Kansas City Area adopting families! (who might read this blog)

My husband and I are having a get-together at my home for Ethiopian Adoptive Families! We would like to meet other families in our area!(Families currently in the process of adopting from Ethiopia or those who have adopted from Ethiopia). I have posted this on the CHI Yahoo group and the local KC group

It will be on Saturday, August 2nd at 4:00pm.We can visit about our experiences, offer advice, make contacts, andwatch Ethiopian episode of Adoption Stories which I have recorded if people are interested. Please contact me if you are interested in attending so I can get a head count and we can plan for food. I will be supplying barbecue and baked beans, but will request everyone to bring one item! Please email me if you are interested! amandazabel@gmail.com

Thank you!
John and Amanda

Chicago!!

Just returned from a fun girls trip in Chicago! We left on Friday and returned Sunday afternoon. I must recommend the Amalfi Hotel. The hotel is a trendy boutique hotel, with great service and fabulous accommodations. The view...well, not the best but the location was great!

Dinner at Smith and Wollensky was awesome. They are very serious about their steaks!

Some shopping on Michigan Avenue...

We also went to the Blue Man Group show....this was my 2nd time. It was even better than the first!

After the show..on to the Hancock Building an up to the 96th floor to the Signature Room for some Champagne and dessert!

Then to Navy Pier to watch a fireworks show on a boat in Lake Michigan....

And before heading home....a quick visit to Johns parents condo where (which is pretty fabulous too) to see the family. Thanks for the brunch and a ride to the airport!

Back in KC.....and back to the real world.

Two Months!

Two months down! Today marks exactly two months waiting since our dossier has been in Ethiopia! Time is really going by fast! I finally feel like we can start thinking about the nursery. Yesterday, John and I went shopping and browsed for baby furniture. Decorating and shopping for furniture is absolutely one of my most favorite things to do! Now..if John and I could just agree on which room to make the baby's room...I could start painting! Well, or maybe we could hire the painter. Because both of us are horrible at painting and ruined many carpets, ceilings and trim in the past trying to do it ourselves.

We are still hoping for a referral in the fall. We are really wanting to bring home our little girl by Christmas.

Other great things that come in twos?! Our boys...Billy and Bosco. I purchased a new digital camera so I can learn to use it before the little one arrives. Here are some photos of the boys.

Go Royals!

Billy's Passport Photo

Billy with my niece Katy and my cousin Mark