Our Social Worker Rocks

Pam Frye with Harmony Adoptions is wonderful. She is right on her game! I emailed her this morning about an update to our Homestudy & she just emailed it to me! She is so quick. She's forwarding it to AGCI for review. Also, we just got our new contracts & we are taking them over to get notarized tonight by our friend. Whoohoo! We have some movement! We always laugh about how adoptions are a game of running & then waiting. We are so ready to start another round of running!

Trusting God

Last week we spent time working with our agency on some of the logistics of changing to Ethiopia. It's taking a lot longer than I thought it would in the beginning, but I'm trying to remember that God's timing is still what matters & He's in control! The boys have been so sweet! This whole adoption thing has definately been a roller coater for them, as well. One night, when we were totally stressing about the financial aspect, R laid down on my lap & cried & said, "We will never get our baby sister...". Later that night, when we said our bedtime prayers, C said, "Please, God, work out the money". L prayed next & said, "God, we know the money is not what matters, but that EG gets a family & a home". Wow! I know that came from His heart b/c I was not in a trusting mindset & had definately not said that! They are all so ready for their little sister to be home. The time we've spent waiting has definately helped them get excited! At first, R would say that if we got a baby sister he was going to live with Great Gee-Gee & Great Grandpa! Now, he is even excited! Also, they think it's getting close now, since we painted the room. This weekend, when I would leave to run an errand or something, C would say, "Are you leaving now to go get EG?". Geez, don't we wish we were leaving to go get her! Hopefully soon though!!!!

Let there be PINK

We finally have pink in our house! Woohoo! Yesterday we got her room painted & it's coming together quite nice. It's definately PINK, but that's okay...we are loving it!

Praise the Lord!

Our agency just received the last piece of information needed to complete our new contracts. We should have them in 3-4 days! It feels so good to feel like things are getting moving! I was beginning to get a little impatient today! Isn't God good to remind us that He is working & in control!

Easter Treat

Look what the Easter Bunny brought our little girl. A "blabla" doll...isn't she adorable!

Easter

During an interview for the school yearbook, a principal that I used to work was asked about his favorite holiday. His response was "Easter...because without Easter, Christmas would not mean anything". Isn't that amazingly simple & ever so true! The sacrifice of Jesus & His resurrection is the miracle that allows us all to live our lives in joy & experience all the wonders that this life holds for each every one of us! And, just as the mourning of Good Friday turned into rejoicing on Easter, God is always at work turning our mourning into gladness. Two years ago on the way to church on Easter morning, I saw a father walking with his daughter to church. She was a cute as can be in her Easter dress & I immediately burst into tears (on a funny note, I had just had one of my ovaries removed, so I was definately a "little" emotional :-) ). My heart ached for the little girl I never got to see dressed in her Easter dress! Now, God is turning my sadness into joy because I know our daughter is out there waiting for us to bring her home & next Easter, God willing, we will be celebrating the miracle of the cross with her!

Happy Birthday L!!

Today is L's birthday! 6 years ago today, our little miracle baby made his entrance into this world! While we celebrate his special life today & celebrate both his & mommy's survival, we always remember his twin & the baby before that pregnancy who did not survive . We have not quite yet talked to L about either of these two children, but I believe he knows in his heart. He has always been very loving & watchful of the little girls around him. It's as if he instively knows that there was suppose to be a little sister for him to care for. It has always been like that. That's why his persistance in wanting a little sister has always meant so much to us. It is sad for us to see C & R's sweet relationship & know that L should have had the same! A while back, it hit me that adoption is a story of losses for everyone involved. Although there will always be a hint of sadness there, it's those losses that finally bring the family together & complete it (kind of like the rainbow after the rain!). This year the sadness is still felt, but it feels like the sunshine is breaking through b/c our daughter is almost here!

Ethiopia Here We Come!

Thank you for all of your prayers! We have decided to switch our adoption from Vietnam to Ethiopia! We are very excited & in awe of how God is working everything out & lining everything up! We have to start all over with our contracts, paperwork, etc., so this week will probably be a busy one! The good thing is that we've done it before & Ethiopia's dossier is supposed to be easier than Vietnam's...I'm hoping to fly through it in record time! Here we go again on the paperchase!

Thoughts...

I haven't posted in a while b/c I haven't been sure what to say. I know that so many of you are praying for us, so I wanted to share our thoughts & what God is doing in our hearts. With all the instability in adoptions from Vietnam, we've really been examining if Vietnam is still where God wants us or if He is moving our hearts to Ethiopia. Please pray for us as we make some tough decisions. There are so many details & thoughts that I wouldn't know where to start in sharing, but, for now, please just lift us up in your prayers. We want to be where God wants us to be & follow His guidance in finding our daughter & giving a child a forever family & hope! Thank you so much for your support & prayers. We will post more in the days to come!

God is so Good

I realize this is my second post in one day, but I have to share! Over the past few days I have been so consumed with worrying about finances...specifically adoption finances! Well, this evening God has so faithfully reminded me whose hands are holding this whole process! First, I sat down to do my Bible study that I had been neglecting for several days. As I began, I was surprised to see that it was about finances, trusting God, & using our finances for God's work. Wow! No wonder why Satan was trying to keep me from doing my Bible study! He didn't want me to be reminded of what God's word says about my present worries! Then, I went to check my email & found an email from a friend who was asking if we were accepting donations for our adoption because she felt God was leading her to share some of her blessings with us! Now, is God good or what! He is not only good in providing for our needs, but He is so good to remind us of His perfect provision at just the right time! I feel like I've made it over a mountain today! This morning I was telling N how "blah" & depressed I felt & now I feel like dancing!

Talking in His Sleep

Okay, I have another story for you that comes from one of the boys! L is asleep in the bed with "the brothers" (as they affectionately term each other), when I heard him talking. I went in there & found him talking in his sleep. He was pointing to his sheet & saying, "I want it to...I want it to say her name." Then he went on to say that he wanted the chalkboard to have his baby sister's name on it. The child is talking about his sister who he has never met but already loves enough to talk about in his sleep! Is that sweet or what!