I received an e-mail this morning saying that our court date is set for April 21 for both boys! It feels like forever away, but thankfully, it is just 3 weeks from Wednesday. Please begin praying for our court date now.
-Both biological mothers have to show up for our court date. They are from Kamashi, 14 hours away. Please pray they both make the trip.
-The mothers may still decide that they want to keep the boys. Please pray for God's will to be done, and for our hearts to rejoice in whatever He decides is best.
-Lots of paperwork, etc will be looked over by the judge. Any little thing can cause us not to pass. We are praying that we have favor in the judge's eyes and that all our documentation is present.
-Many do not "pass" court the first time. We are praying that God would give us favor and allow us to pass first time around with both boys. Not getting my hopes up, but God can do it!
The very good news is that once we pass court, the boys are officially BRUCE'S!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
It's Been a Great, Blessed Day
What an amazing day God has had for us! Although the morning started earlier than I like to think about, it was worth it! We had fantastic success at our yard sale. We raised more than double what we thought! And we even had one lady who just gave us a $100 bill after hearing our story. She said, "Please use this for your babies." What a blessing she was to us. Isn't God amazing?! I can't say "thank you" enough to those who contributed items for the sale.
When we arrived home from the yard sale I opened my e-mail and received new pictures of Merga, AND pictures of Abdi! What a great suprise to top off a wonderful morning! This means that he finally made it to the transition house in Addis! We await the results of his medical exam, and we are still waiting for a court date. Our case worker will not be back in the US until later this week so even if there is any new info on our case, we will not know until then.
Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray that Abdi would be healthy and that we would get a court date soon! We just want to bring those boys home now! But, we know that God's timing is absolutely perfect and all the details are in His hands-thankfully!
When we arrived home from the yard sale I opened my e-mail and received new pictures of Merga, AND pictures of Abdi! What a great suprise to top off a wonderful morning! This means that he finally made it to the transition house in Addis! We await the results of his medical exam, and we are still waiting for a court date. Our case worker will not be back in the US until later this week so even if there is any new info on our case, we will not know until then.
Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray that Abdi would be healthy and that we would get a court date soon! We just want to bring those boys home now! But, we know that God's timing is absolutely perfect and all the details are in His hands-thankfully!
Friday, March 26, 2010
This Weekend
We got word from Sue that Abdi was supposed to come to Addis yesterday. She will not know until Sunday at least if he made it or not. Although it is so hard to wait for the news, I keep praying that God will give me patience to wait upon Him. Everything will happen in His perfect timing.
Our big yard sale is tomorrow morning! We have had 8 families contribute items to the sale. I am praying that God will grant us success and allow us to raise some money for our adoption. And also that I would have a good attitude about getting up so early in the morning, and that I would not have a bad bout of morning sickness to top it off. :) We have truly been so blessed by the giving of others throughout this adoption. I can't say it enough. We feel so fortunate that God has called us to our boys and that He has used so many people to bless us in the process, as if the boys won't be a blessing enough!
We still have not heard about a court date. It has been over a month. What a long month of waiting it has been. Hoping to hear something soon! Keep praying!
Our big yard sale is tomorrow morning! We have had 8 families contribute items to the sale. I am praying that God will grant us success and allow us to raise some money for our adoption. And also that I would have a good attitude about getting up so early in the morning, and that I would not have a bad bout of morning sickness to top it off. :) We have truly been so blessed by the giving of others throughout this adoption. I can't say it enough. We feel so fortunate that God has called us to our boys and that He has used so many people to bless us in the process, as if the boys won't be a blessing enough!
We still have not heard about a court date. It has been over a month. What a long month of waiting it has been. Hoping to hear something soon! Keep praying!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Pray for Abdi
We received word today that Abdi still has not made it to Addis. However, there is a man who works with our adoption agency who is currently in Kamashi collecting documents for other cases. The plan is for him to bring Abdi back to Addis with him this weekend. Our case worker, Sue, said that she should be able to take him to the doctor for his exam on Wednesday. We are praying that this happens!!!
Another word of great encouragement! Again, we have been blessed by gifts from friends this week and our adoption is almost paid for! We will have enough money to pay our agency to bring the boys home, and are now just working on the last little bit to finalize the adoption once we are home! God has been so good to us. His hand is so evident in this whole process. What a blessing it has been to be called to adopt and to see God's provision when we stepped out in obedience. I am humbled that the charity and obedience of others will enable us to bring home our boys. We would not be able to have our boys without all the people who have prayed and given, and it is something we could never say "thank you" enough for. We still have several big steps ahead of us, but this was a HUGE mountain and I am thankful to be looking down this one. What an increase in my faith!
We will be having a yard sale next weekend at my sister-in-law's house. I always look forward to yard sales because you meet so many interesting people. We are taking any donations to use for the sale. Several people have already been very generous in this manner. I think we should have a great sale! All the money we make will go toward our adoption and medical expenses once we get the boys home. Please be in prayer that God would grant us success in this venture!
Another word of great encouragement! Again, we have been blessed by gifts from friends this week and our adoption is almost paid for! We will have enough money to pay our agency to bring the boys home, and are now just working on the last little bit to finalize the adoption once we are home! God has been so good to us. His hand is so evident in this whole process. What a blessing it has been to be called to adopt and to see God's provision when we stepped out in obedience. I am humbled that the charity and obedience of others will enable us to bring home our boys. We would not be able to have our boys without all the people who have prayed and given, and it is something we could never say "thank you" enough for. We still have several big steps ahead of us, but this was a HUGE mountain and I am thankful to be looking down this one. What an increase in my faith!
We will be having a yard sale next weekend at my sister-in-law's house. I always look forward to yard sales because you meet so many interesting people. We are taking any donations to use for the sale. Several people have already been very generous in this manner. I think we should have a great sale! All the money we make will go toward our adoption and medical expenses once we get the boys home. Please be in prayer that God would grant us success in this venture!
Friday, March 12, 2010
PRAISE GOD
This week has been full of emotions. We got word on Monday that Ethiopia announced that all adoptive parents would have to be present for the court date from now on. This would mean two trips-one trip for the court date, and then another trip about 2 months later to pick up the children. We asked for urgent prayer that this would not apply to us. Today our case worker e-mailed and said Ethiopia announced that it would apply to all cases submitted after April 7. Our case was submitted on February 22, so this new rule should not apply to us! We are still praying that this remains the case. Praise God for His speedy answer to our prayer!
I received an additional e-mail that Abdi is on his way to Addis. We probably will not know if he arrived until Monday, but I was just thrilled to hear that he was supposed to be on his way today! Thank you for those who have prayed for this specifically. I will be sure to update when we get any more news on Abdi. Our prayers now for Abdi are that he will get his medical exam and that the results would show him to be a healthy boy.
This week we also learned that it is taking about a month or a little longer for people to get court dates once their case has been submitted to court. We are just waiting to hear court dates for our boys.
I received an additional e-mail that Abdi is on his way to Addis. We probably will not know if he arrived until Monday, but I was just thrilled to hear that he was supposed to be on his way today! Thank you for those who have prayed for this specifically. I will be sure to update when we get any more news on Abdi. Our prayers now for Abdi are that he will get his medical exam and that the results would show him to be a healthy boy.
This week we also learned that it is taking about a month or a little longer for people to get court dates once their case has been submitted to court. We are just waiting to hear court dates for our boys.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Big Week Last Week
Last week was a big week for us regarding the adoption. We received our I-797C (basically same paper as I-171) in the mail on Tuesday. The US government has determined that we are fit to take care of two orphans. Praise the Lord! We have already filed the paperwork needed to specifically bring home Abdi and Merga.
We also received several financial blessings. Gifts from dear friends, people we do not even know, and a grant agency. This is the second of 11 agencies that we have heard from. They are granting us $1,500 toward our adoption! Our total is now down to $11,900! This still sounds like a lot, but it is amazing considering we started out needing $30,000! God has truly provided, and we trust that He will continue to provide as we obey Him. We have been sooo very humbled and blessed by the gifts of others. There are no words to express our thanks.
Lastly, this week we announced that we will be having another baby. It was a huge SHOCK to Kenneth and I when we discovered this little suprise. However, we know that is definitely a God thing and He has something special in store for our family. I am so thankful that He knows what is for our best. Truth be told, I am a little nervous about being a mother of four children under the age of 3 in October if all goes well.
We have two urgent matters of prayer. One, that we would get a court date. Our case was submitted two weeks ago. We are praying that things continue to go smoothly and quickly so that I can travel to Ethiopia to pick up the boys. Two, that Abdi would make his way to Addis. Abdi was supposed to go two weeks ago, but still has not made it. We are not sure why. We really need his medical exam done, especially before our court date.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support!
We also received several financial blessings. Gifts from dear friends, people we do not even know, and a grant agency. This is the second of 11 agencies that we have heard from. They are granting us $1,500 toward our adoption! Our total is now down to $11,900! This still sounds like a lot, but it is amazing considering we started out needing $30,000! God has truly provided, and we trust that He will continue to provide as we obey Him. We have been sooo very humbled and blessed by the gifts of others. There are no words to express our thanks.
Lastly, this week we announced that we will be having another baby. It was a huge SHOCK to Kenneth and I when we discovered this little suprise. However, we know that is definitely a God thing and He has something special in store for our family. I am so thankful that He knows what is for our best. Truth be told, I am a little nervous about being a mother of four children under the age of 3 in October if all goes well.
We have two urgent matters of prayer. One, that we would get a court date. Our case was submitted two weeks ago. We are praying that things continue to go smoothly and quickly so that I can travel to Ethiopia to pick up the boys. Two, that Abdi would make his way to Addis. Abdi was supposed to go two weeks ago, but still has not made it. We are not sure why. We really need his medical exam done, especially before our court date.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Adopting For Life!
Kenneth and I were so blessed to go to the Adopting For Life conference at Southern Seminary this past weekend. It was great just walking the halls at seminary and remembering our time there. Kenneth wants to go back. I, for one, miss the learning, but do not miss the reading, papers, and exams one bit!
The conference was such an encouragement to us, and we got to hear messages from our favorite preachers--Dr. Russell Moore and Dr. David Platt. Both messages served as a reminder of our orphaned state, among other things. As I picture Abdi and Merga and the circumstances that they are in right now, I can't help but remember what my life was like before Christ. Spiritually speaking, I was fatherless, without hope, without love, hungry, starving, sick, sitting right in the middle of a disgusting mess and I didn't know any better. Praise the Lord that He rescued me from the darkness and brought me into His marvelous light! Christ rescued me, showered me with love, gave me a home, a family, life and hope. I am a rescued orphan.
As Dr. Moore so graciously said, "We are not the rescuers, but the rescued who extend our arms because we believe the gospel!"
The conference was such an encouragement to us, and we got to hear messages from our favorite preachers--Dr. Russell Moore and Dr. David Platt. Both messages served as a reminder of our orphaned state, among other things. As I picture Abdi and Merga and the circumstances that they are in right now, I can't help but remember what my life was like before Christ. Spiritually speaking, I was fatherless, without hope, without love, hungry, starving, sick, sitting right in the middle of a disgusting mess and I didn't know any better. Praise the Lord that He rescued me from the darkness and brought me into His marvelous light! Christ rescued me, showered me with love, gave me a home, a family, life and hope. I am a rescued orphan.
As Dr. Moore so graciously said, "We are not the rescuers, but the rescued who extend our arms because we believe the gospel!"
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