Pictures!

After not being in touch with Sid for more than 24 hours (I was going absolutely crazy and on the verge of a meltdown) he phoned this morning.  He had been unable to get an internet connection but finally was able to send me some photos.  I've emailed, posted on facebook,  posted on Sid's blog, posted on both yahoo groups and now here, ha ha.  I love her!  These photos melt my heart.  I can't wait to hold her!  Hopefully the visa trend stays and we can travel this summer.

Sophia (Sophie) Selam Dianne Vlieg

She's ours!  Introducing our daughter Sophie!  It is the middle of the night and I just heard from Sid that court was successful.  Just wanted to post our news and some photos.  Thank you for your support, positive thoughts and prayers!  We're just thrilled!

Hubby's Blog

If you haven't been there yet, Sid has started a blog for his journey to meet baby sister and our court date (in 3 days!). The link is at the top of the page on the right hand side.  He is going to meet our daughter TOMORROW! 

Canvas Heart Giveaway

This is a website that I've just recently learned of and I absolutely LOVE this artwork!  After we pass court (hopefully next week - ack!) I would LOVE to order something!   Can't wait!  She is having a giveaway.  Check it out!
http://www.thecanvasheart.com/

I wouldn't change a thing.

I love this experience.  There are so many emotions that go with this step of our journey.  I am excited, exhausted and anxious, just to name a few.  Sid and I are seperately working on checking things off his travel list. For example, get U.S. money, buy cell phone to use in Africa, make sure we have our notarized document for court, the paperwork and money order for baby's sister's visa, phone number for our agency's driver in Addis, etc., etc.   Our list is 2 pages long.  I am taking it all in.  Preparing for his trip, collecting donations and the like all the while trying to live life and keep up on the daily tasks, including laundry (could do without that!), being a mom to a 2 year-old and gardening.  Periodically I calculate what Sid will be doing a week from now (for example in one week he have already held our daughter in his arms!) and I smile. At the same time I get nauseous with anxiety about court.  But I wouldn't change a thing.  This is all about becoming a family.  Our daughter will soon join our family and I wouldn't change a thing.  The nerves, exhaustion and anxiety are all a part of it and I'm taking it all in.

To the core.

When my daughter was born just over 2 years ago and it was almost time to bring her home from the hospital we had an entrustment ceremony with her birth family and our social worker, Alison.  Before entering the hospital room where her birth family, hospital nurse, social worker and Josina were waiting for us I prayed that I was able to feel everything - to the core of my soul.  I didn't want to hold any emotions back in order to survive this experience.  I was being given the greatest gift, the gift of my daughter and it was important to me that I felt not just the joy of becoming a parent but the pain, the deep, paralyzing pain of watching a loving, wonderful family say 'goodbye' to their beautiful daughter, granddaughter and niece.  I felt it was my responsibility to do so.  And boy, did I feel it!

As we prepare for Sid's trip to Ethiopia for our court date I have been finding myself praying for God to help me experience all the emotions that go with this part of our journey, to not hold anything back. The excitement, the anxiety, the nervousness, the debilitating sense of utter sadness knowing a family has again said goodbye to their daughter, granddaughter, niece.  Again, I feel it is my responsibility to feel all of it.  I am being given another beautiful gift, the gift of another daughter and I am not holding anything back.

Baby Stella!

No that's not what baby sister's name will be, lol. But it is the first present I've purchased for her! Can you believe I've held off on buying anything for her (except bedroom furniture, that doesn't count, ha ha). Court is less than 3 weeks away and I am a nervous and excited wreck. I don't think I will send baby Stella with my husband for the court trip in case we do not get it back. But baby Stella will be waiting for baby sister's arrival to Canada.

By the way, we will share photos and baby sister's name when court passes successfully. The day we received our referral my husband and I drove home separately from the agency and when we got home he asked me if I had thought of a name. Now remember we always thought it would be a boy so we NEVER considered or discussed ANY girl names. I asked him what he had thought of and he told me. Amazingly the name I thought of on the way home was the shortened/nickname version of the name he had thought of on his drive home. Hmmm...meant to be? At the time we thought it was a very original name but we've come to learn it is one of the most popular names right now. Hint, hint.