As the months go by...

Five months on The List. When we started our Ethiopian adoption process, the longest wait time for a baby boy was 10 months. We would have been halfway there. Not so much anymore.

But 5 months is 5 months....

Paperwork Call

The USCIS call today regarding paperwork after bringing a child home was pretty straightforward, covering topics such as types of visas your child will get, what to do if names are spelled wrong, what is needed to enter the US, etc. For those who didn't have a chance to listen in, the Powerpoint is here--near the bottom (and they pretty much just read the presentation from the slides, so the pertinent points are covered). I printed it off for later use.

Happy Friday!!

Strange Week

I wish I had more to post, something adoption-related and exciting. But there isn't much happening right now on the family front, nor will there be for a while. We do have a call with USCIS on Friday regarding "The First Year Home"--I don't really know what the content will be, but am interested in what they have to say. Assuming it's paperwork-related, and while we are pretty far from worrying about that, it's good to start mentally preparing for it.

It's been a strange week in the infertility/adoption/Horn of Africa world. Between a new surrogacy scandal, exceedlingly difficult international adoption issues, and the famine that has a good likelihood of directly affecting our future child and their first family, I have found myself defending the infertile and the adopting over and over again. And while the greed of the few who prey on folks who want children is unacceptable, vicious and cruel to all involved, it does not represent all of us. In fact, the adoptive/infertile parents have not been charged with wrongdoing in any of the cases. I thought the "Octo.mom" situation was bad enough, as we were IVF-ing when her story broke, but I was wrong. The perception the public has about those of us who build our families in alternative ways is changing, and (I believe) not for the better. Infertile families are often seen as depraved, desiring to steal babies, which is simply not the case. Yet it is the perception, and I make that statement after reading comments following several news stories regarding recent cases--yikes! Infertility is a medical condition, not a mental health condition (hence why IFers really hate being told to "relax"--who would say that to a cancer patient, or even someone with allergies?? "Just relax" = patronizing and dismissive, but that's a post for another time) and one that needs advancement in areas like medical coverage, and that will be largely dependent on advocation from IF families, friends and medical professionals. And while the cases in the media are not the norm, they are the focus. It's hard to stop thinking about those affected, and what they must be going through right now. It's equally hard to comprehend how the actions of those who caused these problems will affect the futures of children and families alike.

So anyway, it's been a strange week for us in our little bubble of a world. Here's hoping the book will be thrown at those who endangered the lives of children for nothing more than simple greed, and that those families dealing with the aftermath have ample support.

Oh, and if any PAPs want info on the call on Fri, let me know in comments! I don't think it's just for the Ethiopia program...

Four Years Ago

A boy and a girl got married. Don't they look young and innocent?

This boy and girl thought they would start having babies right away.

What a nice, sweet (albeit, clueless) plan!

So here we are, four years later. Still planning, still hoping, and still in love.

And, at the end of the day, that's what matters.

"Yes, I went to my reunion....

...It was as if everyone had swelled."
-Joan Cusack, Grosse Pointe Blank

This weekend we headed back to Montana for Cory's 20th high school reunion. Yes, 20th high school reunion. Considering we are the same age, I can truly say I have no idea how this happened. I mean, I am 19 still, right? Right?? No?

Dang.

Anyway, it was fun to put faces to names of folks I had heard about for years, but had never officially met. Nice people, good food, good times for all. Everyone met a local watering hole on Friday night...

We skipped "Family Day" on Saturday, but went to the big dinner/dancing night. Nothing like Montana-folk to know how to cook a really, really good steak.

Good times, sun, heat, vacation days, no pelting, driving, freezing cold rain...perfection.

Although this morning, I'm feeling a little like this...