Weight update

We got an update on Sitota today and he is continuing to grow! We are so excited to see that he is up to 13.5 pounds! He has really grown since being brought to the care center. His head measurements and length are continuing to grow proportionately as well. Every month when we get his update, I yearn to fly over and scoop him up and bring him home! I can't wait until we can travel over to see him in Ethiopia soon! We will know more soon after December 16th and our court date. Hopefully it will be good news and we can travel sometime at the end of January. If it is bad news on Dec. 16th... well I don't even want to think about that! For now we rejoice in knowing our son is growing well, staying healthy, and being well cared for until he can come home.

He's a brick.... wait for it... house!

Ok, not really. But we received Sitota's 5 month growth chart report and he is growing!!! He has gained over 2lbs in the last month and is at 11.6lbs! Not "beefy" by any means, but definitely growing. He also grew a centimeter in length and a centimeter in head circumfrence. Grow, Sitota, grow...the new song is for you!

Sitota's room

Some pics of the new room

The race is over...

We did it!!!! As a team, we raised over $10,000 to go directly to Loving South Africa (www.lovingsa.org)! Thanks to the generosity of many family and friends, thousands of South African lives will be touched, many will receive life saving anti-retroviral drugs, and many will be loved in a multitude of ways! I am so proud of our team. We ran in bright red shirts with the yellow Loving South Africa logo and website on it, and I received many questions on LSA. What a great way to get exposure!

On a personal note- I had a fabulous race! It was so much more fun than I ever imagined. Everything about the day was perfect! The weather was sunny and 60. The course was beautiful, and we ran past all the great Indianapolis landmarks and through some great neighborhoods. In one of the neighborhoods, the children had decorated and put up signs for us as well as made chalk drawings and messages all over the pavement. There were many little kids and their parents out cheering for us in their pajamas! As we ran down Massachusettes Ave, there was a band playing! Perhaps one of my favorite parts was the 8 mile water station! Many of my friends had volunteered to man this water station and it was so great to see them all as I got just past the halfway point of the race. Aaron and the girls were there and Syd ran out and gave me a huge hug! Due to Aaron and his mad driving skills, he managed to manipulate his way around all the racers to be at the starting line, the halfway water station, then the finish line! If you could have seen the traffic and amount of roads blocked off for the race, you would understand what a feat that was! I felt wonderful the whole time, had no problems running (except the avalanche of snot from my nose due to a slight cold) and really enjoyed the day. I am happy to say, that while I didn't run my hardest, (which was part of my goal... to just run and enjoy the race without overdoing it) I still broke a personal best time with and official time of 1:59 and 23 sec. It is definitely NOT a world record pace (the guy who won finished over 20 minutes before me!) but it was a good time for me. I was 39th in my age bracket for females! To be able to run a bit over 13 miles in 2 hours even while enjoying every minute of it, and raising money and awareness for LSA.... makes for a perfect day!!!

All I want for Christmas is....

a successful court date!!!! Yes, we heard today that we have a court date set for Sitota's adoption! The big day is December 16th! Please keep this date in your thoughts and prayers. We have been informed that sometimes the adoption does not go thru on the first court date for various reasons (missing paperwork, power outages, judge doesn't show up, etc). We hope and pray we make it through court on the first go round because if not we would be rescheduled and it can be weeks later, which would push us into Christmas (which isn't good). Effectively if we don't make it thru on December 16th it could push our travel time back by a month! Yikes. 

Many of you have asked what the process looks like from here so let me outline it for you:

1. On Dec. 16th a judge will hear our case and either grant us custody, ask for more info, or deny (rarely happens) the adoption.

2. Several days later we will hear of the decision and be advised (if we make it thru) to make travel plans for about 4 weeks later (ie travel will be end of January)

3. After the judge signs the papers they are forwarded onto the appropriate party and a birth certificate is issued.

4. A passport is then able to be issued. 

5. Child will receive final physical exam and have photos taken for visa.

6. We get to travel over to Ethiopia!

Since this has all become so real I have really gotten the nesting bug! I have started working on Sitota's room and will post pictures soon. Right now it is sort of a disaster but at least it is painted... no more pepto bismal pink!

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!

Drum roll please....... After a year of waiting... It's finally the day! 

Today around noon our social worker called and introduced us to our new son! His name is Sitota (which is Amharic for "gift") and he is about the most perfect 4 month old baby boy ever! He is happy, healthy and gorgeous! We couldn't be happier and have spent ALL day on the phone telling everyone we know! If you are reading this... we want to thank you for your support. Your prayers and thoughts have helped us through this long process so far and we covet them! Please continue to pray for us as we wind down the next 12 weeks or so until we can fly over to Ethiopia and hold our son in our arms and cover him with kisses.

Unfortunately I am unable to post a picture at this time. Due to adoption policies we can not post photos until we are legally his parents, which means after we get through the court process in Ethiopia (about a month from now). But believe me... once I am able, I will post a picture of him. For now, just trust me... he is a cutie!

Not today...

Well, today has come and gone and we didn't meet our son. I remain hopeful for the rest of the week as two more people were matched with their children today from our agency. After all this waiting, we are so close. It is strange; how fast this last year has gone. I was thinking today about how odd this situation is. When you are pregnant, you have an end date in site. I mean, sure, Isabel was born a good 4 weeks early and surprised the heck out of us, but at least you can narrow it down to a few weeks time frame. In adoption, the only certainty is the uncertainty of it! Today was hard... since we had an idea that the referrals were starting again I literally jumped, and my heart would start beating faster, every time the phone rang. This morning the phone rang and I looked at Aaron and we both were so expectant. Only to answer it and have it be someone from work asking if I could do some flu injections tomorrow... I can only imagine how unhappy I sounded when I figured out who was on the other end of the line. Oh well... I sort of like the excitement of it all, as long as I don't develop an ulcer!