Post 100

I understand it is tradition to post 100 things for you 100^th post. I maybe wrong but you get to read them anyway.

 I am posting 100 things about our start. Since this blog was started after we had been home a while. That is, of course, if I can think of 100 things to post. Here it goes.

1.    In college I planned to adopted by 30

2.    After college I started my career

3.    My siblings had kids

4.    And I decided that would be way to much work

5.    Around 6 years ago I started to think about adopting again

6.    I felt God was leading me in that direction

7.    I was a bit reluctant

8.    I waited

9.    Until I got a less pressure job

10.  And a house

11.  And ran out of reasons to delay

12.  I know now that it was just God’s timing

13.  I picked an agency because my sister had heard of them

14.  I was clueless

15.  But when I talked to the director of the Ethiopia program I knew I made the right choice

16.  If I knew then what I know now I may have chosen differently

17.  But again it was just part of God’s plan

18.  I chose Ethiopia after talking to my youngest sister

19.  She was adopted from foster care  and is part African American

20.  She has challenges

21.  I thought she would tell me how terrible it was to be in a white family

22.  She did not

23.  So now Dori resembles her aunt in some ways

24.  Which is good because the rest of the family is so fair there’s a glare

25.  I sent in my initial application in October of 2005

26.  I finished my dossier in June the following year

27.  I dragged my feet getting it done

28.  I was still a bit scared to become a parent

29.  I also kept waiting for someone to say I was unfit

30.  This was not based on any rational thought

31.  The hardest part was the physical

32.  Not the actual exam but getting my notarized results

33.  I told very few people about the adoption

34.  See #29 for the reason

35.  Just my closest friends and family

36.  So I would not chicken out

37.  I received my referral in October of 2006

38.   I thought Dori looked like a doll

39.  I was at work

40.  I should have gone  home

41.  It was not a productive day

42.  Dori was naked in her referral pictures

43.  She also peed in one

44.  I guess she was demonstrating the plumbing works

45.  Even after referral I was not quiet convinced I would be a mother

46.  I was sure something would go wrong

47.  Even now I fear someone will take Dori from me

48.  It is a fear rooted in my past

49.  But that is a different story

50.  I even called Dori  “the baby”

51.  I did not want to get too attached

52.  Which worked until I saw her skinny pictures

53.  They really scared me

54.  I just wanted to go to Ethiopia and take care of her

55.  I did not pass court the first time

56.  I expected that (See #46)

57.  I was pleasantly surprised to pass the second time

58.  I often expect the worst

59.  I passed court the day before my baby shower

60.  I loved my baby shower

61.  I had done very little preparation for a baby prior to the shower

62.  My best friend helped me put up the crib that weekend

63.  Dori’s crib is pink

64.  I think that is also when I painted the bookshelf that held her clothes in baskets.

65.  My shower was the first weekend in December

66.  I was going to have plenty of time to get ready to go to Ethiopia

67.  Then my office figured out I was leaving for six weeks.

68.  And needed everything right before I left

69.  My last weekend before becoming a full time mom I worked

70.  It was probably good to have a distraction

71.  I was really a wreck

72.  And left out some important paperwork when packing

73.  Like my travel insurance and agency Ethiopian contact info.

74.  It is a good thing I did not need either of those things

75.  My sister in law traveled with me

76.  I feel sorry for her

77.  I was feeling dazed, crazy and scared

78.  And all she did is carry stuff

79.  And most important take pictures

80.  By the way DO NOT take an unfamiliar camera to Ethiopia planning to read the manual on the way there.

81.  You may be too dazed, crazy and scared to do anything other than watch movies and obsess about your paperwork

82.  The same holds true for thank you notes

83.  And don’t assume that in six weeks off with a baby you will have plenty of time to get those thank you notes done (Sorry guys, I loved the gifts)

84.  I slept very little in the  three days before meeting Dori

85.  Which turned out to be good practice

86.  The first time I saw Dori in real life she was screaming her head off

87.  Because her diaper was being changed

88.  And she did not like it

89.  She has not changed very much (The screaming, not the diaper)

90.  After her diaper was done she was smiley, happy, talky, baby

91.  She has not changed that much (The smiley, happy, talky, not the baby)

92.  Even after getting Dori and passing through the Embassy appointment I was nervous

93.  I wanted to be home

94.  And my sister in law missed her kids

95.  So we went shopping and bought way too little ( I was a zombie woman, that is a first for me)

96.  And then we took an early flight home

97.  I was so happy to pass customs in Washington DC

98.  I finally felt she was all mine

99.  And I was able to get a real Diet Coke

100.               And that was the start of our adventure

 

Wow! I actually could have written more. Aren’t both of you glad I didn’t.