Introducing Abera

Sorry this took so long. This is our beautiful new son!!!
We've been trying to keep ourselves busy while we're waiting for a travel date. I started making lists. I bought some clothes and jammies for Abera and a little backpack for him to take on the plane ride home. I bought some great Ethiopian books from www.ethiopiareads.org and a CD of Ethiopian children's music. We have a bed but not a mattress -that's our mission for tomorrow. We put his carseat in the van (it was a great excuse to clean that thing out). Gerry is officially moved to the 3rd row with Samantha (they were holding hands the other day in the car). Right now Brandon is all alone in the 2nd row. He was upset at first because he wanted to sit in Abera's carseat but I told him he was too small for that seat (kind of a white lie)-eventually he gave up. I still need to buy some stuff to keep him busy on the plane (playdough, coloring books)-I'd love any other suggestions. It's a looong plane ride.

We made it through court yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippeeeeeeeee!!!!!! We found out today that the court case went well. Abera is legally our son. I will try and post a picture soon. But I don't have the time for that right now (it takes me a long time-I'm really no good with technology :)

We have to still wait around 6 weeks until I actually travel to Ethiopia to bring him home. We have to wait 2-3 weeks for a copy of the birth certificate and then our agency will give us a 3 week notice for a travel date.

I need to start making lots of lists and do lots of shopping :) We did get his carseat delivered today. Now he has a bed and a carseat and a toothbrush that Gerry picked out for him. Still have lots to do.

:) :) :) :)

Samantha's Wedding

Had to write this one down before I forgot it. Sam and I were reading a book and in the book there was a picture of a bear in a wedding dress (the book was Goldilocks and the Three Bears). Sam knows that ladies dressed up in white dresses with a white veil are "marrried". When she sees a wedding picture she says "married!!!". So she said," me married. I wear dress and knock knock shoes" (that's what she calls fancy shoes that clip clop when you walk). So I told her that after you get married you have a big party with lots of food and music and dancing and a big, big cake. She covered her mouth and said, OOOOOOOH! all excitedly. She also said, "toys and dollies too" so I guess her dream wedding reception would have toys and dollies-huh. I then told her she had to pick a man to marry. She quickly said, "Gerry". I told her she couldn't marry her brothers, it's just no allowed. I said you have to marry a friend. I was waiting for her to pick a boy from her class, but she quickly responded, "Spiderman!" Daddy would be proud. So there you have it folks-get ready for Sam's dream wedding:knock knock shoes, dancing, a big cake, toys, dolls and a Spiderman groom. Gotta love that girl!

Don't forget to read my last post before this one!

Pray for us-tomorrow is the big day!

Well tomorrow, Abera's case is being heard in the Ethiopian courts. If everything goes well he will be legally ours at that point and in a few more weeks I can go to bring him home. Hopefully the case won't be postponed (as can happen sometimes) and hopefully there won't be any surprises (except maybe a same-day birth certificate- a girl can dream). Usually the birth certificates take a few weeks after the court date to be issued and we can't get a travel date until the birth certificate is issued. Unfortunately, we know we won't be notified tomorrow of the results. We were told we would be contacted a few days after the court date to be notified of the results. I'll be sure to post as soon as we know the outcome..........so exciting!!!!!

Yippeee-We have an update!

Today we received an update on our little boy. We have a new picture and updated weight and height. He looks bigger already. I can't wait to meet him in person and hug him and kiss him. It was very nice to get the update today because the wait is just driving me crazy. Now that I have an updated weight and height I can be pretty confident in what size clothes to bring for him. I'm so excited the court date is THIS monday!!!!! Hopefully all with go well, with no delays. Guess I'll go now and start doing my work. It's 11pm and I haven't started yet.

Barack Obama - Yes We Can music video

Cabin Fever

I hate Winter. I can't wait to get outside and go to the playground. But until then, we're trying to keep busy in the house. Samantha had a tea party. Please join strange-looking Snow White, no-hand naked girl, and Miss Dinosaur for an afternoon of tea and music. Please, per your host Samantha, "NO BOYS - GIRLS ONLY!!!". Unfortunately, right after this picture was taken, the tea party was raided by 2 evil Power Rangers. It wasn't a pretty sight.
Can't wait to show this pic to his prom date. He is so cool.
These pictures were from our game of hide and seek
You always know where Sam is hiding because she giggles the whole time

Sam's visit to the cardiologist

Samantha had her first follow up visit since her heart procedure last July. The doc said she no longer has a murmur and is "discharged from cardiology service"!!!!! Boy, that was a surprise. I was pretty sure everything was OK but I expected her to say she wanted to see her in a couple of years for a check up - but Sam is no longer a cardiology patient. She did say if she ever develops a murmur again, she should be evaluated because there is a 1 in 800 chance that something could happen. Honestly, the boys were being very bad at that point and I didn't really get what she said could happen - something about an obstruction. It didn't really matter to me as long I understand that it would present as a murmur and she would need to be seen again at that point. And no more antibiotics needed for the dentist. Sam wouldn't lay down for the echocardiogram so I had to bribe her with 'taco bell' and chips. It worked and Sam was an angel and she had her taco bell for lunch.

Is it Feb 18th yet??????? 12 more days!!!!! (hopefully)