I just wanted to post this link to a video about orphans in Ethiopia. It is kinda long - 20 minutes, but I really thought it was good. Just a small glimpse of what is happening there.
The main character of the book that I just finished, "There is No Me Without You," by Melessa Fay Greene, is Haregewoin Teferra. She was in part of this video. I thought that was kinda neat. This book (have I said much about it before, I can't remember) is amazing and a true current day story of this woman and the orphans she has taken in. The book also tells stories of these children, which you just don't want to believe could be true. I will write more about this book another night.
Ethiopian orphans video
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
weekend in Chicago
Hello, this is Jen. Just wanted to post a note, though there are no adoption updates for us. Children's Home Society and Family Services has forums or chat rooms on their website for the various countries they adopt from. The Ethiopia forum is by far the most active with over 10,000 posts and 1000 threads. It is actually hard to keep up on if you miss a day. But, it is so helpful, you find people who have the same question you do and lots of other people who know the answers.
Anyway, my point is, many families post updates on their adoption process. There is also someone who keeps track of families who are in different stages of the process, if they want her to. I think they guesstimate that about half of the families adopting from Ethiopia provide updates for this. During December there were 23 children referred to families, 14 of those between Dec 19-22. In January, there has only been 1, so I expect a big flurry of referrals any day now. It won't be us for a few more months, but I am still excitedly waiting for the families who are next.
We spent the weekend in Chicago. It was my sister Sarah's birthday on Saturday and we wanted to celebrate her big 3-0 with her. My niece, Maggie, turned the big 3 on Sunday, so even more to celebrate. Very nice, yet quick, weekend. All 4 sisters were together with the 7 kids and 2 of the hubbies. We went to the Shedd Aquarium on Saturday and to the Du Page Children's Museum in Naperville on Sunday.
Did I mention that all four of us are expecting???? Elizabeth is due (eek, can't remember) April 20-something. Sarah is due June 5th. And Laura is due June 4th. And my due date (minus the growing belly) is alittle more up-in-the-air. My parents will go from 7 grandkids to 11 in a few months.
So, maybe if I can sweet talk my guy, we will post a couple pics of Chicago or all the snow we got while we were gone. :) Take care.
Anyway, my point is, many families post updates on their adoption process. There is also someone who keeps track of families who are in different stages of the process, if they want her to. I think they guesstimate that about half of the families adopting from Ethiopia provide updates for this. During December there were 23 children referred to families, 14 of those between Dec 19-22. In January, there has only been 1, so I expect a big flurry of referrals any day now. It won't be us for a few more months, but I am still excitedly waiting for the families who are next.
We spent the weekend in Chicago. It was my sister Sarah's birthday on Saturday and we wanted to celebrate her big 3-0 with her. My niece, Maggie, turned the big 3 on Sunday, so even more to celebrate. Very nice, yet quick, weekend. All 4 sisters were together with the 7 kids and 2 of the hubbies. We went to the Shedd Aquarium on Saturday and to the Du Page Children's Museum in Naperville on Sunday.
Did I mention that all four of us are expecting???? Elizabeth is due (eek, can't remember) April 20-something. Sarah is due June 5th. And Laura is due June 4th. And my due date (minus the growing belly) is alittle more up-in-the-air. My parents will go from 7 grandkids to 11 in a few months.
So, maybe if I can sweet talk my guy, we will post a couple pics of Chicago or all the snow we got while we were gone. :) Take care.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Ethiopian Calendar
Ethiopia gears up for millennium party
© afrol News / UNWTOafrol News, 15 January -
Ethiopia is still living in the year 1999, according to its own calendar, meaning that Ethiopians can look forward to yet another millennium party later this year. And authorities are planning a magnificent celebration for citizens and the many expected foreign visitors; launching projects worth birr 290 million (euro 26 million).
The Ethiopian calendar is unique in the world, developed by the indigenous Coptic church leaning on ancient Egyptian astronomic calculations, the Jewish calendar and the Julian calendar - adopted under Julius Caesar and the root of all Christian date calculators. Europe in 1582 shifted to the Gregorian calendar, now putting most of us in January 2007.
According to the Ethiopian calendar, we are in mid-1999. Here, "the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year," the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture explains. The Ethiopian calendar is 7 and a half year behind the Gregorian calendar, also having 365 days in a normal year and 366 days in each leap year, so the distance remains almost constant.
According to Harvard University Professor Ephraim Isaac, most scholars that have studied Biblical times agree that the Ethiopian calendar is much closer than the Gregorian to start its calculations of time around the birth of Jesus Christ. Some put this event in the year 0 of the Ethiopian calendar, while most historians hold the founder of Christianity was born in year 3 of the same calendar - or year 5 in the Gregorian.
To read the rest of the article:
http://www.afrol.com/articles/23759
© afrol News / UNWTOafrol News, 15 January -
Ethiopia is still living in the year 1999, according to its own calendar, meaning that Ethiopians can look forward to yet another millennium party later this year. And authorities are planning a magnificent celebration for citizens and the many expected foreign visitors; launching projects worth birr 290 million (euro 26 million).
The Ethiopian calendar is unique in the world, developed by the indigenous Coptic church leaning on ancient Egyptian astronomic calculations, the Jewish calendar and the Julian calendar - adopted under Julius Caesar and the root of all Christian date calculators. Europe in 1582 shifted to the Gregorian calendar, now putting most of us in January 2007.
According to the Ethiopian calendar, we are in mid-1999. Here, "the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year," the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture explains. The Ethiopian calendar is 7 and a half year behind the Gregorian calendar, also having 365 days in a normal year and 366 days in each leap year, so the distance remains almost constant.
According to Harvard University Professor Ephraim Isaac, most scholars that have studied Biblical times agree that the Ethiopian calendar is much closer than the Gregorian to start its calculations of time around the birth of Jesus Christ. Some put this event in the year 0 of the Ethiopian calendar, while most historians hold the founder of Christianity was born in year 3 of the same calendar - or year 5 in the Gregorian.
To read the rest of the article:
http://www.afrol.com/articles/23759
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Officially "Waiting"
Well we received word on Thursday (1/11/07) from CHSFS that our dossier has been approved and we are officially "waiting for a referral." What this means is that clock has started ticking. Wait time for an infant boy is currently running 0-4 months. After we get our referral and accept we have to wait for an appointment date at the embassy in Addis Ababa. Travel time from when we accept our referral to when we actually leave can be up to 12 weeks. So let's do the math: we could get our referral anytime between now and May. Let's assume May, we could then expect to leave for Addis sometime between late June-August.
That's in a perfect world where dates don't change, the courts don't close in late July and world events don't play a factor (F.Y.I. Ethiopia and Somalia are not getting a long currently. So far this has not had an affect on international adoption, but we are keeping up-to-date with everything that is happening just in case.)
Since this isn't a perfect world, we don't really have a clue for sure about anything. So that is the long answer to the question we have already been getting "So when will you leave to get your new son?" The short answer we have been giving is a blank stare and a shrug of the shoulders. Now you know why.
Selam.
That's in a perfect world where dates don't change, the courts don't close in late July and world events don't play a factor (F.Y.I. Ethiopia and Somalia are not getting a long currently. So far this has not had an affect on international adoption, but we are keeping up-to-date with everything that is happening just in case.)
Since this isn't a perfect world, we don't really have a clue for sure about anything. So that is the long answer to the question we have already been getting "So when will you leave to get your new son?" The short answer we have been giving is a blank stare and a shrug of the shoulders. Now you know why.
Selam.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Busy times ahead
Hi - this is Jen. I don't have any big updates, but thought I should write a quick note.
We took down Christmas decorations this weekend. We always put up a fair amount - 2 trees, several wreaths, lots of garland and lights, a little village and train set, outdoor lights, etc, so it takes awhile to take back down. It is kinda sad, the house just doesn't feel so festive and fun. But, the house does feel cleaner. Less clutter. Katie asked what the next holiday is, I think she was alittle sad it was 'over'.
We also made trips to Lowes, Menards, and Home Depot this weekend. The kids were thrilled to say the least! NOT! They did find some excitement in trying out all the shower, bathtubs, and toilets we were looking at. At one point, the 3 kids and I were all squeezed into 1 shower stall with the clear glass door closed. We had a couple strange looks from fellow shoppers. I think the sight of toilets inspired Anna, so we visited the real restroom in every store. We are (we - whatever!, I meant Gary is) going to be working on building a bathroom in the basement over the next couple months. Gary's buddy Scott will be coming in 2 weeks, so we need to make some decisions on what we want to do. I had dreams of a really cool bathroom, but the price tags have brought me back to the reality that we really just need it to function.
We are getting ready to sign the kids up for softball and tee-ball. And swim lessons. But that is all! Last spring, we had t-ball, dance, swim lessons, soccer, and tae-kwon-do. We were busy every night of the week. The spring before, we had t-ball, soccer, swim lessons and a new baby born in the middle of everything. (I cannot imagine what things will be like when the kids are older and all 4 will be in activities.) For some reason, we always over do it and really run ourselves around like crazy. So this year we are just letting them do 2 things each.
Well, the point of this is that it should make the waiting time for the referral time of our little guy and then the wait to travel go alittle quicker. I hope.
Bye. :)
We took down Christmas decorations this weekend. We always put up a fair amount - 2 trees, several wreaths, lots of garland and lights, a little village and train set, outdoor lights, etc, so it takes awhile to take back down. It is kinda sad, the house just doesn't feel so festive and fun. But, the house does feel cleaner. Less clutter. Katie asked what the next holiday is, I think she was alittle sad it was 'over'.
We also made trips to Lowes, Menards, and Home Depot this weekend. The kids were thrilled to say the least! NOT! They did find some excitement in trying out all the shower, bathtubs, and toilets we were looking at. At one point, the 3 kids and I were all squeezed into 1 shower stall with the clear glass door closed. We had a couple strange looks from fellow shoppers. I think the sight of toilets inspired Anna, so we visited the real restroom in every store. We are (we - whatever!, I meant Gary is) going to be working on building a bathroom in the basement over the next couple months. Gary's buddy Scott will be coming in 2 weeks, so we need to make some decisions on what we want to do. I had dreams of a really cool bathroom, but the price tags have brought me back to the reality that we really just need it to function.
We are getting ready to sign the kids up for softball and tee-ball. And swim lessons. But that is all! Last spring, we had t-ball, dance, swim lessons, soccer, and tae-kwon-do. We were busy every night of the week. The spring before, we had t-ball, soccer, swim lessons and a new baby born in the middle of everything. (I cannot imagine what things will be like when the kids are older and all 4 will be in activities.) For some reason, we always over do it and really run ourselves around like crazy. So this year we are just letting them do 2 things each.
Well, the point of this is that it should make the waiting time for the referral time of our little guy and then the wait to travel go alittle quicker. I hope.
Bye. :)
Friday, January 05, 2007
E-mail assault
Well it is possible some of you woke this morning to about 100 e-mails from us. (Actually it was not that many but it WILL seem like it) Jen wrote a brief e-mail to everyone we had in our address book mentioning this blog. When she went to send it she started getting multiple error messages. After a little digging she found the bad address and resent the message. In the meantime the e-mail kept trying to mail itself, hence the multiple copies you are seeing in your Inbox. Sorry about that. The moral of the story is that we need to look through out address book again and make sure there are any other problems before we try that again. Oh and if you are reading this and saying to yourself, "Hey we didn't get 1,000,000 e-mail messages from the Krob's this morning." That means we might not have your address or the one we have is old. Please send a comment below with your name, e-mail address and bank account numbers and we will update our list. Dehna hunu.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Article from eMediaWire
Adoption Agency Sees Surge in Applications for Ethiopia Program
Children's Home Society & Family Services celebrates 200th child from Ethiopia placed with an adoptive family in 2006.
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) December 23, 2006 -- On Saturday, December 23, 2006, a couple from Burnsville, Minnesota, will arrive home from Ethiopia with their adoptive daughter, marking the 200th adoption placement from that country in 2006 through St. Paul-based Children's Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS). This is the family's second adoption from Ethiopia.CHSFS' Ethiopia adoption program started in April 2004 and since then, 345 children have found stability and permanency through adoption and is the fastest growing adoption program in the 117 year history of Children's Home Society & Family Services.
CHSFS receives at least one adoption application each day from parents hoping to adopt from Ethiopia and averages 16 children placed into families each month. CHSFS is one of only a handful of US-based adoption agencies authorized by Ethiopia to provide adoption services and works with families across the country.
Some reasons for the increase in interest for adopting from Ethiopia are:
• The need is great. For years the media has shown images of the plight of children in Africa suffering from the effects of famine, disease, war and extreme poverty. Adoption provides a meaningful way to reach out to a child in need. There an estimated four million orphans in Ethiopia.
• The process is efficient. Once an adoption application has been approved, it only takes two to six months to get a referral from the country, a timeframe that is considerably shorter than other adoption programs. Also, the Ethiopian government has created an environment that is well-equipped to facilitate international adoptions.
• The cost is affordable compared to adopting from other international and domestic infant adoption programs.
Anyone interested in learning more about adopting from Ethiopia is encouraged to contact Children's Home Society & Family Services at 800-952-9302 or email.
About Children's Home Society & Family Services: Since 1889, Children's Home Society & Family Services (CHSFS) has met the needs of children and families through our adoption, child abuse and neglect prevention, early childhood education, and comprehensive family services. As a statewide non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, CHSFS is committed to help children thrive and to build, strengthen and sustain individual, family and community life. For more information please log on to www.chsfs.org or call 651-646-7771.
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/12/emw493606.htm
Monday, January 01, 2007
Small World
Can you believe it is 2007??? When I really think about it, I just can't. I mean what happened to the 90's for goodness sakes? And now it is well over half way through this decade (I knew know what to call it). Time really does fly when you are having fun.
We (the very exciting couple that we are) rung in the New Year on the couch flipping between old Twilight Zone episodes and the various New Year celebrations. Had some mixed drinks and champagne and actually made it up to nearly 1:00AM. Earlier in the evening, we had cheese fondue and buffalo burgers and then chocolate fondue for dessert. The kids had sparkling cider in wine glasses and just thought that was the greatest. We played Battleship and had lots of family fun. I was in a super excellent mood because the work-work that I had thought might take all weekend was done by 2:00 on Saturday (after starting at 6:00AM).
We spent today trying to figure out where all the new games, toys, and other gifts from Christmas would fit. We have Katie and Jack's room very organized - hopefully it can stay that way for awhile! Annalise's room is all done, too. We will have to do some re-arranging in her room when our son comes home - but that will be several months.
Anyway, I had not intended to use this blog to bore you all will the daily tasks of our lives. I do have to post a really interesting little story.
The week before Christmas, Gary and I and the kiddos delivered little goodie bags to the neighbors on our cul-de-sac. We included a Christmas card and note to say hello and give the news of our adoption. The next day on the blog, we had 2 comments. It just so happens that our very next door neighbors, Brian and Stephanie, have a family member who is adopting from Ethiopia as well. What in heavens is the chance of that? And it sounds like Amy, who is Brian's sister, and her husband Josh are pretty close to being in the same parts of the process. That is really amazing and so exciting.
Part of the reason I think it is exciting is because it shows how adoptions and specifically Ethiopian adoptions are growing. I cannot remember the exact numbers/details, but Children's Home started doing Ethiopian adoptions in 2004 with less than 50 adoptions. In 2006, they placed more than 200 children. Children's Home adopts from about 10 international countries, and said that the Ethiopian numbers could be close to overtaking China in the next few years. Wow!
We (the very exciting couple that we are) rung in the New Year on the couch flipping between old Twilight Zone episodes and the various New Year celebrations. Had some mixed drinks and champagne and actually made it up to nearly 1:00AM. Earlier in the evening, we had cheese fondue and buffalo burgers and then chocolate fondue for dessert. The kids had sparkling cider in wine glasses and just thought that was the greatest. We played Battleship and had lots of family fun. I was in a super excellent mood because the work-work that I had thought might take all weekend was done by 2:00 on Saturday (after starting at 6:00AM).
We spent today trying to figure out where all the new games, toys, and other gifts from Christmas would fit. We have Katie and Jack's room very organized - hopefully it can stay that way for awhile! Annalise's room is all done, too. We will have to do some re-arranging in her room when our son comes home - but that will be several months.
Anyway, I had not intended to use this blog to bore you all will the daily tasks of our lives. I do have to post a really interesting little story.
The week before Christmas, Gary and I and the kiddos delivered little goodie bags to the neighbors on our cul-de-sac. We included a Christmas card and note to say hello and give the news of our adoption. The next day on the blog, we had 2 comments. It just so happens that our very next door neighbors, Brian and Stephanie, have a family member who is adopting from Ethiopia as well. What in heavens is the chance of that? And it sounds like Amy, who is Brian's sister, and her husband Josh are pretty close to being in the same parts of the process. That is really amazing and so exciting.
Part of the reason I think it is exciting is because it shows how adoptions and specifically Ethiopian adoptions are growing. I cannot remember the exact numbers/details, but Children's Home started doing Ethiopian adoptions in 2004 with less than 50 adoptions. In 2006, they placed more than 200 children. Children's Home adopts from about 10 international countries, and said that the Ethiopian numbers could be close to overtaking China in the next few years. Wow!
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