Friday, May 15, 2009

What's Happening in Ethiopia?

So things are going, slowly, but going.


Adoptions of Abandoned Children Halted by Ethiopian Court:
The Ethiopian First Instance Court has temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing concern over a recent increase in the number of abandoned children being brought for adoption. The number of abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa has grown dramatically in recent months and Ethiopian authorities have become aware of possible cases of unethical practices associated with some of them.

Currently neither MOWA nor the First Instance Court are accepting any abandonment case from any orphanages in Addis Ababa pending an inquiry.

Our son was not abandoned, but relinquished. This should not affect us, but it has slowed things down. Pray that we get a court date soon, that it passes and that we would become a family soon! Pray for the families who have precious kiddos over there who have been abandoned. I know this is affecting our friends and this is very hard, but Praise God that they trust God's plan! Pray that Ethiopia would get this corrected and that the children would be taken care of. Thanks for walking beside us on our journey. We can't wait to get our hands on him!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Fishin' Fun







On Saturday, we went to our friends' house out in the country. They have a huge pond, full of fish (even though we didn't catch any)! We saw tadpoles, a snake swimming in the water, geese, another snake that scared Alex half-to-death and many other things. It was beautiful out there, so relaxing! I can't wait to go again!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

Today's sermon was wonderful. Bill spoke on Colossians 1:24-29.
He talked about striving and toiling while doing what God has
called us to do. What God has called us to is not easy and
honestly, if we are living the life He has called us to, we should
be tired by the end of the day. But we can do what He has called
us to, not by our own strength, but "according to HIS power, which
mightily works within me". This describes me these past few weeks.
Tired, emotionally spent, ready to just sleep for weeks...until
I get the call of good news regarding our Titus. But God has
called us to work through this and I know I have things to learn
and do before he arrives. I was tear-free until we got to the
closing song...

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, and cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land, where my possessions lie.

All o'er those wide extended plains, shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns, and scatters night away.

No chilling winds nor poisonous breath can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness, sorrow, pain and death, are felt and feared no more.

When shall I reach that happy place, and be forever blessed?
When Shall I see my Father's face and in His bosom rest?

I am bound for the promised land.

I know mothers can relate when you sing a song and just automatically sway.
I sing and sway and cup my hand as if I am holding his little head near my
heart. My possession is somewhere else and I ache for him. And Jesus
reigns and is in control of this whole adoption process and this comforts
me, but I still hurt. The last verse just is amazing! I yearn to see
my Father's face, the ONE who loves His children PERFECTLY! Oh, to
rest in His arms! I believe God has been whispering to me..."enjoy your
girls now, don't live in the future, live in the now. I will bring him
to you, but enjoy what I am giving you presently, now". I am trying.
I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. I am so blessed. Here is
an update that people received from our agency. Please continue to pray!

My agency says:

Due to the huge amount of open cases the courts have right now, they are
designating Wednesday as open case day. They will hear open cases part of
the day Wednesdays until they are through them all.

This doesn't mean this upcoming Wednesday they will hear all, obviously,
we have at least 15 open cases right now and every other agency has as
many so it will take some time to get to all of us. At least they
recognize the problem and have come up with a plan!

Blast Off!









Every year in the Spring, GEPC has a rocket blast-off. Daddy helped his girls assemble their rockets throughout the weeks leading up to this wonderful occasion. It is so much fun getting together with our church family and seeing our kids' faces light up when they shoot off and then try to chase them down and catch them as the rockets plummet back to earth. I've had them on my camera for a while...this happened a few weeks back.