Here are the latest pictures of Ben and Angela!
Watching a video
He's getting to be a big boy!
Yet another pretty smile :-)
First day at new school
Till next update. Take care.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Latest pictures - September 08
Warm hello to everybody!
Here are the latest pictures of Ben and Angela!
Watching a video
He's getting to be a big boy!
Yet another pretty smile :-)
First day at new school
Till next update. Take care.
Here are the latest pictures of Ben and Angela!
Watching a video
He's getting to be a big boy!
Yet another pretty smile :-)
First day at new school
Till next update. Take care.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Latest pictures of the kids
I finally got a chance to catch up on our blog. Here are the more current pictures of Ben and Angela.
Infectious laughter.
At home.
Ready smile for the camera.
I don't have a lot of pictures with Ben and Angela, so I asked Matt to take this one while we were playing with the kids.
My first attempt at fixing Angela's hair. Not bad, eh?
Yoga pose: Downward facing dog. Something they are very good at.
In the bike trailer - preparing to go biking with Daddy.
Hope all of you are doing well. Till the next update!
Infectious laughter.
At home.
Ready smile for the camera.
I don't have a lot of pictures with Ben and Angela, so I asked Matt to take this one while we were playing with the kids.
My first attempt at fixing Angela's hair. Not bad, eh?
Yoga pose: Downward facing dog. Something they are very good at.
In the bike trailer - preparing to go biking with Daddy.
Hope all of you are doing well. Till the next update!
Images of Addis Ababa
Impressions/thoughts on our trip to Addis Ababa
The people are wonderful and very sweet with children - they always come up to us and kiss the children on the cheeks. Angela was used to it but Ben was wary at first.
Hot. Smog. Exhaust fumes. No or very little/narrow sidewalk.
Drought. Daily power failure. Blackouts.
Lots of coffee shops.
Very, very good coffee (even for a non-coffee drinker like me).
Outside of Addis - very beautiful. Lots of trees and flowers. No smog.
Lots of fresh locally grown fruits - mango, papaya.
Sheraton Hotel. High-end, expensive. Very nice. Sumptous Happy Father's Day brunch.
US Embassy - no cameras allowed. No photos allowed within perimeter.
Very rich history and culture.
Will visit again but will stay outside of Addis and discover the beauty of the rest of Ethiopia.
The people are wonderful and very sweet with children - they always come up to us and kiss the children on the cheeks. Angela was used to it but Ben was wary at first.
Hot. Smog. Exhaust fumes. No or very little/narrow sidewalk.
Drought. Daily power failure. Blackouts.
Lots of coffee shops.
Very, very good coffee (even for a non-coffee drinker like me).
Outside of Addis - very beautiful. Lots of trees and flowers. No smog.
Lots of fresh locally grown fruits - mango, papaya.
Sheraton Hotel. High-end, expensive. Very nice. Sumptous Happy Father's Day brunch.
US Embassy - no cameras allowed. No photos allowed within perimeter.
Very rich history and culture.
Will visit again but will stay outside of Addis and discover the beauty of the rest of Ethiopia.
Le Toukoul Orphanage
Helloooo!
I know it's been ages since the last entry. When you have 2 toddlers in the house, updating your blog is very low on the to-do list.
Anyway, just want to post the pictures we have of the orphanage. It's been more than 2 months now and images of the place are starting to fade. Thank God for these pictures which keep the memories alive.
As we look at these pictures, we remember with fondness the orphanage doctor who took care of Angela. We were told that she was malnourished when she came to the orphanage. However, when we got her (about 5 months after), she had already improved a lot health-wise.
We also remember our driver, Wendy. He was a very competent driver and guide. He has a way with children and Ben and Angela took to him at once.
Till the next update! Warm regards to all!
I know it's been ages since the last entry. When you have 2 toddlers in the house, updating your blog is very low on the to-do list.
Anyway, just want to post the pictures we have of the orphanage. It's been more than 2 months now and images of the place are starting to fade. Thank God for these pictures which keep the memories alive.
As we look at these pictures, we remember with fondness the orphanage doctor who took care of Angela. We were told that she was malnourished when she came to the orphanage. However, when we got her (about 5 months after), she had already improved a lot health-wise.
We also remember our driver, Wendy. He was a very competent driver and guide. He has a way with children and Ben and Angela took to him at once.
Till the next update! Warm regards to all!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Ethiopia - June 10
Hello everybody!
It is now 5 days after we have returned home and things are finally getting back to our 'new' normal.
We left Salt Lake very early Sunday morning (June 8). We managed to fit 4 suitcases in the trunk of the car. Inside the car were our carry-on bags and the 2 strollers we were bringing. Inside the car were also some books that Matt needed to return to the University of Utah library (because they were going to be due while we're gone). So we had to make a stop at the library which took about 40 minutes total and we arrived at the airport at 6am for our international flight at 7:30am. Matt attempted to do online checking before we left home but it did not really go thru (probably because it is an international flight?). So we arrived at the airport with my Stress Level on HIGH.
But we made it and we were off to O'hare for our first stop. We had about 3 hours before our next flight. We were able to have a quick lunch and call Mama and Mom and Dad to say that we were on our way.
Next stop Frankfurt (June 9, 6:30am). We had to go thru several security checks and then we were ready to board the flight to Addis. The flight to Addis had a stopover (for refueling) at Kartoum, Sudan.
We finally made it to the Hotel de Leopol in Addis at about 10pm (June 9). We were all set to sleep when I asked Matt where the adoption agency's Addis Ababa lawyer's phone number is. He would be our first contact the following day because we needed to sign some US Embassy documents and he will contact the orphanage of our arrival.
Guess what! The list of contact numbers is in a blue folder sitting on the front passenger seat of our car parked in the Salt Lake City International Airport. Ha-ha-ha! (we had to keep our sense of humor or lose our sanity!)
PANIC emails were immediately sent to our Adoption coordinator in Oregon. We also sent an email to Mom and Dad in California so they could a follow-up phone call on our request. Addis is about 10 hours ahead so we had time. Internet connection in the hotel was spotty and slow so we were hoping that we'll get the response on time. Whew! What a day!
JUNE 10, 2008. GOTCHA DAY!
We called the lawyer after breakfast (the Adoption coordinator replied within a couple of hours of us sending the email) at the hotel and he sent his driver to pick us up and bring us to the Dove Adoptions International Office in Addis. We signed some documents that he will be bringing to the US Embassy prior to our embassy interview. Then our driver Wendi arrived and he brought us to the orphanage.
We met the administrative assistant of the adoption agency in Addis and within a few minutes, the nanny brought Angela into the room. She is so tiny and cuddly and so much prettier in person. She did cry a bit but eventually warmed up to all of us. We were ushered to the private living room where we had a chance to relax and bond with Angela more. We checked her out of the orphanage that morning.
We were in the orphanage for maybe a couple of hours that morning. At round 10am, the orphanage kids had their school recess and Ben was able to play with them. It was quite a sight seeing him play ball with kids bigger than him. The kids were very nice to him and kept touching and kissing him on the face.
We went back to the orphanage in the afternoon to bring in the suitcase of donations that we had prepared and also to meet with the orphanage doctor. We passed by the supermarket on the way back to the hotel to get some supplies (bottled water, powdered milk for Angela). We had dinner at the hotel and went to bed early. And that was how we spent our first day with Angela.
The slideshow below has pictures of us at the airport in Frankfurt, our first meeting with Angela, Ben playing with the kids from the orphanage and Ben and Angela in the hotel room.
I will post more pictures as soon as my schedule allows.
Enjoy the pictures (you can hover the cursor on the pictures and you'll see the comments I put in)!
It is now 5 days after we have returned home and things are finally getting back to our 'new' normal.
We left Salt Lake very early Sunday morning (June 8). We managed to fit 4 suitcases in the trunk of the car. Inside the car were our carry-on bags and the 2 strollers we were bringing. Inside the car were also some books that Matt needed to return to the University of Utah library (because they were going to be due while we're gone). So we had to make a stop at the library which took about 40 minutes total and we arrived at the airport at 6am for our international flight at 7:30am. Matt attempted to do online checking before we left home but it did not really go thru (probably because it is an international flight?). So we arrived at the airport with my Stress Level on HIGH.
But we made it and we were off to O'hare for our first stop. We had about 3 hours before our next flight. We were able to have a quick lunch and call Mama and Mom and Dad to say that we were on our way.
Next stop Frankfurt (June 9, 6:30am). We had to go thru several security checks and then we were ready to board the flight to Addis. The flight to Addis had a stopover (for refueling) at Kartoum, Sudan.
We finally made it to the Hotel de Leopol in Addis at about 10pm (June 9). We were all set to sleep when I asked Matt where the adoption agency's Addis Ababa lawyer's phone number is. He would be our first contact the following day because we needed to sign some US Embassy documents and he will contact the orphanage of our arrival.
Guess what! The list of contact numbers is in a blue folder sitting on the front passenger seat of our car parked in the Salt Lake City International Airport. Ha-ha-ha! (we had to keep our sense of humor or lose our sanity!)
PANIC emails were immediately sent to our Adoption coordinator in Oregon. We also sent an email to Mom and Dad in California so they could a follow-up phone call on our request. Addis is about 10 hours ahead so we had time. Internet connection in the hotel was spotty and slow so we were hoping that we'll get the response on time. Whew! What a day!
JUNE 10, 2008. GOTCHA DAY!
We called the lawyer after breakfast (the Adoption coordinator replied within a couple of hours of us sending the email) at the hotel and he sent his driver to pick us up and bring us to the Dove Adoptions International Office in Addis. We signed some documents that he will be bringing to the US Embassy prior to our embassy interview. Then our driver Wendi arrived and he brought us to the orphanage.
We met the administrative assistant of the adoption agency in Addis and within a few minutes, the nanny brought Angela into the room. She is so tiny and cuddly and so much prettier in person. She did cry a bit but eventually warmed up to all of us. We were ushered to the private living room where we had a chance to relax and bond with Angela more. We checked her out of the orphanage that morning.
We were in the orphanage for maybe a couple of hours that morning. At round 10am, the orphanage kids had their school recess and Ben was able to play with them. It was quite a sight seeing him play ball with kids bigger than him. The kids were very nice to him and kept touching and kissing him on the face.
We went back to the orphanage in the afternoon to bring in the suitcase of donations that we had prepared and also to meet with the orphanage doctor. We passed by the supermarket on the way back to the hotel to get some supplies (bottled water, powdered milk for Angela). We had dinner at the hotel and went to bed early. And that was how we spent our first day with Angela.
The slideshow below has pictures of us at the airport in Frankfurt, our first meeting with Angela, Ben playing with the kids from the orphanage and Ben and Angela in the hotel room.
I will post more pictures as soon as my schedule allows.
Enjoy the pictures (you can hover the cursor on the pictures and you'll see the comments I put in)!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
It's official - We Have a DAUGHTER !
Last May 19, 2008, our adoption agency gave us a call at 11 am to congratulate us on our successful adoption of our daughter ANGELA CHRISTINA (born April 3, 2007).
The adoption was ratified on May 19 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
We started working on this adoption Fall of last year. For those interested in timelines, below are some milestone dates:
Nov 5, 2007 - Acceptance to the Ethiopia Program of Dove Adoptions
Nov 27, 2007 - Filed I600A
Jan 4, 2008 - Got I600A Approval
Jan 25, 2008 - Mailed dossier to Dove Adoptions
Jan 29, 2008 - Dove sent email confirming receipt of dossier
Feb 8, 2008 - Our dossier was sent to Ethiopia
Mar 18, 2008 - Phone call and email of referral of Tarikua
May 19, 2008 - Court date
June 12, 2008 - Embassy Appointment, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
After bringing Ben home, we felt that it would be good for our family if Ben had a younger sibling. They could be playmates and they could be each other's buddy. Since Matt had served with the Peace Corp in Zimbabwe in the early 1990s, we initially looked at adoption in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, they didn't have an established adoption program so we decided to look at Ethiopia. Since we already had a boy, we requested for a girl younger than Ben.
Below is Angela's referral picture.
We are very excited to bring her home. Matt, Ben and myself will be leaving on June 8 for Ethiopia. We hope to see her on the morning of June 10. We have our Embassy appointment on June 12 and we will stay there for a few more days before we fly home on June 16. Hopefully, we can see some sights in Addis and the surrounding areas.
We would like to thank our immediate family for all their love and support with our 2nd adoption. We would also like to thank our special friends (you know who you are) who helped us in completing our homestudy. We are very grateful for your help.
Till the next update.
The adoption was ratified on May 19 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
We started working on this adoption Fall of last year. For those interested in timelines, below are some milestone dates:
Nov 5, 2007 - Acceptance to the Ethiopia Program of Dove Adoptions
Nov 27, 2007 - Filed I600A
Jan 4, 2008 - Got I600A Approval
Jan 25, 2008 - Mailed dossier to Dove Adoptions
Jan 29, 2008 - Dove sent email confirming receipt of dossier
Feb 8, 2008 - Our dossier was sent to Ethiopia
Mar 18, 2008 - Phone call and email of referral of Tarikua
May 19, 2008 - Court date
June 12, 2008 - Embassy Appointment, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
After bringing Ben home, we felt that it would be good for our family if Ben had a younger sibling. They could be playmates and they could be each other's buddy. Since Matt had served with the Peace Corp in Zimbabwe in the early 1990s, we initially looked at adoption in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, they didn't have an established adoption program so we decided to look at Ethiopia. Since we already had a boy, we requested for a girl younger than Ben.
Below is Angela's referral picture.
We are very excited to bring her home. Matt, Ben and myself will be leaving on June 8 for Ethiopia. We hope to see her on the morning of June 10. We have our Embassy appointment on June 12 and we will stay there for a few more days before we fly home on June 16. Hopefully, we can see some sights in Addis and the surrounding areas.
We would like to thank our immediate family for all their love and support with our 2nd adoption. We would also like to thank our special friends (you know who you are) who helped us in completing our homestudy. We are very grateful for your help.
Till the next update.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Weekend Trip To Houston
Last May 9-11, we flew to Houston for the weekend.
Our primary purpose of going there was to see the traveling exhibit of Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The exhibit introduces the visitor to the wonderful and culturally-rich country of Ethiopia, also known as the Cradle of Mankind. It is also the first-ever display of the 3.2 million year old hominid known as Lucy, outside of Ethiopia. We are very much interested in the culture and history of Ethiopia because somebody very special to us was born there.
Secondary purpose of the trip was to visit my cousin and her family. Last time we saw them was in Denver in July 2004 when they came for our wedding. That was close to 4 years ago so it was nice to visit with them and catch up on things.
Some highlights -
Since Ben is already 2 years old, we had to get him his own seat in the plane. He had his milk and his blanket so he was quite happy during the trip.
Matt's birthday was the 10th so my cousin surprised him with a yummy birthday cake.
During our stay at my cousin's house, Ben was able to bond with their dog, Max. Ben was not comfortable at first but by the time we left, he was petting and playing with Max.
Below are the pictures from our trip.
Enjoy!
Our primary purpose of going there was to see the traveling exhibit of Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The exhibit introduces the visitor to the wonderful and culturally-rich country of Ethiopia, also known as the Cradle of Mankind. It is also the first-ever display of the 3.2 million year old hominid known as Lucy, outside of Ethiopia. We are very much interested in the culture and history of Ethiopia because somebody very special to us was born there.
Secondary purpose of the trip was to visit my cousin and her family. Last time we saw them was in Denver in July 2004 when they came for our wedding. That was close to 4 years ago so it was nice to visit with them and catch up on things.
Some highlights -
Since Ben is already 2 years old, we had to get him his own seat in the plane. He had his milk and his blanket so he was quite happy during the trip.
Matt's birthday was the 10th so my cousin surprised him with a yummy birthday cake.
During our stay at my cousin's house, Ben was able to bond with their dog, Max. Ben was not comfortable at first but by the time we left, he was petting and playing with Max.
Below are the pictures from our trip.
Enjoy!
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