Endurance

Friday. The only work day left in this week. So far we've not received word that the last final little test has made it to Addis or to Melaku who isn't in Addis. Courts reopen Friday, October 5th.

Realistically, the test could get there early next week and we could be submitted for a court date the 5th. 

We are praying that the test makes it and that our paperwork is sitting on the court clerk's desk on October 5th. 

BUT we trust God implicitly and know that if there is a delay, then there's a good reason.

So we trust Him and the delay.

In the meantime, we continue to live life which is full of ministry and fun extra-curricular activities.

In case you've missed the latest world news, US Embassies have been attacked. This may or may not affect the US Embassy in Ethiopia, but please join us in praying for the safety of all US Embassy employees and ambassadors. 

I'm running in a race this weekend---the Bourbon Chase. I'm praying that I determine to finish my three legs with endurance and to run it well.

The Bourbon Chase is just a race and hopefully fun. 

This Adoption race is of great eternal significance and I want to run it with endurance and I want to run it well.

So we continue to wait and hopefully glorify God in the process.

I know and trust that His timing is the absolute best.

Thank you so much for your prayers and I look forward to sharing the great news that Melaku has received the test and we've been assigned a court date!

God bless friends

Sometimes It's About the Journey More than the Destination

What a cliche my title is! Today my life has really been about the journey and all that has happened along the way more than where I was going.
We began with a visit from our social worker. She came by to update our home study because it's getting ready to expire. She's very laid back and makes things like home visits and home study updates very easy. She keeps the main thing the main thing which is getting children into good homes.
I would like to say that I didn't stress about the home visit.
I would like to say that I didn't spend time making sure the house was extra clean and that it didn't look like a three year lived in it or that I spend more time writing and sewing than decorating.
But, alas, I can't say that at all. But through my rushing to clean and straighten the Lord reminded me that He had called us to this adoption and I could rest in that, even if John Owen dragged out every toy and all 100 million books he has right before she showed up.

We received part of Melaku's second medicals today which is exciting news in some ways. We are still waiting for one test which isn't in country yet.
Please continue to pray that the test would get there soon and that he would be given the test and we would receive the results before court opens on October 5th.
What God has taught me today is that this adoption is about the journey---all the little steps that we take along the way to get our son home.
Today we have to ask ourselves are we adopting because we want a perfectly healthy child or because we're being obedient to what God has asked of us?
Do we want to answer the call to take care of orphans or do we want to create the perfect family and live an easy life?
Our answer is a resounding: We want to be obedient to God and are joyful to do it, even if it means life is difficult.

Every step of this adoption journey has taught me something, but most importantly it is not about me, but about God and His plan and what He's doing in this world.
I can rest in that.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Melaku and for us.

Photos, Second Medicals and Happy Days

First a very Happy Day to John Owen Thurman.

He's three today and it's been an incredible three year journey with him.

My life has never been the same.

There have been hair-pulling days and days full of joy, but I love being his mom and being a part of his life. He calls birthdays Happy Days! So let's all be happy today in celebration of his day!

We received fifteen new photos of Melaku yesterday. This is almost unheard of and was a sweet blessing from the Lord. We feel very blessed to be receiving all the information that we have.

Today we received word that he has been taken for his second medicals!! Woo-hoo! There is still one test that is not in country, but they feel that in two weeks he'll have that test and his second medicals will be complete.

And then...our case can be submitted to court.

Speaking of court---they reopen OCTOBER 5TH! Yay!

That's very soon (at least when I think about waiting and waiting for months, one more month doesn't seem so long.)

Thank you all for praying for us. I know God is hearing and working and answering and we pray He is glorified through all of this. May you truly see something of how the Father works in our own lives through the adoption of Melaku.

We are beginning a new fundraising phase for travel expenses and Melaku's medical expenses. We're praying through the right thing to do, so join us.

If you would like to help us you can still donate to our Lifesong for Orphans account and you'll receive a tax credit for it.

You can email me for the info if you're interested.

We love you all and praise God for you in our lives.

What a joy it is to walk this journey with you!!

God Sets the Lonely into Families

We. Got. A. Referral!

Last Wednesday I received a call from our case manager asking if I had a few minutes to talk. My first thought was is this more bad news or is this a referral. She then said, "I want to talk to you about a little boy." I said, "I want you to! Talk to me!"

And now our journey has taken a new turn---a wonderful new turn!
He is precious! His eyes are really big and BROWN! I've seen those eyes a thousand times before and now I can look at them and the face that goes with them.

He's little and young---much younger than we thought he'd be. We were sure we'd get a toddler, but NOPE he's a baby.

So we're digging out our cloth diapers and all the baby clothes we packed away! Yay!

The process now is to wait for his second medicals which have been ordered by our agency. We are told that this can take a few weeks to a few months, so PRAY, PRAY, PRAY that it happens quickly.
Our case CANNOT be submitted to court until we receive these second medicals.
After we receive his second medicals our case is submitted to court and then we wait for a court date which is when we'll travel the first time.
We think this might be sometime in October.

He's a precious boy and we feel so blessed to have this opportunity. We know God is in control and we pray that His will is done.
There are a lot of things going on in Ethiopia now that could or could not affect international adoption in a negative way.
Please pray that God would keep Ethiopia open and protect international adoption.
Adoption is war!
Also, we are not allowed to email or post any pictures of our boy. We are happy to show a picture of him in person, so don't hesitate to ask us!

We've also decided that how he became an orphan is his story and we've committed to not share it. I know we always wonder about people's situations, but we feel that it's his to tell and if at some point in his life he chooses to share it, then he can and if not, then we'll have allowed him that.

Just rest in knowing that God is mindful of even the littlest people!

Thank you all for your support and prayers and for walking this journey with us!
We can't wait to bring him home and introduce him to you all!!

Slooooooow

Slow.
That's how I would describe our wait for a referral. Very slow. Every week we get an update from our agency and it seems that more things keep happening in Ethiopia to slow things down even more.
I won't list all the things that have happened, except for the most recent which is the sudden death of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
This is big (or so our agency is telling us).
We have been asked to pray for the stability of Ethiopia and to pray that policies concerning inter country adoption aren't negatively influenced.

Many people ask about our adoption and we feel so loved when they do. We are encouraged that people are praying for us and truly interested in our journey.

We are coming up on one year on the waiting list for a referral. This means that it's been one year since our paperwork (a.k.a. dossier) arrived in Ethiopia.

We know that God is faithful and He can work through all the issues and seeming turmoil.
If we're honest...(and I usually am honest) it feels like we may never get a referral. These are the feelings and thoughts we fight.
We know satan wants us to believe that it's pointless and that we should give up. Maybe he's convinced you of that too. Maybe he's trying to tell you that there's no point to adopt, that the wait is too long.
But he is a dirty liar.
We will continue to wait. We will continue to trust.
BUT... We are asking you to join us in praying for a referral.
Not because it makes us happy
Not because it's what we want
Because John Owen has a brother half way across the world
Because we have a son half way across the world
Because a little boy is waiting for his family to be able to come and get him.

Pray, pray, pray and then pray some more. (please)

Brown Eyes

John Owen has brown eyes--medium chocolate if you will. I believe our next son will have brown eyes too! I find myself looking at every dark-skinned, brown-eyed child wondering "Will my son look like that?" "Will his hair curl like that?" It's a nice feeling, not an agonizing one. It means we're close to a referral and by close I mean I really have no idea when we'll get one.
At the end of May we will have been waiting exactly nine months for a referral. How funny would it be if we got one then?
I hope we get one soon and believe that it could be. Things have picked up some in Ethiopia and it seems that referrals are trickling in more frequently.
 But...if we must wait another nine months, then we know that is what is best because God does what is best.
That will give me more time to imagine what he looks like, smells like, feels like.
We have toyed with a few names, but will hold off sharing until we've gotten that referral.
God has so graciously blessed us during this process. He has confirmed again and again that we are doing what He has called us to do.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
If you'd like to pray specifically, then pray that the hearts of the government officials and orphanage officials will be softened and that the many children who are waiting to be released for referral will be released.

In the meantime, if you're looking for a good book or two to read, I have some suggestions. (Imagine that!)
First, Kisses from Katie. It's excellent and will hopefully light a fire under you for the orphaned and hurting in the world.
Next is Generous Justice. It too is excellent and will hopefully do to you what it did to me--reveal some blind spots in my own life concerning the poor and underprivileged.

Sorry for not posting regularly...I really have no excuse except that I've been reading a lot and keeping up with my almost three year old son--John Owen.

We're Five Months

Waiting that is.
We've been on the referral list for five months now.
February 27th will be one year since we started our adoption process.
One year!
It honestly doesn't feel like a year.
These past five months since our adoption dossier was sent to Ethiopia have seemed longer.
I guess because ALL we have to do is WAIT.
What? (That's what I think sometimes...just wait.)
We get these little email updates from our agency that tell us every week that we are "on the cusp" of things really picking up in Ethiopia.
So, I guess we're waiting "on the cusp" to become "the real deal."

In the meantime...
I've written our D-Now curriculum, read a lot of books, bopped around with the one and only John Owen Thurman, picked up the nasty habit of running and now.... wait for it....
I'm making a quilt.
Hard to believe, I know, that I'd sew something to pass the time.
But I am and I'll post pictures so you can pass the time with me.

(In all honesty though, we're hoping to not just pass the time, but to really get what God is showing us.)

I attend Bible Study Fellowship on Wednesdays and my group leader commented to me that she appreciated my honesty and transparency.
This is not the first time that someone has said something like that to me. (Shocking, I know.)
But it made me think, "Is that unusual? Should I be different?"
Then I surmised that it's just a lot easier for me to be open and honest even if sometimes it's a little uncomfortable.

So, here's an open and honest truth...I really, really, really, really, really wish my sweet Ella Grace was still alive and here with me and we were waiting for a referral for little Thurman number three instead of two.

But God is Good and His Ways Are Best!!