April Number

Okay, no big news here. We are officially #12 for the month of April. If you are thinking that we were number 12 the last time I posted, well, then you are correct. We haven't moved at all in almost a month. I think some of this is caused by the slowdown with the Ethiopia government and some may just be the regular ebb of flow of the process. I might feel down about the lack of movement, but thanks to a smear of peanut butter I have a pretty good outlook.

So how did a smear of peanut butter change my outlook? Well, this morning started out like most mornings. I woke up each of my kids by getting into their beds and having a "good morning snuggle." Then I helped Laine pick out her clothes (a major decision in our house) and we all headed to the kitchen for breakfast. I started to make breakfast and as I reached into the cabinet for bowls I saw a giant smear of peanut butter on the door.

I felt annoyed with the kids for leaving that mess on the cabinet and I put my hands on my hips and prepared to give them a stern lecture. Then I looked at them sitting at the table, still a little sleepy but happy and looking forward to the day ahead. I took my hands off my hips and said a prayer of thanks that my kids don't have peanut allergies. I said a prayer of thanks that they are now old enough and responsible enough to make their own PB&Js. Then I said a prayer of thanks that these wonderful beings are in my life and that I was given the amazing gift of this moment with them. I quickly wiped off the peanut butter and got back to making breakfast.

So today when I received the email with our official number I thought about that peanut butter. I thought about all the blessings in my life, including the daughter that is not yet ours. When she is home and in my arms these bumpy days will be forgotten like that smear of peanut butter.

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Two Amazing Gifts!

We have received two amazing gifts in the mail recently. I previously wrote about the anonymous person that sent us a gift card for the grocery store so we could use our grocery money towards the adoption. Well, our friend has struck again! I was able to buy groceries and then hit the ATM for cash which I stashed in our adoption account (I keep our adoption account at a separate bank just so we are never tempted to touch it). We have one more big check to write the adoption agency and I am getting close to having the full amount. After that we will still have our travel expenses but it will be nice to be done with the big agency checks.



The other amazing gift was a handmade quilt for Gayle! My sister-in-law Jen and her mother made this beautiful quilt (my picture does not do it justice). Jen is going to travel to Ethiopia with me on the second trip so I think I will let her give Gayle the quilt in person!

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Adoption Update and Our New Number

The past few weeks have been very difficult. We heard an unconfirmed rumor that the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA) in Ethiopia would be greatly reducing the number of adoptions they approve. I was very nervous. Then the rumor was confirmed and I thought my heart would break at the thought that we could wait years for our little girl. We have recently learned that the people within MOWA that made this decision have been let go and we believe that adoptions will continue at a slower, but not drastically slower, pace.

MOWA decided to make these changes because they didn't have the manpower to investigate every adoption if they continued at the current rate. These investigations are very important because they insure that the adoption is ethical. We are praying that MOWA gets more staff and changes their process so that every adoption can be reviewed but without slowing the process and making countless children wait unnecessarily long in orphanages.

During this tumultuous time I have been comforted by the other families that are adopting through our agency. We've exchanged emails, had Facebook chats and even had a group prayer session. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my fears I knew there was someone else whose faith was strong that would help get me through that scary moment.

But the thing that lifted my spirits the most was having lunch last week with my three AGCI Texas buddies.



Kim brought her son home from Ethiopia a year ago and is waiting to adopt a little girl, Jessica just brought her son home less than two months ago and Ginny is on the waitlist like me. We are all at different places on this journey but I felt that I could draw strength from these women and left our lunch feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

This was the first time the boys had met and they quickly became friends. They had a blast running around and enjoying the beautiful weather!







To end this post on a really positive note I will reveal our official waitlist number for March. Drumroll, please . . .




Now, to really end this post on a rock-your-world positive note I am going to reveal our "unofficial" number. This is the number we are currently at on the waitlist but it is not official because we only get the official number one a month and it is the number we are at on the first of the month.



WE ARE ONLY 3 SPOTS AWAY FROM BEING IN THE SINGLE DIGITS!!!

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The Song I Can't Get Out of my Head

This cute, catchy song has been on my mind all day! It is so easy to get frustrated and grumpy about this crazy adoption process and to forget how big a blessing it really is. I have complete trust that He knows what he is doing!

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Necklaces!

I am so excited to have our new adoption necklaces available here on the blog! Each necklace is handmade and they are all a little different. In addition to the three most popular ones that I have featured on the side of the blog I have several others that are pictured below.

Some of the necklaces have Bible verses that are especially important to me. This one from Matthew 18:5 reads And anyone who welcomes a child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.




This one has an abbreviated version of Philippians 1:7
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.




A couple of the necklaces are just about having fun and say Make a Joyful Noise or God Loves Adoption.








It is so neat to wear one of these necklaces and have total strangers compliment me and ask about adoption!

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8 Months of Waiting

Today marks 8 months of being on the waitlist for our little girl. When we first got on the waitlist we were told we would wait 8-10 months. I remember at the time I thought we could get our referral on Valentine's Day. Now I know we will not have our referral within that time frame. Our unofficial number is 25 and I can't imagine we could move to the number one spot in 2 months.

I feel strangely at peace about this. We have come so far that I refuse to feel discouraged now. I know there is a child meant for us and it just isn't time yet.

During my time as a "lady in waiting" I will continue to prepare the house. I will read more books and do more research on how to form a bond with our new daughter. I will treasure these last few months as a family of four. I will treasure the time when Laine was my youngest child and my only daughter. I will treasure the peaceful times with Jared when I listen to him read while snuggling together on the sofa. I will treasure the long runs I do with only the music coming from my headphones to keep me company. I will treasure the evenings with my husband when we laugh over the craziness of our day.

Everything will change when Gayle arrives. At least until we learn to be a family of five.

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February Number

We are officially number 26 on the wait list! That isn't a huge movement from last month but we are still thankful that we moved a little bit. I have a good feeling about this month and really hope to have great news when I post our next number!

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