It's a messy job, but somebody has to do it!

And we're off...

Our file was sent off to Ethiopia today! YIPPEE!!!!!!! We are thrilled and can’t wait to receive notice that it has arrived safely and the real waiting can begin.

With our file leaving Canada, this means that our domestic file has officially been closed (don't even get me started on the "why can't it stay open until you get the referral" and the "that doesn't seem fair" - it's LAW and it's just the way it is - whether it makes sense or not).

I am having trouble describing the feelings associated with our domestic file closing. Of course, we are so excited to be on this Ethiopian adventure; however, domestic adoption is all we have known for so many years, including all the good (the miracle of Sara, our open adoption experience) and the not so good (the endless waiting, the close calls). We have been in a constant "waiting" mode for so long now, the thought of this whole infertility/adoption journey ending and our family finally being complete is kind of unfathomable – I only know how to wait.

Also, the unknown about an international adoption is also fairly new for us including all the added "worries" like potential politics within Ethiopia (ex. civil war), natural disasters (ex. the recent drought sweeping the country), Ethiopian courts approving the adoption, applying for citizenship/visa, baby medicals before we can take him/her home, etc...

I will be sure to check in once our file has arrived in Ethiopia and we can officially announce that we are “expecting”.

Why Ethiopia?

A question we get almost every time we share our news...

Our choices for selecting Ethiopia for our international adoption are multiple and I can't really say that one reason was more significant then the other. The reasons just all seemed to add up together and made sense for our family. So, in no particular order, our reasons for selecting Ethiopia are:

* Children receive exceptional care in the orphanages and are generally very healthy.

* On the international adoption scale, Ethiopia is one of the least expensive country to adopt from (not that we would ever want to put a price on this journey - but the reality is that the money has to come from somewhere).

* Canada/Manitoba has a very established adoption program in Ethiopia - the process is next to seamless and very well organized.

* There is a large network of families in Manitoba who have adopted from Ethiopia to connect with.

* Ethiopia has one of the shortest waiting times for being matched with a child and bringing a child home (about 12 months in total).

* Ethiopia has the youngest children available for adoption (as young as a couple months).

* The race of our child was not important to us (well, it is important, but you know what I mean) - being parents and completing our family is (and always has been) our priority.

Bitter Sweet

Bitter...We have found out that referral times have increased for all child(ren) requests. For us, the wait will now be "at least 6 months" (we were originally told 2-4 months) for an infant either gender referral. And this could change again without any notice...we are now looking at 2009 before our referral comes in. Regardless, we are committed to this journey and (as best we can) prepared for all the bumps that come along the way!

Sweet...We have had contact with Imagine and it feels like such a relief to have connected with them finally. Our situation was bit different then others - we did not have any contact with IA until our local agency sent our completed approved homestudy to them, along with all the other documents including our retainer. Our contact with IA has been nothing but positive. They have answered EVERY question I have thrown at them...and there have been many in just this short time. Looks like our Dossier should be traveling by the end of June (fingers crossed)...then the real count down begins.

Great way to keep informed...

I came across the greatest way to stay connected to other Canadian families on an Ethiopian adoption journey using mostly Imagine Adoption (some CAFAC). It is a "members only" group - families at any stage of their adoption can sign up at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canadaadoptsethiopia/ This forum has been SOOOOO helpful - Our family is one of the first families in Manitoba to have an adoption to Ethiopia facilitated through our local agency using Imagine Adoption. It has been a bit lonely along the way - so it is wonderful to know that there are many others on this journey to check in with from time to time.

Dossier to Imagine

Yippee! One more hurdle down. Our Dossier is on its way to Imagine Adoption. We are slowly moving closer! Hopefully by July we will be "expecting".

"When is that baby coming?"

I think we might be over preparing Sara for this new babe. She now asks almost daily, "When is that baby coming?"

She also has annouced to a few people "We are going on a airplane to get a brown baby from Efiopia" - soooo cute. She also really hopes for a sister by asking us "if we get a boy baby, can we get two babies so one can be a girl with pink?"

I think Sara is going to be in for a big surprise when that baby does come...she has had Mommy and Daddy's attention all to herself for over four year now. My hope is that the more we talk about the new babe the more prepared she will be - maybe wishful thinking, but it is all I can do.