Okay, as it will become obvious, I am starting to run out of things to talk about. This week's topic is is the wonderful world of the site meter. When we started this blog one of things I wanted to put in was a site meter so we could see from where and how many people were reading our blog. I admit it may seem geeky but I am what I am. Let me just say it is COOL!!!!
If you click on the site meter below you can view reports and maps about where all of your traffic is coming from. We have people across the globe reading this, not all of the time mind you but once in a while. There is also a referral link which shows how people are finding our blog. Seems we are links on a couple of other people's site. One of sites linking to us are the relatives of our neighbors which Jen has mentioned before. (Big shout out to Stephanie and Brian, now that the weather has improved we need to get together and chat. I still can't believe the connection!)
I can also see from looking at the reports that most of you check our blog early in the week. Of course since this is being posted on Thursday, I am obviously not taking advantage of this knowledge.
*Personal goal will be that we get back on track posting Sunday or Monday.*
However please keep in mind that I also have personal goals to lose more weight, somehow grow hair on the top of my head, and to retire at an early age.
So now that I have shown you all the wonders of the site meter, what should we do with this knowledge? I want to take a family vacation activity and bring it into the 21st century. When we were kids, we took the car practically everywhere for vacation. On the trip mom would try and find license plates for all 50 states. I want to do one better, I want to get comments from as many states and countries as possible! So click the word "comment" below this post and let us know where you are. You can post as "Anonymous," just select that option, write in the box above that and click "Publish your comment" Really quite simple. Also, if you wish, you can click on the envelope below and send this blog to anyone you think can help us reach our goal.
Drinks are on me if we can get all 50 states and let's say...30 countries. Don't let me down.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
All's Quiet on the Adoption Front
We just realized that we had forgotten to post anything yet this week. This in an indication that we don't have much to share. It's Spring Break this week for the kids and we had plans to make a short trip up to Minneapolis. Unfortunately the U.S. Census Bureau decided this would be a great week to release the 2006 county population estimates. That meant I have spent most of the week getting all the data together and getting the website updated. Today I get to field calls from the press and local municipalities asking me what the numbers mean. Yippee. Since this all came up and we had to scrape our Minneapolis plans we took the kids to the Omaha zoo on Sunday and plan on taking them bowling and to the movies later this week. They seem cool with it all but I felt like crap that I had to change our plans. Quick question, does money still buy happiness? When I get a chance I will post pictures from the zoo, the kids had a blast and truth be told Jen and I like that zoo probably more than the kids.
Adoption news: Waiting and more waiting. As of right now there has not been any referrals given out this week. We would really like to see a big bunch given out before the end of the month but we are not holding our breath.
This week's Amharic word: Konjo - beautiful
Monday, March 12, 2007
Can it be? Is Spring here?
We don't have a lot to say this week other than this past weekend was beautiful!!! After being stuck in the house for the past three months, and having two big snowstorms hit us the past two weeks, it appears that the worst MAY be over. (It is Iowa after all so I will not be surprised to see another big storm.) Yesterday it was just over 60 degrees so we were able to take a couple walks with kids, grill out, and I even caught Jen sitting on the deck reading a magazine. Personally I think she was trying to get some sun and those of you who know her, know I am right.
Nothing new on the adoption front. There were a small number of referrals given out last week so that has moved us up "the list."
Right now we are trying to come up with ideas for this summer. We want to come up with some things so the kids can have a good summer but we need to save up our vacation time for the big trip to Addis. Any suggestions for some fun, short trips we can take in June and July would be met with great appreciation. Even better would be a couple beds, good food, drinks and nice conversation while the kids go crazy. Boating and camping with the Hickmans wouldn't be too bad either.
Finally for all of you looking for an ethiopian music video, well you are in luck. Enjoy!
Video link
Nothing new on the adoption front. There were a small number of referrals given out last week so that has moved us up "the list."
Right now we are trying to come up with ideas for this summer. We want to come up with some things so the kids can have a good summer but we need to save up our vacation time for the big trip to Addis. Any suggestions for some fun, short trips we can take in June and July would be met with great appreciation. Even better would be a couple beds, good food, drinks and nice conversation while the kids go crazy. Boating and camping with the Hickmans wouldn't be too bad either.
Finally for all of you looking for an ethiopian music video, well you are in luck. Enjoy!
Video link
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Yeah, we're still here
Hello, Gary has been bugging me to post since it has been a couple weeks since we have posted anything and because he posted the last 2 or 3 times. I have been meaning to, but haven't had anything real exciting to add. But I can talk about the adoption forever, so I will give alittle update.
First of all...waiting is hard. Jeepers, I thought it was hard when I was pregnant and in those cases I had a due date and the doctor will only let you go so far past it. So it was hard to wait, but we knew what we were waiting for - we had a fairly specific date.
Well, the wait for a baby boy is 4-6 months, but that is just an estimate. And the wait to travel after that is about 12 weeks, though it seems alot of people are only waiting 9 or 10 weeks. So, who knows when we will have a referral and then when we will get meet him. I use our adoption agencies message board list as a guide, but it isn't anything I can hold my breath on. So, we watch and wait and wait. We get excited when other families post that they received their referral or their travel date, because it so exciting AND, very selfishly, because it means we are moving up on the list. Best guess for us is a late April/early May referral (where we get the babies information and picture) and traveling in July. I kinda don't like giving myself a date, because then I might come to hope and plan for it and if things slow down then I will be disappointed.
From what I remember reading, there are 4 millions orphans in Ethiopia. Why then does it take so long? Many reasons, I think I have heard the government has to wait a certain amount of time to allow an orphan to be adopted, maybe to be considered an actual orphan, in case someone comes to claim the child. But still there are so many already orphaned. Our adoption agency, Children's Home Society and Family Services, runs the care center that the children are in. There is only room for so many children, I can't remember the number, say 60. Those children are evaluated and then matched with a family. The family accepts the referral and then a court date it set and the family travels to Ethiopia to adopt the child. When the 60 kids are anywhere in this process but haven't been picked up yet, there is no room for more children to come into the care center. So, basically a child has to be picked up so another can come in and then the process starts again. I think the slow down comes in with the Ethiopian court. I am sure they are so, so busy, and the dates get pushed back, so everything gets pushed back. That is all my interpretation from what I have read here and there. Pretty logical, but I had to think it all through to understand why we have to wait.
And so we are back to waiting is hard.
It is hard on the kids too. Jack said - out of the blue, I think we were at the store - I wish we could get our baby brother now. Summer, I tell him - but that is a long wait for a 5 year old. Katie is the same way, talks about her baby brother all the time, wants to know how old he will be and when he is coming, etc, etc.
Annalise LOVES babies. Every time we see a stroller, say at the mall, she will wriggle away from me to go check out the baby. Same with carseats, someone is carrying one and she is trying to peek in to see the baby. She has a little kitchen in her room and 2 high chairs and she loves to feed her dolls. Every kid under 4 years old that she sees, 'baby, baby!'. But, I think a new baby in her momma's arms all the time is going to be a little different. Jack, my cuddle bug, climbs onto my lap and Anna can be busy doing anything, but she will drop it to come running across the room screaming, 'MY MOMMY!'. She pushes him off my lap. Hmmm, so I think she is OK with the wait.
OK, so I said I would give a little update, and I just rambled on about poor me waiting.
Some friends of ours from nearby left on Saturday for Ethiopia. They are picking up their little girl. I know they will be really busy after they get back, but I can't wait to meet her and here about their trip.
That is it for tonight, I will post again soon.
First of all...waiting is hard. Jeepers, I thought it was hard when I was pregnant and in those cases I had a due date and the doctor will only let you go so far past it. So it was hard to wait, but we knew what we were waiting for - we had a fairly specific date.
Well, the wait for a baby boy is 4-6 months, but that is just an estimate. And the wait to travel after that is about 12 weeks, though it seems alot of people are only waiting 9 or 10 weeks. So, who knows when we will have a referral and then when we will get meet him. I use our adoption agencies message board list as a guide, but it isn't anything I can hold my breath on. So, we watch and wait and wait. We get excited when other families post that they received their referral or their travel date, because it so exciting AND, very selfishly, because it means we are moving up on the list. Best guess for us is a late April/early May referral (where we get the babies information and picture) and traveling in July. I kinda don't like giving myself a date, because then I might come to hope and plan for it and if things slow down then I will be disappointed.
From what I remember reading, there are 4 millions orphans in Ethiopia. Why then does it take so long? Many reasons, I think I have heard the government has to wait a certain amount of time to allow an orphan to be adopted, maybe to be considered an actual orphan, in case someone comes to claim the child. But still there are so many already orphaned. Our adoption agency, Children's Home Society and Family Services, runs the care center that the children are in. There is only room for so many children, I can't remember the number, say 60. Those children are evaluated and then matched with a family. The family accepts the referral and then a court date it set and the family travels to Ethiopia to adopt the child. When the 60 kids are anywhere in this process but haven't been picked up yet, there is no room for more children to come into the care center. So, basically a child has to be picked up so another can come in and then the process starts again. I think the slow down comes in with the Ethiopian court. I am sure they are so, so busy, and the dates get pushed back, so everything gets pushed back. That is all my interpretation from what I have read here and there. Pretty logical, but I had to think it all through to understand why we have to wait.
And so we are back to waiting is hard.
It is hard on the kids too. Jack said - out of the blue, I think we were at the store - I wish we could get our baby brother now. Summer, I tell him - but that is a long wait for a 5 year old. Katie is the same way, talks about her baby brother all the time, wants to know how old he will be and when he is coming, etc, etc.
Annalise LOVES babies. Every time we see a stroller, say at the mall, she will wriggle away from me to go check out the baby. Same with carseats, someone is carrying one and she is trying to peek in to see the baby. She has a little kitchen in her room and 2 high chairs and she loves to feed her dolls. Every kid under 4 years old that she sees, 'baby, baby!'. But, I think a new baby in her momma's arms all the time is going to be a little different. Jack, my cuddle bug, climbs onto my lap and Anna can be busy doing anything, but she will drop it to come running across the room screaming, 'MY MOMMY!'. She pushes him off my lap. Hmmm, so I think she is OK with the wait.
OK, so I said I would give a little update, and I just rambled on about poor me waiting.
Some friends of ours from nearby left on Saturday for Ethiopia. They are picking up their little girl. I know they will be really busy after they get back, but I can't wait to meet her and here about their trip.
That is it for tonight, I will post again soon.
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