More lows and highs than the ocean tide...

Like Alexander, Tuesday began as a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." E had left Monday afternoon, traveling to DC for a one-day conference. So, C and I were running solo (although I guess with two of us, it would technically be a duet, not a solo). Anyway, our day started with the great cat roundup - Bella kitty needed to be herded into her kennel for a trip to the vet. She had not been eating and was having tummy and bladder issues. Herding cats...nearly impossible. So, after lots of fuss, Bella finally found herself in the kennel! Don't know who was fussier during the car ride: Bella the meower or Colin, who kept saying, "It okay Beh-wah...you be okay...you no cry now" and was confused as to why a Siamese-mixed breed would refuse to let a 3 year-old boy hold her paw. Bloodwork, two injections, flea/tick treatment, medical mystery left unsolved, and credit card charge, mission completion. Bella arrived safely home.

After taking Bella home, C and I departed for some workout and play time. C was full of questions about the "whys" Bella was sick and (in his words) "frustrated" that Mum-mum the Omnipotent didn't provide adequate answers to "Life, the Universe, and Everything," using an outside voice to emphasize the point. Unfortunately, the outside voice coincided with the moment I was beginning to pull into a parking spot - subsequently resulting in the meeting of my passengerside bumper with the rear quarter panel and rear driver side door of another vehicle. Fortunately, I was able to locate the owner of the vehicle and exchange insurance information (thankfully, she was very nice and greatful that I wanted to do the right thing).

After arriving home (after an abbreviated workout), C decided to take a late nap (1:30 pm - he normally goes down for his nap around 12:30 pm - and yes, I know, be thankful that a 3 year old still naps). I was thoroughly convinced "the call" would not happen and sat down at my computer to check emails and Facebook. At 2:39 pm, my cell phone rang. I thought, "...hmm, who could that be" and walked downstairs to check. Glancing quickly, I didn't recognize the number listed and tried to redial...the number was one that could not accept incoming calls. After this, I noticed there was one voice mail and went to retrieve the message.

"Hi T, it's Abbey from Gladney. Have some good news to share with you. So give me a call back when you get this."

Good news...no...E's in DC....OMG (all this time running upstairs and working my best to keep the excitement to a mouse-like squeak (and not wake up C). So, I hurriedly returned Abbey's call and asked if this was the call (for which she said, Yes). I told her I needed to call E because he was out of town in DC and would call her back. So, call #1 placed to E - no answer...left a message. Waited a few minutes and placed call #2 - no answer, second message left.

I made an executive decision to go ahead and proceed w/ "the call". So, with much happiness, I sat down at the computer and received the news that would change my (and our family's) life for the second time. We were receiving a referral for an adorable infant girl, estimated date of birth on May 16th -Miss M. She was five weeks old and an itty bitty (current weight of 7 lbs).

Looking at these precious photographs, I was amazed at her tiny hands and feet, wide open eyes, and chuckled at these words, "peaceful, content little baby. Of course when it comes time for her feedings, she does not show the slightest hesitation in crying for her milk." Although my heart wasn't small, like the Grinch it grew three sizes that day.

Three additional calls to E yielded no results. Finally, the phone rang at 4:49 pm and I was able to relay the news that E was going to be Ba for a second time. Since he had no internet access, he would look at her pictures and information after he arrived home that evening. Now that he knew, I was call the family and let them know about Miss M's referral call (incredible restraint...I know).

Flashforward to 8:15 pm. I was w/ C at a board meeting when E called. Apparently he missed his flight (thought it departed at 7:30 pm, rather than the actual time 30 minutes earlier), had to stay overnight, and arrived safely home this morning. E was able to see the pictures of his baby daughter.

Although we are not permitted to tell you her name or display any pictures...trust me, she is an absolute doll! She is another miracle and has already taken her place as a member of the family. We are so thrilled to become Baby M's parents and look forward to the day she is placed with us permanetly!

A final word: today was Abbey's last day with the Gladney family. I was thrilled that she was the one to make "the call." She will be missed; however, we look forward to working again with Jessica as we go through the final stages of bringing Baby M home.

Just when you least expect it...

The phone rings and your life changes again in an instant. We received "the call" today from Abbey, our caseworker: a beautiful itty bitty, adorable 5 week old baby girl.

More details to follow (and yes, there's a story...)

Inching ever closer

Our family is now at the top of the unofficial "list" for an infant girl. Congratulations to the families who recently received referrals (*June is busting out all over* with referrals) and those families who have passed court. For the families who did not pass court, we are hopeful for your success on your next court date (which, hopefully will be very soon).

Some of our local Gladney families are either in ET or preparing to travel. We look forward to seeing your little ones home!

I still remain cautiously optimistic in receiving a referral this month. However, I have to remind myself that this process reveals itself in due course. It amazing to think that at this very moment, our daughter is in Ethiopia right now, hopefully receiving lots of love from her nannies. Although I do not know whom she is, her name, or what she looks like, she is already very much a part of our family and loved by her Ba, Mum-mum, and big brother C and the rest of our "clan" (E's paternal grandfather was born in Ireland, so indeed they are our clan).

At Mother's Day this year, I performed a song called "You Are Loved." The one word in the lyrics was slightly modified to take in account that although we were not present for their births, the love for our children grew in our hearts, rather than our bodies. The words are so meaningful and I want to share them with you:

"You Are Loved" (words and music by Cindy Berry - copyright 2004 GlorySound)

When I look into your eyes I see the wonder of a child "loved" and formed by the Lord.
A precious child created in His image, according to His word.

And wherever your path may lead you, I want you always to know;
You are loved, dear child, you are loved.

You are loved, you are special, you are loved by your fam'ly and friends.
And you are loved by your heavenly Father, with a love that never ends.

As you listen to the voice of the Father, may you follow Him day by day.
May you feel His loving arms around you, guiding and showing you the way.

And wherever your path may lead you, I want you always to know;
You are loved, dear child, you are loved.

You are loved, dear child, you are loved.

MIA

In the interest of minimizing duplication of work (and maintaining my sanity as we wait for our daughter's referral), I posted portions of our lastest entry (edited for name appropriateness) from Big Brother C's blog here (hope this isn't too confusing for you - we use initials for names!).

Wow, how time flies when you're having fun. Since we last blogged (interesting that this word is now ingrained in our vocabulary, eh?), we've had several very interesting adventures. Big Brother C finished preschool. On the last day, E took pictures of C w/ his "buddies", J, M, and A (the boys). Here they are invoking their inner Spidermen and Supermen:

When looking at the pictures, it was interesting to note that E even was able to include a picture of the "big truck" which was the subject of many conversations (pretty much on a daily basis) after preschool. After naptime, C and J (sitting next to C) raced to the playground - the winner received the spoils of playing w/ the big truck (instead of the small truck). C informed us each day regarding whom won the race (either being elated from his victory or upset that J did not share the big truck).

It's amazing to realize how much C has grown (both physically and developmentally) since August. Language skills alone are astounding. Many thanks to Ms. Janice and Ms. Melanie (yes, *gasp* names are included) for all they did to help C grow as a preschooler. He'll miss you when he starts class in the "green school" in August!

Here's Ms. Janice and C:

and Ms. Melanie and C:


In addition to finishing his first year of preschool, C enjoyed his first beach vacation. Opa and Oma (E's parents) joined us as we traveled to one of the beaches in SC. We stayed in a very nice location (think timeshare and hotel combined) with private access to the beach and a private pool. C was fascinated by the tide and most enjoyed the puddles of oceanwater that formed when the tide rolled away (but, alas, we weren't sittin' at the dock of the bay). C pretended to swim and wanted us to call him "turtle." Let's just say we've created a beach bum! He also unleashed his inner Tiger Woods and had several hole-in-ones on the local miniature golf courses. C was most fascinated by the "big sharks" and "turtle" at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach (alas, Mum-mum was not able to convince C that the turtle was a female named "Gabrielle" - according to C, it was a boy turtle like in Nemo...). Toward the end of the week, we had dinner at an excellent restaurant named "Pacino's Mediterranean Grille." The owners took C under their wing, had him draw a picture, sign his name, and place it in the kitchen - oh, yes, and the food was absolutely FABULOUS!

We've also had our fair share of doctor visits. After his hospitalization, C had two flare ups of respiratory symptoms (wheezing and fever), so we've visited a pulmonologist (lung doctor) and allergist (Dr. Maeve O'Connor - we highly recommend her!). C survivied his PFT (pulmonary function test) and allergy testing (ouchies which earned him a trip to Ben & Jerry's for "brown ice cream on a BIG cone"). So, C is now a seasoned pro in using his inhaler w/ spacer and taking his "yummy medicine" (aka Zyrtec). Oh, yes, let's not forget his visit to the optometrist - C will soon be the proud owner of glasses that will need to be worn when he's watching TV or reading books ("Just like Ba." C stated).

Just like any good big brother, C has started using "baby sister" as his alibi when he's caught committing infractions ("I no do it. Baby sister do it."). However, Big Brother C showed his tender side when discussing all the things he wanted to do for his baby sister (feeding, changing diaper, rocking or "woking" as he calls it). He said, "I love Ba, Mum-mum, and Baby Sister."

On the bright side, C loves giving kisses and hugs at bedtime (and will let you know if he hasn't been able to do so). Just in the past week, C has independently begun saying "Yes sir" and "Yes ma'am" (with prompting from Mum-mum to help him understand when sir and ma'am should be used - and no, I can't receive any credit for this one...he started this on his own).

Our neighbor S finished painting the kids' bathroom. I'll post pictures once I discover the location of my camera (MIA or AWOL at the moment - waiting for the ranson note to appear). As for the "theme" - let's just say we brought a little bit of the beach home to Charlotte.

On a final note, we've begun the wonderful joy of nighttime potty training (no more diapers for our big boy). On a positive note, we have had a few (stress the word few) treasured dry-sheet and jammies nights (thanks to a nighttime wake up and emptying of the bladder). On the flip side, this means we've had a many days of waking up to the sounds of "I wet" and even more laundry cycles for Ba. If all goes well, we'll have one fully potty trained, just in time to begin diapers for #2!

Here's a video montage of our trip. Hope you enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Eight months

Well, eight months have passed since we found ourselves attaining waitlist status. As with international adoption, timelines are subject to change (well, IA in general is a fluid, dynamic process...expect the unexpected). Fortunately, big brother C has been keeping us busy with his antics (guess it'll be time to update his blog as well...a project for another day).

I was looking back at C's blog and realized that two years ago on the 26th, we received C's referral. Wouldn't it be interesting if we received our daughter's referral this month as well? Speculation, of course (perhaps more wishful thinking than anything).

The understanding and perspective of time is extremely helpful. Simultaneously, it feels as though we've been on the waitlist both a brief moment of time and an eternity. I've seen our name move up the unofficial list and hope that, in another brief period of time, our process will take the next step.

Waiting is never easy. But, I do remember the wait seemed so minimal when the referral call took place. I hold on to that thought as the days continue to pass. It's not a matter of if the referral will take place, it's a matter of when...

So for now, I sit here listening to the sounds of silence (with the exception of the drumming of the keyboard) and remain hopeful the call will be received soon. I gained renewed joy as I read updates on blogs and hear about other families who have been waiting longer (and sometimes shorter) receiving their referrals, passing court, and traveling to be united with their precious bundles of joy.

Life is good...

Sweethearts

With Valentine's Day approaching, I spoke w/ C to help him understand the concept of Valentines and "sweethearts." I told him that Ba and he were my sweethearts and that he and I were Ba's sweethearts. So then, I asked C who his sweetheart was. He smiled and said, "My sister."

Tonight, as we were helping C prepare for bed (as per our usual routine) and asked C which books he would like to read. He looked at us, pointed to the small books in his bookcase and said, "small books for baby sister."

There are times it seems that time is moving at warp speed. Counting today, we have been on the waitlist for 134 days -or-

4 months, 11 days -or-

19 weeks -or-

3,216 hours -or-

192,960 minutes (Hopefully we won't reach 525,600 minutes!) -or-
11,577,600 seconds (but who's counting?)

Based on new estimates from our agency, families are waiting (on average) 6 1/2 month to receive a referral. So, we hope to receive a referral sometime between E's and my birthdays (March 25th and April 25th).

Gladney Family - October 18, 2008

Warmest wishes and congratulations to our ET Gladney families who either received court approval, court dates, or referrals this week. We look forward to joining your ranks in the near future when the time is right to be united with our DD!

Two weeks down, countless others to go...

Inquiring Minds Want to Know...

So, now that we are officially on "wait list," I thought it would be fun to ask you all to make your "referral predictions" about the referral date and age of our DD.

So put on your prognosticating hats and bring on the predictions! I'll post the list under the adoption time line.

Waitlist!

A, our ET caseworker, informed us today that we have officially been placed on waitlist. What does this mean? Elementary, my dear Watson...our dossier is now complete and has been submitted to DC for authentication. From there, our dossier will be sent to ET, translated into Amharic (the native language of ET...yay, more new words to learn), and held by the agency's in-country reps.

So now, the fun begins. Currently, families have waited for approximately four to six months on average to receive a referral. But, as we are well aware with int'l adoption, this is only an estimate. Our wait could be shorter, or longer. If all goes well, hopefully E (aka Ba - yes, since C already calls E "Ba", our DD from ET will learn that name as well) will receive a wonderful birthday present in March 2009 (but, we are open to that wonderful call coming earlier, ya' know...).

Unlike our last adoption journey, we now have C to keep us preoccupied and entertained. There is nothing better than the giggles of a three year old to brighten your life after a long day of teaching. We look forward to growing our family to four and know our DD will be united with us, when the time is right!

Seasoned Pros

It's interesting...

How similar, yet different, our second adoption journey is shaping itself to become. In less than three months, we find ourselves where we were at the six month mark in our first adoption. I'm also amazed as how calm and peaceful I truly feel. Part of this may be attributed to the fact that we're (apparently) "seasoned pros" or that we have C to keep us occupied with his daily antics and the new discoveries that each day brings.

We had our CIS appointment on June 24th, as scheduled. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we completed the process that day (E and I had brought reading materials with us, just in case). The staff were very pleasant. And now, we wait for the wonderful I-171H approval, which signals the final step in the dossier collection process. From there, our documents will be authenticated & sent to ET (and we'll be on the official "wait list").

I suppose it helps to have summer vacations and travel plans to help the time pass more quickly. I'm enjoying the summer break from my teaching schedule (the downside to time passing more quickly means August 18th will arrive before I know it!).

We have a new ET caseworker through the agency, A. We're looking forward to working with her and have enjoyed discovering commonalities. She, like E, was born in PA and lived here in NC before moving to TX (and, sounds like she's a Tarheel fan...we'll get along just fine :D ).

As with our first adoption journey, we won't prepare our daughter's room until after we receive a referral and are closer to court approval and travel. Unlike C's room, it won't have to be painted (it's already a very pretty shade of pink) - and the house is already child-proofed! We'll also wait to see our beautiful daughter & learn her ET name before determining whether we will keep her ET name or have a blended name (like we did for C).

On Friday evening, an African Children's Choir will be performing at a local church. I look forward to attending the event with my family. We're also planning to have dinner at a local ET restaurant very soon w/ friends (B teaches African politics & spent a year teaching in Kenya). I've had the pleasure of eating there before and look forward to returning for more delicious cuisine.

All for now. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!