Here is a picture of baby birds in a nest in our front yard. Our famliy loves babies, and birds are no exception. As we go through times of sorrow in our home and family it is a joy to see God creating new life all around us.
Domestic Adoption
Ethiopia Adoption
A Family of Six!
God's Heart for People
- Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction... (James 1:27)
- For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men. (Lam. 3:31-33)
- Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 13:10)
- Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him. (Prov. 14:31)
Ethiopia Facts
- Bordered by Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia
- Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
- Population approximately 77 million
- Capital Addis Ababa
- Addis Ababa population approximately 5 million
- Official currency is the Ethiopian birr (~11 birr to 1 dollar)
- Amharic is the official language, although more than 80 other local languages are spoken
- Primary two religions are Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and Sunni Muslim
- Average income approximately $1 per day
- Adult literacy rate less than 50%
- Median age is 18
- Average life expectancy approximately 48 years
- More than 1 million people with AIDS
- More than 4 million orphans ages 0-17
- Children in orphanages are either abandoned due to poverty or orphaned due to AIDS or war
Addis Ababa Local Info
Ethiopia Timeline
- What's Next..... (LAST THING TO DO) Change Kayla's citizenship status with Social Security
- 7/5/2011 - Received Certificate of Citizenship
- 4/23/2011 - Applied for Certificate of Citizenship
- 4/13/2011 - Received Kayla's US birth certificate
- 3/16/2011 - Received US birth certificate notification and sent in application
- 2/23/2011 - Received Decree Validating Foreign Adoption
- 2/15/2011 - After much delay, we have submitted Kayla's Colorado re-adoption paperwork to the courts
- 6/4/2009 - We receive Kayla's passport, visa, medical exam results, and head to the airport to return home.
- 6/2/2009 - Appointment at US Embassy in Addis Ababa. Kayla is approved for entry to the US on an IR-4 visa.
- 6/1/2009 - We pick up Kayla from foster care this morning. She is with us from now on!
- 5/30/2009 - Fly to Ethiopia
- 4/24/2009 - Received our Embassy appointment date, which determines our travel dates.
- 4/21/2009 - Ethiopian court approves our adoption of baby Kayla. She is now officially ours! Can't wait to go get her, but we still need an Embassy appointment date.
- 4/2/2009 - Homestudy update completed and mailed out.
- 1/30/2009 - Completed homestudy update interviews.
- 1/17/2009 - Moved to Colorado!
- 12/11/2008 - Started working on paperwork for Colorado homestudy update.
- 12/8/2008 - Received our referral!
- 11/3/2008 - Decided to move with my job to Colorado. Big decision. Huge decision actually.
- 7/7/2008 - Our dossier ships out to Ethiopia. We are officially on the waiting list for a referral!
- 7/5/2008 - Received our I-171H (Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petitions) from USCIS
- 6/24/2008 - Complete dossier sent to Washington DC for authentications.
- 6/13/2008 - Copies of entire dossier sent to CWA for review.
- 6/10/2008 - Official homestudy report received! Copy sent to USCIS.
- 5/21/2008 - Draft copy of homestudy report sent to CWA for review
- 4/30/2008 - Received certified Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms from Secretary of State
- 4/19/2008 - Homestudy interviews and house inspection completed and passed!
- 4/5/2008 - Mailed notarized Dossier Cover Letter and Power of Attorney forms to Secretary of State for certification
- 4/4/2008 - Received call from social worker. The homestudy interviews and home safety inspection are scheduled for the 19th.
- 3/31/2008 - Completed "Adoption Parenting" book and online exam to satisfy the remaining hours of training required by the Hague Convention
- 3/24/2008 - Completed and mailed paperwork requirements to homestudy agency - now waiting for phone call from social worker to set up interviews and home inspection
- 3/22/2008 - Completed "With Eyes Wide Open" online training course
- 3/8/2008 - Fingerprinting at USCIS for FBI background check
- 2/21/2008 - LiveScan fingerprinting at Police Dept for Justice Dept background check
- 2/19/2008 - Mailed I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) to USCIS
- 2/8/2008 - Started working paperwork for homestudy requirements
- 2/4/2008 - Accepted for our homestudy
- 1/25/2008 - Applied to another local agency to do our homestudy
- 1/24/2008 - Received Gary's passport (really bad picture)
- 1/22/2008 - Canceled contract with local homestudy agency after they said they would not work with a family that has an infant in the home already
- 1/21/2008 - Received Jamie's passport (with a good picture of course)
- 1/19/2008 - Completed NCFA online training course to satisfy 8 of the 10 training hours required by the Hague Convention
- 1/16/2008 - Signed with local agency for California homestudy
- 1/04/2008 - Applied for passports
- 12/30/2007 - Signed up with Christian World Adoption for placement of an Ethiopian girl between the ages of 6 and 18 months
- Dec 2007 - Started seriously looking at international adoption agencies
Links of Interest
Blog Archive
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5 comments:
Time of sorrow? Everything ok? Praying for you guys.
Stacy, Thank you for checking in, it is so nice to hear from you! The sorrow I was referring to was the sudden death of Gary's father a few weeks ago. It is takeing time to morn and even process this unexpected loss. I pray you are well, I enjoy peeking at your blog and getting updated on how you guys are doing! Blessings!
I enjoy peeking at your blog and staying updated as well. Can you believe it's been over a year? I'm so sorry to hear about Gary's Dad. We will definitely be keeping you guys in our prayers.
Jamie, Do you know what kind of birds they are?
Aunt Chris, They are baby robins. We see mommy and daddy in the nest or by the tree.
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