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

This past week 2 of our boys have been out a camp working as leaders. It has been just me and Sam for the most part. Every now and then I see Taylor....not so much as he is working nights and sleeps days. I was thinking about how much our life is going to change in 12 days. Right now the house is quiet and there is not a lot of activity. I have come to realize that as loud as it is here and as much as the boys mess up the house......I wouldn't trade it for the world. Denaye and Maya are going to be a little overwhelmed at first, but once we all find our groove it will be a very loud, messy, nonstop activity, house. Most of all we will finally be the family I always dreamed of....a house full of boys and girls, but mostly a house full of LOVE!!!!

~Debbie~

Yesterday we had a BBQ with other families who are also adopting from Ethiopia. We are all from the Edmonton area. There were 7 families who came and we are all at different stages of the journey. One of the families had left when we thought of taking a picture.....next time we'll make sure they are in the picture. There are 3 families who are leaving this month for Ethiopia to finally bring home their kids. We are one of those families. It is so cool that we are all from Edmonton and get to travel and experience this together. We will forever be connected because of this. There was also 2 families who are beginning their journey. We pray their journey is quick and smooth. There was one family who had just received their referral.....good friends Rob and Tracy. Their referral was for 3 beautiful children age 4, 3 and 2. We celebrated with them. The star of the day though was the family who just returned about a month ago with their son. He is so adorable!! We look forward to doing this again....the next time we come together their will be 4 more children who will be home with their families!!! Can't wait!!!


16 days and counting untill we leave!!!

~Debbie~

I celebrated my ? birthday on the weekend. It was not a huge celebration as we are getting together with family on the 19th to celebrate all family members bithdays in the month of August. Rod bought me a gift certificate for a pedicure from a spa. It was amazing! I had a pedicure done once in my life and it was not even close to the treament I got on wednesday. I loved every second of it and decided that this was now going to be a part of what I do. They recommened a pedicure every season.....well I'll just have to follow their advice. I am thinking that this would be a great thing to do with friends/family.....make a day of it.....pedicure, lunch, shopping......what do you think......any takers!!!

~Debbie~

~Debbie~

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~