I know I didn't get it posted yesterday, but I certainly thought about it...
We are TWO months down in our waiting game! our 8-11 month wait for our baby girl is now a 6-9 month wait, and I already know what it feels like to be pregnant for that long (though I'm actually losing weight time time around rather than gaining it)! :)
Family Woven by Faith: Our journey of faith to bring our new daughter home from Ethiopia...
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
lia sophia fundraiser!
I don't know if you're familiar with lia sophia jewelry or not, but the ladies in my family have really come to love their stuff! My mom became a lia sophia advisor over a year ago, and so she graciously agreed to do a fundraiser for us!
This past Sunday we had a party here at the house, and most of the ladies who attended are also working on collecting orders from their friends and family.
Do you like jewelry? Do you have gift-giving occasions coming up? Do you have an outfit that needs an update?
You can be part of the party, too! Here's how:
Head to my mom's website: www.liasophia.com/lindajoy
From there, you can view the entire catalog online. Enter Wendy as the hostess, and start shopping! The entire commission on the sales, 30%, will go directly to our adoption fund! If you have any questions, just email me or my mom (her address is on her website).
The only clincher is that this fundraiser will only last through Sunday, March 21st...so hurry! And if you're not in the market for any jewelry, we still need the most important support of all: Prayer! Thanks so much!
This past Sunday we had a party here at the house, and most of the ladies who attended are also working on collecting orders from their friends and family.
Do you like jewelry? Do you have gift-giving occasions coming up? Do you have an outfit that needs an update?
You can be part of the party, too! Here's how:
Head to my mom's website: www.liasophia.com/lindajoy
From there, you can view the entire catalog online. Enter Wendy as the hostess, and start shopping! The entire commission on the sales, 30%, will go directly to our adoption fund! If you have any questions, just email me or my mom (her address is on her website).
The only clincher is that this fundraiser will only last through Sunday, March 21st...so hurry! And if you're not in the market for any jewelry, we still need the most important support of all: Prayer! Thanks so much!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Silver Lining
To all those who have commented, emailed, or called about our discouraging news...THANK YOU!!! We feel so blessed to have such an amazing support group with us through this!
As far as the changes being instituted in the Ethiopian Federal Court, they are really quite positive overall. Very hard for us mid-stream, yes, but overall positive for the country and the children.
And, there is more to it that I didn't realize...the silver lining is there, after all! I'm just going to copy below what my friend Jen left as a comment on our last post (Jen, have I told you lately that I love you?) :), and please correct me if I'm off on my explanation here!
Jen adopted her daughter Gigi from Kazakhstan, which requires a a trip for court prior to bringing your child home. With the court proceedings handled ahead of time, the newly adopted child travels to the US on an IR3 visa, which means that as soon as they step foot off the plane, they are a US citizen.
Jen just adopted her son Gav from Ethiopia...obviously prior to the newly required pre-travel court trip. Her husband Jim went over, and came home a week later with Gav! Without the pre-travel court trip, the child is granted an IR4 visa, and is not technically a US citizen, (and I think maybe not even recognized legally as your child in the US), until you go through the re-adoption process in the US court system.
Put the pieces together: adoption + paperwork + US court system=hassle + $$$.
With that background in mind, here's Jen's perspective:
I am sorry you are facing yet another financial burden. Ugh!
There is definitely lots of good news in this, and your finances may not actually take that much of a hit due to the elimination of the readoption fees.
Ironically, it was just yesterday when I was grumbling to myself, "If we adopt from Ethiopia again, we're traveling over pre-court. No more of this IR4 business!" It is one big hassle! Gigi came home on an IR3, and it was so simple! Not to mention, with the IR4, there is all the readoption stuff which requires a lawyer, and upwards of $1-2k extra about 3-6 months after our kiddos come home. No more lawyers or expensive readoption fees (or travel for American court) for an IR3 visa. It's a beautiful thing! :-)
So yeah, needing more money is no good. No good at all. But there are quite a few positives too. Having done it both ways now, if I can help it, I'll never bring home another kid on an IR4. It might be a little more expensive, but in the grand scheme of things it's actually a good thing.
I hope that didn't come across as preachy! I just was hoping to give you a little peace knowing that once you overcome this new obstacle, the benefits are quite positive.
I do have more peace about all of this now...but more fundraising news headed out soon!!! :)
As far as the changes being instituted in the Ethiopian Federal Court, they are really quite positive overall. Very hard for us mid-stream, yes, but overall positive for the country and the children.
And, there is more to it that I didn't realize...the silver lining is there, after all! I'm just going to copy below what my friend Jen left as a comment on our last post (Jen, have I told you lately that I love you?) :), and please correct me if I'm off on my explanation here!
Jen adopted her daughter Gigi from Kazakhstan, which requires a a trip for court prior to bringing your child home. With the court proceedings handled ahead of time, the newly adopted child travels to the US on an IR3 visa, which means that as soon as they step foot off the plane, they are a US citizen.
Jen just adopted her son Gav from Ethiopia...obviously prior to the newly required pre-travel court trip. Her husband Jim went over, and came home a week later with Gav! Without the pre-travel court trip, the child is granted an IR4 visa, and is not technically a US citizen, (and I think maybe not even recognized legally as your child in the US), until you go through the re-adoption process in the US court system.
Put the pieces together: adoption + paperwork + US court system=hassle + $$$.
With that background in mind, here's Jen's perspective:
I am sorry you are facing yet another financial burden. Ugh!
There is definitely lots of good news in this, and your finances may not actually take that much of a hit due to the elimination of the readoption fees.
Ironically, it was just yesterday when I was grumbling to myself, "If we adopt from Ethiopia again, we're traveling over pre-court. No more of this IR4 business!" It is one big hassle! Gigi came home on an IR3, and it was so simple! Not to mention, with the IR4, there is all the readoption stuff which requires a lawyer, and upwards of $1-2k extra about 3-6 months after our kiddos come home. No more lawyers or expensive readoption fees (or travel for American court) for an IR3 visa. It's a beautiful thing! :-)
So yeah, needing more money is no good. No good at all. But there are quite a few positives too. Having done it both ways now, if I can help it, I'll never bring home another kid on an IR4. It might be a little more expensive, but in the grand scheme of things it's actually a good thing.
I hope that didn't come across as preachy! I just was hoping to give you a little peace knowing that once you overcome this new obstacle, the benefits are quite positive.
I do have more peace about all of this now...but more fundraising news headed out soon!!! :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Not the change we hoped for
We received an unexpected email from our agency today. There has been a change in court policies enacted today by the Ethiopian Federal Court. Here's the news:
Beginning today, families need to be prepared to travel to Ethiopia approximately 4 - 8 weeks after receiving a referral in order to be present in Ethiopia for their appointed court date. Families will remain in Ethiopia for roughly 5 -7 days and will then return to the US. After officially passing court, families will then travel back to Ethiopia approximately 10 -12 weeks later to pick up their adopted child(ren).
There are still many details to be worked out, and many questions that the answer people don't even have answers for yet. But I sure have questions that I'm sure will have answers soon enough!
I know we're supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, and I'm trying. But I'll admit that this is pretty discouraging...lately, as folks have been asking me how the process is going, I've responded with "Great! Our dossier is in Ethiopia, and we only have about $8000 left to raise." But this will change that a bit. I've done flight searches from Anchorage to Addis Ababa, and the lowest ticket price I've seen is $2500. Per person. Basically, this change will mean we need at least $5000 more, maybe more.
What can we say? Not much, other than it will keep us on our knees longer-which is always a good thing, and it gives God the opportunity to shine even brighter, right?
Beginning today, families need to be prepared to travel to Ethiopia approximately 4 - 8 weeks after receiving a referral in order to be present in Ethiopia for their appointed court date. Families will remain in Ethiopia for roughly 5 -7 days and will then return to the US. After officially passing court, families will then travel back to Ethiopia approximately 10 -12 weeks later to pick up their adopted child(ren).
There are still many details to be worked out, and many questions that the answer people don't even have answers for yet. But I sure have questions that I'm sure will have answers soon enough!
I know we're supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, and I'm trying. But I'll admit that this is pretty discouraging...lately, as folks have been asking me how the process is going, I've responded with "Great! Our dossier is in Ethiopia, and we only have about $8000 left to raise." But this will change that a bit. I've done flight searches from Anchorage to Addis Ababa, and the lowest ticket price I've seen is $2500. Per person. Basically, this change will mean we need at least $5000 more, maybe more.
What can we say? Not much, other than it will keep us on our knees longer-which is always a good thing, and it gives God the opportunity to shine even brighter, right?
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