big bag of emotions

i have been feeling waves of overwhelm-ness....of knowing that these are the last few days of our sense of *normal* and that we will soon be evolving into a new normal with a beautiful little boy who will be full of wonder, his own sense of overwhelm-ness, with possible elements of fear, confusion but also hopefully with happiness, a sense of fun and adventure.....and , over time, a sense of security and family. Unlike many adoptive families, i have little to no history of S aside from his time in the care center. I am starting to have the feeling that i need to give him more of a history- even if its just with the care-center family. So i am printing many pictures of him and his nannies and will make sure to get thier names and spellings and hopefully find out some sweet stories they have of him. The story we were told about how a family from Italy came to see him and nearly adopted him when he was 1 1/2 but then got too worried about his health issues just isnt one of those sweet stories i need to include. (Thanks you Italian family that did not choose S, for buying me some time to get to my baby ) I can feel my heart growing and i literally feel different, physically, when the realization hits me about being sososos close to having S in our arms.

big feet and little feet

today is shoe packing time :) yay for bigger donation bins and more donations to follow. I have some medical/clinic supplies coming for Misson of Charity from an AP in Oregon and needed to make more room. ALSO i was delighted yesterday when Martha Schroeder (an AP from my agency) emailed to tell me that her VBS has raised $1,500 for the well-project at Trees of Glory. Such great donation news this week- shoes, medical supplies and $$$ for the well. Lots to be happy about
Embassy news: Jenn from my agency emailed me yesterday to assure me that the ET staff had the documents ready to submit today with a new embassy coverletter and we will wait and see what happens.  I hope the most updated police statement is accepted!! PLEASE PLEASE ACCEPT THE POLICE LETTER EMBASSY FOLKS :)

Planning news: Today was my last day of planning at school. My substitute teacher, also a certified teacher himself, is ready to go. We arranged the classroom, got his teacher editions, and other resources, I was able to access most all my previous years' materials, resources and such saved on my FDrive (yaya technology)- so I think he will do great until mid October. This has been a crazy year- I missed many kids graduations and i will miss all the hoopla of the first day of school. I am confident in my sb and school to handle things and it has helped to de-stress my psyche :) Gabe was quite concerned with having to come to my school and help set up....he was asking "why is summer this year so much shorter than last year??" hehehe i think he belived he would be starting school next week or something . Nope- its just his opver planning mother who felt the need to do three days of planning and making sure all things were ready to go at her own school. Whew....more packing

Well we have embassy news but its not the good news we hoped for. They, of course, are asking for yet another police statement. They specifically said they want a detailed statement of what was done to try and locate the family, not a statement that just says "we have exhausted the investigation". They also wanted a timeline of events of his care. Which i think Holt or MOC could put together easily. The police letter scares me- but i am sure it can be done. So that means no Aug 3rd date for me. I am fine with it- i pretty much expected it.Our case has been reviewed and investigated already. Having an abandonment case is already a "red flag" and I think one from Jima makes it more so.  

I have a list of phrases 5 pages long ready to go. The MOC seemed strict with behavior, actually. So i am thinking and hoping Samuel will be compliant :) I also found phrases such as "home, later" and "not now" and hope that he understands that the guesthouse is not "home" hehehe.

I know its not the embassy news I hoped for, but I am really glad to know whats going on and be included on the first emails for once!! ( I am privy to information about our case as soon as its given for the first time ever!) I dont have to wait and wait to hear it from someone else.

waiting, nesting, packing and praying

This last week has been productive, busy and filled with moments of flurry. I have been able to speak with some people from school, find two cool strollers- one great for travel, wrap up the last week of UUCC camp, pool party with Gabe, John and folks from the congregation, and packing :) I have hit big nesting mode- and have been wanting to clean and organize and make a plethora of lists, email my AP friends several questions that seem "simple"- but really are far from it. I have had some flutters in my heart and just sense the beginning of our new family is right around the corner. I am waiting for our embassy date and praying for Aug 3rd or 8th (please please please). I was having anxiety issues (not anxiety per say, but more like fits of planning mania) of going it alone but have really gotten a handle on things and know i can do this! I have put together a little photo book for S of us and of ET Airline planes and the guesthouse - so I can kind of show him what will be happening. I am also making a photo book of ET, different parts of Addis, the country side, Trees of Glory, his nannies and such. That will be for him later when he is home. I have stocked up on baby-first aid gear, clothes, some shoes, travel toys and books,m dvds for the computer and such....i have managed to keep my packing to a large suitcase to check, a donations bin, a smaller suitcase that can be carry on and a large camping backpack - carry on...plus the stroller- which i hope to check at the gate....pictures to follow :)

waiting for embassy clearance....but there is light at the end

A family who as also submitted last week with us has gotten their clearance! So i hope we will hear something Monday or Tuesday. There is a possibility they need to have more documentation about something or corrections to documents already submitted. Both have happened to other families in the last couple of weeks, so its a crap-shoot with trying to estimate . But at this point i know they have probably began reviewing our stuff, and our file is kinda big. S was abandoned over three years ago, so trying to get an interview with someone would probably be impossible. Yet they may want to contact the police station there (thats what the judge and MOWCYA did)....whew.....soon, little man, soon!

Red Threads - busy time

Its Monday and I am actually getting ready for work. I am working at the summer camp for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation and its been lots of fun. I worked last week and this week willbe the final week. I have been able to take Gabe with me, which makes it perfect. We have had lots of fun.
Also a little over a week ago we started a website for fundraising  through the Red Threads Company.  They are a new company, created by an adoptive family, and allows for fundraising online, with out having to buy lots of shirts upfront.
https://www.redthreadslove.com/shop/category/africa/ethiopia/crowlyperkins-family/

I love the shirts- they are super cool

Autumn

Submitted to Embassy!!

Yay- all S's documents : court decree, birth certificate, passport and his physical/medical check have been completed and his file was submitted to embassy yesterday!!! I am hoping for a mid August date- he could be home in a month!! He sooooo needs to be home and begin therapy, set up a course of action for his legs.
I am sososo thanksful and feeling very blessed because our agency has been dealing with a crisis in ET and i really thought that our submission could be delayed. Please pray no documents need corrections and no other materials are requested. Bascially pray that his file is complete and ready to go!!
Autumn

heartache

There is, sadly, alot of uncertainty about Ethiopian adoption right now even with many larger, more reputable agencies. My heart goes out to the many families and children affected by the recent turn of events. I hope this nightmare gets straightened out soon. Luckily we got through court and all is official with us, so we are not affected. Our son was not from one of the orphanages that are affected, either- so we are fortunate. Many people choose my agency because it is large and in a way, protected, and seen as a "leader" with ET adoption. It even boasted about its reputable and admirable intake processes- yet there are still issues with these partner orphanages and it seems that problems are still occuring at a drastic rate. My heart hurts for these families and children....this better be resolved fast.

more paper work needed??

hehe of course i am actually happy about this paper work...EMBASSY PAPER WORK- i am filling out more stuff, more stuff to be notarized and signed and copied and then overnighted to HOLT :)
whew....our official court decision was given June 29th, decree came on July 1st....- i just have to keep catching my breath- its happening!!
I kinda feel like i have gone into labor...lots of heavy breathing and pains in my chest

WE ARE COMING!!!! (well, i am coming-:)

Just Breath

Certain moments have been catching me off guard. For the past 5 weeks i have had this tension in my chest "will he finally be ours....is it ever going to be official?" and now it is....the same old thought will creep in my head and then i have to shake it out of my min "yes!  he is our finally ours!!" These last two days have had other occurances that have helped me..... my husband got cable back- we went for a year with out it, and in celebration of my first year of graduate work towards my doctorate, the finalization of our adoption (soon soon) he got Direct TV back...i have been watching tons of current TV- documnetaries on Cuba and Doctors without Boarders- wonderful!! My summer class is over (another reason to be able to breath easier), i have a part time job for july to raise $$ for my second trip, and i am doing well with planning for the fall (both for my research and teaching). As stated before i get a bit caught up with planning and anxiety about if things will get done on time. Its all starting to come together. Meditation and prayer have been a big part of it...
Other thoughts that catch me off guard is just imagining Sam home with us....and the nesting!!! I am getting my stroller and am excited about that - and i have started to think of taking him up to the mountains of PA in late October to see some best friends of mine from undergrad.....i hope attachment is going well at that point, it may be a risky move. I may just take Gabe with me, but my friends from Wilkes are planning a weekend together (actually my idea from last year) and even my half sister is up there and i really need to visit them....

TGIF FIREWORKS

We got our MOWCYA letter and court decision today!!! Sam is ours!!!
Heres to a speedy document/embassy process and travel during the rainy season

Profile of Rwandan Ed Standards

*** This is for a link to my Glogster for a USC Course*** A look into some of my work:0

Education, Recovery and Development: RWANDA AND UNICEF

Those that created the geography curriculum for Rwanda are focused on development-, industrialization, population issues/healthcare AIDS, urbanization and agriculture. It seems they are promoting that Rwanda is/should be on a path towards development and can begin to be compared to other nations within these same realms. Students are taught to evaluate other nations according to such levels of development, as well. Development theory, with the goal of being able to be compared to large, developed nations such as America, Brazil, China and Japan is central to this curriculum. Westernized education system/methods can also be identified in how the standards (years/chapters) and academic goals are laid out. It was surprising that environmental issues were not mentioned, and globalized communication was not identified within Rwanda’s geography curriculum. These two concepts would seemingly be important to a rising, developing nation looking to become engaged with other African nations and countries of North America, Asia and Europe.

Rwanda’s History Curriculum: The voice of the Other is somewhat focused on in an early traditional sense. In some of the historic pieces dealing with Belgium, resistance and rebellions are mentioned as well as ethnic divisions. Personal narratives, such as was used by Subreenduth would be powerful tools to use in teaching through the conflicts. The voice of the Other in regards to colonialism/imperialism is not clearly evident in regards to other African nations. Global systems of trade, imperialism and colonialism are addressed. The negatives or cultural affects are not mentioned as a topic of discourse, however. Those who made this curriculum requests that students do make traditional and cultural identifications with Rwanda and the African continent as the “cradle of humanity”. Yet with the introduction of Europe and America focused on the Enlightenment- it seems that this curriculum promotes them (America and Europe)- as the “enlightened” nations- that take control over Africa’s humanity. There is room for debating the pros/cons of imperialism and the ramifications there of, but that is not mentioned in these standards. Possibly those who made this curriculum do not wish for students to engage in that type of inquiry. The worldview of Africa being the heart of humanity but Europe and America being the “enlightened” ones is evident. Also a world view of evaluating history through war and rulers, as opposed to localized cultures, arts, and customs is evident.

Question? Is there a tie UNICEF’s MDG in this curriculum? At the beginning of the document it is mentioned that it was created for Vision 2020, as a Strategy of the Reduction of Poverty Strategic Plan o f Education 2015. This seems to tie into the MDG language and that of development theory.