I had a crazy Mom moment this morning. To justify my madness let me preface this post with the fact that I had the flu this week and Ben left on a three week training so I am flying solo. I woke up this morning to the sound of two little boys quietly going down the hall way. We have a system in our home. On the weekends the boys can get up at 6:30 and watch cartoons so lazy bones Mom can sleep. No one really suffers in this scenario as I get sleep, boys get cartoons, and we all start the weekend days happy campers. But... this has been a process to get here. Yared loves TV and would lie, sneak, and cheat to get up earlier and earlier to watch cartoons. We finally got the message across that cartoons were a privilege and if we got up before 6:30 then cartoons disappeared.
Today I heard them so I checked the bedside alarm clock to make sure it wasn't too early. Why you ask do I care if it is earlier? Here is why. When the boys don't sleep Yared gets weepy and Nati gets crabby which makes me exhausted and all three of us miserable by the end of the weekend day, and all so they can sneak TV. That is why I am a stickler for the time. When I looked at the said bedside clock it was 5:45 and I was so mad. I got out of bed and went into the bathroom where I must say even to my annoyed crabby self they looked adorable. One was on the pot and the other was sitting waiting his turn on a stool. They have new matching camouflage thermal pjs and they look so sweet in them. I stomped in there and told them in no uncertain terms it was not even 6 am and they were to get their little selves back to bed. They quickly did so and then I went back to bed. I was so disappointed that we were back to square one with this cartoon thing. I lay there getting all worked up and then something hit me. There was light coming through the blinds. I got up and looked outside and saw the sun rising. What??? I ran to check the alarm clock. Yup 5:45. Hmmm. Was it daylight savings? Had I in my fog of flu and sending Ben off missed this fact? But how did my alarm clock change itself. I walked all befuddled down the hall to the old clock in the kitchen. I KNOW that one can not change itself. 6:45. WOW no way. I couldn't believe it. My alarm clock, which yes is new since the last day light savings, had changed itself. I didn't know they could do that.
Man what a bad Mom moment. I quickly got back into the boys room and got them out of bed and tried to explain day light savings and that Mom hadn't gone completely mad. I showed them the two different times on two clocks. They weren't sure what to make of me. I had just sent them to bed and now I was getting them up and laughing and apologizing all at the same time. Finally Nati says, "Man I was scared." "Me too!" says Yared.
Don't worry they accepted my apology and we DID watch cartoons together this time as now I was wide awake. We also made Chocolate Chip pancakes. I am not going to lie that might have been a bit of a guilty conscience that led to the luxury breakfast:).
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Still Waiting for my birth to be proven to be fact.
Hi, I am really me. Yes this is Moira Jean Leppard but it appears this is the hardest fact to prove in our adoption ordeal so far. Ironically I was able to prove this same fact that I am me and I was born in Ethiopia 40 some years ago when we first adopted but it appears I cannot repeat this same thing. Sooooo if you feel like a quick journey into the frustrating world called adoption here is where we are in our process. Basically we are behind where we thought we were 6 weeks ago:(.
Sept 21st I mailed in our dossier to our agency for review. Confident I had done it all correct and smiling smugly to myself that I was the queen of the dossier world.
Oct 3rd it is finally mailed in from them to the next agency, the Ethiopian agency.
Oct 9th we find out that we need to fix two things on our dossier. First we need to be fingerprinted again by the Dept. of Justice of CA. We have been fingerprinted twice now already for this adoption. We had double checked on this a few times but seems there was conflicting information. Also they will not accept my birth certificate.
Oct 10th we get fingerprinted and I call British Embassy to have them tell me I had done my birth certificate correctly. They are willing to talk to the agency in person to clear up issue.
Oct 13th we receive our fingerprint clearance GREAT. But we look at it and see that they did mine wrong and Ben's right.
Oct 15th contact DOJ and ask them to fix mine. Also hear back from my agency that the won't accept my Birth Certificate as is. I had paid $100 to have it authenticated by the United Kingdom but it turns out they don't want that. Now I pay another $100 to have it sent to the British Embassy so they can... get this... CROSS off the UK authentication and authenticate it themselves. Why? Ok you might gloss over here with boredom but this is it. There is a convention out there for international adoptions called the Hague convention. Ethiopia is not part of this. England and USA are. The authentication paper from the UK says Hague convention so therefore it is not accepted by a non-hauge country. It is RIDICULOUS as the point of the Hague is to keep kids safe and so the fact that it says Hague on it should reassure them that this Birth Certificate is authentic. Instead because it says this I have to wait weeks to have this "error" fixed.
Oct 19th Birth Certificate is on its way to DC to be "fixed". Also get another clearance letter from the DOJ and it is wrong too. Ready to cry.. Email DOJ and for the first time in the history of either adoptions a government employee apologized for the mistakes and asks for my patience and forgiveness. Thrilled to have this unheard of accomplishment but wish it hadn't taken three errors on the part of the DOJ.
Oct 22nd get correct paperwork from DOJ.
Oct 24th the boys and I drive to LA to get the DOJ paperwork authenticated at the state level...being VERY careful to make sure they don't even think the word Hague while they certify it. To comfort ourselves after this journey we stop in for Ethi food. Yummy.
Oct 29 Sandy hits DC so I know there will be a further delay with my Birth Certificate.
Nov 1 call agency and ask them to find out how long Birth Certificate is going to take. Still waiting to hear back from them.
Nov 3 sit and computer and type out all the annoying details of the last 6 weeks since I mailed in dossier.
What does this gibberish mean, other than the fact that I might go insane? Basically our dossier is considered incomplete until we can get my Birth Certificate sorted and mailed from DC to Spokane to Portland. Then the whole dossier will go back to DC for authentication at the Federal level then off to Ethiopia for translation.
Actually while I am frustrated and grumpy about the delays, if I just stop and take 1 minute to look at my life I CANNOT complain. God has so richly blessed me with two fun, sweet, amazing little boys and one fantastic husband that I have no right to mutter. I really am showered with blessings from above. I have health, family, friends, all my needs, most of wants and a God who listens to my daily mutterings and praises. I am a blessed woman. But even with the wonderful life I live I do get frustrated with this adoption thing. It seems a waste to redo paperwork we already did. I ask myself why does the DOJ make three mistakes, why does the British Embassy tell me one thing and the agency another, why does paperwork mailed on FedEx two day outrageous rates take 5 to get somewhere? Why all these delays? I think the reason is that God is in charge not me. I am pretty confident that if another little girl comes into our home she is a particular little girl chosen meant for this home just like the boys were meant for this home. Maybe the delays are just to coordinate our family with our specific daughter. Maybe they are to teach this old dog a new trick, called patience:). I don't have an answer but I do trust the my God is in charge. When I remind myself of that fact and stop to look my AMAZING life then I can get on with life and let the craziness of adoption flow over me. If I look at the list above and dwell on the stupid delays and snaggles I can become angry and bitter. There really ins't a choice. Move on Moira Jean Leppard and be who you are called to be. Be positive, be grateful, and trust Jesus.
Sept 21st I mailed in our dossier to our agency for review. Confident I had done it all correct and smiling smugly to myself that I was the queen of the dossier world.
Oct 3rd it is finally mailed in from them to the next agency, the Ethiopian agency.
Oct 9th we find out that we need to fix two things on our dossier. First we need to be fingerprinted again by the Dept. of Justice of CA. We have been fingerprinted twice now already for this adoption. We had double checked on this a few times but seems there was conflicting information. Also they will not accept my birth certificate.
Oct 10th we get fingerprinted and I call British Embassy to have them tell me I had done my birth certificate correctly. They are willing to talk to the agency in person to clear up issue.
Oct 13th we receive our fingerprint clearance GREAT. But we look at it and see that they did mine wrong and Ben's right.
Oct 15th contact DOJ and ask them to fix mine. Also hear back from my agency that the won't accept my Birth Certificate as is. I had paid $100 to have it authenticated by the United Kingdom but it turns out they don't want that. Now I pay another $100 to have it sent to the British Embassy so they can... get this... CROSS off the UK authentication and authenticate it themselves. Why? Ok you might gloss over here with boredom but this is it. There is a convention out there for international adoptions called the Hague convention. Ethiopia is not part of this. England and USA are. The authentication paper from the UK says Hague convention so therefore it is not accepted by a non-hauge country. It is RIDICULOUS as the point of the Hague is to keep kids safe and so the fact that it says Hague on it should reassure them that this Birth Certificate is authentic. Instead because it says this I have to wait weeks to have this "error" fixed.
Oct 19th Birth Certificate is on its way to DC to be "fixed". Also get another clearance letter from the DOJ and it is wrong too. Ready to cry.. Email DOJ and for the first time in the history of either adoptions a government employee apologized for the mistakes and asks for my patience and forgiveness. Thrilled to have this unheard of accomplishment but wish it hadn't taken three errors on the part of the DOJ.
Oct 22nd get correct paperwork from DOJ.
Oct 24th the boys and I drive to LA to get the DOJ paperwork authenticated at the state level...being VERY careful to make sure they don't even think the word Hague while they certify it. To comfort ourselves after this journey we stop in for Ethi food. Yummy.
Oct 29 Sandy hits DC so I know there will be a further delay with my Birth Certificate.
Nov 1 call agency and ask them to find out how long Birth Certificate is going to take. Still waiting to hear back from them.
Nov 3 sit and computer and type out all the annoying details of the last 6 weeks since I mailed in dossier.
What does this gibberish mean, other than the fact that I might go insane? Basically our dossier is considered incomplete until we can get my Birth Certificate sorted and mailed from DC to Spokane to Portland. Then the whole dossier will go back to DC for authentication at the Federal level then off to Ethiopia for translation.
Actually while I am frustrated and grumpy about the delays, if I just stop and take 1 minute to look at my life I CANNOT complain. God has so richly blessed me with two fun, sweet, amazing little boys and one fantastic husband that I have no right to mutter. I really am showered with blessings from above. I have health, family, friends, all my needs, most of wants and a God who listens to my daily mutterings and praises. I am a blessed woman. But even with the wonderful life I live I do get frustrated with this adoption thing. It seems a waste to redo paperwork we already did. I ask myself why does the DOJ make three mistakes, why does the British Embassy tell me one thing and the agency another, why does paperwork mailed on FedEx two day outrageous rates take 5 to get somewhere? Why all these delays? I think the reason is that God is in charge not me. I am pretty confident that if another little girl comes into our home she is a particular little girl chosen meant for this home just like the boys were meant for this home. Maybe the delays are just to coordinate our family with our specific daughter. Maybe they are to teach this old dog a new trick, called patience:). I don't have an answer but I do trust the my God is in charge. When I remind myself of that fact and stop to look my AMAZING life then I can get on with life and let the craziness of adoption flow over me. If I look at the list above and dwell on the stupid delays and snaggles I can become angry and bitter. There really ins't a choice. Move on Moira Jean Leppard and be who you are called to be. Be positive, be grateful, and trust Jesus.
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