A New Season

It's been a wild ride these last few months. Part of me is so excited about Fall (my absolute favorite time of the year), but this year I am especially sad to see summer end. There's only one reason - my kids!


I have been so blessed to spend a lot of time with Ean and Evy over the summer and create many wonderful memories with them. From feeding the ducks to Dollywood getaways to the zoo, it's been an amazing time to see them grow.



Of course for me, insight comes in the way of music. So what better song to summarize my feelings than Summer Lovin' from the movie Grease. Now, it's not so much about my high school flame, but about a little hint of sadness I have that we can't just wake up each morning and ask "What do we want to do today?"

This in and of itself is huge for me. Those who know me well know that I'm a planner. I'm not your spur of the moment gal, but my kids have helped me change.

Most mornings this summer, I've opted to throw my hair in a ponytail and skip my shower so we could embark on our morning adventure. Some mornings it involved a good hour of sitting on my front porch watching Ean and Evy explore in the train (aka wagon) pretending to find monkeys and other wild animals in our yard. Then, to take a few hours to visit Nana, Papaw, the zoo, mall, gym, park, pool, museum, and ice cream shop! Sweet, sweet memories I'm praying will always be with me.

I know time moves on and we all grow up, but oh how desperately I wish I could pause it for a few key moments when...


- Ean kisses Evy and tells her "It's ok baby, you don't have to cry, I'm here."
- Evy waves and blows kisses from the garage window as I leave
- Ean tells me stories like "When I was a baby, I used to fly like a bird."
- Ean reminds me not to flush the potty at the zoo because it's too loud. Really?
- Ean rubs my head when I'm not feeling well and says "Sweet girl"
- Ean asks me each night "Mommy, will you cuddle with me?"
- Evy laughs while chasing her brother around the kitchen
- Ean points out that "Salsarita's is open, mommy" (even at 9am in the morning)
- Ean and Evy greet me at the door and Ean asks "How was your day mommy? How's it going?"
- Ean says "I love you so much"




I have to remind myself that THESE are the moments life is made of....not fancy vacations or expensive toys but good old fashioned quality time with my kids. Priceless.

So, Fall, I welcome you. I'll try not to be sad about saying goodbye to summer because I know that even crunchy leaves, hot chocolate, and jingle bells are going to make some pretty special memories too!

Grace Through the Eyes of my 3 year-old

Do you ever have days where you just can't seem to get it together? You loose the car keys (happens daily in our house). You forget to wash the laundry and now there's no underwear or you hop in the car late for your appointment to discover the gas tank is sitting on empty?

Ah, that feels like my life lately. My eyes have been turned down staring daily at where my feet are taking me. I've been consumed by ever tantrum by everything that just hasn't gone right instead of keeping my eyes focused up on the One with the master plan.

How easy it is to loose hope and take out your frustrations on the ones you love the most. This morning, I was reminded that no matter how far away I feel from God He is never far away from me.

I was running late this morning, and I quickly accused my son of loosing the car keys. Now, this isn't an unusual occurrence in our house. My son loves to play in our cars. It is, indeed, his favorite activity. He can spend hours sitting in the drivers seat listening to the radio, playing with the buttons, locking and unlocking the doors and gleefully running to open the passenger door to give me a "beso" before returning to repeat the fun cycle all over again. He relishes it. His eyes light up and his feet quicken when he knows he can play in "daddy's car." I, on the other hand, would rather do just about anything than sit in the blazing hot car while he flickers the caution lights. But, I know that one day, I'll look back on those moments with yearning to do it all over again. So, for now, I try to enjoy it.

So, when the keys were missing this morning, it wasn't out of the question to assume he took them and lost them somewhere on the premises. I found him in the garage and began expressing my frustration for his loosing them again. I made him leave the garage and go inside. A few minutes later, I discovered them in my purse. Yeah. Gulp. Oh, "Great Organized One" actually misplaced the keys myself. My heart dropped, and I went to him to apologize.

One thing we believe strongly in our parenting is to try to acknowledge our mistakes to our kids so they understand that we all make them, but also so they can experience grace and forgiveness. I sat down beside him and explained my mistake. I asked for his forgiveness. I was sad. Disappointed in myself. As I walked away, he said, "Thank you for apologizing mommy." I said, "I love you Ean" and he replied, "I love you too mommy." Then, I cried.

In a moment, God used my son to speak directly to me....that no matter what I do or how I feel He loves and forgives me. So, today, I am thankful for lost keys. I am thankful for my sweet son, and most of all I am thankful for His grace.

Live Today

As I've spent today quieting my soul and praying for two very important needs, I am reminded of all that I have to be thankful for and just how many times the Lord has shown Himself to be faithful in my life. In part, my heart is heavy (yet hopeful) for a friend that is in much need of a miracle today. I know that our Lord can heal - it's a question of if He will do it.

Today, He put on my heart a list of things I'd do if I knew today were my last. I think, in part, He wanted to show me what's deeply hidden inside and also to give me hope for the things I cannot see. If today were my last day . . .

1) I'd spend every minute of it with my family.

2) I would eat ice cream with Ean and relish in his joy and excitement of a "special treat" just with mommy.

3) I'd watch Ean and Evy play in the water and enjoy getting drenched (especially as Ean loves to pour water over her head.)

4) Ean and I would watch as many episodes of Curious George he wanted, and I'd hold him closely as if to never let go.

5) I'd record a message to Evy - telling her about the great love her birth mom had for her and how God led us to her in Ethiopia.

6) I'd go back to the swing that Carlos and I used to sit on when we were dating and just enjoy talking with him while staring at the stars in the sky.

7) Carlos and I would enjoy a raspberry ravioli from Naples. Yum.

8) I would spend time with my dad praying for courage to ask him if he knows Jesus. I'd fearlessly pray with him to receive Christ.

9) I would share with my mom how proud I am of her and all that she has endured in her life. I would finally tell her how thankful I am for all the sacrifices she made for me and how I believe God knew exactly what He was doing by choosing her to be my mom.

10) I would hold my kids with Carlos and pray until the night ends that they would both know the grace, love, and great friendship that our Lord wants to have with them both as they grow old. And, I would ask the Lord one last request...to keep them safe, to protect them, and to guide them down the path of their lives.

Oddly, the Lord has always spoken to me through songs. I don't sing well, and I'm not a musician - but He's always used music to speak to me. I would say, "life just comes out in a song in my heart." So, as I reflect on today, I am reminded of a song. I'm not a huge country fan, but these words seem to sum up today:

"He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me
And one moment came that stopped me on a dime
I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays
Talking bout' the options and talking bout' sweet times.
I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end
How's it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news?
Man what did ya do?
He said

I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin'"

3 Years Ago Today

Three years ago today my sweet BE (baby Ean) was born. What a day! I had a very stressful pregnancy full of complications and fears, but on May 26, 2008 the Lord decided that our little Ean needed to be born 9 weeks early. At only 3lbs 8oz, he was whisked away to East TN Children's Hospital NICU.

It was a painful journey filled with many ups and downs. I had dreams of bringing home my baby (as we all do), but three days later I went home empty-handed leaving my sweet little boy on a ventilator in the hospital. God, why me?

Fast forward three years. . . I can't answer the question of why he had to endure so much when he first entered this world, but instead I focus (and will share with him as he grows) that our Lord has a special purpose for his life. I really believe my sweet spirited gentle little boy hears His voice even now. That's why we felt called to name him Ean (meaning, the Lord is faithful). What a special story his life is already telling...


So, today, I celebrate his life. I celebrate his laughter, tears, sense of humor, shyness, love for music, stellar memory, picky eating, love of books and Curious George. Today, I rejoice in the blessing God gave me looking into my little boy's eyes all those days in NICU but most of all every day since....Happy 3rd Birthday my son. I love you with all of my heart.

-mommy

Recalculating

I’ve been writing blog post after blog post in my head these last few weeks at random parts of the day. Sometimes they come when I’m sleeping other times when I’m at the gym. I’m sure I’ll never capture ALL that’s been in my heart since it’s taken me so long to get back to it, but I’ll give it a whirl.

To say that life has been just dandy for us after returning from Africa would not be accurate. I really think that people talk very little about how they are REALLY doing and instead smile give the standard “we’re doing great” when asked and move on about their day wondering when the chaos and emotional roller coaster will end.

I really thought that the waiting period of the adoption was the hardest (and I still believe that to be true). It’s so hard to wait day after day for a phone call, an email, some hope that you can piece together yourself a clue into how your child is doing half way around the world. There is no other way to keep your heart still and quiet without the support of others. I can say with gratefulness that I was so encouraged by the adoption community that God blessed me with through our agency and others in our area. They understood my anxiety and the pain of waiting and embraced me with love and mucho prayers!

I guess in my heart I thought that once the missing piece to our family puzzle arrived home (aka Evy) that all would fit together so nicely. Don’t get me wrong, it was a huge relief to have all of the waiting over. I’m not good at waiting. As Carlos says, “there’s always the next thing.” Hmm, thanks for the positivity honey. Really, he’s right. We’re never completely satisfied, whole, content, etc. because there’s only ONE that can fill that hole anyway, right? And, it wasn’t intended to be wrapped up with a nice big red bow this side of Heaven. So, how do I find peace now?

That’s a million dollar question and one I don’t have the answer to. I’ve had to face this head on these last few weeks as we transitioned home. Our lovely family of 4 quickly became a lovely house of utter CHAOS. Evy has adjusted beautifully to our family with the exception of some serious screaming that makes my hair turn gray. Ean has been the one with many outward signs of stress. He started stuttering after we arrived home literally breaking my heart as I knew it was anxiety driven. He has pulled, pushed, hit, and bitten his sweet new sister more times than I can count. I have to admit, I wondered, “What did we get ourselves into?”

This morning I was reminded….as I saw Ean greet his sister after getting out of bed with a huge kiss and hug. Ahh, I’m starting to breathe a sigh of relief now. I’m starting to see that I didn’t ruin either of their lives and that indeed our Lord has a plan for ALL of us. Ahhhh….

So, that leaves me with our job situation. I am working part-time and loving it. I am so blessed with a job that allows me flexibility to follow my “mommy” heart. Some days I wonder if working isn’t easier (I do believe it is) but nonetheless it’s a really great balance for me. But, Carlos is still looking for work so we’ll see where the Lord leads us. He has been so faithful to us, and honestly, we needed to spend all of the time we’ve had these last few weeks building a foundation in our new family mix….both mommy and daddy and a few family members.

I’m pretty amazed at the architecture of relationships with family and friends He’s building around us to help us raise our kids. I’ve prayed for a long time for it, and now I’m seeing His hand at work. From my amazing mom and all of her support to my aunt and other members of our faith community really stepping up to help support us….I have no doubts that what feels like a “recalculation” is really the way it was always intended.

God is good.

A Little Glimpse Into our Adoption Journey

On the Other Side (part 2)

As we approach 2 weeks home, I can say that we are starting to getting into a groove as a new family of 4. Wow, I had no idea how much of a jolt it would be especially for Ean. Granted, we've been very intentional parents with Ean pouring into him as much as we both can, so I can see why it would be a huge loss for him. I can't quite figure out how we do that with two children let alone 18+ like the Duggars! Ha.

Evy is doing really great overall. She sleeps 12+ hours each night plus a regular daytime nap. It's as if she fell right into a schedule with us. I honestly can't see signs of her being adopted at this stage. She was clearly well loved and cared for in Ethiopia which is huge. She has attached great with both Carlos and I, and she knows when we're not around! She is content playing alone and takes an occasional "love pat" from her big brother...but she jumps up and goes back for more! Tough girl. Honestly, she seems to have blended in with our family as well as I would have expected. It's been more of an adjustment for us accepting her in our routines.

I've not had a lot of time to fully reflect on all of our trip. There were for sure many ups and downs and to be very honest I'm glad it's behind us. One thing I know for certain is that God is using this little girl and our journey in the lives of many. I'm always surprised and extremely blessed when I receive feedback from others about how following our story has impacted their lives. This was never our story but His to tell. You can really see it in Evy's eyes. He's given her a life and a spark that draws people in which has been so beautiful to watch unfold.

I feel like I'm a character in an unwritten story...excited to flip the page to see what's next. For those that know me, you know that's a big change. I'm your typical Type A planner, want to be in control, want to know what's coming next, you know the one, right? Now, I am happily unaware of what tomorrow brings, and I'm genuinely at peace. I have no idea what's ahead for our family, but I know the One that does...and finally, I'm able to relax and enjoy the ride. One thing I know for certain, when he puts these little ones in your heart He Will Provide.


Take a seat and buckle up for the ride....

On the Other Side (part 1)

We're finally home from our long journey to bring Evy home. Wow, so much to process before I can share fully all that God is doing in my heart. I wish I could say it was all joy and happiness, but there have certainly been a lot of moments of apprehension.

Evy did great after a few days with us in Ethiopia. The first day was rough. She cried a lot leaving her nannies at the Care Center (which is normal), but it was stressful with her crying non stop. Thankfully, she has now adjusted well to both Carlos and I which really helps us manage two kids!

Ean on the other hand is having a really hard time. There are likely a lot of factors.... On our return trip, Ean was very ill. He began vomitting around noon the day we returned to the U.S. so badly that we took him to a Korean hospital in Addis. Yeah, a little odd to go to a Korean hospital in Africa, but nontheless, we were thankful. They sent a translator with us which helped. Otherwise, we would have been lost for days in the chaotic process of seeing a doctor. I felt more at peace once we discovered it was a Christian run facility (I guess in my mind I had pictured an old man hovering over a fire pit chanting). Ha!

Ean was doing well all afternoon until he started getting sick at the airport again. After we were in the air, the crew became increasingly concerned and arranged for a Dr. to come on board when we stopped in Sudan to refuel. All I could do was cry. I wanted to be there for Ean, but I was holding our new daughter and knew that we had to continue on with her even if they required Ean to stay there with his dad. Truly heartbreaking.

Thankfully, he was cleared to leave Sudan as long as he was checked at the airport hospital in Amsterdam. The angels must have heard our cries because by the time we arrived in Amsterdam he was doing much better. Praise God. We were able to continue on with our flights and get home as scheduled.

I am so glad we're home, and that this part of the journey is behind us. Now, we face the transition of Evy into our family. I guess this is the part of adoption journey that people don't talk much about. I mean, we all want to do something to change a child's life, or we wouldn't pursue it. My heart still has moments of uncertainty as I watch Ean struggle to adapt to a new sister. He pushes, hits, and pinches. Yikes. I feel more like a referee than a parent right now. But, somehow I know that the Lord has a plan, and we will all grow through this experience.

For now, I feel a bit like a mix of neopolitan ice-cream...a little bit of happy, a little bit of sad, and mostly clingly on to the ONE I know has the plan.

It's Finally Here!

We are so excited that we are finally leaving to bring our baby girl home. We have learned much through this journey, and most importantly that He is with us always. There have been many moments of doubts, fear, and anxiety....but with certainty, we know that Evy being a part of our family is HIS plan.

So, as we depart for our long journey tomorrow, we wanted to share a few specific prayer requests:

- Please pray for our safety. With all that is happening in the world, we pray for legions of angels to guide and protect us.

- For health. We've had a lot of sickness in our house the last few months, but thankfully we are all well now. Please pray that we stay healthy throughout the journey.

- For Energy. We're thrilled to bring Ean with us, but needless to say it's going to be a lot of work. Please pray for us to have strength and patience with him.

- For Our Families. Just this past week, we put my dad in assisted living. A huge change. Please pray that I will have peace about his care, and for protection over my mom and Carlos' family while we're away as well.

- For Evy's Birthmom. I feel honored to potentially get to meet her mom, but I am overwhelmed with emotion. Please pray that she will be able to meet us, and that I will have the words to share with her.

- For Evy's Transition. We take custody of Evy on her 1st Birthday. HUGE ANSWERED PRAYER. Please pray that she will connect with us and begin attaching and feeling safe.

- For our Visa. We have our interview with the Embassy on Monday 28th, please pray that all goes smoothly, and we can leave as scheduled.

- For our Flights. We had a lot of problems with flights and luggage on our last trip. Please pray that we'll connect and everything will get there as planned. There's a lot to bring for 2 kiddos!

- For Coming Home. Life will be a bit chaotic for us to find our groove with two kids, time changes, etc. Please pray for a smooth transition, and for the stress of the unknowns in our lives to not overwhelm us when we get home.

Above all else, we thank you for being part of this amazing journey with us. And, we PRAISE GOD for all HE has done.

Love to you all.

It's Here!

The long awaited news finally arrived! We're leaving to pick up our baby girl. I am so excited. Our Embassy interview is on March 28th which means that we leave in less than 2 weeks.

It seems like we've been waiting for this so long, and yet I feel a little "in shock" emotionally thinking about a new addition to our family. I am so in awe of God's faithfulness. We literally received our Embassy confirmation the last possible day to still fall within the week of Evy's birthday AND the week that our dear friend Kristin could travel with us. While we were prepared to go without her, we couldn't imagine not having her with us since she's been such a huge part of our journey this past year...not to mention that she truly is the baby whisperer! Our son Ean absolutely loves her, and I know that Evy will too. Not to mention that I look forward to some sweet girl time with her. God is good.

Even though it's been a painful long journey, we are so excited to see what God has for our future. I'm in awe of His faithfulness and His love for us. I KNOW that we are in good hands.

Stay tuned to meet our baby girl.....

Blessed to be a Blessing

Today, this phrase came to mind...."Blessed to be a Blessing." The first time this became a reality to me was 12 years ago when the Lord grabbed my heart for the people of Kosova during the war. I had no clue what was happening, but He put a burden in my hear that was indescribable. All I could do was think about the suffering of the people. At first, he called me to pray. Pray in the middle of the night. Pray driving in the car. I would literally begin crying, and I knew He wanted me to PRAY.

Little did I know, that the Lord planned for me to see them face to face. Following the Kosova war, I traveled to Albania to minister to the refugees in camps. It was truly a life changing experience, and the first time in my life I lived out the blessings He'd given me...by giving to someone else in need.

Now, twelve years later he's called me to it again. In fact, I think His call never stopped during all those years. I just didn't quiet myself enough to hear it.

Now, we have literally stepped out in faith with provision He has given us to bring a baby girl from the other side of the world to be a part of our family. From the "world's" perspective we have little, but from God's perspective, we have enough. What He has given to us, we are now giving back....truly, blessed to be a blessing to our sweet girl waiting in Ethiopia.

Praise God - We're In!

Today we finally received the long awaited news that our case has been submitted to the Embassy. Now, we wait for the final approval to travel to Ethiopia to bring our baby girl home! It's hard to say how quickly we'll receive our travel date, but we're hoping to be there within a month to see her face-to-face.

We are so grateful to all of the prayer warriors joining us in this journey. "For He who promised is faithful."

The Walls

I was reminded this morning to celebrate my inability to control life. Wait. Stop. That seems like a weird thought. After all, isn't that what we all want? Control.

I considered the story of Joshua outside of Jericho. Clearly Joshua was anxious about the battle ahead of him, and who wouldn't be if you were told to
march around the city carrying a trumpet and on the 7th day play the trumpets along with a loud shout and poof the walls will collapse...really? That's your master plan God? He must have felt foolish.


I certainly have my moments of feeling foolish. I wonder if we took a wrong turn or somehow misunderstood the plan. This past Sunday at church, it was as if the Lord was speaking just to us. We were beat, worn down and honestly all I did was cry for most of the service. The Lord was gently affirming where we are and reminding us that He's calling us to take a radical step with our lives....

I've had a book on my desk for months. I thought I'd have all this time to read it during our first trip to Ethiopia, but I didn't. This week, I was drawn to it. I suppose now is when I'm ready to receive what the Lord has in it for me. In David Platt's book "Radical", I was reminded that these are circumstances God loves - those are - times when we are completely unable. It's the point when we realize that God has divinely orchestrated circumstances in our life so that only He will get the glory from what unfolds. This is what Platt says:

This is how God works. He puts his people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.

So, I'm feeling pretty confident not in my own ability but in God's today. And, I'm trying to rest in the fact that He put all of these wheels in motion...our adoption...Carlos job situation...my desire to be at home more with our kids...to show me that I can't fix it. But He Can. He will bring His glory to this all somehow.

One of Those Days

Have you ever had a day where you just can't seem to find your tail?

Today, I feel like Eeyore.

I had this friend who I used to work whose name was Jeff. Jeff had a unique sense of humor and honestly one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know. He would start wallowing during a conversation and afterwards I'd quietly walk back to his office and leave my stuffed Eeyore on his desk. He'd look up and give me the biggest smile! How much I wish he were still here to give me one of those big warm encouraging smiles....

Today, I just have Eeyore.

A friendly reminder that life isn't so bad. That we all need a few moments to throw a pitty party for ourselves before we...Get Up....Dust Ourselves Off...and realize that tomorrow will be a T-I-GG-E-RIFIC day!

On a more serious note, please pray for our Embassy submission. We desperately want our baby girl home before her 1st birthday next month!

5 Simple: Valentine's Day Tips

I really love my work at Porch Step. I feel like I'm making a difference in people's lives, and I get to know some amazing stories along the way. This week, I get to try my hand at writing for our newsletter. We needed some "simple tips", so I thought why not something fun for Valentine's Day. I'd love to hear what you think!

1. Plan Ahead. I’ll never forget our first Valentine’s Day. My (now husband) proudly picked me up for a fun dinner out. As we were driving, he asked “where do you want to go?” What? Doesn’t he know that reservations should have been made weeks ago? After stopping by four restaurants, he finally gave up. We had a wonderful take-out pizza!

2. Keep it Simple. Too much of a good thing is not so good. As much as a woman loves nice cologne, bathing in it won’t get you thumbs up. Chances are, she’ll have watery eyes all evening long – and it won’t be for the right reasons!

3. Sweat the Small Stuff.
Details are king when it comes to Valentine’s Day. A hand-written card will go a long way.

4. Flower Her with Love. It doesn’t take a dozen roses to win your partner’s heart. One simple flower can still do the trick and it won’t break the bank. Try a single rose bud with a handwritten love note attached.

5. Play Hard Ball. Ladies, sometimes the biggest gift we can give our husbands is a little quiet. Next time the big game is on TV, take the kids for a walk and give them a little uninterrupted bonding with their favorite team.

How are you going to make Valentine’s Day special this year? What simple ways can you show random acts of kindness every day?

The Crazy Train!

Our son loves trains. Trains sitting on a track going nowhere. Loud trains that blow their horns as they roll by. Imaginary trains when he plays, and even books about trains. Curious George is his favorite story about trains. Whenever we read the Curious George Train Story, Ean will (without prompting) know the exact moment that the conductor in the story yells "All Aboard!" and will proudly join in!

I envy Ean's disregard for what's on the train, where it's going and when it's leaving. He just wants to hop on and take a ride because he knows it will be fun. He doesn't worry about safety, or where he needs to be next - he lives in the moment.

I had to admit, this has been a really hard week. After much waiting, we thought we'd at least have a sense of when we'll be going back to Ethiopia by the end of this week. As it turns out, that was not in God's plan. Not only did the Embassy change procedures, now the MOWA office (Ministry of Women's Affairs) has closed temporarily means none of the paperwork now required by the Embassy can be completed. Lord, what are you up to?

This week, the only way I could describe how I feel is that I'm on the CRAZY TRAIN and no one will let me off. Honestly, I wanted to "turn back." Say, "Oh never mind, I think I'll just pass and get on with my life." But, I know that even in the uncertainty and madness that there is purpose.

As I think about Ean's love for trains, I realize that there must be trust in the conductor. Trust that he knows where he's going, what the schedule is and the best way to get there. Lord, I'm just a passenger here. As much as I want to jump up front and take control, I'm along for the ride. Let's roll!

Knitted Together

I'm always amazed at how much detail God is aware of in our life. How intimately He knits together our stories.

As we served in our children's ministry this Sunday, we started the morning with prayer for the kiddos. Everyone knows about our journey to get our daughter in Ethiopia and the contstant state of waiting we seem to be in. I was so touched by the prayer of one of the leaders. As she prayed for new seasons for new babies, for new church plants, for new lives united, I was moved to tears. Our Lord does know EVERY part of our lives and how it is to unfold.

I am so blessed by the amazing families we traveled with back in December to Ethiopia. We didn't know each other and frankly didn't leave knowing much more, but as the weeks have passed and we supported and prayed for one another, I am increasingly in awe of our Lord. He knew we'd need the love, prayers, and support of one another. Afterall, no one else can REALLY understand how the "mommy's-in-waiting" feel:)



So, as much as I want to know the next steps. I know that He has the BEST planned for us. I'm increasingly excited about this new season. The new harvest he's put in my sight, and the new heart He is forming in me and in our family. Who knew? It was about much more than adoption.

To Every Thing There is a Season

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1

It's so easy to forget that God already knows the plan. Oh, how I often wonder if He's busy with something else and has forgotten what's happening in our lives. Even though I have experienced His rescue just in the nick of time, I still have my doubts.

It's been a long journey waiting to bring our daughter home. The roller coaster continues, in fact, as we wait to hear when we can return to bring her home. But, when I think of how intimately involved He is in this journey, I realize that it's not about me! It's about His story.

I mean, really, He brought a young couple into our home through a "random" invitation and out of that He strengthened a vision in our hearts for a country and its people and developed a sweet bond between our two families. It's not just any family, but a family from the very country our daughter is from. Not so random, huh?

I have grown to love Wegi and Tsion so much, and now we have the honor of watching them raise their new baby Ebenezer!

We have learned so much from them already, and I know what a sweet blessing it will be for our daughter to have them in her life as she grows up....not to mention it's been great exposure for our son as well.

As we've shared life, meals, and prayers with them, I am in awe of just how big our God is. So, when I have my frantic moments of trying to figure it all out and frantically checking my emails for more news, I have to remind myself that He is a big God and He knows the timing for everything in our lives....even when I may feel that He has forgotten us.

So, Lord, we trust your timing. Take us back to Ethiopia in your appointed time.

Ready to Travel!

Yeah, we received our travel documents yesterday so thankfully all went well through the court process! One step closer to bringing our baby girl home. Now, we wait for our Embassy date.

We also crossed another milestone this week getting Ean ready to travel with us to Ethiopia. He got three shots this week and was such a big boy! No tears. When I arrived home after work that day he said, "mommy, no more dots!" I realized he was referring to the shots as he showed me his small round bandaids on his legs. Too cute!

Big week for the Borja's...now to book tickets, hotel, and find our silly bag that has been missing since Trip 1. I can't believe in this day and age that they can't track bags! Needless to say, we won't be flying Ethiopia Air. Sweet people but not very efficient. So, off to buy new bags so I can start packing! It's a lot to store in my head packing for two kiddos. Wow, that sounds weird. We're soon to be a family of 4! God is good.

Fear Not

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry "Abba Father."

Romans 8:15