What?? We could be going to Ethiopia soon?!

Okay, so you know how we have been asking y'all to PRAY that we would receive word about a court date before the courts close in Ethiopia???  Because if we didn't then we would have to wait until the fall???  Well......

Yesterday morning our case worker called and said they have scheduled the first court appointment in Ethiopia for our daughter's case!!!!  It will be next Wednesday.  We won't be going just yet but if that appointment goes well (and oh, PRAY THAT IT DOES!) we will have our adoptive family court date scheduled pretty soon after that!!!  Our case worker said it could literally be within a few weeks!  Seriously, we could be in Ethiopia seeing and touching and holding our daughter within a few weeks!!!!  

This week we also sent off for our Ethiopian travel visas.  We filled out some more paperwork, headed over to Goin' Postal, and sent everything off.  We have to receive these in order to travel to Ethiopia.  We are working with a service that hurries things along and returns paperwork like nobody's business!  They are apparently crazy fast!

Also, in about a week Brian and I are going to get all of our fun vaccinations for our trip!! Ick....I'm trying not to think about that but if it gets us closer to our Lucy R then I'm doing it!

We are SO thankful for this amazing news and so thankful for all of your prayers!!!!  Continue to pray for our journey!!  Pray for our little Lucy R and us!  Pray for all of the funds that we need for our travel too!

What is her name and Happy 2 months!!

Many people have asked what our daughter's name is.  I felt like I should just dedicate a whole post to the subject! :) Also, today our baby girl turns 2 months old!! We can't wait to be with her to celebrate all these milestones and special moments with her!!

Since we started our adoption journey we have considered lots of different names but honestly we haven't thought too much about it until here recently.  We always knew that we really wanted to know her birth name first and then decide.  However, all along, Isabel wanted to name her sister Lucy.  When she was 3 or 4 she would always name her babies Lucy and when we asked her what she thought we should name her sister she instantly said, "Lucy."  We always liked the name but again, we never really thought more about it.  Over the past 3 years we have thrown different names around and looked through baby books but nothing ever really jumped out but Lucy would always come back.

In late April, while I was journaling and praying for our daughter, I really felt the Lord lead me to pray for her name (We later found out that this is the time that she was born).  I prayed that we would know the name that He had for her.  As I started writing, Lucy kept coming to my mind again.  Fast forward to May 31st.  That was the day we got the call and heard our daughter's birth name.  We feel strongly about keeping that name because it connects her to her culture and her birth family.  We are not allowed to share that name online but once we heard it and what it meant we loved the thought of putting Lucy with it.  Lucy means light.  The Sunday after we got the call, our pastor began the sermon on 1 John and what it means to "be in the light."  Brian and I both looked at each other and said, "Lucy....light."

When you combine her two names it means "Light born in the rain."  A Light shining through and leading her.
I also read Ezekiel 34....it is all about how the Lord will seek out His people, His sheep.  He will search for them and find them.  In verse 16 it says, "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak."  Later in verse 26 it says, "  And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. 27 And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land."

Way back when I attended the first Created for Care retreat in 2011, I participated in a really special worship and prayer time.  I went from station to station praying and asking the Lord what to pray for and poured out my heart to him.  I prayed about everything.  We were just starting our adoption journey.  I came to one station where we were asked to paint.  I picked up a brush and before I started I said, "Lord, what is it that you want me to know?"  I heard the word, "Flourish."  I said, "Flourish?  Like to grow and bloom?" "Yes, your family will flourish."  So, I drew a seed, then a plant, then a tree with leaves and branches and roots.  I have kept the drawing and over the past 2 years this word has come to mind so many times.  Once at church, our pastor said, "Today I feel like the Lord has give me the word "Flourish" to remind you all that God wants you to flourish and grow.  He is blessing you when you don't even know it."  

What started out as a seed....a whisper in my heart to adopt, has grown and grown.  The growth hasn't always been comfortable and at times it has been painful but we are seeing the fruit.  
With the Light and the showers of blessing, we receive the gift of a precious little girl and count it as a privilege and honor that we could watch her grow and flourish into the beauty that He created her to be.

Lucy  "R"

 

The Call!!

I can hardly believe I'm typing this post!!! It has been 18 days since we got our Referral Call from our adoption agency! We are still pinching ourselves and just staring at her sweet little pictures over and over again. The picture above is right after Isabel and I saw her pictures for the first time together. I wanted to share how it all happened on Friday, May 31! For a good while now I have been checking my phone various times during the day and making sure that my phone is always turned on right when I leave school. We were #3, then #1, then #2 so we really had no idea when it could be. So, on Friday afternoon Isabel and I were heading home after a long week at school. We were listening to music and very close to home when my phone rang. I picked it up to see that a case worker from our agency was calling me! I didn't get TOO excited at first because it wasn't our regular case worker.  It was actually the very first case worker we ever had at AGCI.  We had just participated in a webinar session with our agency and she was leading it.  She had e-mailed me the day before to see if I had any additional questions and so I thought maybe she was following up about that.  Well, I WAS WRONG!!! :)

She said, "Hi Angela.  Are you busy?"  I told her no, that I was just driving home from school.  She said, "Well, I called to talk to you about a little girl."  Right then, I completely choked up.  Seriously.  I couldn't speak!!  I cried and said, "Are you serious???"  She said she was very serious and wanted to know how far away from home I was.  I was super close.  She told me just a few details, had me call Brian, and then told me to call her back when I got home.  I hung the phone up, looked in the rear view mirror at Isabel, and screamed!!!!!  She grinned the biggest grin EVER!!!!!  I said, "Do you know what that was about?"  She smiled and said, "My sister?!?!"  I said, "YES!!!" and we both screamed and laughed together all the way home!!!

I called Brian right away.  He was at work but he answered.  I asked if he was busy and he said no.  Then I said, "Are you ready for this??  I just got a phone call from AGCI and they want to talk to us about a little girl!!"  He was shocked and said, "NO WAY!!"  I assured him that I wasn't joking and I shared with him the little bit that I knew.  Brian wasn't able to leave work but he was able to be a part of the call.  We were able to have a conference call and hear all of the details and even see her pictures at the same exact same time.  Isabel was amazing and found something quiet to play in her room while we listened to our sweet baby's story and learned more about her.  She is absolutely adorable.  When we got the call we found out that she was only 6 weeks old!  We were so surprised about this because our parameters were 0-4 years old.  We felt for sure that we would receive a referral for a toddler.  We are sooo blessed.  We are amazed at all of the details and how the second we saw her little face, we knew....she is our daughter.  She is.

After the call, we had a lot of work to do.  We had 48 hours to contact our International Pediatrician and review details with him.  Then, we completed and notarized documents for our referral acceptance and completed a plan to help us be prepared when we bring her home.

The next week we found out that our case was submitted to the court system in Ethiopia!!!  Our next step is waiting and PRAYING for a court date!!  No one is sure about the exact date of the court closure in Ethiopia....maybe July 6th or maybe August 6th.  We are hoping that we will get a court date soon so that we do no have to wait until October. :(  Pray for our family and other families that are waiting on court dates!

**DISCLAIMER**
While I SO wish we could show you all our baby girl's picture, we cannot.  We would never want to do anything to jeopardize our case or our agency or the relationship they have with Ethiopia.  So, we both carry her picture around with us and if you ask, we will be HAPPY to show you in person.  We will not be sharing many details and definitely not any pictures online until AFTER we bring her home.  Thank you all for understanding and being patient and gracious with us.

April Wait list Number

 

 Today we received our new number.  We already knew we were number 3 so it wasn't really a surprise.  It's so hard to be so close but still so far from seeing our daughter's face.  We are hopeful to hear something soon though.  We know that the Lord is orchestrating each detail with care and wisdom.  We know that He is trustworthy and so daily we cry out to Him and know that He is listening and that "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

We love our agency, All God's Children International for a lot of reasons but one thing that I love is that they are so encouraging.  They always listen and really try to be our cheerleaders in this wait.  Today they shared a special verse that encouraged me so so much.

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." ~Habakkuk 2:3

30 months waiting

I have been busy with school and haven't had a chance to blog.  A few days ago, April 21st, marked our 30th month on the wait list.  I really never thought we would still be waiting but here we are.  We are so thankful to be SO close to getting a referral.  I keep checking my phone just to make sure I haven't missed the call.  I have been listening to Matthew West's new album and I am stuck on this song called, "Waitin' on a Miracle."  You know the times when you hear a song and it speaks exactly to where you are?  That is this song, especially the last verse:

"And my soul longs for the day
When I see the answer to the prayer I’ve prayed
And it’ll all be worth the wait
Waitin’ on a miracle"

Here are the lyrics and a video.   

"I’m down to my last drop of faith
My last ounce of strength
My knees are worn
From waitin’ on a miracle

I’ve prayed, God, I’ve prayed
I’ve stormed the gates in Jesus’ name
Crying out night and day
Just waitin’ on a miracle

But I don’t know how much longer
I can hold out hope tonight
And I wish my will was stronger
But instead I’m just a weary heart
Waitin’ on a miracle

I’ve heard Your hands can calm a raging sea
Can You calm the storm in me?
‘Cause that’s how it feels
When you’re waitin’ on a miracle

But I don’t know how much longer
I can hold out hope tonight
And I wish my will was stronger
But instead I’m just a weary heart
Waitin’ on a miracle

And my soul longs for the day
When I see the answer to the prayer I’ve prayed
And it’ll all be worth the wait
Waitin’ on a miracle" 

A letter

Dear daughter,

I wish I could hold you.  I wish I knew your name.  I wish you had no pain or grief.  I wish this wait would end and our life together would begin.  I wonder what you're doing.  What you like to do, what your favorite foods are, what you like to sing, how you like to be held.  I wish I could tell you how much we have waited and anticipated seeing your precious face.  I feel like you have our hearts already and we haven't even met.  We will never let you go.  We will never stop fighting or praying to have you here with us.  We will never stop praying and praising God for your birth family.  We know that one day...soon...our Heavenly Father will connect us and truly knit our hearts and lives and families together in a way that we could never have imagined.  You are blessed.  You are loved.  You are precious to us.  Your sister is ready for you.  She is eager to love you and teach you anything you want to know.  She longs to hold your hand and share her babies with you.  She cries sometimes because she misses you so much.  She can't explain it but knows that her heart has been aching and been growing closer and closer to you for the past three years.  None of us can explain our connection to you...it's eternal and deep and real...it's beyond our comprehension.  I wipe tears away while I write this and think that one day you might really read this.  I imagine what it will be like to hear another sweet voice in our house and what it will feel like to actually hold you and hug you.  This journey has been harder and longer than I ever imagined.  There is more depth in my life.  There is more dependence on Our Father, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.  There is a letting go....a trust that He is holding you, and me, and all of us together and working it all out for our good and His Glory.  May it be so.

Love from the deepest of places in my heart,
Mommy

March Wait List Number!!

We have a new number!!!!!!!

I am at school working on report cards on a work day but I had to take a break to post our new number.  I am SO excited.  RING PHONE RING!!!!  This month marks our 29th month on the waitlist!  We have moved 90 spots in 2 1/2 years.  I'm really hoping we get the call before we get a new number next month!!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding."

-Proverbs 3:5

Waiting with Hope

Sometimes when you can't do anything else you edit a picture of your Africa necklace on Picmonkey. :)  I wear this necklace just about every day and I pray for our daughter and wonder who she is and what she's doing.  I keep trusting and know that it will be perfect timing when we get that call.  I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

"We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone." -Psalm 33:20-22

Our Wait List Chain

One of the best things that we have done to help our daughter be involved in this adoption process is to create a chain with the same number of links as our number on the waitlist.  When we first got on the waitlist, Isabel was 4.  She thought she was going to meet her new sister the next week or month!  She had no idea how long she would have to wait...well, neither did we but as adults we can understand a little more easily.  The chain helped her visually see how we were moving closer but still understand that she would have to wait.  So she helped us make the links when we were officially added to the wait list in October of 2010.  We put 93 links together, took a cute picture of her holding them all up, and then we hung up the chain in our living room.  The chain moved to her room after a while because she took ownership of it.

A few months later, Isabel received a box of those cute little foam people that come with foam clothing and shoes that you can glitter glue together.  She decided to make one for each person in our family.  She made one for her sister from Ethiopia and said, "I think she might look like this and I bet she will have sandals."  So, she made a cute little foam girl and stuck it in one end of the chain (the #1 spot).  That really helped Isabel see that there would be her sister waiting at the #1 spot and there we would be moving ahead to get to her.

Our chain has gradually been getting shorter.  Sometimes we would tear off several links at a time.  Sometimes months would go by and we wouldn't tear any links off at all.  For a season, the chain stayed inside of our closet instead of her room because we weren't seeing much movement at all and it helped for her not to see it each day.  The chain actually moved across the country to Texas with us and then moved all the way back!  Amazingly, it didn't get torn or crushed!  Isabel now keeps the chain in her room again and as of this week she was able to tear off another link!  She was so so excited.  She said, "What will happen when we get the call?  We won't have our chain anymore will we?"  I told her that we wouldn't because we will finally get to see what her sister looks like and how old she is and really know her.  She jumped up and down and said, "I can't wait!!"  Oh, I can't wait either!!  Soon, soon, soon!!

New Surprise Number!!!

Yesterday on our ninth wedding anniversary we found out that we are now....

 {Flikr: szczelkun}

YAY!!! Isn't that exciting news???  We found out that a family in front of us received their referral so that means we move up one spot!  I am SO hopeful that we will know our daughter very soon.  Please pray for her and for our family if you think of us!  This is a verse we have been praying for Isabel and our little girl that we haven't met yet.

"For the Lord your God is living among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will take delight in you with gladness.  With his love, he will calm your fears.  He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." 

Zephaniah 3:17