Adoption

Sweet Sweet Perfection

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 13 Comments

I have her in my hands and she is perfect.  It was so amazing and easy this time.  She is so perfect.  She is so tiny.  Her little feet.  I have never seen feet so little.  She is eating and happy.  She is in love with her mommy and pretty happy with her grandpa.  She has her two bottom teeth already and her gums are slightly swollen and I am sure more are on the way.  She can roll over and has some neck and back strength but needs to work on that.  She hates to be on her belly and rolls over immediately but she needs to be on her belly so she can lift her chest up–she can’t do that yet. 

Again, she is perfect.  She is napping now and I just stare at her.  She has an awesome smile.  But is so very tiny.  Her torso is long but her legs are a little short.  She is wearing 3 month clothes and they are pretty perfect for her.  So glad I bought some extra stuff that was small. 

We are going back to AAI tomorrow for a tour and to take photos for all of those families who are waiting.  I have letters to deliver and then on Thursday we are going to Nazret with an AAI social worker to see where she was.  I am so excited about that.  I hope to get my shopping done tomorrow and should be able to in the afternoon. 

She is amazing and happy and so aware.  She looks at everything.  I am so very in love and she knows I am her mommy.  It’s amazing. 

Houston We Have Landed

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

I have been awake for nearly 30 hours and I am exhausted.  I never want to be cooped up in one plane for nearly 18 hours again.  Oh wait I have to do it again on Friday with a baby. 

I get to see Peepers tomorrow.  I am so frickin excited, but am so frickin tired.  Tune in tomorrow for a description of our meeting. 

Leaving On A Jet Plane (or Two)

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 5 Comments

It’s early…My first flight doesn’t leave for 6 hours but who could sleep at a time like this?  I am so excited and nervous and happy and anxious.  This adoption is slightly different from our first.  Peepers is a little more than 2 months older than Minnow was.  Peepers was nearly 4 months old before she was moved to Wanna from Sele Enat whereas Minnow was at Wanna from the time he was 20 days old.  Peepers is a girl and Minnow was a boy.  I know each child is different.  I worry about the ease and/or difficulty with attachment.  I hope she attaches as well as Minnow did.  I love her so much already.   I hope that she likes me.  I know she will because I will feed her, hold her, shower her with affection and really awesome clothes.  What girl doesn’t love clothes.  But I am a stranger.  She does not know that I am coming.  She does not understand why these people are taking her away.   I know she will eventually–I am hoping sooner rather than later–come to understand that we are her family.  I am worried because she is older and more aware of what is going on.  Those of you who brought your Ethiopian babies home when they were 7 months or older–have any awesome reassurance for me? 

I am packed and ready.  I have everything I need. 

Now off to the babe.  I hopefully will have brilliant and amazing stories to post on Monday.  Keep a look out for tales of my meeting with Peepers and my 58-year-old father’s first reaction to a developing nation and his first trip outside of the United States.  So much excitement. 

See you soon.

Friday Weigh In

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 8 Comments

Well sadly I gained a small amount of weight this week.  I know it is totally related to my stress.  I am stressed and haven’t been eating the best and I only made it to the gym twice.  I hate making excuses, but life just got in my way this week and I didn’t try all that hard to combat it.  These weeks will happen and I am okay with that, as this is a long term goal and I have a long road ahead of me.  I also know that I will most likely not lose any weight next week while in Addis.  I will certainly try to eat reasonably and healthy but it will be a little difficult to do. 

So, I am no where near closer to my mini-September goal, but when I get back I will have plenty of time to be focussed and using WW to the best of my ability and I know it will work for me, as long as I work for it. 

For the first time I am at peace and not totally feeling like a failure.  Yay!

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Well, my carry-on crisis has been adverted and only cost me more money.  I think I actually have nearly a pound to spare in my carry-on.  I have my bags packed and both of them are under 50lbs which is nice and something I don’t have to worry about now too.  I am so ready to go and cannot wait to hold my baby girl.  I have crossed nearly everything off of my list except for cleaning up the house and going the grocery store. 

I am going to try and blog while in Ethiopia.  I imagine I should be able to because my site is not hosted with blogger or wordpress.  I use wordpress on my site, but I don’t have a wordpress address.  So we will see.  It would be funny if my site was blocked in Addis, but I seriously doubt it.  I didn’t blog on my trip to get Minnow and I am sad that I couldn’t because I would have like to have had a written record of my feelings.  I tried to keep a handwritten journal, but I sadly have become unable to write significant ideas and thoughts with pen and paper.  I really need a keyboard to do real writing.  Hard to belief I use to do all my writing longhand–I wrote a novel longhand and now I cannot even write a journal entry. 

Did I mention that I am leaving for Addis tomorrow? 

Things Left Unsaid

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 6 Comments

I haven’t spent anytime here discussing one of the biggest crises to hit Ethiopia since the 80’s.  Famine.  Ethiopia is ever important to me and will forever be my second nation–because it is my children’s first nation.  As as examine our society of excess–really who needs a double whopper or double quarter pounder with cheese?  The waste that happens in this country on any given day would be welcome 8000 miles away.  Our greed often prevents us from giving to those whose are not as fortunate as us. 

There is so much more we could do if we wanted.  There is so much we could do if we banned together to help the country that has been kind enough to allow us to adopt their children–their precious resources.  Danielle–president of EOR posted a great letter on EOR’s blog.  We are working hard to find a way to help with the relief efforts.  You can donate through our organization.  And if not ours–please donate to someone’s.  It is our responsibility as parents of Ethiopian born children to help in any way we can.

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So, my carry-on is too heavy.  Ethiopian Airlines has a very strict carry-on policy.  One bag under 15lbs.  I can also carry on a purse.  But really–15 lbs ads up quickly.  I knew this would be an issue so I went out and bought a small carry-on.  I spend a lot of time picking up bags to try and determine which was lighter, etc.  I thought I had scored.  Turns out the bag I bought weighed 8lbs empty.  Over half of my weight allowance.  UGH.  Now I have to figure out another carry-on and it has to be light.  I really don’t have that much stuff–only about 9lbs of stuff to carry-on (camera, lens, small camera, dvd player, books–they all take up space and are necessary to carry-on). 

I get to leave on Saturday to bring Peepers home.  I will get to meet her on Monday June 23rd and I cannot wait to hold her.  It is going to be awesome.