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