BIG NEWS!

It's a girl!

We received the call Wednesday (4/14/10) afternoon.

A day we will not soon forget!

I actually had a voicemail on my cell phone from our SW... I immediately got butterflies in my stomach & tears in my eyes-just from our SW's voice in a message :)

It did not take long to connect but it felt like forever.

Just a short time into our conversation she shared she had a "REFERRAL" for us.

Here's some of what I heard....

She's a beautiful 3 year old little girl

Her big brown eyes are capitivating...they truly are!

And her precious little smile is heart warming.

Her Daddy & I are in LOVE!

No, her whole family is in LOVE!!!

It will be approximately 3 months until she's home in our arms forever.

In the meantime we do all we can as far as it's depends on us.

We are uncertain if we will be traveling to Ethiopia one or two times,

But trusting in God's plan & provision for each next step.

Did I mention, we are in LOVE???

Please keep us in your prayers... and we will keep you posted!

"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a fuure." Jeremiah 29:11

:)

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