Open Hands - Our Journey to Adoption in Ethiopia

Dear Birth Mother,

2011-01-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

Oh how think of you daily and always with tears. I have no idea who you are or what your story is, or if you are living. I look at your son and think about you.
I wish you could hear your son laugh. His laugh is contagious. I can't help but laugh along with him.
He wakes up smiling and doesn't stop. I wish you could see his smile. It lights up the room! His will is strong. He sets his mind on something( riding a scooter) and gets it done. His strong will and determination will take him far in life. His eyes are beautiful and I can't help but wonder if he has your eyes. He is very smart. Home for three months and he is communicating clearly what he needs and wants. You would be so proud of who he is. He is absolutely amazing.
I am taking up the baton as mommy for your son. You will always be a part of my thoughts as I parent him.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-10T20:45:00.001-08:00

It is hard to remember what life was like before Taj arrived. He is such a blessing to us all. Thankful we listened to the tug on our hearts to add another child to our family through adoption.
Merry Christmas!

Home Sweet Home!

2010-10-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

We are all doing well. We are all settling in to our new normal. Over all Taj is doing really well. We are so thankful for him and are blessed to call him our son and brother.

Packing our Bags!!

2010-10-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for Ethiopia Friday morning!
I have been so tender the last few days. Leaving my three children is one of the hardest things for me to do. I hate missing out on their daily life. I want to be there for it all. My heart is torn. They are in great hands(my parents) but I still struggle deeply with this. God is stretching me in great ways when it comes to me trusting Him with my children. I went through this same thing before leaving for the court date. My stomach was in knots, lost some weight, cried off and on for three days straight up until we left. What can I say? I am a mess!
I am trying to stay focused on what is to come. Taj home with us forever.
Adoption has stretched my faith in so may ways and I am thankful for it.

God Cares for Orphans

2010-10-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan.

He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.

At the end of every third year, gather the tithe from all your produce of that year and put it aside in storage. Keep it in reserve for the Levite who won't get any property or inheritance as you will, and for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow who live in your neighborhood. That way they'll have plenty to eat and God, your God, will bless you in all your work.

Make sure foreigners and orphans get their just rights. Don't take the cloak of a widow as security for a loan. Don't ever forget that you were once slaves in Egypt and God, your God, got you out of there. I command you: Do what I'm telling you.

“Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to eat in your towns.

‘Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.’And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

But you know all about it— the contempt, the abuse. I dare to believe that the luckless will get lucky someday in you. You won't let them down: orphans won't be orphans forever.

The victim's faint pulse picks up; the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood as you put your ear to their lips. Orphans get parents, the homeless get homes. The reign of terror is over, the rule of the gang lords is ended.

Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house. God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

23 Days

2010-09-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

In 23 days we will be back in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!
In a little over a week our I171-H was processed and now we wait for our VISA 37 to arrive at the US embassy in Ethiopia. We should be good to go in the next week or so. I am anxious to get back and have Taj in my arms.

Little Ethiopia, Los Angeles

2010-09-19T07:47:00.001-07:00

We enjoy visiting Little Ethiopia. Our favorite place to eat is Meals by Genet
If you are ever in L.A. It is a must to visit Little Ethiopia and Meals by Genet. You will not be disappointed.

We Have Been Cleared!

2010-09-16T08:52:00.001-07:00

Great news! Our case was submitted to the US Embassy in Ethiopia on September 14 and we were cleared to travel today, September, 16!!
Now we need a God sized miracle. Our homestudy update is being reviewed. Once it has been approved a new I 171-H will be issued.
Until we have the I 171-H we can not bring Taj home.
We are praying for all of this to be done by the end of next week.
We would love to travel the first week of October and bring our little man home.
Please pray with us.

Stressed out? Bake Cookies!

2010-09-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

The stress was just killing me today. Feeling out of control I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies. They are my favorite. The kids came home to warm cookies and I am recovering from a cookie dough overdose. But, here's the good news.....

Finally!!! Our homestudy agency after a total of 21 phone calls, emails, faxes....received a call to find out that what we were waiting for(Adam Walsh Act background check) was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Georgia and they do not do that check. Can you believe it?!?
So, all of that waiting for nothing. Ughh!! Our homestudy update is on its way overnight to National Benefits Center. Now we wait for our extension. We need it ASAP!

On another note our court documents were not submitted on September 7. Our agency had to many cases to submit at one time so our case along with several others will be submitted Tuesday, September, 14. After the US embassy reviews our case they will clear us for travel.

Thank you for praying with us.

Can I just say it? I am tired of waiting!!

Georgia On My Mind

2010-09-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we have been waiting so long through this whole adoption process(18 mos.) that our I600A(this is approval from the US Immigration Services that we can adopt) expires tomorrow, September 10th. We knew this was coming and actually started working on all the requirements for an extension before we left to see our little man in Ethiopia. Well the state of Georgia is dragging its feet to get back on a clearance we need for Travis. Thanks to budget cuts, furlough days, ...some states are slow get things done. It has been a month of waiting for this darn thing!
We need this so our approval can be extended. Until this is complete we can not bring Taj home.
Please pray pray pray that Georgia sends the clearance, so our homestudy update can be completed, and sent in for an extension approval.

I Just Can't Stop Staring

2010-09-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

I love this drool covered smiley little boy and I can't wait to have him in my arms!
Is he cute or what?!!?

The last summer as a family of 5

2010-08-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is our last full week of summer. Once again our summer zoomed by. I have had a lot of fun with our kids. We have several traditions we do every summer. There are of course our beach days, the beach house for a week, camping for a week on the beach in Carpenteria, CA, special time with the grandparents, pool days, sleepovers..... With every activity I would remind myself that this would be the last time doing it as a family of 5.
We are getting closer to the end of our adoption journey. We have received copies of our court documents form Ethiopia along with the birth certificate naming us as Taj's parents.
All of our documents should be submitted September 7th to U.S. Embassy. Then we wait for the embassy to give us a travel date.
This could be as soon as September 21st but more likely we will be traveling in October.
Please keep us all in prayer as we wait. Especially little Taj.

Scootababy

2010-08-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

This just arrived in the mail. Can't wait to use it!

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2010-08-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

Our views from our room at the Sheraton. It is a great place to stay. All the comforts of home and the staff is fantastic.

Out on the road we would see little business stands selling papers, fruits, veggies, sodas, eggs, cd's dvd's....

Pepsi was everywhere!

We saw donkeys everywhere working hard bringing products to the market.

The Lion of Judah

We hiked up Entoto Mountain. It was a beautiful hike. It was also a hard hike the elevation was 10,000 feet.

We reached the top to find a church that had been dug into the side of a large rock. This church is 700 years old. Today it is used as a sunday school class for children.

We enjoyed our time being tourists in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Taj Dagim Joseph

2010-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

FIRST VISIT
Our first visit with Taj was Saturday morning. When we arrived we found him sleeping.

When he woke up, he was not at all happy to see us.

Our first visit with him and we never saw a smile. Taj was very unsettled and scared.

Taj had just arrived at the foster home from the orphanage that had been home for him. He was in a new environment, with new caregivers and on top of that a new daddy and mommy who don't look like his nannies or talk like his nannies. My heart broke for him.

SECOND VISIT
We came to visit again on Monday afternoon. I felt like the babysitter who pries the child from the mother. Except I was the mommy prying the child from the nanny. I was glad to see he was attached and would not easily come to me(the stranger).

After almost two hours together. We finally saw a smile.

THIRD VISIT
We arrived Tuesday afternoon. Taj cried hard when he saw us. He did not want to see us but he warmed up faster to us than the previous days.
It was a great visit and we all had fun together.

FOURTH VISIT
Wednesday was our court date. After court we hopped in the van and rode over to the foster home for our first visit as Taj's legal parents.
Taj was out on the porch with all the other cute little toddlers, enjoying the fresh air and outdoors. Taj saw us get out of the car and immediately started to cry. He started shaking his head as if he were saying no, and waving his arms back and fourth.
What a greeting!!
I took him in my arms and settled him down. It felt so good to settle him into my arms and calm him down knowing I was legally his mommy.
Travis and I played with him, fed him lunch, and then I rocked him to sleep in my arms. I took him into his room, laid him in his crib, and kissed his sweet little face.

I am in love.

I am counting down the days until I see his sweet face and hear him cry when he sees us. I can't wait to return to Ethiopia take Taj into my arms and not have to give him back or say goodbye. I can't wait to have him in our home and a part of our family forever.

Psalm 68:6

2010-08-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

We visited Taj at the foster home several times over the week before our court date. The home is in a very nice neighborhood just outside of the city. I guess you could call it a suburb of Addis Ababa. We sat on the porch playing with our little guy and occasionally would interact with some of the older girls that lived in the foster home. The older girls ranged in age from 3 years to 13 years.

On one occasion one of the older girls approached us from the window. Around her neck was a heart necklace and in the heart was a picture of her family. I asked to look closer and she proudly showed the picture of her family. She then left and returned with an album full of pictures of her new family, her house, pictures of snow....her eyes would light up as she turned the pages and point at each picture. I tried my best to hold in the tears.

I have no idea what her story is. I don't know her pain or loss. I do know that this little girl has a Heavenly Father who started working in the hearts of a family half way around the world. This family listened to what God placed on their hearts. They moved in obedience. Because they moved in obedience, this little girl will know the richness and blessing of family.

I also had the privilege of meeting a family adopting an older child. I have to say watching them interact with their soon to be daughter was absolutely beautiful. For me to watch an adoptive parent meet their child for the first time is to see the hand of God.

I was moved so much by the older children because they have a better understanding of their loss and of what they have to gain in being a part of a family.
Psalm 68:6 would come to my mind often as I visited the foster home. It says, "God places the lonely in families..."

What a privilege to watch God place the lonely in families.

The Sweetest Words

2010-08-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

I was a bit nervous as we stood in the waiting room of the court building. I have never gone before a judge before and my first time would be in a country half way around the world. Our name was called and we entered the court room. The judge asked us many questions, do we have children, why Ethiopia, how will we deal with cultural sensitivity,..... The last question she asked, " Do you accept this child as your own?" We replied, "Absolutely!" We then heard the sweetest word, "Then he is yours."

Taj Dagim Joseph is ours!

Psalm 139:13-18
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!

And We're Off!

2010-07-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

The day is here!
We will leave for Ethiopia in just a few hours. I am full of so many emotions. I am still in shock that the day is here. I am anxious. I have really never left the country (Mexico and Canada are our neighbors and I didn't even have to fly to get there). I am a girl who likes to stay close to home. Since having children my rule has been to only be two hours away by car or plane just in case our kids need us. Needless to stay this part is STRETCHING! I am excited to have an adventure with Travis in a place half way around the world and I am thrilled to meet our future son.
Our journey to adoption started in my heart over 4 years ago. I can finally see the end of this journey in sight.
We have two trips. this will be our first. We will meet our little guy and go before a judge to finalize the adoption. The second trip will be 6 weeks after our court date(Aug. 4). We will have a U.S. Embassy appointment in Ethiopia to finalize things with the U.S. passports, visas...)That is when we will bring our little guy home!

Please keep us in prayer as we travel, meet our son, go before a judge and then fly home.

What God initiates, He completes.
Isaiah 46:11
"What I have said, that I will bring about, what I have planned, that I will do"

Glitch!

2010-07-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Glitch

1 a : a usually minor malfunction ; also : ²bug 2 b: a minor problem that causes a temporary setback : snag

Yep, we have a glitch. Something got lost in translation. Travis's medical dates were interpreted incorrectly. The mistake has been pointed out and will be corrected. We wait for word that the judge has heard the correct information and then it's all thing go.

We are still on the docket for our court hearing August 4th. Please keep this all in prayer. Nothing is for sure until the judge and MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) give the okay.

Is it okay to say, Ughh!!!??

UGHH!!!

I feel much better.

Court Dates!!

2010-07-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight as we sleep our first court date will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Please say a prayer that all things go well in court and the judge approves this adoption. Our next court date is August 4. We will be in Addis Ababa for this court date and go before the judge and the adoption will be finalized!

And let the beauty and the delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands-yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.

Psalm 90:17

I take it for granted...

2010-07-19T07:58:00.001-07:00

It is available at any time. Clean, cold and just steps away. For most this is not the case. Water is a long walk and most the time still not drinkable.

Walk For Water from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.

For more information on how to get involved in a water project go here.

Speechless

2010-07-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

Come and see what our God has done,
what awesome miracles he performs for people!

Psalm 66:5

We have a court date! In less than a month we will be traveling to Ethiopia. We will meet "D". We will go before a judge to finalize the adoption. Then he will forever be our son!

I am speechless, blown away, humbled and grateful that God poured out His favor over "D".

That was my prayer, one word "favor" and I, we have just seen the favor of God!

Please pray with us. We need God's favor over the work ahead of us.

Psalm 90:17

And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.

Papers Submitted to Court!!!

2010-06-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

We are moving forward! Paperwork was submitted today. Now we wait for a court date.

What I am learning.....Sometimes we are given to much information which causes fear and anxiety to rise and trusting God is the last thing on our minds. I went to that place of fear and anxiety and removed God from the picture as we spoke to our doctor about "D"'s medical reports.

It took me a long time to realize that I had put on the breaks with trusting God. After a ton of prayer and alone time with God yesterday it was impressed upon my heart to move forward. "T" was ready a long time ago, while I went in to panic mode.

We still don't have all the answers to "D"s medical report. We will figure that out when he is here with us.

I have a greater appreciation for the examples in the bible of men and women who moved in faith saying yes to God without having all the answers or the end result. Moses, Abraham, David, Rahab and my favorite Mary the mother of Jesus.

Hebrews 11:1

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Do Over

2010-06-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

D's 2nd medical left us with a couple questions. We have requested a few tests be run to have a clearer picture of any medical issues. Please keep our little guy in prayer. I felt so guilty asking for the tests to be done as I know it delays the process and D has to have his blood drawn again. The blood draw just kills me. Wishing I could be there and be the one to comfort him as he gets pokes and prodded.

We are hoping for quick results on the tests so we can get moving and have our day in court before August break.

2nd Medical Report!!

2010-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

We received our 2nd medical report for "D"! We have sent it in to our doctor and are waiting for a phone consult. We are also waiting for a regional birth certificate for "D". Once we approve the medical report and the birth certificate is issued we can submit our request for a court date. Please pray this can all happen before the courts close in August!

Answered Prayers

2010-05-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

T and I just returned from a great getaway. A place we highly recommend, Alisal Ranch. It is a beautiful working ranch in Solvang, CA. We spent our Tuesday afternoon out on the lake enjoying the scenery and trying to catch a fish or two. On the lake in one of the large oaks was and Eagles nest with a 5 month old eaglet in it. We would occasionally see it spread his wings or see the top of its head. What I really wanted to see was the adult Bald Eagle. So I started praying asking God to see the Eagle. My prayer was specific. I wanted to see the Bald Eagle come down grab a fish out of the water and fly off. The day went on with no Eagle sighting. We docked the boat and sat on the pier to have a snack. I continued to ask God for the Eagle to show up. We left the lake and returned to our room. Travis played golf and I spent over an hour in the gym trying to burn off the calories from all the great food we had been eating. That evening we returned to the lake for a BBQ with the rest of the couples we had travelled with. I started asking for the Eagle to show up. We ate dinner the sun was beginning to set when a friend shouted "there it is" I looked up to see the most beautiful Bald Eagle who circled about 50 feet from us, glided down with talons out grabbed a fish out of the lake and flew away. I was stunned and my eyes welled with tears as I realized God had just shown up and answered my simple prayer.

You better believe I was encouraged to be specific when it comes to my prayers for our little boy "D" in Ethiopia.

We have accepted our referral and are now waiting for the 2nd medical report. Once we receive that then we wait for our court date. Hoping all of this can happen before the court recess. The courts are closed August through September.

We are also waiting to hear if we will have to travel for the court date. This would mean that we travel twice once for the court date. Then again for the U.S. embassy date.

There is a small chance that the traveling twice could be postponed until after the court break.

We are praying specifically to travel once.

We will wait and see how God answers this specific prayer.

Isaiah 40:31 Message

God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.

Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes

2010-05-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

T woke up this morning and shared with all of us that he had a dream about our son and that it would be soon. I didn't think much of it because we have been waiting so long and really thought we had months to go. Well T's dream was God given because....
We received our referral today!!!

He is a cutie!!!

We are going through the info and waiting to talk with our doctor.

Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward.

And please keep these little fingers and toes in your prayers too.

How Long Is Too Long?

2010-04-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are not on the same page when it comes to our son's hair. It is driving my husband crazy! I don't mind the hair. I kinda like the hair. We are a beach family and he looks like a beach kid.

I may encourage him to grow it out until we head to Ethiopia to bring home his brother.

Matthew 10:29-31

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰ And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Eight

2010-04-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

We are now eight months waiting. Things have slowed in the country of Ethiopia. Here are a few reasons why things have slowed down.

This is the time of year we start planning out our summer. Purchasing plane tickets, making reservations, and plans .........
Can't do that this year. Our life is on hold as we wait. No big summer vacation planning. Hoping for a trip to Ethiopia at least once over the summer maybe even twice.

We've all grown up a little since we started this process too. We are all two years older and a little wiser.

Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

What Are You Wearing?

2010-03-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

You must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Col. 3:12-15

Seven

2010-03-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

When we started on the journey of adoption I expected everything to go as I planned.
Tomorrow marks 7 months of waiting for our referral. I didn't plan on that.
In fact my plans had me home with our son in March!
This time of waiting has brought out many emotions.
Doubt- I have questioned my ability to be a mom to four kids.
Fear-Wondering what damage is being done to the emotional development of the children sitting and waiting in the orphanages for their forever families. Thinking about how that could affect our peaceful home.
Anger-From my point of view. There seems to be no urgency from government officials.
Frustration-I am tired of having no new news to share with friends and family.

When I turn my face toward the One who pointed us toward adoption my emotions shift.
Peace-takes over when I surrender my fears and trust God to bring a son that is a perfect fit for our family.
Confidence-parenting four kids will be tough at times but I know I will be equipped by the One who called us.
Patience-as we wait for our referral and a slow moving government.
Hope-news will come in the right time.

PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies

Instant Gratification

2010-02-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

In a world full of instant gratification it is really hard to wait. I have come to realize that I am a person of instant gratification. If I set my mind on something I get it done, I make it happen. I am involved in the process of getting it accomplished. Waiting is foreign to me. I had no idea going in to the process of international adoption that the waiting would be a part of shaping my faith.
We are 6 months waiting for our referral.
We wait patiently and confidently for the day we see our son face to face.

Romans 8:25
"But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently."

Ten Other Things Martin Luther King Said

2010-01-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Numbers

2010-01-10T19:30:00.001-08:00

Our dossier arrived in Ethiopia August 11 2009. We have now been waiting 5 months. It is getting a lot harder to wait.
We have been told we are # 11 on the waiting list. We are hoping the call comes soon.
Our little boy is alive and waiting too. Praying he is being loved on and well cared for while he waits.
I can't wait to see his face!

Motherhood

2010-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

Eleven years ago I became a mom. I had no idea how the title of mom and motherhood would change my life.
The sleepless nights up with a child, sharing my side of the bed with a little one, or awake consumed in thought and praying for a child going through something hard. Coffee has become my friend after nights like that.
Patience is needed in being a mom. Something I have grown in over the last eleven years. I am sure I will need even more in the years to come. I had no idea I had such a capacity to love until I had children. It is a love like no other. What has amazed me is with each additional child added into our family and into my life I have loved equally. Discovering each child's strengths, weaknesses, sense of humor, passions, dislikes.... is rewarding and challenging. Through motherhood I have learned more of God, my Heavenly Father and His love for me.
Celebrating our first born! The one who introduced me to motherhood.

I am so thankful for the gift of motherhood. The best and hardest job I have ever held.

Redeeming Love

2009-12-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 1:4-6 (The Message)
How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Merry Christmas!
.

A little bit of news....

2009-12-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

The agency that helped with our home study called us today. They wanted to give us a holiday update on our referral. We won't be hearing anything on our little guy before Christmas but come the first of the year we should be receiving our referral!!! That means a little over one month of waiting before we see pictures and info on our future son. My birthday is January 12th. What a sweet gift that would be to receive our referral on my 40th birthday. We will see what God has planned.
Please keep our little boy in your prayers.
Psalm 91 came to my mind as I prayed for our little boy.

For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

A friend sent this verse to me that she received while praying for us and our little one.

"Listen to me! Hear this, you [child of a] distant nation. Before you were born the Lord called you. From your birth, He made mention of your name. Your mouth is like a sharpened sword. You are hidden in the hollow of His hand. You are made into a polished arrow. You have been concealed in His quiver. You are the servant of the most high God! In you, the Lord will display His splendor! And what is due you is in the Lord's hand. Your reward is with your God."

Lastly I loved this quote we received from our case manger

"Waiting on God isn't to be viewed as an obstruction in they way of the plan. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn't simply about what I'll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I'll become as I wait. God is using the wait to do in and through me exactly what He's promised. Through the wait He's changing me. By means of the wait He's altering the fabric of my thoughts and desires. Through the wait He's causing me to see and experience new things about Him and His kingdom. And all of this sharpens me, enabling me to be a more useful tool in His redemptive hands."

Our greatest desire is to be a useful tool in His redemptive hands.

Make a Dream Come True

2009-11-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
This little girl has one desire.

Made it Through the First Trimester

2009-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

We have officially been waiting for our referral for 3 months. We were told we would receive a referral anywhere from 4 to 6 months. We are getting close! 1 to 3 months to go!
November is National Adoption Month.
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A Mad Scientist a Ladybug and a Witch

2009-11-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

This year I talked Nate into doing a homemade costume. I suggested being a mad scientist and he agreed.
Nate was a great mad scientist.

All three of our trick-or-treaters. Look'n good!

We're All in This Together

2009-11-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

I Heart Coffee

2009-10-25T08:02:00.001-07:00

I confess I have an addiction to coffee. It's a bad addiction and some may say I need an intervention. I love opening up the bag of beans and just smelling the aroma of the beans. That alone takes me to a happy place. I sometimes go to bed thinking about the warm cup of coffee that will greet me in the morning. There is nothing like my favorite mug filled with a steamy cup of joe, curling up on the sofa before the kids start stirring and reading my Bible. Then there is the afternoon pick me up cup of coffee that gets me through the end of the day. I don't think I can live without coffee. Is it wrong that I want to call coffee my friend? Well I have discovered a reason to love coffee even more Gobena Coffee This coffee gives 100% of it's profits to orphans. Check it out. I know there are other addicts out there like me. Drink coffee and help an orphan.

143,000,000

2009-10-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

143 million is such an overwhelming number. I really can't put my mind around it. There are days when that number overwhelms me to the point of being absolutely broken and burdened. I am learning how to take this burden and this brokenness to the throne of God. He has allowed my eyes to see and my heart to break for the orphan not to be burdened but to intercede on their behalf.

Drawn from Water from Drawn From Water on Vimeo.

As we wait for our little one from Ethiopia I want to bring attention to organizations that are working in Ethiopia, interceding for the orphan.
Not all are called to adopt but all are called by God to do this.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.
May you be inspired to move and defend the defenseless.

Our waiting is now 2 months and 5 days.

While I Wait

2009-10-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

We have officially been waiting for our referral for 7 weeks and 5 days. We probably have another 7 weeks or more of waiting. With my first pregnancy one of my favorite thing to do was watch BabyStory on TLC. I would sit on the sofa, with a snack and a box of tissues and watch and wonder what our story would look like. Now as we wait for our referral and our future adoption I have a new favorite thing to do. I grab a snack, a box of tissues, and sit at my kitchen counter reading other blogs of families who have adopted from Ethiopia I watch and wonder how our family will look and change. One family I came across absolutely amazes me and I wanted to share an entry of theirs with you. Greater Capacity to Love

Ephesians 4:2
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Miss Debbie, Mr. Ron, and Denver.

2009-09-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

I am just finishing up the book same kind of different As me. These three people have changed the way I think. I will carry their beautiful story of faith, and friendship with me for a very long time.

New Beginnings

2009-09-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

With the cost of adoption we had to make some changes in our life. One of those changes was pulling our kids out of their private school. Every year since our son entered kindergarten I would rethink private or public. Travis and I were never on the same page. He always thought keeping the kids in private was the better choice. Private school has it's perks, a smaller class size, a spiritual emphasis and a great working relationship between parent , teacher and principal. It was easy for me to agree with Travis to stay at our sweet little private school. The kids made wonderful friends and enjoyed being known. This year we did the switch. We went from a school of 180 students to a school of 900+ students. As we walked on to the campus I was excited for my kids. I thought about the opportunities that lay ahead of them, the new things they would learn, and the new friendships that would be made. As we came around the corner and I saw the mass of humanity lining up I began to panic. Trying to push back the anxious thoughts, I got my kids to the correct lines, and moved to the side with all the other parents.
As I walked back to the car the tears started flowing. I started questioning our decision to do public.
I had prayed a lot over the summer asking God to provide the right teachers for our kids, I had prayed for friendships, I had prayed for an easy transition, you name it I prayed for it. Now as I walked back to the car the doubt started creeping in.
The first day of school came to an end and I rolled up to pick up the kids. Both had smiles on their faces and great days were had by both. They love their teachers and are making friends quickly.

I learned a couple things this first week of school too. First, I need to trust God more and worry less and my kids are well adjusted confident kids.

"Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." Joshua 1:9

On our adoption we have officially been waiting for our referral 1 month.

Control Issues

2009-08-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

I didn't think waiting would be difficult. I am finding it to be hard. We are three weeks waiting today. More than likely we have 2 months and several more weeks of waiting. I have been pregnant and waited 9 months 3 times. The wait never seemed long while pregnant. As I have processed this I think I know why this time seems to be so much more difficult. I have no control!
In a pregnancy, I had a due date. Don't have that. In a pregnancy I controlled what I put in my body to ensure the healthiest newborn. Can't do that. I had doctor visits every couple of months to hear heart beats and ultrasounds to assure me of proper development. That's not happening. This time around I have estimates, best guesses, and unknowns.
I have no sense of control and this is really difficult. I don't like it at all!
I will try to pray over the things I cannot control entrusting them to the One who is in control.

Heroes

2009-08-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

Hero:
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion

We had the opportunity to meet some really beautiful people over dinner last night. We were invited to come and meet a family that lives full time in Ethiopia caring for abandoned babies and orphans. Stephne is amazing. Her passion for what she does is inspiring. She loves the children like they are her own. Nursing little ones sometimes weighing only 2lbs. back to health. She teaches nannies who care for orphans the importance of touch and doing all she can insure these babies will know attachment. She spends days and nights in hospitals caring for children doing all she can to insure them their best life. You will never find her on the cover of a magazine, she will not be named in a top 100 list of most influential people, she will probably never be a featured guest on a talk show and that is not what she is pursuing.
I think we have things upside down. We honor people who hit baseballs, throw footballs, and shoot hoops. People who make millions, have large followings, have good fashion sense, and who stand in powerful positions. Those things are great and should be recognized.
What is greater are the ones who selflessly give of themselves for the benefit of others. These are the ones who should be on the covers of the magazines, on the top 100 lists, and on the talk shows.
Stephne Bowers is a hero to the children she rescues, loves and nurtures. She is a hero to me for her devotion to Jesus and selflessly serving and meeting the needs of those who are helpless.

Shots!

2009-08-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the little one who will be entering our home we went to see the doctor today.

After our shots we headed to Swirls for a yummy frozen yogurt treat. Sugary treats make everything feel better.

Lost

2009-08-21T08:19:00.001-07:00

We celebrated our daughters birthday with a day at the zoo. There were ten of us there together enjoying the day. We stopped at the polar bear plunge to watch two sleepy polar bears lay in the sun. A few minutes passed when I realized that our older daughter was missing. We knew she had come with us into the polar bear plunge but now she was no where to be seen. The adults in the group went into action. We all went in different directions while a couple adults stayed put in case she returned. I was panicked as time ticked by. I found a gift shop attendant and asked him to call security. As I stood there waiting scanning the crowds for my daughter. I was literally praying out loud the only thing I knew to say "Jesus help us" over and over. I am sure people thought I was a bit crazy. A woman approached me and asked for a description of our daughter and took off. She ended up back in the polar bear plunge saying loudly "we are looking for a little girl with blonde hair wearing a pink shirt has anyone seen her" My mom had stayed put in the polar plunge and was observing this. As the woman came by my mom she said it again, "we are looking for a little girl with blonde hair in a pink shirt". The couple right next to my mother spoke up and said they had just seen a little girl way up by the ariel tram who fit that description and looked upset. This woman came running out and yelled to me, "she is up at the ariel tram" I was was still working with security at the time I stopped and took off in a full sprint up the hill. There at the top of the hill was our daughter sitting at a table alone.

As we walked back down the hill the woman who helped us passed by going up with a smile on her face. With tears in my eyes and a frog in my throat I smiled and said thank you so much.

Sometimes I doubt and wonder if God really is involved in the details of my life. In fact it was toward the end of June that I had a conversation with God. In prayer I was honest with my doubt and I told God I needed to see Him. Over the last two months He has shown himself time and time again. At the zoo He showed up big time in the form of a woman with a blonde bob and blue eyes. He showed up as a couple who saw exactly where our daughter was.

I know I will have doubts again and when I do I will remember our day at the zoo.

Got Anxiety!

2009-08-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

In my entire life I have left the good ol' USA twice. My first time out of the USA I went to Acapulco, Mexico with my Dad. I was really uncomfortable not knowing the language. I was afraid of getting sick from the water. I was overwhelmed with guilt staying in a huge resort as children begged outside of the resort on the beach. I completely lost my appetite and begged my dad to fly me home.

I don't like dirt, I become anxious over the germs/dirt in airplanes, in hotel rooms, public restrooms and grocery stores. I am cautious and become anxious over food poisoning.

I have an absolute fear of things like lice, scabies, ringworm, any kind of parasite.

I have been cautious and slow when it comes to vaccinating my children because of the anxiety I have over side affects.
It is obvious that anxiety directs a lot of my decisions and parts of my life.

I have started reading material to prepare me for our trip to Ethiopia. As I begin to do this I can feel the anxiety rise in me.
I have to vaccinate myself from things like Yellow Fever. That freaks me out!
I read that I cannot even use the water in Ethiopia to brush my teeth. My heart is beating faster.
I should only eat things that have been cooked and boiled. I am stocking up on protein bars now!

I read about the parasites that could potentially be brought home with our future child and my neck seems to be getting tighter.
All of this makes me want to put the breaks on!

But, this is what I know.
God put adoption on our heart. He placed the continent of Africa before us. We landed in Ethiopia.
I know I will be completely out of my comfort zone. I know my anxiety level will be high.
I know I will be really fearful at times.
I know without a doubt that God will see me through and give me the ability to handle and deal with the things that make me really uncomfortable.

I will try to live out the verse in the bible that says

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

I am thankful I will have Travis beside me in this adventure. He is my rock. He loves to travel to new places and experience new things. His heart is passionate for missions. I am excited to see how God works in us both as our feet touch the dirt in Ethiopia.

At the end of this adventure not only will our family look different, I will be different. Travis will be different.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Dossier Done, I hope!

2009-06-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

We are sending off the dossier today!
It feels so good to have the paperwork done.
I am hoping that I did everything correctly and nothing has to be redone.
So now we wait.
While we wait we will be praying. We would love it if you would pray with us and for us.
We are praying for our little boy who could be in his mother's womb, on the street with his family, a village, or in an orphanage waiting.
We are praying for protection over his little body, his little mind, and for his spirit and soul.
We are praying for our family, that we all adjust easily and the transition is smooth.
We are praying for an immediate bond between mother and son, father and son and siblings.
There are many unknowns ahead of us as we wait for a referral, court date, and travel. We wait in peace knowing God is in control.

Ephesians 3:20

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

Moving Forward

2009-03-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

We have finally moved forward after a long pause. We have committed to an agency and have sent in the first BIG check. It feels so real now. We are waiting on final approval from the US government agencies and then we can start on the dossier. We have started reading about the country of Ethiopia. It is a country rich in history, the landscapes are stunning and the people are beautiful.

Our hands are open to receive what God has planned for us.
Our hands are open to offer what God has given us.

Faith Walking

2008-10-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

I love this quote from Lisa TerKeurst

"How can we call ourselves people of faith, if we don’t allow a situation in our lives that calls us to live by faith?”

For most of my life I have lived a safe and controlled one. My days are predictable, scheduled and quite uneventful. I really like it that way.

Travis and I have opened a door that requires us to live by faith. So, for the first time in a really long time I am faith walking.

Adoption opens the door to so many what ifs, hows, whens, and wheres. It is a place that I thought would be uncomfortable but I am finding that it is actually fun. To be in a place where I just hold my hands open to what God has planned and enjoy the journey is a nice place to be.

We are slowly moving forward doing a couple of classes to finish our home study. Our home study will then be complete and we will take the next step.

A Few Facts.....

2008-09-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Ethiopian Facts:

One in six children die before their fifth birthday
44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old
60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition
The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years
1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)
720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone, and there are 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia.
Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa
In the 90s the population (3%) grew faster than food production (2.2%)
Drought struck the country from 2000-2002 (first year no crops, second year no seeds, third year no animals)
Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school.
Coffee prices (Ethiopia’s only major export) fell 40-60% from 1998-2002.
Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000.
In 1993, after 30 long years of war, Eritrea broke from Ethiopia and became an independent nation leaving Ethiopia landlocked without any major seafaring ports

Here we go!

2008-09-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Adoption has been a part of my vocabulary for quite sometime. I think it started back in the 90's.

I can remember telling Travis I wanted to adopt little girls from China after watching a news special on orphan's in China. Travis thought I was being reactionary and dismissed the idea. Adoption went out of the picture as we started a family in '99. In 2005 our family was complete with a boy and two girls. Travis went in for the old "snip-snip". This was a sad day for me. I did not feel done but Travis was for sure! Adoption came to my mind again but faded as I was caring for an infant.

Then in 2006 adoption again was on my heart. I would mention it to Travis who would dismiss it. He was feeling complete and too old to add more. Well my heart grew fonder for adoption. I would check out adoption websites, look at waiting children, I even filled out an online application. I would inform Travis of my findings, and share my heart for adoption. He started listening to what I had to share but was not 100% on board with the idea. Then in November 2007 we had the privilege of hosting three orphans from Rwanda in our home.

The door to adoption started to open in the heart of Travis. Soon after that two little street boys from Kenya stirred our hearts to move forward and start the adoption process. The door closed on adopting the two sweet boys from Kenya but we are moving forward and will adopt from Ethiopia. We are waiting to hear from the agency that our home study is complete so we can move to the next step. We will use this blog to share our journey .