Twists and Turns

So yesterday we were on the phone with Gladney, as they are working hard to get some documents needed to process the I-600 immigration form in the States. We know time is getting short, but if we can get this form processed here, instead of how typically done in Ethiopia, we could have Gladney file our HIV waiver for us, instead of my filing it while in Ethiopia and waiting 2+ weeks for it to be approved, shortening my travel from 3+ weeks to only one week. This would be a HUGE blessing!

So I plan to contact my state representative, knowing I will need him to advocate for us so that USCIS can turn around the I-600 approval in about 5 weeks, instead of their typical 3-6 months.

Then late last night, our HIV advocacy group contacted me to let me know that as of yesterday, now the waiting on the TB test results for our little one is no longer required. So....once the embassy panel doctors sign off on her case, we can travel! So that could mean in a week, a couple weeks. Not...quite...sure, but SOONER. So we are still REALLY hoping to get the I-600 approved here in the States, but instead of a 5 week turn around, now we are talking about a 2 week turn around. Sounds impossible. Maybe it is. For the past year, I have been preparing myself for the longer trip, but in the past 2 weeks, with the possibility of shortening it significantly, I was feeling so much hopefulness about the possibility.

Some don't quite understand, thinking a nice long trip would be a wonderful way to see our children's birth country. And I totally agree --- when you are NOT adopting. The adoption trip is altogether different. Not a sight-seeing trip, but immensely emotional. Our sweet one will most likely be terrified of me at first, and I will just WANT TO GET HER HOME, start our family, start adjusting, settling in. That is virtually impossible while in Ethiopia, and without my sweet Farmboy, as he will be home with our 5 other kiddos.

Anyways, so again I am made profoundly aware how I have NO control in this adoption process. So we pray, do what we can, and see how God handles the rest.

Oh, and isn't she darling? She weighs more than Kume did when we adopted her, and Kume was 1.5 years older. Love the chub!

Aug 14, 2008 - Aug 14, 2009

We got the call about our little sweetie on August 14, 2008. Yes, we were initially stunned (read here if you'd like), but now are excited (slight understatement) and grasping on to the truth that God has given us this privilege and responsibility to parent another of His children.

First glimpse EVER of our little girl....



Just got this picture from Natalie yesterday, Aug. 14, 2009....



Just a a little while longer, sweetie (end of October, hopefully)!

Why we aren't packing yet....

Many have asked when we are traveling. Bummer, but not yet. Many have heard about the new TB requirements, and our little one falls into that quagmire of more nonsensical waiting. Two main reasons:

1) She is not recognized as a US citizen at adoption.
2) She is HIV+, therefore required to do the TB sputum testing, even though for her health it would be FAR better for her to get out of a country where the risk of contracting TB while she waits is far more likely then that she would pose ANY risk in the States.

Here is a link to a great blog of one of the founders of Project HOPEFUL. This woman advocates for adoptive families of HIV+ children. On this link, she discusses the FACE act, a bill which Congress is currently considering. It makes COMPLETE sense. Please read it.

So, we wait patiently, hoping to travel in 10-12 weeks.

IT'S A GIRL!

Here's a story, of a lovely lady... (key Brady Bunch Theme song)

YES WE PASSED!

My sweet Buttercup is camping this week and away from our computer.
I get to break the news that we PASSED court.

Yeehaw!

I'm sure she will want to spill her emotions upon her return.

Until then, here's a few more pic's of our sweet new addition









Thanks for all of you who were praying for our family during this time!

Farmboy Brady

JULY 30 - let's try this again

As expected, court was not successful today. We are now scheduled for July 30. One kinda cool bit of news. The courts have postponed their shut down until August 21 to accommodate adopting families and some of the delays that have arisen due to an unexpected government agency closure.

No matter what, God is the one true God, there is no other God but Him. It is said over and over in Scriptures and tonight during my walk I sensed Him reminding me of this awesome truth. And He dazzles. The sky this evening, the stars, the trees, the light, the darkness displaying His glory. Stunning. Okay, if He can handle creation, He can handle this.

I think He wanted me to share.

Court Delay

So I guess this is the best way to hear news. Sitting on the beach on vacation with dear, old friends (well, hey, we aren't OLD, but I mean friends we have had a long time -- you know, since college, some since elementary school, so for 20 to 35 years, hmmmm, I guess that does sound old). Anyways, sweet Natalie calls.

There is an Ethiopian governmental agency that must make an opinion for our case before the court will make a ruling. This agency just closed for 2 weeks, starting last Wednesday (nothing like NO notice), to do a training of sorts, and will reopen July 23. Oh, if they had just waited a...few...more...days. Honestly, why not wait until the court closure for the rainy season? Certainly makes sense to me. And....you would think they would put us at the top of the list of cases needing opinions, but it just doesn't work that way. Natalie is hoping we get a new court date before the court closures. We will see. NOTHING has gone smoothly this go 'round, so I am guarding my heart again.

God allows hardships to those He loves, and promises to help us develop a more Christ-like character as we walk through the hardships. We are awed that He loves us like that and are trying to persevere during this current ache. Isn't there a verse out there saying something outlandish like, "rejoice always" and "in everything, give thanks." Another walk by faith.

adoptive families camping trip

We just returned from a camping weekend with several families who have adopted or are in process of adopting kids from Ethiopia. What a blast. Fifteen families camped, and about 15-20 other families came for an all-day picnic/beach day on Saturday. This group has been a huge and unexpected blessing to us. We have met some wonderful families, many of which I am now regularly in a prayer group with, and do the occasional playdate thing with a few others. We humans are so relational and crave connectedness. I believe that Farmboy and I connect with these families in a deep way because we understand each other without exhausting ourselves and others trying to explain our lives. The attachment, the struggles, the questions, the joys, the passion, the frustration, the fears, the hope -- we connect.

Oh, a sweet moment -- a woman pulled me aside and thanked me for our encouraging blog. They are in the process of adopting an HIV+ child, and were encouraged by some of my words. Hey, I am thrilled if these words do more than just fill a computer screen. This family has not told their family or friends about their decision yet and I hopefully had a chance to encourage her some more that day.

One family in particular my kids adored -- all of them. This family has 6 kids, 2 of them being twin 4 yr old girls recently adopted from Ethiopia. On the way home, each of my kids had paired themselves up for marriage with the kids from this family. Li'l B has no idea what she is in for....


The family minus Farmboy, our photographer. And, yeah, we still have the dog. Anyone want a Beagle?



A glimpse of a few of the families at the gathering.



Kume and one of the twins getting more connected.


Kume and a twin goofing around, maybe....or wrestling vehemently for a place in the jumprope line.


The jumprope line has disintegrated....now it's 4 at a time. Yup, all of the 14 pictures we took were blurry, so this is all you get.


One of the "pairs" working on a creation. Hey, I would be thrilled SOME day.