An Ethiopian King

This Week Two Years Ago...

2010-11-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

I was in Ethiopia meeting my little man. It was such an emotional journey for so many reasons. Every Thanksgiving Holiday for the rest of my life will have so much more meaning to it.

To celebrate, we went to Knott's Berry Farm, a local amusement park with some great friends. Eli loves to go on the rides!!!

Alive and Well!!

2010-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a very long time and I don't even know if anyone is out there anymore! I'll be the first to admit that I am not a writer and keeping a blog can sometimes feel like homework. Yuck!!! Now I know how my students feel! Regardless, I hope to blog a bit more often than I have in the past year.

Eli and I have been busy just trying to keep up with everyday life! I'll spare you guys most of the boring details but I did want to share with you a very special event that occurred a few weeks ago. In July, E and I had the pleasure of having lunch with a person that will forever be a man so dear to us. Abdissa is the man who, in the summer and fall of 2008, fought very hard in the courts of Ethiopia to make us a family of two. He is also the man who placed a tiny baby boy in my arms confirming the success of his labors and forever making us a family!!!!

Meeting the Willems'- A very past due post!!!

2009-12-19T17:43:00.001-08:00

I got to know Melissa Willems' during the waiting period of our adoptions. It would turn out that Eli and Ezra were crib neighbors at the 'Thomas Center', the transitional home for our adoption agency. We've kept in touch since we have brought our boys home but after learning that the Willems' family are planning to move to the Netherlands, I really wanted to get our boys together. It was a very spontaneous decision but I bought a plane ticket for Eli and I to visit the Willems' family in October.

The plane ride there (and back) was not fun, but it was great to see the boys together! So cute! Melissa and Ben were great hosts (Melissa is an amazing cook!) and Asheville is just beautiful! The weather was cold but it was a nice break from the hot California weather!

Eli and Ezra holding hands on the ride home from the airport!

Riding in the car in the Market.

Reading a book with Ben.

The boys in their PJ's.

Splish Splash!!!

Ezra looking so cool and adorable in his mama's glasses!

Posing with the beautiful mountains in the background.

The boys holing hands while hiking. Aren't they cute all bundled up?

At the pumpkin patch.

The Willems' family.

The farewell photo of us all!

It's amazing the lifelong connections people make through adoption. I look forward to seeing little Ezra grow up in the Netherlands!! Thanks you guys for EVERYTHING!!!

Looking for a Great Christmas Gift?

2009-12-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

Aren't these just adorable? These T-shirts came from The Adoption Shoppe, an online boutique specializing in merchandise for adoptive families. I am very pleased with both the quality of the shirt as well as the printing. Laura, the shop owner, is an Ethiopia PAP waiting to hear some incredible news in early spring. Besides t-shirts, she also has some adorable dresses, jewelry, and picture frames. Don't worry, she also has China, Russia, and Guatemala creations as well. Please visit her shop! http://theadoptionshoppe.com/

My little model!! He loves to have his picture taken!!

One Year Ago...

2009-11-24T22:33:00.000-08:00

Eli was placed in my arms. Need I say more???

Halloween!!!!

2009-11-01T11:40:00.001-08:00

I have never really been into Halloween but this year I was really looking forward to it. I couldn't wait to see Eli's reaction to all of the decorations and not to mention that this kid is such a goof, he LOVES to dress up and act silly! So, I went all out and bought him two costumes!! In the day time we went to Belmont Shore which is a beach community in the city of Long Beach. Every Halloween they have a doggie costume parade followed by trick-or-treating for the kids. For this event, Eli was dressed as a zoo keeper. In the evening we went trick-or-treating around the neighborhood with my sister and her friend. For the evening festivities Eli was decked out as a little puppy. As we went door to door, Eli so kindly invited himself into to homes of whomever would answer the door! So cute!!

Eli doing his first trick-or-treat at the neighbors.

Giving his cheese face in the doggie boutique.

Blowing kisses to mama!

Using the doggie water ramp as a stage. He was definitely a hit!

Cuddly puppy!

Not so cuddly puppy.

Going to go hang with his peeps!

Going.. Going.. GONE!!!

2009-09-05T15:07:00.001-07:00

I just finished my first week back to school. It's official... the summer is over :( The first six weeks I spent teaching summer school which was nice because I had Fridays off and worked only half days. When summer school was over I had the entire month of August off to hang out with my favorite guy!! Here are the highlights of our first summer together.

We went to Sea World and had dinner with Shamu. Eli says the strawberries and cream are great!! Eli loved Sea World and since then all he talks about is the whale-whale!

San Diego Zoo

Sharing a stroller ride with cousin Katie and looking at the Meerkats.

Posing with the Lion.

Hi Elephant!!!

Where are you Meerkat???

Enjoying a bus ride.

Sharing a water toy with the neighbor Evelyn.

Hope Reunion

Eli and I attended the Hope adoption reunion in Dallas. We met a lot of really great people!!!

Sliding at the water park. Sorry I can't get it to flip.

All of the little girls loved Eli and I had to practically beat them off him!! This is the adorable Lalu!! I just loved her. Eli, not so much!! Give him a few years I am sure!

Some of the Hope Families. They were great!!!

Knotts Berry Farm

Going down the Log Ride. He was a little scared on this ride but he LOVED the others. He would cry when the ride stopped. Luckily it was slow that day so the ride operators would let us stay on.

Janissa!!!

We met at the park one day to welcome baby Janissa home from Ethiopia. She is so sweet!

Running of into the sunset with Zaela!

Pretending to laugh while playing with the tupperware.

Me holding Janissa while Eli wasn't looking. Eli gets really jealous! Isn't she a doll?

Playdate with Zaela

The Long Beach Aquarium

Eli thinks those fish are whale- whales!!!

The weather has been H-Hot here in Cali. I am looking forward to some cooler weather but I will definitely miss our summer fun!

Family Portraits

2009-08-25T00:31:00.001-07:00

Eli and I had our first family portrait done. So, what do you guys think???

This One's for Sabrina!

2009-08-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Eli loves to watch the video clip of Sabrina on the Larson family blog. He watches it over and over again! This is just a little clip of what usually goes on for at least ten minutes!

And in other Eli news, he finally broke tooth number three on Friday! Yay! We celebrated with a nice rib dinner! August is going to be a great month for Eli and I. I have the whole month off and we have lots of plans with friends and family! We already spent a few days in San Diego and went to the zoo and Sea World. Pictures to follow shortly!

Can he get any cuter???

2009-07-06T23:48:00.000-07:00

Eli recently had pictures done and this is the result - HAM!!! Lots of silly faces this time!

A serious one.

Eli with his cousin Katie.

Look! You can see my two teeth!!!

The Latest Happenings

2009-06-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fathers day was a great day! The whole family went to see the Los Angeles Angels vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium. It was Eli's first game and he had a great time! It helps to be severely spoiled by everyone!

This is Eli with his Auntie Brooke and Auntie Winter.

Eli loves his Rally Monkey that his Auntie Kelly bought him.

It was a big game. Even Kobe Bryant was there!

Yesterday (Sunday) Eli and I spent the day at the beach with our good friends Lisa, Grandma Judy and Zaela. It was Eli's first beach trip and he had a great time! The sand didn't taste do bad either.

After the beach we went back to Lisa's for a dip in the pool and some great carne asada.

Eli and Zaela sharing a drink on the couch!

He's Walking!

2009-06-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Friday morning Eli just decided that he wanted to walk and he just took off! He has been practicing all weekend and this is him today. He is so proud of himself!

Earlier this week he sprouted his first two teeth! He is growing up so fast! We're going to have such a great summer together. Can't wait!

An Artist of Sorts

2009-05-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

As some of you may or may not know, I am currently a high school art teacher with my undergrad in art. Contrary to what most believe, being an art teacher is pretty uninspiring. Watching students day in and day out draw, paint etc. will pretty much suck the creativity out of anyone. Well, to conquer this problem, the art teachers in my school district put on an art show and last weekend was the opening reception at the gallery. Below are some examples of some of my work.

Some guy checking out the goods.

Alone or Lonely? (Lithograph)

Close up

Fish Boy (silkscreen)

Close up

From Africa, Into My Heart (mixed media)

When you pull down the red arrow the full picture is revealed.

Referral (mixed media)

If Dick and Jane Lived in Ethiopia (mixed media)

Eli hamming it up at the gallery.

The first two works are from my college days and I think we all know where I got the inspiration for the last three!!! For the work Referral, if you look closely you can see the newspaper in the background. The paper is in Amharic and I bought it in Ethiopia when I traveled to bring Eli home. I was going to save it for when he got older but I thought this was a better use of it.

On the Eli front, almost three weeks ago Eli took his first steps. He tried it out for a few days and I guess he decided walking wasn't for him. He decided he would try crawling and today he became an official crawler!!

Fitsum

2009-04-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

I know I never wrote about my trip to Ethiopia but while I was there, I was able to meet Fitsum. Fitsum is the eight year old girl that I have been sponsoring through KVI. I had hoped to meet her when I traveled to bring home Eli, but I didn't think it would be possible since she lives in Nazaret, two hours outside of Addis. Luckily the Larson Family planned to go to KVI orphanage in Nazaret, where their beautiful daughter Sabrina came from. They were kind enough to let me hitch a ride! ;)

Meeting the Beautiful Fitsum!!!

She's a very shy and sweet girl!

This is where she sleeps. A mat on the floor that she shares with her two sisters.

Me with Fitsum and her sister.

Meeting Fitsum was one of the most memorable and heartbreaking events of my trip. While in her home, I asked Fitsum to show me her favorite toy. She told me that she didn't have any toys. Not.One.Toy.

I am excited to say that Fitsum will soon be receiving lots of toys! The students at the high school where I teach are required to complete a senior project in order to graduate. One of my students Vanessa, chose 'World Poverty' as her topic and asked me to be her project mentor. As part of their senior project, the students must complete a number of field work hours. For her field work, Vanessa had a toy and clothing drive for Fitsum! She also found a company to sponsor her and pay for the shipping! So between myself, my friends, and Vanessa's efforts, Fitsum will shortly be receiving several boxes of clothes and toys! I am so excited and so proud of Vanessa's commitment and hard work!

And on the Elias front great things are happening! On Monday Eli turned 14 months and also took his first steps! He was hanging onto the coffee table and just decided to go for it! I think he surprised us both! He took about four steps and started to fall. A caught him and then he let out the loudest scream of excitement. It was so cute! Besides starting to walk and screaming like a girl, Eli can also say lots of words. Here are the ones I can remember: mama, dog, duck, turtle, paper, bubbles, baby, baboo (the family name for pacifier), poo poo, PU and waves his hand in front of his nose, outside, thank you, and Katie. I know there's a few more but that's all I can think of right now, it's getting late!

Old and New

2009-04-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

Today Eli and I spent the day in the beautiful Southern California outdoors with a local adoption group. We enjoyed the company of some old friends as well as new. We potlucked in the park followed by an Easter Egg hunt for the kiddies.

Here is Eli with his old friend Zaela and his new friend Mona. Mona is waiting to bring her gorgeous little girl home from Ethiopia. Watch out Zaela, you're going to have some competition!

Zaela checking out her goods.

Eli picking up his first Easter Egg EVER!

Proud of his pickins'!

Who hid that there?

Still no teeth!

Taking a picture with his new friends.

Look Ma, I'm hanging with the guys!

Rewind

2009-03-17T21:30:00.001-07:00

Since I've returned to work, there really hasn't been much time to do anything exciting. So I've decided to highlight some of the things Eli and I did before I had to go back to work. The first event I'd like to highlight is our outing with Lisa and Zaela to the Irvine Spectrum one warm January evening. It was nice to finally be able to stroll around with the kiddos like we planned a looong time ago!

Here is the gorgeous Zaela at dinner.

Eli happy to be strolling around in the BOB.

Lisa and Zaela on the Merry-Go-Round.

I discovered that it's really hard to take a good photo of a moving baby on a moving horse. As a series I really like how they turned out.

The Birthday Weekend

2009-03-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

I know this post is way past due. Elias' Birthday was Friday, February 27th and we did our best to give him a great first Birthday. His cousin Katie's birthday is the 26th, so they will probably be sharing many-a-birthday celebrations. Friday night we went to dinner to have a little private celebration. Katie didn't make it to her birthday song or sundae, but we took pictures for her to show her how much fun we had!!!

So of course, whomever falls asleep first gets a crayon in the ear...

Elias ready to dig in!

We tried to feed it to her!!! We have proof!!!

He obviously enjoyed the sundae!

Sunday we had the BIG party. There were about sixty guests, it was pretty chaotic!

Eli making one of his silly faces! He loves to make people laugh!

Another silly face! The other night he fell asleep in his car seat. As I was unbuckling the harness, Eli was making his funny faces. His eyes were closed, but he was still making his faces!

Enjoying his first Birthday cake!

Enjoying it by the fist full!

Zaela Rose and her Mommy and Grandmommy!

All of the kids!

The party went too fast! I felt rushed. Eli didn't get to open his presents and I didn't even get a picture of his cake! What a bad mommy! But after it all, I reflected on how lucky we are to have so many friends and family there to support us and be a part of his special day. But even more important is how lucky I am to have this amazing little man in my life.

Happy Birthday, My Son!!!

Back to Reality

2009-02-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

Lounging around the house.

Headed off the the happiest place on Earth... Target!

Yesterday I returned to work. Yes, my carefree days of sleeping in and lounging around the house in my pajamas with Eli are gone! What I will miss the most is the little things like missing Eli while he is napping and then wishing it were nap time when he is attached to me like glue! Taking walks to Target and Panera in the BOB. And of course being there when he does something new. Like just on Monday he learned to say turtle. And on Sunday he started making silly faces to make me laugh. Whenever I ask him to see a silly face he'll stick out his tongue or open his mouth real big and roll back his eyes. He is so funny!

I am very happy with the care he is getting while I am working. Originally I planned to take him to the daycare that my niece goes to. It would be convenient for both my sister and I to help each other out. But since Eli has so many breathing issues and requires frequent breathing treatments for his asthma, I realized daycare is not a healthy choice for him. So Stacey, the sister-in-law of one of my dearest and oldest friends is taking care of him. She is an AMAZING mother! The past two days he has been very happy there and has only cried when I've come to pick him up (happy tears!) and when her husband is too close (yep, he has developed a fear of men). My only fear is that he will like her more than me.

Luckily I have great students this year and they have made the transition back to work a lot easier!

Here They Are!

2009-02-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

These are the pictures I absolutely LOVE! The Ethiopian outfit is a gift from Abdissa and his family. Abdissa is the amazing in country rep with my agency. I bought the drum in Ethiopia and am going to put it away until he gets older and can appreciate it.

The photographer who took these pictures was so pleased with them that she asked to use them and they are now hanging in the studio! My handsome Boy!

Yesterday my work had a nice baby shower for Eli! He got lots of new clothes and baby gadgets and LOTS of Diapers! Yay! It was really nice and it was great to be able to introduce him to everyone.

Stinkin' Cute!

2009-01-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

I had some pictures of Eli taken a few weeks ago and was able to pick them up today. Here are some of the better ones, not that any of them were bad!

I actually had more pictures of Eli taken today and they are sooo cute! I will post those as soon as I decide which one I am going to use for his birthday invitation. Today Eli turned 11 months. One more month until he is one! Yep, my little man is growing up!

A New Beginning

2009-01-20T23:25:00.000-08:00

Eli watching the Presidential Inauguration. Go Obama!!!

My LITTLE Man

2009-01-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Eli went to his second pediatrician appointment since he's been home. The good news is that all of his blood work came back normal. The bad news is that he has lost weight. Last month he weighed in at 15lbs. 12 oz. This month he he down to 15lbs. 7 oz. He is now below the third percentile for weight. He did however, grow an inch in the last month and is in the 70th percentile for height. He measures in at 29 1/2 inches!

The two main contributing factors to his weight loss are his increase in activity and his spitting up issues. I can't feed him more than 5oz at a time or it just comes up...EVERYWHERE! I was using Enfamil AR formula and it seemed to help for a while. I did last week switch to soy formula which seems to be helping a bit. He does a little better with solids so Eli will be eating more solids than liquids. And to increase his calorie intake the Dr. recommended that I put butter and/or olive oil in his foods. So this morning Eli had cereal mixed with olive oil. YUM!!

Last Saturday I had another Birthday. Eli gave me the best Birthday present ever! He said Mama TWICE! Happy Birthday to me!

Christmas and Whatnot!

2008-12-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it! We survived Christmas!! I don't think Eli thought it was any more special than any other day, but for me, it was the most special Christmas ever!

These pictures are of Eli getting into the Christmas Spirit! He really liked showing off his size three diapers that are still WAY too big for him!

Eli and his favorite cousin Katie! For Christmas, Eli got Katie an African American Cabbage Patch Doll. Katie decided that the perfect name for her new doll is Baby Eli. It didn't matter to her that the doll was a girl!

Eli and I would play this little game where I would hold him up above me. He'd put his head down so we could touch foreheads then he would give me a big open mouthed kiss!

He really enjoyed the attention he got from friends and family. This is him with his Auntie Winter.

Making music with Grandpa!!

Yesterday marked four weeks since Eli has been home. And today was Eli's ten month Birthday!

Happy Ten Months, Baby Boy!!!

Getting ready for the Holidays!

2008-12-15T13:14:00.001-08:00

Eli and I have been trying to get ready for the holidays! He is such a trooper when we go to the mall! Yesterday Eli had his first Santa pictures taken. I couldn't get him to smile but at least he didn't scream! I overheard Eli ask Santa for a new flat screen TV for his Mommy! What a sweet kid!!

He even had his picture taken with Katie, his cousin! They just adore each other so much! I was really worried that she would be jealous of Elisince she has been the baby in the family for so long! So far they've been great together! Well see how she is around Birthday time! Her Birthday is the day before Eli's!

Helping decorate the tree.

In the Christmas Spirit!

Too much Christmas Spirit!

Amazing!!

2008-12-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of that beautiful baby sleeping peacefully in his crib right now! I know I still haven't written about my trip yet, but at this moment I just need to share with everyone what this little man is like. In just two weeks since he was placed in my arms he has changed so much! Just two weeks ago Elias at nine months could not sit up on his own, his head still a little wobbly! My goal was to have him sitting up by Christmas but yesterday he began sitting up on his own! And today he learned to blow raspberries!!

This little guy is so happy all the time! In the morning when he wakes I hear him playing in his crib. When I walk up and peer into his crib I am greeted by the biggest smile and the most hilarious flapping of arms and legs, like a little humming bird. When I pick him up he snuggles his face into my chest or shoulder. He is so sweet!

He is a great sleeper! He goes to bed around eight and sleeps through the night til about six. I give him a bottle, we play for about an hour and then he is ready for a two to three hour nap. His afternoon nap is a bit shorter but I'm not complaining! After I rock him to sleep he never fusses, just sleeps!

My son is a talker! He is always chattering and babbling and always responds when I talk to him. Tonight we were driving home and I was sure he was asleep because he was so quiet. I called his name and he immediately responded!

He loves to be out and about and is so curious and interested in everything around him. He rarely sleeps in his car seat or stroller. He's afraid he just might miss something! Today my sister and I took him to the mall for a quick shopping trip. Well quick turned into about five hours! Not once did he cry or fuss! It was so much fun holding him as we walked through the stores. The whole time he talked and laughed!

I am definitely Elias' favorite person! Before we left Ethiopia he already began to bond. If he was crying when someone else was holding him he would immediately stop when I took him into my arms! Our in country rep wanted to hold him on the way to the airport. Elias cried and cried but as soon as he handed him over to me he stopped. I was very surprised since this man was someone he has known for the majority of his life!

I look forward to tomorrow, the next day, week and year and everything the future holds for us! All I can think about is how truly blessed I am to have this amazing person in my life... forever!

I Ate Poop!!!

2008-12-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

The past few days I have been in horrible pain, suffering from severe stomach cramps and vomiting. I made two trips to urgent care, had blood drawn and the results came up H. Pylori. The majority of people in third world countries carry the bacteria but don't have symptoms. One contracts the bacteria by eating food that has been handled by someone who did not wash their hands after using the restroom. The scary thing is, is that this is not my first time eating poop! I also got it when I went to Mexico so I knew exactly what the doctors needed to test me for. I am feeling better now but have to take four different pills, eleven in total daily for the next two weeks! So it's now official. I am a Mexican and Ethiopian poop eater!

HOME!!!

2008-12-01T02:23:00.000-08:00

As of Friday evening, we are home!! It was quite a loooong and difficult journey, but we made it! Details of that and the rest of the trip to come later! So instead, I give you some of Elias' firsts!

First smile captured by camera!

First morning smile! This is how I am greeted every morning! Lucky Me!!!

First tummy time!

This one is just cute!!

First ride in a car seat!!! And first meeting with Zaela Rose!!

First time in Jumperoo!!!

A Little Somethin' I Whipped Up Over Night!!

2008-11-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

What a lie!! The nursery has been something I have been working on for a while. Since April actually! When things were going south with my first referral I pretty much had to shut it off. It was difficult for me to go in there. When I got my second referral I was again motivated to finish it. When I didn't pass court, again it was unbearable. I really didn't start working on it again until the courts reopened. So, this last weekend I finished it, except for the dimmer switch that will be put in on Friday.

And yes, I did paint it all myself!! It helps to be an art teacher, you know how to cheat!!

So I leave you with the nursery since I am leaving for Ethiopia on Saturday morning. I can't believe this is really happening! I hope Eli enjoys his room because he's going to be the only 17 year old with a jungle themed room!

Elias Tariku King!!!

2008-11-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it! I am still in shock!! Today the Ethiopian courts awarded me the legal parent of Elias Tariku!! It has been a very long and hard road and I was really starting to believe that this wasn't going to happen for me! Yesterday marked eight months since I accepted my first referral whom I named Elijah. Although I still think about him everyday, I know Elias was meant to be my son (wow! I have a son!). On July 1st, I was shown this picture of Elias;

I knew he was meant to be my son because his birth mother named him Elias. Elias is the Greek translation of the name Elijah! He is so handsome!!!

This photo I received from the agency the day I accepted the referral.

This photo was taken by Lisa who was able to make it to the Thomas Center when she travelled to bring home her beautiful daughter Zaela Rose!

This is the most recent photo I have of Elias, taken about a month and a half ago. I can't even imagine how big he is now!!

Thank you to all of my family, friends, and blogging family that have supported me and kept the hope alive when I thought there was none left!

Postponed Again!

2008-11-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

My case was heard again today in the Ethiopian higher courts. It has been postponed until tomorrow because the judge is deciding if my case should have the new document now required for relinquishment cases. My in counrty rep is arguing that it should not have the new document because my case was filed before the court closing and before it was a requirement. One more sleepless night!

Finally!!!

2008-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

Yep, I was tagged. I was actually tagged quite a while ago by the following three lovely ladies; Dawn, Lisa, and Diane.

Since everyone else I know has been tagged already, I've just decided to include a couple of extra facts about me.

1. I HATE bell peppers! Sometimes just the thought of them gives me the chills. Typing this has caused me to break out in goose bumps! ICK!!

2. I'm not a very organized person. I really try and wish that I was but I just can't. It's a right brained thing!

3. I have very strange and vivid dreams. Just as an example, I once dreamt that I was an octopus. I remember floating in the water on a raft and moving across the raft with my long octopus tentacles. I was watching the people on the beach and thinking octopus like thoughts. I know, I'm strange!

4. In my early college years I frequented rock concerts. I even had a couple of mosh pit mishaps. At a Metallica concert I became very dehydrated and passed out in the pit. A couple of guys were kind enough to carry me out by my arms and legs and drop me off in the first aid stand. And then there was a Pearl Jam concert where I was head butted and got a black eye. I was so proud!

5. I spent many summer days of my youth at the race track. My Grandpa used to breed and race horses in Oklahoma. My sisters and I really enjoyed being able to spend time with him at the track. Especially when his horse would win and we'd get to take pictures with him in the winners circle!

6. I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was a kid. That changed when I went with my Grandpa to take one of his horses to the vet. The vet needed a stool sample and to do that he went in shoulder deep! Now, I'm a little person and I'd probably get lost in there!

7. My nickname as a child was Space Case. I was always off in my own little world and often preferred to play alone outside.

8. It's official! I have gained 20lbs since I started this adoption process. I never considered myself a stress eater but then I don't think I've ever been this stressed! With the amount in adoption fees I have paid, I could have had Lipo a few times over. But then, if I weren't adopting, I wouldn't need Lipo!

9. I love to travel. Some of the places I've been to are Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Costa Rica, England, Spain and Switzerland. I prefer traveling to third world countries because I have found that the people in such countries the people are so much more warm and inviting. And since I am a teacher, I have had the luxury of traveling for weeks at a time. Next stop, Ethiopia!

10. My pupils are two different sizes. When first discovered, my doctors thought I had a brain tumor! I was terrified! I had an MRI, saw neurologists etc. and nothing was ever found.

I think that's all the interesting things I can think of, or at least the ones I can share!

Some More, Please!!!

2008-10-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

Apparently fate has decided to torture me for two more weeks before deciding. I guess the last eight months haven't been enough! Yep, that's right. It's been eight months since I received my first referral! By the time I get him home(or any baby home, for that matter), I'm going to be so jaded. It's just not fair!

This is what happened today; The requested statement from MoWA was there but I guess the judges did not feel they had enough to make a decision. My case will be heard again on Thursday, November 6th and a decision will be made after further 'investigation'.

Thank you to all those supporting me through this. I'm determined to make you all alcoholics with me!! (that's a joke guys!)

Fate

2008-10-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

It is approximately 7:30 am Thursday, October 23rd in Ethiopia. In a few short hours, a judge will decide my fate as well as the fate of an eight month old baby boy whom, since July 1st have considered my son. Not a day has gone by that I haven't wondered what he is doing. Is he happy? Is he sad? Is he getting enough attention? Is he feeling well today? This judge may be sitting at home drinking his/her morning coffee, perhaps reading the newspaper. Does this judge know that the future of two people are in his/her hands? Whatever the outcome, two lives are about to be changed forever.

This is Scary!!

2008-10-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've tried to keep my personal political views off this blog but after seeing this I had to post it. This was emailed to me from the Color of Change organization that helps to promote the political and social status of African Americans. After watching these videos I got a real sickening feeling. I know that racism exists in this country and I guess because I don't see it first hand very often, when I do see things like this I am shocked. It scares me to think that if McCain wins, it's because of people like this. It also scares me to think if Obama wins, what these people would do to him and to others considered less favorable in their eyes. Most of all, it scares and disgusts me at the reality that someday my son will have to deal with such people.

Please click on the link to see the videos.

Dear Friend,
John McCain and Sarah Palin have stopped talking about the issues, and have instead launched a strategy relying on fear-mongering, racial divisions, and hate. The result is McCain/Palin supporters saying "kill him!" "terrorist!" "traitor," and more, at rallies, with the McCain campaign playing dumb in response.It's outrageous and it must stop.
Together, we can show that Americans of all races won't stand for this.
I've signed onto ColorofChange's open-letter calling out McCain and Palin. ColorOfChange.org will publish it this week, and as they've shown in the past, when enough of us stand together, we can force the mainstream media to amplify our message. Will you join us?
http://www.colorofchange.org/united/?id=2149-305958
McCain-Palin rallies have started to look more like mob scenes than political events. The candidates keep asking "who is the real Barack Obama?" (a question that also kicks off almost every McCain television ad).In response, supporters have yelled "terrorist!" and "traitor!" And the venom goes beyond Obama--one McCain/Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at a Black member of a news crew, saying "sit down, boy."
McCain and Palin are going down a dangerous path. Watching some of their supporters being interviewed shows the kind of fear their campaign is stoking and exploiting.McCain and Palin are clearly in the driver's seat. They've personally made it a point to use "terrorist" and "Obama" in the same sentence; they have surrogates repeatedly refer to him by his middle-name;and they keep pushing the discredited guilt-by-association smears that have long been debunked.
All of it plays on the much more sinister rumors in anonymous smear emails which claim Obama is Muslim (a myth designed to tap into anti-Muslim bigotry), anti-American, and is somehow connected with terrorists. This strategy is powerful because Obama is Black, and it's designed to make Obama's race a disadvantage without appearing overtly racist.
As Americans of all stripes, we've seen how Barack Obama's historic candidacy has moved our friends and family to have a more honest conversation about race in this country. It's inspired a lot of people to step out of their comfort zone and confront racism in their own communities, with their friends, neighbors and families.
In the final days of this campaign, we can't let a desperate John McCain and Sarah Palin drag us down. If enough of us act, we can create a powerful story in the media about Black people and our allies of all races standing together against race-baiting and fear-mongering coming from the McCain/Palin campaign. But it will take a lot of us speaking in unison.
Will you sign an open letter to McCain and Palin, telling them who you are and why you won't let them move our country backward? ColorofChange.org will publish the letter and make sure John McCain is forced to respond.
http://www.colorofchange.org/united/?id=2149-305958

Thanks.

In other news, I was very saddened to learn today that one of my former students was tragically killed in a car accident last weekend. Caleb was only 20 years old, and serving his country in the Navy. He was driving home for the weekend to visit his family and drove his truck into oncoming traffic. He was killed instantly. Many students have crossed my path over the years and unfortunately I don't remember them all. Caleb was one of the unforgettable ones. Even though he wasn't the best student and often liked to challenge me, he had a really great heart. Please send your thoughts and prayers to the Manning family as they deal with the loss of their youngest.

And yes, I have been tagged three times now! I promise that will be my next post!

Ok, How about the 23rd?

2008-10-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

My case was heard in the Ethiopian higher courts last Friday. The judge was unclear as to why my case was originally denied and is requesting a detailed letter from MoWA as to the reason for the denial. My case will be reheard and the final decision will be given on the 23rd. My agency is hopeful that the decision will be in my favor. Other cases similar to mine have passed!

Sooo... to keep myself busy til the 23rd, my goal is to have the nursery completed! I've been working on it for a looong time. I know you're all in suspense to see the finished product, so I've decided to give you all a little sneak peek! Enjoy!!

Hmmm.... What could it be?

The New Mommies!!!

2008-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months, I have had some great friends of mine become first time mommies. They all graciously decided that they would become mommies before me so that I could get in some practice time before I bring home Baby King! What great friends I have!

Gena and Maraya Ann

Born May 15th, 2008

After many, many hours of pushing, Gena, with the help of her hubby Hector, successfully produced the beautiful Maraya Ann. Maraya is very easy going and loves swimming in the ocean, as I witnessed in Maui. A few weeks ago we all went to a Los Angeles Dodgers game. Maraya has already proven to be a loyal fan and sat and watched the game with hardly a peep! Gena is a very patient and loving mother. She has a natural talent for motherhood!

Patricia and Dominic Anthony

Born July 28th, 2008

Introducing Dominic!! After many, many hours of pushing, Patricia, with the help of her hubby Juan, delivered Dominic @9lbs. through Cesarean section. Dominic can't wait for Baby King to come home. He's already declared Baby King his best friend! Patricia, is an amazing self taught mommy. Before having Dominic, she never even changed a diaper! As you can see from this photo, she is delighted even when he cries! Also, as you can see from this photo, she is producing enough milk to feed a small village!!

Lisa and Zaela Rose

Born October 18th, 2007And last but absolutely not least is new mommy Lisa and her beautiful Zaela Rose! After many, many months of waiting, Lisa brought home Zaela on August 23rd of this year from Ethiopia. Zaela is a wonderful and funny baby girl! I recently witnessed Zaela's first standing on her own. She was so proud of herself! Her mommy is not quite ready for Zaela to grow up. And to keep her from further attempts at walking, Zaela is now wearing 5lb ankle weights! Lisa is quite the MacGyver! I don't know how she keeps up with little Zaela while maintaining her pre-mommy alcohol level! (ok, I may have helped there!) Please check out the adventures of Lisa and Zaela at their blog!!

I'm really looking forward to sharing mommyhood with all of these wonderful mommies! For now, I will patiently listen to their stories of poopy diapers, late night feedings, and fun fussiness!!! Can't wait guys!!!

Or Next Week...

2008-10-04T23:35:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I didn't get the news I was hoping for last week. Because my case is being appealed, it won't be heard in the regular adoption courts. The court that will hear my case is not yet open. Hopefully it will be opening in the coming week. I am a little nervous about my case being heard in a different court. I hope that the judges there are familiar with the adoption laws . I also hope that the appeal process will not take long and that they are not backed up. I dreamt the other night that my agency told me that the appeal could take up to a year. Hopefully this week...

This Week...

2008-09-28T23:09:00.000-07:00

This is the week that the Ethiopian courts reopen from their two month holiday. This is also the week I should be finding out the date of my court appeal for Baby King. The past two months of waiting actually haven't been so bad. When you know there is no news to be heard, you're not constantly checking your emails or looking to see if you missed a call. It's worse than waiting for a guy you've just started dating to call. (Or so I've heard, I can't really remember anymore!) So now the waiting gets ugly and stressful again! Oh Yes!! Let the Adoption Games Begin!!!

ARRRRR!!!!!

2008-09-19T16:48:00.001-07:00

Ahoy Matey!!! Today is National Talk like a Pirate Day!!! Shiver me timbers! I think I found the map to me hidden treasure... Baby King! I've been on the wrong path all this time! Arrrr!! No wonders me haven't gotten him home yet!

The map says courts in Ethiopia are bouts to open. Maybe me talkin' parrot can help lead me way!!

Here's the official Talk Like a Pirate Day website http://www.talklikeapirate.com/ and please leave me yer favorite pirate joke!!!

2008-09-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year, Ethiopia!!!

ZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!

2008-09-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

That's not what I was getting last night! I don't think I've mentioned it but I've got some sleep issues. The issue is that I don't! I was wide awake ALL NIGHT LONG!!! I did happen to see at around 4 am, Dr. Feldman, the adoption specialist that I will be taking Baby King to, deliver a baby on Discovery Health!! Well, you could say I'm ready for those sleepless nights with baby!

This is going to make for an interesting first day of school. The kids are going to eat me ALIVE!!

I'm Home!!!

2008-08-28T01:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to post. I got back late Monday night and had to go back to work Tuesday morning. Yuck!!! Tuesday night I was just too exhausted. I didn't get much sleep Monday night and Sunday night I didn't sleep much either. That's because my last night I stayed in Maui I was by myself and thought I'd save some money and stay in a Hostel. No big deal. I've stayed in some pretty low budget places before. Well when I checked in I asked for a private room. I'm too old for the dorm style. It wasn't until late that night when I realized I was sharing my room with flying cockroaches!!!! I HATE, HATE cockroaches!!! We have them in California. I see them occasionally in my classroom and sometimes they glide around with their under developed wings. But they don't fly!! These cockroaches were very skilled flying acrobats! I swaddled myself in a sheet and swatted at them as they purposely flew into the ceiling fan so they would be shot at me full force!! Little Bastards!!

There were many good times in Maui though. It was pretty relaxing and I spent the majority of my time on the beach or at the pool. We did go to a Luau and ate some great food. The highlight though was the snorkeling and diving! We snorkeled at Black Rock and there were two Giant Sea Turtles! They were beautiful and they swam right up to us. It was cool! I took a diving trip alone because my traveling buddies are not divers. I dove at Molokini Crater. It was really beautiful. This is an example of some of the things I saw on my dive:

Lots of beautiful, colorful fish!

I saw lots of Eel.

Yes, those are sharks! I saw about five.

That's me!! HELLO!!!!

Eww! Someone pooped in the water!! Oh wait, it's just a sea cucumber!

Parrot Fish. I can be Parrot Lady while under water too!

I especially enjoyed my backseat buddy Maraya!!! She is so sweet! I didn't even mind when she peed on me!

Maui Bound!!!

2008-08-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

I am still packing but will be done by 6am when my ride comes to pick me up for the airport!!! My dear friends Gena, Hector, and their new baby Maraya invited me along on their trip to Maui where they have a time share! I think they just took pity on me!! But either way, I am going!! It sure beats sitting here at home another week thinking about my little baby boy waiting for me in Ethiopia! I'll have some great pictures to post when I get back!! ALOHA!!!

Parrot Lady

2008-08-14T13:00:00.001-07:00

It is a well known fact that there are many wild parrots living in Southern California. Every morning I wake up to the obnoxious sound of twenty to thirty parrots squawking outside my window. After the recent turn of events with my Ethiopian adoption, I have decided that I am going to adopt the wild parrots of Southern California! Yes, they are loud and obnoxious, but wouldn't you be if you had no one to love you? No real place to call home!?! I' d be killing two birds with one stone! (not literally!) I'd be providing a loving and nurturing home for homeless parrots while fulfilling my inner desire to become a mother!

(actual parrots photographed outside my home!)

(yes, they are green and red!)

Just like that crazy old lady that lives up the street. You know, the one that hoards and has at least fifty cats! That's me! Except with the wild parrots! I even have a theme song "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins!

(age enhanced photo of me forty years from now!)

Then I started thinking, how can I befriend the parrots AND benefit others? Well, parrots can talk right? So why don't I teach the parrots to speak Amharic!! Just think, you could have one of your very own Amharic speaking parrots that was once an orphan, to entertain and educate your children at the same time!

C'mon Lisa, I know you are imagining yourself taking your evening walk, Hermie in her Beco, and a bright green Amharic speaking parrot on your shoulder!!!

If I am not immediately available by email or phone, don't worry, I'll get back to you. I'm just busy chasing down the neighborhood parrots!

Heartbroken is an Understatement...

2008-08-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today the judge refused to overturn her original decision in granting the adoption for Baby King. None of this really makes sense. How can anyone think that it is better for a child to grow up in an orphanage? Doesn't every child deserve a loving family? I am writing this through my tears, hurt and frustration. I know that I have lots of family and friends who will help me through this. What about all of those children in this world who have nothing?

My agency said that they are able to appeal one more time. Of course, no guarantees and this won't happen until after the courts reopen in October. If not successful, then I will be given yet another referral.

Thank you to all of my friends and family who have given me unlimited support. Without you guys I probably wouldn't have made it this far and probably wouldn't have the strength to continue.

Getting Worse!

2008-08-04T17:12:00.001-07:00

Today I have had to face the reality that my adoption for Baby Boy King #2 may not happen. Apparently Ethiopia may be changing some of its adoption rules. One of them being that a child cannot have a living birth parent. MOWA wrote the required letter to complete the adoption with a negative statement about a living birthparent. The judge who heard his case understood the letter as a denial from MOWA. Tomorrow I will find out if my in-country rep can convince the judge to overturn the original decision. If not, this beautiful baby boy will grow up in an Ethiopian orphanage. How can this be fair?

Even More Disappointed!

2008-08-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't pass court today...again! I won't give all the details because you never know who is reading this blog. My in-country rep has an appointment with a MOWA supervisor to hopefully clear things up. It's going to be a long hard weekend! Look out Blog Union! I hope you're ready to deal with my angry drunk a#$!

Disappointed!

2008-07-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't make it through court today. Apparently they were missing a letter from MOWA so they've postponed it for tomorrow. MOWA promised to have it by tomorrow. Everything else seemed to be a go. Even the birth mother showed up! My agency is hopeful that if I don't pass tomorrow, then before the court closure next week. I'm exhausted! Only two hours of sleep last night! Hopefully I can pass out tonight! Maybe after a few glasses of wine that I'll be having with my fellow bloggers at the opening of the Blog Union!

Good Things are Happening!

2008-07-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all the successful court dates over the last few days! To the Jacobs and Alexander families, your baby boys are beautiful! And to Lisa, Zaela looks like a true surfer girl! Please check out little Zaela, she is just gorgeous! I can't wait to meet her!

My good friend and travel buddy Patricia (she's on the elephant with me in the previous post), is expecting her first. Her due date was on the 22nd so little Dominic will be here any day now. Another playmate for Baby King!

My other travel buddy Nikki, left for South East Asia last Sunday. I'm sad for not being able to go but the trade off is worth it! I'm wishing her the safest of travels in her month long adventure!

Oh, How Life Changes!

2008-07-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

As my court date approaches, I can't help but think of all the diffferent ways my life is going to change. For example, those quick trots to my neighborhood Target aren't going to be so quick and easy anymore. Since I am a visual person, I thought the best way to describe these changes would be through pictures;

All of my beer and wine bottles will be traded in for...

Baby bottles. (I really don't have that many!)

Instead of climbing the Temples of Angkor...

Baby King and I will be climbing the jungle gym!

No more scuba diving in exotic locations! (yes, that's me!)

I'll be wading in the kiddie pool!

The only elephant riding going on at my place will be...

on the plush elephant rocker!

This lifestyle change is going to take some getting used to, but I think I'm going to love it!

Is it true?

2008-07-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes guys, it's true! I actually have a court date! July 31st is the big day! It's been a long time waiting and I'm ready to get this over with! Please send positive thoughts my way as well as to those others who have court dates coming up! In particular Dawn, Kari, Jennifer, Diane, some of those Hope families. And especially to Lisa and little Hermie! Baby King likes that little cougar and Mommy needs her partner in crime for the summer!

An Ethiopian Lesson in Las Vegas!

2008-07-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I made a very spur of the moment trip to Las Vegas. Yes, that's two weekends in a row! Well, we were our way to dinner and my friends jumped into a fancy black SUV for hire. If it were my decision we would've jumped into one of those cheap yellow cabs. Anyways, the driver, an attractive black man, asked us where we are going. I immediately detect an accent and right away I knew he was Ethiopian. So, I asked him where he was from. When he responded that he was from Ethiopia, my friend Angela let out a gasp. I think it was out of shock that I knew where he was from. The driver, Eskendar, was curious as to why I asked and also by the reaction from my friend. I explained to him my whole adoption journey. I asked him about Ethiopian names, and the correct pronunciation of my referrals name. Wasn't what I thought! I also asked him the pronunciation of Baby Kings' birth mothers last name because I wanted to use it as a middle name. He explained to me the importance and tradition of how an Ethiopian receives their middle and last name. Traditionally, a child is given their fathers' first name as their middle name. The childs grandfathers' first name is then the childs last name. Children have different last names as their parents. I thought this was very interesting! Eskendars' advice to me was to give my son a name that was Ethiopian yet American as well. We made it to our destination and he wished me the best of luck with my adoption and expressed his appreciation to me for providing an Ethiopian child an opportunity for a good life!

Happy 4th of July... California Style!

2008-07-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the Birthday of our country, I went to my long-time best friend Angela's house. Angela and her neighbors had a little block party. Everything was fine and dandy... til the sun went down!

We had fireworks and skateboards...

Fireworks and footraces...

Fireworks and dancing...

And of course the classic juggling with fireworks...

Angela's brother spent some time in Afghanistan with the military. I think he felt safer in the Middle East!

The Fivecoat girls were fabulous as usual!

Next year Baby Boy and I will be watching fireworks on TV!

Bittersweet

2008-07-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

I thought today would be a good time to start my blog. As many of you know, I have for some time been in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. I began my referral wait in late November and finally on March 6th I received a referral for a beautiful 7 week old infant boy. I immediately without hesitation named this precious boy Elijah. Well, this is the bitter part. Elijah's birthmother lived quite a distance from Addis Ababa. Before I could be given a court date, the court officials wanted to make sure she would be able to make an appearance. She assured everyone she would be there but failed to keep her word. Eventually all contact was lost with her. On April 30th, I was told by my agency that it would be in my best interest to accept a new referral. Devastation cannot even come close to what I was feeling at that moment. I missed a few days of work and exactly a week later I was told the agency would be filing abandonment paperwork so Elijah could be mine. Yay! Well, the happiness only lasted for a month and once again, heartbreak! The paperwork was not going as planned! Once again I was spinning the Wheel-O-Referrals! The wheel landed on Elijah again! Let's just say I've spun the Wheel-O-Referrals a few times!

So this is where it gets sweet! Today my agency called me with a referral for an incredibly stunning four month old boy. Of course when I first looked at his picture I was looking for my little Elijah. I didn't immediately decide but over the course of the night I have fallen in love! There is also a coincidence with this new referral which I cannot share until after I pass court! I'm taking it as a sign! Tomorrow morning I will contact my agency and let them know I will be accepting this new referral. I will always think about my little Elijah and he will always be in my heart. But I really feel this is meant to be and I really need to stop spinning that dang wheel!