Holy smokes, You're finally coming to get ME???

Yep that's right,, little Z Rose,, I'm coming to get you!!!! We (grandma and I) are leaving August 15th - 22nd. We are traveling on Emirates Airlines and stay one night in Dubai on the way there,,, I can't wait to catch a glimpse of the great skyline of Dubai!! I am also thrilled to be traveling with Chris, Nikko, and Theresa! We have become pretty close though our ups and downs and look forward to meeting each other and spending some time together in Ethiopia with our children.

Introducing Zaela Rose...

I received the call at 1:37 AM... She is legally mine!!! It is so long awaited that it will probably take a few days to sink in. Today I will make travel plans for Ethiopia and without a doubt breathe a deep sigh of relief that I finally made it over this hurdle. Thanks again to my parents, friends, and fellow Hopesters for pushing me to the finish line!

The Wait for Hermie Continues

Unfortunately my case along with the 3 others filed with mine were not heard today. The courts are overwhelmed and two weeks away from their yearly 2 month court closure. Since they did not have time to get to them today, we were told that they will be reviewed early next week.

So another disappointment in the long trail of disappointments. Not much I can do but march on and hope next week Hermela will officially be the newest addition to the Wedekind family:)

Thanks again to my friends, family, and fellow Hopesters for the phone calls, emails, and endless support. You all truly make the blows of disappointment seem a little less painful. I hope next week will bring me, Chris, Theresa, and Nikko the news we have been patiently waiting for!!!

A Wonderful Shower Day!

I don't even know where to start,,,except to say it was a perfect day! My friends Tina, Diana, Christy, Greg, & Kim really out did themselves!!! The house was beautifully decorated with gorgeous framed pictures of Hermela and two picture collages! We also had balloons, streamers, and huge color copies of the little girl holding the U.S.A. and Ethiopian flags that was on my invitation!
The food was soooo yummy! Tina also brought beautiful cake and the cutest cupcakes!! Needless to say, there were no leftovers!!!
The festivities started at 1:00 and I still had a house full of people at 8PM, with my last friends leaving around 10PM!!!!
It really was a wonderful day being surrounded by my little girls pictures and such a great group of supportive and caring friends that can NOT wait to meet her in person! A heartfelt thank-you to all of my family and friends that made it such a memorable day!
Here are a few pics....

Countdown to my shower!

Tomorrow is my "Adoption Celebration"! One advantages of working in LA is the LA Flowermart. There are millions of flowers in warehouse after warehouse and it is a bit overwhelming to have to pick amongst so many! Well, I was feeling orchids for some reason and made a few arrangements lastnight for tomorrows festivities,,here are a few pics of the larger arrangements!

What's in a Name???

I still have not decided on what to name my cute litte girl?? It is such an important decision and of course I want her to love her name! It is quite possible I am going to wait until I get to Ethiopia and get to see her in person before I make a decision. So, don't get too used of Hermela,, although I don't think she will ever lose the nickname "Hermie"! Poor girl!! LOL

Baby Girls first Baby Doll!

This cute little doll is a creation by my Aunt Gail. She found the doll, which is like new, at a garage sale in Wisconsin. Then added some of my cousin's little girl's preemie clothes and now here she is making her Blog Debut and impatiently waiting for Hermie to get home and play with her!!! Thanks Gail!!!!

Update on Hermela!

My friend Kim just returned from Ethiopia with her beautiful daughter Nettie!!! Welcome Home Kim... it has been a long journey for you! Congratulations:))

Kim was kind enough to give me an update on Hermela... "She is adorable. she is huge. I mean fat. she is so healthy and she stands out. She is a chunky monkey. I tried to get a pictre of her smiling but as soon as the pressure was on to preform she decided she wasn't going to. The care giver holding her tried to get her to smile at the strange white face and beaming blue eyes but I am sure i looked crazy to her. She has gorgeous soft hair with beatiful curls. She did smile a lot just not for the camera."

Looks like I better get off the computer and into the gym so I will be able to carry my little chunkster around:))

Happy to Wait for Hermie!

I was reminded by my mom that little "Hermie" is worth the wait! Very true,,, she is just so darn cute and I am sure that once I actually get her, the last thing I will be thinking about is the little extra time I had to wait to get her! For sure, the wait is hard but I am in good company with the ladies who are in the same court grouping,,,Chris, Nikko, and Theresa. To have their support and understanding makes the situation we are all in seem more tolerable. We are all hoping the 2nd time around will be a charm so we can all travel together and spend some happy time together in Ethiopia:))

Seriously!?!$!*#

Four of us had court dates today with my agency - none of us made it through. Unfortunately, court is as unpredictable and inconsistent as the rest of the entire adoption process. Apparently the governing body (MOWA) asked for additional information and paperwork on each of our cases from our Agency. I don't have any additional information and probably never will know exactly what the issues are. I believe our next court date is scheduled for July 18th. In the big scheme of thing another 2 weeks is not a big deal. The wait and constant disappointment is just getting old. In the meantime, a little good 'ol Mickey D's is always good for the soul and if anyone sees a Superhero in their neighborhood, apparently I may need him to complete this adoption process!!!!

Thanks to Nikko, Chris, and Theresa and everyone who checked in lastnight and this morning:))))