Major Changes Coming Our Way

As if adding a new member to our family isn't enough, we have been working on, considering, praying about, interviewing for, and finally deciding on another major life change over the past 6 months. Many of you know that Matt will (finally) be finished with his training the end of June after having completed his pediatric infectious diseases fellowship last June and doing an extra research year this year focusing on quality improvement. Over the past 6 months, we have been interviewing at several children's hospitals, trying to determine where God can best use our respective skills. We specifically prayed that God would open and close doors in order to make our decision easy and our direction perfectly clear. He did just that, and on Tuesday evening November 4 we signed our offer letters to.... ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL in Little Rock, Arkansas!!!

So now the mad dash to July begins, including looking for and deciding on schools, getting our house here ready to sell, putting our house on the market, finding a house in Little Rock, packing moving. Oh yeah, and did I mention we're adopting a baby somewhere in all that?

Rescheduled

Our court date yesterday had to be rescheduled because our file had not yet been reviewed by the new Central Authority in Ethiopia. We were one of 5 families who had court dates yesterday, and the only family who had to reschedule. Although I am extremely happy for the other families (I have become close to many of the families adopting through our agency), I am really struggling to understand why we were the only family who didn't get to have our court date yesterday. Honestly, I am good with the wait: I have moved on and taken my life "off hold." I just wish I knew why not us? I pray God will show us why we needed to wait. If it's merely another lesson in patience, I've really had enough!!

Halloween

Originally Grace Caroline was going to be a mermaid, but that costume was too itchy, so we switched to Belle. Oh the drama of having a 5 year old girl. Can't imagine what it will be like 10 years from now!

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Lyrics by Chris Tomlin

Enough Said!!

5 months old, 4 months of waiting

Today is James' 5 month "birthday". He was only 1 month when we got the referral; I thought at that time he was so young, and I'd get to see almost all of his milestones. I wonder what I've missed so far....He should be rolling both ways by now. He probably eats cereal in addition to his bottles.

So...in true blog fashion, 5 things I love about James:
1. His big brown eyes
2. His head full of curly hair
3. His pouty face
4. The way his brother and sister pull his picture off the refrigerator to kiss his sweet face.
5. The way he has stolen my heart and I haven't even met him yet.

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!! Come home soon!

Disappointing News

At the end of the day Tuesday, I received an e-mail from Julie, our case manager, with a follow-up phone call later that evening. Below is an excerpt from her e-mail:

The Ethiopian government has implemented some changes in how the adoptions are being approved. The government has stated that these changes are being put into place in order to reduce the number of children with living parents adopted internationally. In addition to this, the government seems to believe that this added step in the processing will ensure that relinquishments are done in an ethical and legal manner. Recently the Ethiopian Government started requiring all of the relinquishments to go through Central Authority for an additional approval before continuing onto the Courts. Even if AGCI has already previously been scheduled a court date for a family, the file will be required to go back through this new channel before the court date can be approved and a decree given.
Currently we are seeing that the courts are scheduling court dates for more than a month out. We are also seeing that the new Central Authority, which is called the Civil and Social Affairs office, are not sending their approvals before the previously scheduled court dates. For this reason we need to prepare you all, that unfortunately the timeframe of your adoption and travel dates will most likely be lengthened more than the timeframe we have previously been providing to families over the last a few months.

Our agency is not anticipating that any families will travel before the Christmas holidays.

I would like to ask for prayers for 2 things:
1. A miracle!!! Our first court date is Monday, Nov 3. There is a very small chance that we could make it through this first time.
2. The wait. Patience for all 4 of us waiting for James to come home. The kids were really saddened by this news. Christmas will be hard without all 3 kids home. And pray for James while he is in Ethiopia.

Thanks to all you awesome AGCI women and your words of encouragement!! As I told Jana on Tuesday, at least I know I'm not in this alone!

Discouraged

I have really been feeling discouraged the past couple of days. For the past two weeks, I have expected to hear something, anything about court dates, yet every Friday night I go to sleep completely bummed. I am really starting to feel like we were passed over and our file is lost somewhere in Ethiopia and we aren't going to have a court date at all, ever. It's the most horrible feeling to truly feel like I will never get to hold my son. Although my head still tells me that God's timing is perfect and that James is not my child, but the Lord's, my heart is aching with longing to kiss his sweet face.

Beyond that, I am going crazy with not being able to plan my life. With 2 doctors in the house, we usually have a pretty good idea of what will happen at least a month in advance, or else we'd end up both being on call and having no kid coverage. So not knowing if we'll be travelling half way around the world 2 weeks from now is really killing me. And if I'm not in Ehtiopia, I'd really like to go meet my new nephew shortly after he's born!