There are four families in Rwanda right now picking up their precious children. I thought you, too, might be interested in following their journey and praying for them. Here are their blogs:
The Salmans (bringing home Keza)
The Kroners (bringing home Benjamin)
The Neeleys (bringing home Lindy)
The Engellands (bringing home Marianna & Evelyn)
5.27.2010
5.25.2010
Macy's Rwanda Path to Peace
These are the two baskets I bought today at Macy's.
The inside tag reads: "Hand Made in Rwand by Betty Rughema, May 2007"
A "Certificate of Authenticity" was attached to each basket.
Click HERE to learn more about the Rwandan women that are using their skills in basket weaving to create a sustainable income for their families. There are neat videos on the website- one of which shows the process of making the baskets. And, of course, you can order the products online, too. I'm super excited about my new pieces and I think this partnership that Macy's has with some of the Rwandan women is awesome!
5.23.2010
What Not To Say
I only write these to inform the ignorant, which was us only a few months ago. We extend grace to those who slip or simply don't know better.
"Just wait, you'll get pregnant once you adopt."
This infers that biological children are preferable and adoption is second best. The latest research shows about 5% of couples spontaneously get pregnant after adopting. But, regardless, we've chosen this path.
"Do you have any of your own?"
Rather than saying "your own", it's better to say "biological children".
"He is going to be so blessed to have you."
We think we're going to be equally as blessed to have baby Kohlbacher as he/she will be to have us.
"You are doing the ultimate mission for God."
We're not adopting because we want to do a good deed. We know this is what God has planned for our family.
"Will you be able to track down his/her 'real' parents?"
Rather than saying "real parents", it's better to say "birth parents". And just to answer the question... We likely won't know information about his/her birth parents because it's illegal to abandon a child in Rwanda, so all of the kids from the orphanage have either lost their parents or been left anonymously to be found.
"How much will you have to pay for your child?"
This implies that babies can be bought and sold. The truth is we pay for adoption related services and costs, but not for our child.
"It's too bad you couldn't have your own children."
This infers that adoption is second best. We've chosen this path (or I guess you could say God chose it, but gave us the clear desire and direction) and have been avoiding pregnancy since we've been on this journey. Truth is that this child will be every bit our own child!
In closing...Have I written lately that we're so stinkin' excited and anxious?!?
"Do you have any of your own?"
Rather than saying "your own", it's better to say "biological children".
"He is going to be so blessed to have you."
We think we're going to be equally as blessed to have baby Kohlbacher as he/she will be to have us.
"You are doing the ultimate mission for God."
We're not adopting because we want to do a good deed. We know this is what God has planned for our family.
"Will you be able to track down his/her 'real' parents?"
Rather than saying "real parents", it's better to say "birth parents". And just to answer the question... We likely won't know information about his/her birth parents because it's illegal to abandon a child in Rwanda, so all of the kids from the orphanage have either lost their parents or been left anonymously to be found.
"How much will you have to pay for your child?"
This implies that babies can be bought and sold. The truth is we pay for adoption related services and costs, but not for our child.
"It's too bad you couldn't have your own children."
This infers that adoption is second best. We've chosen this path (or I guess you could say God chose it, but gave us the clear desire and direction) and have been avoiding pregnancy since we've been on this journey. Truth is that this child will be every bit our own child!
In closing...Have I written lately that we're so stinkin' excited and anxious?!?
5.21.2010
Hands Up Not Handouts
As I was working at my desk yesterday, I had the television on the Martha Stewart show where I heard about this neat initiative, Hands Up Not Handouts, where they mentor Palestine and Rwandan women in design, production and marketing of unique, one-of-a-kind jewelery. They take their traditional skills, like hand-embroidery from Palestine and basket-weaving in Rwanda, and help them revise their product from table clothes and basket to neat bracelets and earrings. I love this mico-finance type initiative where they empower these women- it's not just a hand out. The proceeds are reinvested into the business, the women and their communities to make the process sustainable.
I just ordered these super cute earrings that were made by the women in Rwanda! Don't you want some, too? Check it out: http://handsupnothandouts.org/
5.13.2010
Weekend in Playa
We just returned from a wonderful vacation in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with our friends Carey and Travis. We were at the same resort that we went to 6 and a half years for our honeymoon, Royal Hideaway. We spent four days at RH this time, and it was great re-visiting some memories from our prior visit. Tara and I love relaxing on the beach and so that's what we did with most of our time on this trip. Tara read "A Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns and I read "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis. Overall the trip was wonderful, the food was great the weather was perfect and traveling with Tara is always a blast. If you'd given us the option of staying for another week we would have, unfortunately 'life' beckons and so we returned late on Monday night.
With our friends from Dallas, Carey and Travis
After breakfast
On the last day we hit the beach early to watch the sunrise.
On the adoption front not much new since our last update. We continue to wait patiently for the completion of our home study. We were assigned a new AWAA family coordinator last week (our original coordinator is leaving for graduate studies at UVA -a great place to get a degree! ...in my experience). We haven't yet talked to our new coordinator but hope to get things rolling with her as soon as we receive the home study document.
5.06.2010
The Orphanage
Our friends, the Jacobs, who are also from Dallas and adopting an infant from Rwanda, posted this neat blog link. The blogger, Amanda, tells about her experience at the orphanage, Home of Hope, in Kigali, Rwanda that we'll be adoption from. I've been wondering a lot recently about how similar or different this orphanage would be in comparison to the orphanage Isaac and I visited in Sudan back in November. Sadly, but in some ways reassuring of our call, Home of Hope sounds so familiar to our experience at the orphanage in Sudan where God began working on our hearts and where we began thinking about adoption. Read this blog:
The orphanage in Kajo Keji, Sudan
5.02.2010
Home Study Interviews + Health Inspection
Such a weight has been lifted as we just completed our third and last home study interview! At the end of our meeting she announced her approval of our adoption, and so thankfully the process continues.... Going forward, our social worker is going to write our home study report and it's estimated to take a month.
This coming week we're going to work on a few things:
1) We need to put a lock on the gate to the pool, and then mail a picture to our social worker. It was also suggested that we replace the spring that no longer is effective in helping to close the gate (this isn't a high priority this week- only before the baby comes).
2) We need to put a lock on the shot gun storage case, and then mail a picture to our social worker.
3) Prepare for our health inspection which our social worker is going to request this week. The only thing on the report that we need to address before the inspection is our cleaning supply storage. We need to either install cabinet locks or move the cleaning supplies to an upper cabinet.
Here is a summary of the things required for the health inspection:
1. Home and grounds are kept clean...
2. Kitchen and all food preparation, storage, and serving areas are kept clean
3. Perishable food is refrigerated or safely stored in other ways
4. Home has an adequate supply of water that meets the standards for drinking water...
5. Home has an adequate, safe sewage disposal system...
6. Plumbing appears to be in good working condition
7. Home has hot and cold running water
8. There is at least one toilet, lavatory and bathtub or shower inside the home
9. Bathrooms are kept clean
10. Soap and toilet paper are available in the bathrooms at all times
11. Each child has a clean towel available, or paper towels available
12. Garbage is removed at least once a week
13. Garbage is kept in metal or plastic containers with tight fitting lids...
14. The home is kept free of insects, mice and rats
15. The yard is well drained, with no standing water
16. The yard is kept free of garbage and trash
17. The house is adequately ventilated and free from bad odors
18. Window and outside doors kept open for ventilation are screened
19. Cleaning supplies, insect sprays, and medicines are kept where children ... cannot reach them
20. Accessible electric outlets in rooms used by children...have child-proof covers (I did this a few months ago)
21. Electric fans are securely mounted....
22. Outdoor steps are not slippery. Porches, railings, playhouses, and other wooden structures do not have splinters
23. Indoor floors and steps are not slippery...
24. Glass doors are marked at a child's eye level to prevent accidents (not clear on this one- we may need to do something)
As you can tell, most things are totally obvious and legit; however, other things seem a little over-the-top for people like us who won't be parents to an infant for another year. Most people can't help but notice the ridiculousness when they think of 1) the orphanage circumstances compared to our home and 2) all the many great parents who didn't have their house proofed prior to the child's arrival into the world. However, I do understand why they have these things in place and we'll do whatever we need to do for our child's protection and in order to be approved as ready parents. So, goodbye for now. More to come...
This coming week we're going to work on a few things:
1) We need to put a lock on the gate to the pool, and then mail a picture to our social worker. It was also suggested that we replace the spring that no longer is effective in helping to close the gate (this isn't a high priority this week- only before the baby comes).
2) We need to put a lock on the shot gun storage case, and then mail a picture to our social worker.
3) Prepare for our health inspection which our social worker is going to request this week. The only thing on the report that we need to address before the inspection is our cleaning supply storage. We need to either install cabinet locks or move the cleaning supplies to an upper cabinet.
Here is a summary of the things required for the health inspection:
1. Home and grounds are kept clean...
2. Kitchen and all food preparation, storage, and serving areas are kept clean
3. Perishable food is refrigerated or safely stored in other ways
4. Home has an adequate supply of water that meets the standards for drinking water...
5. Home has an adequate, safe sewage disposal system...
6. Plumbing appears to be in good working condition
7. Home has hot and cold running water
8. There is at least one toilet, lavatory and bathtub or shower inside the home
9. Bathrooms are kept clean
10. Soap and toilet paper are available in the bathrooms at all times
11. Each child has a clean towel available, or paper towels available
12. Garbage is removed at least once a week
13. Garbage is kept in metal or plastic containers with tight fitting lids...
14. The home is kept free of insects, mice and rats
15. The yard is well drained, with no standing water
16. The yard is kept free of garbage and trash
17. The house is adequately ventilated and free from bad odors
18. Window and outside doors kept open for ventilation are screened
19. Cleaning supplies, insect sprays, and medicines are kept where children ... cannot reach them
20. Accessible electric outlets in rooms used by children...have child-proof covers (I did this a few months ago)
21. Electric fans are securely mounted....
22. Outdoor steps are not slippery. Porches, railings, playhouses, and other wooden structures do not have splinters
23. Indoor floors and steps are not slippery...
24. Glass doors are marked at a child's eye level to prevent accidents (not clear on this one- we may need to do something)
As you can tell, most things are totally obvious and legit; however, other things seem a little over-the-top for people like us who won't be parents to an infant for another year. Most people can't help but notice the ridiculousness when they think of 1) the orphanage circumstances compared to our home and 2) all the many great parents who didn't have their house proofed prior to the child's arrival into the world. However, I do understand why they have these things in place and we'll do whatever we need to do for our child's protection and in order to be approved as ready parents. So, goodbye for now. More to come...