Ok - lots of posts in one night - things are happening for some reason.
I heard from our social worker - she put us down for 0-3 years of age - they don't do months. So that is just fine. But she's done and we are waiting on signatures. Now we have to pay more - not exactly sure how much that is - but hopefully this week I can get a check and maybe borrow some money and get it started.
I can't apply for a loan until I have the home study done - so its a little bit a double edge sword. But God's gonna get us through and we believe it will work out - we feel this is meant to be!
I'm excited - maybe we can do the local police stuff this week.
I just want the custom and immigration stuff in before the prices jump soon!
Yeah! Something positive.
Friday, November 19, 2010
New updates by courts - November 2, 2010
Our agency sent some information this week on changes with the Ethiopian court systems. I'm going to hang onto the fact we can probably meet our childs family! There is a 50% chance they are alive - so that will be awesome.
1) Court Procedure- When the court process changed in May of this year, two court hearings were being scheduled. The purpose of the first one was to have the birth parent's testimony approved and to obtain approval from MOWA. The purpose of the second one was for the adoptive parents to verify that they have met their child and wish to proceed with the adoption. The adoption was then finalized.
As of last week, there is only one hearing automatically being scheduled. This hearing will include all aspects that that the two hearings originally covered. We are not sure exactly what this will look like but assume that the birth parent will complete their portion and then the adoptive parents will complete theirs after the birth parent has left the court room.
There are at least two benefits to this change. First of all, this will move the process along and ultimately allow your children to come home sooner because you will not need to wait for that second hearing. Secondly, the meeting between you and the birth parent would take place in Addis, at our AAI office, after the court hearing. This means less uncertainty with whether or not the birth parent meeting can take place than if you met them in the South.
The negative or risk with traveling to Ethiopia and attending this hearing is the slight possibility of the case not being approved and the permanently closed. This would be extremely rare, however, the risk is there.
If, for example, MOWA did not submit their letter of consent on time for the court hearing, this will be accepted later and neither the birth parent or the adoptive parents will need to re-appear in court. This result of this would be a possible delay in the case, although, this delay would typically be not more than a couple weeks.
If the adoptive family is not comfortable with the risk involved with having just the one hearing, the court is allowing, as of now anyway, a second hearing to be scheduled.
It will be at the time that you accept your referral that we will ask if you would like to attend the one hearing or if you would prefer that two hearings be scheduled.
2) Meeting Birth Parents - A couple months ago we were informed that, due to government restrictions and safety concerns, a birth parent meeting was not possible if your child was from the South and residing at EnatAlem or Africa Orphanage. We are pleased to tell you that in most cases, this meeting will be possible, afterall. As stated above, if you attend the court hearing the same day as the birth parent, this meeting will take place at our AAI office in Addis, after court. If you do not attend that hearing, we will do everything possible to make this meeting possible when you travel South on your trip.
3) The courts are requiring that both parents, if applicable,attend the court hearing. We were told initially that there would be exceptions to this requirement, but they would need to be extreme situations, such a inability to travel due to medical condition. The courts are now allowing "less extreme" exceptions. An example would be if you currently have 5 young children at home and it is very difficult for both parents to be away from home. There is not a set list of exceptions that will be accepted; it will need to be determined on a case by case basis.
1) Court Procedure- When the court process changed in May of this year, two court hearings were being scheduled. The purpose of the first one was to have the birth parent's testimony approved and to obtain approval from MOWA. The purpose of the second one was for the adoptive parents to verify that they have met their child and wish to proceed with the adoption. The adoption was then finalized.
As of last week, there is only one hearing automatically being scheduled. This hearing will include all aspects that that the two hearings originally covered. We are not sure exactly what this will look like but assume that the birth parent will complete their portion and then the adoptive parents will complete theirs after the birth parent has left the court room.
There are at least two benefits to this change. First of all, this will move the process along and ultimately allow your children to come home sooner because you will not need to wait for that second hearing. Secondly, the meeting between you and the birth parent would take place in Addis, at our AAI office, after the court hearing. This means less uncertainty with whether or not the birth parent meeting can take place than if you met them in the South.
The negative or risk with traveling to Ethiopia and attending this hearing is the slight possibility of the case not being approved and the permanently closed. This would be extremely rare, however, the risk is there.
If, for example, MOWA did not submit their letter of consent on time for the court hearing, this will be accepted later and neither the birth parent or the adoptive parents will need to re-appear in court. This result of this would be a possible delay in the case, although, this delay would typically be not more than a couple weeks.
If the adoptive family is not comfortable with the risk involved with having just the one hearing, the court is allowing, as of now anyway, a second hearing to be scheduled.
It will be at the time that you accept your referral that we will ask if you would like to attend the one hearing or if you would prefer that two hearings be scheduled.
2) Meeting Birth Parents - A couple months ago we were informed that, due to government restrictions and safety concerns, a birth parent meeting was not possible if your child was from the South and residing at EnatAlem or Africa Orphanage. We are pleased to tell you that in most cases, this meeting will be possible, afterall. As stated above, if you attend the court hearing the same day as the birth parent, this meeting will take place at our AAI office in Addis, after court. If you do not attend that hearing, we will do everything possible to make this meeting possible when you travel South on your trip.
3) The courts are requiring that both parents, if applicable,attend the court hearing. We were told initially that there would be exceptions to this requirement, but they would need to be extreme situations, such a inability to travel due to medical condition. The courts are now allowing "less extreme" exceptions. An example would be if you currently have 5 young children at home and it is very difficult for both parents to be away from home. There is not a set list of exceptions that will be accepted; it will need to be determined on a case by case basis.
Home Study report - November 1, 2010
The home study report should be done soon. We reviewed the draft last week and it will be done hopefully this week. Found out tonight one slight glitch that we can't put a desired and an approved age in there without them matching. We had hoped to put desired younger and then be allowed older. But this is not a big deal - it just helps us focus on the child that is just right for our family.
Craig and I celebrated our 11th Anniversary on Saturday and ventured to Taste of Ethiopia Restaurant in Southfield. We had the meat and veggie combos. To my big surprise it was pretty tasty! I was honestly a little nervous - my tummy doesn't do spicy and I am not one for adventure. But I really did like a lot. They also didn't give us too much spicy samples. The bread - injera is very different - totally the sponge everyone described. It didn't have much taste - the problem is that being sponge like - it really filled my new stomach up - so I couldn't eat too much. But that's fine.
Nate was so cute - he was going to stay at Papa's so we could go ut. WE talk about Ethiopia a lot and I told him mommy and daddy were going to eat the food and we can bring him some home. Well Saturday he asked how long he was staying at papa and grandma's and when we will come home. I questioned a little and found out he thought we were going TO AFRICA - TO Ethiopia to eat! He was worried it would take along time to get there. It was so cute. He now wants to go with us next time to try the food. I told him we eat with our hands. He found that exciting.
A lot of families are preparing to travel back to Ethiopia soon to bring their children home. I"m looking forward to seeing more information about the others travels to share with all of you.
And I'm excited to get our home study soon as then we can immediately submit paper work to the US CIS - Customs and immigration services. That may take a while to complete.
Love
Gail, Craig and Nate
Craig and I celebrated our 11th Anniversary on Saturday and ventured to Taste of Ethiopia Restaurant in Southfield. We had the meat and veggie combos. To my big surprise it was pretty tasty! I was honestly a little nervous - my tummy doesn't do spicy and I am not one for adventure. But I really did like a lot. They also didn't give us too much spicy samples. The bread - injera is very different - totally the sponge everyone described. It didn't have much taste - the problem is that being sponge like - it really filled my new stomach up - so I couldn't eat too much. But that's fine.
Nate was so cute - he was going to stay at Papa's so we could go ut. WE talk about Ethiopia a lot and I told him mommy and daddy were going to eat the food and we can bring him some home. Well Saturday he asked how long he was staying at papa and grandma's and when we will come home. I questioned a little and found out he thought we were going TO AFRICA - TO Ethiopia to eat! He was worried it would take along time to get there. It was so cute. He now wants to go with us next time to try the food. I told him we eat with our hands. He found that exciting.
A lot of families are preparing to travel back to Ethiopia soon to bring their children home. I"m looking forward to seeing more information about the others travels to share with all of you.
And I'm excited to get our home study soon as then we can immediately submit paper work to the US CIS - Customs and immigration services. That may take a while to complete.
Love
Gail, Craig and Nate
Multiracial / Multicultural Class - October 18, 2010
Wow - we attended our multiracial class last night - very good I thought. Maybe some information we'll not use but it was good. We have a lot of changes to make but we already know about most of it.
It was good to learn though - and it was nice to meet other people adopting. Only one other couple adopting from Ann Arbor area and they already have another adopted child. They seemed very nice, it would be nice to travel with them next year.
We are hoping to have our home study in the next week or two and then we can submit paper work to the USCIS - customs and immigration services - that can take a while. We have other stuff we are working on as well. Its coming along pretty well.
Financing is another issue but we'll get there. I found lots of places that are able to give loans - so fingers crossed, we'll get approved. We just know God wants us to do this and our child is probably out there already just waiting to find out. He/She is probably with loving care givers and in a situation where their birth families are struggling. I can't wait to learn their life story. I"d like to put together a life story book for our whole family and child.
In a few weeks Craig and I celebrate our 11th anniversary and are going to check out a local Ethiopian restaurant and try the food. I'm nervous, but know this is the food my child will be used to and I'd like to learn how to cook it so they can feel at home. This will now become part of our background, ET and we need to cherish this heritage as much as we do anything else in our family tree.
Keep posted here as we try and keep updated.
Gail
It was good to learn though - and it was nice to meet other people adopting. Only one other couple adopting from Ann Arbor area and they already have another adopted child. They seemed very nice, it would be nice to travel with them next year.
We are hoping to have our home study in the next week or two and then we can submit paper work to the USCIS - customs and immigration services - that can take a while. We have other stuff we are working on as well. Its coming along pretty well.
Financing is another issue but we'll get there. I found lots of places that are able to give loans - so fingers crossed, we'll get approved. We just know God wants us to do this and our child is probably out there already just waiting to find out. He/She is probably with loving care givers and in a situation where their birth families are struggling. I can't wait to learn their life story. I"d like to put together a life story book for our whole family and child.
In a few weeks Craig and I celebrate our 11th anniversary and are going to check out a local Ethiopian restaurant and try the food. I'm nervous, but know this is the food my child will be used to and I'd like to learn how to cook it so they can feel at home. This will now become part of our background, ET and we need to cherish this heritage as much as we do anything else in our family tree.
Keep posted here as we try and keep updated.
Gail
Final Home Study - We finally passed - October 6, 2010
HI all
I haven't posted in a few weeks - we have had a few home study visits or social worker visits with the last one being with the social worker last night here at home. It went really well. We had a lot of good discussions and all agreed we will continue with our focus on Ethiopia and a gender up to God's choice. We did decide to lower our age range to zero months up to 2 year old. We feel that is in the best interest of our family - and especially for Nate. But they will approve us for up to 3 years old but we're hoping for a younger child.
So now we have ONE more book to read and signed up for a multicultural seminar at the local agency. That's above and beyond what we need, but we feel everything will help us out at the moment.
I've been meeting more and more families online and know a lot had their court dates just this week! I'm so excited to hear about their travels. Another group brought their children home just last month so its very exciting and they have some wonderful advice for all of us "newbie" parents out there.
We have found some ET (yes that is short for Ethiopia or Ethiopian)restaurants in the area and want to check them out soon. Then we'll continue to just do our studies and read other books on the country and culture. Its a very exciting time.
The other big steps is moving our office into the basement and moving Nate's bedroom to the current office room - the bigger of the two bedrooms for the kids. That will be good for him.
Its all exciting - I know LOTS of paper work to finalize the Dossier - but we'll get there - again learning great advice from all the other families. One of these days I"ll start posting more country specific information so you can all learn a little bit of what our new family heritage will be like.
Love
Gail
I haven't posted in a few weeks - we have had a few home study visits or social worker visits with the last one being with the social worker last night here at home. It went really well. We had a lot of good discussions and all agreed we will continue with our focus on Ethiopia and a gender up to God's choice. We did decide to lower our age range to zero months up to 2 year old. We feel that is in the best interest of our family - and especially for Nate. But they will approve us for up to 3 years old but we're hoping for a younger child.
So now we have ONE more book to read and signed up for a multicultural seminar at the local agency. That's above and beyond what we need, but we feel everything will help us out at the moment.
I've been meeting more and more families online and know a lot had their court dates just this week! I'm so excited to hear about their travels. Another group brought their children home just last month so its very exciting and they have some wonderful advice for all of us "newbie" parents out there.
We have found some ET (yes that is short for Ethiopia or Ethiopian)restaurants in the area and want to check them out soon. Then we'll continue to just do our studies and read other books on the country and culture. Its a very exciting time.
The other big steps is moving our office into the basement and moving Nate's bedroom to the current office room - the bigger of the two bedrooms for the kids. That will be good for him.
Its all exciting - I know LOTS of paper work to finalize the Dossier - but we'll get there - again learning great advice from all the other families. One of these days I"ll start posting more country specific information so you can all learn a little bit of what our new family heritage will be like.
Love
Gail
Problems with Online Training - September 21, 2010
Oh - I guess this is just the beginning of problems - but its not worth stopping or messing up the process. Anyhow I took all the online training last week while traveling - but the hotel wi-fi kept disconnecting, the training courses kept getting frozen and I couldn't get much farther along. and had to stop and start. Well company that has them online basically "failed" us - and ONLY look at the one start and stop time. they refuse to look at how Craig also took them this weekend - so we can't get a certificate. They will let us retake them - but its just very frustrating. They are basically accusing us of "rushing the process" and not caring. The sad thing is the two classes this is happening on out of 5 - are the two we learned the most from! We've had more valuable discussions over the journey for us and our child and becoming a multi-racial family! I can say I honestly learned the most from those classes. its just very frustrating people have issues with their systems or computers and they won't even listen to what we have to say.
On top of it all - I go see the social worker tonight so I plan on talking to her then about this stuff. Craig met with her last week and he felt it went well. so that's always good.
I am still amazed a few times a week by Craig - how he's grown in this process. He's been meetng more people and talking to people about not only adoption but Ethiopia as well. He met a customer from there and who's daughter is as well. So they exchanged information. My taxi driver last week was Ethiopian as well - so it was interesting to hear real stories and nothing "protected" about the country. I even learned Addis Ababa the capital where we'll spend most of our team means "new flower" - how beautiful -
I keep dreaming about our faceless little one - still have little boy in my dreams with chubby cheeks and curly black hair. Even without seeing a face, he's beautiful! And we are posing for a family photo. I just can't wait.
Now we just need to get finances approved for loans or win the lottery. I should be selling personal belongings, but I just hvae this desire that I need to just give. Give things we aren't using. Becuase others really need them. I realized the other day that this may be an answer to some prayers. God's placed my giving heavy on my heart. All these devotionals I have been reading say that you can always give and you will recieve. I didn't realize all that until yesterday - I still just feel like somoene needs this coat or whatever it is.
Ok - I"m babbling. We'll keep everyone posted.
Love
Gail
On top of it all - I go see the social worker tonight so I plan on talking to her then about this stuff. Craig met with her last week and he felt it went well. so that's always good.
I am still amazed a few times a week by Craig - how he's grown in this process. He's been meetng more people and talking to people about not only adoption but Ethiopia as well. He met a customer from there and who's daughter is as well. So they exchanged information. My taxi driver last week was Ethiopian as well - so it was interesting to hear real stories and nothing "protected" about the country. I even learned Addis Ababa the capital where we'll spend most of our team means "new flower" - how beautiful -
I keep dreaming about our faceless little one - still have little boy in my dreams with chubby cheeks and curly black hair. Even without seeing a face, he's beautiful! And we are posing for a family photo. I just can't wait.
Now we just need to get finances approved for loans or win the lottery. I should be selling personal belongings, but I just hvae this desire that I need to just give. Give things we aren't using. Becuase others really need them. I realized the other day that this may be an answer to some prayers. God's placed my giving heavy on my heart. All these devotionals I have been reading say that you can always give and you will recieve. I didn't realize all that until yesterday - I still just feel like somoene needs this coat or whatever it is.
Ok - I"m babbling. We'll keep everyone posted.
Love
Gail
paper work - more and more - September 12, 2010
finally started to get through the paper work - realized I messed up when I went to my dr to get the home study stuff done - didn't' get the stuff for the dossier - argh! Oh well - live and learn - she will help out.
Craig goes to see the social worker on his own tomorrow - so hopefully his honesty pays off. we both just decided honesty is first and foremost in all of this -we have nothing to hide.
enjoy the blog - I'll update more later.
Craig goes to see the social worker on his own tomorrow - so hopefully his honesty pays off. we both just decided honesty is first and foremost in all of this -we have nothing to hide.
enjoy the blog - I'll update more later.
Social Worker Visit #1 August 30, 2010
Well last week we had our first meeting with the social worker. Needless to say I was freaking out - and Craig was nervous too. WE think it went alright. But now its all the paper work and all that. The training will not be bad at all - honestly think she picked some really good classes for us to take. And one of the books I had marked a star by that I wanted to read anyhow - figured it would be a good resource. So now we just get all the stuff down.
Still very scared - but I know our child is out there waiting - they've been waiting longer than us. I heard 5 families from the agency brought their children home this weekend - can't wait to hear from them. And two more go next week! SO exciting! I need to look up their blogs and follow them all.
OUr next steps - one on one with the social worker - Craig goes first and then me. Then its the home visit.
OUr friends Tammy and Michele really helped us organize the basement this past weekend - we now have a spot ready to move the office so that the current office will be Nate's room. We just need to have some electrical work added down there - but that's not too big of a deal.
Thanks for the prayers - we'll keep everyone posted
Gail
Still very scared - but I know our child is out there waiting - they've been waiting longer than us. I heard 5 families from the agency brought their children home this weekend - can't wait to hear from them. And two more go next week! SO exciting! I need to look up their blogs and follow them all.
OUr next steps - one on one with the social worker - Craig goes first and then me. Then its the home visit.
OUr friends Tammy and Michele really helped us organize the basement this past weekend - we now have a spot ready to move the office so that the current office will be Nate's room. We just need to have some electrical work added down there - but that's not too big of a deal.
Thanks for the prayers - we'll keep everyone posted
Gail
Just the Beginning - August 23, 2010
ok - I'm totally new at this - so this will be my first post. I guess where to start -
My husband, Craig and I decided we wanted to grow our family of 3 to 4. We currently have a beautiful son, Nate who just turned 6 years old. We have done many fertility treatments and just didn't work out. I personally have had adoption on my heart for many years as Nate was a true Miracle child - I had this plan way before he was here. It took Craig a few years - but he agreed in 2009 this was a method for our family. Originally we had thought a domestic baby that looked like us. well more I looked into it - I didn't care. So in May 2010 a friend mentioned a free seminar at a local church in Troy - I met people from AAI and other families that have adopted. My heart opened to a transracial child. Craig's did as well.
In June we went to AAI for the free seminar - Craig's heart then opened up to International Adoption. I had already read about Ethiopia adoptions and was wanting to mention this to him. In July we met with the agency and finally decided late July that Ethiopia was where our child is at right now - I can't explain really why - but I just felt a strong pull. Craig felt that the kids are pretty healthy there and we just decided to take the leap.
In August we submitted our formal application and were accepted August 17, 2010. Our first social worker visit is this week - Aug 26th.
The process is VERY early and we know it will be a long journey, but believe our child is just out there waiting for their forever home. We're currently open to a toddler of any gender, but I do believe we'll be referred a boy. So if I ever start talking about boys - you know why.
God's bringing this all togehter without him, this wouldn't happen.
My husband, Craig and I decided we wanted to grow our family of 3 to 4. We currently have a beautiful son, Nate who just turned 6 years old. We have done many fertility treatments and just didn't work out. I personally have had adoption on my heart for many years as Nate was a true Miracle child - I had this plan way before he was here. It took Craig a few years - but he agreed in 2009 this was a method for our family. Originally we had thought a domestic baby that looked like us. well more I looked into it - I didn't care. So in May 2010 a friend mentioned a free seminar at a local church in Troy - I met people from AAI and other families that have adopted. My heart opened to a transracial child. Craig's did as well.
In June we went to AAI for the free seminar - Craig's heart then opened up to International Adoption. I had already read about Ethiopia adoptions and was wanting to mention this to him. In July we met with the agency and finally decided late July that Ethiopia was where our child is at right now - I can't explain really why - but I just felt a strong pull. Craig felt that the kids are pretty healthy there and we just decided to take the leap.
In August we submitted our formal application and were accepted August 17, 2010. Our first social worker visit is this week - Aug 26th.
The process is VERY early and we know it will be a long journey, but believe our child is just out there waiting for their forever home. We're currently open to a toddler of any gender, but I do believe we'll be referred a boy. So if I ever start talking about boys - you know why.
God's bringing this all togehter without him, this wouldn't happen.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Surprise! Niagara Falls!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Gurneith Susan Wilcox (January 6, 1917 - March 13, 2009)
Gurneith Susan Wilcox, age 92 of Howell, passed away Friday, March 13, 2009. Born January 6, 1917 in Lapeer County, she was the daughter of Arthur and Arminthia (DeGrow) Shippey. A resident of Howell since 1975, Gurneith was a former credit department clerk for Hudsons and a member of the First Baptist Church of Howell. Beloved wife of the late Arthur C. Wilcox (10/12/1996) whom she married in Silverwood, Michigan on April 20, 1940. Loving mother of Darlene (James) Garver of Oxford, MI and Douglas (Mary) Wilcox of Howell. Also survived by her grandchildren, Renae Fox, Brian Garver, Gail Backus and Marcus Wilcox; great grandchildren, Travis, Nate and Justina. Funeral service Monday, 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, 210 Church St., Howell with Pastor Herb Wilson, Jr. officiating. Interment to follow at the Rich Cemetery near Lapeer. Visitation Sunday 1 – 4 & 6 – 8 p. at MacDonald’s Funeral Home, Howell (517-546-2800). Memorial contributions suggested to: First Baptist Church of Howell or the American Diabetes Association.
Funeral Arrangements for Gurneith Wilcox
Visitation will be MacDonald's Funeral Home of Howell
(http://www.webfh.com/fh/home/home.cfm?&fh_id=10817&ck=1)
MacDonald's Funeral Home
315 North Michigan Ave.
Howell, Michigan 48843
Phone: 517-546-2800
Sunday, March 15, from 1p to 4p and 6p to 8p.
The funeral will be at the First Baptist Church of Howell (http://www.fbchowell.org/)
First Baptist Church of Howell
210 Church Street
Howell, Michigan 48843
(517) 546-2830
Monday, March 16, 2009
Visitation from 10a Service at 11a
Internment in Lapeer, Michigan for immediate family only.
(http://www.webfh.com/fh/home/home.cfm?&fh_id=10817&ck=1)
MacDonald's Funeral Home
315 North Michigan Ave.
Howell, Michigan 48843
Phone: 517-546-2800
Sunday, March 15, from 1p to 4p and 6p to 8p.
The funeral will be at the First Baptist Church of Howell (http://www.fbchowell.org/)
First Baptist Church of Howell
210 Church Street
Howell, Michigan 48843
(517) 546-2830
Monday, March 16, 2009
Visitation from 10a Service at 11a
Internment in Lapeer, Michigan for immediate family only.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)