Today

Today is World AIDS day

and

Today is the day I was supposed to meet our new daughter in Addis

I really didn't think it would be so hard to face today - but my heart is hurting with the longing to hold both of the new kids in my arms, kiss thier sweet faces and begin the process of getting to know them.....

Soon please.

Failed court again

Oy this is a hard one to write - we have failed court again. All over the same piece of paper that we have been repeately reassured that they have. His case is reassigned to the 23 of Dec. Our represenative in Addis didn't advocate for an earlier date because he is concerned that they won't get it done by then anyway. Seriously???? The orphanage has known since June that we want to adopt him - and he has been there for 2 years so there has been plenty of time to complete his file and yet they haven't. Now I know that Africa works on different time and things just aren't as important but SERIOUSLY?????

This is the hard thing about adoption the waiting on someone else to do thier JOB so that your child can come home. And it is the hard thing about our agency - they have a horrible reputation for getting kids though court and I guess that is going to include our kids.

Now I'm just going to go cry.

Pity party over...

soooo today we got a little report on Alemtsehaye detailing her likes - favorite food (ice cream) favorite color - pink (of course now we will have 3 little pink girls!) her clothes and shoe size all sort of little tidbits. AND a little note she said to tell her family that she loves them (aaawwwhhh).

Then promptly I began to have my own little pity party because I want to be on my way to get her - not hearing someone elses impressions of her (by the way she loves skirts - especially red ones .... hopefully I can find one!). Sigh, but we aren't on our way just yet - thus the pity party. (It doesn't help that I am totally not sleeping - ugh)

But that needs to end - being thankful is a choice and I choose to be thankful for the opportunity before me - the opportunity to pray for her and Estifanos the opportunity to long for them the opportunity to trust God for His perfect timing and His perfect provision. I choose to glorify God even when I am waiting and longing. All through Biblical history people have been waiting and longing. Waiting and longing for a Messiah or as Becca's favorite Bible story book describes it for God's secret rescue mission. Then after Jesus' death and resurection the longing for His glorious return. I am thankful this day that I can wait and trust that God has plans to prosper me to give me a future and a hope!

Just 2 more days until Estifanos' court date - please Lord let your will be done in that court room, let the judge submit to your plan for Estifanos, that he would be called a Grover from that day foward....

National Adoption Day

yep that is today - Nov 21st. Now let me just say how thankful I am for adoption - for my own adoption into the family of God - that has led me down this journey to continue to build our family through the miracle that is adoption.

It is hard to imagine our lives without our adopted children - from Kathleen - 13 years ago! To Becca just 1 year ago to Estifanos and Alemtsehay who we are still waiting for, our lives are richer and more blessed. Our lives have been expanded and our capacity to love has overflowed by having these amazing kids in our lives.

Thank you Jesus - for first adopting us and then calling us to these kids - what a blessing you have given us all the days of our lives. Thank you for trusting us with these precious ones.

(and only 4 more days until Estifanos court date - please Lord let everything be in order that the appointed time for him to be a Grover arrives this week)

8 days

Eight more days until Estifanos's court date - aaaarrrrgggghhhh - can't wait!! Our agency thinks that the orphanage has the paper needed - so I guess we will just have to wait and see. If he passes we are hoping for a mid Jan travel date - hopefully his post court paperwork will come in more speedily than Alemtsehaye's has (hers still isn't in).

Now the question is what to do with all my nervous energy! In the last several weeks I have redone all the bathrooms and painted the kitchen cabinets, painted the laundry room and hung bead board. Scott may have to work all weekend so I'm going to need something to keep me occupied..... hmmm wonder what it will be.

Well then - never mind

Thanks for all the great thoughts and prayers - unfortunately some paperwork our agency had been expecting from the courts has yet to show up and we are not going to make the Dec 2 embassy date. Sigh. honestly we never expected to have that date - the last few days have been a total whirlwind of decisions, and lists and panic - now we have to wait - and choose a new date. Since we still need a waiver the 16th is out so that leaves the 30th or the 13th of Jan. not sure the implications of the waiver on the 30th - kind of a wierd situation, no one knows quite what to expect. (and anticipating that we have already asked our senator to look into it for us - because I really don't think we should need one in Dec at all! but we will see what they find out) The thing is though that the thought of having her home early - was such an amazing gift we were all so excited, so thrilled at the thought of our early Christmas present - that knowing we are going to have to wait , well it makes the wait hard. The hardest part is going to be telling Emma and Luke - they are sooooo excited. Last night I overheard them talking about having her home and what they wanted to show her and play - just cute, cute , cute. so I know they are going to take this kinda hard (me too.)

Panic

Aaaahhhhh - not sure how I thought I could be ready to go in 3 weeks - really need to be ready in 2 weeks cause the kids have Thanksgiving week off so I won't get much of anything done then. It will all be fine I know - but YIKES is all I have to say right now. Thank God my mom is coming - Thanksgiving until Christmas so there will be an extra set of hands for everything and someone to hold the house together while I am gone.

It feels a bit like juggling - so many balls kids, meals, house, Chistmas, travel, meeting new daughter!!!!, embassy.

Pray for us! Especially pray that her visa waiver comes in quickly - like 5 days so we can get home early!!! (and folks that would be a big miracle)