Baby Shower

We had our baby shower yesterday to prepare for Daniel. We were so overwhelmed with the love and generosity of our friends. We are officially ready for Daniel to come home, we just have to find room for all the gifts we received. The shower was beautiful, everyone did such a nice job that put it together for us. We decorated in the theme of his bedroom all the way down to the animal shaped cakes!!! Check out the slideshow posted to the left of pictures from this wonderful day!

Waiting Does Not Get Easier!

So we are still waiting on a court date. Waiting does not get easier, I think it may even be harder when you have a picture to look at and a face. I can't wait for all of you to meet Daniel, his eyes are mesmorizing, big and brown. The Kerby family sent us pictures yesterday they took of him last week. He looks like he has gained some weight and is very happy. We are not sure when we will get a court date, MOW@ has shut down from July 8th to July 24th for mandatory training from the government. Since you can't pass a court case without the letter of recommendation from MOW@, there will most likely not be any new court dates scheduled until July 27th and after. We are still not sure if the courts are going to shut down or not. If they are and we do not get a court date before Aug 7th we most likely will be waiting until October to travel.

Meanwhile we continue to wait and plan for Daniels arrival. Wonderful families are taking pictures and emailing them when they go to pick up their child and it helps to see those new pictures of him smiling and seeing that he is very well taken care of. When it is our turn we will be ready! Until then we wait.

Court News

I talked to our agency today about when we could expect a court date. We still have not received the profile for Daniel from the orphange. Our coordinator said she talked to the orphanage director today and our profile was in the last stages within the government before it comes to the agency here in the US. What this means for a court date is we will wait. They can not open a case until that paperwork is completed, they are optimistic that a case will be able to be opened next week. Court dates currently being assigned are mid to end of July. So that is most likely when our court date will be but you never know. A concern of ours is that we get through court before closures, closures are rumored to happen around August 7th though that has not been confirmed. We will be close. I know God can move mountains and make miracles happen. I pray that he is watching over our little boy and will help us to pass court before they close so we do not have to wait until October to pick him up. That would be a very long two months.

Meanwhile there is a family there taking pictures and loving on our little boy The Kerby's and there is another family leaving this week that is going to take more pictures and give our little boy more love. It is reassuring to know we will still see more pictures of him and people are loving him before we can get there to hold him. Praying for a fast resolution and court date so we can finally pick Daniel up!

Pictures & Waiting

I think this side of the waiting is a little harder than it was when we were waiting for a referral. We now have a picture we can stare at and believe me I can not stop staring! We are waiting anxiously for our court date, hopefully sometime this week we will find out. Meanwhile there is a family that is in Ethiopia this week that is delivering our care package and going to take more pictures for us. I can't wait to see more of him.

Meanwhile, as we wait paitently of course, many things are going on. This past weekend was Mark's birthday, we had a big cookout on Saturday with our family and friends. This coming weekend is the 4th of July and then next week is my birthday. We have planned the shower to be the following weekend the 12th and somewhere in there Mark has about 12 gigs with 2 different bands, and 2 golf outings. Good thing we are busy I think I would drive myself crazy!!!

Good news from the Ethiopia front. They are going to start reopening cases that were temporarily on hold from the abandonment investigation on July 2nd. Please pray with us that these families will pass as they have been waiting a very long time to hold their little ones.

Many have asked is we can post pictures of Daniel (that is what we are naming him by the way Daniel Kelile). Unfortunately we can not post any pictures on the internet or email until we pass court. I do have a photo album with his pictures though so if you want to come and visit stop on by and see our baby boy!!! I love saying that!

Pediatrician Interview

So we went to visit a pediatrician today to see if we would like her and get her opinion on Daniel's medical labs and pictures. We are so blessed to have found her, everything is falling in place just. She was very nice and personable. She went over all her meds and said she didn't see anything specific that we should be concerned about. We loved her and will definitely be going back. She spent over an hour with us just discussing our concerns and a plan for when we come back. Praise God for wonderful doctors and the people he puts in our paths just when we need them.

First Care Package

We sent our first care package to our baby boy today. There is a family, the Kerby's that are travelling next week to pick up their baby. We are so grateful for families traveling that take care packages, we also gave them a consent form so that they can take more pictures for us. We can't wait to get them. I love looking at his precious face. See our care package below:

Baby Stuff

Well today we signed our offical referral acceptance letter and mailed it off to America World. We knew from the minute we say this precious baby boy that we were accepting his referral but I had to go out of town Friday and Thursday the day we got the referral was filled with way to excitement and busyness so we did it today it is at UPS waiting to be picked up first thing on Monday morning. Yeah!!!!!! On our way to a court date. Oh did I mention that while I was gone yesterday Mark bought a car. This week has been crazy with excitement and change. Here is how it has gone so far:

Monday - Mark started back to work. YEAH!!!!!
Thursday - Referral call (One of the top moments of my life so far)
Friday - Mark bought a car (Jeep Cherokee - that we so badly need so we are not trying to get an infant in and out of the backseat of a Cavalier or Sunfire, that both are only 2 doors)

Saturday - Register for baby shower

Yes, tonight we tackled the task of registering for our baby's stuff. It was fun picking out all the stuff that our baby will use. The whole time we were walking around babies r us saying "We have no clue what we are doing". Really not sure I registered for enough bottles and I know there is a lot of stuff we completely left off. Any mom's reading out there that can offer suggestions, please do!!!!! Grandma went with us while we registered, she was so funny. When we got in the car to leave she was like, why didn't we just buy it all now. She cracks me up!!!!!

Oh well it is about midnight and i haven't really slept since the call Thursday. One hundred and one things to do and I am running out of time to do them. It will all get done, it always does.

Unbelieveable

So it has been almost 24 hours since we got the news. I can't stop staring at that precious face. I can't believe he will be ours. One look and instantly you will fall in love. It has been a long 8 months 2 weeks and 2 days that we waited to see that precious face. I don't think I would have changed the wait time for anything though looking back, so much was learned and we grew so much in our faith. God has big plans for this little guy I just know it and I am proud already to be his mom. It is truly amazing how you can love someone so much that you don't even know.

It still feels like a dream.......

We Got It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got the call today! We got a referral for a beautiful 3 month old baby boy. I can't share much more than that until after we pass court but I can't stop looking at his picture. I just want to hold him!!!!! After lunch today I was checking the Yahoo Group and noticed that the family on the list ahead of us got their referral. I called Mark and said "we're next" and when we hung up, I jokingly said keep your phone handy it could be today. Literally 10-15 minutes later I was in my boss's office telling her and she was like it could be before the end of today and then my phone rang, I looked at it and looked at her and was like this is it! I don't think I could even describe the feeling when Terra said I have a potential referral for you. My heart was racing and I couldn't stop shaking, she tried to get Mark to conference him in and his phone didn't ring at his office so I told her I would call her back in a minute. I got Mark on the phone and then conferenced in Terra (didn't even know I could do that until that minute) and she told us the news. I told my boss when I got off the phone, I have to go I can't wait to see his pictures. I went to Mark's office and that is where we saw the most beautiful precious baby boy and he is ours (unofficially until we pass court). I can't believe this is happening, it seems so surreal. We went to Outback and had dinner to celebrate. We have waited so long for this day, praises to God. It could only happen by way of him.

Now we have to pray to pass court, we will be one of the first families with an abandoned child to go through courts since the investigation. They don't see any problems happening but as we have seen you never know. So please pray for us that we will pass court quickly so we can hold our precious baby boy and show you guys the pictures!!!!!

Stay tuned it is about to get interesting................

"Thank you God for your mercy and your grace and the way you work amazing things in our lives. Even when our faith was thin we knew that it would happen in your time. Thank you for this amazing gift you have given us, we get to be parents to this precious child. You are truly truly amazing! In your name I pray. Amen"

ON DECK!!!!!!

So I went to a training class this morning and got back to my desk about 10:30 to check my email. I was so excited and in shock to see the subject "On Deck" from Terry Bailey. I have been waiting for this email for a long time! My heart started racing and my hands were shaking as I called Mark to tell him. This feels so real and soon we will see our baby's face. Do you believe it?!?!?!

What does on deck mean you might ask? We should receive our referral (child's profile, medical, picture) within the next 1-2 months. Keep praying we will receive our referral soon! Then this waiting game is over and the court waiting game starts but we will know our son's age and weight and see his precious face. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about that day. My phone will be glued to my hand at all times until that call comes in. Stay tuned, it is about to get really interesting.....

Praise God!

Where My Heart Is

Confessions, Prayer and Friends

Tonight I had the opportunity to do something that was absolutely amazing. The volunteers for CRASH (our middle school program at church) got together for a Prayer Meeting. I was really unsure as to what would take place and a little anxious going in. Coming out of it I can tell you I am totally 100% at peace knowing that God is in control of my life, work, children and family and I don't have to stress about it or worry over it. How did I get there you might ask? Well the meeting was held in sections, read scriptures together or whoever felt like reading read it out loud, sing a worship song or two (lead by one of our praise singers who is absolutely wonderful) pray for a minute thanking God for who he is, pray thanking him for the blessings in our lives, pray confessioning our sins, read some more scriptures, listen and sing more songs, pray about a need you have, prayer for your family and their needs, more scriptures, more songs, pray for the students of CRASH, pray for their families, more scriptures, more songs, etc. The night was two hours of us and God. Somewhere in that prayer time I felt this calm come over me like the song I have been listening to, I felt his arms around me telling me that we would be ok. Our baby will be here when he is ready, our baby is in good hands and is one of his children. God is there loving our baby when we can't be. It is amazing how this happens.

My prayer tonight is for all those waiting and those with heavy hearts or burdened hearts that you can feel the peace and calm that only God can provide. We are in his hands and we will be ok.

I thank you Lord for the amazing gifts of grace, mercy and love that you have shown me throughout this process. As the song says, "I can't do this alone, Lord I need you to hold on to me". When we become still Lord it is amazing that feeling of your arms around us. I thank you for the friends and people that you have put in our lives to help us through this tiime of waiting even if they don't realize that is what they are doing. I love you Lord, I love you Lord, I love you. that is all I can say right now. Thanks for loving me when I don't deserve it. Thanks for protecting me and guiding me through the hurt and the pain. I can't do this along and I am so thankful that I don't have to. It is in your name I pray. Amen

More Delay's

I received an email from Nicole at AWAA today. Due to the increase in abandonment cases in Addis Ababa the last few months, MOW@ and the ET government are not processing any abandonment adoptions. They are investigating extensively the abandonment cases to ensure that there is no corruption going on. While on one hand this is a good thing on the other it is going to delay or slow down the process with our agency. AWAA is not going to process any referrals that are abandoned children until they have more information on the investigations and process. This only comes to around 25% of their referrals but that is still a pretty big chunk and will slow down the referral process some and increase wait times. I know that this is all in God's plan and we will see our son and hold him when God is ready. May 26th will be 8 months waiting. Currently I am preparing myself to not pick up or hold my child until after court closures in October. As hard as this is for me to do, it is easier than getting my hopes up to pass court before closures and then dealing with the crash of that wasn't in God's plan. I am grateful that the Ethiopian government is taking such great strides in making this a process that is binding, no corruption so there is no question in the future. For them to do that we will need to be patient and hold on to hope that one day we will get our boy.

Please pray with us that the government will quickly complete their investigation and processing their paperwork so the referrals can start flowing again like rain.

Tonight as I finish this post to update the 2 people that read this I am playing these two songs in my head (I have been listening to them non stop for awhile but they are heavy on my heart especially right now):

Savior, Please
by: Josh Wilson

Savior please take my hand // I work so hard, I live so fast//This life begins, and then it ends//And I do the best that I can, but I don't know how long I'll last//
I try to be so tough//But I'm just not strong enough//I can't do this alone, God I need you to hold on to me//I try to be good enough// But I'm nothing without your love//Savior, please keep saving me//Savior please help me stand//I fall so hard, I fase so fast//Will You begin right where I end//And be the God of all I am because You're all I have//Hallelujah//Everything You are to me//is everything I'll ever need//And I am learning to believe//That I don't have to prove a thing//'Cause You're the one who's saving me

Hold Me Jesus
by: Big Daddy Weave
Sometimes my life just don't make sense at all//When the mountain looks so big//And my faith just seems so small//So hold me Jesus,//'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace //When I wake up in the night I feel the dark//It's so hot inside my soul//I swear there must be blisters on my heart//So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace//Surrender don't come natural to me//I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want//Than to take what you give that I need//And I've beat my head against so many walls//I'm falling down, falling on my knees//God please//
And the Salvation Army band is playing this hymn//And your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin//So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace

As I listen to these songs I trust in God to provide, I trust in him to keep our baby boy safe and I trust in him to give us peace during this time of waiting. I also ask that you pray for all the families that are waiting with us.

"Lord, give us the strength that only you can give during this already difficult time of waiting that just got a whole lot harder. I know Lord that you know when the end of this will come, there is a reason behind all this that only you know. I pray that you are with the family of our little boy as they make the difficult decisions they will have to make and give them peace that he will be loved and will be raised to know you. I pray for all the families that are in this boat with us, Lord give them the same peace and comfort knowing it is all in your hands. We love you and we thank you for this journey we are on to glorify you. In your name I pray. Amen"

Court, Referrals & Mother's Day

We were so excited three weeks ago when the referrals came rolling in on a Friday. We were bumped up to number 7ish (give or take a few mystery families). Since then there has only been 1 referral that we know of. That is the nature of the waiting game, you have the highs and the lows. Since we passed the 7 month waiting mark it seems to get harder and harder to wait patiently. Sunday is Mother's Day and as much as I love my mother's and grandmothers it is not going to be an easy day. Last year on Mother's Day we were so hopeful we would have a little boy by now. It was just not in God's plan for that to happen this year. Now I am not giving up hope there are still a few hours left today that referrals could come in but I highly doubt one will be ours. To make Sunday even harder it is Baby Dedication at church. The last few years since we have been trying I try to avoid Baby Dedication Sunday, it is to hard on my heart since I so badly want to be a mother up there dedicating my baby. I know that one day we will dedicate our son in front of the whole congregation and we will be happier than ever. But this year will not be that year. I know this post is kind of down and not very hopeful but hey everyone has their moments and this weekend seems to be mine. I know God has picked out the perfect child that we will one day soon see and I will continue to have faith and pray to the One who is in control until that day comes. Right now I am going to pray to make it through this weekend and not be an emotional wreck (very doubtful).

Also there are a lot of families that will be going to court the rest of this month. Please pray that their court dates will go smoothly and they can bring their children home to their forever families!

Lyrics & Waiting

Isn't it funny how words when put into a song can make you see the bigger picture better than someone telling you face to face? This "waiting" time we are in right now is starting to test my patience. We are waiting for a referral, waiting for a job opportunity, waiting for warmer weather, waiting for the sun, etc. It just seems like we are waiting and waiting but nothing is happening. Everyone keeps telling me (including myself) that everything will happen in God's timing, in his plan. In my heart I know that is true but for someone who pretty much needs to be in control at all times, waiting is the hardest part. Anyway, back to the lyrics, I just bought this cd by Richie McDonald "I Turn to You". There is a song on it that I listen to everyday since I bought it on my way to work and on my way home called "Hey God". I turn the stereo up loud (probably to loud) and sing at the top of my lungs with the song. The lyrics that really get me are:

"You have your ways, you have your plan
Sometimes mysterious and hard to understand
I am humbled by your grace and everything you do
Hey, God, hey God, I just wanna thank you

Sometimes I forget to stop and bow my head
And remember that I have been blessed

Oh, you have your ways, you have your plan
Sometimes mysterious and hard to understand
I am humbled by your grace and everything you do
Hey, God, hey, God, I just wanna thank you

Thank you"

Sometimes I think we get in our own way to the point where we can't see the joys and blessings God has already given us. We only see what we are waiting for and what we want to happen now. Our plan and God's plan most likely are not the same, or maybe they are and the timing is just off.

So I will go back to waiting patiently with a cheerful heart, thanking God for everything he has blessed me with and for his love and grace.