I shouldn't do this, I'm sure... it's not good for my head... but, I will: My guess is that we'll be home with Baby E. in July. Based on the new trend in waiting times, etc., this is just what I think... for whatever it's worth... which is not much, I know.
God's will is best and may it be done!
31.12.08
27.12.08
Tapas again
So, we've just finished our December traveling between families. (A deep breath.) This year was notably different in that I felt that our families were more aware of our adoption... that it's real and going to happen. This was nice. Baby E. even scored some Christmas presents... for him/herself and his/her orphanage.
Today at work, a dear colleague gave me this newspaper article. Rob and I haven't been to this restaurant yet, but we are looking forward to it.
Then, today, after work, I caught the very end of a program about a couple travelling through Ethiopia. It turns out that they have made a journey, on foot, all across Africa. How fitting that I caught a portion of their time in our baby's homeland. Here is the link, if you're interested.
So, a little bit of this and a tiny bit of that for today. Hopefully soon we'll have a lot of this and tons of that to share!
Today at work, a dear colleague gave me this newspaper article. Rob and I haven't been to this restaurant yet, but we are looking forward to it.
Then, today, after work, I caught the very end of a program about a couple travelling through Ethiopia. It turns out that they have made a journey, on foot, all across Africa. How fitting that I caught a portion of their time in our baby's homeland. Here is the link, if you're interested.
So, a little bit of this and a tiny bit of that for today. Hopefully soon we'll have a lot of this and tons of that to share!
12.12.08
More referrals!
I knew of one referral yesterday when I typed out that folktale. I now know of five! (And there may be one or two more that I haven't heard about yet.) Wahoo! Now, this doesn't mean that we're almost to the top of the list, because a few families from below us were matched with older sibling groups. So they jumped up; but, that doesn't bother me a bit. It's so good that those older groups of brothers and sisters will get to stay together. Thank God! I'm so excited!
11.12.08
An adoption story?
The Lion's Whiskers
an Ethiopian folktale, as written by Brent Ashabranner and Russell Davis
Bizunesh, a woman of the Ethiopian highlands, married Gudina, a man of the lowlands. Gudina's first wife had died of a fever, and he had an eight-year-old son whose name was Segab. When Bizunesh went to the house of Gudina, she quickly saw that Segab was a very sad boy because he missed his mother so much.
In only a short time Bizunesh grew to love Segab as if he were her own son, and she tried to be a good mother. She mended all of Segab's clothes and bought him new shoes. She asked him what foods he liked best, and she always saved the choicest pieces of meat from the wat for Segab. But Segab did not thank her. He would not even look at her or talk to her.
Bizunesh and Segab were often alone together because Gudina was a merchant who traveled with mule caravans to distant places. Bizunesh worried that Segab would be lonely and tried especially hard to please him when his father was away. "I have always wanted a son," Bizunesh told Segab. "Now God has given me one. I love you very much." Often she tried to kiss him.
But always Segab would turn away from her, and once he shouted, "You are not my mother. I do not love you."
One day Segab ran away from the house and hid in the town market until his father came and found him. When Segab returned home, Bizunesh tried to take him in her arms, but he pulled away from her. He would not touch the bowl of delicous soup she had saved for him. Bizunesh cried all that night.
In the morning Bizunesh went to the hut of a famous wise man. She told the wise man about her new stepson who refused to love her, no matter how hard she tried to please him.
"You must make me a magic love powder," Bizunesh told the old man. "I will put it in Segab's food, and then he will love me."
The wise man was silent for several minutes. "I can do what you ask," he said at last. "But to make such a powder, I must have three whiskers from the ferocious lion who lives in the black-rock desert across the river. Bring the whiskers to me, and I will make the powder for you."
Bizunesh could hardly believe her ears. "How can I get the lion's whiskers?" she asked. "He will surely kill me."
"I cannot tell you how to get the whiskers," the wise man said to Bizunesh. "That is for you to decide. But I must have them before I can make the love powder."
Bizunesh walked sadly from the wise man's hut. She did not sleep a wink that night, but in the morning her mind was made up. Nothing was as important to her as winning Segab's love. She had to try to get three whiskers from the lion even if he ate her. Only then would the wise man make the magic love powder for her.
That very day Bizunesh carried a large piece of raw meat to the black-rock desert. At last she saw the lion standing on a large rock, watching her from a great distance. When the lion jumped from the rock and loped toward her, Bizunesh was terrified. She threw the meat on the ground and ran. Only when she reached the river did she stop and look back. She saw the lion standing over the meat she had dropped. She heard him roar before he began to eat.
Two days later Bizunesh went again to the black-rock desert with a big piece of meat. She saw the lion watching her from the same rock. This time she walked closer to him before the lion jumped down and started toward her. Bizunesh stood still for a moment and watched the lion approach. Then her fear overcame her, and she threw the meat down and ran. When she looked back, she saw the lion eating.
On the following day Bizunesh walked even closer to the lion. This time she placed the meat on the ground and walked slowly away. Before she had gone far she stopped and watched as the lion came and ate the meat.
Day after day Bizunesh came closer. Finally, she left the meat only a hundred feet from the lion. The great best growled, but Bizunesh did not think it sounded like an angry growl. She moved only a few steps away before she stopped and watched the lion eat. The next day Bizunesh left the meat fifty feet form the lion and stayed while he came and ate.
Then a few days later Bizunesh walked right up to the lion and handed him the meat. Her heart pounded with fear, but her love for Segab was so great that she did not run.
She watched the lion's great jaws fly open! Crash shut! She heard the sound of his teeth tearing through the meat. After a moment she reached out with a very sharp knife and cut three whiskers from the lion's muzzle. The lion was so busy eating that he did not even notice.
Bizunesh ran all the way to the wise man's hut. She was out of breath, but she was still able to shout, "I have the lion's whiskers!" She waved them in front of the old wise man. "Now make me the love powder, and Segab will surely love me."
The wise man took the lion's whiskers. He looked at them and then handed them back to Bizunesh. "You do not need a love powder," he told her. "You learned how to approach the lion - slowly. Do the same with Segab, and he will learn to love you.
--
Oh, and by the way, another family from our agency received a referral for their children today. Such good news!
an Ethiopian folktale, as written by Brent Ashabranner and Russell Davis
Bizunesh, a woman of the Ethiopian highlands, married Gudina, a man of the lowlands. Gudina's first wife had died of a fever, and he had an eight-year-old son whose name was Segab. When Bizunesh went to the house of Gudina, she quickly saw that Segab was a very sad boy because he missed his mother so much.
In only a short time Bizunesh grew to love Segab as if he were her own son, and she tried to be a good mother. She mended all of Segab's clothes and bought him new shoes. She asked him what foods he liked best, and she always saved the choicest pieces of meat from the wat for Segab. But Segab did not thank her. He would not even look at her or talk to her.
Bizunesh and Segab were often alone together because Gudina was a merchant who traveled with mule caravans to distant places. Bizunesh worried that Segab would be lonely and tried especially hard to please him when his father was away. "I have always wanted a son," Bizunesh told Segab. "Now God has given me one. I love you very much." Often she tried to kiss him.
But always Segab would turn away from her, and once he shouted, "You are not my mother. I do not love you."
One day Segab ran away from the house and hid in the town market until his father came and found him. When Segab returned home, Bizunesh tried to take him in her arms, but he pulled away from her. He would not touch the bowl of delicous soup she had saved for him. Bizunesh cried all that night.
In the morning Bizunesh went to the hut of a famous wise man. She told the wise man about her new stepson who refused to love her, no matter how hard she tried to please him.
"You must make me a magic love powder," Bizunesh told the old man. "I will put it in Segab's food, and then he will love me."
The wise man was silent for several minutes. "I can do what you ask," he said at last. "But to make such a powder, I must have three whiskers from the ferocious lion who lives in the black-rock desert across the river. Bring the whiskers to me, and I will make the powder for you."
Bizunesh could hardly believe her ears. "How can I get the lion's whiskers?" she asked. "He will surely kill me."
"I cannot tell you how to get the whiskers," the wise man said to Bizunesh. "That is for you to decide. But I must have them before I can make the love powder."
Bizunesh walked sadly from the wise man's hut. She did not sleep a wink that night, but in the morning her mind was made up. Nothing was as important to her as winning Segab's love. She had to try to get three whiskers from the lion even if he ate her. Only then would the wise man make the magic love powder for her.
That very day Bizunesh carried a large piece of raw meat to the black-rock desert. At last she saw the lion standing on a large rock, watching her from a great distance. When the lion jumped from the rock and loped toward her, Bizunesh was terrified. She threw the meat on the ground and ran. Only when she reached the river did she stop and look back. She saw the lion standing over the meat she had dropped. She heard him roar before he began to eat.
Two days later Bizunesh went again to the black-rock desert with a big piece of meat. She saw the lion watching her from the same rock. This time she walked closer to him before the lion jumped down and started toward her. Bizunesh stood still for a moment and watched the lion approach. Then her fear overcame her, and she threw the meat down and ran. When she looked back, she saw the lion eating.
On the following day Bizunesh walked even closer to the lion. This time she placed the meat on the ground and walked slowly away. Before she had gone far she stopped and watched as the lion came and ate the meat.
Day after day Bizunesh came closer. Finally, she left the meat only a hundred feet from the lion. The great best growled, but Bizunesh did not think it sounded like an angry growl. She moved only a few steps away before she stopped and watched the lion eat. The next day Bizunesh left the meat fifty feet form the lion and stayed while he came and ate.
Then a few days later Bizunesh walked right up to the lion and handed him the meat. Her heart pounded with fear, but her love for Segab was so great that she did not run.
She watched the lion's great jaws fly open! Crash shut! She heard the sound of his teeth tearing through the meat. After a moment she reached out with a very sharp knife and cut three whiskers from the lion's muzzle. The lion was so busy eating that he did not even notice.
Bizunesh ran all the way to the wise man's hut. She was out of breath, but she was still able to shout, "I have the lion's whiskers!" She waved them in front of the old wise man. "Now make me the love powder, and Segab will surely love me."
The wise man took the lion's whiskers. He looked at them and then handed them back to Bizunesh. "You do not need a love powder," he told her. "You learned how to approach the lion - slowly. Do the same with Segab, and he will learn to love you.
--
Oh, and by the way, another family from our agency received a referral for their children today. Such good news!
9.12.08
Ink and spices on my fingers
Well, today we were re-fingerprinted. "Re-fingerprinted?" you ask. Yes. Did you know that one's fingerprints can expire with the U.S. Government? Well, they do. So, this morning, Rob and I trudged out into the snowy city to be re-inked. (That's adoption-speak for "re-fingerprinted.")
On the way home, we stopped at the Ethiopian Cottage Restaurant to see about some tej, honey wine. We walked into the empty joint and were welcomed by whom I assumed to be the owner. "Um. Uh. I am wondering if you could tell me where I could buy some tej or if I could buy a bottle from you. Um." I don't know why I was so nervous. "Of course." And we came to learn that he is from Gonder, on Lake Tana, which is a very important area for Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia. So much history! I am so glad that we stopped and made a connection with that man. On the way home we decided that we need to go back there more frequently.
And then we came home to prepare an Ethiopian dinner for some friends. I made mesir wat (lentil stew), doro wat (chicken stew), and even injera (bread, of the teff and wheat varieties). In so doing, I scented my fingers roasting, grinding, and mixing spices for berbere and garam masala. So tasty!
Here are some photos of the spice mixes and of grinding the teff into flour.
On the way home, we stopped at the Ethiopian Cottage Restaurant to see about some tej, honey wine. We walked into the empty joint and were welcomed by whom I assumed to be the owner. "Um. Uh. I am wondering if you could tell me where I could buy some tej or if I could buy a bottle from you. Um." I don't know why I was so nervous. "Of course." And we came to learn that he is from Gonder, on Lake Tana, which is a very important area for Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia. So much history! I am so glad that we stopped and made a connection with that man. On the way home we decided that we need to go back there more frequently.
And then we came home to prepare an Ethiopian dinner for some friends. I made mesir wat (lentil stew), doro wat (chicken stew), and even injera (bread, of the teff and wheat varieties). In so doing, I scented my fingers roasting, grinding, and mixing spices for berbere and garam masala. So tasty!
Here are some photos of the spice mixes and of grinding the teff into flour.
8.12.08
Ugh.
I have just watched over an hour of programs about orphans... from all over the world. I want to go. I want to help. But, I am here... for now.
So, I think to the future. Someday, Rob and I will go to Ethiopia, to an orphanage, and be able to bring what we can to help.
This made me think of the list of items we might want to bring with us as a donation to our child's orphanage. I'm going to put the list here in case anyone has any good ideas of how to get donations. In the end, Rob and I will just go shopping; but in the mean time, maybe we can figure out how to encourage others (businesses, individuals, whomever) to donate. Please share your ideas.
Here is the short list:
-infant and child vitamins
-infant iron drops
-pjs
-clothes
-shoes
-blankets
-crib sheets
-school/craft supplies
-plastic bottles
-sippy cups
-first aid kits
-diapers
-formula
So, I think to the future. Someday, Rob and I will go to Ethiopia, to an orphanage, and be able to bring what we can to help.
This made me think of the list of items we might want to bring with us as a donation to our child's orphanage. I'm going to put the list here in case anyone has any good ideas of how to get donations. In the end, Rob and I will just go shopping; but in the mean time, maybe we can figure out how to encourage others (businesses, individuals, whomever) to donate. Please share your ideas.
Here is the short list:
-infant and child vitamins
-infant iron drops
-pjs
-clothes
-shoes
-blankets
-crib sheets
-school/craft supplies
-plastic bottles
-sippy cups
-first aid kits
-diapers
-formula
4.12.08
Salt and a blanket
Recently we've received some very thoughtful things: a salt bowl and a super-cuddly blanket... the former for us and the latter to take to our child's orphanage as a donation.
This salt bowl is from one of my very thoughtful co-workers. She found it at a fair-trade shop and thought of us because it's made from reclaimed olive tree wood from eastern Africa.
And this blanket is from my talented friend, JR. It is so soft and I can't wait to get it to the orphanage so that they can swaddle a sweet baby in it. Thanks, JR!
This salt bowl is from one of my very thoughtful co-workers. She found it at a fair-trade shop and thought of us because it's made from reclaimed olive tree wood from eastern Africa.
And this blanket is from my talented friend, JR. It is so soft and I can't wait to get it to the orphanage so that they can swaddle a sweet baby in it. Thanks, JR!
2.12.08
Ethiopian Recipes
Are you ready to clink? Ha! That's click and link.
In the current issue of (my favorite) Cooking Light, Ethiopia is highlighted. How timely, no? The first time that I saw Marcus Samuelsson, I just knew that he was Ethiopian... and after turning some pages, I learned that he indeed is. If you click here, you will go to the website. For ease, some of the Ethiopian recipes are: Fresh Cheese with Herbs, Teff Injera Bread with... Chutney, Lentil Edamame Stew, Red Whole Wheat Penne, Curry-spiced Samosas, Corn Mashed Potatoes, Cucumber Mango Salad, and Harissa.
In the current issue of (my favorite) Cooking Light, Ethiopia is highlighted. How timely, no? The first time that I saw Marcus Samuelsson, I just knew that he was Ethiopian... and after turning some pages, I learned that he indeed is. If you click here, you will go to the website. For ease, some of the Ethiopian recipes are: Fresh Cheese with Herbs, Teff Injera Bread with... Chutney, Lentil Edamame Stew, Red Whole Wheat Penne, Curry-spiced Samosas, Corn Mashed Potatoes, Cucumber Mango Salad, and Harissa.
1.12.08
World AIDS Day
A family from our agency that recently adopted their daughter from Ethiopia had this paragraph of facts about HIV/AIDS on its blog. I thought it important to copy it here. Ethiopia has been affected by HIV/AIDS and so our family will be affected by HIV/AIDS. This now becomes part of our story as well.
In addition, over Thanksgiving, I had a conversation with a friend and this topic arose. So many people don't know enough, so... for your information:
HIV can be contracted vertically from mother to child in utero, during child birth, or by nursing. HIV can be contracted horizonally through blood (sharing needles or razors or other blood to blood contact) or body fluids (sex). HIV canNOT be contracted through saliva. You can NOT get HIV from hugging, kissing, or sharing a toilet seat or a drink, or engaging in typical day-to-day activities. HIV is an extremely fragile virus that begins to die as soon as it leaves the body. Though theoretically possible, HIV has never been spread by a skinned knee or a bloody nose. HIV is a chronic but manageable condition.
With medicines now available, people can live indefinitely with HIV, without ever developing AIDS. Women with HIV can give birth to HIV- babies. Children with HIV are expected to live to old age... a normal life span. HIV is actually MUCH easier managed than Type I Diabetes. Woah!
Thanks for reading and learning.
In addition, over Thanksgiving, I had a conversation with a friend and this topic arose. So many people don't know enough, so... for your information:
HIV can be contracted vertically from mother to child in utero, during child birth, or by nursing. HIV can be contracted horizonally through blood (sharing needles or razors or other blood to blood contact) or body fluids (sex). HIV canNOT be contracted through saliva. You can NOT get HIV from hugging, kissing, or sharing a toilet seat or a drink, or engaging in typical day-to-day activities. HIV is an extremely fragile virus that begins to die as soon as it leaves the body. Though theoretically possible, HIV has never been spread by a skinned knee or a bloody nose. HIV is a chronic but manageable condition.
With medicines now available, people can live indefinitely with HIV, without ever developing AIDS. Women with HIV can give birth to HIV- babies. Children with HIV are expected to live to old age... a normal life span. HIV is actually MUCH easier managed than Type I Diabetes. Woah!
Thanks for reading and learning.
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