Updates from this Week

This has been a pretty amazing week. . . .

On Monday I learned (taught myself) how to make venison jerky. I had picked up the deer meat from my bro-in-law the day before, and today (Monday) started slicing and dicing and cutting into strips. I got adventurous and made three different kinds (mandarin teriyaki, peppercorn & garlic, and another mixture with no name). This morning I took them off the dehydrator and Oh-My-Goodness! They were pretty dang good. My brother-in-law has made the jerky in the past but I think he was too busy this year, so he called to see if I wanted to try my hand at it. I thought it’d be a fun little challenge/project. Thanks Deric!!

Within the past month I have learned to cut the fat off of chicken breast without freaking out, so I felt like I could take on the task of the deer. I have pictures if you want to see! Let me tell you – I AM A NEW WOMAN!! I FEEL LIKE I CAN TAKE ON THE WORLD! Though I still can’t EAT chicken on the bone *Shudder*. I don’t see that happening. Ever.

Tuesday we got a phone call from Barb at Lifesong for Orphans. We were hoping to get a matching grant, but due to lack of funds they weren’t able to (or so they told us!). BUT they were able to set us up with an account where if friends/family wanted to donate to our adoption, they can do so and have it be TAX DEDUCTIBLE! We were pretty geeked about that. That was the main reason we applied with Lifesong. We also have 3 or 4 other grants out there that we applied for, so we’re PRAYING and HOPING something comes through!

Wednesday was awesome for the reason listed below! We received our I-171-H in the mail!!! For those unfamiliar with the process, this is the last piece of the puzzle for us. This piece of paper is what gives us permission to bring our son HOME. So it’s a HUGE DEAL!! We had our fingerprints done on a Monday, and that following Thursday (3 days later!) I started telling Boz that I had a “good feeling” that we’d get this form in the mail. Every single day (except Sunday) I kept at it. Because every day I really DID have a good feeling that ‘today was the day.’ Who knew I was such a positive person!? LOL!! Yesterday as I was walking to my train, I called Boz and told him that I was fairly certain today was NOT the day. I didn’t have a good feeling about it. HA! Should have seen that one coming. After I told him, I started to wonder if perhaps it was a sign. LOL!

Today, well nothing fabulous has happened today (yet!). Wait, that’s not true. I emailed a few of my friends at work about last night, and we had a little pow-wow at my desk for about 15 minutes this morning. They’re so excited for us – I love seeing that! Also, i did just talk to Emily (family coordinator). If we can get our 3 copies made of our dossier, and get it sent to her by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday…. Then our 25 weeks of hard work will be SHIPPED TO ETHIOPIA on FRIDAY!!! FRIDAY PEOPLE!!! November 5th our hearts could be flying to Ethiopia! I can’t even begin to tell you how EXCITING it is to even type this! Our dossier could possibly be in Ethiopia on Orphan Sunday! AH! You know what else I just realized!? If it DOES fly out on Friday, November 5th, it will be EXACTLY 6 months after we started our adoption process. We were accepted into the program on May 5th. I just LOVE when things work out like that!!

Tomorrow Boz and I planned on going to the Ethiopian Diamond for dinner. Well, it just took on a whole new meaning! Time to CELEBRATE! We’ll also be checking out the market across the street in hopes that they sell injera (and tons of it) for our upcoming dinner. That was actually the original reason for going in the first place. So let’s all pray they sell fresh injera, at a decent price!

We could also be celebrating something else at dinner. . . Boz is THISCLOSE to finishing up his Masters in Coaching and Athletic Administration!!! He could seriously finish it tonight (if he didn’t have a parent/teacher conference). But he still might! I’m so stinkin proud of him. So here’s hoping we have a few things to celebrate this weekend!