Here we go

Today has been a whirlwind of a day. I got up early to get myself and the boys ready. Shuffled 3 boys and our dog out the door and on the road. I met my sister in law at a McDonalds in the middle of nowhere to give her 3 boys, 1 dog, 5 bags, 3 Easter baskets, and a handful of toys. As we drove separate ways I realized that I already missed them.

Then I drove the hour and a half home. Shuffled a few things around until Dan got home and then we got back in the car. We made our way down to Cincinnati. We had to update our finger prints (again) so we stopped in at the Federal building. We checked that off the list and headed out in search of dinner. We found a Panera and enjoyed a quick kid free meal. You'd think we'd have tons to talk about, but I am pretty sure we are still in shock that this is real.

Onward we went toward the airport. We were early, but that never hurts. So we checked in with our massive amounts of luggage. We made it through security. We stopped for some Starbucks. Then we parked at our gate. Dan napped and I played on my phone until our plane arrived. It was the smallest thing I've ever (well at least that I remember) been on. We had a quick 2 hour jump to DC. We deplaned, gathered our immense pile of bags, and caught a shuttle to our hotel. Due to our overnight layover we get to stay the night in a nice hotel. Get some rest and have a good breakfast before tomorrow.

Tomorrow...oh how that word has haunted me for so many weeks. Each day we were promised tomorrow there would be news. Now tomorrow is really here. We will be boarding a plane in less than 12 hours. A plane that will take us right across the world and land us in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. We will land, go to our hotel, and go meet her. We are talking in just over 24 hours.

I am so excited, and yet a little nervous. We are praying that all goes well. We are so looking forward to meeting our girl and learning about where she comes from. I am excited to hold her and snuggle her and tell her I love her. It is so close. We will try to update as internet access allows. Here we go.

Time lines

Since I was a little girl I pictured my family coming together through both biology and adoption. In January of 2010 God started letting Dan and I know the time had come to pursue our daughter through adoption. Our youngest was 6 months old. That was the year that my new year's resolution was to not get pregnant. We laughed at the irony of what God was calling us to, but He is a God with a sense of humor.

So we started searching for agencies. We asked friends who had adopted. We called places we found online. We received mail with information. We looked into both domestic and international. We decided that fostering wasn't a fit for our family. After praying it through we also crossed off domestic at that time. We narrowed it down to which agency was the best fit for us. Then within that we saw clearly that God was leading us to Ethiopia.

So we sent in our application, and soon we were approved. So it began. We paperchased for about 8 months. We celebrated when we mailed all that paperwork to our agency. I loved paperchasing. It was a to do list. I love having a list. Stuff I can do. It feels like you are moving.

Our dossier was sent to Ethiopia on November 11, 2010. And the wait began. When we started the wait time was 7-11 months, and at that time it was going down. We were number 31 on the list for an infant girl. We waited 2 years for our referral. At that point we had been number 1 on the list for 22 weeks. Finally, our family coordinator called. She told us that there just were no baby girls available. She asked if we'd be willing to take a child who was 19 months.

We talked and decided that if this is the child God has for us then we will rejoice for her. Even if it wasn't our plan. About the time we accepted our referral the courts in Ethiopia decided to change the way they did things...again. The new changes said you had to have a positive letter from MOWCYA (ministry of women children and youth affairs) before they would issue you a court date. When we received our referral it was about 6-12 weeks to be issued a court date. We waited and finally were given the date of January 15 for a MOWCYA letter to be written. We had really hoped she could be home by then, but we were thankful for a timeline. At that point the courts said they would issue a date within 2 weeks of our letter being written. So we packed our bags. We prepared to have to get our kids to a friends and leave with a very short turn around. We were so excited.

January 15 came and went with no letter. A few weeks later we were told that MOWCYA wrote us a negative letter. They said we did not have updated financial statements. We did. It was their error. So they gave us a new date of February 18. Again the days came and went into March with no news. On March 6 they gave us a new date of March 8. No reason. Just to give us a new date. March 8 came and praise the Lord we were issued a positive letter. Most people had been getting their court date that day. We did not. So we waited all the next week.

Thursday March 14 we were told that the court in Ethiopia has lost our file. Our coordinator said we should still get a date in a day or two. That Friday the file was still lost. We had to wait until Monday to hear if we got a court date. The next Monday the court found our file, but the power was out in some parts of Addis so they couldn't assign us a court date.

While we are praising God for his blessings. I can't help but feel a little like we are moving two steps forward and one step back. It is hard not to play the comparison game. I just keep trusting God has a big picture plan that exceeds my right now mentality. He is faithful to complete all good works he starts. I look forward to posting the next steps on our timeline. Because at this point next up should be meeting our daughter!

Tonight

Tonight I am going to bed with three of the sweetest blessings sleeping safe, full, and warm in a bed built by their handsome, caring, wonderful daddy. In a room next to parents who love them. In a house that is warm and safe. I look at that picture and I am so thankful.

Tonight part of my heart is in a bed far away. Tucked in by a nanny who is not her mommy. I don't know if she is sick or scared or hungry or cold. I think about her and my heart aches. I yearn for her. I miss her so much it hurts.

Tonight I am going to bed pleading with my Heavenly Father. Who I know and trust to be sovereign even when I don't understand the immediate situation. A God who loves me and this precious baby girl more than I can fathom. A God that is mighty. He is bigger than politics and paperwork and courts. He has a plan.

Tonight I go to bed hoping for tomorrow, believing His promises, resting in the truth that His mercies are new every morning. I rest in knowing that God is faithful. He has brought us to this place. He will give me strength. He does place the orphan in her home.

Please join us in praying that we are assigned a court date quickly. Pray that we are able bring our daughter home as soon as possible. Please pray for me. My momma heart is ready to explode.  Please pray for our boys because they are missing their baby sister. Please pray for Dan as he waits. Please pray for our little girl who is on the other side of the world waiting to come home to a mommy and daddy and brothers who love her so much. Thank you for you prayers. We so need them right now.