TENTATIVE Travel Dates

Dear Michael and Kristyn,

Your family's tentative date of departure to Ethiopia is January 2, 2010. You will be in Ethiopia for approximately 5 days and will return to the US on January 9, 2010. Please keep in mind that this is a tentative date that is subject to change depending on the timeframe of completion of your child(ren)'s post court paperwork. The timeframe of processing post court paperwork is case specific and may differ for each family. We will do all we can to get you off to Ethiopia as soon as possible and will let you know by the end of this week if you will be able to travel on these dates.

Please note the consulate in Addis limits the number of families we can submit at each weekly appointment. This is also a factor as we determine the earliest possible date your family can travel. Within 7-10 days of passing court we will notify your family of your concrete travel dates.

Tegegne's Announcement

Tegegne,

Ethiopians tell us that your name means "I have been found" or "chosen". Well, your dad and I along with a lot of great people are so glad that you have been found and placed into our family. I have been thinking a lot about our meeting day. Although you are young and will be sad to leave your kind nannies with whom you have bonded, I pray that there is a part of you that will feel peace when they place you in our arms. May you feel warmly loved and cared for from the moment our eyes meet. In the mean time I will work on learning some key Amharic words. I think I will also try to learn some Amharic songs.

We are your mom and dad officially today, but really God new that we were your forever mom and dad even before you were born.

Mom

Meet our son - Tegegne Dena Jones!

We officially passed court today and are the parents of Tegegne! God is good. I am so happy I can hardly type straight!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Walk To Beautiful

I watched this film this weekend, A Walk To Beautiful. It is a documentary on Ethiopian women who live in rural areas outside of Addis Ababa and what they go through with health complications in childbirth. I have been thinking about these women often and my heart goes out to them. You can watch it on PBS online.

I think I will look for a few more documentaries on your country before we travel.

I was packing your things tonight. They suggest 5 outfits for you while we are there. I need to buy a few more items to make your outfits complete. Also need some cozy pjs that will fit you and a onsie that is extremely cozy for the long trek home. Your dad can hardly stand looking at your little clothes right now because he's so ready for you to be in them!

Tis the season of Advent where we prepare for Christ's coming into the world! We are being watchful and aware of what God has going on in and around us. Tomorrow night we will pray for the Judge as he reviews our papers (9 hours difference in ET so Dec 8 happens there before it happens here). I'll let you know on Tuesday when I hear from America World.

Love you dear.

Mom

Checking In

Hey cutie pie. How are you? Your dad is out visiting with a friend, and your big dog and I are snuggled up by the fire. I'm reading adoption blogs and thinking of you. It is so good to read the blogs with Ethiopian kids recently home. It is good to hear that it is not always an easy transition home. You will grieve your loss and deal with the major changes in your routine. I just wonder when and how you will show it. I am taking a free course on how to make you a Life Book. I have gotten started on yours, but look forward to working on it more. Your life book will entail anything and everything about your life before us, and with us. While in Ethiopia, these are the things I need to remember to get for your life book:

• Any additional information about your birth family.
• A note to you from your nanny written in Amharic.
• A leaf from a tree outside the Transition Home.
• Photos of your homeland and people of all ages.
• Traditions on holidays. (I read that ET celebrates Christmas Jan 7, and I would love to be there to see what it is like.)
• We look forward to taking in as much culture as possible. The music, the people, the smells. The coffee ceremony, the arts and crafts.

Your dad brought home a cd tonight called "The Children of Uganda." It's beautiful African music by orphaned children that live around Uganda. He filled the house with the music and we danced around for a bit! We like to have fun and laugh. We look forward to dancing around the house with you in the African way!

Get your dancin' shoes ready Little T.

Mom

Quick Note from the Mama

It's true, our papers were locked up in a box and our Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs representative was gone and he had the key. This occurred to several other families in our agency today and we are all getting a second chance next Tuesday! 

We are doing well and know that our son will be home before we know it. This is not an easy process, but the outcome is pretty fabulous so I'd say it's worth the bumpy ride. Thank you for your prayers and thoughtfulness. 

Kristyn

No Dice Today

Little Guy - 

So we just got word that the guy that has your paper work was not at work today, and he took the keys.  No one could get to your file, so the Judge couldn't see your case.  He did, however, see some parts of your case that were very important.  This helps you a lot.  

He gave you another court date for Dec. 8th.  Since we got a lot of information out of the way for you today, the Judge needs only to see your file.  Apparently it looks much more hopeful on Dec. 8th that we will be able to legally call you our son.  

That is what I, (pops), understand.  Your mother will probably update the details.  Hold in a little while longer, we're coming. 

Sleep well and wrestle somebody!

Tomorrow/Tonight

Since ET is 8 hours ahead, our court hearing will happen while we are sleeping tonight. Let's be honest here, I probably won't sleep tonight. One, because our big lab keeps sneaking onto the bed on my side and he's huge, but more obviously because I desire more than anything to recieve a call tomorrow morning that says, "You Passed and T______ D____ Jones is officially your son!"

We got a great video of you today. Thank you Karen and John Mark. I hope to show it on this blog tomorrow along with more photos of you! If we pass court tomorrow, I'll put your photos and video here so our friends can see you! It was so great to see you in a video. You are small but mightly little guy! (Karen said the shoes you were wearing were US 4 and they fit well.)

I'll be traveling all day tomorrow, so I will not be able to give word until I arrive home that evening, unless your dad gets to post.

We love you dear son. I hope you are sleeping soundly.

Mom

Advent

Dear Son,

This is one of my favorite times of year because of how our church celebrates Advent. It is a whole new perspective on Christmas, the time of Jesus birth. You see, in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas our western culture is so busy buying gifts that the time goes buy without thought of what this holiday means to us. The "Advent Conspiracy" says Worship Fully, Give More, Love All. The past 2 years we have made homemade gifts, and taken the money we would have spent on those gifts towards a greater project. You see, there is a people group in Kenya (which is very close to Ethiopia) that have been without water for awhile now. They are the Pokot people. It is hard to live without water. Tis' the season to think about the coming Jesus, and the opportunity to Give More. Give more to people who have less.

Click here to read more about Jacob Well's Advent Conspiracy.

Click here to see beautiful photos of the Pokot people at one Water Well Dedication in their community. Photographer is Beth Mercer, a friend from Jacobs Well.

Next year we will experience Advent with you. God is good.

Love, Mom

November Update!

Getty Images Photo titled Fun Rough Housing

Hello little monkey! Are you having fun today? We got your November update and it is a good one! They say that you are 21 lbs. (+2 lbs, good job!), you eat well, you jump from crib to crib, wrestle with your friends, and you laugh when tickled! Jumping, wrestling, and laughing...that is awesome Little T. In one photo it is obvious that you are being tickled by a nanny because you are cracking up laughing. Your dad and I are so happy with these updates, because we see that you are having a ball with the caretakers and with your friends. They said when you first got to the transition home you were quiet and would only watch the other kids play. You have obviously come out of your shell, and are a true 2 year old boy! You are repeating words from the older kids, you nap between 2 and 4pm and sleep from 9pm to 7am.

We are so ready to play with you...and hug you, and wrestle with you, and show you the joy of the Lord. I have been giddy all night knowing that we are going to have loads of fun together.

On Tuesday the Ethiopian courts will convene on our behalf. This is the day that we could gain legal custody of you, and we would travel approx 4 weeks later. The wait is nearly over dear child. May the Lord have mercy on us.

Love,

Mama Jones