Lots of Activity . . . Just no Referrals

No referrals last week. Just one thus far this week (older girl) . . . I think this makes us #31 or #32. Lordy, lordy, could it be I've lost track?? Well, it's because ultimately, we're still holding somewhere under the #10 mark for infant boys. The slow down (as usual!) is always a drag to endure, but it's not like we haven't been down this road before!!! SO . . . we are staying busy. Our upstairs bath just got remodeled which makes it the last room upstairs to be remodeled. The big, humongous downstairs project will be starting on Monday in an attempt to have it done by the time we get the baby home. Which, given the slow down of referrals, might not be as much of a problem as we originally thought!!! Grrrr . . .


I've also been sewing like a fiend (excess energy anyone?). Finished Gwen's queen-size quilt just in time for her birthday (which is this coming Friday). I'll post pictures once she's received the gift!



Also, I finished the diaper bag I started a while ago:


It's HUGE with about 6 pockets inside, and one on the back (which you can't see). It (like many of my projects) is a mixture of fabrics and wool.





Also, I found (at Etsy.com) a woman who makes-to-order these adorable Ethiopian boy dolls. I ordered a few weeks ago and just received it yesterday. SO CUTE!!



Lots of other projects are in the works . . . I'll post photos as they get done. AND, of course, I'll post new referral information.

First (Half) Week of October Update

Just a brief update for this week:

1. One referral was offered this week for two sibling girls aged 2 and 4 years. The family for this sibling group waited 14 months (one of the longest waiting families). We're now #33 on the overall list, but didn't move on the boy wait list due to the referrals being just girls this week.

2. Federal Courts in Ethiopia officially opened today, but in reality it'll take about 2 weeks for them to get into full swing.

That's it . . . I'll report more when we know more!

End of Week Update

It never fails!! The week I post referral information early, there's more than one referral and I end up repeat (and repeat) posting AND THEN IT GOES QUIET!! Well, here's hoping that the activity this last week continues!! Since my last post (what? two days ago?) there were another 3 referrals (all boys with the last referred family waiting only 10 1/2 months!) putting our total number down to #34. While that number still seems really high, we have good information that there are less than 10 families ahead of us waiting for a baby boy AND courts are getting ready to re-open again and the referrals pick up in speed! We're very hopeful to hear something within the next 4 weeks or so. COME ON REFERRALS!!

Ooops . . .

. . . posted too soon (see post below). Another referral today: 4 month old baby boy! Family waited 11 months to the day! That means we're #37!

10 Month Mark

Today marks our official 10 months on the wait list!

And (not so coincidentally), we just finished painting our nursery and now have a crib, dresser and changing station in place just waiting for our baby boy! The room has begun its change . . . we used to call it the "extra room," but have changed over to calling it what it will be: the nursery. N.U.R.S.E.R.Y. Yup, it's official. The furniture is no longer just large boxes taking up space. They represent what will be: the place to keep all the cute clothes that I've just had stored in bins in the closet. The resting place for our baby boy and a place to put the beautiful blanket Gwen knitted 10 months ago. The place where we'll change diapers and begin bonding. It feels real.

We also found out today that there was a referral. A couple waiting just over 11 months received a 9 month old baby girl and her 7 year old brother. We are now #38 on the overall list of waiting families. Courts open in just about 2 weeks and the feeling out there is that there are lots of children/toddlers/ babies just waiting for the courts to open so they can be officially placed.

We're ready . . . after all we've had (more than!) 10 months to prepare for this!!

Whole Lotta This . . .

Who needs to think when you can look at this instead?

Sunshine Therapy

Kyle and I just returned from a much-needed 8 days of basking in the Hawaiian sunshine. I shut my brain off the entire time we were there and found myself not worrying about anything. Ahhhhh. Glorious. Of course we saw so many adorable babies and toddlers playing in the sand and surf, and imagined doing the same next year on our annual sojourn to the islands!!

When we returned we discovered two baby boys had been referred while we were gone. The families waiting 11 1/2 and 12 months, respectively, for their referrals. That means . . . drum roll please . . . that we are now #39 on the list! We get to finally use the "3" on our keyboard as we count down!!

Once we've had a chance to unpack and settle in, I'll post a few pictures from our trip. But meanwhile I REALLY need to get some groceries . . . . all we have is popcorn and iced-tea in the house!!