Never Stop Trusting Him

Psalm 37:7

Be still in the presence of the Lord, 

and wait patiently for Him to act.

I am trying so very hard to be patient....really, who is good at that?  

Let me back track for you.  First, let me assure you that our agency really doesn't have much control over our situation.  We are at the liberty of another country's government and court system.  We were told by our agency to prepare to travel back in December because they expected us to have a court date.  December came and went and we were told that we would most likely travel in January.  Obviously, we're not going anywhere.  Today, the judge announces that the Ethiopian court will be closed until February 24th for "staff meetings".  

That took the wind out of my sail.

This mama's heart wants her baby boy.  I don't know that anyone that hasn't been in this process can fully understand.  I am connected by heart to this little being that I have never rocked to sleep.  My heart aches to be the one that feeds him, holds him and sings softly in his ear.  God has written his name on our hearts.  We are ready to be a family.  Our kids pray for their "baby brother far away" daily.  They are ready for him to be here.  Just because we "want" it SO bad doesn't mean that God is going to move that way.  He longs for me to cling to Him, lean into Him and never stop trusting in Him.

Ironically, my morning devotion this morning (before hearing the news of the courts closing) reminded me that God's promises are still His promises even if He doesn't answer prayers the way we want Him to. 

Today, I am resting in His plan for our family, my heart and mind and our sweet baby boy across the world waiting for us.

Clinging to Him.
Leaning into Him.
Trusting in Him. 

Hebrews 4:14

Let us cling to Him and 

Never stop trusting in Him.

Let God Take Over....Again

"To pray is to let go 

and let God take over."

Philippians 4:6-7

There have been many areas in my life where God has taught me that I am hanging on too tight to the reigns and haven't fully given control to Him.  I am finding myself at that point with this adoption.  God is gently tapping me on the shoulder saying..."Hey, remember ME...I've got this."  Some days I need more than a tap on the shoulder...maybe more like a swift kick to the pants.  

We were blessed by a fairly quick and painless process up to this point.  Now, we've hit a minor bump in the road--cue my worry and arms reaching to grab the reigns.  Daily this week, I have had to out loud surrender this process to Him (again) and acknowledge that our little E is HIS.  Our agency really did think we would know our court date by the end of this week.  Here we sit with another week having passed and no progress in our case.

There is still much being talked about in adoption circles on the internet about what Ethiopia is deciding to do as far as "reform" the international adoption process.  Supposedly, they are going to announce the plan they've come up with in the coming days.  We do know that they are still processing adoptions at this time.

In our particular case, one of E's documents from the orphanage he was in had a signature of an official who is no longer in office.  The Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA) will not issue our letter until the signature is updated.  They tried to get it done this week.  It seems with all the uncertainty of things going on in Ethiopia right now, they are hesitating getting some of these things done.  

At this point, we have no idea when we'll get our court date and be able to travel.  

We are so thankful for those of you that have prayed for our family through this process.  Here are some very specific ways you can pray:

• Pray for our agency's in-country representative as he works tirelessly to get everything needed for our case (as well as others' cases)
• Pray that he will be granted soon and easily the signature we need for our case
• Pray that once the signature is done that MOWA will issue our letter and court date quickly
• Pray for our sweet E who is waiting for us
• Selfishly....pray for my sanity in the waiting (my family will thank you for that)

We are trusting God in this whole situation.  It doesn't mean that we're not human and we don't worry from time to time or get frustrated in the way things are happening.  Our hope is in Him. We know He loves our sweet E more than we do and He has a perfect plan for his life.  We know without a doubt that God has instilled this desire in our hearts long ago and He will see it through!  We pray that we will represent God well through this process.  He deserves all the honor and glory and we can't wait to see the rest of our story unfold.

"We are confident that He who began this work in us will carry it on to completion."  Philippians 1:6

There's Nothing My God cannot Do!

Our God is so GREAT

So strong and so Mighty

There's NOTHING my God cannot do!

(a favorite song of my kids)

It sounds like there is more positive news circulating about adoption in Ethiopia.  From what I have gathered, it seems like they are trying to reform the adoption program in Ethiopia, but not completely shut it down-PRAISE GOD!  The government and officials there certainly still need your prayers.

As for our specific case, we got some updates yesterday.  MOWA has asked for an updated signature on one of our documents.  I guess it was over a year old while Endale was in the orphanage.  The in-country representative from our agency, who is so diligent and wonderful, is working to get the new signature on that document.  He's hoping to have it back to MOWA by next week; however, January 7 is the day Ethiopia celebrates Christmas, so that may slow things down a bit.  Once MOWA has this updated signature, they SHOULD issue our court date!  So we are praying to get there some time in January to kiss our boy's sweet face and make him a Sellers forever! 

Please continue to pray for the following:

-Our agency director and other employees that have been bombarded with crazy adoptive families like us anxious over the news the last few days.  They have handled the situations with grace and continue to put these children needing homes as their top priorities.

-Our Endale who is smiling the days away having no idea that a family across the world is anxiously awaiting his homecoming.

-The Ethiopian government officials that will be making decisions in the coming days to reform their adoption process and the millions of orphans that need a home and will be affected by their decision one way or another.

-Continued peace for our family.  We know that God is with us and Endale and that His timing is perfect.

Thank you for praying for us!

Everything is YOURS God

I have been waiting to get a little more information before I posted anything about what I was learning with the Ethiopian adoption process.  We were told before Christmas to get everything in order, because it was very likely we would travel before Christmas.  Well, Christmas came and went and we still didn't have a court date.  Then, we got an email from our agency stating that the Ministry of Women Affairs (MOWA) was closed.  MOWA needs to issue a letter for our case to the Ethiopian court so they can give us a court date.

Well, now we have more pieces to the puzzle.  MOWA has been shut down for a few weeks.  December 26th MOWA met to end all Ethiopian adoptions.  You can read more here.

We were able to have an online chat with our agency this evening to get a better grasp about what this means for everyone in the process.  Basically, it seems that no one really knows.  In our particular agency, we are the farthest along in the process.  When asked what would happen to the families that are already matched with children, they said they really don't know.  In some other countries, matched families have been grandfathered in and completed the process; however, we know that hasn't been the case in all countries.

Here are two things you can do:

Contact our Senators to join the Children in Families First Bill (CHIFF). 

But first and foremost, we ask that you pray.  Please pray for the Ethiopian government.  Pray for the Prime Minister who will have to approve anything that might be brought before him.  Please pray that MOWA would open up this week and issue our court date, so we can get over there and get our boy!  From what I understand, they haven't stopped anything yet; however, MOWA has not been working in the last few weeks due to these meetings.  We need MOWA to come back to work!  Pray for the orphans in Ethiopia.  This would mean that no one could bring them home...to deserving, loving families.  Pray for our sweet little guy. We are ready to go see him.

As all of the news starting coming in about the meeting in Ethiopia, God reminded me that Endale is HIS.   The Almighty has gone before us.  I am simply a vessel.  Endale is Yours God.  His Glory will continued to be revealed in this story that He is writing.

  Steven Curtis Chapman's song,"Yours"says it best:

And I hear children's voices singing,
Of a God Who heals, and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours!

CHORUS
And its all Yours, God, Yours God,
Everything is Yours!
From the stars in the sky,
To the depths of the ocean floor!
And its all Yours God, Yours God,
Everything is Yours!
You're the Maker and Keeper,
Father and Ruler of everything!
It's all Yours

Thank you in advance for storming the Throne on our behalf. 

All I wanted for Christmas was a court date

While I did not post it due to it not actually happening, we were told about 3 and a half weeks ago to get everything in order, because we could have a court date BEFORE Christmas.  We put everything into high gear getting ready for the possibility of leaving.  Well, Christmas came and went and we still don't have a court date.

We heard from our agency yesterday.  They said that MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs in Ethiopia) is on "evaluation".  I'm not certain what that means, but their employees are off during this time and not expected to return for a week.  MOWA needs to issue our "letter of favorable determination" to the court so that they can give us our court date.  Until they are back and issue the letter, we won't be getting our court date.  Ethiopia celebrates Christmas on January 7, so I would imagine it will be at the very least two weeks out before we'd even know our court date.

While I am bummed that we haven't held him in our arms yet, God has taught me to trust in His timing through the years.  I know that He knows the day we'll get to sweep our baby boy up in our arms,  kiss his sweet face and rub our hands through his precious curly hair.  For now, we pray for him and think of him everyday and long for him to be here with his family.

Thank you for your continued prayers and anticipation to meet our newest blessing!

Happy Feet

A little glimpse of our little man....I can't wait to show the world his sweet face!

We got our PAIR letter!

When we first began this process, the agency mentioned over and over again that we'd be under the "new PAIR (pre-adoptive immigration review) process" for Ethiopia.  A process they even today are still trying to figure out, because it's new.  It was implemented on September 1 of this year, so our adoption would be included in this.  It is basically changing the order of the adoption process in Ethiopia and making sure all the "t's" are crossed and the "i's" are dotted before the final court date where a child would be officially adopted.  The USCIS does a complete investigation making sure the child is truly an orphan and meets the orphan standards by the US, so he/she can be issued a visa to come to the US. It is also supposed to help avoid long wait times between the court date and homecoming.

It's hard to believe that we are here!  Our investigation is complete and pending our final court date, our baby boy can come home to live with his forever family!  We received our PAIR letter yesterday in the mail and had it in our possession a whole hour (maybe).  We scanned it to our agency and got down to overnight it to be authenticated in Washington D.C.

 Last Christmas, I had no idea how God was going to grow us and bless us this year.  I cannot wait to hold our boy in my arms.  It won't be long!!

• Apply with agency
• Home Study Process
• Home Study Approval
• File USCIS Paperwork
• Complete USCIS fingerprinting and biometrics screening
• Assemble International Dossier for Ethiopia
• International Dossier authenticated in Washington D.C.
• Accept Referral of our baby boy
• File PAIR agreement
• PAIR letter submitted to Ethiopia
• Embassy Birthmother interview
• Court issues first court date for birthmother
• First court date with birthmother
• Investigation complete
  
• PAIR approval letter issued
• Receive PAIR letter
• Approval Letter Authenticated in Washington D.C.
•  OUR court date is issued and make arrangements to travel.
• Meet our boy face to face!
• Go to court.
• Case passes court.
• Court issues adoption documents
• Agency applies for new birth certificate and passport for our boy.
• Medical appointment by an Embassy approved physician.
• Submit case to Embassy
• Clear Embassy
• GO GET OUR BABY BOY AND BRING HIM HOME!!!!