Dailah says a lot of words. Her newest, as of tonight, is “Kapeesch”. Thanks, Uncle Jesse.

And that, my friends, is my first (and possibly last) Full House mention in this entire blog.

So I have filled our travel prescriptions (travel diarrhea anyone? mmmm) I have checked my schedule, turns out I’m free any week in March to travel to Ethiopia. (Imagine that) I started washing the few 3-yr-old clothes that I have. Tonight I will seek and find Zach and my passports. I will also figure out which of our suitcases we will be using. I’m pacing myself, but I have always been more of a sprinter than a marthoner which just goes to show you that by Sunday I will be packed with the bags at the door.

Check out Jody’s blog (it’s on the side “Jody III”). She and I were talking about her latest entry on the way to the restaurant a couple of days ago. If you have a heart, you’ll cry when you think about it. I guess you know how I feel about the situation.

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention one fascinating thing. So I went to my doctor’s office the other day after they drew some blood for a spleen “situation” I’m having. Anyway, he said basically, “It’s really weird, you’re not pregnant but a lot of your hormonal levels are mimicing pregnancy. I’ve seen it before in adoption.” Isn’t that crazy? At least I’m not gaining weight at mach speed, watching baby story every time it’s on or crying at anything…oh wait, yes I am doing those last two anyway and the first is teetering dangerously. Either way, very fascinating indeed!

So, blog friends, I’m going to ask something specific from you today.

That same day I got the word that it would be 5-6 weeks, I emailed and “negotiated” a bit as that was just too long for me. I was told by our ET coordinator that if the piece of paper that we’re waiting on to arrive to the Ethiopian Embassy arrives anytime next week, we would be allowed to travel March 13th or 20th. Obviously this makes me squeal with excitement.

So, also obviously, it’s been on my mind ALL the time since. I know a lot of you are pray-ers. I know some of you aren’t. I could actually care less at this point. If you think good things come to those who stand on their heads and sing a Celine Dion Top 40 hit, then let me know and I’ll try that too. But I’m asking all of you, quite selfishly, to pray for that itty bitty piece of paper to make it to the Ethiopian Embassy by next Wednesday. Specific enough? That way we’ll for sure get word sometime next week.

Thanks so much for being an encouragement and support. Some of you have gone before me in this adoption world, others are close friends/family that seem to give me a call or a hug when I need it the most. I figure, as good of people as you are, God has no choice but to answer our prayers (or songs) right?

So last night was girls night with Jody, Leslie and myself. And on last night, when I needed it the most, a dream of mine came true.

To set the stage, my sister-in-law, Leslie, is a freelance writer and has been asked to do a piece on local restaurants. So we went to one that was brand new this Monday called “Graze”. Well when we got there and she said she was from QC Magazine, we got the VIP treatment! We ordered this little thing called “Graze 101” which in laymens terms is “fancy buffet” and it was great. BUT the chef was even nicer than that. He literally had people from all over the restaurant bringing us plate, after plate, after plate of food. There was so much food, I thought about crying (but I had cried all my tears earlier over Tariku).

That’s been my dream, to sit down, and just be served a ridiculous amount of delicious food and it happened last night. Here’s a picture of the dessert (which came after approximately 20 rounds of food before that). Do you see the look in my eye? The eyes are a little dull because of all the food I had eaten, seriously.

Now pair that with amazingly great conversation, lots of great laughs and some time spent at Borders reading silly magazines without kids, that was a great night.

Here’s a surefire way to get me happy. Show me pictures of these people…Trysten’s birthday pictures.

Just got off the phone with our agency. In short, it looks like we’ll have another 2-3 weeks until we get a travel date (which means, we won’t actually travel for 5-6 weeks). Needless to say, there are no words for how unbelievably sad I am.

I was surprised at how easily I fell in love with Tariku by a picture. The bad part to that is that I’ve loved him as my son for 4 months now. Having him so far away feels about as bad as it would (God forbid) if anyone took Trysten or Dailah for that long. Hearing we’d have to wait so much longer, well it’s pretty much unacceptable to me right now. I’ve already put in a call to a travel agent to see how much it would cost to fly me, possibly Zach, and the two kids to Ethiopia so we can live there as a family until the Government can figure out how to make this family complete.

I’m just ready. Have I said that yet?

Look at Tariku over on the side there. Isn’t he precious?

So I knew before that I couldn’t be around Africans until Tariku comes home. After Biggest Loser tonight, I can no longer watch/see brothers either. Brothers reminds me of Trysten and Tariku. Brothers are no good for my psyche either. Note to self, you will cry when you see brothers.

I promised myself no complaining (on the blog, of course) for Trysten’s birthday. I held up my end of the deal but my other personality, I like to call her “Sassy, Tesi” is baack and she is frustrated!!!

16 weeks since our referral. 16 weeks since we’ve held his picture in our hands and pictured him doing things our kids were doing. 16 weeks since we bought things picturing him using them. When we accepted the referral they told us 12-16 weeks until travel. Well now it’s looking more like 16-20 if we’re lucky. I know what you all are thinking…16 weeks, really? (Especially Jody, who not only heard an Ethiopian say his adoptive mother waited 12 years, but is settling in for a possibly long wait herself) But this is our story and like everything else, when it’s you who’s going through it, it’s infinitely more difficult than the cat next to you. Zach finally admitted that he’s now officialy struggling with the wait. Welcome Aboard the Sassy train, Zach, it’s about flippin time.

I started making lists last night. I think I’m already up to 6 and I thought of one more today. Sassy Tesi likes list making too, bless her heart. I really fear for the good folks at CHS if we don’t get a travel date soon. Sassy Tesi almost called today to tell them I’m heading to Ethiopia this Thursday whether they’re ready for me or not. Sassy Tesi doesn’t seem like the negotiating type.

A lady at the Y today had the audacity to tell Sassy Tesi that every day that passes is one closer to bringing him home. Sassy Tesi (ST) almost said, “You’re one of those glass full kind of people aren’t you? Well try adoption, you will quickly go to a half empty type person during the wait.” But I was able to grab hold of ST in time to not offend someone who takes my classes regularly.

Whew! I feel better! One whole day of not talking about it has really gotten to me! On a lighter note, I tried to make Trysten the ambassador of his birthday yesterday. We went to Subway for lunch then to ice cream. We had pancakes for dinner and I made a deal with myself not to tell him “no” at all. I was proud that I got ever so close to that goal and right before bed he said, “Mommy, let’s pretend it’s my birthday every day!” That is as good as gold, my friends.

So I’m really going out on a limb here and showing this picture of Tman in utero but I feel comfortable not knowing which faces are looking at it, somehow. 🙂 Either way, I was young, and loved 3 cans of Ravioli for lunch and a Tombstone pizza for dinner. Forgive me.

So today is definitely weird. Since I am presently in the “expecting” stage (with Tariku) I remember very clearly what I was thinking this morning 5 years ago. Zach and I were getting our bags packed to head to the hospital. The night before I had called our doctor and told her I was done being pregnant and it was time to pull this thing out of me. She obliged. Be there at 8am tomorrow, she told us. So we were. We were just a couple of 20-year-olds in love with each other and with this baby we had yet to see. When Trysten was descending, our doctor said, “He has long eyelashes!” I was so excited to hear that! When he came out (after 3 hours of pushing, mind you) I could not believe how much I loved him immediately. I really wasn’t expecting that.

The last 5 years have been nothing short of amazing. He keeps pleasantly surprising me on a daily basis. He is my emoter, he is my sympathetic one, he is my caretaker of the young. He loves taking care of his sister, his cousins and anyone else who will let him. He is so very smart, remembers the littlest of details and loves making people laugh. He loves any play toy that fights but his personality is definitely more that of a lover than a fighter. I don’t plan on projecting any high aspirations for my children (President, CEO, etc) but I do believe this kid will make an indelible mark on whatever he does. He affects everyone he meets in such a positive way I just can’t imagine how that won’t continue throughout the rest of his life, quite naturally really.

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve kind of grown up together. Though Zach and I were young when we had him, parenthood kind of just came to us and we’ve been enjoying it since. Yesterday at church we sang, “Blessed be the Name” and I couldn’t help but think how every night when I’m remembering what to thank God for, one of the first things I think of is Trysten. My amazing, beautiful, terrific firstborn. Thank you, Tman for 5 great years!

The pics are from utero to five!

We had Trysten’s birthday party today, though tomorrow is his real birthday. It was a lot of fun and secretly emotional for this mommy. Especially when I look at pictures. His face is slowly becoming more little man-like and less baby-faced. Enjoy these pics, tomorrow I will probably get a bit nostalgic AND I promise some nasty VERY pregnant Tesi pictures. Yikes!