Backus/Wilcox Family History: More waiting

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

More waiting

I know - this will be our life for months - rush, rush and more rush - only to wait! But I did get my HR paperwork today only to have to cancel my dr appointment next week where I was NOT leaving until I received my notarized letter from her. Ha - I found out I need to travel for work next week -oh well. Lets just hope USCIS doesn't schedule our appointment next week - I doubt they work that fast. So we'll see.

I know in the long run - the long waits will be totally worth it! I keep seeing other blogs and stories of all these other families and they are just beautiful. I can't wait to see a picture of our child and then to hold them. These months will seem foolish one day! So I should just cherish my dreams and the quiet for now.

Today I"m preparing stuff for our Thanksgiving and thankful for so much. Thankful for the family we have here and those in heaven. I'm making my mom's homemade party (chex) mix. YUMMY. A tradition for the holidays. I wish I had a few other things, but I do - only lost in storage. Maybe this Christmas holiday I'll dig things out and organize. Because hopefully next year we'll have a second child to share things with. And then bring some Ethiopia into our lives - as that's now going to be part of our history, family tree - you name it. Its cool to think about all that.

Plus - I have a healthy child, my friends have a very sick child - a child with an unknown blood disease, one so rare they can't figure it out. during tests this summer they found out he has a brain malformation and recently was told he needs brain surgery like this week or next! And now yesterday they did tests to see if he has a mass in his chest. Its like what does this little 3 year old have to endure. And he's got 2 brothers and a new one coming this Christmas! So 4 kids under 6 and one very ill. Wow - so please keep little Gabriel in your prayers this holiday season - he needs them - but his family is full of faith they are an inspiration.

I'm babbling - but lots to be happy for - even during my boring waiting times. Maybe when life slows down I'll post more about Ethiopia (ET as I may call it) so we can all learn about it. I know the country has Muslims and orthodox Christians. So we may learn a lot.

Enjoy.
Gail

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Our Adoption Time Line

5/5/10- attended Kensington Church Adoption Seminar

6/2010 - attended free informational meeting at Adoption Associates, Inc (AAI)

7/2010 - met one on one with AAI to discuss domestic and international adoption

8/2010 - submitted application for international adoption (undecided on country)

8/2010 - decided on Ethiopia (ET)

8/26/10 - accepted by AAI to adopt internationally

8/30/10 - Home study visit #1 (with 3 more to follow)

10/6/10 - Passed HOME STUDY

11/5/10 - Home study report finalized

11/9/10 - USCIS paperwork mailed

11/16/10- USCIS accepted paperwork

11/24/10 - USCIS accepted application - date for biometrics set! - 12/17

12/17/10 - USCIS Fingerprinting / biometrics completed

12/20/10 - Redford PD paperwork completed

1/8/11- I-171H RECEIVED from USCIS / DHS

1/26/11- FINAL document received - Gail's dr letter

1/28/11 - Great Seal of MI for Authentication of docs

1/28/11 - Dossier MAILED to Assistant Stork to deliver to US Depart of State and then Embassy of Ethiopia

2/1/11 - Dossier arrived at The Assistant Stork

2/2/11 - Dossier being delivered to US DOS and then to Embassy of ET

2/8/11 - Dossier in mail to ET for translations. OFFICIALLY ON WAITING LIST

6/1/11 - moved up to # 9 on waiting list (only one other family willing to adopt a little boy - so may move faster

6/23/11 - THE REFERRAL

6/26/11 - Answer YES and announcement to the world

7/18/11 - LOST referral - voided out

8/2/11 - officially #1 on wait list again

8/11/11 - Referral for Sami - and accepted

10/10/11 - Got the call about Court date - 11/29/11! Leave Thanksgiving weekend!

11/17/11 - Pass 1st Court appointment & MOYA letter is waiting!!!!!

11/25/11 - travel to ET to meet our boy

11/29/11 - Court date for US to appear & LEGALLY OUR SON

12/22/11 - Submitted to USE for approval and VISA

1/10/12 - USE finally acknowledges review of file

1/25/12 - USE sends to USCIS - more frustrations

1/31/12 - USCIS Nairobi receives files - another wait

2/7/12 - CLEARED USCIS NAIROBI

2/8/12 - Tentatively scheduled for Embassy Visa on 3/13/12

3/9/12 - LEAVE for final Trip#2

3/12/12 - GOTCHA DAY

3/13/12 - Embassy appointment

3/15/12 - Leave for home

3/16/12 - Become US Citizen!!!

Fun Facts about Ethoipia

Ethiopia has been around for a very long time. The country's Rift Valley is known as the cradle of humanity - fossils of the oldest known upright hominid (4-million years old) were found here in 2005, surpassing the famous 3.5-million-year-old 'Lucy', which was discovered in the same region back in 1974.

•A thousand years before Christ, the Queen of Sheba, we are told, traveled to Jerusalem where she met King Solomon, married him, and had a son, Menelik. When Menelik reached maturity, it is said he left Jerusalem and took with him the Ark of the Covenant, containing the original 10 commandments, back to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Christian Orthodox Church says it still has the ark in its possession. No one else makes such a claim...

•Ethiopia's official religion is the 1700 year old Ethiopian Christian Orthodox Church. The Jews of Ethiopia, Beta Israel, are said to have been there for 3000 years. And its Muslim adherents have practiced Islam for 1300 years. Ethiopia is split religiously, with official statistics of 35% to 40% Ethiopian Orthodox primarily in the north, and 45% to 50% Muslim, primarily in the South.

•Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never to be under colonial rule, other than a brief occupation by Italy during WWII. You can visit many restaurants in Ethiopia today due to the influence of Italy during the occupation.

•Traditional Ethiopian food consists of various vegetable or meat dishes, usually a wat or thick stew, served atop injera, which is a large crepe-like sourdough flatbread made from fermented teff flour. One does not eat with utensils, but instead uses a piece of the injera (always with the right hand) to scoop up the sauces.

•The Ethiopian calendar is very similar to the Egyptian Coptic calendar – each have 13 months, 12 with 30 days each and the 13th month at the end of the year with 5 or 6 days, depending on whether it is a leap year. The year starts on September 11th (12th in a leap year). The Ethiopian calendar is 7 years behind the Gregorian calendar, so Ethiopia recently celebrated their millennium on September 12, 2007.

•Coffee can be traced back to the 9th Century where it is believed a shepherd discovered coffee beans in the highlands of Ethiopia, namely the Kaffa region. The Ethiopian people are very proud of their coffee and they show this in their well known coffee ceremonies. The Coffee Ceremony is a very important part of socializing in Ethiopia and to be invited to a coffee ceremony is always considered a sign of respect and friendship.

•There are multiple tribes with different subcultures and over 80 languages in Ethiopia. The Amharic language is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia and is the official working language for Ethiopia.

•Family in Ethiopia includes immediate and extended relatives, neighbors, and friends. Faith and family are the foundation of the Ethiopian culture. Ethiopians are very respectful and loving. The elderly are considered very knowledgeable and as a very important part of the family structure. Children are usually raised in a large community that includes extended family and neighbors, and siblings are expected to help take care of each other.

Backus/Wilcox Family History

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

More waiting

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