We have a court date!!! July 18th is the date that we go to court. I don't actually go to court. A Power of Attorney for Sahara and I goes to court there in Ethiopia. Sometimes we don't make it through court on the first try. Sometimes there is a power outage, they need more paper work, sometimes a family member needs to be found. But sometimes it does go through on the first try, and when it does, she is legally my daughter.
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Our official adoption photo
The family dog sleeping in my briefcase
This was the journey of a single mom and her two children adopting a baby girl from Africa. Our precious girl is home and this is now about our lives from day to day.
The Family
Email me
- wog911@aol.com
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.
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.
Journey to Selamnesh
Ethiopian time
Our Adoption Agency
Count Down
#80
#79 2-22-08
#77 3-6-08
#76 3-7-08
#72 3-11-08
#71 4-7-08
#66 4-15-08
#63 4-25-08
#60 5-20-08
#45 5-23-08
Referral 2:59pm 5-27-08
Court date 7-18-08
Travel 9-24-08
Home forever 10-3-08
#79 2-22-08
#77 3-6-08
#76 3-7-08
#72 3-11-08
#71 4-7-08
#66 4-15-08
#63 4-25-08
#60 5-20-08
#45 5-23-08
Referral 2:59pm 5-27-08
Court date 7-18-08
Travel 9-24-08
Home forever 10-3-08
There are accidental parents , But no accidental children
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!
The process
- Desided to adopt a girl from Ethiopia Lifest07"
- Send in Application Sept. 13, 2007
- I600-A Oct. 19, 2007
- Get Home Study done Oct. 24,2007
- Submit Dossier Dec. 11, 2007
- Offically on wating list for a referral Dec. 20, 2007
- Finger Prints by Home land security Jan. 3, 2008
- Received referal for Selamnesh May 27, 2008
- Court Date July 18, 2008
Our official adoption photo
Jacques
The family dog sleeping in my briefcase
Test your vocabulary skills to Donate Rice to Africa (Tristan's passion)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future Jeremiah 29:11
Things we Need or Need to Do
Love our children as though it was our last day with them.....
3 comments:
Congratulations Anna! That's so exciting!
By the way - I spotted you at the picnic but a certain 2 year-old needed a diaper change and then when I tried to find you again, you had disappeared. Well, the next time we are in Green Bay I'll have to let you know...and hopefully you'll have a new baby for me to meet!
YEAH!! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed and praying you make it through court right away and can go pick up your little princess.
Hooray! You know that we are praying for a successful court date! I cannot wait to meet Sahara, you may end up with our crew meeting you at the airport!
Christy and crew
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