Selamnesh's Story: Beautiful Girl

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Beautiful Girl

My beautiful daughter Lauren went to her first prom. I held myself together, didn't bawl like a baby. (well not in front of anyone.) Lauren went with a girl friend. And after attending the Grand march as we used to call it, (gosh I sound so old) I determained that no daughter of mine would ever go with a guy date unless he wore a tux!!! The guys at their school wear ties, if they are lucky. Some just a shirt and Dockers. No Way, not with one of my daughters. If you want my girl for a date, you have to work at it!! These girls buy a dress, do their hair nice and fancy. And for what??? A guy in a dress shirt??? No Way!!!

My beautiful, first born, daughter...........Lauren.

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Why Selamnesh?? Why not Sahara??

So often we go into a situation with our minds made up. We did!! We chose the name Sahara in a Walmart store. Lauren came up with it months before we ever sent in our first application. She was going to be Sahara!!

And she was Sahara...... until we met her, her nannies and her beloved birthmother Bizunesh. I could barely pronounce her name Selamnesh. But after hearing everyone call her by her birth name. How could we change it?? How selfesh would that be?? Her name is the only thing her birthmother can give her, how could I be so cruel as to take that away from her??

Bizunesh and I sat for 30 minutes with 2 translators exchanging our dreams for her beloved baby girl. I could only understand 1 word she would speak.......Selamnesh. The way she said it will ring in my ears for the rest of my life. God changed my heart that day on the bus ride home.

A legal name is just that. How many Henry's, Richard's, Barbra's or Catherine's do you know that use their legal names?? My daughter's name is Selamnesh. Most of the time I call her sweatheart.

About the process

They tell us that the process to adopt a child from Ethiopia is about a year. A referral is when they match you to a child. They get a grouping of children, and then try to match a family to the child's needs and the families requests. They take a lot of care in this process. What a wonderful blessing they are giving both us as families and to the children. The dossier is the file that you collect information and recommendations about your family and submit them to the agency. The time frame from submitting the dossier to referral is about 6-9 months. Our process took 5 months. Then you wait for a court date. Then you wait for a birth certificate. Then after the birth certificate comes in correctly, you get a travel date. With our agency, you stay a week. They show you around the area, possibly meet the birth parent or relative. And spend time getting to know your child. You stay at a guest house with a full time cook, and driver. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful agency. Alexa, I owe you so much thanks!

Selamnesh's Story

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Beautiful Girl

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Why Selamnesh?? Why not Sahara??

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