calling all gladney ethiopia families...

As we try to prepare for our upcoming trip to Ethiopia (I can still hardly believe I am writing the words "upcoming trip to Ethiopia"), I've been thinking a lot about what kind of gifts to bring to Belay and the caregivers at Gladney's facilities. I would like to do something meaningful to them....

So I had an idea... but I need your help.

Do you know those photobooks you can make on sites like my publisher and kodak gallery? (see here for an example) We've created a few after big trips and events, and they really do come out great. So I thought it would be a nice idea to create a book that included photos of Gladney kids and families - waiting families too (can be pics of the kids while in the care center, back at home, with your family/friends, whatever...). It's something I think the caregivers would enjoy having and it will last a long time. But this will only work if I can get others on board.

So if this sounds like a good idea to you and you'd be interested in being a part of the book, leave me your email address in a comment... or send me an email at mgrkej @ yahoo.com. I will only use photos that are provided to me for the book (I won't download them from anyone's blog/website and I won't use any photos people have sent me of their kids for other reasons... and, of course, I would only use any photos in order to create the book - that's a promise).

*quick update - if you email pics, let me know how you want me to "label" to pics in the book - i.e. with you and your family members' first and/or last names, city, states.... I will only use last names if people are comfortable with that.

a picture speaks a thousand words

Simon Alemayehu is happy to report that he is officially a part of our family....

one more try

I am heading off to work now, hoping I can actually keep myself together enough to get some work done (apologies in advance to my co-workers if that proves not to be possible!).

I had taken the day off yesterday, thinking it would be easier to deal with the stress of waiting for the call, not to mention I thought I'd rather be alone than at the office in the event the call was not good. And if the call was good, well, I didn't really want to have to work either ;)

But I guess I didn't count on the delay factor. So much for my plan. I know, I know. By now it should be clear that you can't really plan for anything when it comes to adoption (good practice for parenthood too, I think), so I'm trying to go with the flow and know that things will work out exactly as they are meant to. Wish me luck.

not today

We did not have a successful court date today. It seems there was a question about a document in our file. Our agency was able to obtain the original document and provide it to the courts today, and they are hopeful the case will be re-reviewed and approved tomorrow. We hope so too. Tomorrow is the last day the courts will review cases before they close for a 2 month break.

If you have any more good thoughts, karma, wishes, prayers, luck... please send some our way. We could use all the help we can get.

time

In roughly 30 or so hours, we expect to learn whether or not we had a successful court day in Ethiopia and Baby A is officially a part of the family.

It seems as though time has slowed down. As August 5th has grown closer, the minutes stretch on longer and longer. We are gearing up for a long day... and an even longer night.

So if you happen to have any good thoughts you can share, please send some our way, and also to the many other families hoping to make it through the Ethiopian courts to finalize their adoptions before the courts close for the rainy season (on Thursday!).