I wish it was our family.....

I wish it was our family whose child was paper-ready, who has a court date to look forward to, who has passed court and now knows thier child is thiers forever..... My heart is breaking and there is nothing I or anyone else can do about it. When is it going to be our turn? When will we be the ones who can send out that e-mail to everyone shouting that we passed court and Desta is now our daughter forever? I can't even look at her pictures any more, or open the door to her room, without the tears starting to flow. It's just not fair, I see mothers with thier little girls and I ask myself why not me? No one outside of the adoption world understands my pain, you can see it in thier eyes when explaining the situation we have found ourselves in. It just stinks!!!

Sad news

We received some very sad news along with several other families. We have been waiting on a court date for the past 5 months or so we thought..... The truth is that they refrered us a child whose paperwork was not completed by the orphange she was in for the first month of her life, what this means is she is not paper-ready and we now have to wait on the orphange to gather the necessary paperwork to submit to MOWA before we can proceed with her adoption. So now baby girl is 7 months old and they are just now finding this out? I don't think that is the case. Who knows how long this process will take....weeks, months...years? Yes, I said YEARS. There was a situation awhile back where this same exact thing happened, you think t
hat this would change things so that it didn't happen again, NOT! These familes have waited up to 2 years to bring thier children home, totally unacceptable in my opinion.
This statement might upset some people, but it is the truth and I can't help but feel cheated out of this time with my daughter. We requested an infant for many reasons, one important reason is so that we could share those firsts that come in the first couple years of life with her. Her first word, crawling, her first steps, cutting her first tooth, etc. Some of these firsts we will now miss because of this delay, and it is breaking my heart to miss out on these important milestones with my daughter. And even though she is being well taken care of, she still needs the love and one on one attention of her mommy, daddy, and the rest of the family. I am so sad she is missing out on this. She is our daughter and we will wait for her to come home, but it is heart wrenching to say the least to hear of others sail through court dates and travel to bring thier children home. I will find peace with the situation, but it will take some time to work through all the emotions I am feeling right now. I am trying so hard to keep it together, but find myself crying at the drop of the hat. My older kids think I have lost it because they still can't grasp the depth of love I have for this little girl that I have never met. No one really understands unless they have been through the adoption process.
We are also still waiting on our referral for a toddler girl....not sure that will ever happen either. We have never gotten any information on it, even though I have sent several e-mails.
Please pray that our family gets through this delay and our baby girl gets to come home soon.

Baby girl is 7 months old today

Well our baby girl is 7 months old today and we are still waiting on a court date....can you believe that? I can't!!! I am so beyond frustrated, angry, and tired of all this waiting. When we received our referral back in May we just couldn't believe our luck... we were way ahead of schedule at that point, but here we are 5 months later and are now behind. I don't know what we are going to do if our paperwork expires before we can bring her home, with Jerry deployed how are we gonna get new paperwork done and new fingerprints? These are my wories now. I pray everyday that we might hear something that gives me hope, but there has been none of that yet. I truely hope this wait ends soon for all of us waiting on court dates.

Another week

Here's to getting some good news this week about our adoption of Desta. I am praying that all of us waiting get good news this week. This weekend was a little easier since I had some things planned and Levi had a blast trick or treating, but we are still missing our hubby and daddy. I am trying to stay positive this week, at least that is my goal.

Tuesday....

So here we are, Tuesday already and still no news of additional court dates for all of us waiting families. We did get an e-mail about our agency director going to Ethiopia this week to find out what might be going on. I hope that he is able to get some answers for us all. I am not sure, but something tells me that maybe something might be wrong. What I don't know, I just have a funny feeling.

On a good note, one family did pass court today from our agency. And they received thier referral the same day as we got ours. I am so happy for them, thier baby is only about 5 months old or so.

I just hope things start moving along for all of us. What could possibly be the hold up anyway? How hard is it anyway to assign a court date? I just don't understand. Will post more info as we get it.

Tomorrow starts a new week

Well tomorrow starts another week for those of us waiting to hear of a court date. I really hope that we receive a court date soon, along with all the other families that have waited as long or longer for thiers. This week has really taken a toll on me emotionally as well as physically. I have had some trouble sleeping, and feel tired all the time. I will be praying tonight.

Holy cow will this wait ever end?

Another week of absolutely NOTHING!!!!!! I am sick to death of the whole situation. WHY WHY WHY?????

I have totally messed up my blog!

I was messing around and now my blog looks like awful. I will have to get busy and try to fix it tonight.

I am losing it!!

Wow this week has been the hardest yet. I can't focus on anything and I am slowly losing the battle to keep it together and be happy for all the families that have already gotten thier court dates. I mean how do I keep myself from being so jealous that here I am waiting since May( almost 5 months) for a stupid court date and someone in our group gets one that has only been waiting for a MONTH!!!! I really am happy for them, it's just so hard to be upbeat right now. Thier children deserve to be home as much as ours,but it just doesn't seem fair. I just want to scream I tell you. I am glad in a way that my husband isn't here to see me like this, although I know he feels so bad that he can't be here for me for the next year and I miss him so much. I don't feel any better but I am done for now.

I think I might go crazy!!!

If we don't get a court date soon. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I am losing my hair, I am a woman obsessed, my heart is breaking....and I am just so tired of stalking this computer for e-mails it's pitiful.

The courts have opened and they have started hearing cases again. Good news. From the big board I learned that some agencies were receiving court dates for families that haven't been waiting as long as we have for ours. I found myself wondering the "whys & what ifs" of it all. Why didn't our agency have any dates? Why were families with referrals after ours getting court dates? What if our paperwork is lost and no one knows this? What if she gets sick before we can bring her home? What if this adoption never happens? I am having such a hard time right now dealing with all the uncertainty and lack of information of what is going on. Then last week we found out that our agency received 5 court dates, I was hoping and praying that ours would be one of them. When I received an e-mail with the subject ~court dates~ my heart was soaring because I thought my prayers had been answered! But as soon as I opened it my heart sank 10 times faster. This is part of the e-mail.

We just received word that some of the court dates we have been given are for cases more recently filed. This is a disappointment to everyone as we were hoping court dates would be assigned in order, not randomly, which appears to be the case.

We understand this will be a great disappointment to all of you who have been patiently waiting for a court date for months. Hopefully the courts will work through the backlog quickly.

I couldn't stop the tear from flowing. I was devastated to say the least. I know that my wait has not been as long as a couple of the other families, so I can only imagine what they must be feeling right now. Not only was this bad news, but what hurts more is that I don't have the luxury of just picking up the phone to talk to Jerry about it. He has always been my rock throughout the whole rollacoaster process that is adoption. He is the one that can make everything make sense and calm my fears. He is the one that is able to comfort me like no one else.

One of the families that received thier referral the same day we did announced thier court date. I am happy for them even though my heart is breaking for our family.
This adoption is so much different from our adoption of Levi. We were given so much more information during his adoption, and in this one I feel sometimes so in the dark. We have so little information. Everyone asks questions that I don't have the answers for.
Please pray for our family.

Courts have reopened

Just got word yesterday that the courts did indeed open yesterday..... YEAH!!! We are so excited that we may be getting some good news this week. We still are unsure if our case was filed before the closure or just yesterday. That is something that our program director is looking into for us. There are several families that got thier referrals the same day we did. So we are all waiting anxiously for news that we received our court dates. I hope we all get good news this week and can finally breathe a sigh of relief that we have a court date. Lets get these babies home!!!!

court may NOT be opening next week

I just read on the big Ethiopia board that a couple of the agencies got word that the courts will NOT re-open next Monday like planned. I will be so bummed if this is true. But what can we do? We are at the mercy of the courts right? I try so hard not to get upset, and tell myself constantly that things will work out for us. But I will not breathe easy until I have my little girl in my arms!! What can I say, I am so disapointed it's unreal. We need prayers for our family right now.

No news

Well we still have no news on little Desta (Jaiden). The courts will open back up on October 6th from what I gather, so I guess we wait until then. What else can we do? It just breaks my heart when people ask me when we are going to get her, because I have to tell them that I don't have that answer yet. I am hoping and praying that all of us that got caught up in the abandonment ban get our court dates soon after they reopen. It is rough watching her grow up in pictures without us, but I am grateful that we will have these pictures for her scrapbook. I am grateful that they allow the traveling families to take photos of the other children for those waiting to travel. I just can't wait to hold her in my arms and whisper to her that we love her. I will wait for you Desta, how ever long it takes. Momma will come for you, I promise!

New pics of baby girl

We had the good fortune of receiving a few new pictures of our Jaiden from a couple traveling families int he past week. She is just so precious, I can't wait to just give so many hugs and kisses to her! There is a picture of her sitting up and one of her on her hands and knees, looking like she is ready to take off. I sure wish I could share them with everyone, but it's not allowed until we pass court. She has quite a bit of hair so I might have to step up on the hairbow making. I only have a few done so far. I am trying to match up some of the outfits that we have for her. Charla got her passport and now we just have to work on getting her shots up to date. I think she may need Hep A shots, but not sure. I have been busy working on her room also. I have her curtains done and I am now going to start ont he stenciling on her wall. I have been trying to also spend as much time with Jerry before he goes also.

Well, the window has now closed for us to receive a court date, until after the courts open back up after for rainy season. So that means Oct. I am hoping and praying that we get a court date then. Our baby girl is growing up and we only get to see glimpses of her in the pictures we receive from other traveling families. I just want to hold her and tell her how much we all love her here. I know she is safe and taken care of and that at least gives me some peace. And the pictures that we receive of her are like treasures that I take out every day and just wish she was here with me. Sorry for the ramble, I am just feeling sorry for myself today.

Still no news

Well the window for us to receive a court date before court closure is slowly closing for us. It looks like we will have to wait until the courts reopen in October to receive our court date. This make me sad because our little girl is growing up without her mommy and daddy and also because Jerry will not be able to see her before he goes overseas. I was really hoping and praying that we would have one by now. Even Levi asks where his baby sister is, breaks my heart. It does help to know that she is well taken care of and healthy along with all the other kids at hope. But I would still rather have her here with us so I could love on her. For now I will have to wait for her to come home. Please pray that she will be home soon.

Update on baby girl

We just received this update on our baby girl from a fellow AP that is in Ethiopia visiting her kiddos right now. She says of Desta:

DESTA: VERY VERY CUTE, HAPPY BABY, LAUGHS AND SHOWS ALL HER GUMS, HER EYE LASHES ARE TO DIE FOR
These little bits of news and pictures that we receive of our precious little girl are what keeps me going in this wait for a court date. I can't believe that 2 months have gone by and we haven't received one. If we don't get one soon, I think I will go crazy!! Not sure what the heck is going on there, but I guess all we can do is wait for that magical call or e-mail letting us know we have a court date. Please oh please let us get one soon!!

No news yet

Well our agency was supposed to receive another batch of court dates this week, but I received an e-mail saying that they did not get them. Also that the courts are now closing August 21st and won't re-open until Oct 1st. So if we don't get on before August we will have to wait until Oct. for our court date. I was so sure that we would have our date by now and this is so discouraging. I know that it will happen when the time is right, but I have never been good at waiting!!! Just wishing that we could have her home before Jerry had to leave.

Court news

Well the rumors have been flying around that on July 2nd is when the courts will announce when they will start hearing the abandonment cases from Addis. I really hope this is true and we can receive our court date soon. And that all the people that have been waiting alot longer than we have to get thiers also and pass so that they can bring thier kiddos home too. Tomorrow will be a month that we have been waiting for a court date, I think I read that before it was about 2 weeks or so to find out your court date. At this point we are praying that we get one before court closure this year so we can bring her home by Oct. or Nov. providing we pass on the first or second court date. There are a couple of family's traveling in July and I can't wait to see new pictures of our little girl Desta!!! Since Jerry leaves for Iraq in Oct. I would really like for him to be able to meet his daughter before he leaves. He leaves for training July 20th and will only be home for a wekk in Aug and for Thanksgiving, then he will be gone until next Oct. I don't know how I will make it through this next year or so without him here. Please pray for our family.

Newest info on court cases

It is unofficial, but hopefully the Ethiopian courts are going to start to hear cases on abandoned kids as early as next week!!! Maybe we will get a court date soon. I pray that we do, and when I say we I mean all the families especially those that have waited longer than we have to finally get a court date and pass so that we can bring these kiddos home. I am really praying hard that we get one before court closure or maybe they won't close at all, that would be wonderful. Well that's all for now, we just returned home from San Antonio and I am so tired. 3:30am comes around way too early in the morning.

Rumors

There have been rumors going around that the Ethiopian courts that close every Aug & Sept will not close this year during thier rainy season because of the investigation that was conducted into a few orphanages. It also states that the investigation is now over and they will start to issue court dates for the children abandoned in Addis Ababa and all the other cases that have been postponed. I just hope that both are true. We just might be able to bring our little Desta home sooner than we thought. WOOHOO!!!!! We already are so in love with her and we've only seen her in a couple pictures. I have now started to finish up her room. I need to find a couple stencils to finish it. I think it will be so cute when I get it done. Everyone here is getting so excited. I can't wait to bring her home.

Contract signed and delivered!!!!

We sent in the signed contract yesterday to our agency. Now we just wait for a court date. We are not sure if she was abandoned or relinquished so we aren't sure if we will be one of those cases that will not be heard until the Ethiopian government makes a decision about what to do. I hope they do soon and everyone that has a court date will pass and be able to bring thier children home. I would really like to be able to bring her home before Jerry leaves for the Middle East, so at least he will be able to go with me and be with her even if it's just a short time. Sometimes I wonder and it scares the you know what out of me that something will happen to him over there before he ever gets to see her and then Mylie will never know what a good man her daddy is. I hate to think like that but I can't help it, there are so many what if's. I just need to focus on something, and Mylie's referral came just at the right time. Getting things ready for her will make the time go by quickly (I hope). I will post more info when I get it.

OMG...... We received our referral!!!

We received the file of an almost 2 month old baby girl this afternoon. Of course we accepted and are just so in shock and in love with her already. She is tiny weighing about 7.7 lbs, but oh so beautiful!!!! I can't believe it. I keep looking at her referral photo and paperwork and thinking to myself is this really happening? Is this our daughter? This has been such a good week for us. First with Levi doing so well with his new foot and so close to getting it, to getting our baby girl's referral. We couldn't be happier. I think we are going to name her Mylie Jaide Desta Maxwell, we may not use Jaide though. Desta is her Ethiopian name and means Happy or Joy. Just beautiful.

Please pray for a speedy court date so that we may bring our beautiful daughter home.

Month 2 in the wait for the girls

Well today is the 2 month mark in our wait for our girls. If nothing has changed in wait times we are looking at possibly getting our referral in about 4 to 7 months. Of course we hope it's closer to the 4 months than the 7 months. I was told that no-one with this agency has waited longer than 8 months so far, I hope that is still the case. And then court is another case altogether, the more I read the posts from other waiting families, the more scared I get that is where the longest wait will be. There have been families waiting 16 plus months since referral of thier children, and that is really scary to me. I was hoping to bring them home a few months before having to go back to work when Jerry gets back from overseas. Sooner or later I will have to for financial reasons. Lets hope the next few months go by as quickly as these last 2 have.

One month down

The 20th is our one month mark of waiting for the girls. It has went by fast, so lets hope the next months until we receive our referral goes just as fast. I think caring for Levi has helped tremendously as he keeps me busy and my m ind off the girls. I can't wait to have them home with us. My only regret is that Jerry possibly will not get the experience of seeing their birth country if he cannot get leave when we are allowed to travel to bring them home. But we will make up for it when he comes home. I will try to keep up the blog, but since there is not much happening until referral it might be a little hard. I guess I could post all the cute things that we have found and people give us for the girls. We will probably need to buy clothes when we find out how old they are and what size, if we don't have the right sizes already. We could possible get twins too so then we will definitely need more because I always wanted to have twins to dress them alike.

Week 2

This is week 2 into the wait for our girls. Some of the posts on the Ethiopia boards that I have been reading have been very disturbing to me lately. I tend to take things to heart and they bother me way more than they should. Makes me wonder sometimes if this is really going to happen or not. Jerry says not to panic it will happen when the time is right. I thought this time around that it wouldn't be so crazy and I wouldn't worry so much, but that isn't the case. I don't obsess about it to the extent that I did before, but it is always still there in the back of my mind. I want so much to be mom to these babies. But it has only been 2 weeks so I will calm down and wait my turn for now.

We have our I171H!!

And it only took 1 month to get it. I was totally surprised to get it int he mail today! I wasn't expecting it at all. One step closer to the girls! Now we just have to wait along with the other families for referrals, which could take up to 9 months or so. We will see what happens over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Our documents are in Ethiopia

Our documents made it to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday the 20th. Now they will be translated and we are on the waiting list for our babies. Hope it doesn't drag on forever like China did. I am getting more excited as each day passes. One step closer to bringing them home. At least we have other things to keep my mind occupied like my little man Levi, he keeps us on our toes most days. I had forgotten how much it took to keep up with a toddler in the house, and his leg is in a cast!! Wait and see what it will be like when he gets his prosthetic foot. I will never be able to sit down again.

And we're off!!!!

Or should I say our Dossier is off to Ethiopia!!!!! I just got the e-mail today. We are officially waiting for our referral for our girls. I can't tell you how excited we are to be on this journey again. At this time the wait for a healthy infany girl with our agency is about 6 to 9 months. Let's hope it's closer to 6! After that we wait for our court date (agency rep. goes for us)and then if we pass we travel about 2 months after. We are hoping to bring the little ones home early next year. I will probably be going by myself or taking one of the older kids with me.

Very exciting times in the Maxwell house. Stay tuned for more news as we get further into the wait.

Sandi

One step closer

We are one step closer to our daughter(s). We sent off the paperwork to the United States Immigration last Friday and received our receipt today in the mail. They got it on the 23rd so it will be about 60 days until we receive our I171H approval for the kids. After that we can send our dossier in to get certified and then authenticated. After that it goes to Ethiopia. We were told we should receive our referral about 6 to 9 months after that time. I hope it's closer to 6 than 9. And then we have to wait for a court date and pass. After that it will be travel time. So it is looking more and more like next year before we can bring the kids home. I really wanted to bring them home the end of this year so I would have the time to stay home with them a little longer before having to return to work.

I will post more later.

PS I need some help coming up with Mylie's middle name. We had originally chose Jaide but we are going to name our second daughter Jaidyn Emmory. So I have been trying to come up with a middle name for Mylie. We are trying to adopt an infant girl and a toddler about 18 mo to 2 years. Wish us luck.

The Application is in the mail

Just a brief note to say that I have officially signed with our agency. It is Hope Adoption out of Missouri. We chose them for several reasons, but the main one being that I liked the fact that she called me back at about 6:30pm on the same day that I left the message. She seems like such a great lady and I can't wait to get everything together to bring our little princess home. I was told that the wait time from Dossier in country to referral for a young girl under 1 year was 6 to 9 months at this point with thier agency. So if we are able to get our Dossier in by April, and all goes well we should have her home by January next year maybe sooner. We are so lucky to be able to bring these children into our lives and are truely blessed. I couldn't ask for a better son and I am sure it will be the same with our daughter. I am excited to journey down this road again to bring her home. Levi has been such a joy to have around, he makes me laugh everyday.