And We're Outta Here!!!

Sorry to be so delinquent in updating this blog, but things have been beyond nuts around here. Our caseworker called us on March 1st to give us an update on our travel dates and, to our shock, she told us that we would probably be able to make the March 21st U.S. Embassy appointment in Ethiopia. We were under the impression that we'd be traveling for the April 5th appointment and figured we had over a month to prepare. Needless to say, when we realized that we now only had less than three weeks to pull everything together, we started scrambling fast! I have to say, the preparations required for this trip have been crazy!! There's been paperwork, photocopies, prescription medications, immunizations, not to mention having to think of and bring anything and everything Levi might need during the trip. I've tried to prepare myself for every possible scenario that could take place while we're there. Well, I think I'm ready. I better be cause we leave for the airport in six hours. The kids are bursting with excitement and I'm so grateful that we are able to bring them to experience this all together as a family. We are blessed. We will officially be holding little Levi in our arms on Sunday. I'm overwhelmed with emotion at just the thought of it. I have no idea what my reaction will be when I first see his sweet face. All I can say is there's a whole lot of love that's been pent up inside of me since I first saw his picture and those flood gates are going to open when I get him in my arms. He won't know what hit him:) Thanks to everyone who has encouraged, supported and prayed for us during this process. We love you all so much. Well, we're leaving as a family of four and returning as a family of five!!! We're coming Levi!!

He's Officially Ours!!!

I went to bed Tuesday night with a surprising amount of peace. All of my dear friends and family assured me that they would be praying for the positive outcome of our court date which would be taking place as we slept. To be honest, I didn't really have any great faith that we would pass court the first time around. However, I did consider the fact that the two families who had court dates before me had failed and, being that we're told we have a 50% chance of passing the first time, I figured the odds were a little more in our favor. Still, having come this far in the adoption process, I am no stranger to disappointment anymore. I didn't expect to be exempt in this case either. We woke up Wednesday morning knowing that the verdict had already been given and we would simply have to wait until we were contacted to find out what it was. I went to work with the hopes that I could remain very busy and distracted as I didn't expect to be hearing anything until the late afternoon. To my surprise, I saw a call coming in from my case worker at 12 noon. I felt the familiar turning of my stomach that happened when I realized I was getting my referral call. After going through some polite salutations I paused to give her the green light..."You passed court, Susan. Congratulations. He's officially your son."...TEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To be honest, I hadn't really anticipated what it was going to feel like when I learned he was ours. And, to my surprise, the tears that began with that afternoon phone call, didn't end until late that night. I simply could not stop crying. It was as though all of the waiting, worrying, discouragements and disappointments that I experienced over the past 12 months were just working their way out of my system. He was ours. It was finally over. Now we are waiting to have our travel dates confirmed. I'm praying we'll be able to go with a travel group scheduled for April 4th...Easter Sunday!!! In the meantime, we'll be looking for the assembly directions and kit of nuts and screws for Levi's new crib....that Brian lost today :)

We Have A Court Date!

Wow, things are really starting to move in this whole process. Today we received a call from our case worker and were given the good news that we had a court date set for February 24th. That's in a week!!! Of course, all of the disclaimers were given about the the 50 percent chance we had at passing the first time around. The adoption process just really doesn't give you anything easy. We're going to have to fight in prayer until we finally get that little guy in our arms. Well, we're fighting. He's more than worth it. If we pass on the 24th, we might possibly be able to travel to Ethiopia on March 22nd. I'm in awe that we've made it this far. Just a little longer........

Oh, Those Sweet Eyes!

Since we're not allowed to put a full-face picture of our little guy on any public site, I'll give you all this little tease. :)

Still Can't Believe This Day Has Actually Come

As I look over this blog I'm reminded of the long road this adoption process has taken us on. I'm also reminded of the many disappointments we've faced over the past year concerning another adoption endeavor that failed. It's been a trying time and a blind walk of faith in so many ways. I've ended just about every day asking the same question to God, "How much longer, Lord?" and "Who is it that You have for us?" Well, this past Friday, He finally gave us the answer.

On the previous night, I was unsuccessfully trying not to mope around because I knew that by 8pm our agency would be closing for the night and assumed that would end my chance of receiving a referral that week. I made this assumption because our agency reserves Friday to catch up on paperwork and doesn't really have any interaction with their clients. I checked about 20 blogs to see if anyone who has adopted from my agency had received a referral on a Friday. No one. "Oh, well", I thought, "Now I have to try and get through another weekend of waiting." I usually work from home on Fridays, but I decided to go in that day just to avoid being alone with my thoughts. So, while I'm on the phone with a friend, I get another call. I look at the number and don't recognize it. When I answer I hear, "Susan?", I say, "Yes." "This is Christy" (my case worker). My heart immediately starts to pound. "And I have some good news for you." With that, I let out a blood-curdling scream that really shouldn't be humanly possible and I did it right into poor Christy's ear. Everyone on my staff came running to my office and could quickly tell what was going on. I asked Christy if I could call her back from my husband's office and, then, did a dash across our church that would have impressed Hussein Bolt. I burst through Brian's door and was pleased to find a rare moment when he wasn't counseling anyone. "It's happened!", I told him. We called Christy back and reveled in every moment as she told us about our sweet baby boy. We learn that he is only FOUR WEEKS OLD and that his mother died somewhere within that time, forcing his father to give him up. His medical records indicated he is perfectly healthy. Christy told us she was sending pictures of him and I had to remind Brian that we promised our kids we wouldn't look at them until we were all together. Brian, of course, had to teach a class at the church that night that wouldn't end until 9pm. Torture. At 10pm that night we hear his car horn blowing down the street into our driveway (he was excited). He burst through the door and we immediately gathered around the computer. We clicked on the first picture, expecting it to slowly load on to the screen. Instead, it pops up in an instant and we all scream as we look at these two HUGE eyes looking right back at us. We broke out into hysterical laughter as we focused in on the cutest little face you'd ever want to see. He's just beautiful. In fact, for a four week old, he's exceptionally adorable. We sat there examining all of his little features and soon realized that he has the hugest hands and feet we've ever seen on a newborn. "What kind of boy is this?", I asked Brian. Of course, a look of pride came over his face as lofty notions of the NBA or NFL probably ran through his mind ;) Claire, who's been as excited as anyone, continued to stare at the computer with a look of concern on her face. I immediately knew what her reservation was and consoled her by saying, "Don't worry, honey. He'll grow into those eyes." :)

At the risk of sounding trite- He was absolutely worth the wait. He's the one the Lord set apart just for us. Even though his life has begun with so much sorrow, by God's grace, we're going to give him a home where he is loved and protected and celebrated. He has a mommy and daddy who already love him more than words can express. My prayers are with my sweet boy tonight. Lord, watch over him and bring him home to us soon!!!

One Is The Loneliest Number

Okay, I should be rejoicing in this post because I am now unofficially #1 on the boy's waiting list, but, at the moment, I'm not. It has been a long road to get to this place and, quite frankly, I am beyond ready to reach my destination...to see my baby and finally put a face to the plan God has had since the beginning of time. I am crawling out of my skin today with anxiety and impatience. Being #1 on the list is torturous because what you've been longing for is so close and, yet, so far away as each day passes without a word from my agency. What an experience this has been. It's really so hard to articulate the gamut of emotions you go through on a weekly basis. The excitement, the fear, the doubt, the longings. It is a unique journey to say the least. So, my prayer tonight is that next week will be OUR week and that he has very fat thighs :)

P.S. I have no doubt that my next post will have a very different tone than this one.

Apparently, I'm Not Very Good At This

Well, I just realized that I haven't written anything in over a month. It really doesn't feel that long, though. Time just seems to be flying by. And that's pretty incredible since you'd think waiting for our referral to come would make the days seem like years. We have currently been on the waiting list for over four months and we are officially #3 on the boy's list, #13 on the girl's list and #3 on the sibling list. I am anticipating a call about a baby within the next two weeks or so......what a Christmas gift!!! So, at this point we've all been debating about names for our new baby or babies (still not sure how this will all turn out). I think we've decided that we'll just have to see their face first in order to know what their name should be. I'd be lying if I said I'm not beginning to get a little nervous. I'm starting to get those "Oh, my goodness. What am I about to do?" thoughts. I'm guessing that's normal. Our lives are definitely about to change in a big way. I'm not idealizing it. I have fully weighed out the cost- and I'm prepared to pay it. I know God is calling us to do this and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Expect my next post to be an announcement of who the newest member(s) of our family will be!!!!