We are getting closer and closer to bringing our little girl home. There are a few delays going on with waiting on a court date, but honestly, I can look at this gorgeous face of MY little girl and the wait is bearable. As we are coming to the end of this stage in our journey we get a lot of questions. One of the big ones is "Isn't adoption expensive?". The answer it YES. It is more money than we could ever save up on our own.

I am a stay at home mom. We live in a cozy home in a comfortable neighborhood. We live within our means. I love to clip coupons and shop clearance. I live for a big trash bag of hand me downs. We try to use cash not acquire debt. My amazing husband is a wonderful provider .He works hard to take care of us. We are very average. We are blessed beyond blessed. We are comfortable. We are happy. We don't have the ability to save up for an adoption. But we have a big God. He isn't going to call us to this and leave us hanging. He didn't put the dream to adopt in our hearts and just wish us luck.

We made a few adjustments to our budget to save. We cut cable. We didn't buy as much stuff as we might have. My friend, hear this, GOD is faithful. He has taken care of each step. He has been in this from before this was even a thought in our minds.  We have done fundraisers. We have been humbled and floored at the generosity of our friends, family, and even those we don't know who have given and supported us. Please understand, we don't have lots of wealthy friends who just wrote us large checks. We have faithful brothers and sisters who gave out of an abundance of God's love. We were blessed many times $10 and $20 at a time. God is faithful. We don't know exactly what the expenses will be that are left. Most are just for travel and those fluctuate, but to our estimates we have enough for the rest of the adoption. GOD is GOOD. He is bigger than any price tag. Please know if he calls you to something that just seems unrealistic. That's because it probably is...for you. I have to look at the huge stuff God has done over the course of the past 3 years and just give Him glory! To God be all the glory.

How cool that he chose our very average family to allow his glory to show. How cool that we will gain a daughter because of his faithfulness. Because of the generosity of so many we have been so blessed. Thank you for your gifts, your encouragement, your prayers. We can't wait to bring our baby girl home. For now I am just overwhelmingly thankful to you all, and pointing to my Lord who deserves all the glory.

Up and coming...

We have been crazy busy around here thus the blog has been slightly neglected. I wanted to fill everyone in on what we are anticipating for the next few months.

We have a court date for January 15 for our MOWCYA letter to be written. (MOWCYA is the ministry of women children and youth affairs). Please pray with us that we are written a favorable letter. Once we have a favorable letter we will most likely be traveling 1-2 weeks after that.

When we travel we will be meeting our baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then we will go to court in Ethiopia. Praying that we will pass court the first time around. We will return to the US without her. She will legally be ours once we pass court, though.

After we have passed court we will be waiting for our Embassy appointment. Usually this is about a 6-8 week wait. During this time our agency will be working to process our baby's birth certificate, passport, and other documentation.

Once we have a date for Embassy we will travel to pick her up and bring her home! Then we will do a happy dance. :)

This is a quick outline of the next few steps. We are so looking forward to meeting our baby girl in just a few weeks. We are like little kids waiting for Christmas. We are starting to prepare for travel now. We will be collecting donations to go to the transition home where our daughter is and also to some local orphanages. Below is a list of donations they are in need of. If you are interested in donating anything we would love to take it over to share with the children in these homes.

Current Priority Transition Home Needs

Child-sized cotton blankets
Foam/Rubber (lightweight) soccer/playing balls for toddlers
Diaper cream, specifically with zinc oxide (Desitin or Boudreaux's) ***HIGH PRIORITY
Clothing and shoes for children ages 8-14 ***HIGH PRIORITY
Warm clothing-sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, etc.
Bath towels for children*** HIGH PRIORITY
Antibacterial hand gel (40oz containers available at Wal-Mart for $5 and personal containers)
Small sized diapers
Baby bottles and nipples
Vitamin D drops
Unscented baby wipes ***please note, unscented/sensitive skin wipes are the only type
used***

Orphanage and Transitional Home General Donation Needs

Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Scrubs for nurses and nannies
Crocks for nurses and nannies
General first aid items
Powder-free gloves for nannies and TH doctor
DVD and VHS children’s videos-especially Christian videos and/or ones with singing/dancing
Crocs for nannies
Toiletry bags (small) for children’s personal hygiene items (one per child needed)
Puzzles for young children
Toy cars and trucks appropriate for toddler aged children
Iron drops
Diaper rash ointment (A+D preferred)
Paper towels
Children’s clothing (new or slightly used); Boys and Girls; sizes 0-8 years. Clothing needs include
day clothes (especially pants), pajamas, underwear, and shoes.
Diapers for up to 30 pounds
Toys to stimulate babies such as colorful objects, rattles, etc. that are appropriate for babies
up to 2 years
Unscented baby wipes ***please note, unscented/sensitive skin wipes are the only type
used***
Powder formula with DHA/RHA
A + D Original Ointment, Diaper Rash and All-Purpose Skincare Formula
Hand Sanitizer
Candles
Children’s Notebooks
Enfamil or Similac Lactose free formula.


*the following Generic Brands with identical nutritional value to Enfamil & Similac are also acceptable:

1. Parents Choice formula from Wal-Mart
2. Target’s generic Formula
3. Kirkland formula from Costco

Soy based or other special formulas are also acceptable as long as they are one of the brands listed
above.

Medications/Medical Donation Needs**
o Multivitamins
o Tri-vi-sol (o to 6 months)
o Poly-vi-sol (6 months to 2 years)
o Chewable multi-vitamin (2 years to 9 years)
o Adult multivitamin (9 years plus)
o Tylenol (acetaminophen)
o Infants
o Children's
o Suppository
o Syringes for giving medicines (5mL)
o Plastic and Latex disposable gloves
o Baby nose saline spray
o Neosporin
o Mouth and nose masks
o Benadryl liquid/elixir
o Permetherin for scabies
o Lice kits
o Toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss

**Please check the expiration date on all donation items as expired items will be discarded upon
receipt and cannot be used.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in donating. If you would rather make a monetary donation we can use that toward buying supplies while we are in country. Thanks ahead of time for blessing these babies.

So that is where we are at. Once we pass court I will be posting pictures of our daughter's beautiful face. Until then we so appreciate your prayers that all runs smoothly and quickly.