As we were sleeping last night.......

.........WE.WERE.SUBMITTED.TO.EMBASSSY!!!!!

It was so special to awaken to an email this morning from our US Embassy in Addis Ababa telling us that our agency had submitted our case for Sami!  What added to the specialness of the morning was being able to share in the excitement IN PERSON with Grandpa and Grandma who are visiting this week!!!!!

Oh to share the JOY in person with family!  God is good!

We all went to TUCANOS this evening for dinner to celebrate our wonderful news of being such a BIG step closer to bringing our precious son home!  As we pulled into the parking lot, Grandma Doreen noticed a double rainbow!  A DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!!!

A number of years ago Jeff and I drove to Colorado.  We were amidst our fertility treatments.  We seriously saw four or five DOUBLE RAINBOWS in a matter of less than an hour!!!  It was such a beautiful reminder to us that God fulfills His promises.  I also couldn't shake the feeling that the DOUBLE rainbows reflected TWO for TWO kiddos!  It strengthened my belief that we may end up having twins!

Three to four years later, we are bringing TWO precious and amazing boys home from Ethiopia!!!!  Not one, but TWO awesome boys!!!  Being greeted by the DOUBLE rainbow tonight brought this road trip to my mind and highlighted the beauty of our bringing home TWO sweet boys!!!

Can you believe it!?!?  WE FORGOT OUR CAMERAS for our dinner tonight!!!!  No pictures capture our celebration with Grandma and Grandpa "C!"  SUCH a disappointment!!!

Following a spectacular dinner of grilled pineapple, fried bananas and more varieties of meats than I can count, we came home and went through some of our Ethiopia pictures together and continued to bask in the glory of God's beautiful orchestration of our family.

A great way to end a wonderful day!!!!

So what does all of this mean?  Embassy now has 10 days to review our case and let us know their plan.  We fully anticipate them requesting an interview with Sami's birth mom, which usually gets scheduled 1-2 weeks after embassy contacts us with their plan.

Therefore, we are hoping to be invited back to Addis to bring.sami.home in a matter of WEEKS!!!  SO WISH we could tell him this news ourselves, but hoping that someone keeps him updated as to our progress!  Praying he KNOWS how excited we are to come and get him!!!!!

I continue to receive precious emails telling me what an amazing son we have in Sami.  And these emails continue to bless my mama heart in crazy ways!  He will be receiving a package from us within the next couple of days.  Yay!

As we all get ready to rest our heads on our pillows, you, Sami, are starting your day!  May your heart be FULL as you learn of the news that we (as a family) were submitted to embassy!  Our time to return is approaching, dear son!  It is near!!!!

Love and hugs to you, Sami!

Not This Week.

I am so sad to write this.......we were not submitted to embassy today. 


During a final ppwk review our agency found some things that they felt best to better clarify, given recent questions embassy has had in previous cases.  Therefore, in effort to prevent future embassy delays, they are taking another week to make sure our ppwk is tight and tidy, with hopes of submitting next Wed. 


My heart is sad but my head is thankful that our agency is being proactive. 


So CLOSE......yet so far.....halfway around the world far.  We Love You, Son!!!


Praying for next week.......

March update pics.

In school.

Getting one of our packages.

Had to send him a St Patricks Day lei!

Okay, folks! 


Our agency thinks we can be submitted to Embassy for Sami TOMORROW instead of next Wednesday! PRAYING this is so! 


Awoke to some sweet new pics of him this morning.....THANKS to Erin Hurley!

 As we sleep tonight, we are hoping to be submitted to embassy.....and waking up to the news that we were, indeed, submitted!


Please keep our sweet Sami in your prayers especially tonight!!!!!

Sunday School Today.

While in ET, sweet Sami told me how he loved the Sundays that he got to go to church.

My heart is full knowing that TODAY was one of those Sundays!

How do I know?  Because our sweet friend, Christy Shannon, whom we met while in Ethiopia in July, sent me a note letting me know that (after meeting Sami with our Vineyard friends Friday).....they saw him at church this morning!  Sami recognized them and greeted them on his way out from Sunday school.

It does this mama heart GOOD to know that Sami's heart is getting filled with God today!  And knowing that God is providing Sami with reminders of people who know us and want to shower him with love!  Hoping it helps him feel connected to us, and more importantly, remembered by God!

May your heart be FULL, sweet son!  I love you!

Dear Big Brother...

Dear "S,"

I miss you so.  My eyes well up with tears as I even begin to write this.  This.  This note that you may never see.  Or won't see until it is bound in a book and you have been home for some time.  Yet, still, I need to write it.  If, for no other reason that to feel closer to you.

It is snowing today.  It is March and it is snowing.  Welcome to Spring in Idaho.  Sunshine one day and snow the next.  My heart is saddened with the snow today, mostly because Dad and I thought for sure you would be home to enjoy snow for the first time with us THIS Winter.  Yes, there are many other winters beyond this one, but we were excited to share this one with you.

Kaleab is doing wonderfully well.  He misses you like we do.  He still reaches out and points to the pictures we have up of you.  We repeatedly say your name as he touches your face.  He still knows you, his ever-preciuos Big Brother.

I received some sweet pictures of your beautiful face.  You were playing with your buddy.  You look good.  Healthy.  Happy.  I pray that both are true.  I pray that you are genuinely happy, son.  I know that we are apart right now, but I hope that you know that you know that we are coming back to bring you HOME!!!!  Just waiting for mowcya to get their act together and for embassy to then grant us an invitation to come and get you!!!

I pray that as you lay your head on your pillow each night, that you can feel Dad's and my love.  I pray that you can feel God holding you.  I pray that you dream of Jesus every night and awaken feeling His love, and His presence.  Knowing deeper still who YOU are in Christ!  :)  I pray that you find JOY in each day. I pray that you see Jesus and feel His presence in a special way each and every day.

God is meeting me each day too.  He is letting me know of HIs presence through this waiting as well.  Just today I received a sweet note from a fellow AWAA adoptive mom.  We have never spoken or written to one another before today, but she reached out to tell me that God was putting me and you and our family on her heart!  She is praying for us and wants to become FB friends so that she can follow our journey more closely and know more specifically how to pray for us!

Isn't that AMAZING!?!?!?  Such a perfect example of God laying us on another's heart, to prompt the POWER of prayer.....and to ease my waiting heart with a gentle reminder that we are NOT forgotten by our loving God!  He remembers us, sweet son!  He is still working on competing what He has started.  Just as He meets me where I am at ~ on the good and the rougher days ~ I trust that He is meeting you in a similar fashion.  Reminding you that HE IS STILL IN CONTROL!  He HAS this!  NONE of this takes Him by surprise!  His plan is for our GOOD.  Even though it doesn't quite feel good right now.

OH, how my heart is OVERJOYED to have sweet Kaleab HOME!!!  EIGHT LONG MONTHS after referral and another 5 weeks of living in Ethiopia before we could bring him home!  I am praising God for completing this portion of our blessed journey of adoption!

Yet, amidst my overflowing JOY of having your sweet brother home, I cannot ignore the void that I feel.  The void that only YOU can fill.  The void that God created in my heart that has YOUR name on it.  Kaleab makes me giggle and fills my heart to overflowing, YES!  Absolutely!  It is hard to describe how my heart can feel so FULL and yet, at the same time,  a void remains.  That void that only you can fill.  Only you.  Kaleab has his own space in my heart that only he can fill too.  And as I enjoy experiencing the jubilation of his void being filled, I look forward to your space being filled by your presence too.

Our adoption journey to you two boys has taught me many life lessons.  It has broken and healed my heart in numerous ways  {all for another post another day}.  Being home, Kaleab is my daily reminder that God is working ~ even when we do not see Him.  That God's plan IS good ~ even when it does not feel good.  That God is ever-present ~ even when we cannot feel His presence.  That God is FAITHFUL to complete all that He starts.  And He heals the wounds of waiting with every day of being together.

I cling to these lessons learned.  And now, this extended wait on the phase of passing court, AGAIN, I lean into these hard-learned lessons.  I am challenged to dig deep.  The enemy is challenging my belief of these lessons, trying to get to me to fall back on my doubt and unbelief.

But!  I did, indeed, learned the TRUTH of these lessons this two year journey to you boys...and in my five weeks of loving on you and Kaleab in Ethiopia!  Their TRUTH is burrowed deep within my soul.  THANK YOU, GOD!!!!  Sure, I am tempted to fall back into my doubt and unbelief, but I am quicker now, to shake my head and replace those broken records of LIES and replace them with God's TRUTH.

And so, I wait for you.  And as I wait, I pray for you.  Daily.  I pray that God continues to reveal Himself to you in such a way that no challenge of the enemy will ever get you to doubt your Heavenly Father.  I pray that this journey home will be a healing journey for you as it has been for me.

I love you, "S."  With all my heart.  May you feel that across the seas.  May you see it in the stars at night and feel it in the sun's warmth by day.  May you never lose hope of your Dad and my return.  Of our life together.  FOREVER.

Be strong and courageous, son.  For our God is with you.  Everywhere you go.

On Our Knees

Ever feel like you are ALWAYS asking your friends and family to pray for you and your family?

Ever feel like you are on a roller coaster ride ~ a fun ride (most of the time) ~ but a ride with so many ups and downs you really think it would be great fun to be OFF and on solid ground again?

Ever feel so FILLED with love your heart is overflowing.......yet there is still something missing that creates a void in your heart?

That pretty much sums up where I am at today.  SO AMAZED by Kaleab and experiencing how my heart can totally overflow with LOVE for this sweet precious gift from God!  Yet, until Big Brother is HOME there is still a space of void in my heart.  In my life.  A space that only "S" can fill.  This void doesn't take away from the pure JOY of having Kaleab HOME at all, it's just that there still feels like something ~ someone ~ is missing.

Our third Court Date is WEDNESDAY!!!!  In a matter of DAYS Big Brother could become legally OUR SON!!!!  We could reveal his name and his beautiful face if we pass court!!!!

Asking, once again, for all of you to join us on our knees.  Praying that this.is.it!!!!  That Wednesday is OUR DAY to call our son OUR son according to the law!!!!

You should be waking soon.  Enjoy your day today, sweet "S".......may it be your last day of wondering if this adoption will really happen.  May it be your last day of wondering if Mom and Dad are really coming back for you.  May it be your last day of fitting the title of orphan.  May your hope of coming HOME......be soon replaced with KNOWING you are coming HOME!!!

I pray you already know deep down in your heart how much Dad and I love you.  And I pray that officially becoming a Marquez help instill in the depths of your heart the TRUTH that we ARE coming to bring you HOME!  Just as soon as we can, dear son.  Just as soon as we can!

Until then, may you carry within your heart the knowledge of our love for you, and even more importantly, the knowledge of God's love for you.  God has you safely tucked under His wing, sweetheart.  You are never out of His sight.  You are never far from His thoughts, as He completes your adoption details for us.

Waiting on Him...............and loving you every minute of the wait.

Good News ~ Bad News

The judge reviewed our adoption case for Big Brother yesterday (Tuesday) and.........

BAD NEWS is the judge said we needed another (third!) Court Date for Big Brother.

GOOD NEWS is that instead of making us wait until mid April, she assigned us a Court Date of March 14th!!!  That is NEXT WEDNESDAY!!!!!

To add to this good news, our agency says they anticipate our passing on that day!  Finally!

So now we have an even BIGGER step out of the mud that has been holding us back in this Court phase!!!

We are praising God that the CD is so soon!  THANK YOU for your continued prayers that helped us get to this point!!!  And THANK YOU for continued prayers that this adoption, is indeed, finalized next Wednesday!  He could legally be OUR SON FOREVER in a matter of days!!!!

Can't wait to share his name and beautiful face with you all!  Hopefully and prayerfully in a WEEK!

Finalizing the adoption at the court phase will then move us onto the Embassy phase, in which our agency will be gathering important documents needed to be submitted to our US Embassy in Ethiopia.  While this gathering of paperwork used to only take two weeks, the trend is now 5-10 weeks!  Praying embassy submission can happen in five weeks OR LESS!!!!

God has this!  He can do this!  And we trust it will all be done in His timing!

Thank you for continued prayers for our sweet son's heart as he waits, for our Court Date next Wednesday,  and for expediency in the remainder of this process to BRING HIM HOME!!!!

GO, GOD!!!

Adjusting Well.

I always wondered what happened to those mamas that stopped blogging upon their return with their child or children.  Not that I didn't know that they were totally bonding and attaching and focusing on their child/ren, but I always thought I would try to stay up-to-date on my blog upon my return.  Oi.

Haven't been doing so great with that goal.

But for GOOD reason, as we really have been focusing on baby Kaleab and developing that trust, bond, attachment and love with our son!!!!

Things have been going amazingly!!!  The night we got home from the airport, Jeff got terribly sick.  That made the first day home very long for me with a sick hubby and jet lagged baby in a new environment.  But it all went well and Jeff was only sick 24 hours and was diving right in to help the next day!

Kaleab is such a GOOD eater!  He seriously eats anything I give him!  Oh, except we did find one thing, so far, that he does NOT like..........green beans.  His opinion about that is VERY clear.  He was wearing way more of them than he ate, before we gave up trying to convince him otherwise.  {insert smile here}

We have been trying to live out all we have learned from our Karyn Purvis trainings prior to bringing Kaleab home, and we really see it helping Kaleab to bond, trust and attach with both Jeff and me.  I will write more on that in my next post.

We are THANKING GOD every.single.day.  There are moments that I break out spontaneously in tears ~ my gratitude overflowing.  Literally.

I stare into this sweet baby's face and can hardly fathom ALL that God had to do to orchestrate bringing him into our family.  Not only did He orchestrate Kaleab's physical creation, but He had to divinely guide every detail that brought him to US!  Every thing that felt like a delay to us, was merely God guiding the perfect timing so that KALEAB would become OUR SON!!!......and Big Brother would become OUR SON!!!!

Incredible.  Speechless.

We are blessed by friends bringing over dinner every night since our return!  Can you believe it!?!?  I had no idea just how MUCH having dinner made for us would mean!  To not have to think about a menu, groceries and making dinner........wow.  That is all I can say, "Wow!"

So much to be grateful for...........

Big Brother Update

Inquired again about Big Brother......and was told that the orphanage says they should get the paperwork correction completed within the next two weeks!

Our agency is not sure if we will need a court date to get the judge to sign off and pass us (which could save us a couple of weeks!).

Praying that BB is legally our son in the next 2-3 weeks!!!!!!

Can't wait to share his name and pictures of his beautiful face with you all!!!!

Thank you for joining us in praying that this all happens in 2-3 weeks OR LESS!!!!!  :)

CLEARED EMBASSY!

It's official!!!! 


WE CLEARED EMBASSY!!! WE ARE COMING HOME!!! 


Leave late tomorrow night and arrive Boise airport 8:34pm!!! Would LOVE to see you at the airport!!! 


Feels like I am floating!!!! 


So surreal!!! ♥ ♥ ♥


THANK YOU, GOD!!!  A 2 year journey.......that is worth every.single.tear.and.set-back!

EMBASSY INTERVIEW!

I have been invited to embassy for my interview this morning (Wed)!  The appointment is at 9am!

I am up and running to the shower, in hopes of getting a shower and even getting my hair dried before peanut wakes up ~ rare occasion but will feel like I am pampering myself if the plan works! {smile}

Please continue to pray that all goes well at the appointment and that they agree to grant me Kaleab's visa by tomorrow so we can keep our Thursday night departure tickets!

Did I just say tomorrow!?!?!?!?!?  Is this really happening!?!?!?!?!?

It has been SUCH a loooooong road to bringing Kaleab HOME!!!!!  Praising God for finalizing this with these last steps!!!!!

On the bitter side of this sweet news, I told Big Brother we would be leaving Thursday, and I have never seen the life be sucked out of someone's face so fast.  We cried and prayed together.  This is going to be one difficult departure!  No child or parent should have to endure this!  ONE trip should be all it takes!  THANK YOU for covering Big Brother in your prayers..............until he is HOME with us too!!!!

SO IN LOVE WITH OUR TWO BOYS!

WE CLEARED EMBASSY!!!

You heard me right!  WE CLEARED EMBASSY TODAY!!!!

PRAISING GOD!!!  And pinching myself every now and again to see if this really is REAL!!!!  I am feeling so ELATED!!!  I read and re-read the email from embassy many times before it actually sunk in as true!!!!

The birth mom showed up and embassy said, "the interview went smoothly....and we are ready to proceed with a visa interview."

YUP!  You got it!  We cleared embassy with the birth mom interview and the next step is to get my interview scheduled, which we are hoping is tomorrow or the next day!!!!!!  Kaleab's visa should be produced within 1-2 days following my appointment!

Cannot seem to feel like I have THANKED GOD ENOUGH!!!!  Feeling so BLESSED and not sure how to express my gratitude to our Loving Heavenly Father!!!!  So glad He knows my heart and what words I lift to Him communicate what my heart is feeling! He knows!!!!  THANK YOU, JESUS!!!

Know what all this means!?!?!?!?!?..............

Kaleab and I should be on a plane toward HOME Thursday (or possibly Friday)!!!!!

We honestly cannot THANK YOU ENOUGH for your persistent prayers!!!!  They have so lifted me, carried me and are helping to bring us HOME!!!!!  Each of you have been such an integral part of this journey to our boys!!!!  Thank You!!!  Thank You!!!  THANK YOU!!!!!

Hoping you will continue to pray us home as well as pray for Big Brother as we approach the day of "See ya soon."  While very excited to be getting home, I just can't imagine leaving a son behind.  Again.  May God fill him with His divine peace and joy and may He fill S with a divine confidence in Christ's love for him as well as a divine confidence in our love (his mom and dad) for him!!!!!

Blessings to each and every one of you!  May you feel God's love and see His great works in some form of your day today!!!!

Tomorrow!

When I stop striving to create a life for myself, I find the life God creates for me. 
~ Rachel Olsen (Proverbs 31 Ministries)


When my plans were interrupted with embassy mess-ups, I freaked.  But once I was able to let go of how I thought things should go, God provided me the life He created for me these past weeks.  And I will be forever grateful.


LOVE what GOD is showing me amidst my time here in Ethiopia.  A love unending.  A grace awe-inspiring.  A peace beyond my wildest imagination.  A bonding with my boys that will carry us a lifetime.


Thank you, Lord.  For meeting me right where I am.  For providing me just what I need.


My prayer is that amongst these aforementioned blessings, you are orchestrating every detail that needs attention to bring us embassy clearance TOMORROW (very early Monday morning in US).  My mind tries to cover the details, so I that I can ask for your assistance at every detail in my prayers.  I can drive myself crazy with this.  Only YOU know what hearts need to be touched.  Only YOU know how to protect Kaleab's birthmother's travels.  Only YOU know every detail and how to cover them.  And so, I lay it all at your feet and ask you.........PLEASE!  BRING US EMBASSY CLEARANCE TOMORROW!  And may you grant me my embassy interview Monday afternoon or early Tuesday, Lord.  Thank you for covering this.  For covering me and our boys.     AMEN.

THE PRAYERS ARE WORKING!!!

Everyone's prayers are working!!!! 


I cannot believe today is Friday!!! God has SO sustained me EACH and EVERY day of these weeks! What I have experienced is a true miracle!!!!  I literally felt as though I could not even stand, say nothing about parenting our baby and bonding with our older son!  I couldn't imagine getting Kaleab ready by 9am and being gone each day until 5pm ~ visiting Big Brother and lunch in between....


...But I have experienced God empowering me and literally carrying me on His path!  I have been able to dive into each day and enjoy it for what it brings me, and {try to} not worry about the future!


He has blessed our days with wonderful play with Big Brother (BB) and the bond forming between me and BB and our two sons is beautiful!!!  Some of you commented that maybe my time here was to deepen BB's understanding of our love for him and that just might be one of the great things that comes from this extended stay!   Our driver commented yesterday how BB's face lights up when he sees us!


God has also blessed me with a solid understanding that it is not me and my independent self, nor is it even my dear and loving husband in whom I am to need.  It is my Heavenly Father.  God is ALL I need!  He removed Jeff and any ability I may have to take care of our court and embassy dates, and He left me here.  Alone.  With GOD as my only protector and provider.  The Lover of my soul.


And, indeed, He HAS protected, provided and loved.  Not just me, but Jeff in the US, and each one of our boys as well!  It has been beautiful!!!


After one week here without Jeff, I heard of our embassy fiasco, and learned that they gave her an embassy date almost two weeks away!  Seriously, I crumbled!  I couldn't imagine how I would ever face two more WEEKS here without Jeff!  And now, the weekend is approaching us with the birth mom interview around the corner on MONDAY! 


Please continue to PRAY THAT ALL GOES WELL ON MONDAY!!!! 


It is difficult to want to be HOME so BADLY! Yet, not want to say "see ya soon" to Big brother!!!!  Such a dichotomy of feelings!


Poor Kaleab......I am not doing much of anything we learned in Karyn Purvis training, in the sense of cocooning and staying home for multiple weeks, anyway. This little boy falls asleep in the van and wakes up at some new restaurant every.single.day!  Poor guy! He is handling it awesome though! 


Well, he was until he got sick anyway.   He is on antibiotics for an ear infection and upper respiratory infection.  He vomitted up the medicine this morning, so I am not sure how much of it he got.  Could explain his fussiness today.  Aaaahhhhh, but BB was a great medicine.  He got Kaleab smiling and giggling and forgetting for a while that he was so sick.


IN LOVE WITH OUR BOYS!!!!! As hard as this has been, I mean it when I say they are SO WORTH IT!!!!! 


Now, as much beauty as I can see that is coming from this extended stay, my body is tired and I am more than ready to try to parent our baby in the luxuries of America.  PLEASE PRAY that God is going before us, paving the way for us to be cleared by embassy this MONDAY, January 30!!!!!  No more mess-ups, Lord, PLEASE!!!!  Not because our family deserves it, just because of your grace and mercy on us.  Please, Lord, Please!!!!  Let Monday be OUR day!!!!


If we are cleared, most likely my embassy interview will be Tuesday and it will then take two days to get Kaleab's visa.  We should be on a plane to HOME next Thursday, February 2nd!  All depending on how embassy goes!  May God be moving the embassy employee's heart already in favor of victory for our family!!!!!

Thanks to each and every one of you.  

You have been God's hands and feet to ME!!!  

And I have been truly BLESSED!!!

KALEAB IS 11 MONTHS TODAY

HAPPY 11 MONTH BIRTHAY, SWEET BABY KALEAB!

As HARD as these past four weeks have been ~ okay the past two weeks, because Daddy was with us the first two weeks! ~ I have to say that I am SO VERY THANKFUL that I don't have to say that I have missed ANOTHER month of Kaleab's life!

I am sad that he is already 11 months old.  But on the same note, I am SO VERY THANKFUL that he is healthy and is on target with his developmental milestones!  THANK YOU, GOD, that our baby is healthy !!!!  And yes, he is growing!  I swear he has gained a couple pounds in the month he has been in our care at the Guest House!  Either that, or my arm is getting tired.  Ha!

Our sweet baby has just not been himself the past four days or so.  On Monday I took him to the kind doctor at the Transition House (where he lived before we got to bring him into our care) and she put hydrogen peroxide in his little ears and a saline solution up his nose, and asked me to bring him back today.  Which I did.

He is now on antibiotics.  His ear infection is full blown in his right ear. His poor nose expels the yucky green stuff we are all familiar with.  He is pretty fussy all day and just doesn't want to be let down.  Ever.  Can you blame him?

I sure don't mind holding my baby all day long!  Just wish he felt better.

On another note, I had to say good-bye to Katie Reaser, a sweet fellow AWAA adoptive mama who has been here with me.  THANK GOD they were finally cleared to take their sick baby girl HOME to Kansas yesterday!  I also had to say farewell to the Coulombe family.  They were here for Court for their 6 yr old daughter (they passed!), and return home tonight.  We visited our children together these past few days and have really developed a sweet bond with one another.  {LOVE how adoption families have an instant connection!}

Big Brother watched this last visit with their daughter, and like other times that people have had to depart after court or come to take their children home..........I've watched it stir emotions in our sweet son.  He has such a tender and loving heart!  He was asking who was leaving today.  He wanted to know specifically if their daughter was leaving with them.  I'm not sure if the fact that she was staying was a good thing or a bad thing in his little mind.

It provided me another opportunity to remind him of how excited we are to return to ET to bring him HOME!!!!  To remind him that we WILL be returning!  And that Mom and Kaleab will still be here to visit him daily for at least another week {this brought a smile to his stressed face}.

It also provided me further insight into how HARD our own personal departure is going to be!  I SO LOVE THIS BOY and I DO NOT want to leave him here!  Yet, I cannot stay another 2-3 months!  Oh, the tugging of my heart!  Such a dichotomy of feelings.  A grave dreadfulness of saying "see ya soon" to our oldest son, along with a strong desire to be HOME ~ in America, with Jeff, starting the transition with Kaleab, while also finishing Big Brother's room, finding the best school for him, etc.

Ufdah.  Emotions all over the board.  Think I'm gonna go FaceTime my hubby.  That always lifts me up....

DID NOT PASS COURT FOR BIG BROTHER

Shouldn't be surprised. 


Yet I am. 


Ppwk discrepancy wasn't corrected over these past THREE weeks....orphanage not feeling too rushed to correct it....so NO mowcya letter!!!!!! Email from Kristen said we will NOT PASS today. Heartbroken. 


"S" and I prayed over this together yesterday.  Dreading having to tell him "No, not this time.  Again."  Pray I can present it in a positive way.  I don't want his little heart feeling the devastation mine is.


THANK YOU for continued prayers. Some days I just have no words. :(

NO GO.

Our agency showed up at the US Embassy yesterday with the birth mom WITH her identification, and the embassy turned them away!  They told them to come back January 30th!!!  They would not take the 3-5 minutes to interview her and clear this case!  Can you even believe this!  The US Embassy is suppose to be our advocate!

They know that I am still in country.  They know how FAR away Kaleab's birthmother lives from Addis.  And still, they turned her away and told her to come back in almost two weeks!  This girl is trying to go to school!  And I am trying to get HOME!!!!

And here I sit.  Yes, I am grateful to be with our boys.  But it does not remove for me the strong desire to be HOME!  I dread saying "See ya soon" to Big Brother, but baby Kaleab NEEDS to be HOME where we aren't leaving by 9am every day and not returning until 5pm every evening {we go visit Big Brother}. Kaleab needs a regular routine, constant surroundings and one-on-on attention from his mommy and daddy to help the bonding process!

I do praise God for the bonding that is occurring with BOTH boys!

I am just READY to be HOME!  Three weeks is long enough!  And now there is TWO more weeks {minimum} ahead of me!  Oh, may God uplift me and strengthen me to endure this!

I can only think that God has AMAZING plans for our boys! Otherwise, the enemy wouldn't be trying SO HARD to fight us bringing them home!

Please join us in praying for:
1.  Big Brother's second Court Date ~ Jan 24th
2.  Kaleab's birth mom shows on Jan 30th and we are CLEARED!
3.  For my heart and spirit.  I am in the middle of a HUGE spiritual battle and I want to feel God's presence.

Love to each of you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, BOYS!

WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, 

KALEAB AND "S"!

 Sattie and Dub gifted these ornaments to each of you!

(we will show "S's" ornament as soon as we pass court)

Each of yours were hung next to daddys first ornament on their tree!

Daddy and I have been rushing around packing (to come see you!) and have been enjoying picking out things to bring to Ethiopia for each of YOU! You may not be here in person, but you both so fill our hearts!

Daddy and I walked into church last night for a beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service, so full of gratitude and love.  You may not have been there in person, but you both were so in our hearts.

My sweet friend, Tara, (now in Ethiopia) has been sending me daily updates and oftentimes pictures of you both ~ many of them are of the two of you TOGETHER!  Melt.our.hearts!  We may not be there in person ~ yet! ~ but we so are in our hearts!

Christmas is the time when we all reflect upon the most beautiful story of all.  The precious birth of Christ.  We reflect upon God's love.  A love so vast that He sent His only son to earth.  To walk the human walk of life.  To eventually be crucified and buried.  All to take upon himself our sin.  Our burdens.  And on the third day he arose from the dead.  Bringing to each and every person a way to be forgiven.  A way to enter into heaven.  A way to develop an intimate relationship with God.

What an amazing love!!!!

It is because of this unconditional, unending love that we can have hope.  Hope that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us SO MUCH that He would give His only begotten son.  FOR US!!!

Our whole journey to you two boys has brought your Daddy and me to our knees.  Several times.  Laying each one of you at His feet.  Laying our desires for a family at His feet.  Clinging to our faith in Him.  Our faith that His love is True and His plan for our lives GREAT.  The more we cling to this faith, the more we see our Lord and Saviour move.  On our behalf.  Carrying out plans He ordained for each of us so long ago.  Long before we were even born.

As pastor Tri said last night, the more faith we have the more hope we develop.  As we see God's faithfulness to those who trust in Him.  And as our faith and hope develop, our hearts overflow with love.  With His love. His steadfast love.  His unconditional love.

We feel this agape love overflowing.  And our journey to you has increased this flow.  Boys, each one of you has brought us closer to God, deeper in our trust in Him and buried in our love for Him and His love for us.  We are filled to overflowing a love deeper than we have ever known.  For each one of you.  And for Heavenly Father.

The two of you are our personal stories of children gifted from God.  As empty as we are, not having you home (yet!), we can't help but feel a fullness of love, protection and provision.  For the birth of Christ and the birth and referral of each one of you!  BOTH of you will always remind me of God's steadfast love.  His provision and yearning to fill the desires of our hearts abundantly more than we can ever even imagine.

We pray for you daily.  And we prayed a special prayer last night.  Christmas Eve.  Our last one without you home.

Thanking God for you both.  And thanking Him for the precious gift of allowing us to be with you in a matter of DAYS!!!!  As well as the ability to celebrate Ethiopian Christmas with you on our January 7th!

Precious, precious gifts, indeed!  Christmas is the celebration of God's love.  And this year, it is also the celebration of how God's love brought us each of YOU!!!!!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY SONS!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART!!!!

Please leave a message to Kaleab and "S."  This will one day be a book for them.  What a precious gift to know so many already love them and have been praying them home!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!

WE ARE SUBMITTED TO EMBASSY!

WE WERE SUBMITTED TO EMBASSY TODAY!!!!!

GOD HEARD OUR PRAYERS!!!  We have been asking God to bless us with an embassy submission TODAY ~ a week earlier than anticipated! ~ and He answered our prayers!  We are now in the FINAL STAGE of Kaleab's adoption!

I had asked Kristen, our coordinator, almost weekly since passing court, if things were looking like an earlier embassy submission was even possible.  The answer was consistently no, that things were not looking good.   So, today I didn't even THINK about it when I sat down to check my email!  And what a sweet surprise to see an email from her titled, "Embassy Paperwork."  I took a double take and re-read the email three times before this truth actually sunk in!

GOD HEARD OUR PRAYERS!!!!  THANK YOU, LORD!!!!

Okay, so once US Embassy receives our paperwork, they have five business days to inform us of their plan:  a) To clear us to bring Kaleab HOME!; or (b) To request an interview or further paperwork; or (c) To send our case to Nairobi, Kenya ~ they do this when a case is too challenging to prove orphan status {this is THE WORST scenario and could hold things up by 2-3 months!}

Of course we are PRAYING for a quick embassy clearance, and hope you will continue to join us in our prayers!  WE ARE ON THE HOME STRETCH!!!  The recent pattern has been a hold up of a couple of weeks for further "investigation" by US Embassy {i.e., paperwork or interviews}.  Therefore, we will not be surprised by this if it happens to us as well.  However, this will not keep us from asking God for the desires of our hearts, which is immediate clearance!  Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)!

Either way, we pray that God's will be done and that His will is for efficiency and smooth sailing with our clearance.  Once again, we lay Kaleab at His feet and ask for His divine protection as we now step into the FINAL STAGE of his adoption!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US!!!  Kaleab is submitted to embassy AND we have a January 3rd Court Date for Big Brother!!!  Amazed!!  Awed!!  Tears of JOY!!!!

May I also beckon your prayers for two families that have walked out with us the extended delay since meeting our children?  Both the Boosalis and Russell families are awaiting submission as well, and are as desperate as we are to finalize their adoption of their sweet baby girl and boy, respectively.  

It is our prayer that they may still receive this news TODAY, and if not, that they for sure hear the sweet sound of "Embassy Submission" by next Wednesday!  {They can only submit on Wednesdays}  May God bless their holiday with such Joy that this next week flies by for each of them if they are called to wait another week!

Again, I cannot THANK YOU ENOUGH for storming the heavens with all of your prayers!  The heavens are moving and shaking because of them!!!  Please keep praying!  For us, The Boosalis' and the Russells'.........

"For when two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." - Matthew 18:20  

THE PAST FEW DAYS.

What have we been up to these past few days?

Well, taking the sweet advice of others, of course!  Between making lists and trying to complete more tasks than I add to the list each day, we have been enjoying doing things that may be a bit harder to do once the boys are home!  {big ol' smile inserted here!}

Here is a quick peek into our past few days......

THURSDAY NIGHT our small group came over for some taco soup, brownies (thanks for bringing dessert, Andrea!), and great conversation.  It was so GOOD to see everyone!  Our dear friends Kate and Kyle brought their one week old son, Ti,  for dinner!  SUCH a sweet baby boy!

 Kyle, Kate and Brooks before baby Ti entered into the world!

 SO PRECIOUS!

 Jeff holding Ti the day after he was born.

Big Brother, Brooks, already enthralled by his little baby brother.....

{Okay, so I confess to forgetting to take pics when everyone was at the house, so Kate's FB pics had to do.  Thanks, Kate!}

Following dinner, we went to the Botanical Garden to see their incredible annual Christmas display of lights!  Thanks for taking the pics, Josh!  {I've GOT to get better at remembering my camera!}  As you can see, I have not yet lightened one of them up.

 So you can hardly tell, but this is me and Andrea.

Have to include this one because I love this friend so much!!!

Me and sweet Hubs.

It was a special night, indeed!  We are so blessed by each and every one of you in our small group!  We missed you, Howard and Miles families!

Speaking of being blessed.........

Don't you just LOVE how God unexpectedly intertwines lives!?!?!?  He has blessed me ABUNDANTLY through my new adoptive friends, "old" friends, family as well as through many of my patients {I am a physical therapist}.

FRIDAY NIGHT Jeff and I were blessed by with an evening with Frank and Sandy.  Who are these two wonderful peeps, you ask?  Well, at one point, Frank was my patient following a total knee replacement.  But he has become a lot more than just a patient to me.  He and his wife, Sandy, have become like family, and we were able to share Friday night with them!!!  It was sooooo fun!!!

First, before going to dinner, they gifted us this oh-so SOFT and ADORABLE blanket and pillow that Sandy made for Kaleab!  It has such cute little critters on it and she made a pillow for us to take to ET with us so that it will have the ET scent for Kaleab when we return home!

{Ok, just realized the blanket is upside down!  oh boy!}
Aren't the critters cute!!!???!!!

After much ooohhhhhing and aaaahhhing over this sweet gift of love, we went to dinner together.  Okay, gang, we are talking incredibly good Mexican food!  It was a quaint authentic restaurant that neither Jeff nor I had visited before......but will definitely be returning to!  THANK YOU, SANDY and FRANK!  It was such a special evening for us!  We cherish you both!  And look forward to many more sweet times with you when our boys are home!

 Our precious friends, Frank and Sandy.

Ha!  The blur indicates just how FAST this guy 

chops ingredients to make a GREAT guacamole!

SATURDAY MORNING was shared talking with a sweet adoptive friend, Randee.  We have been connected through our adoptions, though we are using different agencies, and we continue to enjoy the growth of our friendship.  I ask you to pray for this precious couple, as they await their referral for a sweet baby boy!  Click here to follow their journey to him!  THANKS, Randee!  It was like we went to coffee together!

SATURDAY NIGHT was like old times!  Our friend, Lisa, came over for dinner and a movie.  We've been friends for a long time {Lis was in our wedding} but sometimes life interrupts how often we get together with her like this.  All three of us were in our jammies, sippin' our hot apple cider with a bit of cinnamon/fireball whiskey thrown in!  This drink is called a Cinnamon Apple Jack, and it is GOOD!  I'm no expert on alcoholic drinks, but this was perfect for a cold winter night {even if there STILL is no snow}!

Well, it was fun to be productive toward getting ready for our trip to the boys ~ WE LEAVE IN NINE DAYS!!!! ~ but it was also fun to share time with such wonderful friends!!!

Hoping you all had a productive and FUN weekend too!  And that the love and friendship carries on into this Christmas week for all of us!!!