Clearance (x 1/2)

"Yippee!"

Lark passed Embassy!! We got an email two nights ago. Now we are just waiting for Otis to clear to travel. Ack! Am I ready? I guess so!! So exciting, and never thought this day would come!

Sorry We've Been MIA

We are still here!! We haven't posted since we've been back from Ethiopia in May. Some of you have even dropped us a line (a few complete strangers) to ask how we are doing. Sorry! Maybe it's because we've been a little heartbroken since we left Lark and Otis on May 16th, or maybe it is because we've been so busy this summer getting ready for the day we can bring them home. We're hanging in there, and expecting an email any day saying our cases have been cleared. In the mean time I'll just post a bunch of pictures, since that seems to be easier than forming words at the moment. 

Baby Room is ready and waiting for babies to fill it!

Fitsum is here! We'll be hanging out with him and the Jens and babies all summer.

Latest pic of Otis Alan Agegnehu. I think he is walking, or almost! 

Jalene Lark Elili has 2 teeth!

First visit! "Who are you people?"

First family photo. LOVE

Mom practice. Miss them so much.

Of note:

Jaleles nose is tiny and Agegnehus eyes and lashes are so big! And he has rosy cheeks and her hair its so soft and so long..

First Meeting

Oh my goodness, we just met the babes for the first time. It was unbelievable of course.. They both were very deer in the headlights for the first few minutes but no crying.
Both kids were smiling a fair amount, chubby and strong. They loved playing with the photo albums we brought, and.... OTIS IS CRAWLING!!

not only that but he pulls himself up on my legs to a standing position.
Did not expect that at all.

Oh man this is the best week ever.

Ouch!

This week Lucas and I got vaccinated to high heaven.

Typhoid
Hep A
Hep B
Meningitis
Yellow Fever
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis
Flu

=7 shots each, one of us passing out, and $920

=OUCH!

(I'll let you guess who passed out)

13 days until we leave!!

Court Date! and a few other great things

On Wednesday night, at about 8pm, I had just gotten off work after making an appearance at the CANstruction exhibit kickoff at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (please go see it if you can, all proceeds benefit local food banks and the No Kid Hungry campaign). I met Lucas and our friend John- Josh's godfather- at one of the divey-est bars on Broadway to watch the last few minutes of the Nuggets game: Barry's. While Barry's has cheap drinks, an attentive bar tender (who may or may not be on a slew of uppers), and skeeball... it is hardly the place I'd like to be seen in, let alone share a special moment like Lucas and I did when we got the email saying we HAD A COURT DATE! At least it will be memorable...??

Details to the best of my knowledge:

• We need to be in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 5th
• We will get to spend 4 hours a day with our babies, 2hrs in the morning and 2hrs in the afternoon
• We will go to court on May 7th 
• We plan to stay there and get to know Jalele Lark and Otis Alan Agegnehu until about the 15th of May
• When we're not at the orphanage holding our sweet babies, we'll be exploring Addis, meeting Lucy, eating good food, and meeting friends of Jen and Tom who just came back from Ethiopia with their boys Shuki and Bedasa last month.

Other great things that have happened lately:

• I have been promoted to Director of Cooking Matters Colorado! This is funny timing, but I am honored and very excited to lead a wonderful cause and an amazing team of employees. 
• Tom and Jen Sarah came home with their angel boys and Lucas and I were able to meet them at the airport and attend a welcome home party for them. Jen had been living in ET waiting to come home with them for about 2 months!
• Through the Sarahs we met Jen Kraft, who was also living in ET for more than 3 months waiting to bring her beautiful girl Tali Bamlak home. We are certain that Lark and Tali will be best friends! You can read some of her ET story on her blog and see pics of both families: www.jenkraft.blogspot.com
• Rick and Claudia (Dadrick and Claudimom, or Rocko and YaYa) announced that they are hosting a party for us on April 28th ~details to come. What a great way to send us off!
• Our adoption agency person has been on vacation for the last 2 weeks, so we were certain we wouldn't get any updates or info... come to find out we HAVE been getting pictures and our court date! An amazing surprise. This week, Lark and Otis are almost the exact same weight and length: 14lbs and 27inches. 

Ahhh! It's really happening!! Lucas' birthday is on Tuesday, and mine is in a few weeks. We have A LOT to celebrate this April. And, after we pass court, we can show you their faces! 

XOXO

This week's stats:

This week Lucas and I got some very cute pictures of our little ones. Both are smiling (first time we've seen Otis smile!) and Lark is downright laughing in one of them. So sweet. Can't wait to hear those laughs myself and get my hands on them. It is so uplifting to see them happy and healthy!

This week's stats:
Lark: 9 months, 13lbs 4oz, 24 inches
Otis: 5.5 months, 12lbs 13oz, 26 inches

Although these are American charts, I've been tracking them to so I can get a good sense of their growth (I suppose this comes from my dietitian schooling). You can see that while they are small for U.S. babies, under the 3rd percentile, they are growing nicely!