YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am INCREDIBLY thankful to post that we were SUBMITTED TO THE EMBASSY!!!!!!! One step closer to our little girl, and this is the LAST part of the wait!!!  We are so thankful to the Lord.  It was a long road!

Our precious case worker called and I was very guarded when I saw her name...I thought it could be another "medical update..." they always notify us if she is on any kind of medicine, even if it is just for a cold or ear infection, etc.  Anyway, she said she had good news and it was a good thing that I was pulling into my driveway b/c I wouldn't have been able to see the road through my thankful tears!

She said that this part of the wait would be the hardest...I am not too sure about that!  I could be VERY wrong and I will let you know, but waiting 7 weeks to get submitted has been pretty tough.  I am sure that a lot of it was based off of assuming it would look like other files and we would be submitted after 2-3 weeks.  Those last 4 weeks of thinking "it could be the week" made for an emotional roller coaster.

Anyway...what does this mean??

Well, every child has to be cleared by the Embassy to get a VISA to come to the US.  They have our file and will be reviewing it soon.  This used to be a quicker process, but they are really digging deep into each case to ensure that there is not anything unethical going on.  So, they will ask for different interviews and then compare that information to the information that is on our file.  If it all matches up and they don't question anything, they will clear us to come and get her.  They do have the right to send our file to Nairobi for more investigation.  I pray that does not happen.

Many are asking about the timeline from here:
-our file was submitted yesterday...Jan. 23.
-The Embassy usually notifies us that they have received it about 2 weeks later and soon after says what interviews they will request.
-The interviews have been taking place about 2 weeks after the request.
-If all goes well, they will clear our case a few days after the interview (after they review it again)
-Usually at this point, families are hopping on a plane a few days after they are cleared!

So, this could still be a long process...anywhere from 3-7 weeks, I am guessing??  Maybe longer if the file is sent to Nairobi. I am praying that it is closer to the 3 week mark!

I am VERY thankful to be in this last step!!!!!  Praising God for His love and peace in the wait, and asking Him to bring her home quickly!

We went out for Mexican to celebrate, of course!!!

Speaking of celebrating with Mexican food, we did that last week, too...when our precious son and sweet niece got baptized!! It was very, very special!!!!  Such an incredible night!  The two of them were so excited to "show everyone that they were Christians!"  My amazing husband baptized Austin and it was so very special.  He read a letter from us that encouraged him and challenged him in his faith, asked him some questions about his faith, and baptized him.  My brother also got to talk about Emily and encourage/challenge her and baptize her!  Oh my goodness, it was a memorable night, and I am so thankful for how they have learned and grown and made a commitment to Jesus.  I can't wait to see what God does in their  lives.

Here is a picture!

Ups and Downs

This has been a really sweet week.

It started off pretty rough.  I started this "crazy cycle" where I would get progressively more excited towards the end of the weekend because I knew that Monday was coming.  Monday is the day that AGCI (our adoption agency) can submit files to the Embassy.  It has been six weeks, and our file hasn't been submitted.  Most are submitted after 2-3 weeks, so I thought for sure it was coming...every week.  Then, Monday would come.  And I wouldn't get the phone call that I wanted to get, and I was completely discouraged and defeated.  I just wanted our little girl home.

Last week was no different, although, we did get a phone call.  Just not the one I wanted.  My phone showed our case worker's name and I was SO excited!!!  But, she was just calling to talk about our fingerprints.  Total let down.  Sweet her, she has been so compassionate and "with us" every step of the way!  I think she will be almost as excited as we are when we get submitted!

So, the night I talked to her I was really discouraged, wondering when we would get to bring our little girl home.  It seems like so long ago that we were there, and then the highs and lows of the week were all-comsuming.

I prayed.  I was so tired of feeling that way.   My perspective was affecting so many other people.   It is so easy in this process to focus on the hard things.  The pain of the fallen world and fallen system and fallen people.  The wait.  The emotional ups and downs and the people that you bring with you on that roller coaster.  I am so thankful... God so graciously changed my perspective.


I had conveniently forgotten all of the incredible things...God's faithfulness to provide for us.  Him allowing us to receive a beautiful little girl into our family.  A redemptive story through the pain of loss. An incredibly loving transitional home for her.  Food and clothes and everything that she needs right now.  A bath for her every night.  Sweet women who love her.  Her brother and sisters here who ask about her and pray for her every day.  An adoption agency who walks us through all of the questions.  Resources in our community.  Families who are willing to "live life" with us.  Extended family and countless friends who love our little girl and have never even met her.  God's Word.  His Holy Spirit. Even little things like an extra spot in a room to put growing "packing" piles in.  Sweet conversations with our children already at home.  A finished room waiting for a little girl to be there.

I decided I didn't need to put myself on a roller coaster anymore.  She is being loved so much where she is, and I am thankful for that.  We are SO READY for her to be home, yes.  FOR SURE!  But God has shown me so much in this journey, and it surely isn't about me and my emotions.  I know there will be hard days, but I don't want to forget why we started down this beautiful and hard path of adoption in the first place.  We felt led by the Lord.  And we continue to.  He is faithful.  As hard as it is, I give up all control and rest in His beautiful plan.

That being said, it is 8 am in Ethiopia right now.  I am guessing the Embassy is opening soon.  I am hoping our agency can submit files today since they were closed yesterday.  I am praying that "N's" paperwork is all in order and will be submitted.  And, I am really really thankful for the peace that God has given me.

Here are a couple of pictures of her room:

Last day in Ethiopia...

I haven't really had the heart to write this post, but I figured that I need to document all that I can, so here goes!

We got up and packed everything...big fat sadface :(...

We got to go see our little girl for a couple of hours in the morning.  That day she loved those little things that you scratch off the black part and there is color underneath...you know what I am talking about?  I have no idea what they are called!  She also liked blocks and coloring.  She started getting protective over the things that we brought for her (and all of the other kids!) to play with.  Even if she didn't want to play with them, she didn't want other kids having them!

We made matching bracelets which someone recommended to help make connections that she is a part of our family.  Brian and I both had one on, and we showed her that we had ones that were just alike.  We put hers on her and showed her that they were all the same.  We kept saying "Mommy's and Daddy's and ____(N)____'s," to try to make the connection.  She liked them.  I still have mine on, and the other kiddos will have one, too, when she comes home.

She had a GREAT time painting fingernails, too!  She loves the doll that we brought for her, and she even painted the doll's nails!  Ha!  Olivia keeps saying, "Mom, did "N" REALLY paint these nails in Ethiopia!?!"

We made a photo album to leave with her with all of our pictures in it.  It was really neat, because it had 5 different buttons you could push (one for each page), so we each got to leave her a "message" that corresponded to our picture.  One of the pictures I put in there had a picture of our whole family, and we were holding a big picture of her.  We wanted her to connect that she is a part of our family and that the kids in the album are her brother and sisters.

...

Then, back to the hotel for lunch and back for our final afternoon with our little girl.  It was tough.  She  had just gotten some shots, so she weren't feeling so hot, but we had a pretty good afternoon anyway!  She looked at her album some more and seemed really interested in it.  We pointed to everyone and said their name and played what they said to her.  She sat on Daddy's lap for a long time and even let me hold her for a few minutes!  That was the only time all week! :)  (it's the little things!!!!)

When someone came in to tell us that it was time to go, she was not happy at the moment (from something else that happened, but I can't remember!), so she didn't get into telling us good-bye.  It was sad for me, and the bus ride home with all the other families (who had also just said good-bye to their little ones) was silent.  I wish we had more time.  But, I was glad that she wasn't torn up about saying good-bye to us. She is SO happy there and I am VERY thankful she is so connected to the special mommies and so very loved where she is.    I had envisioned it being HORRIBLE to leave her...that she would be devastated...and it just was not like that.  I am so glad because the thing that I was most torn up about is all of the pain and loss she has suffered in her little life...I didn't know how she would know that we are COMING BACK.  I just thought that she would think we were leaving her, too.  So, it was sad for me, but I am so glad that it wasn't sad for her.  We just left like we did every other day we were there.

...

The flight home...I felt like my heart was literally ripped in two and part of it was in the US with the other kids and part of it was in Ethiopia with "N."  It was terrible.  Still is.  We miss her so much.  Trusting in God's timing.  Trusting in His provision.  Trusting that He is taking care of her and us.  Begging Him to be supernaturally knitting her heart to ours in our time apart.

I can't wait to be back on a plane headed to bring her to her forever home.

Here are some pictures of some people who have been so influential in "N's" life:

This is "T."  I NEVER learned how to pronounce her name correctly, so she said I could just call her "T."  She is wonderful!  She was the expert on our little girl's file/history, and she was SO HELPFUL!!!

This is Was.  Everyone LOVES Was!  He is our driver, speaks English really well, knows a lot about everything going on, and he is all the kids FAVORITE playmate!!

And...this is the amazing and famous Almaz.  OHHH, Almaz!!!!!  I heard incredible things about her and couldn't wait to meet her and she truly is so amazing.  She loves these children and advocates for them SO well!  She is from Ethiopia, but was in the states for many years and felt the Lord leading her back to Ethiopia.  She followed Him, and He has done amazing things through her!  I am so thankful for this woman!

Day...4???

Can't keep track now of what day it is!

We had an eventful day!  We got picked up at 8:30 to head to court.  It was an adventurous ride that wasn't agreeing with Brian's stomach! Poor guy, he felt so sick!  After driving through a lot of Addis, we picked up the man who was sort of representing us...in the court room with us.  We went to the court then and walked up a bunch of stairs which is way harder than you think at this high altitude :)  and waited in the courtroom area for about an hour.

Our orphanage was called, and we went in to where the judge was.  We were asked many questions like, "Do you have other kids?  Do they know you are adopting?  Are you around others who have adopted?  Have you received training?  Have you learned about Ethiopian culture?  Have you met your child? Do you realize that this is FINAL after everything is cleared?"  Yes, yes, yes, yes...!!!!!!

She then said that our daughter's case was complete and everything was FINALIZED!  AHHH...music to my ears!  Thank you, Jesus!  We were so thrilled!!!! It was really just the sweetest feeling to hear that. There could have been a number of things that could have led us to not passing, so I was SO VERY thankful to the Lord!!

From there, we went to a market to shop a little and then to an Italian restaurant.  It was good, but what we loved was the art that was there!  Local artists who sell in a "gallery" that is the restaurant.  There were some really cool things.

We came back to the hotel for 45 minutes or so and then got to go back to Hannah's Hope!  We had a lot of fun!  We played soccer, colored, played with her baby, sang songs, and played ball.  Precious time.  She cried when we took her from her room to play outside, but she was fine after a couple of minutes.  She even gave me a kiss goodbye!!!!  :)

Tonight we are getting a GOOD night's rest and waking up to pack and spend the day with our little girl before we head back home.  Our flight leaves at 11 pm or something like that, and then we will be back home Thursday afternoon.  Pray for our goodbyes if you think about it.  I am sure our little one will be JUST FINE...Mommy might not be! :)

WE PASSED COURT!!!!!

I am so thankful to tell you that we passed court today!!!!!  Those were such sweet words to hear..."We have all of your paperwork, and your file is complete.  Everything is finalized."  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Yahoo!!!!  That means according to Ethiopia, our daughter is a Crenshaw!  Now we just have to go through the US Embassy, and we are hoping that we will be back in this amazing country in a month!  There is no guarantee for that...there could still be red tape in that process, but we are hoping!


Thank you for praying!  Just wanted to update before we head back to Hannah's Hope to see our daughter for a bit!

Day 3...

Here is a picture from last night's traditional Ethiopian dinner...

Instead of using utensils, they use a bread that you can unroll and tear off, and then you scoop up the food with it and eat it!

And here is the picture of a "coffee ceremony" that is common here.  They pop popcorn, roast the coffee beans right there with you, and then ground them and brew it.  They bring it out with incense burning.

Today we went to see our daughter first thing.  It was a great time!  She continues to warm up more and more to us.  Still clinging to her "special mommies" and all things familiar, of course!  Definitely to be expected.  Her favorite things today were listening to music, playing with her baby doll, playing ball, and "cleaning" my arm with a wipe!  She still loves peek-a-boo and gets really giggly! It is the most precious sound!  And her voice...LOVE her little voice!  It is so cute!

We also got to go to the orphanage where she was very briefly before Hannah's Hope.  We wanted to bring a gift to them, so we bought them a goat on the way there with another family that is here.  It was quite the experience!  Haggling the cost, picking the goat, and then bringing him to the orphanage.  It is quite the memory to have!  Here is a picture with one of our friends from Hannah's Hope who drives us everywhere...

Tomorrow is our court date!!!!  We leave first thing in the morning!  Please pray that we pass court!!!  We were told to expect that we won't, but there have been some other families passing, so maybe they are all caught up on paperwork!  We will see!  Praying for great news tomorrow!

Meeting Our Daughter

Oh my goodness...I don't have all the words (probably never will!) to describe today!  I REALLY wish that I could put her picture on here so you guys could see just how precious she is!  But...soon enough!  As soon as we get her on the second trip, we can!

So... We didn't know quite what to expect and really didn't want to have any expectations for how our little girl (sorry...can't post her name either) would respond to us when we saw her for the first time.  We just prayed.  Prayed for her little heart that is probably so confused.  Only God can give her a peace about what is happening in her life.  Only God can know what all is going on in her little mind.  Her eyes show a lot...she is so curious, and apprehensive, too.

She was very unsure of us at the beginning.  I praise God that she is VERY loved and attached to her special mommies...one in particular.  It was precious to see their bond.  I longed for her to trust us...to know that we will always love her.  But as a child of God, I respond the same way she did.  Trusting the things that I KNOW and that are tangible.  God is so trustworthy, but I had to learn that.  I had to learn that He really is who He says He is.  He really will do what He says He will do. And, I am still learning those things! So, today, I am drawn to the Lord more...to TRUST Him more.  As I try to put myself in my little girls shoes and imagine what it is like to go through the things that she has gone through and the loss that she has experienced, I long for her to rest in our arms...I long to be Christ to her.  I want her to know that our God is a Redeemer.  And, I am so glad that she didn't trust us right away...that she doesn't give it away freely.

This trip has also left me amazed at the beauty of God's creation.  Watching people in the airport  from so many different places, all looking so different...so beautiful!  God is so creative!

It has also left me amazed at God's presence in all of our lives.  We are all doing different things, going different places.  Some suffering, some worrying, some thankful, some angry, some unjust, some fighting on behalf of injustice, some sick, some healed, some joyful, and some with deep pain.  He is there.  Through it all.  He knows it all, and He is with us.  That has been amazing for me to ponder.

So we got to hang out with our little girl for a good while this morning, and towards the end, she interacted with us more and more. We got to go back in the afternoon, and God gave us some sweet moments of smiles and even laughter and fun times playing together.  We got to see her little personality some while we just watched her interact.  She is just so precious.  So helpful and loving to the other kiddos.

This evening we got to go to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant and it was so much fun!  Singing, dancing, and I even liked some of the food!  :)

Tomorrow we get to spend most of the day with our little girl!  I can't wait to get to know her some more!