Baby Shower Fun

Well what a day, really a weekend I have had. First the Burkes came and spent the weekend with me at my house....yes 6 kids in my house this weekend...what fun we had. They ofcourse were excellently behaved, and so the weekend went well. It was so nice to have Dawn and Gerald up to visit.
Today my family had a baby shower for me...it was sooo nice to have family and friends celebrate Nathaniel and we had a great time playing some very funny shower games. My sister Hillary and Cousin Toni did all the hard work of arranging this shower and it was so beautiful...lots of nice touches noticed. They made the theme nautical...made sugar cookies into the shape of sail boats with Nathaniel's name on it..and a beautiful cake that my aunt made....pics don't do it justice!
Thank you again for all the beautiful gifts..can't wait to use them all with Nathaniel.
Louise

Rest of the week in PEI

Well I stayed in PEI for another few days after the gathering to extend my vacation there. I had my sister, and friends come up to camp. WE had a great time except for the last night there when the winds really picked up and made the tent trailer very noisy! The winds were really gusty and were pushing at the tent part of the trailer.
Well I had to post what I bought...ofcourse for Nathaniel...don't think I bought one thing there for me Hahaha.
I got a pair of fake crocks at Gateway Village that were bright yellow in size 5...they are so small and cute.
I also got the cutest onesie. It will go great with the hat that I got at Giant tiger which says Canadian cutie.

PEI Camping Gathering

Wow
What a weekend this was. There were so many families either camping or there to visit it was hard to keep up. It was my first time out with the camper and so this was too much fun. Kristin and Nathan came along and stayed with me in the camper...it was great having some company in the camper.

I won't talk about getting lost too much...apparently I need to take more time to read the directions that I am given before jotting them down on a piece of paper...but lets just say getting lost down a narrow dirt road with a ten foot trailer behind you is not what I would call "fun"....anyways I survived and had a great week in PEI.

Kerry you still owe me a tim hortons...that was tooo funny us four trying to put down your awning with Susan and the wind just lifing up the awning dumping the ice cold rain water on us....shower was quickly had by all to warm up and awning was saved.

The late night campfires were sooo much fun and I for one am glad we mastered the art of smores even if it did result in some burnt fingers ( :) Lisa...hope your fingers have recovered). Lets just say it doesn't take much to make a bunch of girls who love chocolate busy trying to master the art of smores. Especially when the alternative was joining the Brad Paisley Debate of 2007.

August will be here before we know it and then another gathering...can't wait for the next one..these have been such a great time for all that come!

Louise

Godspeed - Dixie Chicks

This song means sooo much to me...I have loved it for a long time but it means so much more to me today.
I may not be near my dear son...but I send my love to you every second of the day and think of you always. I cannot wait to sing and dance around with you in my arms!
Mommy

Acceptance Papers are Officially in Ethiopia

They landed this morning just after midnight. This is step one to completing the adoption. The papers go to Ethiopia, are picked up by the POA there in Addis Ababa. Then she can start the process to obtain a court date and start the immigration paperwork. It has been just over 2 weeks since I saw Nathaniel and I miss him terribly. I wish I was there to rock him to sleep, give him his bottles and cover him with a blanket at night. I am still trying to remain hopeful about the possibility about a court date....fingers crossed but realize it will be a long shot to get this done. Trying to remain positive as its all I can do.
Can't wait for the maritime gathering this weekend. Its going to be one big celebrations, with referrals, travel dates, homestudies and dossiers completed. Our group has a lot to celebrate..what a great weekend to do it at.
Louise

I Would Die For That

I know many of us have had many of bumpy roads to get to this point...the point where we are finally moms! This video again is a tear jerker!
Louise

Shoes are bought, stroller is ready

Well all I need is Nathaniel home. But the preparations are on and things are getting organized and ready. We went to the states yesterday. I got the cutest photo frames for the wall...it holds 4 4*6 photos, black frame...its an individual frame for each photo hooked together..they are at walmart here for 15 but I got it in the states for 2 dollars a peice. Can't beat that price.
I also went to payless shoes and got the cutest size 4 shoes for him. Not sure if they will fit but Presque Isle is soooo close that I kept the receipt and will return them on our way to Disney when the time comes if they are too small.
So I got the shoes, the stroller, the crib and the clothes :) Now I just need Nathaniel home. 2 weeks and counting!

More for Nathaniel

I have to say I think I am going to pass this wait in shopping for my son :) Oooohhhh I might have to watch out...and Children's Place better watch out if they put a sale on.
But seriously I love getting things for him....even better are the gifts that have come for him!





Check these out...thanks to Nelleke (my aunt), Toni and Jamie, Hannah and Jacob, Kristin and Nathan and last but not least Sheri and Lyle, Mikiyas.
Your gifts are just lovely and Nathaniel is going to look too cute in each and every thing!
Louise

It's my Birthday!!!

Well today is my birthday...and I think I got my present a little early. 11 days ago to be exact. I don't want anything for my birthday but a court date in July..thats all I want :) :) :)
I am having family over today for a bbq. My cousin, her husband and her children as well as my Aunt are coming over. We are going to have a big celebration...they haven't seen the updated pics of Nathaniel yet..so I am anxious to show them. His pics are hanging on my wall right now...so I know they will see them when they walk through the door.
I am off on Vacation for 12 days after 2 more night shifts. I am soooo looking forward to my vacation. I am spending 6 days on the island and then 3 days in Mataquac with the Burke's. I am looking forward to spending some time with the group of families in PEI...we are having another gathering. Can't wait to see some new faces.

Louise

I'll Stand By You

I can't watch this video enough...wow it brings forth such emotion. You need to see this video! I hadn't seen the whole thing.....but found it finally.
Enjoy and let your heart be touched!
Louise

Official Papers Signed.

Well this is all I can really post in terms of a picture of my little Nathaniel. His sweet little hand. The Ethiopian Government and my agency does not want us posting pictures until Nathaniel is legally mine...so I can't post his picture..but take it from me he is very very cute.
I got the actual referral documents today and sent them off in Priority Mail. Should land at CAFAC by tommorrow. I was so excited to receive this today that I think the mail man was thinking I was stalking him LOL..but I did explain so he did not think I was an insane mad woman. I was shaking so bad when I was signing it...finally I was making the final act to declare that I wanted this baby boy...that he was my son.
I was so grateful that CAFAC had all the immigration forms filled out and all I had to do was sign where the sticky note was...thanks Curtis and Deb.....it was super simple.
Louise

The Referral Experience

I love to hear about how others have received their referral and the circumstances, etc. So I will share mine.
To start ,,,,,on the 13th of June I was suppose to have worked....but I had traded with Bonnie at work so she could have May 13th (Mother's day) off. So I did not have to work. I went out in the morning...never thinking about the fact that my cell phone was dead....geesh.
So I got back at around 12noon and was on the phone with some family.
While I was on the phone with my sister my sw called and left a message for me to call her and that "this was the call". So I tried to frantically call her back...no answer. So I left 2 messges finally deciding to go to her office and wait for her however long I had to wait. Well at her office secretary informed me that she was out for lunch...be back in half hour. Well I had calmed down enough to check messages again...there was a second one (That was right after the first...but I had slammed the phone down and never checked the 2nd one) from her saying that she would meet me at 2 (it was 130). So I waited outside on the bench....very anxious.
Well she walked up the steps and said " I knew you would be waiting for me" Then she said to the other women with her...this is the lucky mom. The co worker then said "OH my god..your baby is sooooo cute"..
So inside her office area..she decided she needed to introduce me to her supervisor so introductions were made...and yet another person "oh my gosh your baby is tooo cute". LOL...all these women had seen my son before I did LOL LOL.
Saw the pics and I bawled of course. I was shocked at how big he looked...couldn't get over how sweet he was. Went over the documents...and I was able to accept it right away.
Yahh. He is amazing..I am sooo happy.

Louise

Care Package

Well you will never guess how much you can really fit into a ziploc bag...a lot apparently..because I have stuffed this bag full. Amber who is leaving to get her son at the end of the month is taking a care package over to Nathaniel. It was so nice of her family to offer..and I really appreciate it.

Here is what I put in his package. (This will be the first of two packages as Lisa has also told me she will also take a package for Nathaniel....thanks Lisa and Amber)

Louise

Nathaniel's mommy

Shopping Fun

Well some people might be inclined to say that there are no cute boys clothes...well I think I proved them wrong today. I have hardly any boys clothes (okay that might be a bit of an exageration...but I certainly don't have enough boys clothes)
So shopping I did for Nathaniel today.

IT'S A BOY!!

Well after 19 months.......I can say that I have a Son!! He is 7 months old and weighs 17lbs. He is amazing, cute and oh so handsome! He has the cutest lips ever...sweet little hands and I can't wait to hold him and kiss those cheeks of his.

His name is Misganaw and his new full name will be Nathaniel Misganaw Issac Reid. Nathaniel will fit right in and we are all so thrilled to be looking at his picture! I got the call around 1230 but missed it and had to wait for lunch to end (her lunch not mine.....who could eat at such a time) so I could meet my SW. At 2pm yesterday I saw my sweet little boy's face for the first time. Talk about love at first sight. SO I did get some sleep last night but I have to tell you I was up at 530 and couldn't go back to sleep. What a rollercoaster this past year has been. But I am soooo very excited to have my little boy's picture and so very glad to be to the next part of the wait.
I can't post his picture until he is legally mine so my description will have to do. :) :)
Believe me he is sweet!
Louise

Another Yard Sale

Well another year and another yardsale. I wouldn't have thought last year at this time that I would still be waiting for my referral...but here I am still the same.

SO we had another yardsale this year to raise money for AHOPE with another year of success. It however was a very nice day..perhaps too nice to be yardsaling...so the flow of traffic was not what I expected and not what it was last year. Grand total raised $305 dollars...not bad at all despite the quiet flow of traffic.

Here are some pics

Into June almost

Wow we are already at the end of May....its crazy but May really did fly by quite quickly....hard to believe June is here in just a week's time.
I am really starting to get stressed about court closure. You see in Ethiopia August and September are considered holiday months for the court system. Therefor the courts actually close from Aug 4 till Sept 30. SOOO I need to
1) get my referral and
2) NEED to have a court date and a successful court hearing prior to Aug 4.

Otherwise I can't have a court hearing till after Sept 30. They say 5-7 weeks after court soooo that puts me into November...acckkkk the end of Nov seems like years away...so I really really need some prayers....I pray that I get my referral soon and that the process to obtain a courtdate is swift. I am very very worried about not getting my court done before Aug 4....but ofcourse worrying about it won't help....so I will pray hard and long about it.

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking alot of my little one. What he or she is doing, is he or she awake, eating, sleeping, being held and loved.....I am sure this will intensify a 100 times over once I know my little one's face and read about him or her.

Louise

Finally found a decent price video camera

Wow I got quite the deal today. I have been going over and over in my mind if I should buy a DVD video camera for the trip. I have one of the Hi 8's which we got 4 yrs ago...but really they don't make them anymore and it is sooo heavy. It was a hard decision because the dvd cameras I was seeing were all 500+ range in cost. So I went to future shop and staples today. Well I got a Sony DVD video camera for $389....quite the deal. It was the last one in stock...so they took 10% off and I was very happy. It is soooo light and will be so good for the trip. It does take stills...but I have to see what they turn out like. I will still take my digital camera with me. and that should be good.

I will be all ready...my poor child won't know what the heck with all the flashes and cameras LOL....but soon will be a camera addict I'm sure!!!

Louise

Here is a pic of it (from Sony website)

A Summer time purchase

I got the coolest tent today. I wanted one of the woods EZ UP tent...the one with the poles integrated right into the tent. It is amazing!!! It took me less than 2 mins to set up..incredible! Its going to be so nice for tenting gatherings with the maritime group once the baby arrives because I can put it up and take it down completely by myself!
Louise

May 7 World AIDS Orphan Day

Today is the day that we recognize the absolute horror that befalls so many children across Africa and the rest of the world. Every 15 seconds a child is orphaned by AIDS. By 2010 there will be over 100 Million AIDS orphans! This is unimaginable, unexplainable, and unacceptable!

Likely my child will be just that a victim of AIDS...his or her mother or father may have had AIDS/HIV or perhaps another family member. Whatever the way his or her life has been affected by the terrible disease that is sweeping across Africa.

So today I am asking that you take a moment to say a prayer for a child who has been orphaned by AIDS.

Louise