~*~ Big Announcement ~*~

We are overjoyed to announce that we are heading off on a NEW ADVENTURE :-)

Last Christmas me and Mr Messy came to the sad decision that staying in the China adoption programme and possibly waiting for many more years for a referral was not in ours, our children's, or our future little one's best interests. We tried to change to an expedited Special Needs request, but this proved to be impossible. So after much thought and discussions with OASIS (thank you so much J & M & S) we decided to try and change our application to adopt from ETHIOPIA :-) We have been plodding through the mind blowingly slow process to update/redo our homestudy, for which we've been charged an arm and a leg! And yesterday was the culmination of all our efforts, when we attended Approval Panel! I was a shaking bag of jet lagged nerves, while Mr Messy was cool as a cucumber - I think I do the worrying for both of us lol. We had to wait over 3/4 of an hour to go in, and I was getting more and more nervous as the minutes ticked slowly by!! Panel gave us a thorough grilling and although I managed to answer some questions, others just made my mind go blank! Mr Messy and our social worker saved the day by stepping in and providing great answers :-) Our social worker has been a total GEM throughout the process, totally supportive but thoroughly questioning our reasons for this change and forcing us to think through the ramifications for us all. We couldn't have done it without her. And when at the end of Panel she said that she totally supported our application and thought we should be approved to adopt from Ethiopia, I almost cried :-)

We were then sent outside the meeting room to wait. Beforehand I'd not even been able to look at the sandwiches and cakes on offer, but I managed to stuff down all the remaining chocolate rolls!! There weren't that many honest!! We waited for what seemed like HOURS, but was only about 30 minutes!! The Chair came out and said the Panel were recommending that we be approved and I almost broke down!! I couldn't believe it!!! After my stammering, stuttering performance and the long long wait to hear from them, even our social worker was starting to be convinced they were going to say no!!! But they didn't!!!!!!! How cool is that?!?! Anyway she went on to say that they were happy to approve us because we were already experienced adoptive parents, and were also experienced in parenting a child who looks different :-) She did go on to say that Panel would like us to work very hard to keep our future child's connections to Ethiopia and to other Ethiopian adoptees, which we have always intended to do :-)

On the way home I rang LMS, my Mum, friend who was looking after Little Prince and Mad Cat Lady. I intended to ring everyone else once we were home, but fell asleep totally shattered at about 4.30pm and didn't wake up till Mr Messy came to bed!!

I have spent the day slowly emptying our suitcases, washing all the dirty washing and tidying up after leaving my messiest pair home alone for a week!! I'm not complaining though, as they did manage to completely strip, sand and paint our stairs :-) It needs one more coat, but it looks so much nicer than it did before - thank you Mr Messy and Drama Teen :-) I've also been emailing everyone I can think of to let them know our good news :-) And finding out what I need to do next for our Ethiopian dossier, which thankfully isn't half as much as it was for our Chinese application and I should be able to get everything collected by the time our LA issue the Agency Decision Maker's letter. Fingers crossed lol. I've had a fabulous Notary recommended to me, who has done Ethiopian dossiers before and is willing to work with us remotely, as we are at opposite ends of the country :-) I emailed him after office hours and got a reply within minutes saying he would be delighted to work with us, and would get back to me tomorrow with more details :-) Everything seems to be slotting into place and it all feels like its meant to be :-) Even our builder, who was due to start work on our tumble down cottage next month has rung to postpone till next Spring - which means that after Christmas we can start work on the big bedroom reshuffle, so that Ethiopia MeiMei will have a bedroom ready for when she arrives :-)

At the moment I veer from disbelief that it is actually happening, to total panic that it is actually happening, to totally tired and needing to sleep!! Do I dare to dream that we could complete our family next year?? That we could meet our new little one, hug her and hold her as soon as next year?? After the emotion numbing wait we've been in for China, its not sunk in properly yet!!