Meet Melat! She's our new daughter as of today 4:40 PM (at least, that's when we found out, I don't know when our court appointment was).
We haven't met her yet, but tentatively I'm planning to arrive in Ethiopia by September 4th.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
We're parents again!
Meet Melat! She's our new daughter as of today 4:40 PM (at least, that's when we found out, I don't know when our court appointment was).
We haven't met her yet, but tentatively I'm planning to arrive in Ethiopia by September 4th.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
One giant step closer
Our court date for our new daughter is tomorrow (7/31) and we should know by Friday or Monday how it went. We're eagerly awaiting a fax showing an outline of our new daughter's foot, so we know what size shoes to take to Ethiopia. (A true sign you're an adoptive family--when you meet your child by "foot fax").
Also, it's looking like I'll be traveling either 8/28 or 9/4 (tentatively, and only assuming we get a positive outcome from court tomorrow). I'll be in Ethiopia for about three weeks, including 9/11, which is the Ethiopian new year. I'm looking forward to diving into Ethiopian New Year celebrtations and learning how it's done. I'll take lots of video (all that I can respectfully and tastefully), and update you all with what I learn. Keep checking my blog for more frequent updates as well as photos (I can post those after we've learned that court had a positive outcome!).
Also, it's looking like I'll be traveling either 8/28 or 9/4 (tentatively, and only assuming we get a positive outcome from court tomorrow). I'll be in Ethiopia for about three weeks, including 9/11, which is the Ethiopian new year. I'm looking forward to diving into Ethiopian New Year celebrtations and learning how it's done. I'll take lots of video (all that I can respectfully and tastefully), and update you all with what I learn. Keep checking my blog for more frequent updates as well as photos (I can post those after we've learned that court had a positive outcome!).
Friday, July 25, 2008
Note on blogging
If you like this blog and you'd like to recieve notice whenever it's updated, e-mail me at jessc098@gmail.com, and I can add you to a subscriber list so you'll recieve the post by email. Also, you can click the "RSS FEEDS" link and for those of you who have the newest version of Windows, it'll show right on your desktop. Thanks for following our stories!
-the Wards
-the Wards
mindless musings on existentialisim
I've had the opportunity lately to spend a lot of time lately with people who have far less in resources and opportunity than I, but who seem far more satisfied and happy with their lives. (Not that I'm unhappy, but these people seem by my comparison to have so much less to be happy about)
This evening I picked up a college textbook I've been meaning to re-read since 1998. It's a Philosophy primer. I'm only on page 7, but it got me thinking about a cupboard in my kitchen.
Our little condo has acres of kitchen cabinet space. These cupboards are huge, deep and wide, with two sturdy shelves. They require me to get down on the floor on all fours to reach into the back to pull out things. Most of these are empty or sparcely populated with items rarely used (where is that gravy boat?). But one is the "appliance cupboard."
A few days ago, I was musing about those appliances. How much money I spent to buy and or repair and or maintan them. How much it might cost to store them if I calculated out the per square foot costs of my home. In this one cupboard are the following appliances (which by the way I love and I can't bear to part with).
1. A broken blender, but it still makes Margaritas, so it's worth its weight in salt.
2. A toaster oven that no longer makes toast but is perfect for reheating leftover pizza of french fries.
3. A waffle iron (used every Christmas).
4. Two small wine racks (suffice it to say, I've never had the problem of finding storage space for wine, but I keep them around just in case I were ever blessed with such a concern).
5. A "lean mean grilling machine"
6. A Crock Pot
7. A food mill
8. A Kitchen Aid Mixer (perfect for the pie crust I make twice (ok, once) a year.
9. A coffee grinder (I broke the coffee pot a few weeks ago and neglected to replace it)
10. An espresso machine (never use it)
11. A rice cooker (Rob likes it).
It occurs to me that in so many places around the world, the function of practically every electrical appliance in this tomb of a cupboard can be fulfilled with two rocks, flame and a bucket of water.
Now, I suppose I should return to the subject of extensilisim. How many days/weeks have we toiled to amass this bizarre collection of objects that I have no time to use because I'm so busy working to provide for my family? Instead of cooking whole foods, and spending quality family time together in the kitchen, we dust appliances and eat from styrofoam take-out boxes (as a society, not necessarily frequently at home...but we're far from knowing how to use the food mill without the instructions each time!).
Could it be that we're so busy living to work, that we've not had the time to live--and therefore discover the meaning of life? What if we worked to live, like those in poverty? Those who work to grind their grain with two stones, and thank God and the ground for growing it that they have enough to eat today? What if we truly celebrated "enough" and shared all of the rest?
Instead, I dust my fancy food mill, and stare agape into my 'fridge frustrated that there's nothing (nothing good, that is) to eat that doesn't require defrosting.
Well, I'd better stop there, I'm getting wordy.
Is anyone else getting snackish?
This evening I picked up a college textbook I've been meaning to re-read since 1998. It's a Philosophy primer. I'm only on page 7, but it got me thinking about a cupboard in my kitchen.
Our little condo has acres of kitchen cabinet space. These cupboards are huge, deep and wide, with two sturdy shelves. They require me to get down on the floor on all fours to reach into the back to pull out things. Most of these are empty or sparcely populated with items rarely used (where is that gravy boat?). But one is the "appliance cupboard."
A few days ago, I was musing about those appliances. How much money I spent to buy and or repair and or maintan them. How much it might cost to store them if I calculated out the per square foot costs of my home. In this one cupboard are the following appliances (which by the way I love and I can't bear to part with).
1. A broken blender, but it still makes Margaritas, so it's worth its weight in salt.
2. A toaster oven that no longer makes toast but is perfect for reheating leftover pizza of french fries.
3. A waffle iron (used every Christmas).
4. Two small wine racks (suffice it to say, I've never had the problem of finding storage space for wine, but I keep them around just in case I were ever blessed with such a concern).
5. A "lean mean grilling machine"
6. A Crock Pot
7. A food mill
8. A Kitchen Aid Mixer (perfect for the pie crust I make twice (ok, once) a year.
9. A coffee grinder (I broke the coffee pot a few weeks ago and neglected to replace it)
10. An espresso machine (never use it)
11. A rice cooker (Rob likes it).
It occurs to me that in so many places around the world, the function of practically every electrical appliance in this tomb of a cupboard can be fulfilled with two rocks, flame and a bucket of water.
Now, I suppose I should return to the subject of extensilisim. How many days/weeks have we toiled to amass this bizarre collection of objects that I have no time to use because I'm so busy working to provide for my family? Instead of cooking whole foods, and spending quality family time together in the kitchen, we dust appliances and eat from styrofoam take-out boxes (as a society, not necessarily frequently at home...but we're far from knowing how to use the food mill without the instructions each time!).
Could it be that we're so busy living to work, that we've not had the time to live--and therefore discover the meaning of life? What if we worked to live, like those in poverty? Those who work to grind their grain with two stones, and thank God and the ground for growing it that they have enough to eat today? What if we truly celebrated "enough" and shared all of the rest?
Instead, I dust my fancy food mill, and stare agape into my 'fridge frustrated that there's nothing (nothing good, that is) to eat that doesn't require defrosting.
Well, I'd better stop there, I'm getting wordy.
Is anyone else getting snackish?
Romeo and Juliet
This Summer at the suggestion of friends we've attended two free "Shakespeare in the park" presentations. (Thanks T!)
The plays (A midsummer night's dream and Romeo and Juliet) were both masterful productions put on by the "Wooden O" company of Seattle.
It's a nice venue--picnic, sunshine, a play and lots of families with equally wiggly kids.
For some reason (completey not understood by me) Destiny is absolutely taken with these plays. Completely mesmerized (more so with the Comedy than the Tragedy but still, I was very impressed). We started with the comedy to get the feel for Shakespeare, old english and using one's imaginations with the limited sets (albeit they did a marvelous job!).
Tonight we saw Romeo and Juliet, and if you're familiar with the story, Romeo has a a habit in his soliquies to refer to himself in first person. Destiny leaned over to me and said "mom--isn't **he** Romeo?"
I said "yes, he is."
She said "Does he know, or should someone tell him?"
The plays (A midsummer night's dream and Romeo and Juliet) were both masterful productions put on by the "Wooden O" company of Seattle.
It's a nice venue--picnic, sunshine, a play and lots of families with equally wiggly kids.
For some reason (completey not understood by me) Destiny is absolutely taken with these plays. Completely mesmerized (more so with the Comedy than the Tragedy but still, I was very impressed). We started with the comedy to get the feel for Shakespeare, old english and using one's imaginations with the limited sets (albeit they did a marvelous job!).
Tonight we saw Romeo and Juliet, and if you're familiar with the story, Romeo has a a habit in his soliquies to refer to himself in first person. Destiny leaned over to me and said "mom--isn't **he** Romeo?"
I said "yes, he is."
She said "Does he know, or should someone tell him?"
"Does that mean you got your boobs tied?"
This story is pretty old, actually, almost three now. But it's one of my favorites and bears retelling here.
Destiny when she first moved here was a masterful bedtime staller. Temper tantrums, 35 drinks of water, bad dreams, monsters in the closet, alligators under the bed, "mom what does FILL IN THE BLANK HERE mean?," and all kinds of other interesting stalling techniques.
One night, she asked me if I was having a baby (observing my rather pouchy tummy). I explained that no, I was just in need of more exercise. The remainder of the conversation went like this:
DESTINY: Well, why don't you have your own babies instead of getting them from other people when they're already big?
Me: Dad and I decided that we didn't want or need to have a baby by birth, at least now, and that we wanted to be parents to kids who needed parents.
D: Does that mean you got your boobs tied? My mom in Florida got her boobs tied 'cause she had six kids and that's just way too many!!
Me: (now sensing stalling vs. adoption bonding) well, that's not exactly what it means. If you mean surgery, I didn't have any surgery. If you have more questions, you make a note and let me know tomorrow.
The next day at my friends' baby shower (I'd somehow forgotten the prior night's exchange) Destiny stood on a chair as my pregnant friend walked in and shouted (at typical Destiny volume) "Look mom! That lady definetly didn't get her boobs tied!!!"
If anyone has a good idea for a response to that, please advise. Seated between my friends' mother and her pastor's wife...I was speechless.
Destiny when she first moved here was a masterful bedtime staller. Temper tantrums, 35 drinks of water, bad dreams, monsters in the closet, alligators under the bed, "mom what does FILL IN THE BLANK HERE mean?," and all kinds of other interesting stalling techniques.
One night, she asked me if I was having a baby (observing my rather pouchy tummy). I explained that no, I was just in need of more exercise. The remainder of the conversation went like this:
DESTINY: Well, why don't you have your own babies instead of getting them from other people when they're already big?
Me: Dad and I decided that we didn't want or need to have a baby by birth, at least now, and that we wanted to be parents to kids who needed parents.
D: Does that mean you got your boobs tied? My mom in Florida got her boobs tied 'cause she had six kids and that's just way too many!!
Me: (now sensing stalling vs. adoption bonding) well, that's not exactly what it means. If you mean surgery, I didn't have any surgery. If you have more questions, you make a note and let me know tomorrow.
The next day at my friends' baby shower (I'd somehow forgotten the prior night's exchange) Destiny stood on a chair as my pregnant friend walked in and shouted (at typical Destiny volume) "Look mom! That lady definetly didn't get her boobs tied!!!"
If anyone has a good idea for a response to that, please advise. Seated between my friends' mother and her pastor's wife...I was speechless.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Two good Destiny funnys today
I was having some difficulty with my new laptop and clearing the internet history to see why I'm seeing sites we haven't visited appearing there. Destiny said "Are you cleaning the Windows?"
Later, we were 'tucking Dad in' because he goes to sleep first on Mondays (since he wakes up four hours later and goes to work). She gave him a quick smooch on the cheek and shouted "quick! Give me some 'defecting' wipes!" (she still doesn't get that just because dad's a boy doesn't mean he's gross.).
Jess
Later, we were 'tucking Dad in' because he goes to sleep first on Mondays (since he wakes up four hours later and goes to work). She gave him a quick smooch on the cheek and shouted "quick! Give me some 'defecting' wipes!" (she still doesn't get that just because dad's a boy doesn't mean he's gross.).
Jess
Monday, July 14, 2008
Preparing for Ethiopia
Many of our friends know we're currently trying to adopt again! We've recieved referall for our 3 year old daughter.
As of July 31st, if court goes well, she's officially ours and I'll be on my way to pick her up and bring her home! We can't wait! For right now it looks like I'll be traveling at the end of August.
Many people have asked what I plan to do while I'm there. First and foremost--bond with my new daughter!! Also, I've learned to make baloon animals in a number of different african animal shapes--and hats! If I have the opportunity, I'd like to make animals for the children.
But also, I have some other plans. I'll be carrying over donations to two organizations that are very dear to our hearts: AHOPE, a nonprofit orphange for children affected by HIV/AIDS. This is an amazing place, but like many similar organizations they need help getting access to some of the basics. I'll also be carrying donations to WACAP House, our agency's halfway-home for children who're placed but don't yet have the required paperwork/passports to go home to their new families.
If you'd like to send donations with me (and those traveling with me), here's a list of what is needed:
Cloth diapers, diaper pins and plastic diaper covers
durable plastic toys that don't make noise
Clothing and shoes for kids over 5 years old.
Hydrocortisone creme
Anti-Fungal creme (like Tinactin--for Ringworm)
Baby Lotion
Eucerin lotion
Hand sanitizer
Toothpaste/toothbrushes
Raincoats/Sweaters (fall/winter is setting into the Mountains in Addis Ababa)
Bedsheets, and lightweight blankets (things that can air dry in damp climates)
Baby spoons
We'll carry everything we can, and what we can't carry we'll send with another family going over in the next few months.
I'm hoping to post a video-blog while I'm there. Keep watching this site for info.
jess
As of July 31st, if court goes well, she's officially ours and I'll be on my way to pick her up and bring her home! We can't wait! For right now it looks like I'll be traveling at the end of August.
Many people have asked what I plan to do while I'm there. First and foremost--bond with my new daughter!! Also, I've learned to make baloon animals in a number of different african animal shapes--and hats! If I have the opportunity, I'd like to make animals for the children.
But also, I have some other plans. I'll be carrying over donations to two organizations that are very dear to our hearts: AHOPE, a nonprofit orphange for children affected by HIV/AIDS. This is an amazing place, but like many similar organizations they need help getting access to some of the basics. I'll also be carrying donations to WACAP House, our agency's halfway-home for children who're placed but don't yet have the required paperwork/passports to go home to their new families.
If you'd like to send donations with me (and those traveling with me), here's a list of what is needed:
Cloth diapers, diaper pins and plastic diaper covers
durable plastic toys that don't make noise
Clothing and shoes for kids over 5 years old.
Hydrocortisone creme
Anti-Fungal creme (like Tinactin--for Ringworm)
Baby Lotion
Eucerin lotion
Hand sanitizer
Toothpaste/toothbrushes
Raincoats/Sweaters (fall/winter is setting into the Mountains in Addis Ababa)
Bedsheets, and lightweight blankets (things that can air dry in damp climates)
Baby spoons
We'll carry everything we can, and what we can't carry we'll send with another family going over in the next few months.
I'm hoping to post a video-blog while I'm there. Keep watching this site for info.
jess
Kids say funny stuff!
A few recent Destiny funnies....
A neighbor had her bulldog puppy Lucy over, and Destiny noticed that it had nipples, and asked if it had puppies. She said, no, she's just a puppy, and besides, she couldn't handle a bunch more Lucys running around. Destiny said, "well, you don't have to name them all Lucy you know."
As we're expecting to bring our new adopted daughter home soon, we're busy preparing for a toddler in the house (a new experience for us!). We spent the weekend shopping with a girlfriend who has a two-year old. I told Destiny to pay attention, because we're studying toddlers. We have to learn all we can about them so we're ready. She said "I know all about them I had one once-- (a brother in FL)-- They wear pull-ups, so when they spell really bad you have to smell their pull-up, not their armpits!"
Also, in the getting ready for a sister vein....I wanted to go up to Seattle where there's a really lovely second-hand children's store that gets all the best stuff. Destiny was totally dragging her feet on this (sure mom...buy stuff for the new kid and I just get to stand around and watch..) we eventually arrived at the second hand store and walked in, where Destiny put her hands on her hips and exclaimed "So! this is where you buy stuff for second-kids!"
It might have been one of those "had to be there moments" but Rob and I were cracking up.
A neighbor had her bulldog puppy Lucy over, and Destiny noticed that it had nipples, and asked if it had puppies. She said, no, she's just a puppy, and besides, she couldn't handle a bunch more Lucys running around. Destiny said, "well, you don't have to name them all Lucy you know."
As we're expecting to bring our new adopted daughter home soon, we're busy preparing for a toddler in the house (a new experience for us!). We spent the weekend shopping with a girlfriend who has a two-year old. I told Destiny to pay attention, because we're studying toddlers. We have to learn all we can about them so we're ready. She said "I know all about them I had one once-- (a brother in FL)-- They wear pull-ups, so when they spell really bad you have to smell their pull-up, not their armpits!"
Also, in the getting ready for a sister vein....I wanted to go up to Seattle where there's a really lovely second-hand children's store that gets all the best stuff. Destiny was totally dragging her feet on this (sure mom...buy stuff for the new kid and I just get to stand around and watch..) we eventually arrived at the second hand store and walked in, where Destiny put her hands on her hips and exclaimed "So! this is where you buy stuff for second-kids!"
It might have been one of those "had to be there moments" but Rob and I were cracking up.
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