Developmental Checklist: Success!!!

Last week I was reading a list of developmental milestones for three year olds. One of the milestones says that at three years of age you should be able to slide down the slide by yourself. Check! Yitayal has been ruling the playground far longer than that! One of my first memories of her was seeing her on top of the slide (all alone) screaming and waving at a friend. Um, she wasn't even two then. Nice.

We leave to pick up the fearless one on the 6th of December. It is totally surreal!

The sweetest day; we passed court!!!!

With great joy Nathan and I are so happy to introduce you to our precious little girl!


Yitayal Sofia Haines
Born August 3rd 2006
Officially in our family November 18th 2009
We will travel to pick her up on December 5th!

Her name:

Yitayal: meaning "the one who is seen." Given to her by her birth mother
Sofia: meaning "God sees" (in Amharic) and "wisdom" in English. Given to her by us!

With deepest joy,
Richelle and Nathan

The day before the most important day

Today is (see above title).
Wow.
We are almost near to what N and I feel to be the most important day of our married life. Y might officially join our family tomorrow. She has been in our hearts and minds for so long now.

I was thinking yesterday about a trip to California that N and I took in January. We had been contacted by Gladney earlier that month. Gladney said that they didn't think that she had the necessary documents for adoption. They would contact us shortly. I was in a lovely hotel enjoying the lovely weather, when the unlovely news arrived. Our caseworker called to say that after evaluating the "case" of Y, it did not seem that we could adopt her. We were shocked (because she had no known family and had lived in an orphanage her whole life), saddened and also pretty darn determined to figure out what else could be done.

That same day we received a set of four photos of her. Our first in six months.

Joy, elation, heartache, paperwork, investigation, trips to Addis, crying, more heartache and now tomorrow.

Sweet tomorrow.

Healthy Living means...

Weekend Update: House guests, cupcakes and THE wedding!

Seriously the best house guest ever! Chantal's family in from France!
Here they are! The best couple ever! (Feel free to use this caption for the photo below!)

the cupcakes....here is one flavor!

PS: Can anyone tell that I don't know how to put captions under photos?

21 LBS

That's the weight of our 39 month old child. Wow. I had never thought of her as being tiny until I actually saw that written down. I compared that weight to the 3T clothing that I had bought for her thinking "3 years equals 3T, no?"

She is about 10lbs too small for those clothes.

My experience with her is that she is not a particularly good eater. Thankfully, she will be in a house with people who LOVE food and will ensure that she is full AND healthy.

And....9 days until you-know-what.

Today

Wake up (check)
Drink coffee (check)
Buy American donuts for French house guests to try (check)
Shop for cupcake ingredients (check)
Pick up wedding guests from airport (oops--no time, they better meet me at the train)
Mani/Pedi (check)
CUPCAKES (checking, and will continue to check after the rehearsal dinner)

Present state: Scarf in my hair (B-you know the one/style! :), TONS of chocolate on my dingy sweater, whitening strips on my teeth. I am so hot! Must shower and prepare for rehearsal dinner!

Peace out! (And 12 days until court!)