Quickly Approaching One Year

We are quickly approaching one year of "officially waiting." This is actually a good thing, I think. The longest any family with our agency has waited for a girl under 18 months has been 11 1/2 months. Our agency pushed the wait times up to 13 months just a few months ago from a 6-10 month wait. So basically, if we have to wait over 13 months, they yet again have to change their wait times. That's not really good for them, in my opinion. When inquiring families call, that is the wait time they give them. Obviously, families tend to flock towards shorter wait times. Sooooo.....we have to be up soon.
The last few weeks have been really great. I have miraculously let go of all the anxiousness associated with adoption. I have felt a tremendous amount of peace. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. There are rumors that the Ethiopian Courts may not close this summer, they are scheduled to close in a few weeks and open again in October. I assume the announcement, if any, won't be anytime soon. Things in the adoption world tend to be so unpredictable. I am better at peace than pulling my hair out everyday trying to figure out if they will stay open or not. So currently, if we were to get a referral soon, we are looking at an October travel date, maybe. I have come to peace with that after seeing recent airline ticket prices! They are running about $2600 a piece! That would be about $6,000, just for airfare, for both me and Brandon and a lap ticket for Marley on the way home. The tickets in September and October are running about $1,000 less a ticket. I would never put a price on our daughter. We will do whatever it takes to get her home. It does calm me down a bit knowing that it's not our time.
Brandon is doing great. He is still taking classes and is doing a great job of managing family, work and school. He will be helping teach Financial Peace at our church starting next month.
Miles is fastly approaching five years old. His birthday is in October. He will be attending the local elementary school as part of a Reverse Mainstream class. Basically, he will be the male model on target student in a Pre-K Special Education program. We applied for this back in the winter and he was selected. He will be going four half days a week.
Our Garden is doing great. I pulled up the brocolli and zuchinni, and planted cantelope, cucumbers and more tomatoes. A few of mine have some kind of fungus, I'm devistated, but we'll manage. I have heard of a technique that will allow us to plant potatoes and squash in the winter. I'm trying to get into a canning class to help teach me how to can. I know I can read directions, but I'd really like to learn from a pro. I'm still hoping to can a years supply of tomatoes.