Sunday, March 30, 2008
Just testing to see how this works
Just about done!
Yes, that means almost done packing! :) As I mentioned, I had 3 suitcases packed with Addison's things and the H. Aid for a few weeks now. So it was down to mine and Mark's clothes, then carry-on luggage. I have to take them up to the shop to weigh them...just to be sure they aren't over 70 pounds (especially the oversized bag), but otherwise all that's left is our carry-on stuff and a few minor last minute items.
Ask any one of my family members or in-laws...they'll all tell you the same thing. I'm the organized one! :)
But I have a lot of things to do in the next 2 (less than 2!) weeks before we travel. I still gotta pack the boys for the grandparents houses. But I'm still doing my same old routine. Trevor still goes to school 3 days a week and I'll still be at the Y almost every morning...which only leaves my afternoons and this coming weekend. I also have a MOPS meeting next Friday that I really want to go to as well without feeling guilty about needing to do something yet for Ethiopia.....so besides being an overly organized person (most of the time), I just got a lot of things to do and having packing out of the way feels like 1000 pounds off my shoulders! :) It's also nice to do that with Mark home cuz he keeps the kids busy!!!
Well, time to sleep for now. Y to exercise at 8am.....morning comes too soon!!
Ask any one of my family members or in-laws...they'll all tell you the same thing. I'm the organized one! :)
But I have a lot of things to do in the next 2 (less than 2!) weeks before we travel. I still gotta pack the boys for the grandparents houses. But I'm still doing my same old routine. Trevor still goes to school 3 days a week and I'll still be at the Y almost every morning...which only leaves my afternoons and this coming weekend. I also have a MOPS meeting next Friday that I really want to go to as well without feeling guilty about needing to do something yet for Ethiopia.....so besides being an overly organized person (most of the time), I just got a lot of things to do and having packing out of the way feels like 1000 pounds off my shoulders! :) It's also nice to do that with Mark home cuz he keeps the kids busy!!!
Well, time to sleep for now. Y to exercise at 8am.....morning comes too soon!!
120th Anniversary for Gladney
My family and I arrived home last night about 12:30. But I have to say we had such a great time in Fort Worth. We went to 2 of the 4 activities Gladney was doing for the weekend. Friday evening we went to Billy Bob's Honky Tonk. It was fun! The only bad thing was, the boys were cooped up for about 6 hours in the car and just as we pulled into the hotel we went up to change and left right away. So we have a 2 year old and a 4 year old just wanting and NEEDING to run off energy.
And I was so excited to find Mary. I asked one of the ladies when we were signing in if she had arrived yet, but they said she'd be coming soon. We ended up meeting her in the food line and she got her hug as I promised her the day before! I cannot say anything but fantastic things about this lady! Her and I clicked so awesomely (is that a word?) I almost felt like she was a long lost best friend!! So completely fantastic! We talked for quite a while that night, and to all of us Ethiopia families that were there. She pointed out some of them as we went thru the food line.
I was able to also meet Belay that night. Very nice man and comforting to know he's kind of in charge when we travel. I also met and talked to Abby some that night. We talked about some of my wondering questions for travel, so it was nice to be put at ease for some of the "worries" I had when we are there. And she also let me know that our baby girl is one of the favorites to the in-country couple's daughter over there. She has spent so much time with her over there, I kinda feel guilty when we'll be bringing her home! :)
Then Saturday we went to Gladney. BEAUTIFUL place!! They had lots of activites going on...Ethiopian dancers, Chinese dragon, TCU drum band, LOTS of blow up things for the kids to jump in/on. Couldn't pass up the free popcorn and cotton candy. Don't find free cotton candy in our neck of the woods! :) It was just a fantastic day! We also met the couple that took the care bear over to Addison, the Lydick's. Very nice couple/family. It was so nice to be able to thank them in person for everything they did for us when they traveled. Their family is so beautiful and their little Neveah....WOW!! She was giggly with Caleb's balloon and so adorable. There is no other perfect word than she was just a doll!! It made me so much more excited to know in just 2 short weeks we'd have our Addison to hold and snuggle with also!
I also introduced myself to Eric and Tara--there were some bloggers you see that you think you've seen them before. I also saw the Bottomly's but wasn't able to chat with them. They were the first blog I ever read and their little Silas is such a cutie as well!! Actually, Ethiopians are just beautiful people period!!
While there, I made the comment to Mark, that as a person just stopped and looked around at all the families and children, how wonderful it was to feel a part of the Gladney family. We had overheard they were expecting about 1000 people there yesterday. Such a wonderful feeling to have a connection to each one of those people in SOME way, even if you have no idea who they are! :)
I have to just say again though....Mary is so wonderful! She is such a pro at what she does and I know she has such a fulfilling job! Even thru some of the negativity she gets, those phone calls she makes to tell a family their baby boy or girl they've been staring at for a couple months is officially theirs.....there has got to be no words for her to explain it!
So, now that we are home, we will be celebrating Trevor's 4th birthday today. I was glad to be home so we aren't driving and singing Happy Birthday. And we'll be doing laundry to get started on the last of our packing. I have 3 suitcases packed (have for a month probably) with Addison's things, as well as the humanitarian aid we'll be taking with us. It's now down to our clothing and personal items we'll be taking. And possibly a little more H. Aid. Less than 2 weeks to pack now, and there are LOTS of things to do before then!!
And I was so excited to find Mary. I asked one of the ladies when we were signing in if she had arrived yet, but they said she'd be coming soon. We ended up meeting her in the food line and she got her hug as I promised her the day before! I cannot say anything but fantastic things about this lady! Her and I clicked so awesomely (is that a word?) I almost felt like she was a long lost best friend!! So completely fantastic! We talked for quite a while that night, and to all of us Ethiopia families that were there. She pointed out some of them as we went thru the food line.
I was able to also meet Belay that night. Very nice man and comforting to know he's kind of in charge when we travel. I also met and talked to Abby some that night. We talked about some of my wondering questions for travel, so it was nice to be put at ease for some of the "worries" I had when we are there. And she also let me know that our baby girl is one of the favorites to the in-country couple's daughter over there. She has spent so much time with her over there, I kinda feel guilty when we'll be bringing her home! :)
Then Saturday we went to Gladney. BEAUTIFUL place!! They had lots of activites going on...Ethiopian dancers, Chinese dragon, TCU drum band, LOTS of blow up things for the kids to jump in/on. Couldn't pass up the free popcorn and cotton candy. Don't find free cotton candy in our neck of the woods! :) It was just a fantastic day! We also met the couple that took the care bear over to Addison, the Lydick's. Very nice couple/family. It was so nice to be able to thank them in person for everything they did for us when they traveled. Their family is so beautiful and their little Neveah....WOW!! She was giggly with Caleb's balloon and so adorable. There is no other perfect word than she was just a doll!! It made me so much more excited to know in just 2 short weeks we'd have our Addison to hold and snuggle with also!
I also introduced myself to Eric and Tara--there were some bloggers you see that you think you've seen them before. I also saw the Bottomly's but wasn't able to chat with them. They were the first blog I ever read and their little Silas is such a cutie as well!! Actually, Ethiopians are just beautiful people period!!
While there, I made the comment to Mark, that as a person just stopped and looked around at all the families and children, how wonderful it was to feel a part of the Gladney family. We had overheard they were expecting about 1000 people there yesterday. Such a wonderful feeling to have a connection to each one of those people in SOME way, even if you have no idea who they are! :)
I have to just say again though....Mary is so wonderful! She is such a pro at what she does and I know she has such a fulfilling job! Even thru some of the negativity she gets, those phone calls she makes to tell a family their baby boy or girl they've been staring at for a couple months is officially theirs.....there has got to be no words for her to explain it!
So, now that we are home, we will be celebrating Trevor's 4th birthday today. I was glad to be home so we aren't driving and singing Happy Birthday. And we'll be doing laundry to get started on the last of our packing. I have 3 suitcases packed (have for a month probably) with Addison's things, as well as the humanitarian aid we'll be taking with us. It's now down to our clothing and personal items we'll be taking. And possibly a little more H. Aid. Less than 2 weeks to pack now, and there are LOTS of things to do before then!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Getting things together
I'm trying to get ready for Texas this weekend and trying to get a few things together for Ethiopia now. Lots to do before leaving tonite!!!
We are now confirmed for a flight. We will be leaving Saturday April 12 and returning Tuesday April 22. We'll be leaving one day sooner since that was a flight available....but that's ok too. One day sooner to Addison!
If there are any families out there wanting pictures (and who doesn't?!?) let us know.....we'd be happy to take some pics of your babes while we're there!
We are now confirmed for a flight. We will be leaving Saturday April 12 and returning Tuesday April 22. We'll be leaving one day sooner since that was a flight available....but that's ok too. One day sooner to Addison!
If there are any families out there wanting pictures (and who doesn't?!?) let us know.....we'd be happy to take some pics of your babes while we're there!
Introducing........Addison Liya Schumacher!!!!
YES!! It's official!! Addison is our new baby girl. Of course we are all completely ecstatic with the great news!!
She was born August 2, 2007...so next week she will be 8 months old. We are in the process of getting flight information to schedule exactly when we'll leave, but right now it looks like we'll be leaving Sunday April 13 (or possibly Saturday the 12th) and coming back Tuesday the 22nd.
It's just unbelievable to think, in just 2 weeks, we will be holding our brand new baby daughter.
Thank you Lord for all you do! Thank you Lord for letting Addison join our family. And thank you for the other families who also received wonderful news today! We are all blessed by you for this wonderful gift and for the wonderful friendships we will make traveling to receive our children together!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! AMEN!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
COURT - Take 2 (tomorrow)
Well, I know you've all got to be biting at the bit wondering what's going on today and what we've found out.
We did receive a call this morning about 10:30. At the time I was at the shop in Platte Center--and of course, my cell phone doesn't really work up there. So I answer the phone and ask Mary if she's got good news for us. She says "Well...." and my phone call died. So I got online for her number (cuz of course that was the one thing I forgot to do this morning before leaving--to write her number down) and called her back. She said that none of us families to have court today had our judge show up.
Sooooooo, that means "we" go back to court tomorrow. I'm ok with this. If this is all that is bad that is going to happen, I'm ok with it! They didn't tell us to come back in 2 weeks, so that is a good thing too. Now we just have 1 extra day to pray to God and tell him why us families want to have our new additions added to our families tomorrow! :)
We did receive a call this morning about 10:30. At the time I was at the shop in Platte Center--and of course, my cell phone doesn't really work up there. So I answer the phone and ask Mary if she's got good news for us. She says "Well...." and my phone call died. So I got online for her number (cuz of course that was the one thing I forgot to do this morning before leaving--to write her number down) and called her back. She said that none of us families to have court today had our judge show up.
Sooooooo, that means "we" go back to court tomorrow. I'm ok with this. If this is all that is bad that is going to happen, I'm ok with it! They didn't tell us to come back in 2 weeks, so that is a good thing too. Now we just have 1 extra day to pray to God and tell him why us families want to have our new additions added to our families tomorrow! :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Only hours to go
Here's hoping to a good night's rest and a successful phone call tomorrow.
Lord, be with us families waiting for good news at court tomorrow. Give us all the patience till our phone calls come in. And please let us all be blessed with a new addition (or 2) to our families. We all know tomorrow's decision is already decided for us. We just pray Your will is the news we all hope for. Amen!
Lord, be with us families waiting for good news at court tomorrow. Give us all the patience till our phone calls come in. And please let us all be blessed with a new addition (or 2) to our families. We all know tomorrow's decision is already decided for us. We just pray Your will is the news we all hope for. Amen!
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