Coming home and attachment

Mike and I are so excited to be planning our trip back to Ethiopia and especially excited to have Gabe Fiker with us forever.  A friend I met on our last trip told me (after she knew we were cleared and going back) how sad he seemed.  She went to pick up her daughter two weeks ago and took pictures for us.  She talked to one of the guides and he told her Gabe Fiker ask him everyday when his mom and dad are coming to get him.  BREAK MY HEART but we are coming back VERY SOON!!!! 

Our next big journey as a family is becoming a family of five and getting Gabe Fiker attached and adjusted to life as a Brangers.  In our many hours of training and reading about attachment we have a "plan" in place.  Bringing him home will be like bringing a newborn home.  We are going to cocoon him with us as much as possible and when things are getting better we will relax this slowly. We may be hermits at first but if he's doing well we'll reevaluate.  Also Mike and I are the only ones that can meet his needs and provide for him.  He needs to learn that we are his mom and dad and what being mom and dad means.  We are the only ones that give him food, drink, spoon, fork, clothes, napkin, toothpaste, help him with anything he needs, etc...  Also if you come to the airport feel free to shake his hand, hug him if he's comfortable, and fist bump (he likes that) but afterward keep this to a minimum.  Another thing is gifts...a lot of people have wanted to give him gifts.  You can bring gifts to the airport but after the airport NO GIFTS.  Again he needs to learn that Mike and I are his providers and when people come over he doesn't automatically get a gift. We do welcome visitors but please call first to make sure it's a good time. I know this seems extreme but it's what we have learned in our training and from other families that have adopted older kids.  It may not take him any time to adjust but then it may take awhile.

We welcome as many people that want to come to the airport.  A lot of people have ask me if they can come and I say ABSOLUTELY.  Airport party's are an amazing part of the adoption process and we have so many family and friends that have supported us that we would love to see there. We are due to arrive back in Louisville on Saturday, June 2nd at 5:40.  We are arriving from Charlotte, NC on United.  We are excited see you at the bottom of the escalator by baggage claim, we are reserving the top of the escalator by security for Samuel, Will, and grandparents.  Get ready because he is adorable :)  If you have any questions about the airport you can ask our moms and dads, Laura Priest, Heather Mason, Allison Stump, or Angie Dunn.

Please continue to pray for us.  Specifically our safety for our trip, for Samuel and Will and the changes that are taking place, and attachment and adjustment for Gabe Fiker.

Embassy...FINALLY!!!!

We were finally submitted to embassy after 9 weeks past court and being told for the last 6 weeks "hopefully this week" then checking email all night long on Tuesday's with nothing.  Our agency called me yesterday and said they still didn't have all the information they wanted to submit but after relentless searching they just couldn't find it and ask us if we felt comfortable being submitted without it.  This information has to do with his birth father but I would like to keep it private for now and for Gabe Fiker's privacy.  She said in the past this information was not needed and may not be a problem now but they wanted to prevent any problems by having it.  I told her we wanted to go ahead without the information and hope for the best.  The US Embassy in Ethiopia has to review our case before deciding on one of three things, 1.  send to Nairobi for USCIS clearance (this is if they don't see our case as clearly passable and the USCIS reviews the case), 2. schedule a birth relative interview (BRI) with Gabe Fiker's uncle to ensure he is a true orphan (he is), or  3.  cleared after reviewing the case (highly unlikely but who knows).  The BRI is usually scheduled within two weeks of the initial review.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE PRAY for us.  We have waited so long to be submitted so I'm hoping and praying we are cleared quickly so we can plan our trip.  I have cried out to God so many times these past few weeks and even more these past few days.  He can move mountains and part seas and we so need Him to do that for us now.  We are trying patiently to wait on His perfect timing and trusting in Him through this whole process.