Fingerprinting - check!

Our final set of fingerprints have been taken! On Monday we traveled to the Department of Homeland Security building to find the USCIS (US Center for Immigration Services) office. So, I have to give Craig a hard time b/c he tried to go through security with his pocket knife. Good one, honey (heh heh!) He rarely uses it and completely forgot that it was in his pocket. He had to take it all the way back to the car outside and then had to stuff it behind the gas tank cover b/c the car was locked and his keys were in the little basket by the metal detector. I'm sure that looked great - messing with the gas tank of a car in front of a Dept. of Homeland Security building. Evan made it through security in no time and we found the office we needed and started filling out some paperwork. Once we were both done, I asked Craig to switch me so we could double check our answers. The laugh was on me then as I had accidentally put the wrong phone number down and marked that I have gray hair. oops. Good thing we double checked. The whole process was painless and relatively quick. I hope to encourage those that are thinking about adoption that though there are innumerable hoops to jump through, everything so far has been very do-able. The key is to just keep plugging away and the little stuff. I can't believe we have already been waiting over a month - Yay!

Alligators don't have to ask

"Alligators don't have to ask, mama" Juliana explained with a grin on her face as she walked away from the breakfast table. I smiled without completely understanding what she meant until it dawned on me that she had snuck away from the table without asking to be excused. That little turkey, or shall I say alligator! What a hoot!

Zoo Pictures

Addis Ababa or bust!

We got back from a road trip to Omaha and I have a lot of blogging to do to catch up! I only have a few minutes to type now, but I wanted to share the fun news that we heard from Holt that our dossier has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Now work will go into translating all our documents into Amharic and then I suppose we are just waiting in line at the Ministry of Women's Affairs for a referral :) Yay! It is REALLY happening! It was great to get the paperwork done, but both Craig and I had not really let ourselves get uber excited yet. You are told at the beginning of the adoption process that it rarely goes as smoothly or as quickly as expected and to expect to have paperwork issues and "hiccups" that delay the process. We both have had similar thoughts running through our heads like: "surely we are not REALLY waiting yet, are we?" "There will probably be some kind of paperwork problem that will start our wait all over again, I just wish they would find it soon." But, so far so good! This was a great encouragement to our hearts this week! The Lord has been pleased to bring our request before the Ethiopian government. He is always gracious to those who love His son, but this week I am feeling the joys of grace upon grace given to our family as we seek to do this work to which we have been called.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Cor 9:8

Please carry our family to the cross in prayer for the following things:
* That our child would be cared for today, have food to eat and arms to hold them.
* For financial provision in any way for the remaining $5000 needed to travel. We are waiting specifically on hearing from Shaohannah's Hope regarding a grant.
* That the Lord would be honored through our family and His name would be praised.

A surprising breakfast topic

So, breakfast started out as usual. Evan with his cheerios and sippy cup of milk and Juliana picking the almonds out of her oatmeal crunch cereal and tossing them into my cereal with slobbery hands. Then the conversation got really deep, really fast and before I knew it the avalanche erupted into Juliana crying and saying, "I don't want to die." I'm not even sure how it started, but I think it started when out of the blue Juliana asked, "Momma, are we gonna die." Craig and I have long ago talked about how we are not going to "little white lie" to our kids. Juliana knows that Santa is just a nice man in a costume who gives gifts, for example. We think he is fun and are excited when he comes around at Christmas, but that is all he is. Believe it or not our kids are still really happy kids and Juliana LOVES Christmas! So often in our culture today we talk about "passing away" or "going to be with the Lord", but the truth about it is we all die. So, here I am in tears over my own cheerios trying to figure out how to calm my little girl and still speak truth to her about death. Oh, how gloriously easy it would have been to say, "Oh, honey don't worry about that. Look, quick! Evan is blowing spit bubbles again!" so as to change the subject to something much easier. I remember telling her, "Yeah sweetie, we all are going to die, but do you remember where we get to go when we die?" She did remember that we go to heaven, but found it little consolation. I reminded her of a verse she knows (Joshua 1:9) "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you may go." and I talked to her about how even when we die we are never apart from Jesus. It probably didn't help that I was crying too. Thankfully Evan seemed oblivious to the sobbing girls at the table and continued shoving cheerios into his mouth. I was searching for wisdom at the moment and after a hug and a "We'll talk to daddy about this more later." she seemed to calm down. Yeah, I know she will only be turning 3 tomorrow, and yes, I do think it is appropriate even at three to tell our kids about death b/c it gives us the chance to hold forth the sufficiencey of Christ even in death. I often pray that Juliana will grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God and then am shocked when she throws me one of these direct questions where I am given the golden opportunity to share with her the truths of the Lord instead of the truths of sesame street. I am so quick to forget his faithfulness to answer prayers that are in line with His will. Lord, let me not waste these moments! I pray that she would see your glory and be changed - even at the ripe old age of three! How does this relate to adoption, you wonder? Well, I suppose I just had time to reflect this afternoon that my momma heart has now been cut apart yet again with one piece always being with my sweet Juliana, one piece always travelling with my handsome little Evan, and yet another already with our new baby in Ethiopia. By far the hardest part of being a parent is to see your child suffering. As one who has battled specifically against the sin of fear of dying, am I ready to stretch my heart out even more? Am I ready to shepherd yet another child through this world where they are guaranteed to suffer trials...I am afraid (with a smile) that it is too late!

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Funny thoughts on travel

I tend to watch a few other blogs of adopting families and this post had me laughing out loud.

While in Ethiopia.... (this is meant for enjoyment purposes only, so please don't take anything I say too seriously.)

1. Don't wear shorts. You already stick out like a sore thumb...the dreadfully white legs will not help the situation. I speak form experience here folks, if I would have busted out my frighteningly pale legs...eeks.
2. Do let strangers wisk your baby away...I promise they will bring him back and you will have made lots of new friends.
3. Do bring the plastic, preformed drop-in bottle liners for your childs bottle.
4. Don't leave a huge stash of them on the nightstand...as the housekeeper will inevitably think you brought 120 condoms with you. (awkwaaaard) Seriuously, these things could have had a better design...google a picture, it is kinda funny.
5. Do stand up and be a part of the traditional Ethiopian dancing when asked! (I made a huuuge fool out of myself, but shoot, I did it! I may have also not known how to dance Ethiopian style and so I just busted out an old classic- the running man)
6. Don't do the running man at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant.
7. Do let Belay show you how it's done! The man's got moves!
8. Don't bring a soy based formula for your new baby.
9. Do make sure you are wearing rain gear if you do decide to bring soy based formula. There will be some major spewage.
10. Do stay at the Ayat house! We loved getting to know people in the community and being able to support a local family!
11. Don't bring any undies you wouldn't want the neighborhood to see blowing in the wind. The housekeeper was amazing and did our laundry every day...but imagine our suprise when we came home to find all of our whitey tighties dangling around at eye level for the world to inspect. Eeks.
12. Do bring a sling (or Bjorn or whatever). There are no high chairs, car seats or anything to set you little one in, so our arms were mush after a short time...the sling was a lifesaver!! And he would sleep for hours in it when we were out sightseeing. Glorious.
13. Don't be fooled by the cute little puppies that wander the streets. We were enthraled with one cute little fella and when he turned around we saw that he was knawing on part of a bloody goats head. It may have ruined his cuteness just a teensy bit.
14. Do bring some Mac N Cheese, Campbell's soup and saltine crackers. When you are eating out at restaurants for every single meal, (that would be about 30 meals) sometimes it was nice to just stay at home and have boring old familiar food. We also wished we had more of those types of things when we were barfing and pooping our guts out. Saltines would have been my best friend.
15. Do soak up everything you can while in Ethiopia!! They are such beautiful, friendly, warm people- get to know them as much as you can and you will be SO BLESSED!!

stewardship cont.

So, I was saying earlier that adoption is about stewardship. The money connection is pretty easy to make, but I have also been thinking this week on the stewardship perspective in being a parent. My time, talents, body, possessions, AND children are not my own, but are gracious gifts from God. I must not lay hold of them as my own. How easy it is to profess that Juliana, Evan, and this new baby we have yet to meet belong to the Lord and how hard that is to actually live that truth. Recently Steven Curtis Chapman and his family mourned the death of their 5 year old daughter and sibling after an accident at home claimed her life. An unimaginable fiery trial of their faith in the goodness of God, yet they are praising the Lord for His grace that is sufficient moment by moment to hold them to a firm foundation. Yesterday I watched (with tears)their interviews with Good Morning America and with Larry King. The Chapman family talked much and honestly about how difficult the months since the accident have been, but also talk much about the hope that they have in the goodness and sovereignty of God. It challenged me and encouraged me as I was reminded that even after we bring our new little Merrihew home he or she will still not belong to me. I must hold all our children with an open hand knowing that the Lord's ways are not my ways. There is not even a guarantee that this adoption will come to completion, for nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. However, I know right now that the Lord has me praying for a little one I have never met. This little one, though fatherless by worldy standards, is already experiencing our love for them by way of a mommy and daddy's fervent prayers of intercession on their behalf. What an amazing thing it is that the Lord can connect the hearts of a mommy and daddy to a child who is a world away...and whom we have never met! Let no one say that the Lord is not gracious, compassionate, and abounding in love - even in light of the grief and pain in this world, I see no room for it! Though in this world evil things happen, the Lord in His grace is constantly restoring, healing, and sustaining through hope in His eternal purpose. It does not please the Lord that this or any child would lose their mommy and daddy. It is not the Lord who is desires pain, "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I came that they might have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 But in His love He "forces the trials to do good to us by conforming us more to the image of Christ" (Milton Vincent). "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. In your name I will lift up my hands" Psalm 63:3-4. Lord, help us as parents to lift our children up to you with open hands rejoicing always in the gift you have given. Let us not forget to rejoice even more in the giver of such a glorious gift!