Shai and I have decided to put together a cookbook to raise money for our own adoption costs for Baby #2! Shai and I will to pay over $20,000 from beginning to end to cover administrative costs, travel, etc. Our adoption agency, WACAP, employs lots of amazing people both in the USA and Ethiopia and they are doing a lot work in Ethiopia to educate children, make medical care available and work to keep kids with their birth families as much as possible. WACAP is known for their high ethics and have always passed USA and ET government inspections with flying colors. Lots of wonderful people are doing wonderful things for these children so I truly feel every penny we pay is doing good.
We would love your recipes: your own or from your favorite cookbooks, as long as you site where the recipe is from.
Main dishes, appetizers, desserts, soups, etc. and we’re definitely going to include a “Lutheran Jell-O Salad” section! (and if anybody knows any good Ethiopian recipes that they’ve tried and loved, those will be especially appreciated!)
Also, we’ll throw in some household tips, money-saving tips, cooking tips, etc. so pass those onto us as well.
We’re thinking of getting the higher quality cookbook binding so we’ll sell the cookbooks for about $20 and we need at least 150 recipes (even more would be wonderful)
Please don’t feel the obligation to purchase a cookbook if you submit recipes if it’s not in your budget! Any way you can help—recipes, tips, or just keeping our family in your thoughts—is much appreciated.
Thank you!!
Shai, Victoria, Claire, and future baby #2 (0-2 years old, open to any gender, unknowns and special needs)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Claire's adoption finalization
On Dec 31st we got a phonecall to schedule Claire's court date with Ramsey County MN to finalize her adoption! Claire will become a citizen of the United States on Friday January 15, 2010. WOO HOO!!!!!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Post Placement #2
Our second post placement visit was today (due at WACAP on Sept 22)
Though you'd like to see which photos we chose:
Though you'd like to see which photos we chose:
Monday, August 31, 2009
Found Day
Dear birthparents of our daughter, Claire:
One year ago today you said goodbye to your daughter. She was so tiny and so sick at 3 weeks old, born premature, we can only imagine you made a plan for her knowing you didn’t have access to the nutrition, clean water and medical care she needed. I wish you could see her now, so strong, healthy, growing, intelligent, happy, smiley, active, outgoing and beautiful. She is a miracle.
She loves reading (and chewing on) books, throwing balls, laughing at kitty cats and puppy dogs, watching cars and trucks go by, singing songs, taking walks in her stroller, swinging, riding in shopping carts, playing peek-a-boo, being held and cuddled by mama and dada...
She is loved by so many people. She has a large extended family here and, as cliché as this sounds, she has charmed her way into everyone’s hearts. Even total strangers comment on how beautiful Claire is and how infectious her smile is.
I think about you all the time. I wish I knew who you were so I could tell you how wonderful our child is. It bothers me that the lack of basic needs is keeping birth parents from being able to care for their children.
Everyone should have water that doesn’t make you sick.
Everyone should have enough nutritious food to eat.
Everyone should have shelter.
Everyone should have access to medical care.
Everyone should have access to education.
It is ridiculous and childish that those who have SO MUCH hoard it so others go without. We’re taught to share in preschool, yet somehow this hasn’t translated over to the basic necessities of life (especially when it requires tax dollars, God forbid). Why is that? I hope I can teach our daughter to be better than that.
One year ago today you said goodbye to your daughter. She was so tiny and so sick at 3 weeks old, born premature, we can only imagine you made a plan for her knowing you didn’t have access to the nutrition, clean water and medical care she needed. I wish you could see her now, so strong, healthy, growing, intelligent, happy, smiley, active, outgoing and beautiful. She is a miracle.
She loves reading (and chewing on) books, throwing balls, laughing at kitty cats and puppy dogs, watching cars and trucks go by, singing songs, taking walks in her stroller, swinging, riding in shopping carts, playing peek-a-boo, being held and cuddled by mama and dada...
She is loved by so many people. She has a large extended family here and, as cliché as this sounds, she has charmed her way into everyone’s hearts. Even total strangers comment on how beautiful Claire is and how infectious her smile is.
I think about you all the time. I wish I knew who you were so I could tell you how wonderful our child is. It bothers me that the lack of basic needs is keeping birth parents from being able to care for their children.
Everyone should have water that doesn’t make you sick.
Everyone should have enough nutritious food to eat.
Everyone should have shelter.
Everyone should have access to medical care.
Everyone should have access to education.
It is ridiculous and childish that those who have SO MUCH hoard it so others go without. We’re taught to share in preschool, yet somehow this hasn’t translated over to the basic necessities of life (especially when it requires tax dollars, God forbid). Why is that? I hope I can teach our daughter to be better than that.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
I hate clinics and insurance.
Ah, insurance and clinic bureaucracy, how I loathe thee.
When Claire came home we had two appointments for her that first week: one with our regular pediatrician at Park Nicollet Clinic and one at the International Adoption Clinic at the UofM.
Later we got billed for the full amount for the Adoption Clinic since we didn't have a referral. No problem. The pediatrician said she could write one retroactively, however, I just got a call from the Park Nicollet folks saying that the referral department considers the Adoption Clinic a "support group" and it shall not be covered. WHAT?!?! The blood work, the physical therapy, the poop samples, the extensive physical that Claire received at the Adoption Clinic is a SUPPORT GROUP????
So while I cried on the phone at the thought of having to pay over $2000 out of pocket, Shai actually got to work and found out from the Adoption Clinic that they ONLY have this problem with Park Nicollet. SOMEONE in the referral department at Park Nicollet doesn't think the Adoption Clinic is a *real* medical clinic and that internationally adopted children don't have specialized medical needs. Huh.
We're going to bypass the referral department and have our pediatrician (who is very supportive) write a letter to Blue Cross instead and code it (in case you have the same problem and need to know)
Referral code 99205
Office visit
Level 5 specialist clinic
On a happier note, we have our first post placement visit from the social worker tonight and here are the photos we are sending along with the report, to ultimately be sent on to Ethiopia :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Home for two months
Claire has been home for two months now. It feels like she has always been a part of our family (although I still am not used to getting up at 6:30 every morning…I am NOT a morning person and my daughter apparently IS.)
She has two teeth now—the two bottom front teeth. SO CUTE! She’s sitting up by herself now (she was like a ragdoll when she first came home), and only occasionally tips over when she gets tired.
She’s started to reach her arms out when she wants to be picked up…and I’m going to be a sucker for that one because she looks so puppy dog eyed and mournful that I pick her up every time.
We’ve started solid foods—cereal, then peas and now carrots. She’s finally got the hang of swallowing. We give her a little shot glass of water to use during meals and occasionally she’ll drink out of it. Mostly she just plays with it.
Claire is still saying “dadadada” (in reference to everything—not just daddy) but “mama” is still not a word she’s interested in. Well, she *laughs* when I say it, but no move to say it herself.
We’re using cloth diapers more and more now that I’ve got the hang of them. And my friend Sue told me how to make our own wipes out of paper towels so that is five times as cheap.
She’s almost 10 months old and just now growing out of her 3 month clothing—only a few items of that size still fit. My little chunky girl!
She has two teeth now—the two bottom front teeth. SO CUTE! She’s sitting up by herself now (she was like a ragdoll when she first came home), and only occasionally tips over when she gets tired.
She’s started to reach her arms out when she wants to be picked up…and I’m going to be a sucker for that one because she looks so puppy dog eyed and mournful that I pick her up every time.
We’ve started solid foods—cereal, then peas and now carrots. She’s finally got the hang of swallowing. We give her a little shot glass of water to use during meals and occasionally she’ll drink out of it. Mostly she just plays with it.
Claire is still saying “dadadada” (in reference to everything—not just daddy) but “mama” is still not a word she’s interested in. Well, she *laughs* when I say it, but no move to say it herself.
We’re using cloth diapers more and more now that I’ve got the hang of them. And my friend Sue told me how to make our own wipes out of paper towels so that is five times as cheap.
She’s almost 10 months old and just now growing out of her 3 month clothing—only a few items of that size still fit. My little chunky girl!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Claire has been home for exactly one month! She is doing fabulous. The bonding is going well—almost too well. I can’t leave the room without her crying, but we’re working through that.
We’ve been updating her baby book and if any of you out there are adopting a young child, this is the best baby book ever! It is tailored specifically for adoption with pages like “Your Adoption Buddies” and “People who helped us find you” and even two family tree pages.
Since coming home:
She’s been “talking” much more. We’re working to say “mama” but she just keeps saying, “dadadadada.” “Mmmm” is hard to say when one’s tongue is just too much fun to play with in one’s mouth.
She’s gone from not knowing she could even control her hand to getting her nook in her mouth but not knowing how to let go to finally being able to let go of that grasp! This is fantastic, as she doesn’t cry every time her nook falls out of her mouth now. Seriously, that bink link that Kristy W. gave to her is the best gift she’s gotten (for my sanity, at least)
She hasn’t projectile vomited in weeks (the giardia medicine that didn’t “agree” with her doesn’t count). When we first had her in Ethiopia and switched her to soy formula, she was still vomiting the whole bottle at every other feeding or so. This is a huge improvement and has been gaining weight! She’s actually chubby in the cheeks and thighs and we’re working on those spindly little arms!
The next step in the adoption process is the first of three post-placement reports done by our local social worker (June ‘09, September ‘09, and March ’10). Once the first two are done, WACAP prepares the paperwork for our local courts to finalize the adoption. After that last post-placement report is done, Shai and I just have to provide yearly updates until she turns 18!
We’ve been updating her baby book and if any of you out there are adopting a young child, this is the best baby book ever! It is tailored specifically for adoption with pages like “Your Adoption Buddies” and “People who helped us find you” and even two family tree pages.
Since coming home:
She’s been “talking” much more. We’re working to say “mama” but she just keeps saying, “dadadadada.” “Mmmm” is hard to say when one’s tongue is just too much fun to play with in one’s mouth.
She’s gone from not knowing she could even control her hand to getting her nook in her mouth but not knowing how to let go to finally being able to let go of that grasp! This is fantastic, as she doesn’t cry every time her nook falls out of her mouth now. Seriously, that bink link that Kristy W. gave to her is the best gift she’s gotten (for my sanity, at least)
She hasn’t projectile vomited in weeks (the giardia medicine that didn’t “agree” with her doesn’t count). When we first had her in Ethiopia and switched her to soy formula, she was still vomiting the whole bottle at every other feeding or so. This is a huge improvement and has been gaining weight! She’s actually chubby in the cheeks and thighs and we’re working on those spindly little arms!
The next step in the adoption process is the first of three post-placement reports done by our local social worker (June ‘09, September ‘09, and March ’10). Once the first two are done, WACAP prepares the paperwork for our local courts to finalize the adoption. After that last post-placement report is done, Shai and I just have to provide yearly updates until she turns 18!
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