Here’s a story: So, when we were told Poppy’s birthday, it was written in an email to us: April 6th. It’s what we’ve known for almost 2 years. For some reason, it has always felt strange to me, looking back, but I’m not sure why. Even now, I’m not sure why it felt strange. Maria loved that she and her sister both had April birthdays. She requested joint birthday celebrations for life. We have recently been doing the American re-adoption process, filling out all the important documents with all her dates.
Yesterday, we had an email stating her birthday wrong. We were so confused and pulled up her original birth certificate to review in our masses of documents. Ethiopia is an ancient land with specific customs very different than how things happen here, including how children receive last names.
Another being how birthdays and dates are written. We know how to read Ethiopian dates because we learned while in Ethiopia doing paperwork. We had never read her birth certificate ourselves because it is written in Amharic, we received it the last day in country, and booked it home with Poppy.
Until today. We read the whole sheet with her picture at the top, glassy eyes, mouth ajar, classic orphan look, and there was her birthdate near the bottom. 040613.
Her birthday is not in April, but June! Well, it’s all a guess anyway since she wasn’t born in a hospital, she was found by mail carrier who said, “I know the Lord has great plans for her life, I felt His Spirit,” he was filmed on an interview for her file.
Her birthday is a day before Elijah’s, summer! It feels so strange to have this new date, to be wrong this whole time. Always read through all your own documents, I suppose.
But it also feels right. We’ve had to call various service providers and groups telling them of the change. She gets speech and infant ed for longer this year.
Such a trip! She and Elijah are almost birthday twins.
One thing that’s not wrong is that fact that God had his hand on her life and has great purposes for her.
Poppy, you are such a gift! You little Junebug.
I believe that is the European/British style: dd/mmm/year.
In our work as it is a European company, we have to spell out the Month to ensure proper interpretation – so in Poppy’s case, it would be noted as 04/JUN/2013.
Poppy is such a JOYFUL little girl. Your children are so, very, very, precious. Always enjoy your writing, Amy. You have a gift for writing!