Found

We just got word that they found Titus' mom. Very good news and I thank God for being gracious to us. Abebe had been "scouring the countryside" with no luck and prayed hard that he would be able to find her. Of course, contrary to what we were thinking, they don't just bring her in court and we pass. Our agency tells the court "we found the mom" and then they will give us a date to bring her in. I told Pam I am thankful, but just feel numb; unable to truly rejoice. I can't presume upon God that this is it anymore. Only He knows when Titus will be ours. Your continued prayers are valued by us more than you know. As I type this, I am having Alex write this week's fighter verse "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west." Isaiah 43:5. It goes on to say "I will say to the north, "Give them up!" and to the south "Do not hold them back! Bring My sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth."
I am truly grateful that God has called us to this. He is giving us TWO of the most amazing gifts ever!!! I am just so humbled and amazed that He wants to give us so much! This journey will all be worth it!

Update on Court

As I was in bed crying this morning, reading the word Haley just happened to bring up a letter from one of her Blast teachers she wanted me to read. The teacher wrote "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing". I read in Psalm 113 "The Lord is high above all nations; His glory is above the Heavens. Who is like our God, Who is enthroned on High, Who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heep...He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!" I prayed specifically that God would "open a window".
Vince called right then and asked how I was doing and said "You didn't get the email? I think God just opened a window!? We just found out we have three days to locate the mother and bring her to court and we can pass." Wild, huh?
Can you please pray that God will help the people who are looking for her and that they would find her? We want our son and brother home. Thank you all for being our prayer warriors---what an amazing blessing to have so many people who will pray for us.
Vince and Julie

We did not pass court. We do not have a new court date and currently our case is closed. We will hopefully have more details this week. Your prayers throughout all of this have been such a blessing and gift to us. Vince is taking the rest of the day off and we are just going to need some time to figure out what this all looks like. Doesn't look good though, but Alex just gave me her Bible with Proverbs 3:5 written down for me to read. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." It was so sweet today, before we found out, Haley said "Oh! It's court day! Lila, let's pray!" Then she did the same with Alex and me. She wants her brother so bad and all three girls could really use some prayer. . But today was a good reminder of how much of a blessing it is that we know God and our girls love and trust in God. What a gift to see your girls open up the Bible when they get bad news. Pray for God to work mightily on our behalf. I am truly exhausted and emotionally wiped out.

Prayer requests

Here are some specific things to pray for regarding our adoption:

1) They would find Titus' birthmom so she can be at court on Monday. If she isn't, we probably won't pass court this time around and it will have to be rescheduled.
2) That Elias' birthmom will show up at court in the town that he is from. He has to pass court there, so that his paperwork can be transferred to Addis to be heard at the higher court. She didn't show up last week and they have a new court date rescheduled.

There is realistically no chance Elias' case can be heard in Addis the same time as Titus'. I know God is in control and am really trusting in God to work this all out. If Titus passes, it looks like Vince will be taking two trips. Pray that Elias will move through the process fast so that we can pick them up at the same time.
Thanks so much!

Lila's Window

Screaming and shouting and cheer-spirit fingers were going on everywhere when Lila's tooth came flying out of her mouth (with the help of her mother and some dental floss). She had been working on that tooth for a good few weeks and today was the day! Of course, Vince wanted NOTHING to do with this and insisted it should come out on its own timing; I think his stomach just isn't cut out for that sort of thing. Lila's gum bled big time and she already has a huge tooth growing in behind it. I think we'll need some major orthodontic work. Here is a picture!

A Double Blessing

BIG NEWS!!!! BIG NEWS!!!!
We are expecting again!!! No wonder this adoption has taken so long, because God knew we needed to bring home a brother for Titus! About a month ago, Pam wrote us about some misc. stuff and then P.S. saying "Tell Vince there are lots of baby boys in the orphanage and you are approved up to two! Ha! Ha! That's how much I love Vince." Long before this, we had known that Titus was going to have a brother, but honestly, it was hard even imagining going through this process again, emotionally, monetarily, physically. This is one of the hardest, most consuming things I have ever embarked on in my life. So when I got her email, I got excited. Vince and I prayed about it and I left it up to Vince...Scout's honor! I left the ball in his court and he ended up talking to Pam without me knowing about it. That week, we had a picture of our sweet little 3-4 month old Elias G. We had to wait till his medicals were completed but they were soon finished. He is so beautiful, just like his brother and I can't wait to get my hands on both of them. Pray that we will be able to get Elias' case heard the same time as Tariku's. If he doesn't pass around the same time, Vince will have to go back and get him later. I am trusting God that He knows what is best. I'll be able to post pictures of our boys as soon as they pass court and are legally ours. Oh, what a sweet day of celebration that will be!

Get out of town!!! Hopefully by Christmas at least!

We have a court date!!!! We have a court date!!! We got the call this morning and our 2nd court date is October 26th! All prayers for a successful pass are greatly appreciated!
Last night, I was watching one of Beth Moore's Esther videos. It was the one about waiting and the different reasons why sometimes we wait. It was a tremendous blessing to me and really just spoke total confirmation to me as to what the Lord has been doing in Vince and I's life. She talked about how sometimes the wait has to happen because God has to do something in another person's life before this one thing occurs. That will have to be another story for another time, but it will nonetheless, BLOW your socks off! Another reason is because God wants to use the "wait" time to get closer to you and prepare you for what He has for you by drawing you closer to Him. I have told many friends, how God has truly been faithful to not let this make me anger or bitter, but to use this to actually fall in love with Him more and rest in His timing and not my own. About 4 years ago we lost our close brother-in-Christ, to cancer. It was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced in my life (and I've had a lot), and it took me a good 2 years to trust God and pray my heart out to Him. SO for Him to keep me close to Him throughout all this and to be in love with God, even through the suffering, is only from Him.
I was searching scripture for this one verse last night and couldn't find it and then low and behold there it was. Isaiah 46:11 "Truly I have spoken, truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it". I prayed, totally honestly "Lord, I completely trust in your timing. Whatever it is, I will be happy with it. I trust you to bring this to pass and no matter how long, I am okay with it."
I am excited and am really praying this will pass and the other family we have gone through this with will pass too. But even if it doesn't, God has it planned and He will surely do it! The above pictures were taking yesterday before we left for the USCIS office to renew our I-600a, as it was only good for 18 months! We left around 6:15 am and hopefully we will never have to go back to that office again!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Adoption Date--"Just Kiddin'"

Well, what do you know? We just found out that we never really had a court date, even though time and time again we were reassured "Yes, you have a court date, it just needs to be translated." The Wednesday we got the exciting news, I asked "Are they lying to us??" That was the first of many times I asked that as I was becoming more skeptical of this situation. We found out yesterday at church, after our director had returned from Ethiopia. What I do know is 3 months of being an "open case" our case has to be re-submitted to the court. Our case was reapplied in August and I think the person just assumed we'd have a court date by the end of this month. My thoughts: I trust in God and he is and will be faithful to bring this adoption to completion. Our God is a BIG God and I expect to see him do amazingly more than we could ever ask or imagine, and honestly, I am excited! Of course, this is very maddening, but I am keeping my eyes on the author and perfector of my faith and KNOW we will bring Titus home in his perfect timing. Please pray that God will work mightily on our case (and our friends also) and for our friend Eileen Huffman, who is courageously battling breast cancer. You can find her site here: www.caringbridge.org/visit/eileenhuffman