GOTCHA DAY

Before I go on, don't forget to read the entry under this one.

Today, December 30, 2009, marks the one year anniversary that I was given my kids. As my life is always crazy, the day I received my kiddos was unforgettable. Thinking all along I would drive to the orphanage being taken in a quiet room and having the kids introduced to me??? This is truly what I dreamed and dreamed for months. Not so, not in Andrea's world. As I got to ET on 12/30, I was told that I was going to be dropped of at the guest house and someone would get my kids for me because I would have a embassy appt within an hour after I arrived in ET. So I took my suitcases there and within 30 min of being there I met my kids for the first time in a drive by on a busy street. Basically the horn blew, I ran outside by a busy street by the compound and jumped into the car. As soon as I jumped in, I had 2 crazy kids all over me screaming mommy non stop. Acting like wild hoodlums. They would go in my back pack, take out water bottles and food, throw it everywhere. Also they would not sit down and walk all over the car while we were driving. My poor precious kids where so hyper that day, I think that was the worst day of hyperness I have ever seen them. When we got to the embassy, Amira had diarrhea non stop and while I was taking her to the bathroom every 5 minutes, Biruk decided to put the waiting room under water. When I finally took the kids upstairs to the appointment, they kids were filthy dirty (didn't have a change of clothes), and all the ET people were just staring at me in the waiting room. I will never ever ever forget this day. It was so precious and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I will write more about the kids' development and stuff on their one year anniversary home.

I had a ziplock bag each with their underwear and socks and they would not let the bags go until we got home to America. I mean they were so attached to their socks and underwear.

Submitted to Court

Who would have thought that our kids' cases would be submitted to court on 12/30 which is our GOTCHA DAY for Amira and Biruk! yeahhh. We are so happy. We are assigned group X but don't have a date yet. I would think maybe the end of February or March, who knows.

Also what even puts the icing on the cake is that my friend Laci and I are assigned in the same group and we have really supported each other so much this time around on choosing our children, for her the boys and for me my little man. There was so much to think about but Laci clearly got her perfect sign from God this morning that she made a very perfect decision and that it was God's decision all along.

My decision on my little guy had been made some time ago after I had talked to Erin for a second time about him. Since than I had nothing but pure peace about him. RE: my very precious girl, she was never a question!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Wow, Christmas is over. This year was sort of depressing leading up to Christmas because I wanted to be off from work and be with my family so badly. I had to work until the 24th. But Kevin did such a good job on keeping the kids occupied. I am so thankful for him. Anyways, after I finally got home, things turned out wonderful and we have had such a special time since.

Biruk snuggled up with dad Christmas morning waiting for Ana and Danica to get up

Okay, my biggest wish is to get matching stocking stuffers next year. They so don't match. Funny!! In fact I had to borrow 2 of Danica's. Danica was so cute, she actually put them up there all neatly and cleaned up the living room so nicely while we were sleeping. She also put up the love sign in the picture above.

Biruk got a spider man scooter. He is obsessed with spider man

Yeahhh and spider man gloves and a little robe since our house is so cold all the time

Amira got princess Belle to comb her hair and a box of princess dresses. It has like 3 dresses and she is wearing one of them.

The little pink thing above Amira's bed is from my sister in Germany. It used to be her daughter's. So that was a nice bonus present I didn't have to buy.

Odyssey Land

Since I had to work the whole week of Christmas, Kevin was wonderful taking the kids to fun places while they were all on school break. He realized when he was there that they had never been there before. He also didn't realize that the prizes had tripled since Ana and Danica used to go there. Anyways, the kids were there for over 3 hours and had a blast.

Welcome bags/Where are we?

I really can't believe how fast things going this time from the homestudy visit to the dossier and so on. If you are ever interested in reading I have a timeline on the right side of the blog. Since this is our second adoption, we know what to anticipate but we also have the first set of kids home already which puts us much at ease. Things are so different this time around.

So basically everything has been turned in. The dossier went to ET on 12/7 but I just found out today. Next thing is getting the thing translated and submitted to court. Last Friday I mailed the welcome bags to the office. That was pretty exciting although I have to say that this time I didn't' go crazy because I know what the sisters do at Kidane. They have the kids put the shirt on for the picture that we receive, they look at the photo album and then the kids have to return it until the parents get there. Each bag was under $10.00 and I was proud of myself. Well the shirt are not included in that price.

As for AHOPE I cannot speak. I don't know what they do with the welcome bags. What really bummed me out this time is that my new kids are not able to be together except for the picture when they get the welcome bags.

When Amira and Biruk got theirs, it was so much nicer. Sister said from this day forward you will be brother and sister and they have been inseparable ever since their welcome bags.

Once the kids know it will be really exciting. Sometimes it can take a week to get there and sometimes a month or two. It just depends what's going on with the agency and who is traveling.

M's bag includes a shirt, photo album, jump robe, stickers, head bands, necklace, cards

G's bag includes a shirt, photo album, car and airplane, stickers, game, cards

REACH Christmas Party

We had a wonderful time at the kids' Christmas party. We were able to meet up with Courtney and her two boys and I think everyone was so happy to see each other.

Hm, funny, the kids told Santa that he is not real. They were cracking me up. Glad the kids know already what they believe in but it was cute to see their faces anyway. They proudly tell everyone that we celebrate Jesus' birthday.

Amira doing art work
Amira telling Santa funny stories

Anastasia saying hi to Santa

This was awesome. Kevin bonding with Sammy

Merry dressed up as an elf. She always organizes the Christmas parties

Oh Christmas Tree

I really have turned into a bad blogger. So much to do and so little time. I don't anticipate it getting any better anytime soon. Plus Kevin has finals so he has been hogging them computer non stop.

Last weekend was simply precious and unforgettable. Each year we go and get our fresh tree. It wasn't the same this year because Danica wasn't there. Its always fun to have Danica around because the 2 of us always fight which tree we are getting and it takes about an hour until we both come to a decision. She is still at college. But it was such a pleasure with the little ones. Biruk kept saying are we buying a tree for outside? He could not fathom that we wanted to bring the tree in the house. After Kevin and I finally hauled it inside, they both had their mouth open and were just in awe the whole time. So I brought up the decorations and we started to decorate "some". The tree is still not finished. Can you believe it? But i guess it really doesn't matter because having the little ones home this year is truly the most important thing and iam breathing in every moment I have with them. Its amazing that they have been here almost a year and there are still so many firsts. BTW, they just discovered marshmallows and are absolutely hooked. Last year around this time I was not ready for Christmas and was just ready to pick up my babies. So blessed!!!

Hopefully I will have an update soon on our newest additions.

All bundled up to buy a tree

Amira watching a Christmas movie after we had enough of decorating the tree

Oopsi, there is more....

We are adding two children, not one.

This decision was not the easiest by all means and it took a few weeks of discussions and research. When I first started looking at 3y/o boys, our little guy we chose was my favorite. I thought he blends in well with Kevin and I. Kinda could be our bio baby. There were 2 other boys with him but I told Erin I didn’t care so one was given away in the mean time because I simple said I didn’t care which one out of the three. Than there were 2 boys left. The other one was just adorable and by the looks and certainly the most favorite for the rest of my WHOLE FAMILY.

Well after reading the description of the other boy, but even more so hear about him from friend that met him, we thought that that he was way too competitive for Biruk. I simply cannot handle 2 Biruks. Don’t get me wrong, I am crazy in love with my son but he is high maintenance. He never likes anyone to be better than him, he wants all the praise, he has to be first all the time, he just needs lots and lots of encouragement and affirmations. Top off with his temper tantrums..... He still has a temper tantrum a day just because he didn’t get his way. But again, its no big deal for Kevin and I, we are working hard with him and we are "most of the time" working together and that has been huge for us. He has years to learn and we are very happy with him. So with our little man he doesn't have to worry about competing with him because he is so much younger.

Back to Him. The minute I heard about him and read his description I fell hell over heels in love with him just like how I did with M. He is very loved there, he is not all in people’s face when they come to visit and he is very smart. He is just a little lover that likes to be loved.:) He loves to repeat English words or sentences. He is totally healthy except for being positive, so is M that brings my ET's to four positive kids. Huh, I hope I never get Alzheimer so I mess up all of their doses. Lots of medications to give.

Here is the thing. He is short, really short. He looks like he is 18 mo old but he is 4. The people that have seen him can attest to it, I mean that he looks so small. At first they thought he was 3 but he is 4 but maybe he is 3 after all. Who knows anymore. Ages can be all over the place. I will probably make him 3. He has grown 1cm in 6-7mo which isn't good. But per the agency sometimes they don't grow or the charts can be all over the place. I can actually carry him in an ERGO when I pick him up (if I can find a used one:), that is how small he is. I know what your going to say, ahh don’t worry, he’ll catch up, I have heard it everywhere but you know a mother’s gut instinct, well that’s what I have and so does my Dr. Fairchok. Her and I have spend so much time talking about him (she has also included the endo dr. that specializes in growth) and what would be best but of course she doesn’t hold the magic wand but is positive about him. She thinks he might have Growth Hormone Deficiency but at the same time is not too familar with 3rd world country growth but has heard. Once here it will be easy to find out by doing x-rays and blood tests. But unfortunately we will not find out until than.

These 2 additions will be like magic and will blend well with Biruk and Amira's characters. I just know it. Plus, yeahhh I can finally do a boy room and a girl room.

I wanted to make my blog private again until kiddos are home. I never like my blogs open when I start my adoption journey. Just so I can freely express myself and don't have to be concerned about their welfare. Hope its not too much of an annoyance to check in with me because obviously my blog wont update anymore on the blogroll list.