Number Five

We have moved! We have moved! No, not to an new address but up on the waiting list! We are now #5! That means there are only four people in front of us waiting for an infant boy. Of course, no one knows how much longer it will be at this point. The latest update from the agency, as of yesterday, was that infant referrals continue to be slow. They are making headway on the paperwork for the children "caught in the middle", many of which are infants and toddlers. Sadly, some children have been waiting at the orphanage for over a year for their documents to get approved. The agency has made 80 referrals so far this year of children in Ethiopia to their forever families. Eighty seems like a lot but it is nothing compared to the nearly five million orphans in that country.

Unless we get "The Call" in the next several weeks, I will be calling the agency for a check-in on August 18---the fourteen month anniversary of our dossier being in Ethiopia.

Latest Update

Well, I think things may finally start moving again as far as referrals go. Latest word from another adoptive parent who spoke with the director of our agency is that she may be giving out 7-10 referrals in the next several weeks! Also, the agency received 11 new children in June and have 35 "little ones" (many under 18 months) who are in paperwork "limbo." They are hoping to start getting the paperwork complete soon on these kids so they can start referring them.

There has been a hold up the last several months on the proper authorities in ET signing documents to allow the agencies to refer the children. Apparently, these documents need to be signed to deem the children "orphans." The hold up is, in part, due to the Ethiopian elections they had in May just being completed. Our director, Merrily, said that things are now beginning to move and she is optimistic things will speed up.

Even though we have no way to know the ages of the children waiting to be referred, my math-- and common sense--tells me that since we are number 7 on the waiting list and there are about 45 children waiting---OUR CHILD is probably there right now---waiting for US!!

This is definitely news that I needed to keep the faith and continue to be patient with this long and unpredictable journey!