Ellagrace Hiwot Dantzler

Had to remove the video momentarily. Will re-post after we get little miss home!

WE PASSED!!!

I feel like screaming it from the top of my house!

I called AAI yesterday to see if they knew when our court date would be. The lady that I talked to told me that we had been court approved the day before.

What?!?

Here we were, thinking that we were still waiting to find out about our date...when we had already passed!

So as of Wednesday, Novemember 11th, 2009, our little girl "legally" became our little girl!

Yep. Pretty awesome. So now we can share her name...and photos of course!

Her name is Hiwot (pronouced Hay-wat). It means 'life'. I thought that was quite appropriate! Her full name will be Ellagrace Hiwot Dantzler. Boy, how I love writing that!

We will not be sharing the details of the life she has had thus far, as it is her story and we will allow her to share it if/when/and to whom she desires.

So now we are waiting for her embassy date in Ethiopia, which is when she will receive her travel visa and when we would be traveling (if we were going to travel). Hopefully this will all happen in the next 5 weeks. Since we have chosen to have her escorted, there will be another 5-7 week wait as we don't know what volunteers will be in Ethiopia and when they will be coming back to the states.

With our bundle of joy!

I'll share details as we know them.

But for now...

This is our most recent picture. We received it last Friday. I have many, many more. I will be working on a slideshow this weekend and will get it up ASAP. We do actually have one where she is smiling!

Stay tuned!

We have a group!

I called AAI today and found out that we are in Group R. This is how they group court cases/files together. As far as I know, there were 15 families that were filed for court last week, us being one of those.

So now what?

We wait. Yep...that's the name of the adoption game!

Except now, we're waiting for our court date.

I'll update when that happens!

Welcome Bag Photo

Last Tuesday we got another photo emailed to us of our little EG. It was the cutest picture!

She had on her "Daddy's Sweet Pea" shirt and was holding her photo album, bear and Elmo book...along with the sweetest smile with her little tongue hanging out!

Ahhhh....

I just love the update photos. And they are always a surprise!

Can't wait to be able to show them off!

At this point we are waiting to be filed for court. The courts just opened back up this past week after the annual closure during the rainy season. This year's closure was only about 5 weeks or so, instead of the usual almost 3 months, which means that there's not too much backup with cases to be filed and heard.

We are hoping to hear that we've been filed for court in the next few weeks.

***EDITED TO ADD: We received our final invoice today (Friday, Oct 23rd). That means that we've been filed for court! Yippeee! We don't have a date yet, but as soon as we do, I'll post. In the meantime, please be in prayer that the Lord allows us to pass the first time around.***

So until then, we just look at the beautiful face of the little girl that already is referred to by our last name!

How cool is that?!?

New Pic

Oh my. What that little girl does to my heart everytime I see a pic of her...

We received an updated photo of our little EG today. Totally unexpected. I knew to expect a new photo every once in a while, but not a new one after just 2 weeks!

Anyway...can't wait to show her sweet little face...sooner rather than later I hope!

************Edited to add***************

Since we are having little bit escorted, we have to put together a travel bag for her. This will be sent to AAI and they will get it in the hands of her escort. There are a few things still to get, like another photo album and a magna doodle and a pair of shoes. I just didn't want to be getting this together on top of getting ready for Christmas and everything that comes with that!

We had a general list of what they recommend, so we hit it! The girls picked out the toys for her to play with on the plane. JK has already asked when I'm gonna get her backpack monogrammed like hers and LB and AA's...a true southern girl!

Ahhhh...retail therapy...it's the best...

Welcome Bag

AAI gives adoptive parents the opportunity to send a welcome bag to the child that we will soon be receiving into our family. It's a great way to say "we love you and can't wait to bring you home".

Here is what we included in ours.

1) photo album with pics of us, girls, house, bedroom

2) small stuffed bear

3) board book

4) letter from our family

5) t-shirt

6) disposable camera

Each child that receives their bag knows that they have a forever family waiting for them. They get to wear their shirts and are excited to show their friends! There will be pics taken of our little EG receiving her bag and in her shirt. So cute! Can't wait to get that camera back!

Our agency director is headed over to Ethiopia in a couple of weeks and told us that she would take our welcome bag with her. So we will be overnighting that tomorrow as well as our referral agreement. We've had it filled out for days but wanted to send everything at one time.

So what's next?

We wait some more! (That's the name of the adoption game, after all!) This time though, the wait is for a court date. And it's much easier having her little face on my refrigerator to help with the wait!

Stay tuned!

By the way...how 'bout that t-shirt?!?

Step one in preparation for daughter #4...

...new beds.

Seeing as though we will have 4 girls sharing one room (we are NOT giving up the playroom!) we knew that the only way it would work would be to have two sets of bunk beds in the bedroom.

Have you priced those things lately?!? Unreal. Then add 4 mattresses...jeesh.

So we've been on the lookout for months. Months. For a good deal.

Finally found a good deal...or two!

We got the first bed from a friend...we found the ad in the paper and didn't realize it was our friend until we called about it.

Deal #1: an amazingly solid bed with 2 mattresses for $250. Can't beat that with a stick.

Deal #2: found by our best buds Jennie and Scott in Alabama...another solid bed with 2 mattresses for $300. Can't beat that one either.

So there you have it. Two sets of bunkbeds in great shape...4 mattresses...$550.

Dave would be proud. We are stoked!

So here's the completed bed #1. We'll have the other in 3 weeks when the Murphy's come for our trip to the mountains.