The Circus

We had fun at the circus today. We are going to try and do as many special things with Hannah in the next couple of weeks. She knows she is getting a big sister and things are never going to be the same...she will not be the only focus of our attention.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We did receive new photos of Mahelet today from the Sapp family. Our daughters are very good friends and Mahelet was very sad that her friend was leaving but Holly was able to explain that we would be coming for her very soon and they could talk to each other on the phone. That made Mahelet feel better.

Our Daughter

We are very proud to introduce the newest member of the Rovang Family...enjoy

We have a Daughter

Until I get the problem fixed with my video just click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI3poH6qxgI

WE PASSED COURT and are proud to introduce the newest member of the Rovang family...enjoy!!!!

My Head is Spinning

I am going to blog early today since I am having oral surgery this afternoon and won't be in any condition to do it later. Also I need something to distract me since I can't eat or drink anything for the next 6 hours. (I'm actually editing this post and am back from the surgeon's office and will give details after the next paragraph).


So you may have noticed from my countdown clock things have changed once again with our court date. We were informed yesterday that there was a mix up in ET and our court date is actually Mar. 26th. and not the 31st. So by Thursday morning we will know if M***is officially our new daughter. Oh and if we pass court we will leave Apr. 11 to get her. That is what has my head spinning. We are so not ready. We have not even started to decorate her room. We will very busy in the couple of weeks. I do have her video ready to post on Thursday when we pass court (see how positive I am being).

So about this oral surgery that I have been trying to get accomplished for over 6 months now. I have had to reschedule 3 times now do to infection, the funeral of my MIL, travel out of the country. I actually went and thought wow this is finally the day I will get my implant. I was sitting in the chair reading through the consent form once again. I was reading about everything that could possibly happen...thinking wow do I really need a dental implant (LOL). Anyway the doctor finally came in and he asks if we have been doing anything exciting lately...traveling?? I told him we just got back from Jamaica and would be going to Ethiopia next month. This got his attention. Ethiopia...what for? To get our 11 yr. old daughter. He was like WOW!!! He asked why we chose to get an older child...I explained the situation and he was still like WOW. So once he got done with the chit chat (and he can chit chat...I'll share the history lesson he gave me in a bit) he had me take an Xray and was satisfied with how I had healed and was all ready to go when I thought I better ask if this was a good idea considering I would be traveling to a 3rd world country in a couple of weeks. That stopped him in his tracks...he knew we would be going to ET but I think he didn't listen to how soon. He said...are you OK with not doing this now. My answer was YES. He didn't want to take the risk that I would have some sort of infection or other problem while in ET. So once again I was off the hook because we would be out of the country. So I will have to reschedule once we are back from ET. Maybe th 4th time will be a charm. Now about the history lesson he delivered to me. He likes to read in the Winter and this past Winter he read at least 8 or 9 books about JuliusCaesar and GenghisKhan. He did impress me with his knowledge of these two historical figures but all I could think of after I heard Genghis Khan...was Bill&Ted'sExcellentAdventure (a must see mindless movie that is a fun lesson in history). OK gotta go because I am starving as I went 6 hours without anything to eat or drink (for nothing). Which by the way is very difficult with a 4 yr. old that want to snack every 10 minutes.

Blessings,
Bliss

Soggy Sunday

Hannah watching it rain. I told her it is sad we can't go out and play and she said "Yes we can all children love to jump in rain puddles" She had me there...but we still didn't go out.

Hannah and I just got done mixing up some banana bread so thought I would take the time while it bakes to blog. So as you can tell from the post title it is raining. We just can't get two nice days in a row around here. Yesterday was a beautiful day and we grilled out...yummy flank steak, grilled asparagus and fresh baby potatoes we had purchased 5 boxes of Girl Scout cookies earlier that day so we had some of them with ice cream for dessert. We had Ron's brother and dad over for dinner. It is still really strange that Hannah's grandma is absent at our family meals. She is really missed.



Yesterday we also purchased a bed and bedding for M*** who if we pass court we be joining our family in a little over a month. While we were at the furniture store I checked my phone for email messages and noticed I had one from Stephanie Hall titled pictures...they recently returned from ET with there precious little boy. They took photos of M*** for us and I received 9 wonderful photos and was able to show the sales lady who we were buying the bed for...she was touched and thanked us for sharing.


Hannah's cousin is 36 wks. along in her pregnancy and Hannah is so fascinated with the whole pregnant belly. After she saw a photo of her cousin's belly she quickly tucked her blanket in her top and said "mama I want to have a baby". YIKES child.





Well that is about all I have for now and I can tell from the yummy smell that our banana bread is ready to come out of the oven.



Blessings,

Bliss

Beautiful Day

So nice outside we needed to celebrate with some bubbles.
Hannah insisted on taking photos of me...she is turning into quite the photographer.

Wow we couldn't have asked for a better 1st day of Spring. It was so nice out. And my nesting continues. Today the family van was my target. If you know me you know I hate a dirty vehicle (get that from my dad) and my van was sooo dirty it was driving me a little nuts. I also hate car washes (cost to much and they don't do a good job). So I took advantage of the nice weather and washed my van and detailed the inside. It has been such a mess lately with the long cold Winter my vehicle was very neglected. It is now super clean....Yeah.


After I cleaned the van I started in on the garage. Huge eye soar there. I wish my hubby was nesting. I consider the garage his territory and it is a nightmare. I worked for a while and then Hannah insisted we go for a walk. It turned out to be a short walk as Hannah was stolen from me by the neighbor girl (actually Hannah's sitter). So Hannah is playing at there house for the next hour or so...she loves being over there.


As far as our adoption it sounds like even with the new changes with the consulate we will keep the same travel dates if we pass court...in 10 days. WOW to think we will have an 11 year old joining our family in a little over a month. So excited...and sooo anxious at the same time.

Blessings,
Bliss

Sad News In Ethiopia

Haregewoin Tefarra

I read a very powerful book while on vacation...I could not put it down. It is called "There Is No Me Without You" It is about the woman pictured above. I learned today that she has died. So you could say her Adoption with our heavenly Father is complete. I challenge everyone to read this book. I can guarantee once you read it the world will never look the same especially the way you think about AIDS. I posted the description below.

There Is No Me Without You is the story of Haregewoin Tefarra, a middle-aged Ethiopian woman of modest means whose home has become a refuge for hundreds of children orphaned by AIDS. It is a story as much about the power of the bond between children and parents as about the epidemic that every year leaves millions of children, mostly healthy themselves, without family.
Originally a middle-class woman with a happy family life, Haregewoin fell into a deep depression after the death of her recently married daughter. But then a priest brought her two children, AIDS orphans, with nowhere to go. Unexpectedly, the children thrived, and Haregewoin found herself drawn back into daily life. As word got out, an endless stream of children began to arrive at her door, delivered by dying parents and other relatives who begged for her help. Pushing the limits of her home and bank account, she took in more and more.
Today, Haregewoin runs a school, a daycare system, and a shelter for sick mothers. Without medication for her charges - some HIV-positive, some uninfected, and some infants trying to fight off the virus, but almost all of whom come to her terrified and malnourished - she forges on, caring for as many as she can handle. Increasingly, she also places them for adoption with families like that of journalist Melissa Fay Greene, who has two children adopted from Ethiopia. In Haregewoin Tefarra's story, Greene gives us an astonishing portrait of a woman fighting a continent-wide epidemic.

Blessings,

Bliss

Happy St.Patricks day

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This & That

Not much to share today except...more cleaning. I am like a machine and it feels so good to be getting rid of so much stuff. I am planning on having my very first rummage sale...YIKES (if you have any advice please share in my comments). We have always just donated all our stuff to the church for their HUGE rummage sale but this year I decided that I would have my own to raise funds for the needs of Kids Care Orphanage in ET. I think I am crazy as I already have a million things to get done before we travel. We have so much stuff I think we could make a fortune but if you know me I would just be willing to give it away free just to get rid of it...but I have to think it is actually raising funds for children in need. OK I just had an "AH HA" moment. I could actually have the rummage sale after we got back from ET as I could show in photos the poverty and the real need for funds. Maybe people would give more??? And I would have my little M***to show off to neighborhood.

On a side note: I forgot to share about Hannah and our travel to Jamaica. We are blessed with the best child traveler ever. She is only 4 but and has traveled around the world like a Rock Star. On this last trip I packed all the things a Mom of a 4 yr. old would pack to take on the plane so they would be entertained (you know DVD player...books, fun coloring stuff). What a waste of my time and effort going through security. This is how Hannah spent her time on each plane. First, hand her boarding pass to the agent and say "My name is Hannah Wen Shu Rovang". She would find our seats. Sit down and buckle her seatbelt and pick out and study the saftey placard and study it for at least an hour. I am not kidding. She did this on every flight...I was reading a book but I would look over and see her acting out the moves on the placard. She would then proceed to just talk and talk and talk...OK if this all I have to deal with a traveling child I'll take it.
Blessings,
Bliss

Am I Nesting????

Nesting Instinct
Around the fifth month of pregnancy, the "nesting" instinct can set in. This is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world.

This is what I am doing...I am nesting. Although we received our referral on Feb. 3rd we have known about M***since November so that makes it 5 months. But we won't be bringing a baby back from ET but an 11 year old girl. Anyway I spent all day yesterday cleaning, cleaning and then more cleaning. So that is how I spent my afternoon. Ron spent his being on call and working on a shelf unit for the basement.

And this is how Hannah spent her afternoon.

More Changes

This post covers a few different subjects. First of all the background change in honor of St. Patrick's day that is soon approaching. My great grandfather was 100% Irish (Thomas McKee) so I must have a wee bit of Irish blood pumping though my body. And the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are my favorite college football team...so those are my connections to St. Patrick's day and I am going to claim them for some reason to celebrate.


The second involves our adoption. If you have ever adopted from another country you know never get comfortable with what you think is the policy because it will change. I am going to paste the latest news we received from our agency today.

Dear Ronald & Bliss,

The Consulate in Addis Ababa held a meeting today for all adoption agency representatives. At this meeting the Consulate informed adoption agencies of a some changes that they will be implementing in the next few weeks.

The first change is that adoption agencies will no longer have a weekly Consulate appointment day. Due to limited staff at the Consulate each agency will now have a Consulate appointment day every other week. This means that agencies can only have families travel every other week to obtain visas for their children. This change will become effective April 1st.

The second change is that the Consulate will now require TB testing for all children along with the Consulate medical prior to issuing a visa. The Consulate medical is completed after court but prior to the family appearing at the Consulate for their child’s visa interview. This new requirement could potentially increase the number of days needed between court approval and travel dates. This change will become effective March 23rd.

In light of these changes, America World will likely need to alter tentative travel dates by a week to three weeks for some families. As this announcement was just made several hours ago in Ethiopia, we will need more time (potentially another week or two weeks) before we know the full impact of these changes and how this could affect your travel timeline.

I would ask you to please hold questions at this time. As we learn more about the effects of these changes they will be shared with your family and if needed we will arrange a conference call to discuss further.

We are committed to do everything we can to unite your family with your child as soon as possible. I know this news can be unsettling as you long to be with your child. We are praying for your family and will let you know as soon as we have any additional information or new tentative travel dates.

Sincerely,

Anna M. Graham
Director of Programs

So welcome to our world of international adoption. As you can see from my ticker we are 18 nearly 17 days away from our court date. We have been assigned TTD that are now extreme TTD as we have no idea what these new changes will mean as far as our travel. All we can ask you to do is pray...we trust God's perfect timing will unite us with our beautiful M*** just as he has planned.

Blessings,
Bliss

Blizzard/New Adoption Update

Wow I think we are being punished for enjoying a week in Jamaica. Yes once again we are despising the weather in NE South Dakota. Snowing Blowing...freezing....Just plain YUCK. I so wish I was back in Jamaica...but this is our reality. But I won't complain anymore because I am thankful that I have a home and plenty of food and clean water to drink. I read a book over vacation that really changed my view on how truly we are blessed. No matter how bad some have it in the US it is nothing compared to what most people in Africa face each day. I am just happy that I will be able to change one child's life. It frightens me to thinks what would have happened to our beautiful daughter if she would have aged out of the system and ended up on the streets. You know what happens to girls on the streets in Africa.


Speaking of our daughter. She received our care package yesterday from the Hall family. The following is what Stephanie had to say about our daughter.

Bliss - your daughter is amazing. She was the first we photographed and she immediately wrote her name in her journal with her blue pen and she was so very proud. She loves her pictures and she was so excited, she helped us with all the rest of the photographs.

Oh...I wept after reading that...I am thankful for Stephanie Hall for that report...but Boy am I jealous that one more person has met my daughter before me....

We have been given Tentative travel dates....Apr. 25-May 2. We don't know yet if this will work out with Ron's schedule. If it does it means we will be traveling with a family that is getting a sibling group ages: 4 and 10. And we will have a 4 yr. old getting a 10 yr. old. Anyway please pray God gives us wisdom on what to do as far as travel.

Blessings,
Bliss

More Jamaica Photos

We celebrated Ron's birthday (Mar. 2) while in Jamaica

OMG...I didn't realize how big my baby has gotten she is half my size

Zoe is Hannah's favorite character


It looks like she is preparing to do a forward roll but I think she is just getting her hair wet.

Hannah loved going down this slide. There are really cool huge slides that she can enjoy next time with her big sister.

Hannah was such a fish all week. The only way to get her out of the pool was to offer her a Pina Colada. I can't even begin to tell you how many she downed. The resort has self serve dispensers of both Pina Coladas and Strawberry daiquiris. She didn't get any of the Strawberry daiquiris as we think she has developed a strawberry allergy. If it is true it is very sad because she LOVES strawberries.

We did have a good time in Jamaica but the weather was a bit disappointing. We have been to Jamaica 5 times now and have never had anything but perfect hot sunny days. This time around it rained was windy and just a bit chilly for swimming. I'm not saying it rained all day...it would sometimes rain at night and take a while to clear up in the morning or there would be a cloud burst without any warning...just strange weather.

The other problem with the vacation is I had many problems accessing Internet. I was able to receive the email that our court date was changed...but that just made me nuts because I wasn't able to check other messages...if you know me you know I am addicted to the internet...email...my YG. I truly think the stress of it all made me a bit ill...Ron agrees...I am addicted and was suffering some sort of withdrawal symptoms. Just to let you know I had to sift through over a thousand messages once I got home...yes I am still sleep deprived. I was able to get all the laundry done and my house cleaned this weekend...totally against my will. But now with this new court date we really need to decided if we are going to take Hannah with us to Ethiopia. Before we left for Jamaica we had made up our minds to leave her with family...but if we travel in April that family will be welcoming a new grand baby in GA. We will just have to pray God gives us wisdom on what to do....

Blessings,

Bliss

Make a Smilebox slideshow

New Court Date

Hi All,
Just want to point your attention to our new court date...check out the ticker at the top right hand side of my blog. While we were on vacation we received news that our court date was moved from May 8 to March 31st. Yikes...that means if we pass court we will be able to share photos with you all of our beautiful daughter in 23 days. I will share more in my next post...we had a good time in Jamaica...I am just really tired as we didn't get home until after midnight....didn't go to bed until 2AM and my sweet little Hannah is up and ready to begin my day at 6AM...
Blessings,
Bliss