Conference Call

Yesterday our agency had a conference call for all of the families with referrals. There was a lot of information given and we even had a surprise visit from Rachael,who runs the Transitional Home in Ethiopia! Rachael is back in the US with her husband on vacation.
-One of the changes that will be happening is that we will no longer be staying at the Hilton but a Guest House. The Guest House will be homey and we will be able to be immersed in the culture. We will be able to get a better picture of Ethiopia!
-Duni is hoping to send 2 big travel groups (big meaning 6-8 families) a month in October,November and one in December.
*So for us this means we will be traveling anywhere from late November to early January. Our prayer is that we could have our sweet little one home before Christmas!
-When Rachael returns to Ethiopia we should receive an update on our daughter. We are hoping to see a glimpse into her personality and how she is doing. We were able to send a small photo album to her. We are so blessed we had the opportunity to do this.

On Sunday I was reminded of a gift I have been given. A gift that at one time seemed like I would never get to enjoy. Before I had the gift I wanted it bad. It was hard to see others receive the gift I longed for. That gift was the gift of a child and the chance to be a mother.
The short story is that having children didn't happen in the way or timing that we planned. We had times of wait,agonizing wait, and at other times huge unexpected surprises. God has shown us that being parents to our children is a gift. One that he took time and joy picking out. No matter the ups and downs, He has placed them in our family for a reason and as a gift. Unfortunately not every minute of ever day do I look loving at my children and think "What a gift." sigh. The kids fight with one another, burp at the table and well,act like kids. But they are our kids,our gift. God has trusted us to raise them and seek His guidance in doing so.
So these thoughts have led me to a place in my heart I was incapable of reaching or understanding until now. That no matter how our children have come to be our children they are ours. God is no stranger to adoption. He invented it! As believers we are adopted by Him and He doesn't look at us as his pretend kids or not His real kids. We are His. He loves us and gives us everything a father gives a child and more because He is God! Which leads me to thoughts of our new daughter. God has done something I cannot explain in my heart. She is our daughter plain and simple. When we saw the picture of her for the first time we knew that she was our daughter. Not a pretend daughter, our real daughter, just as real as Joel and Isabelle! We have seen God do a lot in our lives and they don't always have an earthly explanation or make sense to other people. Looking from the outside I guess this whole thing may look crazy. "You are telling me that you have a daughter half way around the world that you have seen one picture of her, she doesn't look like you(ok,secretly, I think she has my eyes:)),you didn't give birth to her and she is 5!" Yep,that is what I am saying!

So much excitement!!!

This week has been full of milestones (actually this month has). But three of them this week! We have been celebrating ALL week long!
On Tuesday we saw the face of the the youngest member of our family for the first time! Every time I look at her picture I am reminded of the perfect love of our Savior. The One who knows all things and all circumstances. Praise God!
(Did I mention she is BEAUTIFUL?!)
On Wednesday Joel and Isabelle started school. Joel seems so much more independent. He didn't even want me to walk him to the bus stop(but I did). And Belle. She is in school all day this year!(look how grown up she looks!) Exhaustion is setting in. She is my sleeper. So getting up and going earlier than usual is taking it's toll. She needs a good 12 hours to feel rested and that isn't happening.
They both love school and they have awesome teachers! I can see how God put them with the perfect teachers for them.
On Thursday Rob and I hit a big birthday.(At least I feel it's big)Let's just say we are officially in our mid 30's. Yes, you heard me right both Rob and I have the exact same birthday. I'm only 5 hours older than him but he likes to rub it in that I am older.
I am praising God for his promises and blessings!!
Now I'm off to eat more birthday cake:)

THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS...(hidden message inside)

Well it is the day before school starts and Joel and Belle have some friends over to play. I'm not sure if they will every want to come back to our house because they now know me as a crazy lady. We got our referral TODAY!!!!! She is the most precious little girl! I don't know how much I can say but- she is 5 and beautiful!
I got the call and couldn't stop jumping up and down.(I think they should market mary jane crocs to high jumpers!) Rob wouldn't answer his cell phone so I had to have one of the secretaries interrupt a meeting(yet another person who thinks I'm crazy)and he came straight home.
So there you have it... a not so typical day before school starts!

the journey.

"I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord,"plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

The end of Chapter 1

This week the kids and I went on a trip with Rob's Parents and his sister, Brenda's family. If you didn't catch it, I didn't mention Rob actually being on the trip with us. He was not.
This week marked a chapter of our lives coming to a close. After more than 17 years of doing youth ministry this was Rob's last youth mission trip! I'm sure once it sinks in there might be a few tears. God called Rob to youth ministry when he was in 7th grade, we met for the first time in youth ministry classes in college, Rob proposed to me at Jr. high youth group, we stared out our married life together working at the same church doing youth ministry (I'm still not sure if that was such a good idea:)) So,to say Youth Ministry has been a big part our life, is an understatement!
He will miss the excitement of a student who has excepted Christ for the first time or just learned something new about his maker,the Mud games at Laurelville (or maybe not)and those goofy skits that didn't always make sense- just to name a few memories . But I know he won't miss sleeping on floors in places with no air conditioning. (It is taking him a lot longer to recover these days)
I have been blessed to see God using Rob and growing him into the man He wants him to be. There are no words to describe how humbly honored I am to be a witness to what God has done.
His greatest joys recently have been watching his former students grow into adults. We are so old that some of our first students have children (many children!)and some who are further along in our history are getting engaged and finding jobs. God has blessed us and has allowed us to continue to be part of there lives. So this brings us to the new call that God has given Rob. He is now the Pastor to Families at our church. He is very passionate about this new call. God has been giving him a burden for families and marriages for some time now!
Praise God for His plans for us! What a ride!

We have no news on the adoption. We are waiting. Duni was recently in Ethiopia and we were hoping to hear something,anything, but we have not. We are currently number one for a little girl between the ages of 3-6.
On Tuesday there is a conference call. I'm not sure how much new information we will receive but when information is minimal any at all is very much welcome.