The Waiting Game Round Two

As we celebrated Thanksgiving, we were overwhelmed with thankfulness at all that God had done. It seems surreal to me now to think that just a few weeks ago, I was in Ethiopia meeting Melaku for the first time. Time surely does go by quickly.
We learned today that our court decree in Ethiopia has been finished and picked up. Now a birth certificate is being prepared for Melaku. Ethiopia is not like the United States; people are not issued birth certificates at the time of birth or even after. Most do not have birth certificates. It's just a difference in culture and lifestyle. (Not worse or better---just different.)
So, once his birth certificate is processed, an official working on his behalf will apply for an Ethiopian passport. Once he gets this, we can be submitted to the US Embassy for citizenship and a visa.
We are estimating that we could possibly be submitted to Embassy in two weeks.
After we are submitted to Embassy, it will most likely take another four weeks for the Embassy to "do their thang". It could be shorter or it could take longer. One thing I've learned and heard time and time again from other adoptive parents---there ain't no rushin' the Embassy. Don't even try--Don't even call and ask. Just let them be and practice putting on patience. (Lol) Apparently, they get really grumpy if you call and check on the status of your child's visa, etc.
Hopefully, we'll be traveling back to Ethiopia in January.
My prayer is that Melaku will be home before his first birthday which is January 23rd.
I wish I had something more exciting to report, but life is just life right now as we play the waiting game again.
I will say that the wait for a referral was much, much harder than this wait. I feel like I see a light at the end of the tunnel now.
This Christmas will be two years since we decided to pursue adoption. Two years---it's hard to believe it's been that long, but God has been so faithful throughout and I've learned so much about Him and His love and patience for us.

On a side note--John Owen is incredibly funny. He is either cracking me up or driving me nuts! He's taken to sitting around naked--completely naked. It makes it interesting when we have visitors.

I'm feeling very blessed and so incredibly blessed by all of you.
We are so thankful to have you on this journey with us!

Not Good-bye...See you later

We saw James for the last time until we return to take him home. He cried most of the visit. He seems to be attached to one of the nannies and she to him. This is a good thing in the long run.
We've made many memories and some good Ethiopian friends. I can't wait to share all our experiences with you all.
We should arrive in Lexington Wednesday evening!
This has been some trip in many, many ways.
See you soon!

The Sons Of Thunder

James, the brother of John Thurman was officially adopted by Zachary and Jennifer Thurman.
Melaku, a boy born with no last name. A boy with no family, living in an orphanage with 38 other children now has a forever family!
He is now Melaku Thurman. We will call him James Melaku Thurman.
Adoption is irreversible in Ethiopia. The judge asks you if you understand that and are ok with it.
Our adoption by Christ is irreversible. Just as we are co-heirs with Christ, Melaku is co-heirs with John Owen Thurman.
It is final, sealed.
We wait for the US Embassy to notify us that we can come and get him. They issue his citizenship.
To God be the glory.
Again thank you for traveling this journey with us and for your prayers
James is an orphan NO MORE!!!

A Vast History

Today was a "free" day. We didn't get to go to the orphanage to see James, so we hired a driver named Dawit. He took us to some historical sites. We saw the Entoto Mountains and the Lucy museum. If you aren't familiar with Lucy, you should google her. She is supposedly the oldest homo sapien. It was interesting to see her fossil remains. Our driver was excited to show us the museum, which was neat.
We didn't argue with the assumption that Lucy is 3.3 million years old. It wasn't the time or place. We really got to know Dawit, which was interesting to us.
Tonight we visited a traditional Ethiopian restaurant where Ethiopians performed traditional dances and sung traditional songs. My stomach is weak--really weak, but I have eaten Ethiopian food twice today.
I may not eat anything else this trip. Lol
I want to soak in as much of Ethiopia as I can. I want to be able to remember for James because he won't.
I wish you all were here with me because I cannot find the words to explain it. There is no type of poverty in the States that comes close to what I have seen, except for spiritual poverty. That is world-wide.
I've met some incredible people who will be life-long friends. I wish you could know them.
Tomorrow we visit James in the morning for a few hours and then we have court at 2pm Ethiopian time which is 6am Eastern Standard time. If you're up say a prayer that our adoption is finalized tomorrow. I'm posting some pictures from the restaurant.

The Not So Big Deal

Today we made our way to Tikuret orphanage. Our agency sent a driver and he weaved, pushed, and honked our way through Addis Ababa for the thirty minute drive to the orphanage. We walk in and are greeted by small children who want to hug and touch us. We wait inside for a few minutes and then a woman brings Melaku down to us. He looks exactly like the pictures--curly hair, brown skin, and enormous brown eyes. They are huge! We take him from the woman--our new son and he immediately begins to cry. Not little whimpering, but wailing and crocodile tears. He kept looking for the woman who brought him to us or anyone else with a brown face.
He cried on and off for almost two hours and then we fed him and he fell asleep. The director let us stay during his nap time and we were able to spend another hour and a half with him before leaving. He was content for this second time with him.
It struck me that he doesn't know us, obviously, but he doesn't realize that we offer him more than what he has now. Not just more stuff, but a family where he'll get the time and attention he doesn't always get at the orphanage. He'll get a last name. Something he doesn't have now.
I felt for the little fella. It's so overwhelming to meet your parents--white people from America.
We know that years from now this place won't even be a memory for him. He will forget it as he grows. We will be all he remembers, but I will remember the nannies who watched us with him with bittersweet expressions.
Adoption is incredible, but it comes at a cost.
The Gospel is incredible, but it came at a cost---the life of Jesus Christ.
That's what I'm left with today as we prepare for bed and try to stream some college football.
Pray for Melaku and his nannies in the coming weeks when they will have to say good-bye to him and he to them. He will not remember them, but they will never forget him.

Sleep, Bollywood, and Euros

Sleep is evading me even though my body is tired. My mind is full and won't shut down. It's 5:30 am here. I wish you all were here to experience this with us. Not just meeting Melaku, but this place. It is so radically different from home. Not just in language or fashion or food, but it is a different life. It's still funny to me to turn the tv on and watch a Bollywood version of the American show The Voice.
I wondered at Western influence. It's obvious the guest house owners/operators have tried to give us what they think we want. When you read the room descriptions, they include things like buffet breakfast, private hot showers, t.v., and high speed Internet. Haha. I'm glad for those things for sure!
While we were in Frankfurt, Germany waiting for our next flight, we ordered breakfast. It consisted of a coke, a bowl of yogurt, and a cup of coffee. It came to 14 Euro which cost us 21.50 in US dollars. Crazy, isn't it?
I hope to post pictures of the city today, but no promises.
Love you all!

Shew!

What a journey?! We left Chicago at 2:15 and arrived in Frankfurt, Germany at 5:30am. We were there four hours and then left again for Sudan. We waited on the plane in Sudan for close to an hour while some people disembarked. One person got off by mistake and the Sudan custom officials wouldn't let him get back on the plane. We left without him. We then finished our flight to Addis Ababa, stood in a long line to get visas, stood in another long line to go through customs and then proceeded to baggage claim where all three of our checked bags were waiting for us! Praise God!
We met a fellow Frankfort, Kentucky person on the flight to Germany. He was a flight attendant and lives in downtown Frankfort. Go figure!
It's 10:22pm here and I feel like I've been traveling for two days. Lol.
Tomorrow morning we'll meet Melaku and get to spend a few hours with him.
Thanks for going on this journey with us. Note to self or anyone else: Don't get off the plane in Sudan. Just saying.

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

A big shout-out to the Kyle Hancock for taking us to the airport this morning in the wee, wee hours of the morning.
We are presently waiting in Chicago O'Hare Airport for our next flight which will take us to Frankfurt, Germany.
From there we'll fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We should get there tomorrow evening around 9pm.
While we wait our activities include, but are not limited to....
1. Eating
2. People watching
3. Reading
4. Eating some more
5. Eavesdropping
6. Eating some more

Sometimes when I people watch, I wonder if other people people watch me and find me as fascinating as I find other people.
I would post pictures of the people I'm watching, but that would be mean.
I will say there is one girl walking around in Daisy Duke shorts. (We're in Chicago. It's cold here.) SMH.

Thank you for being on this journey with us.
I'll keep you updated.