Moving Along

Things are moving for sure.
We received word today that we'd most likely be submitted to court for a court date next week.
We also received almost thirty, twenty-eight to be exact, new pictures of Melaku.
He's growing and we saw two teeth. Soon we'll get to meet him in person. We hope to take pictures of us, his family when we go.
Keep up the prayers! Let's get baby James as John Owen calls him home.

And So It Begins

Today is October 5th.
Today the courts in Ethiopia reopened. Actually Ethiopia is seven hours ahead of us, so they've been reopened for some time.
Today we received an email with Melaku's test results.
His final test is done!
We approved the results (as we knew we would all along) and now we can be submitted for court.

An interesting note for our Buck Run family. Melaku is in the Tikuret orphanage in Addis. Some of our folks traveled there this past spring and visited the very orphanage that he is living in now.
Interesting how big our world can seem, when it actuality it isn't so big.
Praying that God helps us know this as we seek to live outside of our own "little" world and help those around us (even those thousands of miles away from us).

We continue to wait patiently for God's timing for court.
This process could take a while or could happen very soon.

Thanks for taking this journey with us!

Blood Draws

This has been a theme in our life lately.

From my bloody toes from running the Bourbon Chase to Melaku's blood being drawn for his last test prior to our submission to court, blood has been apart of our lives.

Malaku's blood being drawn is way more exciting than bloody toes.

We are thankful to receive this news and praying that he receives the test and we get the results.

Our case manager is working to get more pictures and an update.

We continue to wait patiently on the Lord's timing.

Thanks for your continued prayers! We know God is moving!

Endurance Part Two

Endurance is definitely the word for our family.
We received word from our case manager that the lab in Ethiopia has a few of the tests that Melaku needs, but they are not available publicly. This means the orphanage will take Malaku to the lab and ask that he be tested. They plan to do that this week, so we may still get the results and get submitted right as court reopens this Friday.
If not, we trust God's work and timing.
Please join us in praying that Melaku is able to get the test and the we're able to get the results back and submitted for a court date very soon.

Hope I can update with good news soon!

Thanks for praying!

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!!