Nicky on April 30th, 2007

Jrock and I watched Sandi and Jason’s video yesterday of their first trip to Ethiopia and when they first met their son Robel. 
J and I were considerably moved… when I asked Jrock what was going through his head, he just said, “It’s just that he was holding them so tight… It’s like he didn’t ever want [...]

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Nicky on April 29th, 2007

This is such a cute video - just click the graphic and wait.  You can see what some Ethiopian children look like…  J and I have watched it several times, just imagining what our kids will look like -
This video is from AHOPE (a children’s care centre for HIV positive kids.)  

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Nicky on April 29th, 2007

I’m not sure if I should write this post; I don’t know if I should publish it. We’ll see.  I’ll let it sit for a couple of days.
Have you ever felt just overwhelmed?
I finished reading the book There Is No Me Without You today. I feel this overwhelming sense of loss, responsibility and helplessness.  The book [...]

Continue reading about A heavy day

Nicky on April 27th, 2007

So we fired off our application to Kidslink today, the federal agency.  It feels to great to be actually making some progress.  We’re also photocopying passports, collecting up birth certificates, getting criminal record checks, interpol clearance, etc. etc.  Yipee!
And, we decided.  We are applying for TWO - yes, that’s 2! - children.  Are we crazy?  [...]

Continue reading about Application in the Mail!

Nicky on April 25th, 2007

I caught Stephanie Nolan on “the Hour” with George Stroumboulopoulos.  Stephanie’s The Globe and Mail’s correspondent in Africa. Her latest book is ‘28: stories of AID in Africa.’
Watch the video of her interview.  (Her cheeky intelligence reminds me of my best friend, S):
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1549

Continue reading about Stephanie Nolan on “the Hour”

Nicky on April 24th, 2007

My sister and her husband sent our belated birthday gifts a week or so ago.  She wrote:

“J: Just because I know how much you love them, M & I got you a goat! (for a family in Zambia)
Nica: Just thinking about you becoming  a Mama yourself in the next few years, so I thought a Mama Kit [...]

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Nicky on April 22nd, 2007

I’ve now read 20+ (literally) books on international adoption. (The best by far was The Complete Book of International Adoption: A Step by Step Guide to Finding Your Child, by the way.)  I’ve also read the two tomes, What to Expect in the First Year and What to Expect in the Toddler Years. But probably [...]

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Nicky on April 19th, 2007

So I got a warm and enthusiastic email from a cousin who discovered our blog.  It totally made my evening, actually.   S took me to task, though, because she said I haven’t written any of the important information! ;-)  So, thank you so much for your email, and here are the answers for everyone:
So you are [...]

Continue reading about Where we are at…

Nicky on April 19th, 2007

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXi2pLQyp8s]
Melissa Fay Greene is the only author I know who has written about adopting from Ethiopia.  In this 3 minute clip, she talks about orphans and how adopting is NOT a solution to the AIDS crisis…
Despite the hard topic, she has some really funny stories about her kids… if you watch the whole thing (or [...]

Continue reading about There is no me without you

Nicky on April 18th, 2007

The African Children’s Choir is coming back to Canada.  These guys are SO cute, and all the proceeds from their concerts go to schools and projects in Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
Listen to a sample of their music here.
Check out the Canadian tour dates, from Calgary, to Fort St. John, to [...]

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Nicky on April 18th, 2007

So, it’s slightly unbelievable that we’ve posted 10 times and not yet managed to slide on a picture or two of our lovely family.  Introducing: Hamish (turning 8!) Maggie (6) Vega (3) and Haatim (2)… our family.
   
Obviously, we are animal lovers. Our house is a zoo. A menagerie, I like to call it!
We’re not really [...]

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Nicky on April 16th, 2007

WIBMAD: Well-intentioned but Misinformed Adoption Disorder
[Definition] Things nice people say about adoption that are unintentionally hurtful or annoying.  Derivative: WIBMAID, term coined by Avery. (To read Avery’s complete post: click here.)

So after a whirlwind trip to Kelowna, Jrock and I caught a gust of wind and roared back and forth to Saskatoon for the day.  [...]

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Nicky on April 15th, 2007

I found these cuties on a proud mom’s blog.  Luke and Anteneh are brothers - one boy was adopted from Ethiopia.  Check out these 4 year old dancing maniacs: click here.

Continue reading about Dancin’ Maniacs

Nicky on April 12th, 2007

I’m am really getting sick of interviews.  Why can’t I just find a job that

pays decently,
is interesting or challenging, and
works with nice people???

I know, boo hoo for me.  Draw that bow across the violin one more time…
Jrock got a great position, and I’m totally jealous (and very happy for him.)  But here I am flying [...]

Continue reading about Off for another interview!

Jrock on April 8th, 2007

Continue reading about SOLD! (I Will Miss Our House)