It Has Been A Year

It has been a year:

• since we said YES to the Lord
• since we said YES to another child
• since we learned that our family would forever look different
• since we learned that our family would be forever perceived differently
• since we learned that we would be a part of God's journey in a way we have never known
• since we stepped out in faith with our children trusting for the Lord to provide for all needed
• since I called my sister and told her to hear her joy on the other end
• since we Skyped our parents to tell them we were starting a new journey
• since we told friends near and far
• since we applied & started the journey
• since we said YES to Ethiopia
• since we started interviews, reference letters, doctors visits, etc to compile a huge pile of paper
• since we really started digging into life in Ethiopia and what that looks like for so many
• since we started answering questions about how we would parent 4, school 4, take care of 4
• since we started answering questions about having a trans-racial family
• since we started answering the question, "Why Ethiopia?"
• since we started answering the question "Is it almost time for her to come home yet mom & dad?"
• since we've started asking more questions of other families who have gone before us
• since we started budgeting tightly, saving, & receiving funds from many of you for the process
• since we started trying to estimate on when this might all take place and explain that to others
• since we started praying for another family that would be giving their child
• since we started researching how to fix African American Hair
• since we started watching story after story of orphans
• since we joined a community of strangers who are no longer strangers
• since we started developing a desire to meet our new daughter
• since we started praying for this sweet daughter we don't know yet

SINCE WE SAID YES TO ADOPTION

Ethan drew this last week - it's Nora in our yard

What a journey to be on with the Lord.  There have been ups & downs, moments of pure bliss and moments of fear, questions without answers, and questions we've researched to find answers.  Still, no face for this baby girl in our home yet, but we know she is out there.  We are excited to meet her!!!  Thank you for joining us in this journey through prayer and support.  We love you each and ask you to continue to pray.  Ethiopia is facing a very tough situation right now and we pray for these leaders that can make changes to have wisdom.