Allow me to translate

So, it turns out he DOES get it. He isn't completely playing mommy with the "kiki home" thing. He really wants Kiki here and understands that he is a little person that he will play with. Ugh! That makes it that much harder when he cries for him.

How much longer?

This is the most common question I get. The answer: we have no clue!

I actually got the birth certificate yesterday. I'm happy to have it, but was alarmed to see a different name listed as the birth father. Not just a different first or last name, a completely different name and occupation. My heart sank as I immediately starting wondering how long it would take to correct it. When I called our coordinator I was told it was fine and that the birth certificate is the most important. Great, but I still need to know THE name of my son's birthfather. He will need to know it. I've added it to the list of things to figure out on my next trip.

Now the passport. When we talked on Friday I was told he would be getting the application this week. Yesterday, that changed to "As soon as possible, probably next week." So, we've been waiting and waiting for this birth certificate so that we can apply for the passport, but now that we have it, we are not applying immediately because our coordinator has other stuff to do I guess. I'm concerned as I know that there are 3 families headed over there on Friday.

I'm not sure what God has in store for us and why we are hitting every single bump in the road. Not all adoptions are like this. If we didn't need to correct the adoption decree, we would have had it March 30th. Then, if the birth certificate had only taken a week, we would have already applied for the passport long ago.. but like I said, every.single.bump.

We've got it, I think

I didn't hear anything on Friday so I called our coordinator. Turns out he had good news! The birth certificate people called and told him the certificate is ready! He was out of town so, he'll go and get it on Monday. I'll take it!

Now, on to the passport and I-600

Ouch

I think I'm being played here. This is what Carter has turned to doing when he is upset or when mommy says "no". Boy, does he know where to hit mommy so it hurts.

Promises promises

Still nothing. I talked to our coordinator yesterday and he was afraid that the office had lost our 2nd application for a birth certificate. The first one, from a month ago.. well, the agent in charge of that one got married and is on her honeymoon. Apparently once it is assigned to an agent, no one else can touch it. Thanks a lot lady.

I got a follow up email yesterday afternoon saying that he was promised (again) that it would be ready Friday. Please use every prayer you have to ask that we receive this birth certificate and are able to apply for Coen's passport.

Another week

Yep, another week. No birth certificate. I'm sick, upset and well.. pissed. I'm furious that I'm continually told I will get it within a few days and then get nothing. I'm even more upset that today I got an email saying that our coordinator was at the birth certificate office and that he would get back to me by the end of the day. Well, it's almost 11 pm in Ghana. Pretty sure that is past the "end of the day".

I cannot believe that people can be so careless when a child is involved. He has officially been our son since March 17th. 2 months we have been waiting to just be able to apply for the passport which I've been told is the longest part of the process.

I'm about ready to get on a plane.

Morning sickness

If you think that a paper pregnancy allows you to by-pass the nausea, thinks again. I'm honestly sick to my stomach.

I was told Friday that again the birth certificate was not available but that our coordinator had been promised Monday. I called today and was told that the only guy working on the birth certificate is out of town until next week so, our coordinator will be applying again tomorrow with a new agent and "hopes" to get it in one week.

What?!

I'm not even sure that this is the case since our coordinator was out of town today (Monday) so, he didn't go to the office where he was promised it would be. How does he know then that it is not available? Maybe he called.. I don't know.

So, a process that should have taken maybe 2 weeks is going into it's 4th.

We then will wait an unspecified period of time for his passport.

I'm just sick.

This is Ghana.

update

Today was a hard one for me. Another Friday has come and gone without a birth certificate. I think what makes this hard is 1)I am continually told that we will have it "by Friday" 2)This isn't supposed to be the long part of the process. So, if this is the fast/short part, what does that mean for the rest of the process?

It seems like we are asked daily when Coen will be home. In the beginning, I was saying 2-3 months as that was what I was told. That would have had him coming home this month. At this point, I think we will be very blessed to have him home in the next 4 months. Passports seem to be taking 2-3 months and visa appointments which used to be scheduled just a week or two out, are now being schedule 1-2 months out.

I know he'll come home when he is *supposed* to, but it doesn't make it any easier to miss these precious months of his life (especially when I just got back from the the hospital where I held a 3 day old baby).

My lil' world traveler

The nursery is officially done! This weekend I went through all of Carter's old clothes and organized Coen's closet to be full of clothes and shoes that *might* fit him. It was fun to see Carter's old clothes, but sad to remember when they were too big for him. Now I'm hoping they aren't too small by the time Coen gets home.

I went with the vintage travel theme after finding this amazing vintage map of Africa. It was only $8. The framing, umm.. more than $8, but I did get to use a 15% off coupon on a day when it was already 50% off. It was so worth it. I love this map and know it will always have a place in our home.



The dresser and laundry bin stayed the same from the previous nursery as did the rocking chair that was passed down to me from my mother. I swapped the little night stand for 3 vintage suitcase which I already had and a cool vintage globe from Goodwill for $3.99. Above the chair, a personal touch - I created this "I love you from here to Ghana" on my computer and then ordered it from CanvasPeople using a gift certificate I got at Christmas (Thanks Auntie Lindsey!). The smaller print is names of different cities in Ghana. Of course, I didn't have the right program on my computer so it had to go to Grandma Cupcake to make it a jpg before CanvasPeople could turn it into this 11x14 canvas for me.



When the canvas arrived, it was waaaayyy too bright so, I used glaze and brown paint to "antique" it a bit. Really the picture doesn't even come close to showing the brightness. I think it's so much better now.





I saved money by using Carter's old crib bedding (the set from our last home that I simply couldn't part with when we moved into our new home and he started using a new set). I then used the cool letters that my mom gave me to spell Coen's name and covered them with a FREE antique map I found.



I loved them alone like this, but next to the bedding, the letters were too bright so, out with the glaze again.





Ahh, much better.

The room is ready for Coen to come home. Unless of course, I come across the perfect chandelier....