Say Cheese!

Finally, we received updated pictures.  He looks like a little butter ball and cuter than ever.  He has a bit of an ear infection and is on antibiotics.. but I'm sure he'll pull through and be just fine.

Son.. you're on our minds all the time.. excitement is stirring in our belly's!  There's no way for you to understand how much we already love you.

Give'em The Pickle!

I'm not a huge fan of pickles.. never really have been.  My sister and MIL make homeade pickles yearly and people freak out over them.. I just haven't felt the love.  HOWEVER.. over the last 6-9 months.. I think I've ate more pickles than I can count.. they taste good night and day.  The pickles I eat are called midget pickles.. and they are SO SO SO yummy.. I swear I can't get enough.  I just think it's totally random that I'm loving pickles while going through this process. 

I just thought I would share this random fun fact about myself.. cause I think it's totally bizarre.

As for a travel update.. it looks like we'll be traveling within the next couple of months.  Due to security reasons I don't feel comfortable posting our exact travel dates but, I will tell you that we've purchased changeable tickets!!  We won't get the final approval from the US embassy until 2-3 days before we leave.  I just know it's going to all work out though.  I'm still not stressing out if you can believe it? 

Son.. we're going to see you in several weeks and are SO excited to meet you.  I think we finally have everything we need to bring you home.  You're going to be one stylin' little man!  I really hope you like us.

Here's the scoop!

Hello All-  Sorry, I've been off the grid for the past week.  I just haven't felt like there was really anything to report.  It sounds like we'll be traveling in September.. but of course.. we don't know the dates yet.  We should know in about 3 weeks.. hopefully.  There's a bottleneck of families that are waiting to travel and get their appointments with the US Embassy.  It sounds like there are about 15 appts for August.. there should have been 20.. but if you've read my last post.. they had some issues with staffing in July.. which pushed everything back. 

Until then, I still feel like there are many things to do to get ready for our travel.. although I'm not sure what I need to do.. but I feel like I have a full plate.  We'll spend the next few weeks finishing up projects and just ready getting for our beautiful baby boy to come home. 

I feel like I should be stressed out or worried about all this.. but I'm not.  So, then I start to think.. should I worry about not being worried?  Does that even make sense?  I guess I just have this huge sense that everything is going to work out. 

Until next time!

Whhhhaaaaaaazzzz..... Up?

Still nothing new to report.. we're in a holding pattern.  In the mean time Chris and I are having a ball doing some summer camping.  This weekend there was a huge group of us.. It was a blast.  We've been camping at my childhood camp spot.. or should I say teenage party spot?  Actually, it's quite nice with a great family atmosphere.  We even swam in the river in Oregon.. and if you're from Oregon.. and not under 15 then you understand what I mean.  It's seriously... COLD!!!  Brrr.. but, once you're in for a while it's not too bad.  You just feel like your head may pop off. 

At this point we're hoping we travel in Sept.. but really who knows.. ?  All I know.. is that it's just a matter of weeks till I'm a Mom, and Chris is a Dad.. and that sounds plenty awesome to keep me at ease!

Shout out to Cousin Sean.. WOW.. those ribs were awesome!!!  Here's a pic of my hubby's newest toy! Yes, that's an outside shower!

Ch..Ch..Ch... Changes.....!

We heard from our agency that hopefully, the US Embassy will resume back to its normal 20 appointments in August.  It's too bad we didn't have this information when the announcement was made.  It would have been a lot less stressful.  I guess the whole thing behind adoption is to expect the unexpected. 

We're just trying to keep in mind or hope that we'll travel within the next 90 days to pick up our son?  Maybe.. hopefully?  Fingers crossed!

In other news.. Chris and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend.  YEAH... I can't believe it's already been 6 years.. man, how time flies.  As weird as this sounds.. I wanted to go camping for the weekend.  It was a perfect weekend, gorgeous weather.  We swam, we laid in the sun, we laughed, had fun, and most of all enjoyed each other.  We ended the weekend with some clamming.  I would say it was one of my favorite anniversary's so far. 

Don't Make Me Hurt YOU!

So, far I've been pretty positive with my posts.  If you've followed my blog.. the last entry said we were stuck in permits.  STUCK IN PERMITS.. that was seriously the easy part. 

When we travel to Ethiopia we have to go to the US Embassy.. to put it in perspective.. from other blogs that I've read.. it's like going to the DEQ.. I can handle that.  However.. over the last day or so there has been speculation that the 20 appointments given to Holt per month.. may be changed to 10 per month.  This is not good.

I called our agency today.. and yes.. it is down to 10 appointments per month.  There were families that were going to fly out this morning, and were called last night and told they need to wait for several more weeks to travel.  Basically this means we won't get to travel until October.. maybe longer.  This is such a HUGE set back.  I had really hoped that we may get to go over next month.  That was probably being hopeful.. but I was trying to stay positive.

We are writing to every congress-person we can think of to tell them our story and how it's affecting our life!  If you have passion for us becoming parents, please click on this link and state your case.  We would really appreciate it. 

http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Stuck In Permits!

We went home last weekend.. it was so much fun.  We went to the first annual Mackin Event, the June Dairy Parade.  I always love to see people I've known all my life, it really pulls at my heart strings.. and I wonder.. why do we live in the city?  You can take the girl out of the country.. but not the country out of the girl!

I loved that most people already knew about Jo and wondered when he was coming home?  It felt so awesome that people were already welcoming him to the community and were anxious to meet him.  I thought of a great analogy to explain why we can't just hop on a plane and go pick him up.

So, say we purchase a piece of property and we're going to build a house on it.  Well, you can't just start pouring foundation the next day, you have to wait for all the proper permits to go through before you can start to build.

So.. here we are.. waiting for all of Jo's paperwork/permits to finalize.. and then FINALLY we can go get him.  Not to mention the other families that are ahead of us and want to go get there munchkins too. 

In the mean time.. I'm preparing for travel.  I've purchased the electric wall adapter, making copies of paperwork and forms, did a little clothes shopping, making lists of email addresses for our airport arrival, and stocking up on grocery's.  Time is still busy with mindless chores.

I'm visualizing that travel email coming any day!  Wouldn't it be awesome to take him home to the county fair in August; so everyone can meet him!  Plus, he really needs to see the Pig-N-Ford races himself, because quite frankly it's too hard to explain. 

I've attached a picture of my Uncle Don, and Cousin Ken.. yes.. I'm proud to say I do have relatives that participate in this major home town event.  If you don't know what the Pig-N-Ford races are.. come down to Tillamook the second weekend in August and check it out.. it's definitely a site to see and well worth the trip!  My cousin, the 3rd generation participate will probably take the medal this year!  GO BEN!