05.29.09
Waiting…
I thought our waiting was going to be at an end on May 25. That would have been the day we met Asher for the first time. This past weekend was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I was truly thinking I had a handle on it, but when the weekend rolled around, I just lost it. Again. I’m so tired of feeling like this. I have moments of such despair. I’m not the easiest person to comfort under normal circumstances (ask Owen!), but this is just so beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s emotionally and physically draining. There are times when I just don’t know what to do with all the anger and sadness I’m feeling.
No earth-shattering news from Ethiopia. There has been some movement in the on-going investigation. According to our agency, the courts have lifted the ban on abandoned baby cases from some of the government-run orphanages, but have expanded the investigation into other parts of Ethiopia. Our agency seems encouraged by this. For me, the jury is still out.
Owen did his best to distract me last weekend. We spent Saturday out and about. He took me to my favorite restaurant for lunch…Pappadeaux’s! Seafood almost always cheers me up. 
Monday we drove up to Helen, GA, a cheesy, touristy recreation of an alpine village in North Georgia. Love it! We had our fill of German sausage, sauerkraut and beer. After lunch, we hiked up to the Anna Ruby Falls. A lot of other people had the same idea. The trail was pretty crowded, but it was such a nice day, and everything was so green!
Today officially begins my vacation. I really, really need it right now. Owen and I booked a cabin in the North Carolina mountains for four days next week. We’re looking forward to the solitude and just spending time together. We’ve got some fun things planned too. Whitewater rafting, exploring the Smoky Mountains, a little gambling at the casino, hiking. It’s going to be a fun four days!
I’ll leave you with some pics from last weekend at Anna Ruby Falls. So beautiful!
05.18.09
10 days…
It’s been 10 days since we found out that our court case in Ethiopia had not been heard on the appointed date, May 8, and our adoption of baby Asher was put on “hold”. It’s been the 10 longest days of my life! It’s still so hard for me to “talk” about it. We were supposed to be leaving a week from yesterday to bring him home. I’m so tired of explaining to everyone why that isn’t going to happen now. I refuse to say “if” it’s going to happen. I still have to believe that this is just a temporary bump in the road…we’ve had so many of those since we started this process 2 years ago.
We’ve been getting very little information about the situation in Ethiopia. So far, we’ve learned that the judges have finished their preliminary investigation into the unethical practices of certain orphanages, agency, police officer and social worker. We know that our agency has NOT been implicated and that our children are NOT involved. There are 9 other families that this is affecting. There is a meeting today in ET with the JCICS (Joint Council on International and Children’s Services). We’re hoping to get more information from them on the judge’s decision regarding pending adoption cases. Until then, we’re in limbo.
Owen and I are trying to stay busy. We’ve really been leaning on each other throughout this ordeal. I’ve been communicating with some of the other families as well. It’s impossible for most people to understand what we’re going through right now. The May 8 Families, as we unofficially call ourselves, have been such a huge comfort and support to me. Just being in contact with them somehow makes this a little easier for me to bear.
I’ll leave you with a much happier note…
My nephews, Austin and William.
05.08.09
Court today!!
There are 14 families who didn’t get much sleep last night. We’re all waiting to hear the outcome of our court dates in Ethiopia. We should know something by noon today.
An email yesterday from CHI instructed us all to call in to a scheduled conference call at 1:00PM Central time (that’s noon for us) to go over the information received from CHI’s in-country representative and answer any questions. I’m hoping we’ll be discussing the good news that EVERYONE passed court today!
Stayed tuned…
