Daddy’s Diaper Bag

Go Gators

No Words

The photo is the Pulitzer Prize winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine by Kevin Carter. The picture depicts a child crawling towards an United Nations food camp and a vulture waiting for the child to die. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer.

Three months later the photographer committed suicide.

What can one do?

Ethiopia Adoption Alert

May 13, 2009


Adoptions of Abandoned Children Halted by Ethiopian Court:
The Ethiopian First Instance Court has temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing concern over a recent increase in the number of abandoned children being brought for adoption. The number of abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa has grown dramatically in recent months and Ethiopian authorities have become aware of possible cases of unethical practices associated with some of them.

Currently neither MOWA nor the First Instance Court are accepting any abandonment case from any orphanages in Addis Ababa pending an inquiry.

Please continue to monitor adoption.state.gov for updated information on Ethiopia.

Round Two

Today I received my second set of shots. Hep B, Typhoid, Tetanus and Meningitis. I can barely type.

Charity: Water

Happy Referral Day Robbin!!!!

Vaccination Part 1

Today I received my first series of shots. I decided to take the shots in phases instead of all at once. I had three shots today, yellow fever and hep A/ B. I will return in 30 days for the second series of hep A/B and I will also get tetanus and meningitis. In six months I’ll get the final injections for Hepatitis and also polio and typhoid. For those of you who have already traveled or in the process of planning your travel to Ethiopia, please advise if I have missed anything.

Waiting

Average wait time for a referral for age 0-12 months is 8 months. Average wait time to travel once the referral is accepted is approximately 3-6 months. What does that mean? I’m still waiting……but I’m good.

Three Months

It’s been three months since we were officially placed on the wait list. So far the wait hasn’t been bad. I’m trying not to focus on the adoption as much in hopes it will speed up the wait in my mind. Now, if only I can stay out of the stores. I told my husband that I wouldn’t buy more than 10 outfits in each size 12 - 18 months. Well, I’ve exceeded that.

I had to laugh at myself and you would have too if you heard my reasons for buying five more outfits. My husband is great but he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to buy clothes until we get a referral. Have you ever heard of such nonsense, who can wait that long. Joking aside, he’s probably right but baby shopping is therapeutic for me.

There are approximately 30 families ahead of us on the unofficial wait list. I’m still hopeful that we will be matched with our son by July and have him in our arms by Christmas 2009.

Haregewoin Teferra

There is no me without you is a wonderful book written by Melissa Faye Greene. In the book, Greene depicts the struggle and achievement of Haregewoin Teferra in her quest to save the lives of African children. I have just read on Melissa Faye Greene’s blog that Haregewoin Teferra who gave unselfishly of herself to save the lives of many orphan and abandoned children passed away today. If you have not read this book I strongly encourage you to read it.

My Favorite Adoption Video

Speechless

Steelers Nation Baby!

One

Today marks one month of waiting for a referral. Our agency is averaging 4-5 referrals a month; at that rate we wouldn’t receive a referral until close to the end of the year. The wait time for a court date, as well as the number of court attempts to pass court have increased. I remain optimistic that we will bring our son home before the end of the year.

We’re Pregnant

That’s right we’re pregnant on paper!!!!!! Today marks our first official day on the wait list. Hopefully we will have Jordan in our arms within the next nine months. What a wonderful Christmas present.