A mere six hours from now...

I will be packed in my car- a large bag, a smaller rolling carry on, me in my new comfy travel skirt (always a skirt), reviewing my itinerary. My husband will drive me to the airport, with our smallest one in tow. I will board a plane at 7ish and be in my way to our little girl. Gabe is staying over at one of his best friends houses, so that he may still get to camp on time, and not be abruptly awoken at 4am to get in the car.
I have been so anxious, boarder line giddy-frantic. I have worked up until today, and banked enough hours so that my taking off two weeks should be ok. I have a great place to call my 'work' because i will be able to take K with me to work, its very low key.
I have gotten her room almost all prepared...printed several pictures of her and I from court, her sister and her while they visited for that court date and her new family....i hope her room feels like home. I expect she may be lonely and want company. Would she dare want to share a room with a hyper up mischievous 5 year old from time to time....or will she tough it out and adjust to having her own room for the first time in her life?
What is more remarkable is that her sister will be visiting with us both....we will all get to be in the same room together. I am amazed and anxious...again bordering on that giddy to frantic state of mind. Our care center in in a bit of a transition. Horizon House is moving to a new facility where all staff, plus guest house, clinic, and care center is in the same compound. This agency really is very hands on with its children and feel it is the best for all involved to have one central location. I hope the new facility is amazing and the children involved are able to navigate this transition in stride.
Whew....i am just kind of amazed and ready for this to begin. I am really trying to grasp and internalize what it will mean for K to move here, to gain this huge new identity and struggle with what to do with her former self....i truly do not want her Ethiopian self to really be 'former'. However, i fear she may believe that she will be expected to abandon her culture. After all she has lost, i really hope she doesn't struggle with this internal strife as well.
-So it begins....

auetumnpewins@gmail.com is NOT my email address...and weird embassy confusions

So we got like no communication from the embassy after our consulate review passed (that was over our documents, not K;s)....other families would get daily updates about how things were moving...not us. Yesterday my agency checked into it....said they were waiting on lab results from the Embassy Dr....other families told me this could take a week....so we assumed at least a week wait was what we had in store. That was until today at 2:14 when i checked my messages and heard my SW say that the embassy had my email wrong and that our case has cleared!!!!!!
Departure date: next Friday June 28th!!!
Embassy first choice July 1st
Embassy second choice July 2nd~! ...
We hope to be home July 6th or 7th!!


I will also be able to meet her birth sister- how amazing and scary!!!
SO MUCH TO GET DONE!!!

WOOHOO officially submitted!

we were officially submitted today! So excited. Other people in my court group already have return embassy dates for next week (two families). I am super excited. Still trying to plan the best use of our travel funds. We  are concerned with having some of Johns family stay with Sam- there's just concerns with Sams behaviors and having someone we feel confident to care for our dogs. So if we don't have the $ to take all of us, then it may just be me. That way i would have the $ to visit K's home village too and extended family....so many decisions. I hate for John not to be able to go- but he has significant concerns with not having much support for Sam-care, we do not have many options. We will see where the funds are. I expect to be buying tickets i a week or two.

still here....still waiting...lets look at pictures

Hi all. We were informed last week that out of the 5 families who went to court with me (well all 4 were the day after mine, but we are close enough to a group)- anyhoo- 3 of them were submitted to the embassy. We were not one of them, also a second family to an older child was also left out. This was due to an extra TB test that the embassy requires of older children. The test was already done, they were just waiting for the lab results. Should all be good then we will be submitted tomorrow (in just a few hours, in Ethiopia time) I am hoping and praying that this happens. Then in about two or three weeks we will be on a plane~!!

     Things have been really busy here but we are working hard to get K's room ready, finally! I am also working with a camp for two weeks, still doing curriculum development with Sustainable Carolina and trying to get the boys to get out swimming a few times a week. We visited with Johns family today- his nephew graduated high school last week. I am hoping/planning/praying Sam can join us on our trip- but we are still awaiting IRS stuff to be straightened out. We spoke with them last week and i hope our return, or part of it, will be here in time for him to come. If not we are developing a plan for his care- not the easiest thing to get arranged. ....we will plan for the worst and hope for the best

Pictures

someones bedding!

I have been working with the great organization that helps train these adorable pups to be service dogs

Sam at the water park part of Carowinds

Gabe and his friend at the rock climbing wall at the zoo:

These boys have been such great friends since 4k!

Gabe made a new friend

VOTED BEST HAIR OF 3RD GRADE

Sams end of year pic nic

This guy trying to maintain order in our little pool

Last week of school- he thinks its summer already

A swing was installed!

SO amazed

WOW!! amazed, taken by surprise. We got a large "donation" yesterday towards our travel fund... a plane ticket for Sam!? totally not expected and so overjoyed :) I just have faith that doing good for other ans\d for causes you believe in ends up awarding the 'doer' in so many ways....i am lucky and so fortunate to be able to give back to the community here and to be given back to is just completely unexpected but so so so welcomed. I really believe that Sam, John and I can all travel to get Kidist :)

We still aren't certain when we will be submitted to embassy but i expect an email any day now. John has started in K's room, and I am trying to plan for a former student of mine, currently at USC and who is Habesha :)  to begin work with her so we do not loose Amharic. I also hope to have Sam re-learn his language ! So much coming together.
Work (both of my 'jobs') has been a flurry of activity-lots of great programs being planned!
I am happy and busy and tired and excited