time for updates

Well, the past several months have flown by. I can now report that we have not one but two little girls headed our way. Hanan, 6, and Danawit, 11. Our case was filed in Ethiopian court on Aug 26th. So now we wait for courts to begin viewing cases in October. Our house is in total disarray, as new windows were installed. Long term, this will be great for energy use but in the short term, everything had to be moved out of the way in my room. And my room is where things tend to accumulate, from rosters to maps, to lists of school supplies, photos, and letters I can't bear to toss. So the focus for the next few weeks is cleaning, reducing clutter, and getting this little house ready for two more girls!

Winter Weariness

In the past few weeks, I've been working extra shifts as a way of saving for the adoption. I also continue to co-facilitate a bereavement group for parents who have lost infants. I am busy at work and overdue for writing the newsletter for Open Arms. I have been working out twice a week, which often leaves me overstimulated and sleepless. It isn't really any wonder that I feel run down. However, it is frustrating to know I could be far more productive, if only my body was better rested. My house looks like it is run by Muppets. This despite many hours of cleaning I put in over the weekend. While I accomplished things like sorting out all the clothes and boxing lots of things the girls have outgrown (Nur is now the size Mareshet was when she arrived!) these tasks are largely invisible or contributed to the clutter of the hallway. The girls sorted through their stuffed animals and made two bags of toys to give away, either to the "new girl" or other kids. I dutifully made two dozen cupcakes for the celebration at the Ethiopian Cultural Center, and cleaned up. However, that did nothing for the overall State of my kitchen. I suppose I just heave a big sigh, and set out on another Monday, in the hopes my blues will lift. The one household innovation I can look at with pride is the creation of a communication board in the kitchen. Here it is, as evidence that I have not been slacking too hard.