September, 2005

One of the most common questions we've heard is "So, is Brian excited?" Sometimes it will be a statement, almost rhetorical, "I'll bet you're excited." The thing is, though, I wouldn't use the word "excited" to describe the way I'm feeling.

Danielle grew up longing to be a mother, to be a Mommy. As she grew older, still single, she wondered sometimes if she would ever get that chance. Then, after we were married, we weren't able to get pregnant. Every month that went by became like a dark shadow growing over her. When we decided to adopt, that shadow grew smaller and smaller as the process progressed.

Well, now the wait to travel begins!  I'm doing pretty well with it so far but I know it is going to get very difficult to wait.  I keep thinking of my baby growing up without me in Ethiopia.  That makes me sad.  Every day she is doing things and learning things with out me.  She'll be so big by the time we get her.  And yes, I realize that compared to most international adoptions she is very young, but she may very well be the youngest child I ever have and every day missed is hard to think about.

WOOOOHOOO!  We have the pictures!  Two little pictures of our little girl!

The first one is when she entered care with CHSFS.  She looks so tiny and a bit ticked by the whole thing.  She does have hair... even if it is a proceeding hairline. :-)

The second picture is more recent but we don't know exactly when it was taken.  She looks like she is putting on a little weight.  They have her really wrapped up... which is cultural.  She's got the big eyes going on and the cutest little lips!  Also that little hand... I just want to grab it! 

Well, it turns out the caseworker at the agency was not able to get the pictures to us today so we have to wait again.... this time to see what Miriam looks like.  This is so hard and I know it won't get any easier until I have her in my arms, but I was so hoping to be able to at last put a face to the words "my daughter".  We SHOULD have the pictures sometime tomorrow so all of you hoping to see her today please check back tomorrow night.

Our referral is here!!! Praise God! at last we got the call! 

I haven't post in a while since there is no new news to report... this is NOT a case of no news is good news. On the other hand, I guess I need the extra days to get stuff done. I'm almost feeling panicky when I think of all I have to do to get ready for a baby and travel! AHHHH... must stop thinking about it and just DO. :-)

Well, the rumor mill says the Ethiopian fostercare center director is in the US for the next week to 10 days and no referrals can be made until he returns and figures out what children are available!  How crazy is that?  If this is true it will be 2 weeks at the earliest before we can get a referral.  I have also come in contact with a number of other waiting families; one has also requested a girl as young as possible.  So it could be 2 weeks or 2 months for all we know.

Well, still no word from the agency.  We have no way of knowing how much longer the wait will be until we get a referral.  I can't speak for Danielle and what's going on in her mind and heart exactly, but it seems like a sort of numb, resigned helplessness has set in here at Westhaven.  Apart from mercilessly annoying the agency staff, there's nothing we can really "do" to help the process along.

Well, we won't get our referral until next week sometime. Brian finally got tired of my fidgeting today and called the agency. He found out the lady who makes the referrrals had gone home for the day so no referral this week. The thing is it is much easier for me when I know that the call isn't coming then when I think it might be any minute. While I'll want this weekend to go fast, I won't be going crazy because I know we won't hear anything until Monday at the earliest. This is the hardest wait of my whole life... can you imagine what I'll be like before travel?

Does time seem unusually slow to anyone else?  It seems to be crawling by here. 
Well, day two of waiting has come and gone, and still no referral.  As most people know, waiting is not easy for me; patience is not one of my virtues.  It is getting harder and harder for me to think about anything else.  I'm like a caged animal as they say.  I really couldn't even get motivated to do anything today, its bugging me so much.  Well, hopefully tomorrow will be the day... or I might have to shoot the clock.

Yesterday we received our very first gift for Miriam... so exciting! Our dear friends Kim and Dan gave Miriam her very first doll. It is a beautiful, handmade cloth doll from Kenya made in a work project for women. I am so excited that Miriam's first doll is also from Africa. How appropriate is that?

Hi, our names are Brian and Danielle. This is our story of how we came to adopt a beautiful Ethiopian princess as our daughter. We have heard a number of questions during this journey to our daughter so I thought I would try to answer them here.

Well here it is Sept. 3rd and we have not yet received a referral. We learned on Thursday that it will be sometime next week before we know anything more. The woman at the agency who makes the referrals is out of the office until after the labor day holiday. Once she gets back and gets caught up we should get the referral... most likely late next week maybe as late as the following week. We do know that we are on the top of the waiting list. :-) So we wait one more week. :-)

Those of you who know me probably know about my "name hobby". I love names. I have long owned multiple babyname books; even before I was married or even considering having children. I am just fascinated with names and their meanings. I believe the meaning of a name is very powerful. So for someone like me, you know that my first child's name has been carefully thought out.

Check out the photos Brian posted of me working on the nursery. I hope to have it finished soon. :-)