6 REMPELS!

Reality has hit that our trip is getting really close and we have just started packing! What fun! We will have 4- 50 pound suitcases and 2-20 pound Carry on's, plus our "purses"! How will we ever carry all of that? Anyway, I can not believe how much donation stuff we have collected over our 2 years. Lots of toys, towels, medication, school supplies, and lots more. I am just so thrilled to be fulfilling my dream and going out there to make a difference in a few peoples lives. I remember being young and watching World Vision and just wishing so much that I could help a few of the children.



We received a list of suggested Foster Home Donations and blankets was one of them. A really sweet friend of mine was kind enough to have me over to her house one day, and helped me with making a bunch of blankets. What a wonderful time we had dreaming about the trip and about the day our children would all be home together. Thank you so much Jenn!! I had a great time.



One thing that has really been on my mind lately is how Emmy will adjust to us. From the information we got about her, she is very shy. I guess I feel like if I expect the worst and then it's better, then I won't be shocked. We are really hoping to meet her father and wow, what an experience that would be. I remember going through my teens and wondering if I was adopted just because of how different I was from the rest of my family. I think every teen goes through that. I just think it would be nice to be able to tell Emebet that at least we had met her father. I would love feed back on this topic if anyone would want to leave a comment. Do you think this would be a good thing? What appropriate questions would you ask the father? Anyway, I will try to post again as soon as we hear more from Cafac. Happy New Year!!!

Yes, you read it right. We have a travel date. It will be either the week of Jan 21st or 28th. This will depend on the visa I think. We are soo excited!! I can't beleive this will finally happen. Only 40days(at most) till I hold her. Yeh!! What a great Christmas present. We are really hoping to get an update when Roberta comes back. I will try to post when this happens. Merry Christmas!

I can't believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are currently waiting on our medical. Once we have that, then we should be getting our travel date. This has been the most painful "pregnancy" I have had yet!! It seems never ending. I do feel like this will happen though. Within 2 months, we should have her in our arms and I can't wait. We have been to a few Cafac events lately and it's been hard. Just the constant asking where we are at gets difficult after a while. I think it's just the fact that we've been talking about it for so long that we just would like to show her instead of talking about her at this point. Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

Just a quick update!! Our Court Hearing was APPROVED!!! Yeh!! I am soo excited!! I am soo praying for a miracle to travel before Christmas. It would be SO special to have her home for Christmas. Everyone Pray PLEASE! Thank you for the prayers so far. SO now what happens is the medical for immigration. Apparently that is supposed to be to Ethiopia soon.(from Nairobi) Then we get our VISA. YEHHH!! I am flying on cloud nine today.

Just a quick update!! Our Court Hearing was APPROVED!!! Yeh!! I am soo excited!! I am soo praying for a miracle to travel before Christmas. It would be SO special to have her home for Christmas. Everyone Pray PLEASE! Thank you for the prayers so far. SO now what happens is the medical for immigration. Apparently that is supposed to be to Ethiopia soon.(from Nairobi) Then we get our VISA. YEHHH!! I am flying on clowd nine today.

Did I mention that I am a terrible "Waiter"? This two year wait has just really drained me. We have been keeping busy and that has been important. We are currently waiting to hear about how the court day on Tuesday went. We are also waiting for our update on how Emebet is doing, her weight and height. We are praying for a complete miracle to bring her home for Christmas but we know the chances are slim.

Our children seem to realize that she will be coming soon and are very excited. They have colored many pictures for her and have written her letters and cards. There is a part of me that worries about how Jonah will feel not being the baby anymore. I do know though, that the Lord led us to do this adoption and he will help us through any struggles that come up.

Plans for the fundraiser are coming along really well. We have had an excellent response to the people we have talked to. I expect the turn out to be good. A friend of mine works for the local paper and is doing a story on our international adoption and will put our fundraiser in the paper so that should help.

We have done very little packing or preparing for the trip. I am thinking we will get a new travel package from Cafac as far as donations needed and what types of gifts and how many we will need. I look forward to getting the travel date and then I will be pumped to pack. It kinda still seems so unreal that we are even doing this. We have dreamed about it for so long that I can't believe it's actually going to happen. I will post as soon as we have our update.

WOW!! Praise the Lord!! We got our court date for Emebet's hearing. This means that because her father is still living, he needs to show up at the court house to officially relinquish his rights.

The thought of this makes me teary eyed every time. The thought of relinquishing my rights to any one of my children is devastating. I can not imagine the point where I could not feed my child, but loved them so much that I would give them to someone who could provide. I don't in any way think that adoption is the perfect solution to poverty, however; I do think that the people who adopt these children have good intentions and desire to help and love these children.

Another exciting thing that happened is that we have got our BO number. This is yet another important step to be able to travel. We now wait for the court date to be over and Pray that the Lord will allow Emmy's father to get a way of making it to the court house. This can be very difficult. He lives approx 3hours driving from Addis and will need to be first of all notified of the date of the hearing. Someone will drive to where he is and tell him, and then have transportation to the city.

Once the court date is over and if it is all approved, then the medical part of the immigration work can start. (This is how it was explained to me) At this point her birth certificate can be redone and so on. PLEASE PRAY that he will be able to show to the court hearing on Oct 23.

I would also appreciate prayer for a fundraiser I am hoping to do locally. I am thinking of doing a sausage and Kielke supper and maybe having someone who has adopted to speak on the experience for them. I would LOVE feedback on this idea or other good fundraising ideas.