THE KURTZ FAMILY........OUR ADOPTION JOURNEY

We have waited 13 months and 27 days to get the phone call that said we could go bring our girls home! I cannot express the excitement or the joy that we all feel. When I first heard that we could make travel plans, I screamed at the top of my lungs. Jesse had no idea what was going on. He thought I had hurt myself. It has felt like a part of our family has been missing since April 5th....the day we saw their faces for the first time. We will become a family of 8 on August 31st. Denaye and Maya have no idea how wonderful their life is going to be. They have 4 brothers who love them and want to be the protective brothers! Rod and I have loved them before we even knew who they were. Our lives will forever be changed because 2 little girls have stolen our hearts. I can hardly believe that this is happening...we are going to get our girls!!! Denaye and Maya were born in our hearts long before we ever knew them. We contiue to pray for their safety and their health and that the visa's show up on time!!!!! Thanks for your support, your comments, your're prayers and your frienship......as always it means the world to us!


P.S. The above picture is for my benefit!!


~Debbie~

YIIIIIPPPPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just got an email from Roberta and we got the o.k. to travel........Girls here we come!!!!
I don't know any details, just that we get to travel. I will update once I know more. I am over the moon excited. Some good friends told me we would hear good news today.......thanks for your encouraging words........you know who you are!!!

~Debbie~

Today Rod and I had a chance to meet some other families who were adopting or have adopted children from Ethiopia. It is always so nice to have an opportunity to sit and talk with people about their experiences. There were 3 families there who had their children home already.....what beautiful kids!! Rod and I went away from that more anxious then ever to get over to Ethiopia to bring our girls home. I know it will happen, but it's just taking sooooooooooo looooooooooooong!

~Debbie~

The strawberries are so tasty. Rod made a strawberry milkshake and Sam ate 3 bowl fulls himself. Strawberies are his favorite. We just found this place, but this is the last year it will be open......we will have to find a new place next year. Fresh strawberries.....there is no other way to eat them. Store bought ones are not nearly as sweet. We'll go back when we need more.

The Frog Princess is an animated film currently in deveopment and is scheduled to realease in 2009. It is an American Fairy-Tale musical set in New Orleans in the 1920's during the jazz age. Tiana will be the first African American princess and will be played by Anika Noni Rose. She was recently in the film "Dream Girls" . The title of the film has recently been changed to 'The Princess and the Frog".

I am exctied about this film....it is about time Disney came up with a princess who is African/American. It is long past due. For more information on the film check out this website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frog_Princess_(film)

I was hoping to hear something today about that status of immigration. There is no news to report. I guess that's better then it being delayed. Deborah from Cafac emailed me today and said she was not able to get information about whether or not the medical forms arrived. She is leaving for Ethiopia next week and she will update me from there. She did say that issueing passports and Birth certificates is very slow....due to the high volume of court cases being pushed through the system before court closures. I am back on the rollercoaster and I need to ride this one. I am going to learn to like rollercoasters if it's the last thing I do!!!

~Debbie~

Tommorrow this couple gets on an airplane to fly to Ethiopia to finally go get their girls. I have never met them, but feel a connection to them simply because we are going through the same thing. Our story may be different as to why we are adopting, but in the end the result is the same.....we have chosen to expand our family through international adoption. Lisa has been a great source of encouragement for me and I couldn't be happier for them that this day has finally come. I wish I could be there when they get off that airplane to welcome them home, but know that I am thinking of you. I look forward to seeing pictures of the 4 of them together and hearing the stories of what it was like. You can read about their story here http://thegoguenfamily.blogspot.com/ God Bless all of you as you begin a new chapter in your story......

~Debbie~

Yes the girls are taking over and they aren't even here yet! Imagine what it's going to be like when they get here......I can't wait. Our upstairs family room is now being taken over by little girl stuff.....and I love it. Rod and I realized about a month ago that the girls were going to need a space to play and to store all of their girl toys.....so we made room in the bonus room. The boys have the downstairs family room and the girls 'own' the upstairs one.....it's all fair. It is such a novelty to have girl stuff around here that Kyle and Sam have been playing with the kitchen set since Rod set it up last night. Sam especially loves it. Kyle put all the dishes and food in their proper place and made sure that the table was set for breakfast. I'm not sure which family member is more excited about having girls, but I do know this, we all can't wait!!!

Rod reading directions......and you thought this sort of thing never happened!



Sam loves the kitchen set.....so do I!



Kyle had set the table for breakfast....he even videotaped it!

I found this on another blog. It is an amazing story. This couple shows incredible strength and faith in a situation where they didn't want to be. It helps put things into perspective.......


~Debbie~

Adopting is an emotional rollercoaster. It is the unknowns that are hard to handle. We are still waiting for Immigration to send the medical forms to the Foster Home where the girls are. They need to have a medical done to complete our application for visa's. This is the last step that needs to happen then they can issue a Visa for the girls. I am not sure why this part always seems to be the most unpredictable. I am very frustrated.......the process so far has gone good. We are so close and the longer this takes the farther away a travel date is. I could really use some prayers right now. We are so blessed to be able to adopt these 2 beautiful little girls, I just want to get them home. It's hard to think of them without a family. I know they are well taken care of, but it's just not the same as having a mom and dad and brothers who love them and want to be the ones that take care of them. I am trying to stay positive and I appreciate that Immigration is very busy right now.....it's just hard at times. The ups and downs that you go through are just like a roller coaster ( I hate roller coasters), in the end it will all be worth it and all of this won't matter.....I know that, but untill then, it does matter.

~Debbie~

We were on holidays this past week. We went to Coeur D Alene, Idaho. It is about a 10 hour drive from us. We had a great time. The weather was hot....not less then 35 everyday. The day we left it was going to 42....their hottest day in 70 years. The country is beautiful. It is on a lake and their is lots to do. The shopping is great too.....I found a couple of Ross stores and a few other places to shop. Here are a few pictures of our trip......

Sam and Zack.....this is one of my favorites. We were just starting our trip. This was where we had lunch.

Zack, Sam and Kyle at the lake in Coeur D Alene.

We rented wave-runners......we had a blast.

Sam, Zack, Kyle, Rod and my mom....this is where we stopped to have lunch on the way home

Simpson river.....the boys skipped rocks and climbed the rocks on this river.

~Debbie~

I have a dear friend who is adopting an adorable little baby girl. She has been going through this process for 2 years......a lot of ups and downs to say the least. She was supposed to travel to Ethiopia on thursday (in 9 days), but was notified she couldn't because some paperwork wasn't completed. How very disappointing for her and her family. She will travel in September now and yes she will get her daughter, but it doesn't make it any easier. The wait is very hard at times....believe me I know. I won't mention her name to protect her privacy, but if any of you think of it.....say a little prayer for her and her family. Adoption is a wonderful thing and I am so glad that we are doing this.....I know my friend dispite the setbacks she has endured would say the same thing. She is trying to stay positive, but her heart must be broken. Thanks for all of your support and this time my friend could use a little of that.....



~Debbie~

The beginning is a little slow.....but worth the wait!

~Debbie~

Our niece Bonnie her husband Dave and their 3 kids came for a visit to our house. It was really good to see them...we don't see them often enough. She was our flowergirl at our wedding....kind of freaks you out when she now has 3 children of her own. Sam and their son, Liam hit it off great....they both like sword fighting and other rough boy things. The house was never quiet and the kids were exhausted by the time they went to bed....sleeping was not a problem for any of them. Bonnie and Dave need to go home and get some rest!!! Great to see them.
All the kids just before we went and saw the fireworks on July 1st.

Sam, Liam, and Carter sucking on freezies.....life is good!!!

Bonnie, Dave and their 3 children.....Liam, Carter and Katelyn

This was the supper that Dave ccoked for us......kids called it 'Beer Up Butt Chicken' what ever it was it was tasty!!!!

~Debbie~

This is very cool!

~Debbie~

Happy Canada Day everyone. I hope you are all having a wonderful long weekend. We are spending Canada Day with my niece Bonnie (she was our flower girl at our wedding!) her husband Dave and their 3 children. They are visiting from Saskatoon. We are going to see the fireworks tonight and Dave's cooking.......I am the most excited about that. We live in the best country and we are excited to bring the girls over here to be a part of this great country. Next year we will celebrate because they will be Canadian citizens!!!

God Bless
~Debbie~