*** PHOTOS TEMPORARILY REMOVED ***
Announcing Elsa
She is 4 months old, and from southern Ethiopia – a small town called Aleta Wendo in the Sidama region.
She is 10 lbs, 13 ounces and 23.2 inches tall. (Very small for U.S. growth charts but quite normal on the Ethiopian charts). The int'l adoption pediatrician checked out her info and told me tonight that she looks like an “excellent baby”. Woo hoo! (I already knew that of course.)
Elsa is a name that I’ve always loved (although it sounds Scandahoovian, it is also Ethiopian). Burke is my mother’s maiden name and my sister’s middle name and (very soon!) my daughter's middle name.
I got the call telling me about her this afternoon, although her information arrived at my adoption agency on Christmas Day (Merry Christmas to ME!).
I was getting ready to leave the house to drive mom to the airport shuttle – we were almost out the door when the phone rang. Mom sat down when I gestured wildly to her that this was THE CALL.
So…. what comes next?
I don’t get to go to Ethiopia just yet, I’m afraid. First, the attorney in Addis Ababa (the Ethiopian capital) goes to court on my behalf to formalize the adoption – I’ll let you know my court date, but it will likely be in late January or early February.
Then I wait my turn to get the all-important embassy date, at which I must appear with her at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. That will likely be in late Feb or (more likely) early March. This date will determine when I will travel to go get Elsa!
Please keep Elsa in your prayers so that she stays healthy and happy, and that the court date is successful so that I can officially become her mother.
From cloud nine and feeling like I won the lottery,
P.
p.s. Did you SEE the dimples?!?!?!?!!
6 comments:
Porter!!!! om my god !!! i sat down to check a bill and here she was!!! She is so beutiful!!! Elsa what a wonderful name!! I am in tears!!!! See christmas miracles do come true!!!!! Happy New Year!! I love you! Amy
I am so thrilled to be an OMA to this sweet little girl and I love her name, so beautiful, just like her. Thank you for including Burke in her name... it means a lot to me.
Elsa is in my prayers every day. Soon, she will be in your arms. You are now a mother, let that information settle. This is the REAL DEAL, Mom.
Hugs from ma MAH, Oma or what ever Elsa names me...
Gorgeous, thank goodness, so she won't feel overshadowed by me, her stunning auntie.
Seriously, what an angel. Elsa is such a sweet name, so feminine and yet also regal.
I am just as excited as before you had the photo, of course, since you have been fully 'paper pregnant' with her for quite some time.
But gratifying to have her photo and what a relief to hear that she is healthy too.
Of course, I had to search out the meaning of "Elsa" and not only is it a great reminder of a beautiful African lioness, but it also means "God's promise."
I keep looking at her and thinking, hmmm, a little cafe au lait version of you as a baby. Kind of amazing. I want to eat her up with a spoon.
Hi Porter (I guess you are still Emily to me) shows you how long it has been.
How exciting for you and your mom keeps me up-to-speed. Now hoping the sale of her home in Jacksonville will materialize soon and she can get to Marin and become a hands-on grandma.
Love the name Elsa and, of course, Burke, we can all relate to that.
Wishing you a successful transition into motherhood.
Your second cousin,
Barb Begley
Porter! This is your long lost cousin T.J.. What a cute baby!! It is going to be hard to wait now that you've seen the pic, but it will come. Get ready to go to exotic lands and spend most of your time in a hotel room! My recommendation is to go a bit early to spend a couple of days learning about Elsa's birth country before you become a mama. Kisho is five now and very interested in Vietnam. It is nice to be able to share our personal experiences with him.
I can't wait to read your next reports!
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