Potty Anyone?

Today was a huge milestone for our now big girl. Yes! She used the potty. Lennah often tells us that she needs a diaper change. I, of course, think this is advanced. So today she was in the bath tub and she told me she had to go by pointing and saying potty. It is right next to the tub so I pulled her out and put her on the potty and she went. Of course she received a big cheer and lots of clapping which is which she likes; to be cheered on. Later on she again pointed at her diaper and starting going towards the potty. I took her diaper off. Well needless to say she began to go to the potty but on the floor and I picked her up put her on the potty and she finished (by the way this was number 2 for those of you thinking she left a puddle across the floor). Still a big step for us because she is not quite 20 months old yet. It would be nice if she was potty trained before Delylah gets home because I have been calculating the cost of two in diapers and no it is not pretty.

Plans

So now that Delylah is ours the planning begins. My mind is spinning like a whirlwind trying to think of all the stuff that needs to get accomplished before I leave on August 14th. I still have to turn in a 15 page paper. Yes! I am still in school while about to attempt to raise two kids ( I am a glutton for punishment). I just removed the tags from any new clothes I bought Delylah and have to wash them. Most of her wardrobe comes from big sis. I just lowered the crib today just in case she is finally sitting up by the time we get home. So as for my arrangements. I leave on August 14th and arrive in Addis on Saturday. Then I get back early Friday morning on the 22nd. So this is a short trip in comparison to going to Vietnam. I would actually want to spend more time in Addis if Keith and Lennah could come but with airfare being insane and a 20 month old it is better if only one of us travels. There is still a ton to do but it will get done. I am putting out the calls her as well. If anyone has a child in Enat Elam that they would like me to take pictures of please let me know. I know how wonderful this could be because we have had other families do the same for us. Email me their name and a current pic so I know who to look for.

Delylah is Ours Praise God

Delylah at referral on April 7th, 2007



It truly is a miracle and was considered a long shot because the agency did not think the judge would grant herr adoption without a clearance from the bureau in Ethiopia but they did. Today is a glorious day because one year ago exactly Lennah's adoption ceremony in Vietnam took place. That means every year we will be celebrating Happy Adoption Day times 2. Praise God. So now we are pleased to introduced Delylah Aviella Paulsen for those of you who have not seen our beautiful girl.

Delylah last week

Joy and Sadness

July 21, 2008

Gothca Day Photos July 21, 2007

Well let me get the depressing part out of the way we did not pass court today. Unfortunately our case has become complicated and because of recent events it is not as easy to have your adoption finalized in Ethiopia as it once was. Right now we are on hold because the gov't won't give our baby clearance until the birth mother states that she does not want the child to the government. This is a problem because she was homeless and the police cannot find her. So things are gloomy after this news today. Our reps are working on trying to bypass this but there is still little hope that things will clear this week. Please keep us in your prayers because we need them right now. We desperately want this little girl home and now there is much uncertainty as to when this will clear.

Now for some cheerful news. Happy One Year Gotcha Day Lennah Abigail Paulsen. Yep that's right this very day one year ago a beautiful baby girl was given to us by God. It is so hard to believe that we have had Lennah in our arms for one year and that it has gone by so fast. Our lives changed for the better and no matter how much (A.K.A Tiny Terror, Keith's nickname for lennah) drives us to the verge of insanity on occasion we would not change a thing. She has brought so much joy and happiness in to our lives we could not imagine what life was like without her. She has developed so much and grown like a little weed. I look back and think wow was she really that small when they placed her in my arms. We have had a wonderful year watching her grow, bond with us, and become one of the smartest children I have ever seen (of course that is a momma bragging). We love her so much and could not imagine life without the beautiful Miss Lennah in it. We are so blessed to have her in our lives and so thankful that God gave us this little girl to parent.

Waiting

Today has been an agonizing day in our wait. We were awaiting for a clearance paper to arrive to make sure everything is a go for Monday and our agency did not hear from Ethiopia today. This is common at least once a week because they have been cutting out power during the week because of an energy shortage. So now we just have to wait to hear Monday whether or not we passed court. I just pray we get through on this day. I know it could be delayed and I am prepared but I just really want July 21st to be special to both of my little girls. This will definately be a long weekend just sitting here waiting. We are also running into difficulties trying to get travel arrangements. Because of all the hold ups that took place and now the processing of so many cases at once flights are very full and very expensive. That is the price we will pay to bring home Princess Delylah. Keep us in your prayers and the other families who are too waiting for their news Monday. Keep my other friend Jamie in your prayers as well she probably will not know anything about her adoption until more like Thursday and she has had hold up after hold up and her little boy needs to come home.

NY/NJ and updates on Ethiopia

Delylah's new Outfits
Lennah on the plane

Dinner

Lennah, Dylan, and Uncle Adam

Mommy, Lennah, and Victoria

Lennah and Franky

Lennah and Victoria at Belmar Beach

Aunt Jaime, Lennah, and Victoria

Lennah and Victoria

Being out of town makes it difficult to blog. So let me start with where we are at with Delylah's impending adoption day approaching. We are still having issues with USCIS. I just emailed and phoned today and hopefully I will hear back from them. So if (and I mean if) we pass court this could present another problem because we cannot have an embassy appointment without this little piece of paper. Mind you this is my second adoption and the first time around we were one of the unfortunates that waited 4 months for approval and it looks like that way again. Why did they have to lose my papers this time. AHHHHH! We are also worried a bit about court. I have had good feeling but the other families that were set before are now having difficulties because their court dates came and went and now they have to reschedule this could mean that they still have to go before us but we have not heard from the adoption agency about this and I am sure they would have contacted us if this was going to affect our case. So please still pray for Monday. I just want everything to take place that day so bad because of the special meaning it will hold year after year.

Now for our trip. Lennah had a blast chasing around Dylan and Victoria. I am worried about Lennah being a big sister (jealousy issues etc.) but she would definately make a great little sister. She loved following around the big kids and trying to do what they do. She would run down the hallways calling their names and jumping on their beds. TOO cute. We visited Belmar beach, which Lennah made me look like a liar because I told everyone that she would refuse to walk on sand and we would have to carry her everywhere because our last trip she would whine if she got even one grain of sand on her. We just hung out, ate a lot of food, and watched the kids play. Now Lennah has returned with a cold or maybe something more so tomorrow it is off to the pediatrician we go. Hopefully, it is not one of Lennah's famous ear infections.

While visiting my BF Jaime and I went shopping and we picked Delylah up a few new outfits. Not thinking I was going to make the court closure I returned the three new ones I bought earlier.

Good News

Well Friday we received word that cases for our agency for Delylah's adoption will begin moving again. We have been assigned the 21st of this month which I always thought was a good sign. As long as all goes well and we pass court I should be leaving on August 8th to go pick up Delylah. Our agencies rep in ethiopia already booked our hotel so it looks like they are thinking we will be fine to pass court. We are just over the moon.
I will post more when Lennah and I return from NJ.

Last Post Placement, eating like a dog, and Ear God

Today we had Lennah's final post placement visit with our social worker and yeah we get to keep her. LOL. She said lennah is doing wonderful. We will see our social worker again after Delylah gets home because Ethiopia, like Vietnam requires 3 post placement visits. Lennah was showing off her dance moves for Michelle it was so cute.
As for the rest of the day children do some weird stuff. Lately, Lennah has been into eating like a dog. Yes, we do actually give her kiddie utensils but she will toss them to the side and begin to starting licking her food off her plate. This does work well when we have mashed potatoes which we did tonight. She was covered. She looked like she was at a mashed potatoe pie eating contest. I am assuming she is picking up these habits from watching the dogs and cat eat.
Lastly, kids do the most adorable things. Normally, Lennah and I or Lennah and daddy will read from a book of prayers we have after her bath. Tonight I decided to start teaching her how to say her own so here is the dialogue-

Mommy- Lennah put your hands together like this (showing her palm to palms) and say Dear God
Lennah- Ear God
Mommy- Thank You
Lennah-Ank ooouuuu
Mommy- For Mommy
Lennah- Momma
Mommy- For Daddy
Lennah- Daddddd
Mommy- For Big Ba
Lennah- Big Ba
Mommy- Grandma
Lennah- Maaama
Mommy- Uncle Billy
Lennah- no response (Oh well I was getting far)
Mommy- Amen
Lennah- Men

This was too cute

Lunch Date and General Updates

Daddy and Lennah making sure their teeth are clean

Lennah and her new baby

Laura, Meron, and Lennah

Lennah trying to get in to play with Meron

What a cute smile

Today we had a great day, Lennah and I were able to finally meet baby Meron. Laura and Meron came over for lunch. It was wonderful to see baby Meron home and just knowing that there is a light at the end of our tunnel and that Delylah will eventually come home from Ethiopia. Meron is just so adorable and a big girl. I know I already have to prepare myself because Delylah is a little chunk herself. Meron has such a cute cry she just looks opens her mouth and it takes about a minute for it to come out and when she does it is a whiny cry. I know at Lennah's age whinning can be really difficult to tolerate but at Meron's age it is cute. Lennah was a little difficult with Meron, she wanted to touch and grab things from the baby and of course Lennah does not realize that her grabbing hurts. I hope we can work on this before Delylah gets home and even in general because I definately do not want her known as the town bully. Hopefully, we will get to see more of them and keep Meron and Delylah together since they come from the same orphanage. We have been really blessed with being able to keep Lennah in contact with Lilly from her orphanage so we are hoping Delylah can also have a friend that just basically was in the same situation.

Lennah is also starting to say some really cute things. Tonight in the bathroom I told her I love you and she goes ahhh ove oooo. She still says words unclear and every parent understands only there child so it was so cute to hear her say it. She also finished her lunch yesterday flip over the container and goes all gone. My other favorite is how she can now answer questions. I asked her if she wanted to go downstairs and play and she said Yeahhhh! She is growing up so fast. I miss the baby days but I am starting to enjoy her being able to tell me more and ask for more.

We are also asking to keep several families in prayer for us. Nancy who is in Ethiopia right now visiting with her baby Eden whom she is unable to bring home, Anna who is also traveling to visit with her son Charlie who she can't bring home, and another family who I need to keep private whose adoption will not be taking place.

Could it be Good News

Hopefully, I am not being too optimistic but when our delays first started our agency said that Delylah's paperwork could not be released until everything cleared nor could they file for our court date. Well, today we received work that even though things are still technically frozen a court date has been set for us on July 21st because if everything clears up by then we would be able to make it through court. This is so exciting because I truly feel as if things will begin moving again and we will make it. If so this will be such a special day because it is the one year anniversary of Lennah's gotcha day. Obviously, every year it would be a double reason to celebrate. Please keep us in your prayers. If everything works out we could maybe have Delylah in August after all. I was praying to get her home in time for the holidays with all these delays and anything sooner truly is a miracle.

Always Something

Well, today I received an email from our agency coordinator that USCIS could notfind our file. I probably would have lost it right then and there if it were not for the hold ups that are occuring in Ethiopia right now. How does a government agency lose our file? For weeks our agency was asking for them to get cracking on our file so we could have beat the court closing and brought our little girl home and now they email with this. Well, at least all has ended ok they did find our file and need one last piece of info which is ok because we know our approval from our government is coming but I know if Ethiopia was processing cases right now I would be furious because of this hold up. We also have heard from another family visiting the orphanage right now that Delylah is happy and healthy. We cannot wait to bring home our baby girl.