Thoughts from July

Thoughts from July
July 18
IT'S THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you believe it. The dossier arrived this morning. HOW COOL IS THAT. I did do a little panic last night, when I was reading all of my documents, everything said requesting either gender 0-12 months....BUT on the provincial approval letter from B he wrote 0 to 12 ____of age....he left out the months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH
I have to call Deb, I am assuming H......in) will know from Deb's letter and my homestudy that I want 0-12 months...but ahhh stresss....I am sure it will be fine though...I am sure!!!
Anyways it is in ADDIS ABABA!!!!!!!I can't be happier

July 17
Dossier in Frankfurt
Checked out my tracking number, the dossier is in transit in Franfurt.
Louise

July 13
It's leaving CANADA !!!!
I thought all the other steps in this process was exciting, but nothing compares to this so far!! Knowing that my file is leaving for Ethiopia tommorrow is absolutely amazing!!!! Its crazy feeling..knowing that now the next thing I recieve from CAFAC and the province is my picture of my sweet baby girl or boy...can one even imagine!
I can't believe that I am already here, last December it seemed so far away, but once again as I look back, the time has gone so fast I don't even know where the time has gone. Its really quite a great feeling.

So tommorrow I will be tracking my journey through the postal system...say a little prayer for my file as it travels half way around the world...happy and safe travel my very important package!

July 05
Dossier is Travelling
I got news today that my dossier is actually at the Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa. I had thought it was still in Foreign affairs...but apparently it came back from Foreign Affairs on the 20th of June. So now I wait till I get word that it is heading over to Ethiopia...can't wait to watch it make the journey over.


Thoughts from June
June 15
Kittery Outlets
Can I just say how much fun this place is. OshKosh, Carters, Gap, Children's Place. All such great deals...and such a blast. I loved shopping at all of them. It was soo neat the salesperson that helped us at Osh Kosh, her daughter is adopting from China, so that was a neat connection. She was a great help at helping me spend my money LOL
Louise

June 09
Mail
2 great packages arrived today. My travel pack YEHHHHH
and the robeez slippers...OMG they are tooo cute..there are alot of them...some how I pictured them smaller. But no matter...they are just adorable!
Louise

Thoughts in May

May 31
My Niece turned 3 today
Hey everyone,
Today is my sweet niece's 3rd birthday today. It is hard to believe because it feels like just yesterday that we were all anxiously and nervously awaiting her arrival at the airport in Moncton. She arrived from Edmonton at the airport on a Saturday, on the drive there it was POURING and I mean POURING rain. Its amazing that we all made it there in one piece, the rain was so heavy. Vut we got there, over an hour early, and just paced. We had ballons and flowers, and as we were waiting at the gate, a few people caught on to what we were there for. Some of them were so excited (strangers) and had tears in their eyes. Kelly was ofcourse the last off the plane. BUT my god it was truely love at first sight. I remember thinking how is it possible to love someone so completely that you have just met! Happy birthday sweet girl. Love your Tante Weezy

May 25
The Wait
Someone mentioned something to me that has really stuck! (thanks K).
She said that the wait is all part of the journey of becoming a mother. That the feeling of Waiting untill you feel like you will just DIE if you wait one more moment is the same wether you are giving birth (and in labour numerous hours) or if you are adopting and waiting for referral or tavel or anything! And I must say its true. Its in that wait that I think I will discover so many things about what a mother is and who I am and where I will be in the world once I am a mother. I think it is a growing process, and just when we all think we cannot wait one MORE MINUTE...that it will happen and we will all become parents...that moment will be here, and the wait will dissapear...because its not the journey but the moments along that journey that will fill our memories. I hope that this is true atleast.
It is still hard to be patience, and somedays I hate the wait, but somedays I have those moments to reflect on the last months of this journey already and think wow look how far into this I am already!.
Louise
May 19
My Mom is coming
Well I had a good long talk wth my mom last night, and guess what....she is coming to Ethiopia!!!!! She is coming rather than my little sister (who can't really afford to come :( ). I am really happy that my mom gets to see where my child was born and the country and all the sights, sounds and smells :) !!!!
So excited!!!
Louise

May 18
100 Good Wishes Quilt
This is a Chinese Tradition, but thought I would convert it for an Ethiopian Adoption. What a special gift to make a quilt out of squares from family and friends. HTe quilt is made from 100 5*5 inch squares, each square should be accompanied by a message of a good wish, a thought or prayer. I would really love to do this, and if anyone is interested in sending a square or receiving a square that would be great.
Email me if you would, Weezyreid@yahoo.ca
Louise

May 15
Dossier at CAFAC
I called CAFAC today, and found out that my dossier is infact in their capable hands. They are putting it together, and will be sending it off to be notarized soon. How awesome is that. Wow I feel like I just got that + sign on a pregnancy stick LOL LOL. This is actually happening.
Today I saw the Ethiopian Episode of Adoption Stories on Discovery Health. Even more cool it was a Canadian Couple....saw Deb on TV. That was pretty cool, seeing the guest house, the old foster home, the country. It was amazing!!!
Louise

May 08
What have we all learned........PATIENCE
So patience, I actually had some this last week...I was very proud of myself. Now I can be very EXCITED!!!Finally my dossier is on its way to CAFAC today or tommorrow. The provincial guy who writes the approval letter was out of town this last week and did not have a chance to do up my provincial letter before leaving. SOOO he is back today, sent me an email, and he is working on getting the letter done up today and so he will send it off once he has that.
YEEAHHH.
So guess what I get to do now????????
WAIT AND BE PATIENT

Yep you got it, I know just sit (well maybe not sit the whole time...ugghh 8 months, one's rear end would get awful sore :) :) :) LOL) and wait for 8-12 months for my paper pregnancy to deliver...then another 3 months before my baby can come home. I think when all said and done I should have the average pregnancy of an Elephant!! HAHA

Lots of shopping can be done in the meantime.
I think my next purchase will be some shoes LOL
I am waiting to buy anymore clothes till the end of the summer (I tell myself this now, we shall see how long this lasts) so that I can buy clothes during the end of summer sales.
Louse

Thoughts in April

April 27
Documents almost ready
I got word today that by the end of the week, my dossier will be heading to CAFAC!!! That means things can get a move on. I am hoping (keeping fingers crossed) that I will have my dossier heading to Ethiopia by my birthday....June 24th. I think that is a reasonable timeline :) Or atleast by the 1st of July. What I am eventually hoping for is a referral around Christmas or New Years...thats not to much to ask for I think :)
What a great Christmas present or New Years Resolution.

I can't wait to go to the CAFAC Maritime family get together. It will be so fun to meet all the families...and finally see each other in person. I was looking in my inbox folders, and I have over 300 emails from people that I have met since December when I started this journey....300 WOW, it really feels like we have all known each other for years, when it hasn't even been a full year yet. But we have all become fast friends and we can't wait to have such a great time in Nova Scotia. Then who knows where we will meet next time...New Brunswick or PEI...I am personally voting for PEI (but only because I LOVE PEI..hehehe, and it is soo pretty there in the fall.
Louise
April 22
OBC Obsessive Baby Compulsiveness??? NO
The OBC (official Baby Company) put on an outlet markdown sale at a local hotel here in Fredericton. I wonder if they knew that I lived here??? Becuase they certainly had me suckered in by the time they said go. I spent just about 50 dollars there...got a pair of jean shorts, 2 pairs of khaki button up pants (girl or boy could wear these), 3 sleepers (one was pink...opppsss so much for neutral..but no one but me will see him in it if I get a boy)..these sleepers are really neat, they zipper down to the bum and the legs have snaps for easy access to diaper!!, I got two bibs and two onesies (white). So overall not bad I think. My best buy was two white onesies, with the snaps near the bum part, not the ones that button by the belly for $5.00. They had really really cute boots but only a size 2...don't know but I think that might be tooo small.
Well that was my weekend...shopping spree for my son or daughter!!! $50 for baby to spend!

March 25
shopping fun
So I went to sears today. I found so many good buys there. Their clothes that had their red tag discounts, were discounted even further by another 30 %.
I got the cutest one piece outfits in green and blue (taking these to Ethiopia) they have turtles and frogs on them....so sweet.
I also found an orange outfit with think embroidered flowers on, for 30lbs, figured it would fit the summer after we get home. If I get a boy, it will go to Ethiopia foster home. I got a ton of clothes for only 40 dollars taxes in...pretty good.
Louise


March 21
My homestudy will be finished by this weekend
Got an email from SW....my homestudy should be finished being written up by the end of this upcoming weekend...That means I should see it sometime next week...yeeeaaaaa
I am sooo happy.
Louise

March 19
Ebay...the good, the bad, and the really cheap
Wow, does anyone else really love Ebay...I know I do.
Today I bought two pairs of the seude bottom leather slippers. They are so cute.
I have attached some pictures of these slippers that caught my eye. I have an addiction I think, and its name is Ebay....seriously here folks...sometimes the prices are ssoooooo cheap. But I do know my limits, and I know I need to save my money for the adoption fees, so I will stay away from ebay for awhile. :) :)
Louise

March 16
The Country Update Came
And its not all good news.
The wait for infants under 6 months have increased to atleast a year....so I have decided to request an infant under 12months rather than 6 months...I will ask for a infant as young as possiblble. So I guess a lot is up in the air...and its kind of like a really long pregnancy. I am still excited as ever about this process.
Louise

March 08
I AM ALL DONE MY HOMESTUDY VISITS
OH MY GOSH.....IT FEELS SOOOOOO GOOD.
I had my last homestudy visit this morning...okay so I cleaned like a mad woman and got everything done, the house looked great....I was so exhausted by the time the sw got here. The visit was short and sweet...mom and Kelly were here. Took a tour of the house. She thought we had a large house with a huge backyard!! I told her we were not looking forward to mowing that lawn this summer!!!
Anyways I am so glad its finished...and shoot I forgot to take some pics, but I will next time we see each other before submitting the homestudy for provincial approval!
Louise

February 28
I am officially approved to sponsor a child
to come to Canada. I got my immigration papers back yesterday.....wow that was quick!! it left here on the 20th, got here yesterday!!!
I was soo excited to see it in the mail, at first I thought I must have done something in error, since it cmae so quickly, but nope...my baby is officially sponsored!!!
YEAH
Louise

February 19
3rd homestudy
Wow I can't believe how quick time is flying by!!! I had the 3rd visit with my sw today, it went wonderfully again. We talked about single parenting, my education and work history. We have one more visit this Wednesday, then she is coming to the house on the 8th of March. (orginnaly suppose to be the 28 of Feb, but thats okay. She said that she could start the homestudy before doing the home visit. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the homestudy might be finished intime for the march approval committee, but reallistically looking towards the April committee meeting on April the 20th...Judy said it would be done by then for sure.....its soooooooo exciting to think my dossier will be on its way to Cafac in less that 2 months!!! and then onto Ethiopia WOOOHOOO.

I spent the weekend in St John with my sisters inlaws, which was nice, but I am glad to be home as well.
Louise

February 08
2nd Homestudy Visit
Wow this homestudy visit went soooooo well. I am really excited to see this next step moving forward. I have till end of February and then the SW will write the homestudy (takes approx 3 weeks she says). I am figuring it will be to CAFAC by mid April...then to Ethiopia in Mid June...yeeeahhhhhhh!!!!
Working on the room this week, hoping to clear some stuff out and start moving things along in terms of the room. I am going to moving some of Kellys (my neice) stuff downstairs.
Louise
Louise

January 22
Getting rooms moved around
We decided to start getting the rooms switched around now, instead of later. WE did a LOT of moving of furniture this weekend, took apar two beds, and put together a closet. Also put the crib together...that was soooo not fun. I don't know how women do it when they are 6 months pregnant!!!!. On Feb 18,19 we are renting a projector to display some images on the wall so we can trace them, and then paint them. The nursery is going to be nursery rhymes. The room is super large, there is lots of room for both beds and a toy area. Can't wait to start working on doing the rest of the decorating once the referral comes. I guess I wanted to have some sort of room ready for the social worker home visit. I wanted to demonstrate that there is room for the new little one. Decided that girl or boy, the kids will share a room for the first year at least. I think untill my child is 2 or 3...I think that is fine!
Will post some pics when the room doesn't look like a tornado has gone through it (which it does now!!!!!!).
Louise

January 11
Maritime Support Group
YEEAHH
We have finally started our Maritime Support Group for all the families who have their children home or are in any part of the process of an Ethiopian Adoption.
We are hoping to have our first get together this summer. It will be great to put a face and voice to the email addys that we have been correspnding with.
And on other news, my younger sister is off.....to Wales for 6 more months . She begins classes jan 25 in Swansea Wales. She is doing the 2nd part of her UNB exchange.

January 05
WORKBOOK
I got the workbook in the mail this past week. It came into the post office Tuesday afternoon. I was suppose to be napping because I had to work a night shift that evening. I was sooooo excited to go and get it I couldn't sleep and then I hounded the Post office.
My slip said I couldn't pick it up till 5pm, but I called tehm like 3 times and asked "IS IT THERE" I think I sounded like a kid a Christmas. I was just shaking with excitement as I opened the box. I even took a pic of the box itself...hehehehe
Anyways the workbook is chock full of great information, not just for adoption, but parenting in general! I am very happy that I have this resource to look through while the waiting happens. I can tell the pages are going to get well worn.
January is almost half way through, getting closer to my next homestudy visit. I have to do a general description of the house and community, so I am going to work on that this weekend.
Anyhow
Hope everyones New Year was great. The only resolution I made was to be more patient with the process and not to worry about timelines.
Louise


December 29
First Homestudy Visit
I went to St John for my first homestudy visit yesterday. It was very nerve wracking. I was nervous and unsure of what I was going to be asked. The SW was very nice and helpful. We talked about my home, my family. We talked about how I would feel about raising a black baby. We talked about my childhood and how our household runs. Ummm she gave me some forms to fill out and I gave her some documents. I have to update my autobiography and also choose a guardian.
My final homestudy visit will be Feb 28, then she will visit the house and write the report. Hopefully she will be finished it by the middle of March to go to the provincial approval guy. I hope all will be in Ethiopia by June?????
Hopefully!
Louise

December 24
MERRY CHRISTMAS
I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas. I know that I am really enjoying the day even though I have to head to work in 2 hours....yuck.
I got some new pics of the foster home today. The home looks really nice with a lot more room for the kids to play. I am excited to visit and see it in person.
We are having Christmas at Nelleke's tommorrow, so I am looking forward to that. AND we HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Yeah

December 19
Got a letter today
Got my first letter from the agency today welcoming me to their family. They sent me a copy of my signed contract and they also sent my a copy of the advocate (that is their newsletter which I subscribed to).
I was soooo excited, I had to pull over and read teh letter in the car. I knew what it was as soon as I saw who it was from!
Going to my Cousins for Christmas morning, so I get to play with my Godson, which is always a highlight. He is soo funny and he is adorable. Can't wait to see him open his gifts!
Louise

December 16
Homestudy
My first homestudy date is set. I have to travel to St. John, as the practiioners here are booked to Jan 31st, so I will do the traveling thing.
I have my first visit with Judy on Dec 28th. I can't wait to meet her, and to chat away. It should be very good, she has actually done the ethiopian process before, so that is a relief to me. I am still nervous, but glad to see some progress.. Everything should be into the province by Feb 31st I hope. Then off to CAFAC.....hoping dossier will be in Ethiopia by June 1st. Then maybe a referral by Christmas, we shall see.

December 15
I can finally start my homestudy
I finally got the go ahead to chose the private practitioner to do my homestudy. It is one small step for man, one giant step for ME!!!
I am so excited to see some progress after what feels like the longest two weeks of waiting for my criminal checks to come in. Apparently I am not a criminal and am safe to be around others WOOOHOOO!!:) :)
I went to MDs today, got a TB test done, and booked for other bloodwork. I also only had to pay $40 for my medical form..which I thought was going to be a lot more. So I am thankful for that. Anything that saves me money is a good thing!!!
CAFAC recieved my application on the 12th, and I am hoping to recieve their documents in the mail next week. We shall see when that happens.
Have a great week, Christmas is fast approaching, and I still have shopping to do!
Louise

December 12
I cannot believe the generosity of others
The donations I have recieved so far is unbelievable. I have almost a rubbermaid tote full of clothes, with more to come. People are collecting shoes and sandals for me. I think I may have tooooo much stuff. I won't have to do any more begging (not that I have so far). I only mentioned it to my sister, and two second hand clothing stores. The rest is history as they say. The children in Addis will benefit soooo much from these things. These are things that we take for granted. Some of the things I still want to take with me is childrens multivitamins, childrens tylenol, antibiotics, pedialyte powder. I will wait and see on those things. I am going to write to Dr. Hart to see how he might be able to help. He has done work overseas as a volunteer, so he may have some ideas.
Louise

December 10
Sending off my Applicaton
Well I did it.
I sent off my application tothe agency withfirst part of the application fee. It was a lot easier to save than I thought it would be. But boy did it hurt when I paid it....OUCH!
I sent the application on Friday by express post. It should reach Manitoba by Tuesday, I hope to have the information and the eductional workbook back to me by next week.
I heard from Kim Murphy (my social worker), I am just waiting for the criminal check to come back. Once that is back ( I expect next week) I can choose my private practitioner for the homestudy. I hope to start the homestudy by January 1st or so. We will just have to wait and see. It seems that is a common thing around the world of adoption.

Oh on the adoption news front, there is now a policy with the agency, that hometudies must state wether you have a gender preference but it must also state that you are open to both gender. So maybe it will be a Owen instead of a Olivia???? Any names for boys would be greatly appreciated. I heard Jonah last night, and I like it as well. I think I like all the names. I am still keeping my fingers crossed for a girl...guess it will be like a pregnancy and in that all I want is a healthy baby. BUT I am keeping my pink sheets...hopefully Owen will like pink