6 months

Tomorrow marks 6 months of waiting for a referral. When we started this journey we were told 4-6 months wait for a referral, and now that we are at the 6 month mark it doesn't really feel like we are any closer. Ahhh...deep breath...try to think positive.

Would you place children with these people?

Ok, maybe don't answer that question - haha.

This picture was taken before Matthew and I got married. He taught English in Japan for a year and I went to see him at Christmas time for a couple weeks. This photo was taken at a hostel we stayed in. Not the most flattering picture I must say... haha...we are just being silly.
Matthew really loved living in Japan and I think he would have stayed there much longer if it wasn't for me trying to drag him back home. Japanese people really have a rich and interesting culture and history. I hope we get to go back again someday. I also enjoyed the "soy sauce" flavoured Pringles, and the "teriyaki chicken" burger at McDonalds there (good for a foreigner who needs an occasional break from eating seafood).

Not much new....

Not much new with us...Just thought I would share some music I like (Valery Gore is Canadian and I love the piano in her music).



Dancing

http://www.valerygore.com/

Historic Day

-Barack Obama’s Inauguration Day-

What an important day in history and for civil rights!

I can’t help but think about my nieces, nephew, and the child we will adopt. I really hope this next generation of children can grow up in a world where they all have an equal chance of achieving their dreams. Today was a big step in that direction.

7 Things

I have been tagged by Laura to share 7 things about myself...

1- I am a terrible cook. My mother in law bought me a book once with basic things like how to boil and egg…haha. She must have been worried Matthew would end up famished living with me. Lucky for me he is a great cook….ok, lucky depending on which way you look at it, my pant line is feeling the effects.
2- I don’t take myself too seriously. In the last 5-6 years I have really learned to roll with the punches (I used to be way more uptight) and not expect perfection in myself or others. Man life would be boring if everything was perfect.
3- I can’t spell worth a darn. You may have noticed this already if you follow my blog. I like to blame it on that part of my brain not developing fully - haha. Matthew sometimes reads over a post on my blog and laughs at the mistakes I make without noticing…oh well, good thing I’m not worried about being perfect.
4- I love sweets! I can polish a box of chocolates in a mater of hours.
5- I have wanted to adopt for as long as I can remember. Not sure where the desire came from because there is no other connection to adoption in my family, but for long as I can remember it has been there.
6- I have been having strange dreams lately. First I had a dream that my cat was my baby…I was in the video store in town picking up a movie and I had her with me in a baby sling. Then I had a dream that all of my teeth fell out. Strange!! Any dream interpreters out there? Maybe it is a sign of what is to come…I am destined to be an old cat lady with no teeth.
7- I love learning about other parts of the world, different cultures, foods, customs, music…etc.

Well there you have it…hope I didn’t put you to sleep (-: I am supposed to tag 7 people, but I think most bloggers have already done this post. If you are reading this and you haven’t then you are tagged!

Three Cups of Tea

I noticed I have been posting a little less this month. I have to admit it is because I have been in a bit of a funk when it comes to thinking about our adoption, with the increasing wait times and everything. So I have tried to give myself some time away from thinking about it so much by not going on the computer all the time (which is really a funny thing to say because I still think about it all the time anyways).

I just finished reading a book I got for Christmas and it was really good! Watch the video below if you are interested. It is about an American who has been building schools in poor and war torn areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan for a number of years now. What he is doing is really inspiring. We read so much about how people are trying to fight the terror in that part of the world with bombs and guns, and then there is a story about this guy who is trying to do his part with books and by educating girls. I hope some of those millions of dollars being spent on the war by countries like the USA and Canada can find their way to these kinds of projects. Maybe then there wouldn't be so much hate when the next generation of children grow up.

I love good quotes from books (if you haven't already noticed - hehe)....this book is about him following his heart despite all of the obstacles he encountered and living out his dream to help the children in that part of the world.

"When your heart speaks, take good notes" Judith Campbell

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." Persian Proverb

Watch CBS Videos Online

Visist his website at https://www.ikat.org/

Tooth on the Roof

I really love finding books for kids that celebrate the interesting way people do things in different parts of the world. This one we found at Ten Thousand Villages (I love that store). It is a kids book that shows tooth traditions from around the world. Very cool, but Ethiopia wasn't featured in it. Hmmm I wonder what kids do there when they lose a tooth? Anyone know??
In a lot of countries they throw their tooth on the roof, feed it to a dog, leave it for a mouse and so on...
If you know of any other around the world type books like this let me know, I think I will start a collection.

More Red Tape

I am reading a really good book and I came across a quote that stuck with me the other day.

“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.
You feel it, don’t you?”
-Rumi-

Reading this made me think of my desire to become a parent.

Today was a bit of an emotionally draining day as we have just learned that there will be some changes to court procedures in Ethiopia which will effectively add more red tape to the process and make it even longer. My hope is that these new procedures work to better protect the children, but my worry is that things will move very slowly and children will end up living a greater portion of their early life in an orphanage or transition home.

It’s a funny thing trying to answer the questions family and friends have about “when will you have your little one home?” We try to give our best answer and estimate but I think the most accurate response is that we have no clue. Trying to open up your heart to the idea of becoming a parent with all of the preparation, research, reading and emotional commitment there is involved in that, is a very difficult thing when there is so much uncertainty as well. Ah...deep breath...and so our journey continues.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a nice New Year celebration!! I hope 2009 is a good year and many of us get to meet our little ones and become forever families.

We are going out tonight for Ethiopian food - Yum! I can't wait!!

I tried only once so far to make an Ethiopian dish at home and it turned out very bad. I couldn't help but laugh because it really was nothing like the doro watt I have had when we go out for dinner.

Does anyone have any good Ethiopian recipes they would like to share in the comment section??


We found a couple places in London Ontario where you can buy injera (which is the Ethiopian bread) already made, so I have some in the freezer just waiting for me to make something to eat with it.

You can get Teff flour at most Bulk Barns - go figure!
and you can get ready made injera in London Ontario at the BigBee Variety store, or the variety store on Adelaide St N (sorry I forget the name).