Not Able to Process...

Today was different from the past few days. Since arriving in Ethiopia, we've settled into a pretty comfortable routine: wake up, eat breakfast, wait for our ride, and head over to the orphanage to spend the day with our boys. Every morning, we've been eager to get there and soak up as much time with them as possible.

But today, we decided to do something different.
We chose to spend the morning visiting Korah.

When our driver picked us up and we told him where we wanted to go, he was stunned. Why on earth would we want to visit Korah?!?! We'd seen pictures and read about the various ministries working there, serving the community and being the hands and feet of Christ. But I had felt an increasingly strong desire to see it for myself.

Unfortunately, our morning didn't go quite as planned. Some unexpected circumstances meant we didn't have nearly as much time in Korah as I had hoped, and we weren't able to visit several of the ministries I had wanted to see.

But it was enough.

More than enough to break my heart in ways I hadn't anticipated.

In the end, we only had time to drive past the dump. And honestly, after experiencing even that small glimpse of life there, I think perhaps it was for the best. Little Eli was completely speechless throughout the entire drive.

NOT ONE WORD.

What we saw was enough to bring me to tears almost immediately, and both Bobby and Eli were equally stunned. We had read about the conditions in Korah, but seeing them with our own eyes was an entirely different experience. Photographs and descriptions simply cannot prepare you for the reality of standing there and witnessing something so overwhelming.

Even though our visit was brief, I know I will never forget it. EVER.

I left knowing that I wanted to do something, whether great or small, to make a difference in Korah. And starting today, we will be praying. Praying for the families and precious children living in such difficult circumstances, for those who depend on the dump for food, and for those who spend their days searching through discarded items in hopes of finding something they can sell.

These are real people, created and loved by God, living lives that are so difficult for me to comprehend from the comfort of my own home.

This was a visit I needed, even if we were able to experience only a small part of the community.

Thankfully, we were also able to visit a ministry just a few blocks from the dump. Embracing Hope  provides childcare for children of single mothers, with sponsorships helping make it possible for the mothers to work while their children receive care.

We happened to arrive during music time, and what a JOY it was to see the children singing and dancing! After the heaviness of what we'd just witnessed, walking into a room filled with music and laughter was such a beautiful experience. And poor Eli was practically trampled by all the little ones who wanted to touch him, kiss him, and give him hugs!

We absolutely love the work this ministry is doing and the opportunities it provides for the women and children of Korah. What an incredible example of people stepping into difficult circumstances and offering practical help, love, and encouragement.

Obviously, our primary purpose in traveling to Ethiopia was to meet our boys and spend time getting to know them. Giving up an entire morning with them wasn't an easy decision, especially when our time together was already so limited. But I'm incredibly grateful that we did.

Those two hours away from the boys were a powerful reminder of the tremendous needs in Ethiopia and so many other places around the world. I know we'll return to Ethiopia someday, and I hope that on a future trip we'll have more time to become involved in hands-on ministry. For now, this visit has renewed my desire to serve and reminded me that there is so much we can do to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Quite honestly, I'm still struggling to process everything we saw today. It's difficult to wrap my mind around the circumstances in which some people live while we enjoy such EXTREME comfort. Even the photographs I took cannot begin to capture the reality or the scale of what we witnessed.

I was reminded of Isaiah 61:3 and its beautiful promise of beauty instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, and praise instead of despair. What an incredible picture of the hope we have in the Lord, even in the midst of circumstances we cannot fully understand.

“He will bestow on them

 a crown of beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of gladness instead of mourning, 

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, 

a planting of the LORD 

for the display of his splendour.”

Isaiah 61:3

After our visit to Korah and a quick lunch, we headed over to spend a couple of hours with the boys. It was pouring rain when we arrived, so rather than playing outside, we spent the entire afternoon in their guest room while the other children were in their rooms.

And I have to say, it turned out to be one of the BEST visits we've had with them!

For the first time, it was just the five of us, with no distractions and nowhere else we needed to be. Oh, and we had left ALL our electronic devices behind, which turned out to be a wonderful decision!

We laughed, played cards, and enjoyed simply being together. D showed us some card tricks, and the boys taught us a few of THEIR favorite games. We talked about their future bedrooms, picked out sheets for their beds, and answered what seemed like hundreds of questions as N looked through the pictures on our camera for what must have been the tenth time!

They talked with Bobby about their dreams of going hunting, and we spent quite a bit of time discussing what would happen at court the following day. We also told them what their full names would be, which led to some amusing confusion about how last names work!

But the sweetest moment of the afternoon came when the boys began asking about our plans for tomorrow.

We explained how court day would work, and D wanted to know whether we'd be coming back to see them in the afternoon, as we had every other day. When I explained that we wouldn't be able to because our court appointment was scheduled for that afternoon, his face fell.

Apparently, our sweet boy had something special planned for my birthday, and he was so disappointed that we wouldn't be there to celebrate!

Oh, my heart!

Bobby quickly assured the boys that they could sing to me when we came to visit in the morning. And I told them that having them become part of our family was already the greatest birthday gift I could ever imagine.

They both wrapped their arms around me, giving me the biggest hugs and smiling from ear to ear.

Seriously, could these boys be any sweeter?!?!

I know I've said it a million times, and I'm sure I'll say it a million more, but these two are the sweetest, most wonderful boys. Every day we spend together makes me more grateful that God has brought us into one another's lives.

And tomorrow is another day we've been waiting and praying for throughout this incredible journey.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR TOMORROW!!!! :)

Soccer Family...

Many of you know one of my biggest concerns with bringing home the boys was their love for soccer.  When we received their referral, we didn't know Dickinson had JUST started a club soccer program.  It was a huge relief when we found out so, as we knew soccer was a big part of their lives. 

The other part of my concern: I know NOTHING about soccer! 
The reality...

Dickinson DOES have a soccer program and they have already begun the soccer lessons in making us a soccer family.  I'm actually excited to add soccer to our list of hobbies and even more excited that we have some awesome boys to teach us!

Today: Lesson 1

In addition to playing soccer, we visited, played cards, drew/colored and I had the boys do some math problems for me!  It was another great day of bonding.  One thing we learned....a timer for electronics will be on the top of our list when they get home!  Ha ha, the boys and their friends would play aaallllll day long! 

Me and my big boys!

D:2 Mom:1

Our friends' boy.  He and Eli made quick friends and are pretty inseparable! 

We also attended church this morning at the International Evangelical Church.  It was an amazing service with wonderful worship.  Eli was so pumped after church saying it was "AWESOME music."  We may try to attend a more traditional Ethiopian church next week....if we feel Eli is ready for a 3 hour service! 

The best part of today.....I got our first "I love you."
I wasn't expecting it and most definitely wasn't going to push for it....but D said it loud and proud ....another melt my heart moment!

Ready for dinner, than some rest....and then another day with our boys!

Meeting D and N!!

We arrived in Ethiopia late last night after 32 hours of traveling. To say we were exhausted would be an understatement! The trip seemed especially long at times, although I certainly wasn't complaining when we got bumped up to business class for the nine-hour flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa. Now THAT was a nice surprise!

We had been trying to prepare ourselves for the time change, and thankfully, arriving late at night worked out perfectly. By the time we reached our accommodations, we were more than ready for bed. We slept through the night and woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly normal.

Well, almost.

Eli had gotten up around 3:00 a.m. to use the bathroom and noticed that the power was out. When we woke up at 6:30, it was STILL out. Naturally, I assumed that meant we wouldn't have any hot water, so I washed my hair in the ice-cold sink, washed up with a few damp cloths, put my makeup on in the dark, and let my hair air-dry.

As I stood there trying to get ready, I couldn't help laughing about our trip to Congo. Remember the morning we were supposed to meet Addy, when I realized I'd forgotten my shampoo and then managed to blow up my blow dryer?! Apparently, getting ready to meet our children in Africa was destined to be an adventure in itself!

But I quickly reminded myself that none of it mattered. Not one bit. It didn't matter what my hair looked like or whether I smelled like I'd just spent 32 hours traveling. Because THIS was the day we had been waiting for.

The day we would FINALLY meet our boys!

We were about to drive across Addis Ababa to a small orphanage where our boys had been living for far too long. A place that had been such an important part of their lives and was about to become a very special part of ours. It would be the place where we received our first hugs, had our first conversations, and played our first game of cards. And believe me, that card game was VERY important!

We were fortunate enough to travel to the orphanage with another sweet couple who had already been in Ethiopia for a few days. They graciously offered to take pictures and videos of our first moments together, which was such a blessing. I had been praying that I wouldn't completely lose it and terrify the boys with their crazy, emotional new mom the very second they met me!

But despite being a crier, I barely had time to think about my emotions once we arrived.

The moment our van pulled up, we spotted the boys through the window. And as soon as we climbed out of the vehicle, they were right there to greet us!



The first hugs we'll never forget!

I was SO nervous. I had no idea how they would react, what they would think of us, or whether they would be comfortable showing affection right away.

But there they were.

All smiles. Arms wide open.

Ready to greet us.

Those first moments happened so quickly that they hardly seemed real. I'm crying now just thinking back on them, but at the time, I was simply overwhelmed with happiness. I FINALLY had my BIG BOYS in my arms, and I couldn't wait to get to know them!

The rest of the day was absolutely wonderful. Within minutes of our arrival, the boys were playing soccer with Eli. Before long, they were running off and motioning for us to follow them as they eagerly began showing us around the orphanage.

Our first stop was the baby house, and OH MY, do those boys LOVE the babies! They ran around picking up as many little ones as they could, placing them in our arms and giggling with delight. There were so many precious little faces! From there, they took us to the toddler room, the schoolroom, and finally, their bedroom. They were clearly excited to show us every part of the place they knew so well.

Watching the bond develop between the boys and Eli was absolutely incredible. They wanted their new brother beside them every second and even fought over who got to spend time with him! The three of them played catch, enjoyed games together, and made their way around the orphanage so the boys could proudly introduce Eli to all their friends.

I was honestly surprised by just how outgoing D and N were with us. Before arriving, we had no idea what to expect. Would they be shy? Would it take time before they felt comfortable? Would they want to interact with us right away?

Well, those worries disappeared pretty quickly!

The boys were ready to play, talk, laugh, and show us everything. We played more soccer, visited an area behind the orphanage where women received training in hairstyling, weaving, and beadmaking, looked through hundreds of pictures and videos, played cards, chewed LOTS of gum, and asked one another what seemed like hundreds of questions.

They especially loved watching the videos I had brought on my phone. They couldn't get enough of Addy laughing hysterically, Eli sledding, or Ayla and Owen singing. It was so sweet to watch their faces light up as they saw their brothers and sisters back home. They already knew each sibling by name from the pictures we had sent and were clearly SO excited to meet them in person.

One of the sweetest moments of the entire day happened while all the children were gathered in the schoolroom watching a video. Bobby and Eli had gone inside with the older kids, while I stayed outdoors to play with a few toddlers who had been following me around.

After about ten minutes, I quietly slipped into the schoolroom and found a chair near the back. I had been sitting there for only a couple of minutes when D glanced over his shoulder and noticed me.

Without a word, he stood up, made his way through the room, grabbed another chair, and pulled it up right beside mine. Then he put his arm around me and simply smiled.

Oh, my sweetness!

That was it. The tears started flowing like CRAZY!

It was such a simple moment, but I will never forget it. I had spent so much time dreaming about meeting our boys and wondering what those first interactions would be like. And there I was, sitting beside my son, with his arm around me and the sweetest smile on his face.

My heart could hardly contain it!

We were also able to share a special note from their "Auntie" Rachel, and a video from "Uncle" Ben. Their faces absolutely lit up when we told them we had met these special people in their lives and that Auntie Rachel had even stayed at our house—in their future bedroom!

It was especially precious to listen as each boy read the note Auntie Rachel had written to them. They carefully sounded out the words, and I loved seeing how much joy the message brought them.

Oh, how BLESSED we are that WE get to be the parents of these two sweet, handsome, wonderful, and smart boys! They stole our hearts long before we ever arrived in Ethiopia, but what we're feeling now is simply indescribable.

And as though meeting our boys wasn't enough excitement for one day, I also ate my first injera (which I LOVED and Eli HATED!), picked my first coffee bean, and had my first Amharic lesson, courtesy of D!

What an incredible first day in Ethiopia. I can hardly wait to see what the rest of our time here will bring.

Up tomorrow...church and MORE time with our boys!!!!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention something. Apparently, the hot water DOES work when the power is out. Bobby discovered this when he took a perfectly warm shower later that morning.

Needless to say, he got a pretty good laugh out of my ice-cold hair-washing adventure!

P.S. A little travel advice: Don't buy a brand-new computer and bring it all the way to Ethiopia, assuming it has a built-in microphone so you can Skype with your loved ones back home. You may find yourself even more out of luck than the woman who thought she had to take a cold shower!

Here we Go Go Go Go!!

Sitting in the Denver airport after our first leg (of four)....

Eli's reaction when the plane took off was priceless!  I couldn't contain him as he squealed with delight! Finally after about 10 minutes he settled in settled down;)

I don't know how we're going to make it two weeks without Ayla, Owen, and Addy...but we know they are in good hands!  It's hard to believe just 9 months ago we had little miss Addy placed in our arms.  Wow!  What a road God has brought us down...and we are so very thankful that He chose US to add to our family by adoption!

And here we are now, on our way to meet the boys!  We are so anxious...especially after hearing more and more about them! 

Another family who we'll meet soon is there now and have been sending us photos and notes all week.  They tell us the boys are a true delight and that they are super excited to meet us!  They also confirmed that their English is good enough to communicate, so that's a relief!!  

Here's one of the notes she gave us:

"I asked N again today, "Are you
excited to see your mom and dad?" And he said, "Yes on Friday!" with a big
smile. I just can't get over how sweet your boys are. N especially is like
a big brother to all the younger boys, and he has been amazing with
translating. :) D has the funniest little personality, he's all smiles.
They both seem to have the sweetest, kindest souls, and N seems to both of
us like he is wise beyond his years."

Here's a sneak peek at another photo!  d washing his hair!!

Next post....MEETING OUR BOYS!!!!!!

Travel and Court Dates!!!!

This week has been C.R.A.Z.Y!!!!

After we received word last Friday that a positive letter had been written for our family, we frantically started packing just in case we got the call to leave immediately (which recently happened to another family!).  We also had the His Little Feet concert to prepare for and didn't know for sure that we'd be here, so much extra thought had to go into last minute details.

Monday came with sheer anticipation that we could be getting a call telling us to jump on a plane.  By the end of the day we hadn't heard anything so I called our travel coordinator and confirmed that hosting a few children from Tuesday-Thursday was going to work.

Tuesday came with more anticipation as we welcomed the His Little Feet choir to Dickinson!!!  As much as  we would love to have been in Ethiopia already, being home to host and visit with the staff was the biggest blessing.

D and N had the privilege of touring with HLF in their 2011-2012 tour.  The directors and uncles and aunties gave us valuable information about the boys that will help in our transition time.  They shared favorite memories, personalities, pictures, and videos!  What joy they brought to our home!!!  Even just being around the choir, hosting, and seeing the show helped us gain a better understanding of a big part of their past!  We can't speak highly enough about HLF, their ministry, and the love they have for the children. 

We were also able to host Auntie Rachael---who was D and N's auntie for a few months!!!--and three sweet girls. 

We took photos to bring to the boys and I was even able to record Uncle Ben saying a message to them!  Oh I can't wait to show them the pictures and video!

We only had a few weeks notice about this event and were so thrilled Embrace was able to bring them through our church!  The church was full for the event and numerous people stopped to tell us how much they enjoyed the show.  We're praying the event also helped others understand the biblical mandate behind Embrace and why our family has made the choices we have in building our family!  We're already excited about bringing HLF back in the spring!

This morning we woke bright and early to see the choir off....and shortly after, we got the email we've been waiting for..........

Court isn't as soon as we had thought...............

but a date is set..................

Bobby, myself, and Eli will be meeting D and N in just ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be spending my 30th birthday in court adding D and N to our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  EEEEEKK!!  Who would have ever thought I'd be standing before a judge on the day I hop into "true adulthood" to become a mommy to SIX WONDERFUL BEINGS!!!!!!!!!!!

Now time to relax!!!  We had cleared our schedules and are now able to just sit back and enjoy the next week before time comes to meet OUR BOYS!!!

It's Almost Time!!!!

As anxious as I am to hop on a plane, travel across the world, and meet our boys--these past couple weeks have flown by!  Between swimming lessons, t-ball, a short vacation, & planning I've been able to keep my mind off the wait to meet them.

After our referral we waited for a MOWCYA date (court for the birth family and the Ethiopian government to say the boys are adoptable and we are acceptable!). Last week on our trip to MT we received word that this step was to take place on July 8th---sooner than I had expected. 

We spent five days in beautiful Montana with my in-laws.  It was a perfect get-away from work for Bobby and planning for me!  I cannot wait to bring the boys over next summer to play on the lake...I think Grandpa Bob may need a bigger boat;)

 After MOWCYA our next step was to wait for a positive letter stating we are suitable for adoption from Ethiopia.  We were informed there was a backlog of letters so we were praying for, but not expecting an email this week.  We woke up TODAY to an email stating the letter has been written and we are now waiting on a court date--that will be anywhere from 1-3 weeks away!!! 

Do you know what that means!?!?!?!?!  As soon as next week, but certainly before court closures we will travel to Ethiopia and MEET OUR BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!   We have to be in Addis two days prior to court...so if we happen to get a court date for next week, we could be leaving in just a few days! 

We really did believe that we'd make it to court before they close (approximately Aug-Oct for their rainy season), but there was still a caution sign flashing, "Don't get too excited!" 
Well, I guess it's time for us to start packing our bags;)

Once again, we're reminded that God's got this.  He had D and N planned for our family long time before we started this journey in 2011!  He knew we'd desire to add a baby girl to our family, knew we'd get past our monetary fears and pursue a concurrent adoption, knew we'd have a change of heart after bringing Addy home...and knew we'd be here today preparing to add 2 wonderful, handsome boys to our family. 

WOW! 

D and N receiving our care packages last week!  We were even blessed with a short
video of them saying "Hi, Dad and Mom.....We love you!"  WHAT A GIFT!

 

My Weakness is the Key to His Strength

I've been meaning to write a follow up post for quite some time!  In my last post, I admitted to my fear in bringing D and N home and stated that I don't believe in the old saying, "God will not give you more than you can handle."

God's sovereignty amazes me each and every day.  One thing that amazes me is every Bible study I have done has come at just the right time in my life.  This summer I'm doing Priscilla Shirer's study "Gideon: Your weakness. God's Strength."  The title itself is a dead give away that it's a very supportive piece to this journey.  And no, I didn't go sign up for this study last week...in fact I planned to do this study before we received our referral.  But God knew.  He knew this study was exactly what I needed as a daily reminder that my weaknesses are in deed His strengths!

After writing my last post at about 10pm one night, I went into bed with my book and Bible in hand.  Minutes after pushing "post" I was once again given the reassurance I needed...

Our weaknesses are the conduits through which we experience God's strength.  Weakness is a key, and like most keys, it's designed to open something.  God designed your key specifically to fit the lock He has in mind for you.  He uses your weaknesses, the areas and places where you feel the least strong, to open a divine door.  Without this key, we would rarely experience God's strength!                   

Priscilla Shirer

Say what!?!?!?  Didn't I just write a post almost stating this same thing only MUCH less eloquently???  Not that I needed it, but reassurance that God DOES in deed give us more than we can handle.  God has most definitely shown me that through my weaknesses I feel His strength and presence more than ever!

The road of adoption is not easy...and the "post-adoption" is most definitely not easy--especially when most people look from the outside thinking it's simply a beautiful, wonderful thing.  And it is.  But it comes with a lot of work, love, tears, trials, and patience.    I must continue to remember that my resources and support are unending through God.  He will get us through whatever lies ahead, just as He brought us to this!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory.  Eph 3:20 

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.   1 Tim 1:12

He saved me.
He changed me.
He positioned me to be used.
He (is) strengthened(ing) me.

 I may be weak.  But through Him, I am strong!!!!!!!

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Cor 12:9

If you need encouragement today to get through a fear or trial...be rest assured that God has your back.  Through Him ALL THINGS are possible!

I'm in a state of fullness today!  Full of hope.  Full of joy.  Full of strength that I feel through the Holy Spirit within me. 
 

More Than I Can Handle

I never thought I'd be a blogger...but 26 months ago I started this blog as a way for our friends and family to follow our journey through adoption and understand what this journey entails. Even though adoption is a beautiful gift, it's not always what it may seem.

After accepting our referral, we were filled with overwhelming feelings of happiness, fullness, and love.  We quickly got on the phone to make arrangements needed to compile our needed paperwork.  We printed pictures of our boys to hang on our fridge.  We shared with family and friends the joyous news that we're adding 4 little (well, not so little!) feet to our family.  We've been overwhelmed with information and little tidbits on our boys from others...and oh, we cannot wait to be able to share more with you all!  Our hearts were overflowing....

About a week after accepting the referral, reality began to sink in.  Yes, we are joyful.  Yes, we know this is what God has called us to do.  Yes, we love D and N so incredibly much ALREADY.

BUT, this isn't going to be easy.

There are many physical things to sort out. 
paperwork (moooorrreee paperwork!)
travel (two trips)
schooling
bedrooms
clothing
language barriers
etc.

And there are many other feelings that are beginning to surface. 
Scared. 
Worried. 
Heartbroken. 
Nervous.
Unprepared.

I've been extremely emotional these past two days.  During worship yesterday I was standing and praying that God would help calm my fears and help equip us for the decisions and changes that will be coming.  Emotions were scrolling through my mind and I was praying for assurance...

And then the next song began.

Immediately my face was covered in tears as one of my best friends started singing Amazing Grace.  This particular friend (along with God and Bobby) has been my rock through this journey.  Hearing her voice singing,
"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved"
opened the gates!  My face was streaming with tears as I was reminded of the grace that I've been given and the fears that are washed away with God by my side. 

This hard, tough, emotional journey is a direct reflection of Christ's work in us.  We didn't wake up one day and decide, "Hmmm, I think we'll adopt 3 children from Africa."

It was a process.  A change of heart.  A passion for the fatherless that God put with in us.  It was a process of "dying to ourselves" and giving ourselves over to Him and what He calls us to do.  We didn't sign up for this thinking it was going to be all peaches and roses. 

We've all heard the saying, "God does not give us more than we can handle."  I used to say it myself.  But now I know better and  I find the truth to be the exact opposite. 

I'm living "more than I can handle."  

God DOES give us more than we can handle, so we can see His hands in our lives. 
We need His help. 
There is no other way. 

Yes, this is going to be hard and we'll be overwhelmed at times.
BUT
We must realize this is much larger than us.  And through Him, all things are possible.

And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

 

REFERRAL DAY!!!!!

June 14th will no longer just be known as Flag Day to our family....but also as another Referral Day!!  The day we fell in love with TWO sweet, handsome boys from Ethiopia. 

If you've followed our journey from the beginning, you know this has been quite the ride.

We started the process in April of 2011 to bring home a child 0-18 months from Ethiopia.....
then God called us to a concurrent adoption from Congo...
we brought Addy home October 29, 2012....
then our hearts and minds were opened to bringing home an older child (or children)....

And here we are today....June 14, 2013 staring at the faces of two children half way around the world, waiting for a family to welcome them and love them and keep them FOREVER.

Today we accepted the referral of these handsome young men ages 9&11.  We will be referring to them as 'D' and 'N' until we pass court.

Two years ago I would have NEVER imagined we'd be at this point right now.  Yes, there are insecurities in bringing home two older children; yet we rest assured in knowing this is all God's plan for our family.  We know some will think we're nuts (ha! many already do!) and we're okay with that.  We're okay with being just a tad bit crazy and radical.  It's all because He first loved us. 

Our children??!?!  They haven't stopped beaming all day.  Eli is completely smitten and so happy he'll have older brothers (and that used to be a fear of mine!).  Ayla keeps asking to see their pictures.  Owen and Addy just smile and laugh.  Oh how I wish I could be there when D and N find out they are joining our family!

We will keep everyone updated as to what's happening and what our time frames are looking like.  Here's what's coming up next:

1. After paperwork is in place in Ethiopia, our family's case is submitted to court
2. Initial MOWCYA/birth family court date takes place
3. MOWCYA writes us a favorable (hopefully) letter
4. The court subpoenas the adoptive family to court (TRIP #1)
5. More paperwork and documentation after court
6. The paperwork is submitted to the US Embassy. The Embassy completes an I-604 investigation of orphan status
7. Once the US Embassy reviews and approves the I-600 application and finishes the I-604 Investigation, we can travel back to pick up our boys (TRIP #2)

Please join in praying for our family:

• For clarity and preparation in our home
• For D and N while they wait and will soon find out they have a family waiting for them (that gives me goosebumps!!!!)
• For a quick court date before court closures (approximately 2 months due to the rainy season)
• For the monies to fall into place (we need to send a check for $9,385 on Monday!!!!!! Then we'll have all the travel fees--for two trips)
• For all the logistics of bringing home 2 more children
• For our family and friends to be supportive and understanding of our family dynamics

We are in awe.  We are overjoyed. 
We ARE A FAMILY OF EIGHT!!!!!!!

.....I can now say I have 6 children ages 1,3,5,7(almost),9 and 11.

 

Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 47:1

My Trust Confirmed

As my last post mentioned, the adoption process for Ethiopia will be changing as of September 1st.  I think it's safe to say there is not a family in the waiting stage that is thrilled about this change.  When talking ethics (which I know and believe should be most important), this is a good change.  However, many don't agree with the way it's being done and the longer time frame children will be STUCK in orphanages. 

With this change brought a lot of emotions from hundreds of families.  Many families I know decided to consider one of the waiting children who are on our agency's list....and everyone started counting months to figure out if they'd be caught in the new procedures.  I'll admit, we've been praying over the waiting child list for two years and there were a couple of sibling groups we have been heavily discussing.  This news had us thinking we should jump quickly so we could get the process going before we'd fall under the new process.

All week I've been praying that we do not get caught up in the emotions of the crazy adoption road, and that we'd truly give this over the Lord and wait for His guidance.

This weekend we finally had all our paperwork in order to get our new I-171H (approval from the US saying we are approved to bring home up to 2 children ages 0-11).  The sibling sets we had been praying about fell outside of this approval and therefore we considered not sending the paperwork...why not call our social worker, ask if they'd approve us for an even broader age range, THEN send in for our I-171H.  Instead of sending in the paperwork on Saturday, I held on to it until Monday afternoon. 

God clearly told me to just send in the paperwork and to trust that He had this all under control. 

And so I put the large envelope into the mail, "Lord, you called us down this path.  It has been a road of faith and perseverance, and I know there are trials ahead.  I know that you've got our backs and you've got us covered.  Whether that means we get a referral this week or 2 months from now....I give it all over to you..."

And today I got complete confirmation that even though this journey is HARD and TOUGH and TRYING....when we give it all over to Him, it all falls into place the way He wants it to....

Today I was in my new classroom trying to figure out how I'll arrange the room.  I had all four kids with me, all a little hungry, and all most definitely tired.  We had been working for almost four hours and I was starting to get a tad bit cranky....

My phone rang....

Virginia area code....

I knew instantly....

After what seemed like 5 minutes introducing herself to me (our family coordinator is out of town), she finally told me she was calling to ask if we would accept a referral of 2 children if she called me back today or tomorrow....

UMMMMM....YES!!!!!!!!!!!

She had to call to confirm some tiny little logistics....and now we are waiting for our phone to ring again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (so if you call me in the mean time, I just may reach through the phone and shake you silly)

Next post-----REFERRAL (from Ethiopia---a process we started in April of 2011)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART and lean not on your own understanding.  In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight!

Celebrating????

Over the past two weeks we've done a lot of celebrating...

Miss Ayla turned 5. 
Every day she amazes us with her kind, sensitive, giving spirit.  She most definitely has a servant's heart and I continue to pray that never leaves her.  She wanted a flower party on our deck, and was rather bummed when the deck wasn't finished on time.  When I told her we could still plant flowers inside, she looked a little concerned.  I guess when she said she wanted a flower party I didn't realize she thought we were going to plant a field of wild flowers in our backyard!  But, it was still a success!

Mr. Mischievous turned 3. 
Every family has a lively one of the bunch...and that's definitely our Owen.  But, I wouldn't change any of it...he's hysterical and brings so much laughter to our home!!  He wanted a horse party and being two of his best friends turn 3 within the same week, we had a party for the three 3 year olds!  The most fun was that our friends brought a horse for the kids to ride--boy was Owen surprised and excited! 

 

We celebrated  graduation from preschool and kindergarten...

And another year of hard working at AWANAS...

 

AND the start of our deck (which led to mud baths in the backyard!).

 

It's obviously been a very eventful, fun month for our family....so much to give thanks for, as always. 

 

I actually came on to give an update on our adoption.  The latest news has put me down in the dumps this afternoon. 

 

But, as I sat down to start writing, I realized I hadn't posted all these celebrations....and in writing about the all the fun and positives, the negative doesn't seem quite so negative anymore!

 

So, even though the latest news on Ethiopian adoptions is frustrating and hard to take, I'm trying to stay positive.

 

I'd appreciate prayers for Ethiopian adoptions in general...and that the children that are waiting for families will not have to endure long, drawn out time periods within orphanages.  What this means for our family and those in process (for now) is that instead of bringing children home 4-6 months after referral, it will be 8-10 months.  And, if you heard us mention the hopes of it becoming a one trip process, it is not looking like that is the case. 

 

We had 7 months between referral and travel with Addy---and that 7 months was HARD!  I remember thinking over and over again, "at least we won't have to wait this long with our Ethiopian adoption."

 

BUT...

 

We've seen God's sovereignty through our adoption journey more than ever....and therefore we continue to push forward, ready to endure whatever it takes to bring home the child(ren) God has for our family. 

 

One more note....if we happen to get a referral within the next week or so, there is a possibility we could be submitted to court before September 1st when this new process is put into place.....I'm not counting on that...but yet we believe that if it's God's will....it will be done;)