Hidden In My Heart: 4 Months Old

If I could freeze time, I would do it now.

Mataya Hope at this sweet, "squishable," content, and cuddly stage is pure bliss.

Children's Books about Adoption, Race, or Ethiopia that Joshua LOVES!

Our Adoption Timeline

Jan. 19 Receive Joshua's U.S. birth certificate.
Jan. 7 We finalize Joshua's adoption in US courts.
July 26 Joshua's green card arrives.
June 6 We are home!
May 30 Pick up Joshua Gebeyehu at IAN Care Center in Ethiopia
May 21 Receive confirmation that our Embassy appointment will be June 2
April 20 Passed "out of" court and received adoption decree =) I have 5 kids!!!!!
April 14 Still did not pass court!
Mar. 29 Did not pass court, missing MOWA letter, rescheduled April 14
Mar. 22 Received March 29 court date.
Mar. 8 Received confirmation that our dossier is translated. We are ready to be assigned a court date.
Feb. 24 Received I-171H!
Feb. 2 Fingerprinting appointment. We were rescheduled earlier than the original date!
Jan. 25 Dossier is back from DC and on the way to Ethiopia. Received fingerprint appt. for Feb. 9 but have to reschedule.
Jan. 19 We see our son's face!
Jan. 14 Move to number 2.
Jan. 4 Mailed I-600A form to USCIS
Dec. 31 Number 3 on toddler boy wait list.
Dec. 29 Receive notarized home study. Will Fed Ex completed dossier tomorrow.
Dec. 9 Final home study meeting
Nov. 24 Receive final document for dossier, waiting on certification, and home study.
Nov. 13 Second home study meeting
Oct. 27 First home study meeting
Oct. 19 Receive dossier guide, start gathering paper
Oct. 13,2009 Application accepted by IAN

My Favorite Adoption/Ethiopia Resources (*** are the best!)

Attaching In Adoption, By Deborah D. Gray***
Carried Safely Home by Kristin Swick Wong
Connecting with Kids Through Stories, By Denise B. Lacher***
Culture Smart! ETHIOPIA, By Sarah Howard
From Ashes to Africa, By Josh and Amy Bottomly
My Father's Daughter, By Hannah Pool***
Nurturing Adoptions, By Deborah D. Gray
Orphan Justice, By Johnny Carr
Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child, By Patty Cogen***
Saving Levi, By Lisa Misraje Bentley
Talking with Young Children about Adoption, By Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher***
Taming the Tiger While It's a Kitten (CD) by Nancy Thomas
The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, By Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz
The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis***
The Recipe of Love (cookbook), By Aster Ketsela Belayneh
There Is No Me Without You, By Melissa Faye Green***
This Is a Soul (The Mission of Rick Hodes), By Marilyn Berger
Toddler Adoption, By Mary Hopkins-Best
Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, By Sherrie Eldridge

Books that Have Shaped my Mind and Heart

"The Boundries books" By Cloud/Townsend
Bible (I like NIV and The Message best)
Crazy Love, By Francis Chan
Forgiving the Unforgivable, By David Stoop
Francine Rivers books (wonderful fiction)
Kisses from Katie, By Katie Davis
One Million Arrows, By Julie Ferwerda
one thousand gifts, By Ann Voskamp
OUT of the BLACK SHADOWS (The Amazing Transformation of Stephen Lungu), By Stephen Lungu
Priceless, By Tom Davis (true to life fiction)
Purpose Driven Life, By Rick Warren
Radical, By David Platt
Scared, By Tom Davis (true to life fiction)
The Hole in Our Gospel, By Richard Sterns
What Happens When Women Say YES to God, By Lysa TerKeurst

Friday, July 18, 2014