trek2ethiopia

Gemechu Theodore born in Asella, Ethoipia January 8. 2011

Welcomed Home September 24. 2011

2011….WHAT A YEAR!

This year was monumental, life altering and simply wonderful...I was entrenched in adoption…. It was my obsession, it had some low points but overall it was fabulous…. I am amazed when I think back over the year, I felt it very necessary to document my trek.

Adoption Time Line

September 24.2010….Officially begin an Ethiopian Adoption

December 17. 2010….Dossier sent to Ethiopia

The year began with the news that Kazakhstan was officially closed to international adoption, I was grandfathered in March 2010 and hoped that I would be able to complete the adoption, unfortunately about 200 families were shut out… this was a devastating blow after 16 months in process. I had begun an Ethiopia adoption prior to the closure of Kazakhstan, but the final closure was still difficult to accept.

In March 2011 Ethiopia enacted a slow down, which in combination with the fact that my agency’s referrals had slowed down to almost a halt was very stressful….after many months of waiting it seemed that I would never bring my child home. Around this time, I was introduced to some amazing women with children from Ethiopia. One of the women had been waiting for two years for her second child… I suddenly had a new perspective……

April 26. 2011….Referral

On this Tuesday, I had a hair appointment/highlights and was lamenting my misery to my hairdresser…. I antsy, impatient and frustrated…. I had received an email earlier in the day from Sally, my caseworker who had updated my closed Kaz file… no new news…. Until with my head full of foils at 4:45pm I saw on my phone a call from area code 616…. I never answer my phone at the salon… but Bob understood and watched intently while I carried on a 5 minute, one-sided conversation with Sally. When I hung up, he asked if I had news….. I simply showed him the picture….

It seemed to take forever to get a court date, but I finally received the email two weeks into summer vacation, ironically, it was on a day I had a hair appointment. I spent the week before my departure in Baltimore, enjoying time with my friends and scheduling flights and lodging in Ethiopia.

July 8. 2011….Leave for Ethiopia

July 9. 2011….Meet Sweet Gemechu

July 15. 2011….Court

July 19. 2011….Return to the USA

The flights were long but the trek was amazing and I met the love of my life.

August 9. 2011….Passed court, Gemechu is legally my son

I received news that I was officially a mom one week prior to court closure for rainy season, I was extremely concerned I would not make it before the courts closed I was elated, and I was at the salon. I should note that my hairdresser and I now have a running joke that all good things come to pass when I spend a day at his salon.

August 18. 2011….Paperwork submitted to the US Embassy in Addis Ababa, ET

September 13. 2011….Embassy Clearance

Once my paperwork was submitted to the Embassy, I hit a hurdle, a request for an additional document…. I then spent a series of 2 weeks waking up through out the night to look at my Blackberry for an email from the US Embassy… The emails from the Embassy came in between 1-4 am.

September 19. 2011….Return to Ethiopia

September 20. 2011….Gotcha Day

September 22. 2011….Embassy Day

September 24. 2011….Welcome Home THEO…Gemechu Theodore

The return to Ethiopia was swift and I was able to travel with some of my friends from the first trip. One of the very best things about this trek was the wonderful people I met along the way. The moments that took place at the end of September were very special…. I was lucky enough to become a mom under the watchful and loving eyes of my mother. I am without words to describe how precious this time was and how invaluable my mother was to me during the week, and throughout the long, long flight home. We arrived home and Theo became a US citizen exactly one year from the start of the journey.

This year I have been on the receiving end of countless baby showers, dinners, general assistance and love of family and friends. I always knew I was lucky but I had no idea just how lucky. September through December were filled with holidays, a trip to Florida, and my return to work. We welcomed my friend’s son home from Ethiopia in early November and welcomed a new cousin via domestic adoption in mid November. It was a good year…..

“…We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die. And what we’ve chosen to do with our lives. It better be damn good. It better be worth it...”

Steve Jobs