Post It Notes: Baaaaad Blogger

So I'm awful at this anymore. Terrible. I'm so sorry. I always say I will be posting more then I don't do it. Life is busy, I know that's a terrible excuse but it is the only one I've got. Having a 1-year old makes life HECTIC! He keeps me on my toes this little one.

I heart him BIG TIME. He's almost 13-months old now. His cute little personality has arrived, he makes the funniest faces and has the most adorable laugh, he runs up and gives us hugs. It's fun no doubt about it.

Another fun little thing, I did get a little "mommycation" a couple weeks ago to see one of my most favorite people, Andrea. She lives just north of Atlanta, Georgia now. We grew up 5 doors down from each other and she's just one of those friends that I know I will have for life. She and her husband Joe just had a beautiful baby girl, Ava June, and I wanted to meet her!

And the other great news about this is that I got to meet some of their dear friends, Jeff and Cody who are adopting a little boy from Ethiopia! You can read more about their "Journey" here. What a fabulous family they are and I am so happy to have more Ethiopian adoption friends. We plan to visit Andrea and Joe again in June so we are thrilled that little Journey will be home then to play with our Eli! They are in Ethiopia actually meeting Journey right now, so please pray for their family, their trip and their court process.

Well, that's about all for now. I really will try to be a better blogger...

Timelines

Adoption #2

6/20/12: Announced we will be adopting again!

7/5/12: Faxed in preliminary application to Adoption Associates.

7/31/12: Finished formal application

8/13/12: Homestudy update

9/13/12: Sent I600A

10/17/12: Fingerprinting Appointment

10/23/12: Received I-171H!!!

11/16/12: Dossier to Ethiopia, officially "waiting". Informed we are #41 on the waiting list.

3/28/12 #29 on the waiting list

6/1/13 #19 on the waiting list

7/1/13 #17 on the waiting list

Adoption #1 - Eli Akram Post

Late 2008/early 2009: Researched agencies, talked with agencies.

4/19/2009 Decided we are adopting from Ethiopia!

4/23/2009 Faxed preliminary application

5/15-5/21/2009 Home Study Meetings

7/25/2009 Agency Approved

7/27/2009 I-600A Sent (USCIS Approval Request)

8/15/2009 Fingerprinting appointment

9/12/2009 I-171H arrives!

9/24/2009 Dossier to Ethiopia! OFFICIALLY "WAITING" #24 on the list

10/22/2009 WAITING #12 on the list

11/18/2009 WAITING #9 on the list

12/17/2009 WAITING #4 on the list

1/15/2010 Still WAITING #2 on the list

3/15/2010 Still WAITING, still #2.

3/31/2010 REFERRAL DAY!!!

4/20/2010 Notified that our court date is 5/6/2010

5/6/2010 WE PASSED COURT!

6/16/2010 FOREVER FAMILY!

New here?

Please visit the blog archive below, find the first post (in the month of April, 2009) and read from the beginning if you like!

Important Words To Remember:

*Dossier* The set of documents that we send to Ethiopia to be put on the waiting list.

*Referral* The photo and information on our child that we will receive several months after we've been on the waiting list. This is when we find out who our little one is!

*Court date* After we receive our referral, a court date will be set up about 6 weeks later. We will travel to Ethiopia for this hearing.

*First Trip* The trip both of us will take to attend the court hearing and meet our child.

*Second Trip* The second trip when one of us will travel to pick up the child from Ethiopia and bring them home!

Most commonly asked question:

"Why?"

Answer: Mark and I don't really know, we believe there is a reason God put it on our hearts to adopt first rather than trying to have biological children. This does not mean we will never try for a biological child, it's just not where we are being led to build our family right now. We ask that you please respect our decision and join us in celebrating our amazing family!