Keeping it even on the playing field.

Our home has almost always been filled with an equal representation of both genders. When we got married I already had a female cat.

Shortly after we got married I thought we needed a male cat, Moses, so that Mocha wouldn't be so lonely on long work days.

A year later we got a female dog, Riley.

To me, it just didn't feel even, so we got Bruno.

I wonder what our daughter and son will think of our small petting zoo. We are so excited about their addition to our family.

I guess we do things two by two by two...

Answered Prayers and a Decree!

We have continually been praying that our adoption case would be finalized quickly, but knew that the reality of hearing something before mid to late October was almost impossible. We prayed anyway, believing that God can move paperwork just as he moves mountains. The courts still are closed, but the judge came in and finalized our case along with some others. We couldn't be more joyous and thankful at this moment.

I was sick all weekend with a bad sinus infection. I spent the majority of my time in bed. I covered my eyes with my sleeping mask from Ethiopian Airlines. I drifted in and out of sleep praying for our children and dreaming about them. I woke up this morning and had a sense of perfect peace and believed that we would hear good news today. I looked at the clock and it was still 2 hours before the AGCI office opened. I fell back asleep and sure enough my phone rang, but I missed it due to my cold medicine induced coma. Dave called me a little bit later and told me the good news! Our missing letter had been received and a court decree had been issued. Our case is finalized by the Ethiopian courts. L and J are ours!

Now we just wait for the US Embassy to finalize their end of the paperwork, issue visas, etc and we can go bring them home. Providence, absolute Providence. So much to get done before they come home, but it will all work out.

Fun Facts For Friday

1. I have a stupid obsession with titling my posts using alliteration.

2. We went to court in Ethiopia 7 weeks ago. (not fun, since we haven't held our loves for 7 weeks)

3. When our daughter was born: I was 20, Dave was 21 and parenting was just about the last thing on our minds.

4. When our daughter was born I was probably studying for finals and preparing for college graduation.

5. She is one month older than our marriage.

6. In the month our son was born, God was speaking into our hearts and moving us to begin the adoption process.

7. Around our son's first birthday God spoke into our hearts again, and we changed our parameters from up to 48 months to 54 months. (our little princess wouldn't have been ours had we not changed our paperwork)

8. I've been collecting African decor for years and always said, "Someday, I'll decorate my son's room with this." I didn't know yet that he'd be born in Africa.

9. Since the best surprise ever, A DAUGHTER, I've been making the room we had prepared for our son 1/2 girly. Woohoo for purple!

10. We've always known we would adopt. So in love with God's plan for our family, it is beautiful and blessed.

--This is Providence-- the theme for our family. Love it so much I wear it on my skin.

Five Weeks

It has been five weeks since we returned home, since we left Ethiopia, and since we said good bye to our sweet kids.

I started recounting the journey on here several weeks ago, but couldn't seem to finish. I think it is because I'd didn't want to step back into the pain of the last day, the heartbreak of saying goodbye.

-Five weeks later, I am ready to tell you about our last two days in Ethiopia

Friday we boarded the van with our group and ventured to the court house. It was a less than pleasant ride. I'm claustrophobic already, and we were stuffed so tight into a tiny van to travel what seemed like an hour across Addis. Upon arriving at the court house there was a lot of waiting involved and then suddenly we were called into the court room. We answered a few questions and were done. We knew that we would more than likely not pass court due to a missing document that has to be written by a group in Ethiopia. They have been behind the court schedule for quite a while. Other than that, our case is clear. Unfortunately our court appointment was the last one before the courts closed for over two months. Our case can not be finalized until they reopen in mid October. After court we spent the rest of the day with our kids.... falling more in love with them and praising God for making us their parents. So blessed.

Saturday was our last day with the kids. We were able to spend most of the day at HH. It was by far the most blessed and precious day with the kids. We were able to see more of their sweet personalities coming out, they were less shy and full of hugs and kisses. After bathing the kids and cuddling with them our driver arrived and motioned for us to go. Instantly my heart started breaking. We found an English speaking staff member and asked her to tell our kids a message for us to help explain why we wouldn't be back the next day. She then found our daughters good friend who speaks our kids first language. So from us, to the staff, to a five year old, to our kids... this is what we hope was not lost in translation. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much, we have to go home to America and get our home ready for you, get you a bed and clothes, and to tell everyone we know about how wonderful you are, we love you and we will be back as soon as we can." ~tears are streaming as I type this over five weeks later. It was seriously the hardest moment of my life.

Little man seemed distracted by a toy, but our girl got a sad look on her face hugged us both and I bent to kiss her head and we walked out the door. I turned and looked over my shoulder she was sitting on her bed with the scrapbook I made for her. It is our prayer that they look at the pictures of us often, do not forget our faces, and feel our love through the many miles.

~Please pray with us that they will be comforted by God's perfect peace and know His love and ours, and that the case can be finalized quickly when the courts reopen so we can bring them home.