noticed a change in Igor's behavior in the last week or so. I was shocked the teacher noticed a difference in Igor too! The supplements have arrived and Igor is back to his regular dose. I hope we all see a more calm and focused Igor next week.

Coffee Anyone?

2011-02-25T17:00:00.003-05:00

Henry loves coffee. We don't let him drink it BUT if you leave your coffee cup unattended for more than a minute Henry can sense it.. He has a super human coffee detector that goes off and he hones in on the unattended cup. He is happy to sip your coffee until you return. This week Henry has taken coffee into his own hands. I was upstairs getting ready for the day when I heard a noise downstairs. I went to investigate. Downstairs I saw this-

Much to Henry's delight, Rob had left the coffee can on the counter. Henry decided to make a pot. He even pulled out a coffee cup. Since he made a pot I figured he needed to be rewarded for his ingenuity. I poured him half a cup. He took one sip then said, "mmmm, that's good."
The coffee is back in the cabinet... very, very high up.

Ramone

2011-02-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

Igor has started calling his sister Ramone. Some of you will remember that Igor called his little brother BOC while we were waiting. So, until we can share her name or picture, I will call her Ramone on our blog.
Two weeks ago we heard from our agency that Ramone was sick. No mom ever wants to hear her daughter is sick, especially when she is so far away. So we did the only thing we can do besides getting on a plane to Ethiopia- pray.
This morning is was struck with all sorts of doubts and fears regarding our adoption. I haven't felt any of those things during this entire adoption process. I started worrying about all sorts of things out of my control. Ugh...
My adoption friend Dana post this note on Facebook this morning-
For the righteous will not be moved... He is not afraid of bad news, his heart is firm trusting the Lord. His heart is steady, He will not be afraid. Psalm 112:6-8

These are the words I needed to hear this morning. I will not let bad news scare me. Sure, it can move me to action but I will not fear.
This morning I prayed for good news. What I really wanted to hear is that we had a court date. Instead I received other news form our agency- but good news indeed. Ramone is off medication and doing well now! That's a huge praise!!

Baby Dolls

2011-02-17T16:35:00.001-05:00

Thanks for sharing all your links for baby dolls. Who knew there were so many choices?

Igor helped me pick out this doll. He thought it would be perfect for his sister because of the pink bows in her hair.

You can check out more dolls here

The dolls are handmade by mom who has adopted from Ethiopia.

Some other dolls that were recommended:
http://www.sitinadolls.blogspot.com/

From Pottery Barn

A "Barbie" type doll

And then there is MyTwinn doll- which makes a custom doll that looks just like your child.

SHOES!!

2011-02-15T20:38:00.000-05:00

Wonderful news!! Sam - Little Goody 2 shoes- has raised enough money to buy shoes for half of the children at Grace Baptist Church's care point in Ethiopia!
Check out her most recent blog post here for all the details. Here's part of her blog post:
I am delighted to say that together we have raised enough money to buy awesome new shoes for 93 of the kids at the Kombolcha care point in Ethiopia! There are still 94 kids at this care point that I would love to bless with new shoes. $18 will buy a good sturdy pair of shoes. As always, 100% of your bottle cap necklace purchase is donated to a special shoe fund at Children's HopeChest.

If you haven't purchased a necklace head on over to her blog! These little girls are three of the orphans who will receive a new pair of shoes because of your generousity.

Baby dolls

2011-02-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

I would like to buy a washable baby doll for our Ethiopian daughter. I would like the skin tone to be mocha color. If you make dolls or know someone who does please share your blog or website in the comment section or e-mail me privately.
thanks!

Hope

2011-02-11T16:47:00.001-05:00

One week after the Create for Care Conference I am still soaking it all in. It was amazing to be with 250 adoptive mamas and hear from so many speakers who have adopted.
I would love to share with you all that I learned but I've tried writing several blog posts. Nothing seems right. For now, I will share with you the highlights for me.

There were many amazing speakers but two spoke to me when it comes to orphanage dust. One mom has four adopted children from Russia and the other has EIGHT from Russia! The age range of the children at adoption were about 5-14 years old. These moms have been home for 10 years. I was so encouraged by them because they have been where I am now.

The first thing these moms gave me was HOPE!
Joel 2:25- I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.

Then they encouraged me to continue BELIEVING that Igor's wounds, the emotional holes would heal.
1 Peter 2:24- He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

They gave me a tool to speak the words of life into Igor's brokenness. I realized that Igor knows who God is but may not know how God sees him. These words will give Igor language to help him think about who he is in God's eyes.
Igor, you were wonderfully made by God. He knew you before you were born (Psalm 139:14)
God choose you! John 15:16
The love of Christ lives in you! John 17:26
Igor, did you know that you are a child of God? He has given you the ability to be slow to become angry? (James 1:19)

Finally, I should call things that are not as though they are.
When lying- Igor you are not a liar, you are a young man of integrity.
When in or after meltdown mode - You are a young man of self control.
When filled with rage- Igor you are filled with love and compassion.

There is so much more I want to share! I will when I have the words.

Henry is FOUR!!

2011-02-11T08:39:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday Henry! You are FOUR!!

Henry wanted teeny, tiny cakes, and small cakes with blue frosting!

Here he is in his new Toy Story PJ's!

Henry's lotion

2011-02-06T21:32:00.001-05:00

On the way back from the adoption retreat we started talking about the lotion I make for Henry. Here's another oldie but goody post! I have been using this recipe since Jan 2009, and it has never failed me. Henry's skin looks great and stays soft. The lotion is inexpensive compared to name brand lotions.
Jan 22, 2009
My friend and blogger pal Susan has started making body butter for her son. She inspired me to make body butter for Henry since his skin is so dry. Susan's recipe uses Aquaphor but I did not have that on hand so I used Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. I have had great results with the Cetaphil version. It's the only lotion I use on Henry's skin.
I buy raw shea butter at our local African American beauty supply store. I purchase Cetaphil Moistsuring cream at a big box store

I mixed 6 oz of raw Shea Butter and 3-5 oz of Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream in my KitchenAide mixer for about 10 minutes and wallah, the mixture is like body butter and it keeps Henry's skin from getting ashy. I store the lotion in an air tight container and apply it to Henry's skin once or twice a day. I hope you love the lotion as much as we do!

Getting to know our son's needs

2011-02-05T22:02:00.001-05:00

I'm in Atlanta this weekend attending the Created for Care retreat. It's been an amazing time of fellowship, learning and hearing God speak and we still have tomorrow!

I was talking about attachment with another adoptive mom this afternoon and I remembered the post Rob wrote about our meeting Henry and his attachment. For some this is a repeat but I really felt as though I should re-post it.

Today was the day! We would finally meet our son! We traveled to Ethiopia with two other couples and we were all filled with butterflies. Our hosts came out and invited the first couple in. And then the second.

Then it was our turn - and we were told, "Your son is napping."
For a deflating two hours, we mingled with the other children at the orphanage and took pictures on behalf of other waiting parents. We would stick our heads in the room of the sleeping 2-year-olds and hope our son had awakened. We waited and waited. Finally his beautiful eyes were opened and I picked our son up.

Now, I am an adoption "veteran". I know that during the first meeting of adoptive parents and children, the Disney music is NOT always playing in the background. However, I had not prepared myself for our son's crying. Henry was emotionally attached to the wonderful caretakers at the transition house. In his world, he knew who was supposed to be there lifting him out of his crib - and it wasn't 1) a man who 2) spoke a language he had never heard. My son started crying and had to be taken by his nanny to calm and soothe him.

I, the adoption vet, felt terrible. I was tired from jet lag and totally depressed. I tried to put on a brave face, but I was bummed. Candy wisely played off the tenderness of the nanny who absolutely loved our son. Watching her, learning from her, my wife began the long process of bonding with our boy. I moped around the margins.

The next day, we went back for our "gotcha day". It didn't take long for me to get over that initial disappointment. When we picked up Henry and carried him to the van, he cried out for his "mama". We knew he was calling for his nanny.

With crocodile tears in his eyes, we left the transition home ready to become our son's parents. Little did I know that this little boy who loved his nanny and cried out for her would quickly attach to Candy.

In the early days, Henry was attached to my wife's hip. He demanded that he be carried everywhere. Carrying a 23 month old constantly is exhausting but Candy carried him because he needed to be held, he needed to be close, he needed to feel the warmth of her skin.

In this way he knew he was loved and cared for. For Henry, this was his way of attaching to us.
Well, he was attaching to my wife. Henry would come to me, but I was not someone he looked for when he needed comfort, soothing, love.... my bonding time with Henry would look very different.

The first 7-9 months, Henry routinely awoke anytime between 4am and 5am. I would bundle him up, put him in the stroller and we'd walk - anywhere between 2-4 miles. This was a wonderful way for Henry to learn that I was not a bad guy. He was close to me, but not touching me. This is the way he needed to bond to me.
For us, a major treat was when Henry stayed asleep until 6 or 6:15. But, as tired as I was, those early mornings yielded beautiful bonding between Father and Son. Sure, it wasn't the recipe used in many adoption books but it was the one Henry needed.

Now, Henry is my bud and whenever I am not home, he constantly calls for "Daddy". Conversely, whenever Candy is out of sight, he wants "Mommy".

Figuring out how Henry needed to bond to each of us has made our family connection strong.

We have a referral!!

2011-01-31T11:12:00.001-05:00

Our family coordinator called- we were referred an adorable 18 month old girl. She's soooo little!! She has the sweetest smile and she looks cuddly. We cannot wait to meet her, hold her, kiss her chubby cheeks!
We can't show you pictures until a successful court date so for now imagine Henry's body type with a cute girly face.
So what's next?

our agency to obtain/prepare our documents for court
The Ethiopian court to accept our paperwork
get a court date
fly to Ethiopia to meet our daughter and go to court
Fly home
Our agency to submit paperwork to the US Embassy
US Embassy to perform an investigation and release a VISA
Fly back to Ethiopia to pick up our daughter.

We don't have a time table yet. It could be weeks before our documents are submitted to court.

There are a lot of things to pray for- finances, paperwork, the boys and our daughter's adjustment and so much more.

We are very excited to see our daughter's face!!

Teeth...

2011-01-29T16:42:00.001-05:00

Two days before Christmas I broke a molar. This started what I call -Tooth-mania! Thank goodness this week was the curtain call for Tooth-mania- 4 appointments, one crown, and two restorations later teeth number 29, 30 and 31 have all been repaired. My trips to the dentist were over!! I wanted to have a party... but Tooth-mania in our household was not over.
On Friday Igor got off the school bus, rode his bike home and ran up the stairs to the house. I heard screams and crying. I ran into the kitchen. Rob informed me Igor had fallen on the stairs. Rob was getting ice and paper towels for the bleeding. I looked in Igor's mouth to see if he'd need stitches but noticed something much more concerning- his front tooth- his adult tooth- was missing. I asked Rob to go outside to find the tooth. I wasn't sure who to call first- the doctor for stitches or the dentist. I called the dentist. (did you know that the dentist can stitch up lips? They do!) After answering all the dentist's questions and finding the tooth it was decided that we should come in the office. Her practice is closed on Friday so she had to open the office and her husband (also a dentist) came in to assist. Igor's tooth has been glued back on and we'll know within 30 days if the tooth will survive. Igor can only chew foods with his molars for the next 30 days and he cannot participate in any activity that might result in him falling or getting hit in the head/face for the next 2 weeks. After observing our son in action for the last 24 hours, I'm pretty sure 90% of what Igor does when not sitting could lead to a fall. ugh.. If the tooth doesn't survive, Igor will need a root canal and crown- ouch! So Tooth-mania continues at least for another month.

Shoes for Kombolcha!

2011-01-16T10:11:00.001-05:00

We have about 175 children at the Kombolcha care-point in Ethiopia who need new shoes. We have teamed up Samantha is an eleven year old with a HUGE HEART for orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia.

Samantha is selling adorable necklace to raise money for shoes. Check them out - at $5 each they make wonderful Valentine's Day or Birthday presents!!

you may purchase the necklaces on her blog:

http://littlegoody2-shoes.blogspot.com/

All the funds raised will be used to buy shoes which are desperately needed!!

We have children who need sponsors. Besides proper fitting shoes, these children need sponsors. Many of the children at Grace Baptist Church are single or double orphans. They may live with a relative who can provide shelter but not food or clothing because of extreme poverty. There is also food shortages in parts of Ethiopia. Kombolocha is located North East of Addis Ababa. According to the Famine Early Warning, Kombolcha is dealing with moderate to high food insecurities.

My friend Karen was with us in Kombolcha in December 2009, and she wrote this about these precious children and our experience:

These children were gaunt and thin. Tattered and stained clothing that covered skin stretched across bone. Eating grass when they thought we weren't looking. Some had lice, some had sores that weren't healing. All of them were hungry. All of them were longing for the reassuring, loving and protective arms of a mommy or daddy.

Every one of us went to bed that night with the question on our lips and hearts ... why? These innocent children, through no fault of their own, are left to fend for themselves. Hungry, scared, sick ... and alone, with no one in the world to love them, to soothe their fears, to stroke their forehead when they are sick and feverish, to kiss them goodnight. Why? It's so unfair.

We can make a difference in these children's lives. $34 per month ensures that a desperately poor and hungry child will have a meal every day, clothing, medical care, education and Christian discipleship. If you would like to sponsor a child or receive more information, please email me- mblueberry .madamblueberry@gmail.com

Happy Anniversary!

2011-01-11T19:40:00.000-05:00

Today, 1/11/11 is our wedding anniversary! We planned a night out, the baby sitter was lined up weeks ago, dinner at a "fine dining" restaurant that did not include the slogan -Eat Mor Chikin- was planned. A movie was also in play.
However, we had an ice storm and we postponed our date. We enjoyed a romantic dinner for four at our kitchen table. It's an anniversary to remember.

Orphanage Dust

2011-01-07T22:34:00.005-05:00

Do you see that? It's orphanage dust, it's blowing through our house again. Every time I think it's gone for good it comes back and I am unprepared. This time it's a small dusting but it still caught me by surprise. It's more manageable than previous times but I desperately want it to be gone forever. The supplements have made a huge difference but some triggers to the past are so strong.... it's really hard to put it all into words....

Tonight Igor was so angry he pulled his pillow and blanket off his bed and crawled under his bed to sleep. This broke my heart. To most parents this makes no sense, they think Igor is being defiant. But I flash back to 2005, I remember the first few months Igor was home. He would not sleep in a bed. He would only sleep on the floor. There was was something about sleeping in a bed that scared him. For months he would fall asleep with me next to him on the floor in his room. Before Rob and I went to bed Rob would pick Igor up and put him in his bed. In the morning we would peek in on Igor and he would be back on the floor asleep. We finally decided to let Igor sleep on the floor until he was ready to sleep in the bed.

When I see Igor as an eight year old boy crawling under his bed for safety- I see the frightened 3 1/2 year old boy we brought home from Russia and I want to scream- DO NOT GO BACK THERE! You are safe with us. But I don't because Igor cannot really hear me and I don't think he remembers much about his first year with us. Igor's mind has gone some where else. He is scared and confused, his body tense with anger.... he is looking for his safe place under the bed. I let him go there for a while. Then I pull him out and put him in our bed. He is growling at me, refusing to use words. His body language tells me he does not want to be in my room, in my bed, his force shields are up but I wait it out. A few minutes later he gets closer to me. Soon our legs are touching and then Igor puts my arm around him. Igor is relaxed now. He drifts off to sleep. I get out of bed and he calls out "mom...". He wants me to come back but he can not or will not say the words. I sit with him until I hear the deep, slow breaths of sleep.

The selfish, ugly side of me is so tired of orphanage dust. I think - you have been home with us for FIVE YEARS! TRUST US! I'm tired of not knowing what will trigger Igor to go back to his fight or flight ways. I am tired of my son not trusting me in every situation. I am tired of Igor thinking he MUST protect himself because we might not.
I am plain old t i r e d.

I pick up the book Rob bought me for Christmas- Bringing up Boys. It has nothing to do with orphanages or orphans. I read this:
Chronic neglect of boy and girls during the first two years of life is devastating psychologically and neurologically. The brain is a dynamic and interactive organ that requires stimulation from the outside world. When children are ignored, mistreated, or shuffled form one caregiver to another, terrible losses occur in thinking capacity. The more severe the abuse the greater the damage is done.

It was as if God had put that paragraph in the book just for me. While this was not new information it was a great reminder of what has happened to my son before we brought him home. I am reminded, when Igor was 1, 2 and 3 years old, his brain was being wired for survival. He was building up walls, no, something so much stronger... he was building a force shield to protect himself physically and emotionally. For the last five years we have been earning Igor's trust. We have been trying to develop new neuro-path ways in Igor's brain to help him better react to hunger, fear, frustration, anger, etc... but it's been a long road.

After reading the paragraph in the book, I am not so tired. I know that Igor has come so far from the the 3 1/2 year old boy we brought home. We will continue moving forward together.

I know that I am being refined as a mom by God's own hand. But some days the refining process is a little overwhelming and I'm tired again. Then I am reminded that we are refining Igor, helping him rewire his brain and I realize he must be tired too.

One year ago today

2011-01-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

One year ago today Rob and I filled out the application for adoption #3! Our Agency could call any day now with our daughter's referral. We cannot wait to meet you little one.

Two years...

2010-12-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

Time has flown by. I can hardly believe two years ago today we met Henry for the first time.

We love you sweet boy!! Happy Meetcha day!!

Caramel Corn

2010-12-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

This weekend I made gallons of caramel corn to fill orders placed last week. I will be making another large batch this week. If you want your caramel corn to arrive by Christmas with standard shipping, please place your order on or before Tuesday, Dec 14.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Parade

2010-12-13T10:11:00.000-05:00

Every year we attend our town's Christmas parade. Igor loves the parade. His favorite part of the parade is watching the Fire engines and police cars go by with their lights flashing and horns honking . This year Igor has a different memory of the parade. He was in the parade with his scout troop! He was so excited to not only be in the parade BUT to ride on the float.

Here's Henry waiting for the parade to start-

An update on Igor

2010-12-02T21:23:00.000-05:00

Igor has been participating in the Neurogistics Children's Program since the end of August. He has been taking their supplements for 3 months. Several people have e-mailed asking for an update.
Igor is doing great. He is still the Igor we know and love. He remains very intense however, his excitability level has decreased. He is able to better control his anger. He still gets mad, frustrated and irritated but he is able to deal with these emotions in a more healthy and positive way. He sleeps very deeply and longer now. His overall "Agitation" level is lower so I am very pleased with his progress. For now, we continue on the supplements and look forward to the Christmas season.

Gotcha Day!

2010-11-16T20:31:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate Igor's gotcha day! Five years ago today Igor became our son.

We have a special plate for good days, rainy days, great hair days... Igor used the plate today for his gotcha day celebration.

It's not a celebration unless there is pizza, cupcakes and ice cream- all of Igor favorite foods.

Happy Gotcha Day Igor! We love you.

adoption and birth order

2010-10-31T20:01:00.001-04:00

We had a comment on our blog questioning birth order.
Do you have any resources or other advice about it...it's probably just prayer. Our oldest is saying she wants a sister her age. She is 4 but has been saying this all year. Should we listen to her?

I'm not a social worker I'm a mom so these are my opinions based on my family and my mom experience.
I think parents should take a good look at their family and their child(ren) when deciding whether to break birth order. Start observing and understanding your child when they are around other children. Talk to your social worker, speak with families who have broken the birth order successfully and unsuccessfully.
Our son Igor was an only child and acted like a first born. When other children were around, he'd organize the games, assign seats for dinner, and make rules.... he was a leader. We knew early on that he needed to be the oldest child in our growing family. We talked at length with our social worker about birth order. Our social worker had observed Igor in Post Placement meetings and other settings. She did not think Igor would adjust well to being in any other birth position than oldest.
For this adoption we thought Henry could remain as the baby or do well as a middle child. Henry is very laid back, he loves being the baby but does very well with younger children. After discussing birth order with our social worker she approved us for a child between 18 months and 5 years old. With this age range Henry may be the baby or may become the middle child. I think in either position Henry will thrive.
We did not talk about twinning Henry in our social worker meetings. Our agency doesn't recommend artificially twinning but has done it with mixed results. I have talked with families were it has worked well but in some families it has been a difficult adjustment.

If you are considering going out of birth order or artificially twinning talk with your social worker. Ask your social worker to connect you with families who have done it successfully and with families who have struggled.

Here are some articles and blogs on the topic:
http://www.creatingafamily.org/adoption-resources/adopting-out-of-birth-order.html
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=814
http://fost-adopt.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/adopting-out-of-birth-order-not-for-me
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=15238660
http://www.ehow.co.uk/facts_6916552_birth-order-adoptees.html
http://www.cwa.org/blog/index.php/kathys-corner-2/
http://www.examiner.com/transracial-adoption-in-national/you-re-out-of-order-when-adopted-kids-arrive-out-of-birth-order

To twin or not to twin

2010-10-27T14:27:00.009-04:00

Before I start I would like to be clear. This is our story and we reached the best decision for our family. If you have made a different decision for your family we are delighted for you. In no way should anyone read this post and think we are judging other families who come to a different decision.

Our agency called on Monday to ask if we would be open to a girl age three- she is probably 3-6 months younger than Henry. In the adoption world this is called artificial twinning.

What is artificial twinning? It is generally defined as unrelated children (different biological-parents) born very close in age; less than 8-10 months apart, being raised as siblings by the same adoptive parent(s).

So I sat in Chick-Fil-A with our children and receive the potential referral call only days after we receive the "on deck" e-mail. Naturally my head is spinning, should we? shouldn't we? and Rob is in a meeting. I was able to speak with our social worker and another adoptive mom who has has successfully twinned which helps me process it all. Soon Rob and I are able to connect and talk about the potential referral.

Part of us is delighted that we could have a referral and move to the next step - waiting for a court date!! but we slow ourselves down and think about it. What would it mean to have 2 preschoolers about the same age? How would Henry adjust to a sibling who is his age? Would they become friends or Frenemies? (Friend/Enemies) And what about this little girl? How would she adjust to a brother the same age as her? Would they have healthy sibling rivalry or an unhealthy one? The questions go on and on.... Part of me thinks this little girl must be our daughter because Tom and Lori will be at the Transition Home in a few days. Karen will be there in November. Both families met and took pictures of Henry for us in 2008- of course they would meet our daughter before we would! Can this be a coincidence?

I contacted some dear mamas- Heather and Nikki and we begin to pray - what is the best thing for our family and this little girl? Rob and I pray as a couple. As we go to bed Monday night neither of us have a gut feeling or know what we should do.

That night I had one of the most vivid dream I can recall having. I was in Ethiopia, at the transition home with Duni, our agency's Africa Director. Duni introduced me to the little girl. In my dream we had already turned down the referral. I knew the moment I meet her she was not meant to be our daughter. While I was at the Transition Home I met the family who was adopting her. It was a very sweet moment in my dream for they were delighted to have her as their daughter and it felt so right.

When I woke up I told Rob about my dream. He asked me how I felt about it and I said we should not twin Henry- this is not our daughter. I've never had God answer a prayer through a dream but I am certain this was a dream from him. My mother-in-law was overwhelmed that God would speak so clearly to me and assure me that this little girl has a wonderful family waiting for her... and it's okay that it is not us.

During our first Ethiopian adoption we lost our first referral. I have occasionally looked back and thought about why it happened. On Tuesday I was grateful we went through that experience. It gave us the assurance that God has a plan for our family and it is not always linear. Looking back it is clear to us that our first referral was not our son and we received Henry's referral two months later. Part of our heart will always care deeply for that little boy but he is where he belongs and that place is not with us. We know this little girl has a family waiting for her and it's not us. We are totally at peace with our decision.
So we are back in line waiting for the next call. Like last time, we may watch other families who submitted their dossiers after us go before us... I look at our sweet, joyful Henry and know he was totally worth the wait and so is the wait for our daughter.

Back by popular demand- Caramel Corn- adoption fundraiser

2010-10-23T11:46:00.003-04:00

I have had several people ask if I was going to make Caramel Corn this year as an adoption fundraiser.
The answer is YES!!
Back my popular demand- Caramel Corn*.
For those of you who have never tasted my caramel corn, it is my grandmother's recipe and it is sooo yummy. It's similar to the caramel corn sold at Garrett Popcorn Shop in Chicago.
I guarantee you will love it! Here's some comments from previous years:

E said- This is the best caramel corn I've ever had. We put in a big order & we all love it. It's very yummy!

S said- WE LOVE IT! That is the best stuff! We are addicted!

Pricing
1/2 Gallon $10
1 Gallon $15
To ensure freshness, I will make the caramel corn after I receive your order.
*Ingredients: White Popcorn, White Syrup, butter/margarine, brown sugar, salt, baking soda

If you are local, please e-mail to avoid the shipping charges.

Update!

2010-10-21T14:39:00.000-04:00

We are more than one-third of our way towards the goal of providing 700 meals for the children in Kombolcha! We appreciate you all spreading the word about the books. We are looking forward to reaching the halfway point soon! Please keep sharing our blog with others! We need your help to spread the word.

Fall has finally arrived. We have visited the pumpkin patch with the boys.

Igor wanted to decorate the front yard with spider webs.

My parents arrived last week! We had a great time while they were here. Igor and grandpa completed a 500 piece puzzle in two days!

Henry and Nana enjoyed coloring in Henry's Thomas coloring book. Henry also enjoyed showing Nana what was in his pocket.

My parents gave us a HUGE gift- their van. Now I've always said I would never own a van BUT with the pending arrival of daughter we need a larger car. Our current car will not fit two cars seats and a third child so my parents graciously gifted us their van. On Tuesday we titled the car in our name and today we received and e-mail from our agency which said- America World anticipates that your family could receive a referral within the next one to three months. I'm not sure why but I felt a little panicky. I think it's because our other two referrals were a surprise so knowing the call could be coming is nerve racking! However, we are excited.
LifeSong is still accepting tax-deductible donations to help us bring our daughter home. Click here for all the details on how you can help!

Out live your life!

2010-10-08T14:04:00.001-04:00

Max Lucado says:
These are difficult days in our world's history. 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, natural disasters are gouging entire nations, and economic uncertainty still reigns across the globe. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope?

We have asked ourselves- How can we rock the world with hope??
We want to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable and orphaned children. We cannot reach every vulnerable child but we can make a difference in one child's life one day at a time.

Check out our new Campaign

http://childrensbooksforfood.blogspot.com/

It’s a simple concept. We are now selling two children’s books, Little Lion's Bedtime and Counting Addis Ababa, all the proceeds will feed children at the orphanage/drop in center at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Both books are soft cover and about 11x8 inches. If you have a child born in Ethiopia you will LOVE Counting Addis Ababa.

Counting Addis Ababa offers full-page color illustrations that accompany each counting lesson (1-10) in English and two African languages, Amharic and Oromiffa. The beautiful illustrations depict scenes in Addis Ababa’s life such as women at the market, young children, chickens, donkeys, and more.

Little Lion's Bedtime tells the story of Little Lion who is creeping when he should be sleeping! Watch Father Lion gently put Little Lion to bed.

Each book is $10. Buy both for $17.95; shipping is included! Purchase a book and you will feed an orphan for several days! Buy both books and feed a child for a week. You CAN make a difference.

You can buy them here:

http://childrensbooksforfood.blogspot.com/

Get up and Go

2010-10-05T15:12:00.001-04:00

I recently started a new bible study- Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer.
As I started the first few days of home work I read these verses:
Jonah 1:1-3
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

Have you ever had the Lord ask you to do something but you decided not to? I have. I looked at these verses and I knew I needed to get a refund on my own personal ticket to Tarshish. I needed to do as I had been called but had put off. Since coming home from my trip with Children's Hope Chest in December 2009, I have worked to find sponsors for the children in Kombolcha. We have had events, raised money for kitchen equipment, etc. We did many things but this summer I knew we were to do more. What exactly, I was not sure but I knew I had to step out in faith. One day God specifically called me to do something but I did not do it. Why? Every time I started well meaning Christians, fear, satan and a host of interuptions caused me to pull back. When I read those verses I KNEW I needed to "Get up and go". So I did. I love getting a second chance to make a difference.

The first step was the yard sale at church to benefit orphans at Grace Baptist Church in Ethiopia. We had 5 or so items priced between $10-20- everything else was $1 or less. Seriously, how were we to make money with the majority of our yard sale items priced at 50 cents? I truly believe when we are obedient to God's call anything can happen. We held the yard sale and now we are writing a $1,000 check to Children's HopeChest to feed orphans! What a blessing!

In a few days we will be posting another way to make a difference in an orphan's life! We cannot wait to share it with you!! Check back in a few days to see what we are up too.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child in Kombolcha, Ethiopia please contact me at
Mblueberry.madamblueberry@gamil.com

Ethiopia get together

2010-10-04T21:09:00.000-04:00

This weekend we hosted the third annual AWAA Ethiopian get together. We had so much fun meeting new families and visiting with the "old timers".

Update on the children in Kombolcha

2010-10-04T13:34:00.001-04:00

This weekend we had a church yard sale with the all the funds benefiting the children at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Our yard sale was a huge success!! We are thrilled to announce that we raised $957! We COULD NOT not have done it without our church family who donated so many things!

All the money raised will go to feed children at the drop in center at Grace Baptist Church. While we have many sponsor families we still have children who need a sponsor. If you are interested in sponsoring a child or making a one time donation to feed a child please contact me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com

Update on Igor

2010-09-22T18:54:00.002-04:00

Igor has finished his third week on the supplements from Neurogistics. Week one was awesome! Igor was Igor without the edge. He laughed more, he was much more relaxed and didn't melt down. He was happy.

Week two and three have been different. One day it's Igor without the edge and then the edge is back. It's a little bit unsettling because I don't know from day to day which Igor will be showing up. I'd really like Igor's moods and emotions to be more regulated but they told us it would take 6-8 weeks to see a noticeable difference. Obviously something is happening because we see glimpses of the relaxed Igor.. that is not someone we have ever seen before. So, we continue with the supplements waiting to see what each day will bring.

What are Neurotransmitters and how do they affect our kids?

2010-09-20T14:21:00.000-04:00

I have received many e-mails asking about Neurogistics Corporation, Igor, the process, cost, etc. I am happy to answer any questions!

If you want to learn more about the science behind neurotransmitters listen to blog talk radio tomorrow and hear from Pam Machemehl Helmly, CN along with Emily Roberts, MA, LPC
Sept 21 at 2:30PM. Here's the link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-family-coach/2010/09/21/what-are-neurotransmitters-and-how-do-they-affect-our-kids
I'll write more about Igor's progress later this week.

Two years have flown by

2010-09-15T07:43:00.001-04:00

Two years ago we received a referral and a picture of Henry. His shirt said "Captain Chaos". I wondered what we were in for. Chaos means- a state lacking order or predictability. Henry has been predictable in many ways- he is always an early riser. As Rob and I slumber we often are awakened just before dawn by Henry clapping and singing in his bed. 99% of the time Henry is happy and delightful.
However, he is also full of mischief, drama and whimsy which keeps me on my toes!
We love you dear Captain Chaos! We are so grateful and honored to be your parents.

Preschool excitment

2010-09-07T22:00:00.000-04:00

Henry was so excited to go to preschool this morning! can you see how excited he is?

It was a bittersweet day for us as Henry will not be returning to Ms. Joya's nursery school this fall. However, Henry loves his new preschool. I think it will be a very good year.

School has started!

2010-09-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

Igor started second grade in August!

Today was playground day at preschool! It was a fun way for the children to get to know one another. Henry will start preschool on Tuesday and will attend two days a week.

Neurotransmitters and Orphanage dust

2010-08-30T22:19:00.005-04:00

In November we will celebrate 5 years home with Igor. I cannot believe we have been a family for almost 5 years!! Our son is smart and creative, we love him so much. However, we have faced many challenges with him. Igor came to us as a 3 1/2 year old boy with many hurts and a laundry list of delays and emotional issues. I would like to say that loving him "solved" all his problems but it has not. Igor has worked very hard to learn emotions and social cues, to speak, to have fine motor control, etc... but some of what he endured in the orphanage has deeply wounded Igor. It's as though he has a wound that will not completely heal. Just when we think the anger, the rage, the orphanage dust has left... it quietly seeps back into our house and we must deal with it yet again. Igor has often said that whatever is inside of him will never go away. Some friends have suggested that we must accept Igor as he is but that never "feels" right. So, I am always looking for ways to help Igor deal with his past and the emotions he is not sure what to do with.

We recently had Igor tested by Neurogistics. They have done work with Karen Purvis (author of the The Connected Child). I read this article and thought there may be hope for Igor. I found this company through another adoptive parent. I recently found their children's website-
http://www.balanceyourchildsbrain.com/Home.asp
After speaking with Rob we decided to have Igor tested. We received an e-mail with the test results and Igor's levels were off the charts. When Rob saw them all he could do is say, "wow". I felt as though I was armed with a huge dust pan and a broom- I was ready to sweep out the orphanage dust forever. Rob was, less optimistic. After talking with Igor's therapist and consulting a psychiatrist in standard medicine, we were given the green light to move forward with the supplements recommended by Neurogistics.
We were told that we could see a change in Igor within 6-8 weeks. We are on day 3 and Igor is a different child. Well, he's still Igor but without the edge. The things that pushed him over the edge last week, and the week before and the week before that were not a big deal today. Yes, we are in the beginning stages of the supplements and at any moment things could change but two days of a child without anxiety and anger has been delightful. Rob, who wasn't very optimistic about the supplements is much more optimistic now that he has witnessed Igor without the edge. I am filled with hope. I will keep you posted on his progress.

Look who is riding a bike

2010-08-30T07:22:00.000-04:00

Henry has only been interested in riding a scooter until July. That is when he decided he wanted to learn how to ride a tricycle. Henry rode the tricycle for a month then moved on to a bike. He is no longer interested in the trike or a scooter. Everyday he says the same thing to me- "ride my bike?"

Our family through the eyes of Igor

2010-08-22T12:50:00.000-04:00

Igor created "baseball" cards for our family. Using index cards, he drew pictures and listed a few facts about each family member. When he presented them to me I was struck by what we looked like and what he wrote. I laughed out loud when I read Henry's card.


Dad

His Mom and Dad live in another city.
Likes Michigan Sports.
He preaches at church.

Mom

She helps me clean my room and drives the car for me.
She likes candy.

She likes to plant things.

We play together.


Igor as a super hero

(I was sure this was Henry until I flipped the card over)

I like to play with my dad.
I like to ride my bike.
I like to play outside.
I like movies.

Henry

He's the youngest in our family.

He likes to play.

He wants to wake up everyone in the middle of the night.