From Ethiopia...to New York

I think we have officially confused people in the change of our adoption. It was just a few months ago that we wrote of our plans to adopt from Ethiopia....and now we have a beautiful baby girl from New York. So what happened?

Initially when we started going the Ethiopia track - we knew it was what we were suppose to do. It felt right. Then only a few days after we signed our official contracts with All God's Children International adoption agency, we were notified of a huge decrease in Ethiopian adoptions. This broke our hearts as our 'wait time' went from 12 to 18 months up to 7 years (or anytime in between because there were so many unknowns).

After that initial blow, Cory and I had many conversations about what we should do and what we felt God was leading us to. We were both still on board with Ethiopia and continued with the 'paperwork chase'.

Sometime in May, my heart was heavy. I had so many things going on in my mind. I was trying to figure out what path we were suppose to go down. I was constantly pleading with God because I was confused.

I follow many blogs (as I've said before my husband wants to sometimes throw the computer out the window). Many of the blogs that I was following were from adoptive families also adopting from Ethiopia. Many of these same blogs then started having information on bi-racial domestic adoption.

Cory and I had many conversations about my heart, and someday adopting domestically.

Then one night towards the end of May, Cory was out one evening. I was on the computer and did a lot of looking into domestic biracial adoption. There was just something that kept leading me back to that.

The very next day - THE VERY NEXT DAY - I received a call from my cousin Amy. She was very nervous on the phone as she was explaining a story of how she had ran into a friend of hers. The friend was pregnant and they were thinking of giving the baby up for adoption. She spoke with her friend about us and the friend was interested in meeting Cory and I if we were at all interested in meeting her.

I talked to Amy for a few minutes, and one of my wierd questions was if this would be a biracial adoption and she said yes. It took my breath away and tears stung at my eyes.

That night Cory and I were headed up to the Cities to go to a Twins game with our friends. We were texting Amy to see when her friend would like to meet us and she said 'how about tomorrow'.

So we came back from the Cities the next afternoon and met with the birthmother. Since we were planning on an Ethiopian adoption, we never really prepared ourselves for meeting with a birthmother! We were completely nervous and had no idea what sort of questions to ask!

The meeting went very well and we were able to meet with the birthmother one more time before she came back to New York. She obviously needed time to talk with the birth father and they were planning on meeting with a few other families.

So Cory and I waited...and waited...and waited. We didn't tell many people because we really didn't know what to tell them. Mainly, it was a way to guard our hearts. If we were not chosen, we didn't want to have to explain it over and over again.

On July 15th, we were notified that we were 'picked' to be the parents to their precious baby girl. Since that time, it's been the fast track of getting things ready, informing our parents, doing more paperwork, and really trying to soak it in that we were soon going to be parents.

We had to drop out of the Ethiopia program because we are unable to complete two adoptions at one time. However, that work was not done in vain. Many of the documents we had to complete for the Ethiopian adoption, were the same documents that we needed for a domestic adoption. If we did not have that paperwork completed, this domestic adoption likely would not have taken place immediately upon birth. So really, it was God doing his handiwork, us following, and then him finally revealing his full plan to us.

So will we go back to Ethiopia one day? Who knows. For now, we know that this is what God meant for our family.

While we wait in New York

Many people have asked when we get to 'come home'. We can not wait to get home and introduce Mari to all our wonderful friends and family! First, however, there has to be some paperwork that needs to be completed.

Initially, even before baby girl was born, we had to have a Court Order on Intent to Adopt. This form basically says that Cory and I have custody of Mari immediately once she is born (for insurance puposes, medical decisions, etc). That form got signed on August 22nd! So a little close!

After Mari was born, there is a waiting period before the birth parents are able to sign their rights away. However this was signed on Friday afternoon as well.

What we are waiting on now is for both states to 'approve' the adoption. Basically all of the paperwork we have spent months doing, goes to the Interstate Compact office in New York and they have to approve it. Once approved, it will be sent to the MN Interstate Compact office for them to review and approve. Once both states approve this, we will be able to come home.

Both states are really good at getting this paperwork through quickly, however that can still take 24-48 hours for each step.

So for now, we wait and try to keep busy.

On Saturday, Cory, Mari and I enjoyed a little walk around a park in town.

Yesterday, even during the 'hurricane', we decided that we would go shopping! Up in Albany, it was just a lot of wind and a lot of rain. We stopped at the mall first just to walk around, but they were closing so we stopped at Target just to get out of the hotel for a few hours.

 We went out for supper later in the evening after the hurricane/tropical storm was past. Then we found out that some of the major roads were closed due to flooding.

Today was Amy's last day with us. It was so great that she was able to come with us!!! We quickly decided to drive downtown and visit the Corning Observation deck. We rode the elevator to the 42nd floor where we were able to see many of the State office buildings, the Hudson River, and the Adirondeck and Catskill mountatins. The elevator goes up at a crazy speed of 16 mph!

Once we come back down, Amy then decides to inform us that she is scared of heights! But she still enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time before we had to get Amy to the airport for her flight home.

Thank you again Amy! We love you dearly! Thank you for being such a big part in bringing us one of the greatest joys Cory and I have yet to experience!

She is HERE!!! Baby Mari Joy

We are in New York, holding our baby girl, and loving it right now. Our hearts are so happy!!!

It started on Wednesday evening. We were at our friend's house helping them with their deck. It was about 10:30pm and my phone started going off. I figured it was my sister-in-law because we had been texting a few times. I open my phone to find that baby girl had been born! She decided she wanted to come VERY QUICK! I was in shock, I was telling Cory and our friends that we had a little girl - and I think everyone froze because we were all in shock!

Our friends were AMAZING! They brought their laptops outside, while Cory and I were busy calling our parents and waking them up to share the news. By the time we got back to our friends, they had airline ticket choices for us! We booked a flight that left at 9:45 am!

We scrambled home and packed that last few things we needed. I of course could barely sleep the whole three hours that we had until we had to get up and get on the road to the Cities. But we eventually made it!

We got to New York and were able to meet the birth father's mother right away as she helped us around town to get the car seat and a few other essentials that we didn't want to bring with on the plane. Then we met us with the birthfather and had some supper as it was our first time meeting him. Then he brought us to the hospital to see beautiful Mari.

Our last picture as only Cory and I

Oh she is so beautiful and our hearts just burst with joy. I didn't even CRY - which many people know how emotional I am! I think I was just in such shock and felt that it was still a dream at that point.When we held her, we fell in love instantly (even though we had already loved her).

So here is Mari Joy Sietsema. Born (on her due date) August 24th weighing  8 lb, 7 oz and 20 inches long.
We picked the name Mari because it was one of our Haitian princesses names that we had the opportuntiy to love and spoil. Then we came back and saw in a baby name book that Mari means "a wished for daughter" - so what other name could we have!!!

Mari Joy

We love you baby girl. We have prayed for you for a long time! You will be loved and spoiled :-)

What we are up to while we wait...

People are always asking us now if we are 'ready' - but I'm sure like most first time parents - are we ever really 'ready'. Yes we have some of the essentials, and what we have not bought yet we will buy once we are in New York, or wait until we get back home.

Cory and I are fairly laid back people. We were going for a walk yesterday and someone stopped and jokingly asked if we had nothing better to be doing than going for a walk. Yep we do...but we wanted to go for a walk. I like to think that I don't need to be stressed out, because some of my friends are handling that for me!

 So, here are some other things we have been up to while we are waiting.

 We go to Wyoming!! Kind of.

We were out in Sturgis/Rapid City once again this year on the motorcycles. We went up to the Stone House and realized that we were literally only 2 miles away from Wyoming. So we came to Wyoming, took our picture and left :-)

We also had a few fourwheelers in Rapid City this year and got to do some driving around the National Forest back behind Cory's aunt and uncle's house. There were some amazing views and we found this area with the rocks hovering over the water, and the perfect little serene river.

Finally, one morning we got to once again climb the bluff where Cory had proposed 5 years ago! Wow has time flown by! And WOW am I a little more out of shape :-)

We get to the top of the bluff, and find the rock where Cory had carved in "Will You Marry Me". We were just sitting up there enjoying the view (and trying to catch our breath). I looked at Cory and asked for the camera so we can get a picture again of the rock. He looks and me and says "I thought you grabbed the camera".

So - a little lack of communication.  I just can't believe that he didnt' want to go back down the bluff and get it for me! So this is the best picture that I got - but trust me we really did find the rock back!