Naming Sprout

When I first started this whole adoption process, I thought I had Sprout’s name all figured out. I had a first name that I LOVED, all picked out. The plan then was to use her Ethiopian name as her middle name, or in case that it was ridiculously hard to pronounce, I came up with an African middle name to give her. I was flexible in the sense that I was willing to let her given name be her first name and then my chosen name as her middle, IF I liked her given name well enough.
Well, things don’t always work out as planned (don’t I know that). Sometimes though, the new “path” is better than the old one.
The name I had originally chosen for Sprout was Malia (muh leah) and the African middle name I chose (in case her given name was too difficult to pronounce) was Abeni. Malia, in Filipino, means “beautiful”, and Abeni, in African, means “girl prayer for”. Such a fitting name for this little one who would be coming into my life.
But then I got this sweet precious referral, of this gorgeous girl, who was given the name Saba (saw buh), and everything changed. I went back and forth as to whether or not she should keep this as her first name, or have it be her middle name, and in the end, I have decided that Saba (may change it to Sabah) will be her first name. After all, Saba is who she is. It is what everyone is calling her and what she will be use to. It is also the only thing that she owns that she will get to bring with her.
Now, you might think that my problem is solved. Saba will be the first name and Malia will be the middle name. Well, I thought that too, but I do not like those two names together (in that order), because it sounds like a famous song….a very beautiful song, but not what I want to be reminded of every time I hear it. I’ll give the name of the song at the end of this post, but see if you can figure it out (say it out loud if you have to): SABA MALIA. Everytime I say it, I start singing the song.
I do want her to have an “American” given name, so I was now faced with trying to find something that went with Saba. Now, whether or not this new middle name goes with Saba, I don’t really know (it sounds good to me), but the meaning behind the name is what matters more. I chose this name for personal reasons, as it has very special meaning to me and I’m honored for her to have it. So, without further ado, the name I have chose for Sprout is………..
SABAH ISABELLA
Now, if anyone knows of any cute nicknames I could call her, please feel free to submit your ideas in the comment section.
Oh, and the name of the song Saba Malia reminds me of……Ava Maria. Very beautiful song, but just didn’t want to go with it.

Getting Ready for Baby

OK, I wouldn't exactly call it NESTING, but I'm certainly starting to get ready for baby. As my previous post stated, I'm starting to get prior purchases out of the closet, as well as taking inventory of all Sprout's clothes to see what I needed (according to my inventory list, that would be a big fat NOTHING.....wow, I'm almost embarrassed about how much she has.....ALMOST). :)

So, two weekends ago, I spent HOURS at the fabric store picking out the perfect fabric to make my sproutling a baby quilt (mind you this was before I had the referral). I got home, cut some of the squares out and then put it away.....I just wasn't motivated enough to really get going on it. Well, since I got my referral, I have been itchin to get to that quilt and this weekend I pretty much did the entire thing (I tie it, I don't actually quilt it). I'm not the worlds best quilter, and am certainly a beginner, but it turned out pretty well.....if I do say so myself. Here is the final product:

Shots

Back in May I saw my Primary Care doctor to see what kind of travel shots he could administer to me (the more he could do the less I would have to pay for at a travel clinic). Well, he gave me the first shot of Hep A, said he didn't recommend Hep B, gave me a tetnus and an MMR booster and sent me on my way. So, I was doing some research on Yellow Fever and where it was administered and how much it was going to cost, and was not looking forward to shelling out over $100 for the shot. But then I found that the Portland Clinic, who I use to go to, had a travel clinic....AND they billed insurance. So, I went and saw the travel nurse down there and she gave me the Yellow Fever (yowser, that one stung....and I have a very high tolerance for pain), Polio and the first shot of Hep B (she said it was a good idea to get it). And since I now know that I will be travelling to Awassa (4 hours south of Addis Ababa) to see where Sprout was abandoned, she wrote out a prescription for Malari pills and Typhoid pills. Yikes, I've never had so many precautionary shots/meds before travel. But, the last thing I want is to get sick and spend my "maternity" leave trying to get well rather than spending time bonding with Sprout.

So, I'm all ready to go......just need for those courts to re-open.

Now that I know who Sprout is, I've been digging out all the baby equipment that I've purchased. I can't wait to use some of these things. My favorite two are her very cool carseat and hip stroller. I LOVE them both. Her car seat is so comfortable that if I could fit my big fat bootie in it, I'd stick it in the driver's seat and ride around in comfort. heehee.

I can't wait for Sprout to be riding around in this, but until then, the cute baby doll will have to do (don't worry, I'm only nerdy enough to stroll the baby doll around IN the house.....not outdoors for the world to see my quirkiness)

Referral Reflections

So, it's been a whole work week since I got the referral of my little girl. I can't believe I actually made it through the work week and actually got SOME work done (sorry PTR....maybe next week will be more productive). :) I have so many thoughts and feelings running through my mind and body that it's difficult to sort them all out. Here are the main things I'm feeling
AMAZED
Gracious
Humbled
Honored
Scared
Terrified
In LOVE
Weepy
Anxious
Impatient
Smitten
Unworthy
Ill Prepared
In LOVE (oh, I said that one already)
Longing
Fullfilled
Blessed
Lucky
In LOVE (oh, there it is again, hmmmmm)

This little girl is so amazing to me. And I hardly know her. I look at her picture (about 10,000 times a day...err, make that a minute) and I can't help but smile. I know every new adoptive parent must look at their referral pictures and think "I got the cutest one of them all". Well, I'm no different. To me, she is GORGEOUS and absolutely PERFECT. I remember calling my agency director right after the referral and he asked how I was doing. I said "GREAT, because I'm staring at the picture of the most perfect child". He immediately said, in kind of a worried tone, "well, didn't you look at her medical history"? In which I immediately replied "yep, I saw it". So, you know about her extra finger? he asked. "Yep, I know. She's absolutely perfect". Yes, she has an extra finger, and yes, I immediately accepted the referral. We can deal with her extra digit when we get home. To me, it was a non issue (even though I am aware that it may require surgery at a later date). My gosh, I just can't explain how amazing it is to look at her picture. Each and every time I even glance at it, my heart skips a beat. It never gets old and I never tire of seeing her beautiful face. It will be tough waiting 3+ months to go get her, but in the long run, 3 months is nothing (unfortunately it doesn't feel like that right now).

I must give a HUGE shout out to my bosses. They have been great this week with dealing with me and my scattered mind. In fact, the morning of the referral, we were getting set up to have a huge company bbq. One of the managers was bbqing the steaks and one was bbqing the corn, and I was in charge of getting the rest set up......putting the beans in the crock pot, cutting up the watermelon, getting the soda in the cooler, etc. And then it was my job to keep an eye on it during the bbq. Well, after I set it all up, and went and checked my e-mail, they basically never saw me again. They actually had to call me on the phone (mind you they are just right outside) to tell me to come and check on the beans. So, I run out there check the beans, apologize for ditching them and then showed them the pictures of my wee one....the reason for my disappearance. They of course were happy for me, but the funniest part is when the manager says to me "so, you're pretty much going to be useless rest the day, huh?". Yep, is all I said and ran back to my desk to start some more e-mailing. They, the sweethearts that they are, finished the bbq by themselves and cleaned everything up (which was my job also), without giving me too much of a hard time. I also didn't show up for the 2nd shift (I never show up for the 3rd shift) bbq, and the next morning they gave me a hard time about that (jokingly of course). It really was sweet of them to be so understanding.

So, now I sit and wait for the court date, and stare at this lovely little girl. Man how I love her already.

Pictures

I can't post pictures, but if anyone would like me to e-mail them to you, send me your e-mail address at: tbryan6797 at yahoo

It's kinda funny, but I had told my sister that I wasn't going to share her pictures with many people until after court, but that lasted all of 2 seconds. I can't help it, I'm a proud mama.

I'm Walkin on Sunshine.....

and don't it feel GOOD!

I can't believe it, but I have received my referral. I can't stop smiling. I'm amazed that it happened so quickly. Of course, we have to wait for the courts to reopen in October, so I have a long wait of sitting here looking at the most gorgeous little girl.

Ethiopia does not allow photos of their orphans to be published, so I can't post her pictures, but let me assure you she is the most precious thing. So cute. Big brown eyes, a little bit of hair and cute little lips.
She was found abandoned in Awassa, and they gave her a b-day of May 26, 2008, so she isn't quite 3 months old yet.
Oh my gosh, I just can't believe this. I don't know how I am going to get any work done today.

The Eagle Has Landed

On 8/8/08 at 3:00pm (Ethiopian Time), my dossier packet made it to it's final destination!!!! I'm hoping that 8/8/08 will be exremely lucky for me and that I will have a referral soon. Another couple from my agency, who sent their dossier a to ET a week ahead of me, just received a referral for a baby girl (Congratulations John and Leah), so I'm hoping I will be as lucky. Our agency is on the smaller side, so there isn't a huge waiting list, so our referrals come quite a bit quicker than other agencies (some have waiting times of up to 18 months for a baby girl).
On another note, I had dinner with my mom last night at Burqitu and can honestly say I am getting addicted to ET food. We tried the beef tibs this time (we've only had chicken and lamb tibs up to now) and it was really really good. I had Kamso spice it up "just a little bit", and it was PERFECT (for me anyway). Just enough spice to give it a great flavor, but not so much that I'm guzzling a gallon of water.
I know I always mention how blessed I am to have found a friend in Kamso, but I must once again give her a shout out. She so kindly and graciously has invited me to two family weddings. I can't go to the one this Saturday, but I will attend her sister-in-laws wedding on August 23rd. She said it will be a big wedding with lots of Ethiopians from all different tribes. I'm so excited to go (and extremely nervous since I will know no one (except Kamso)). It will give me so much information on ET culture and also hopefully I can make some more ET friends so that when Sprout comes along, she (and I) will feel comfortable being a part of this wonderful community. I truly truly feel blessed. This is an entire culture that I would never have learned anything about if it weren't for my adoption. Just think of what I would be missing out on.
Kamso talked to my mom and I about all her brothers and sisters and their names and the meaning of each of their names and how Ethiopians names always have some special meaning to them. She also said that out of all her brothers and sisters (14 all together) she got the "weird" name. She was born on a Thursday and so her parents named her "Thursday". All her other siblings got names that actually had some special meaning to them. Too funny.
I always love eating at Burqitu and visiting with Kamso. The information she shares with me is invaluable. I just soak up everything she tells me about Ethiopia....and in turn, I will share with Sprout. Such a blessing. Thank you Kamso

Moving across Europe

Again, NOT that I'm tracking it or anything, but my dossier hit Leipzig Germany yesterday at 11pm, and then made it's way to Paris France early this morning. It has now left Paris. We shall see where it lands next. Ethiopia? Perhaps.

Across the big blue ocean

My Dossier left New York this morning at 6:35! Not that I'm tracking it or anything! ;)

Sorry I've Been So Quiet

Well, it's been a while since I have blogged.....I didn't even do Favorite Photo Friday. And it's not like I don't have anything to blog about.....in fact, I have three exciting things to blog about....it's just that I wasn't feeling very chatty. But, not today.....beware....this could be long.....

First exciting thing (in no particular order)......

Last Saturday I finally met Rebecca and her family. Rebecca and I started e-mailing back and forth when we realized we had the same fingerprinting appointment. She and her husband and two children live up in Battle Ground and they drove down to meet me at Burqitu for lunch. It was such fun meeting all of them, and learning about their adoption experience, and of course comparing stories. It turns out we are on almost the exact same timeline, from when we first contacted adoption agencies, to signing the contracts, to applying at USCIS, to getting homestudies done and turned in to USCIS, to of course fingerprinting and receiving the coveted Golden Ticket on the exact same day.

It was the first time they had experienced Ethiopian food, and I was thrilled to introduce them to Kamso at Burqitu. True to her fabulous self, Kamso was so friendly and gave us valuable information on Ethiopia and her culture. She is so open and so willing to share information, that I feel so completely blessed to have found her. She treated us well, and was genuinely happy for us to have received our Golden Tickets. She even brought us some items that weren't on the menu to help us celebrate. She's also trying to teach me some Amharic, but I'm a poor student, and am not learning it very well.

Rebecca brought me a small gift at lunch and I just love it. It's a little hard to figure out what I took a picture with all that clutter on my desk, but the gift is the cute little globe. Wasn't that just the sweetest thing? I look at it everyday....tracing the path from Oregon to Ethiopia. Soon, very soon, I will be traveling that path. I can't wait. Thank you Rebecca for this special gift. I so enjoyed meeting you and your family and hope we can do it again sometime soon.

Item Two:

MY DOSSIER IS ON IT'S WAY TO ETHIOPIA! I just got an e-mail from Radu saying it's on it's way. I'm so glad to have it in transit, I can't even explain it. I'll be even happier once it arrives. Let's all cross our fingers that the DHL truck/plane/train (whatever) doesn't crash and burn!

Item Three:

MY SISTER IS MOVING BACK TO OREGON!!! I'm really excited to have Tina, Ron and the boys back. They are driving out next Monday and should be here one week from tomorrow. I can't wait until I can play with my sweet little nephews whenever I want. Their goal is to find a place to stay that is somewhere close to where I live. In the meantime, they will hold up in Beaverton (about 20-30 minutes from me) until they find something they like. With summer still here, it will be fun to take the boys hiking and show them what mountains and trees are SUPPOSED to look like.....no offense to you Houstonites, but....BLAH! (ok, I'm sure I offended, sorry)

So, those are my updates. New friend, Dossier to Ethiopia, and sister back in the neighborhood. How blessed am I?

Oh, and on a side note.....if anyone was curious about the title of my last post: hurray hurray it's on it's way, to shangra la dee da....that comes from none other than THE FLINTSTONES. One person posted the answer and got it correct. And though HE posted with a fake name, I KNOW who you are. When will you ever learn that you are married to a twin? Geesh! :)

This little "song" (not really a song, but more of a chant), was when Fred took the paperboy (arnold?) and his boy scout troop on the annual jamboree. Remember that one? As they were hiking up and down the hills, they chanted: Hurray, Hurray, we're on our way, to Shangri La dee da. We'll eat baked beans, and canned sardine, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah Rah (thanks Tina for reminding me of the second verse). I always loved that episode because their jamboree was held in this beautiful valley (hey, I was kid, I THOUGHT it was beautiful back then) and always wanted to go to Shangri La!

Anyway, you can all sleep soundly tonight knowing that little bit of Flintstone trivia. You're welcome. :)