Settle

Ok. Things are getting organized bit by bit, and my brain is de-chaotizing itself. (Yes, I hereby declare that "de-chaotizing" is a word.)

1. We have plane tickets.
2. We have a place to stay.
3. John found an appropriate replacement bolt (long story) and is finishing building the crib right this minute.
4. There is a travel conference call tomorrow, and I will be oh-so-informed after that.

See? A very productive day, even by my generally unrealistic standards.

Also, I have given up worrying and stressing out. You know, for Advent. Or whatever. Yessirree Bob, just consider me Coolie the Cucumber.

So anyhoozle. Christmas presents to wrap, and I don't think Stanley is going to do it for me.

Arf.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

We were approved for the January 5 visa date!
So we will be leaving January 1!

Yes, I had previously said the visa date that week would be the 7th, but it turns out that is the Ethiopian Christmas, so visa appointments that week are the Tuesday instead of Thursday.

Methinks January 1 is rapidly approaching, and I am sort of in a panic. This has all suddenly become very real, and it sort of dawned on me that I have no idea what I am doing. Also, I have no idea what to pack. And we have to find flights, and this being Christmas week in Ethiopia, they are very expensive. Ack! It is all attacking my brains at once, and my brains don't like that.

But... I get to get my boy! Hooray!

The Fairy Tale of the Birth Date and the Measurements

Once upon a time, we accepted a referral of a beautiful and perfect little boy with a birthday of April 11. He had measurements from age 16.5 months(ish) as follows:
Height: 74cm / 29.1 inches (less than 3rd %ile, as in, not quite on the chart.)
Weight: 10.21 kg / 22.46 pounds (15th %ile)

Now that we passed court, and a few months have passed, we get new measurements. They are as follows:
Height: 80 cm / 31.5 inches
Weight: 15 kg / 33 pounds

Which means: he gained 10.5 pounds (roughly 50% of his body weight) in less than 4 months. Is that normal? I have no parenting experience, but in my professional medical opinion, that answer is no.

Furthermore, now they are saying his birth date was calculated wrong. You might be wondering what sort of calculation is involved in the birthing process, but let me remind you that the Ethiopian calendar is not like ours. They are on the Ge'ez calendar, and it is currently somewhere around the third month of 2002 where my (big) little man lives. So, this date translation, you see, it takes a bit of calculation. And apparently, it was calculated wrong. (Which is sort of funny, because his birth date is made up anyway.)

So now, they say his birthday is not April 11, it is February 21. Which makes him 2 months older. Which makes his original percentiles even lower. Which makes it even more surprising that his new percentiles are about the 5th%ile for height and the (whopping) 95th for weight!

So basically, because I think these measurements could be just a wee bit exaggerated, he could wear anywhere from 18 months to 4T. Great. I'll just pack that then. No problem... This whole adoption thing. It's nothing if not adventurous, eh? :)

But hey, if I'm packing (which I'm not quite yet- although it would be very like me to pack weeks in advance), that means I'm going to get him! And regardless of his measurements or age, he is MINE, and I want him to be HERE! You know, like on the same continent, for starters. Is that so much to ask?!

And we lived happily ever after.
The end.

Prepare Yourself for Being Overwhelmed with Cuteness!

Because I have a new picture!
And new (and somewhat questionable) measurements.
And... a new birth date.
(more on these later)

That's right. He's practically a whole new boy.

But still SO cute it's almost deadly.

Be overwhelmed.

Still waiting on travel dates.
We should find out on Monday.
Have a great weekend. :)

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27

We passed Court!!!!!!!
And so, it is with much Joy and Pride that I introduce to you:

Isaac Matthew Tamirat!

His Royal Cuteness


My little man doesn't like flower pants!

As for the updated pics and measurements, they are apparently forthcoming.
For now, I revel in the knowledge that he is officially my son!

Tamirat is his Ethiopian Name. It is Amharic for "Amazing."

ETA-US soil: January sometime.
Visa Dates pending

Have a great weekend!

Well Kids, This is It!

So tonight as I am snoozing snugly in my bed, courts will be deciding the fate of my li'l boy and the status of my parenthood. Hopefully we will hear first thing tomorrow the stellar news that we passed! So, be sure to say an extra prayer tonight that all goes well. (In which event, there shall be pictures posted tomorrow!)

Midweek Report

So far this week at CHI: 3 more referrals. 3 more court dates (all for Dec 21). That is the good news.

And then there's the less good news. The family who was going to take pictures for us... forgot us. They were taking pictures for 18 (!) different families aside from the whole getting a baby thing, and somewhere along the line, we were overlooked. (I think she had her spreadsheet done before our paper got there, which was not until the day before they left, unfortunately.) I was kind of bummed about this, but I still had to giggle, because the whole spreadsheet thing is SO something I would do. (I mean, just the making a spreadsheet part. Hopefully not the forgetting people.) We adoption families are all alike, eh? But anyhoozle... we remain pictureless, and we can ask one of the next families, but they don't travel til the week of Christmas, so it's going to be a bit yet. :(

On the bright side: We should get new pictures and height/weight information when we pass court. Which will hopefully be... in 2 days!