Our church family is awesome!
We found out that we will be having a shower for Ramiah, which to be honest we don't even need that much stuff. They are so on board to be involved that it overwhelms me. We came home from church yesterday with a large garbage bag full of clothing and my friend Amy gave me all of her baby items, which I had already gotten rid of. I guess I thought we were done with babies, but I was wrong. I am so excited to be back into baby mode. All the little things are so adorable!
My other friend, also an Amy is open for me to have a garage sale at her house this weekend, so I am finding all kinds of stuff that I can sell, and other people are bringing items over to sell for me. She also came to church with bottles, sippy cups, and little bowls and handed them out for people to bring back full of change a fundraiser, which is greatly appreciated. God is loving me through these friends and bringing much encouragement to our family.
Ramiah will be a blessed child to know all of these wonderful people.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
More Waiting...
We have a new baby. I am of course so ecstatic, but it is still a waiting process that is agonizing. We have one picture and a few pages of history on our daughter, but that is all we have to hold on to. I eagerly wait to hold and to touch the soft baby that waits for me in Ethiopia.
The next thing we are waiting for is to pass though court. Our Agent at CHSFS says that if not this week then next we should be through court and then Ramiah Denknesh Caroland will officially be our child. Then we get our travel information. We are looking at mid to late September. We have to travel after the Ethiopian Millennium celebration September 12th.
The next thing we are waiting for is to pass though court. Our Agent at CHSFS says that if not this week then next we should be through court and then Ramiah Denknesh Caroland will officially be our child. Then we get our travel information. We are looking at mid to late September. We have to travel after the Ethiopian Millennium celebration September 12th.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Now What?
Our next step besides FREAKING OUT, is more paperwork and preparing to be in baby mode again! I am all over the baby thing, but struggling to research and fill more paperwork out.
Traveling to Africa alone is a huge thing to prepare for, let alone packing and preparing to bring your child home! I have to pack for a my child that I have never met and I don't even know what she likes or dislikes!
I have lists for before travel, things I have to get done around home, things I have to buy, paperwork to be done, fees to be payed, and many more that I won't keep boring you all with. Just let me tell you it is good to have all the lists and be preparing! I LOVE IT. It means we are one step closer to Ramiah.
Today we are sending her a picture book of us to show her the family that she is coming home to, that has been praying for her, and that is already madly in love with her!
Thanks for all of the support and encouragement! Please continue to pray for our paperwork, preparation, and for the yet again expense we are facing.
If you want to see where the care center is that our daughter is at go to http://maps.google.com/ and put in coordinates 8.984783333 38.72446944
Feel free to leave comments, we love to hear from you. Cindie
Traveling to Africa alone is a huge thing to prepare for, let alone packing and preparing to bring your child home! I have to pack for a my child that I have never met and I don't even know what she likes or dislikes!
I have lists for before travel, things I have to get done around home, things I have to buy, paperwork to be done, fees to be payed, and many more that I won't keep boring you all with. Just let me tell you it is good to have all the lists and be preparing! I LOVE IT. It means we are one step closer to Ramiah.
Today we are sending her a picture book of us to show her the family that she is coming home to, that has been praying for her, and that is already madly in love with her!
Thanks for all of the support and encouragement! Please continue to pray for our paperwork, preparation, and for the yet again expense we are facing.
If you want to see where the care center is that our daughter is at go to http://maps.google.com/ and put in coordinates 8.984783333 38.72446944
Feel free to leave comments, we love to hear from you. Cindie
Friday, July 13, 2007
A face to our Ramiah
SHOCK!!!
I am in complete shock while being on cloud nine and experiencing many emotions!
After waiting 159 days for a referral it came to us on Tuesday, day 160! As many of you know I have been jumping for the phone, running full throttle for the phone, and sometimes stumbling for the phone every time it rang, in hopes to here about our daughter. Well after 159 days of phone calls......
Tuesday July 10th I picked up the phone after an emotional day of not getting, "The Call" to call Shannon. When I went to listen for the dial tone there was none. I simple said a hello just in case and I hear. "Cindie. This is Kristina. I have a referral for you."
God has such the sense of humor, for not letting the phone even ring. The one time I don't have anxiety, can't read the caller ID and have no prior warning, it is THE CALL!
Well, since 3:30 on Tuesday I have been crying, staring at her picture, crying, planning, getting into baby mode once again, and crying some more. This is really here, our daughter will soon be held by her new mommy and be cared for by her family and friends. She will soon find out about the two little red heads that will be her siblings, and about her amazing daddy, that will share the love of Jesus with her in everyday of his life. We are blessed beyond words for our beautiful gift of Ramiah Denknesh Caroland!
I am in complete shock while being on cloud nine and experiencing many emotions!
After waiting 159 days for a referral it came to us on Tuesday, day 160! As many of you know I have been jumping for the phone, running full throttle for the phone, and sometimes stumbling for the phone every time it rang, in hopes to here about our daughter. Well after 159 days of phone calls......
Tuesday July 10th I picked up the phone after an emotional day of not getting, "The Call" to call Shannon. When I went to listen for the dial tone there was none. I simple said a hello just in case and I hear. "Cindie. This is Kristina. I have a referral for you."
God has such the sense of humor, for not letting the phone even ring. The one time I don't have anxiety, can't read the caller ID and have no prior warning, it is THE CALL!
Well, since 3:30 on Tuesday I have been crying, staring at her picture, crying, planning, getting into baby mode once again, and crying some more. This is really here, our daughter will soon be held by her new mommy and be cared for by her family and friends. She will soon find out about the two little red heads that will be her siblings, and about her amazing daddy, that will share the love of Jesus with her in everyday of his life. We are blessed beyond words for our beautiful gift of Ramiah Denknesh Caroland!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
IT HAPPENED! Referral
We got it! We got the referral call today. A baby girl, only about six weeks old. She is tiny and precious. Cindie will certainly be telling you more about this later, but I wanted to get the word out there.
Praise God, the giver of every good and perfect gift who saw fit to bless us with a third child!
Thank you for your prayers.
Praise God, the giver of every good and perfect gift who saw fit to bless us with a third child!
Thank you for your prayers.
Tuesday, July 10 10:15 am
I wanted to write about how the process is making me feel. But my feelings have been so dramatically fickle, that I thought I better time stamp it.
In the last 24 hours 4 more people from the forum received referrals. Three of them are behind us on the list.
So, how does this make me feel? So hopeful we could a referral today, I could sing. So jealous that I want to punch one of these happy new mothers. Just kidding... kinda. So frazzled that my back is more tense than Mid-East peace talks. So desperate to share with anyone who would ask. So annoyed with anyone who would ask. So trusting in the Lord that I know the story He is weaving is one I'll tell with glee for the rest of my days (yes, GLEE). So tired of hearing people tell me that it is in God's timing. So disappointed in my spiritual immaturity that I can't inspire all of you with my unwavering faithfulness and hope.
Well, I'll check in at 10:16 to let you know how I'm feeling then :)
In the last 24 hours 4 more people from the forum received referrals. Three of them are behind us on the list.
So, how does this make me feel? So hopeful we could a referral today, I could sing. So jealous that I want to punch one of these happy new mothers. Just kidding... kinda. So frazzled that my back is more tense than Mid-East peace talks. So desperate to share with anyone who would ask. So annoyed with anyone who would ask. So trusting in the Lord that I know the story He is weaving is one I'll tell with glee for the rest of my days (yes, GLEE). So tired of hearing people tell me that it is in God's timing. So disappointed in my spiritual immaturity that I can't inspire all of you with my unwavering faithfulness and hope.
Well, I'll check in at 10:16 to let you know how I'm feeling then :)
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Stark Contrast
Contrasts between Ethiopia and the US.
Statistics:
Infant morality rate Ethiopia 109 USA 6
GNI per capita (US$) Ethiopia 160 USA 43,740
% under 5 suffering from
stunting, moderate &
severe malnutrition Ethiopia 47 USA 1
Life Expectancy Ethiopia 48 USA 78
Maternal mortality ratio/
lifetime risk of maternal death Ethiopia 1 in 14 USA 1 in 2500
*Statistic from UNICEF
Statistics:
Infant morality rate Ethiopia 109 USA 6
GNI per capita (US$) Ethiopia 160 USA 43,740
% under 5 suffering from
stunting, moderate &
severe malnutrition Ethiopia 47 USA 1
Life Expectancy Ethiopia 48 USA 78
Maternal mortality ratio/
lifetime risk of maternal death Ethiopia 1 in 14 USA 1 in 2500
*Statistic from UNICEF
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)