:)

Our family is Number 6!!!!

3 more.

this is what we know.









3 more referrals.









3 more sweet babes matched with their "forever families"



3 more times my heart lept for joy.













The anticipation of adoption is hard to explain.














The wait to see the face of the little one created to grow up in your family is so many things;










humbling.











surreal.












anxious.















blessed.











agonizing.























emotional.
















beautiful.




















Having had the blessed privilege of welcoming children into my arms through pregnancy I now know both similarities and differences in the adoption journey...











Like pregnancy; you long to see and hold the child you know will become part of your heart & life forever.











Unlike pregnancy; you have absolulety NO idea when to expect the little blessing--not the month, not the season, not even the year. ???













The journey is much like a rollercoaster... one moment filled with confidence and the next consumed with fear & doubt you are not cut-out for the ride.

In "real life" I like rollercoasters... the wind in your face, the excitment and thrill of the next turn and hill--all safely beneath the hold of selt belts & other gadgets.

Verdict's still out on how I'm fairing this ROLLERCOASTER ride...








Resting in His perfect timing and plans for me and my family.









Seeking comfort in His truths.













Wanting to be filled with His strength and wisdom.













We are now #7 on the Forum Waiting List... Seem like we should be #5???











It's the winding part of the ride...









I can only imagine the work of those doing all they can to match these precious children to waiting families.











I can say that we trust their prayerful & difficult decisions....






Thank you for all you do for the glory of God!






And the journey continues :)

sunshine :)

We surprisingly have had some unseasonably warmer and "Sunny" days.



And it makes me happy.



Really happy.


Though, today has some brisker winds... the sun is shining BRIGHT!



And I love it.

Another little something that makes me happy... and even want to dance...

We moved on the forum wait list!

There was a referral yesterday... Matched to the family just ahead of us on this list :)

We now sit at NUMBER 8!!!

Not sure what it means... but the movement is exciting... And another one of God's children has been matched to his "forever family".

That gives me goosebumps.

Before this I have been finding myself kind of stuck, I guess.

Unable to come up with the words to express my heart & thoughts.

Praying the words come a little more freely... in which case I'll keep you posted on further developments :)

If anyone's still stops by... thanks for hanging in there...

I believe the "journey" has only just begun.

God Bless.

it's NOT about us...

“… A night of failure sets the stage for a day of fantastic results if you don’t give up;

God uses the long dark night to accomplish some important spiritual changes.

He wants us to have those times when no human answers, no human consolation, no human heroes; no human efforts can change things. He’s bringing you to the end of what you can do; the end of anything you can even think of doing. Because that’s the beginning of the things only God can do. First, He has to get us out of the way.”

(Ron Hutchcraft)

changes.

We have recently learned there are some impending changes happening in [our] Ethiopian adoption process.











Though it hasn't been made official yet, we are expecting the following changes to affect our adoption process from how we thought it would be;











they are stating that beginning April 9th families will be required to attend their childs court date. This is Ethiopia's effort to ensure a family has met and seen the child before the Embassy date, therefore resolving some of the problem of families deciding at the last minute they do not want the child referred to them. (Hopefully we will get some official instructions from Ethiopia soon)






We have not received our referral (a picture & short description of child(ren) matched to our family. I think it's important to mention again; Bethany does not find children for families, but rather families for children)





So this change most definetly is expected to affect us & our family!











At the beginning of our adoption journey we expected to have a "court date" take place without us and we would travel only once (approx. 6-8 weeks after Court) to bring our child(ren) home-staying in Ethiopia for about 1 week.

**We will now travel at least twice... once for Court and again to bring our child(ren) home.

We're trying to see this in a positive light... getting to see & hold the child(ren) intended to grow up in our family sooner is wonderful...










leaving them once having them in our arms seems beyond words difficult...









it's also hard to phathom how we'll come by the added travel expenses...











But God is in control... He knows ALL things.









For now we will do our best to take one day at a time.
(As you can probably tell, I'm not all that good at this.)









Trusting in God's perfect timing & His plans for us.





PS.As for where we stand in the process...

We've been DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) since the beginning of October. If you read here , you'll know there were many referrals that went out in January... more than a half dozen more went out in February... And we are currently waiting at NUMBER 9 on the forum "waiting list"... So once again, "time will tell" : )














Today we choose to obey & serve & worhip Him while "waiting".

zapped.

It's been some time again since we've posted.


I guess, LIFE in general has just been busy.



Nothing out of the ordinary, really.



School.



Work.



Volleyball.




Church.




Winter blues.





**I'm feeling "zapped"... tired. a little grouchy. short. sad. discontent.




Trying desperately to cling to His truths.



Finding my way back to CONTENTMENT.



Wading through my many thoughts-not wanting to get lost in the ways of the world but rather rest in God's unfailing love for me.






It's "nothing" really.





Probably just a case of "Spring Fever"




And this too shall pass.





Thanking my Father in heaven for loving me... despite "me" :)











"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

well said...

As I took at a peek at a "friends" blog recently, I was struck by what she wrote...

Thank you Weimer family for sharing your heart with us, for loving Jesus like you do, & for inspiring us who also desire to "Follow hard after Him"

(The Weimer's are a family who has adopted twice from Ethiopia (2 sibling groups of 3) have 3 bio children, & announced at Christmas time they were expecting their 10th child : ) ... wow!)

Here's what they had to say...

QUESTION: Do you think it's a mandate for all Christians to adopt?

[I just got asked this question again on Facebook today. Here's my response:]

OOOOH, a question I get asked quite a bit. :) And one that people try to stump me on.

Here's what I say:

Preface: I can't say what every person should or should not do, nor will I judge a person who doesn't supposedly "get it." That's wrong...

1) Scripture says that if we see someone in need and we have something that would fill their need yet DO NOT fill it, we do not have the love of God in us. [We have a family; orphans don't; we therefore should share with the orphan what we have that they do not.]

2) Scripture says that we must do to others what we would want done to us (or our own biological kids, for that matter). If we were orphaned, we would want to be adopted. Period. Not just visited or taken care of in a group home. Adopted into a family. And we would want the same for our biological kids.

3) Jesus didn't just come to visit us or care for us in our orphaned state; He came to lay down His life to adopt us. James 1:27 uses the phrase "visit orphans." The word "visit" there is the same word used for when Jesus came to "visit" us. He didn't leave us as orphans; He adopted us. He didn't see us in our orphaned state of despair and say, "Oh, poor things...I wish someone would do something about that." No, He adopted us. Changed our futures; our destinies; our families. We are to follow Him and do as He did.

4) How can we not? How can we look at the children in the world without families and say, 'No, not worth it.'? Our lives are not our own. We are called to pick up our crosses and follow Him. Not our own plans or desires or conveniences. Ain't nothin' about this whole "following Jesus" thing that is supposed to be convenient. Ask Jesus if the Cross was "convenient" or glamorous.

So, should every Christian adopt? Well, I like to turn that question on its head...What is a good reason a Christian SHOULDN'T adopt? Most reasons are self-focused if we are really honest with ourselves.

[Obviously, many people are not "fit" to adopt right now, but that is usually due to our own messes we've made with relationships, finances, life choices, etc, and not something put in our way stopping us from adopting.]