An Overdue Thank You

We were floored a couple of weeks ago when we received a large adoption grant from our local church, HSC.  The grant covered all of our remain bill at our Illinois agency and a large portion of our lawyer fees.  Wow. Wow. Wow. Thank you for blessing our family!

Homecoming

Over the last month, I have desired to type a full update but my eyes have been tired and my arms full!  (Tonight I am attempting to write balancing our littlest man on my chest.) 

Gratitude, heaviness of heart, joy, excitement, and extreme exhaustion hardly encompasses the array of emotion we have felt over the last couple of weeks.  Much has transpired since our last update.  As many of you know we spent the first 2 weeks of Little B’s life in Illinois.  Due to Interstate laws and restrictions, our paperwork had to be submitted and reviewed before we could come home.  The time spent away was divided between the hospital and hotels.  The isolation in another state provided two-on-one time to facilitate bonding but it also came with challenges of balancing work and the older brothers.  We have offered much thanks to our parents for caring for the older boys in our absence. 

There are obviously questions many have had surrounding the details of our adoption of Little B.  Our adoption is an open adoption.  We know his birth mother and she knows us.  Our adoption was facilitated by our agency but has mainly been left between us to sort out the personal details.  We spent a lot of time together with Little B’s birth mother (or Tummy Mommy) during the hospital stay.  We celebrated together and cried together.  As the future of our relationship is yet to be told, we pray that he will know her.  But we can ensure he will always know his story.  The details will always be celebrated, shared and conversations about it readily available.  Right now, we currently struggle on how much information to share with others.  It is not that we don’t want to tell the details, we just feel the story is his to share as he chooses.  Sometime in the future (once I have sorted it out in my head) I do desire to share my struggles and triumphs the journey and The Lord have accomplished in my heart.  He has worked mightily and it is our desire for that to be known!!!

Since we have been home we have been overwhelmed with support.  We cannot thank everyone enough for the food, gifts, borrowed items, prayers, kind words and visits.  Our short term physical and financial needs related to the transition have been provided for but the sincere offers of people giving of themselves have greatly impacted and encouraged our hearts. 

The older brothers love having Little B around.  Their excitement, tenderness and love ooze as they sing “this little piggy” or talk about everything they will teach him.  They have accepted him with open arms and the transition has truly warmed our hearts and even now brings tears to my eyes. We are slowly settling into the life as a multi racial family of 5.  I am positive there will be much excitement to share about crazy experiences to come.

He is here!

Pending arrival of a...

It's a....

Girl? Boy? We don't know, but we are ecstatic to announce the potential for a new addition in our family.

The past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind.  From the phone call from our social worker that our family has been chosen by a birth mother, to meeting her, to leaving for a family vacation to Florida, and now getting home to prepare.  Due to the sensitive nature of the circumstances- we aren't giving you any details - except that the new baby may show up anytime in approximately the next 4 weeks!

It is amazing to see how the Lord has gone before us to this point.  He has worked out so many of the little details of timing and we have felt an incredible amount of peace.  But there is still a lot more to go!  Please pray.  Pray that we will reflect Him no matter the circumstances and that we will be flexible.  Please pray for health for mom and baby.  Please pray for us as new demands emotionally, spiritually and physically are put upon us.  

Yeah for crazy and exciting times!  We aren't sure who is more excited. Dad and mom, or the big brothers. 

Good News Out of Ethiopia Today!

In response to the last couple of weeks, today the Minister in charge of MOWCYA stated that neither they or the Ethiopian Government plan to shut down adoptions within Ethiopia. She encouraged our agency and others alike to continue their work as normal.


Here is actual release sent by our agency:
http://adoptedbydesign.typepad.com/blog/2014/01/positive-news-from-ethiopia.html


Change and reform is still needed and will continue to be. For we know that whenever there is opportunity to do good there is also opportunity to abuse or corrupt.  Please be in continued prayer for Ethiopia's leadership and wisdom as adoptions continue.

Urgent Ethiopian News

*Update: Due to Ethiopian Christmas(Celebrated January 7th) and a Muslim holiday, official news will most likely not be released until Thursday January 16th or later.* 


We have been here before.  Waiting.  Hoping. Unsure of the future.  Overcome with raw emotion.  The recognition that so little, truly, is in our control.  The genuine recognition we need to trust Him. 

Here is a little background:  Over the weekend of Dec. 27-29^th a multi day meeting was held by the Ethiopian House of Representatives along with MOWCYA (Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs) officials.  In the meeting, a 36+ page research paper was presented.  Amongst many issues presented, over half of the content of the paper related directly to adoption in Ethiopia.  Breakout groups made up of parliament officials, NGOs, adoption agency representatives, teachers, court officials and public attendees gathered to discuss the paper and to discuss change.   In closing, the speaker of the House stated that there are conflicts of interest leading to corruption.  It was noted the many Parliament officials strongly lobbied for the closure of international adoption.  At the end of the meeting, they determined that a strategic plan would be provided after 10 business days.

What brought this about?  There is and has been a lot of change in Ethiopia related to adoption over the last couple of years.  Some of this most recent call to action may be politically driven; re-elections are coming up later this year.  There also have been many negative articles written in main stream media related to adoption.

What does our agency say? At this time our agency, AWAA, does not anticipate complete closure of the entire country to international adoption although they recognize that it may be a reality.  They do believe that this will lead to continue adoption reform.  We are so thankful they have been open, and honest.  They are currently in the process of translating the research paper and plan to email it to all families when it is complete.  They have also held a conference call to keep us informed.  Our in country director was actually present in the meetings listed above.

What do we think?  We desire for orphan justice.  We desire a system that puts the child at priority, not money in the pockets of stakeholders or orphanage authorities.  We want a system that provides permanency for a child, in the home of a family, whether domestic or international. 

How are we handling this news?  Like the introduction mentioned we have felt like we have been in this situation before.  In a pregnancy, “spotting” brings you to this place.  Spotting many times causes a pregnant women to question – is there a problem?  Emotions can run high.  You have hopes and dreams for the child you carry but you have no control of the outcome.  Like many of you know, we lost and delivered our second son Bode during the 16^th week of our pregnancy.   During the pregnancy we had two separate times, in our hearts, we had these emotional moments that brought us to question.  The first time our fears were calmed and we were told by a doctor- "Everything looks ok!"  but the second time she silently shook her head.  That is the only thing we feel like we can compare this to.  Right now we are waiting.  We don’t know what the future holds for our “Boaz”.  If we will be told, "don't worry, everything seems to be on track" or if we will be told, "I'm sorry."  We only know that the Lord has brought us here and we are to wait.

What can you do?  Pray!

• Pray for Ethiopian government officials to be convicted of the need for children to grow up in a family.
• Pray for advocates to speak up on behalf of orphans and vulnerable children.
• Pray to end corruption, deceit, and inappropriate work in adoption.
• Pray for all the waiting families as we anxiously await the news.
• Pray for wisdom and guidance of our agency to respond wisely whatever the outcome.

 

All of this news came to us while we were enjoying our family vacation in Florida.  We struggled to keep composure and enjoy the moment where the Lord had brought us.  We desire to be used by the Lord and be flexible to his calling.  He has prepared us.  We are thankful that the Lord is also showing us the bigger picture of his love for the vulnerable and orphan children of the world.  I (J) was actually reading the book Orphan Justice by Johnny Carr when we received the news.  May we “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8b)  We now wait until January 13th, the anticipated date for the release of more information.