What's New?

Not much. Well, maybe a lot. Ethiopian courts are suspending abandoned infant adoptions out of Addis Ababa, the capital, until further notice. Apparently, there were some abandoned babies whose adoptions were questionable ethically. What does that mean? Well it most likely means that there were bribes or other unethical ways of obtaining children to put up for adoption. This was not with our agency, however all agencies will be affected. I'm not sure the percentage of children that are adopted out that are abandoned, but it is signifigant. It is still possible for to recieve a referral, but a lot is on hold and a lot is unknown.
We got this news as the big storm and tornadoes hit the midwest and Miles and I were camping out in our bathtub. We had books, toys, pillows, a radio and flash light, and of course...my camera! Oh, and a twin size mattress on top of us.

The other night, we attended a potluck for a group of Ethiopian adoptive parents. We had a great time and really enjoyed getting to hang out with families that will be made up like ours. Notice the colors of our shirts. For those of you who don't know, those are the colors of the Ethiopian flag.

I Dreamed of a Baby Girl

I just woke up from a very vivid dream. I was in the House of Hope in a room full of children that were getting their medicals. I couldn't help but peek and wonder if one had been matched with our family. They laid a baby girl down on a table to measure her. My dream focused in on her face. She was soooo tiny! Did I just dream about our daughter? Could this week be the week?

In the meanwhile, here is a picture of my baby boy, just soooo cute! I guess he is starting to look like me!

Things to Say

I must start this post assuring you all that I am writing this only to educate and not to criticize. We have been trying to adopt one way or another for almost four years. This has to be the hardest thing, emotionally, that we have ever done. Miscarrying multiple pregnancies was hard, but I have to say adoption is even harder.
Do Say

• We love you and are here for you, and be there when I call crying or whining
• We can't wait to meet Marley and we are excited to see her
• I can (or can never) understand how unbearable the wait is

Refrain from Saying

• It will all happen in God's time or God has a perfect plan
  

We know this, our faith is strong. Hearing it 100 times makes it seems like you don't understand. Crying out in frustration and anticipation is not a lack of faith. Sarah, Hannah, Rebekah, Rachel, Elisabeth all desired for children and their cries are documented in our bible. Sure I need to stop complaining. I do trust God that He will bring our child to us in His time. It's just hard to be crying out in anticipation for so long and to be told over and over, it's really close.

• You are a saint for saving a child from Africa, she is going to be so blessed
  

Honestly, we are the ones that are going to be blessed. And if you have known us through this wait, sainthood is something we will not be entering...haha

• Why not a U.S. adoption, we have so many kids here?

Red alert! This is a big no no...lol! We started out with the Texas Foster/Adopt system, and will never return. The foster care system in our country needs major reform! It's very sad, but true. There are more couples wanting to adopt a baby then there are babies, in this country and in most others. We chose Ethiopia because that is where God led us to and that is where our daughter is.

• Can't you have kids of your own?

I'm still dumbfounded when I hear this one. Every adoptive families situation is different. Adoption was always part of our family plan, we just happened to need to rely on it sooner than we anticipated. This can be a very sensitive issue for most adoptive families. I am an open book and don't mind sharing, but please choose your words carefully. Our adoptive children will be our own children.


We do have an amazing support system and I thank you all for being there for us. We ARE really close. PLEASE be praying for a referral and court date before the courts in Ethiopia close from August til October. We are praying for a referral in the next two weeks to try to make it through the courts before we have to wait until the end of the year.

Meeting Another Adoptive Parent To Be

Here is a picture of me and Missy. Another one of the blog friends that I have. We have the same DTE and are both wanting girls.

As you can see THE RED IS GONE...haha!

Nine Months

Usually when your are expecting, after nine months you have a baby in your arms. In adoption, nine months is just the beginning. Of course our journey has been much longer than nine months, but in official terms, our dossier was sent to Ethiopian nine months ago. I'm actually feel peace right now. I truly go through the emotions from day to day, but today I feel at peace. We are still VERY hopeful for a referral, court date and travel before August. I can't even think otherwise. It HAS to happen. Today I'm meeting my adoption blog friend Missy! Since I'm still in Texas and she is just two hours away, she's coming down to meet for lunch. I'm so excited to get to meet the second adoptive mommy from our agency that has the same date as us! I'll post pictures soon. I have one more mommy that I still need to meet, you know who you are. Okay....so maybe we'll meet in Ethiopia....lol!

Miles and his Roller Skates!

Nonnie and PaPa sent a package recently and Miles was absolutely thrilled! He had seen his cousin's skates last summer and cried for them. So after gearing him up with knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards we set him free! I can't believe this is my baby! He LOVES them!
Okay, notice he's showing off! Brandon called it the Micheal Jackson pose!

Meeting The Barrs

Last weekend we drove to Knob Noster, Mo to attend Alicia's adoption shower. She has the same DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia date) as we do and it was so nice to meet someone in real life. We have made so many friends online through blogs, forums, etc.. Alicia is so sweet and I can't wait to meet their new addition and set up a playdate! Notice we are both struttin our adoption t-shirts!

OMG....We Are Getting So Close!

There was one more referral today, a little 5 1/2 month old girl. Her mommy and daddy waited just days shy of 10 months to see her face. It's so amazing to be at this part of our journey. Seeing people that submitted their paperwork about the same time we did and following each others journey to a day like this is just so cool!
We are just a few couples away! Really! I do have to say that it feels so surreal. I know that we will get the call, because statistics show that 10 out of 10 times, when your up....your up. It's just that we've waited so long that it doesn't seem real. Chances are that our daughter has already been born. She's out there! She could be spending some precious time with her mommy right now. She could have already been taken to an orphanage. Or....being really optimistic, she could already be in our agencies care! We are so close, I know I have said this so many times, it's like crying wolf, but we really are so close.
If we got the call really soon, like in the next two weeks, there is a chance that we would be traveling in June. I'm really hoping for this! We are just days or weeks from seeing our daughters face and months from bringing her home! By the way, Miles told me yesterday that we need to call her Marley Bob.

What happens when.....

you've waited entirely too long for a child? You die your hair red! I know, not everyone does that. I really wanted to wait until after she was home to try this. I just "knew" that right after I tried it, we'd get "the call" and I'd have these pictures forever in our family scrapbook of the day we got our referral of this horrible red streaked hair that I'll think looks horrible in twenty years. Well guess what? I DON'T CARE! Can you sense the frustration? LOL! I'm tired of putting everything on hold waiting. Seriously! So I did it today! I put chunk red streaks in my hair. I know, now I'm going to get the call, but oh well! What a story I'll have to share!

Eight Months Today!

Today is officially the eighth month our paperwork has been in Ethiopia. We have of course been waiting much longer than eight months, because we started this process over three years ago, but alas....eight months! Currently, our agency is telling parents that a referral will come between 6 and 10 months of officially waiting, we are getting close! I say that everyday, thinking that today will be our call. There are six families ahead of us for girls. So, technically, if it was a day FULL of a lot of referrals, then today could be our day...lol! There is this huge sale for baby and kids clothes from March 26-28 here at the fairgrounds and I just knew we'd have a referral by then and I could go get the stroller, clothes, etc.. I'm still hoping!