Preparation - all things hair!

Quick update……..the paperwork that we waited forever for? As you should know (if you've kept up ;), it has all been turned in to USCIS (US immigration) and is being processed.

Can we all collectively sigh in relief together? Ahhhhh.

Our paperwork was sent to Dallas and logged, it then headed to Lee's Summit, MO where it awaited an officer for review. We found out this week that we indeed have been assigned an officer (the exact one I was hoping for!). This stage is great because there is actually someone we can contact. We found out from our officer this week, that USCIS needs three more things from us, before it can send our case file on to Addis. We were relieved to find out that what is needed is just a additional local translation to a few documents (to add to the Amharic and English versions they have now of those same documents). Hopefully our agency will swiftly get us these docs so that we can move on to phase #145 of this crazy process (just kidding), but move on to the next phase nonetheless.

So in the meantime, what does THIS mama do with more waiting? Continue to prepare. Crazy how much preparation has gone into a little one that is a mere 11 pounds. If she only knew!

If little miss only knew how nerdy her mama was. Oh wait, no. That isn't what I meant, albeit true :) If she only knew how much she is anticipated and loved already. It would blow her itty-bitty socks off.

It’s no secret that I’ve read my way through countless books this last year. Covering topics from international adoption (like the actual nuts and bolts of the process), attachment, how to parent a child who has experienced trauma, books about Ethiopia, the orphan crisis, on and on and on………

What else could there possibly be? Oh, believe me there is more! 

I have officially started to add more layers to my preparation - hair care.

It will soon VERY apparent that I am out of my element in the haircare department. I’ve never had to really think about hair before. Myself and my bio children have VERY low maintenance hair. The styles that are currently in my portfolio are wearing hair down, the ponytail, the messy bun and the braid. Not a french braid, mind you. Just a plain braid. (big shout out to Disney and the character Elsa, from the movie Frozen, for popularizing the low plain braid. That was super helpful!)

So where does one turn to learn about hair that is totally different from my own and will require much more maintenance? There are MANY good resources, but my favorite? This place. 

Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care

The above is a blog by an adopted mama that has worked her way through this topic herself, has learned the in’s and out’s. Take a look at some of her daughters hairstyles. This mama has mastered it. Hands.down. Seriously, check out the blog and just take a look. That mama even has themed hair at times - think Valentines day hearts, Micky mouse for Disney, Shamrock for St. Patty's day. It is wild!

I don’t ever expect to master it like this, but knowing that I have a LOT of work ahead of me in this department - I’m starting now. BEFORE our little gal comes home. BEFORE I have a cute person head to learn on. Most likely I won’t ever be awesome, but I’d like to at least conquer some of the basics. I’ve been working on this, since I know myself well enough to know that before I would attempt a more intricate braid on an actual human person, I must at least master it on a yarn board. Have no fear. I don’t plan on dying little miss's hair purple, green & yellow so I can have a similar experience on her head - I also have plans to make a practice board in all brown for when I become “advanced” ;) 

Whew. Lots to learn, but with it comes excitement about having something new to work on!

Oh, how I CAN NOT WAIT to get back to this little one and scoop her up forever :) Please be praying that things process smoothly for us as we are in this final stretch......we are so hopeful we will be bringing her home this Fall!