Trust Him with the Impossible

"A woman of true beauty is a woman who in the depths of her soul is at rest, trusting God because she has come to know Him to be worthy of her trust."--Stasi Eldredge

We began this week hoping and praying that God would be merciful on us and allow Matt to be able to leave by the end of the week.  There were some big things that had to happen for him to be able to leave...some almost impossible things.

If there is one overall area that God has stretched us through this process, it has been trust.  From the day we said, "YES!" to Endale, we have had to trust God to see this to completion from deadlines to finances to traveling, etc.  He has proved Himself faithful over and over again in our lives especially through this process which allowed us to trust Him with the impossible.

During our weekend services at our church, our worship leader asked our church family to join in corporate prayer and petition that God might grant our family the things we needed to allow Matt to come home at the end of this week.  Three services full of prayer warriors lifted up our family, our baby boy and their Pastor...my Matt...to the Almighty God.  Praying for his quick and safe return home to all of us.  We were trusting that God would work in our behalf to make the impossible...possible.

This morning we confirmed that we cleared embassy!!! They have scheduled a visa interview on Thursday and assured us Matt would have Endale's visa in hand Friday and can leave Ethiopia Friday night!

My boys are coming home.  God receives all the glory and honor, because He is the One who made this happen.  We trusted Him knowing that He could move mountains to get Matt home...and He has.  He has a plane ticket booked to leave Ethiopia Friday night at 10:15pm and arrive in DC at 8:30am on Saturday.  We are working on a ticket to get me to Dulles to help Matt the rest of the way home. Matt and Endale will arrive in Albuquerque on Saturday at 7:28pm!!!!  You are welcome to come meet him at the airport and celebrate with our family.

To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done

If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, I pray that you seek Him.  Adoption is a beautiful story of what our Heavenly Father has done for us.  He has adopted us into His family to become His sons and daughters.  Jesus is our Redeemer.  He has paid our ransom on the cross.  He has made all things new.  Trust Him today with your all.

Psalm 62:8

Trust in Him at all times, you people; 

pour out your hearts to Him,

for God is our refuge.

Update!

Things are moving along over in Ethiopia.  I get to Facetime Matt and Endale usually once a day.  It is so fun to see them.  I have to brag on my hubby a bit.  He is doing great being a Daddy to this precious kiddo we just met!  Endale has flourished in the 8 days of being with us.  He went from being lethargic and apathetic to lighting up every time he sees us and responding to everything!  It is such a blessing to see.

-Receive Adoption Decree

-Receive Birth Certificate

-Get 3 MOWA letters

-Get Endale's passport

-Medical appointment for Endale at Embassy

-Submit our case to Embassy

-Get Embassy appointment

-Clear embassy

Get Endale's visa

-COME HOME!!!!

 

I woke up to an email from Matt this morning saying we had received the immigration paperwork so we could proceed with getting his passport and he planned to do that tomorrow.  Then, a bit later, he emailed saying...I went down to immigration and already applied for the passport today!  Woo-hoo.  Check!  We expect the passport should be ready for pick up by Monday.  Tuesday is Endale's Embassy medical appointment.  Then, we'll have everything we need to submit to Embassy.  In the past, agencies have had certain days they can submit to Embassy.   Our agency's day is Thursday.  So, by next Thursday, we will submit to Embassy.  From there, they would give Matt an exit interview and we'd wait for the visa for him to come home.  Right now, we have plane tickets (booked in faith) for Matt to leave Ethiopia 4/9.  I will meet him in DC the next morning and fly the rest of the way home with him.  

 

How you can pray:

 

We have seen God move mountains over and over again throughout this process.  We're praying that somehow, the Embassy might allow us to go ahead and submit on Tuesday with a possible visa in hand on Friday, so Matt could come home earlier!  We're praying for BIG things from our BIG God!   

He has been so very faithful to us every step of the way to Endale.  Please join us in giving Him the glory for all the things He has done.

 

A Word From My Man

Today is Monday, March 24, 2014.  It marks one week since our arrival in Ethiopia and the third day since Christy and Camden left to go home.  At this point I have at least 10 days more of being here (and that is best case scenario).

It has been an interesting visit so far and I am sure I will get to learn more as the days pass.

Here are some things I have come to realize in my time here…

1.  Speed is not a must.  Nothing happens here quickly.  The American way of doing things (that generally is thought of as the best way by most Americans) is to get “it” done now and then move on to the next two to three projects I have. 

In America, we want everything done now or five minutes ago.  We have cell phones we are either talking on or emailing on or texting on or digging through some app to get the latest information or… you know what I mean.  We have internet that is fast and we complain if it is slow.  Our phones have internet so we can keep busy even while sitting and waiting.  Why?  All in order to be “up to speed” on what is going on in the world.

Here, it is not like that at all.  If people have a cell phone, it is a basic phone with little to no features.  Internet works when it wants to.  And people really don’t care.  There are internet cafes (more like shacks) all around town because people don’t have it at their houses.  The only places to get fast reliable internet is at the Sheraton and Hilton (coincidentally both American style hotels).

In America, we have Fast Food, drive thrus, and microwaves.  We even have drive thru coffee places.

Here - they don’t know what fast food is and when I told one of the guys about getting coffee while still in your car he was shocked.  You see, the way they do their food, their coffee, their everything, it is about connection.  They don’t rush meals - you actually have to ask for the check because they are not trying to get you out the door.  Here at the guest house I am at - they roast their coffee beans every morning and then grind them and then brew them.  Why - so they can talk while doing it and connect with each other.  

In America, church is over in about an hour… give or take a few minutes.  We have our eyes on a clock knowing that three songs, announcements, a message and a song or two more and we will be done.  We stand in our place, stiff, singing quietly if at all and we call it our hour of “worship.”

Here - the music started and the people responded… it was over and hour a music to start and I didn’t see one person looking at their watch… probably because they didn’t have any other place to go or something more important to do than connect with God in a corporate setting.

While I love America and can’t wait to get back… I think we need to take a look at our schedules and ask the questions that the guy I was talking to about drive thru’s asked… “Why is everybody in America so busy?”  “What are they gaining in their busyness?”

Introducing Endale Matthew Sellers

This morning, we left Endale at the guest house and went to the court house.  I was expecting a little more pomp and circumstance due to the towers of paperwork and hoops we've had to jump through to get to this day.  We climbed 4 flights of stairs and walked down the hallway.  On one side was a room full of criminals.  Our in-country rep, Dereje, explained that they were there for committing crimes....like killing people.  Uuuhhhh....okay.  The other side of the hallway was our waiting room.  We sat down and watched another family go into the room with the judge.  In less than 5 minutes, it was our turn.  We went into the room with the judge.  She asked us several questions.  In less time than it took to walk to the court house from where we parked, the judge announced what God had already ordained for our family....
Endale is your son.

Leaving the transition house

At transition house

So from here....

After we booked our tickets to come home between court and embassy, we were told that one of us would have to stay until we could bring him home because our agency's transition house is closing.  We had always planned for two trips, but we had to change our plans.  After talking through all the options, we decided it would work best for Matt to stay.  He felt safer being the one to stay and he will have no problem taking care of Endale.  I have complete confidence in him as a Daddy.  Friday night, Camden and I will begin our journey home from Ethiopia and Matt and Endale will stay.  We're hoping for a fairly quick process.  It may be around 2-3 weeks, but the up-side to that is that Endale never has to be in anyone else's care.  He will be with Daddy until he comes home!  And that also means, he could be HOME...OUR HOME in 2-3 weeks!!!!!  I can hardly fathom this and cannot wait until our whole family is together.  These are the steps to cross off before Matt can come home:

-Receive Adoption Decree

-Receive Birth Certificate

-Get 3 MOWA letters

-Get Endale's passport

-Medical appointment for Endale at Embassy

-Get Endale's visa

-Submit our case to Embassy

-Get Embassy appointment

-Clear embassy

-COME HOME!!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers.  

*Please pray that the court here and the embassy will be diligent in processing everything for our case.  

*Pray for Dereje who is working so hard for our family (and many others) to make sure these children are placed in Christian homes.  

*Pray for Matt as he stays here with Endale.

Busy Day!

Tuesday in Ethiopia was wonderful for us!  We were still adjusting to the time change.  We all woke up in the middle of the night here and were wide awake.  Endale slept like a champ!  The guest house has a sweet cook named Hewitt who makes breakfast for everyone in the house.  Yesterday, we had something that would be similar to spring rolls (yes! with veggies) for breakfast.  She hand rolled them the day before.  They were yummy!

After breakfast, we were excited to get out and see what we could in Ethiopia.  We joined our new friends, also from our agency, and went out to the market place to shop.  As we drove through the city, I just took everything in.  We also visited a scarf making factory.  This organization provided a place where men and women could make scarves to earn money for their families.  The women would have to walk up a mountain to gather wood and carry it back down on their shoulders.  Now, at the factory, each scarf that is sold has name attached to it and whoever made the scarf receives the money.

Outside of the scarf factory, there were lots of kids playing and Camden went right over and started playing with them.  They loved playing with him.  Here are some pictures from our day.  Endale was right there with us, but we can't show you his face yet.....stay tuned!

We also took care of some things that needed to be checked off our adoption list.  The other couple also had to do the same things, so we joined them.  We had to get small passport photos of the babies and copies made of some of our paperwork.  Since there isn't a Walgreen's on every corner, we were taken to a professional photo shop to get the pictures.  We all laughed and smiled at all the props as we were there just to get a 2x2 head shot of our kiddos.  We weren't exactly sure what we were going to get, but it turned out perfect!

At the end of the day, Matt and I were blessed to meet up with a Southern Baptist missionary that is here in Ethiopia with his family.  We had brought some medicine and supplies for his family.  He came and picked us up and we spent the evening having dinner and sweet fellowship with them.

We are so in love with our little guy.  He is as mellow as can be.  He will be 20 months at the end of this month, but he is tiny!  He is wearing size 2 diapers and 6 month old clothes.  I will also add that he as cute as cute can be!  (Yes, that is a teaser....as soon as we pass court, we can show him to the world!)

And He Will Give You the Desire of Your Heart

Psalm 37:4 

Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 

 Years ago, God placed a desire in my heart to adopt a child with Down Syndrome.  He gave me a special love for children with special needs and I knew right then that God was calling me to do something big.  In dating Matt, I shared with him this calling that God had on my life.  We had no idea how God would fulfill this calling.  We just knew that when He did, we would step out in obedience and say "yes".  God put Endale in our path and we knew, He was given to us by God to be a part of our family.

 

Today, my heart swelled as we drove to the transition house.  So many emotions flooded my heart and mind.  I still am in awe at God's faithfulness throughout this whole process.   I am so grateful that He chose our family as a vessel to love Endale.  

 

 We arrived at the transition house after a short ride from our guest house.  They opened the gate and we walked it.  It all seemed so surreal.  I had imagined it over and over again.  I immediately became emotional seeing the older children playing in the entry way and seeing other cribs holding babies waiting for their families.  We walked up the stairs to the room that has been home to Endale for the last 8 months.  We turned the corner and there he was.  Tears streamed down my face as I looked for approval from the nanny to pick up my baby from his crib.  He clung to me.  I cried.  Matt cried.  Camden cried.  It was a beautiful mess laced with God's glory. 

 

We walked him out of the transition house and he joined us at the guest house.  We held him, fed him and took a nap with him.  I have examined his every detail and can't wait to learn more about his personality. 

 

Also staying in the guesthouse is another family from our agency who we connected with online.  They had their court date a couple of weeks ago.  It was so fun to finally meet them in person and share in the joy of the new blessings in both of our families.  We went to a fun Ethiopian restaurant with them for lunch.

 

I can't wait for all this week as in store.  Very soon, I can show you our boy's sweet face. Camden is in love with his new baby brother.  He must have told Endale that he loves him fifty times already.  My heart is full.  God is so good.

 

We're leavin' on a jet plane!

This morning I got the best message ever from our agency director saying...

"Hurry, go get your boy!"  

We have our court date!  It is so surreal.  We are not going to disclose the actual court date online, but I can tell you that it is NEXT week.  

So from here, Matt, Christy and Camden will leave on Saturday to head to Washington, D.C. where we will have a connecting flight the next morning to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!  Since our flight leaves so early on Sunday and we had to arrive the day before, we have an added blessing.  We will get to see Matt's Dad and step-mom who live a short drive away.  Also, we get to see our dear friends from Rio Rancho, the Prospers, who have been away working in the DC area for several months.   We'll catch up with loved ones to pass the time!

We'll get on our LONG flight on Sunday morning.  We will arrive in Ethiopia on Monday morning (Sunday night US time).  It seems as though we will get to meet our boy THAT very morning. So while you sleep on Sunday night, we will finally get to hold him in our arms!! I can hardly stop imagining what that will be like.

We are so overwhelmed by everyone's prayers and excitement.  Please know that God receives all the glory for this story He is writing.  We can love big because HE loved us first.  My prayer over and over through this is that God's glory would be revealed and that our sweet E would know the Father's love in our family.  I cannot wait to kiss his sweet head and see his smile up close.

We will try and update our blog daily if internet allows.  Once we pass court, I can share his face with the world!  You won't want to miss that big reveal....he is CUTE.  Unfortunately, we cannot bring him home until after we clear embassy.  Many steps follow the court date and right now, it looks like it would be one month before we could clear embassy and go back to bring him home!

Let's do this.

Author of Life

We are currently at a standstill in the adoption process.  We are awaiting a signature from the region that our E is from.  This particular region is not giving out any signatures right now, because of some of the other issues going on in regards to international adoption in Ethiopia.  It is not just our case or region being affected.  We are basically indefinitely waiting. We have no idea how long it could take.  God has really calmed my heart and reminded me that whether he's 20 months or 10 years old when we bring him home, he was meant to be with our family.  We're in it for the long haul.

 

God has continued to bring the story of Gideon to me over and over the last week.  Gideon wasn't the obvious choice to lead the army, but He was God's choice.  What a challenge in the midst of not really knowing why God is doing what He is doing.  That's where I feel like we are.  We are not the obvious choice, but we're God's choice for this beautiful story.  Gideon had to be ready for the challenge.  God likes it when it's highly unlikely, because the reason for the victory is HIS.  Just like Gideon felt, there is mystery as to why God would use us, but that is an exciting place to be. We know that God hasn't brought us this far to not make His glory known in a big way.  I'm excited to witness close-up His goodness and glory.  It is all HIS.

 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”  
made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the
 knowledge of God’s glory 
 displayed in the face of Christ.  
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that  
this all-surpassing power is from God 
and not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 

We know that the glory of the Lord will be revealed.  E is His child.  We are His vessels.  Some might say their "hearts are across the world".....I say that our hearts are laser focused on God and what He is doing and how we can give Him the glory.  Certainly we miss our curly headed boy everyday, but God is holding him in His hands.

God is bigger than any government or signature.  
He is the Author of life. 

And just because I can....check out this boy's do!  He's getting SO big!

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!!!!

Investigation is Complete!

We got the email we've been waiting for since after the birth mother interview!  We received an email from the Embassy saying that our Investigation is complete.  Our results are sent to the National Benefits Center (NBC) in Missouri where they will issue our PAIR approval letter!  We should hear from them and/or have our PAIR letter within the next two weeks.  Once we receive our letter it will have to be sent to Washington D.C. to be authenticated.  While we're waiting, we could hear of our court date to travel to Ethiopia to meet our boy!!!  

Obviously at this stage we can't say for sure when we we will travel.  What I do know is that I have been communicating with another family who is a little bit ahead of us in the process.  Their court date was one month and one day from the day they received the email stating their investigation was complete (the one we got today).   Our situation will have to factor in all the holidays coming up that will affect the US Embassy (Christmas and New Years) and the Ethiopian Court (Ethiopian Christmas-Jan 7).  

I marked three more things off our checklist!
Here's what our process looks like in the next few weeks:

• 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 Birth Mother Interview
• Court issues first court date for birth mother
• First Court Date with birth mother
• Embassy investigation complete
• National Benefit Center issues PAIR approval letter 
• Receive our PAIR letter
• Approval Letter Authenticated in Washington D.C.
• Get issued OUR court date and make arrangements to travel.
• Meet our boy face to face!
• Go to court.
• Our case passes court.
• Court issues adoption documents
• Our 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!!!!

Lots to Be Thankful For!!!

We were hoping to get our Embassy birth mother interview scheduled for the day of or at least week of the first court date that also involves the birth mother.  After our power of attorney requested a certain day next week, the embassy responded that they were booked through Dec. 2 and that would be our birth mother interview day.  I could roll with that!  That still wasn't far away.

Well....in comes SUPER SUE our agency director.  She contacted the embassy explaining that the birth mother has gone missing a couple of times and asked if there was any way they could move it up.  Guess what God did????  Our Embassy interview was moved up to next Wednesday, November 27!!!!!  

First Court Date, Tuesday, November 26

Birth Mother Interview at Embassy, Wednesday, November 27

What a Thanksgiving we will have knowing these two appointments are done! If all goes as planned and follows the approximate time lines of the families in front of us in the this new process, OUR court date would be about 6 weeks after the birth mother interview!  Again, this would all be based on these two appointment needing no extra documentation, paperwork being correct and all parties being present!

Please continue to pray for the birth mother.  Even though she gave him up right after he was born, I really imagine that she still thinks about him every single day.  After reading an interesting article on adoption yesterday, my perspective of these two dates totally changed.  These two dates represent a separation of a family....a mother and child.  It is hard to rejoice in that.  We know that was all part of God's plan for Endale's life.  We certainly would never want a mother to give up her child, but we are so blessed that God chose us to be his forever family.  

We have a big week ahead.  If you think of us, we welcome the prayers on behalf of this birth mother, the courts and embassy and our baby boy, Endale. 

God continues to add pages in Endale's story....

We got exciting news this morning that the 1st court date with the Ethiopian Court is scheduled for November 26!!!!!  That's next week!!!!! We also found out that the orphanage had sent out a social worker to meet with the mom.  It seems she's moved several times since Endale was born.

Our agency is working with the US Embassy to try and get the birth mother interview rescheduled (the one she missed last week).  They are hoping to schedule it on the same day as the court date.  This would be huge in our timeline of going to get him to get both of those knocked out in one day!  God is able!

 Please join us in praying in some specific ways:

1)  Continue to pray for this sweet birth mother.  I cannot imagine the fear, confusion, etc. she is dealing with.  Pray that the social worker can explain the process and that she will feel a unimaginable peace straight from God Himself.  Pray that she can make it to the court date easily and with no issues.

2)  Pray that the US Embassy would be able to accommodate this birth mother and schedule the birth interview on the same day as the court date.  This would be two huge steps marked off of our process and get it all done in one day for the birth mother.

3)  Pray for our agency.  We have been blessed by the people that are tirelessly working to get our baby boy home.  Pray that they are blessed abundantly for the work that they are doing in matching orphans with families.

4)  Last, but certainly not least...continue praying for our baby boy.  Our family is anxiously awaiting his homecoming.  We are trusting the Lord's timing as He's writing each chapter of Endale's story, but this mother's heart cannot wait to get my arms around him.  It's hard not to think of every day and the milestones we're missing.  Help us to be patient...it's so hard!

Here again is the order of our process...we're hoping to get two more things marked off by next week!

• 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 Birth mother interview
• Court issues first court date for birthmother
• First Court Date with Birth Mother
• Embassy issues PAIR approval letter
• Approval Letter Authenticated in Washington D.C.
• Submit case to Ministry of Women, Youth and Children's Affairs in Ethiopia
• MOWYCA submits letter of favorable determination
• We get issued OUR court date and make arrangements to travel.
• We meet our boy face to face!
• We go to court.
• Our case passes court.
• Court issues adoption documents
• Our agency applies for new birth certificate and passport for our boy.
• He has a medical appointment by an Embassy approved physician.
• Submit case to Embassy
• Clear Embassy
• GO GET OUR BABY BOY AND BRING HIM HOME!!!!

Story of Endale....by God

Thursday morning (9:30pm Wednesday our time) was our scheduled birth mom interview with the US Embassy in Ethiopia.  We had been told that the orphanage could not find the birth mom earlier this week.  There was some thought that she was afraid someone might make her take the baby back and she was fearful of this appointment.  

We received an email through the night letting us know that she did not come to the interview.  So from here.....our power of attorney will request another interview time and date and they will continue to try and find her.  If she cannot be located, at some point, they will request that our case turns into a case of abandonment of the child versus relinquishment of the child.  I don't know yet what the time frame looks like for that.  

We are super disappointed.  This interview would have put us with a possible first travel date in December.  We are obviously looking at a longer waiting period.  I was able to speak with our agency director last night and ask her all the "what ifs".  It seems like worst case scenario, it just means that it will take longer.

It's funny how in my previous post, I expanded on God's ways versus our ways.  It certainly is easier on the other side of bad news to anticipate God's ways.  We don't understand the timing of all of this.  We don't know why God would get us to this point the way He has and then there be an issue we didn't plan on.  But that is why THIS IS NOT OUR WAY.   God is in control of this situation.  We know that He loves Endale more than we do and we are head over heals for this boy already!  God is the author of Endale's story!! 

His ways are good.  His ways are true.  We will put our hope and trust in Him.

In the mean time, my heart is anxious to get to my baby boy.  Please pray for the birth mom, Endale and our family as we wait to see God's handiwork unfold in the rest of Endale's story.

His Ways are not Our Ways

 

I love this verse.  I love that God knows exactly what He has in mind for us and we don't need to worry about it.  If I had chosen how my story would be written out, I would have missed out on times to lean on Him.  I would have certainly taken the easier route...avoiding loss of a job, infertility, loss of a baby, my husband having cancer twice, just to name a few.  If I had "my way", I would not trust Him the way I do and live for Him completely surrendered to what He has for me even when I cannot see what He is trying to do at the moment.

I am a recovering people pleaser and perfectionist.  I have been through so many stages of my life dealing with these two issues.  There was the stage where I thought because I was those things I was better than everyone else.  Then, there was a time where I absolutely hated (and I don't say that lightly) those two areas of who I was.  I still struggle with that.  Hating that part of me where my flesh takes over and says or does things that I am not proud of.

Even though I know without a doubt that God put the desire in my heart long ago to adopt a child with Down Syndrome, I still at one time was trying to take control and do it "my way".  About two years ago, I surrendered my way to God and asked Him to do it HIS WAY.  That is what is so absolutely beautiful about this story.  If I had done it my way, I wouldn't be planning a trip to Ethiopia in the near future!  If I had done it my way, I would have closed the door to any child that didn't look like my other children.  If I had done it my way, I might have said, "Not now."

What would I have missed out on had I tried to do it my way?  It makes me sick to think of that possibility.  I have seen God show up in a big way over the last 3 months.  We've been able to show our kids how God has provided for us in such a tangible way.  We've been able to see His love for this little child by the way He is making His way unfold before our eyes.

So, maybe instead of a recovering perfectionist (doing things my way), I would like to call myself a "REFINED and RENEWED" perfectionist and pleaser.  You see, there is only one that I want to please and I know His way is perfect for me.  I want whatever He wants for me.  There is much freedom in being in this place.

Isaiah 55:8-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.