Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! This year I am spending Christmas with friends and family. It has been a busy few days but a lot of fun! I hope everyone else is having a great holiday as well! Maybe by this time next year I will have a referal - or at least be close to that point :)

I haven't posted anything for a bit now as my life has been very busy lately with work and Christmas around the corner. All the relatives have been slowly trickling in and this year looks like it is going to be a fun one.

I received news today that my file was sent to foreign affairs! They say that it is really slow right now; it used to take about 2 weeks and is currently ranging between 6-8 weeks. I will count on the long wait and hopefully be pleasantly surprised with a shorter wait. Then it will be sent to the Ethiopian Embassy which can take up to 25 days. Once this is done my whole dossier is sent to the provincial government and off to Ethiopia! This is still a bit away but closer every day!

Secret Pal makes day!

Yesterday I got my approval in the mail and sent it off to CAFAC today! On my way back from the post office I stopped at the mail box - not expecting anything as I already got the mail I was waiting for. To my surprise there was my parcel from my secret pal!!!! I can't tell you how amazing this timing was as this truly has been a challenging week. Decembers theme was something for travel or something Ethiopian. My secret pal send me a beautiful poem in a home made card (he/she must be a scrapbooker as they send the most beautiful cards). Then she sent me a change pad travel system - a very cool one !, a super soft Disney blanket - the perfect size for traveling, some bibs, a soft baby book, and an Ethiopian Amharic book. Each parcel was individually wrapped with a little note on each one. So much thought and care into each parcel that I receive! It is very strange to be getting stuff for my baby when I am so early in the process - but very cool all the same!

Mail surprise!

I was coming home from a long day -- make that week at work today and stopped by the mail and guess what I recieved! Well yes a ton of junk mail and tucked between that was a parcel noticed. Althought it said I couldn't go until tomorrow after 1 I decided to chance it - and it was my Ministry Approval!!!!!!! One more step completed! Tomorrow I will be sure to send the whole package off to CAFAC.