Selamnesh's Story: Update Update

Monday, July 7, 2008

Update Update

We got a few updates!! Sahara was 5.85kg= 12.87# on May23 she is now 6.15 kg=13.53# as of July 1st!!! She was 67 cm=26.13 inches and is now 68cm=26.77 inches!!! What a growing girl!!

We also recieved a report that she removes marbles from a bottle and puts marbles in a cup. She tries to use a spoon and stacks cubes. She appears to understand a few new words a week, and understands feelings. She clings to her care taker, and trows tantrums when upset. WOW!!! She IS a normal 13 month old!! We are so happy and so blessed!!!

Please continue to pray for her birth mother and the greif she is going through. Getting these updates on Sahara only reminds me of what her birth mother is wondering. Please pray for our court date of July 18th. If all goes well that day she will legally be our daughter and I will be able to post a photo of her.

1 comment:

Christy O said...: Hooray!!!!!! What great news! Soon she will be with you!; July 7, 2008 at 9:52 PM

Post a Comment

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

Monday, July 7, 2008

Update Update

1 comment:

The Family

Email me

Why Selamnesh?? Why not Sahara??

Journey to Selamnesh

Ethiopian time

Our Adoption Agency

Count Down

About the process

The process

Jacques

Test your vocabulary skills to Donate Rice to Africa (Tristan's passion)

Blog Archive

Things we Need or Need to Do