Ash Survived Hep A Shot

All the way across town, Ashton kept saying, "Please don't take me to see Dr. Eastham, Mommy."  He didn't cry until he saw the needle and then he stopped the nurse right as she was about to inject him and said, "We need to pray."  So, we stopped and prayed.  Next, he said he needed to hug his mommy.  I got a big hug and then BAM, it was over with.  Tears were short-lived.

On another note, we were hoping to get our September update on Baby Girl but it didn't come today.  I guess we'll get September's update in October - oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Ashton is getting Hep A shot today

Well, in about an hour I'm going to pick-up Ashton from daycare and take him to get the 1st Hep A shot.  Our journey has been 3 years in length, and I know you think I'm procrastinating but I have asked his doctor over and over again about his needing the vacination and repeatedly I've been told no.  Well, I'm no doctor but I'm requiring him to have it.  There have been too many children coming home sick and it's hard enough to treat one sick child but add a 2nd one to the mix and it's almost impossible.  I think it is silly to not have him vaccinated when the possibility of him being exposed is so high. 

Last night, I was sitting in the screened-in porch and discussing this with Jason.  Ashton was out in the yard playing but when he caught wind of "SHOT" (I spelled it out but he figured it out anyway) he started screaming.  He ran to the barn and said he was going to stay with the goose and that he was not (spoken with arms crossed over his chest and tears streaming down his face) getting a shot.  Well, he finally agreed (he didn't have a choice - and he knows this), so after naptime today we're off.

Please pray for us! 

One Week From Today While We Are Sleeping

Well, one week from today while we are sleeping, a judge half-way across the world will decide whether to approve our adoption. Some people have asked what will happen on that day and why we aren't sure if we will pass or not, so here's the scoop.  Note that specific prayer requests are in red type!

• The Ethiopian "agency" that is over adoptions must write a letter approving us as adoptive parents. They have already approved us once before with Julianna Ashure, however they must write a new letter on our behalf. Please pray that the letter is favorable and is in our file for the Judge to review.

• The police must testify as to when Baby Girl was found and the efforts that they made to locate a parent. The police official must be a credible witness and the paperwork in order.

• Our file must be complete and all our paperwork signed and ready for review. Our agency will make sure this happens - at least as best that they can.

• The Judge will then either approve our adoption or not. If he or she doesn't, then we will be assigned another court date which could be days, weeks, or months in the future. Please join us in praying for a favorable outcome on our 1st court date!

Maybe I'm crazy - many have said that after our grueling 3 year adoption journey - but my prayer (in addition to passing court, of course), is that out of the blue, we will get a call from our agency stating that the Judge decided to hear our case early. This has happened before but it doesn't happen often. Our agency was told that our case has been scheduled for the 1st day the courts are officially back in session after the rainy season, but it is our understanding that the court officials are actually getting back to work this week and early next week. From my own line of work, I can definitely understand why they would want some "administrative time" before the caseload gets hectic again. Maybe we won't hear early but maybe we will, but regardless we will hear in God's timing.

We appreciate all your prayers and support!

Flight Arrangements...so exciting and frustrating!

We are not having a good experience in making flight arrangements.  I have received a couple of proposed itineraries but they aren't for the right days or have extremely long layovers or multiple connecting flights which would require claiming and rechecking baggage (this is both coming and going).  I am frustrated, but I know God is going to work this out soon. 

Also, we are under a lot of pressure to go ahead and purchase the less than desirable tickets and we don't know for sure yet that we will be traveling at the end of October.  I have explained over and over again that our agency is very specific in their directions NOT to buy tickets until we know that our court date is successful.  I've gotten a few names of other agencies who may be able to help me more than the one I am using right now, so maybe tomorrow will yield better results. 

This morning, I woke-up at 3:00 with a horrible rolling stomach and I knew it was my nerves.  I'm extremely busy at work right now and am trying to get things wrapped-up so I can take some bonding time with Baby Girl and my head is spinning.  I've done really well with handling things the last couple of months but I guess it all caught-up with me early this morning.  I spent the next 2 hours in heavy duty prayer asking God to forgive me for worrying and to help me relinquish control to Him.  I did go back to sleep and although the day brought more frustrations with a travel agent, I'm okay and not sick or flipping-out.  My God is bigger than an airplane and He will get us to our baby one way or another!

Updated I-171H - Prayers are Answered!

When I got home last night, Jason handed me an envelope from Dept. of Homeland Security and asked if the letter meant anything, so I took one look and said, "YES!"  Our fingerprints had to be redone for the 3rd time due to expiration and they have been processed!  This is the document that we were concerned about because it generally takes a month or so for processing of the fingerprints and our actual fingerprint appointment was scheduled for Sept. 16 but we were able to go a month earlier to ensure timely processing before we travel in (hopefully) October.  I am SO relieved that we have this paper in our hand now!  Our agency stated that once we obtain it, then they will help us make sure that the paperwork is actually sent to Ethiopia so we don't experience delays in obtaining Baby Girl's Visa.  The puzzle pieces are finally coming together - now, if only our case is approved in court on October 7!

Wow - 3 years and 2 days on the adoption road!

I logged onto my blog this morning so I could listen to the music as I work, and my eyes went to my ticker. I can't believe we have officially been on the adoption road for 3 years and 2 days! What a whirlwind of a ride we have had! There have been a lot of hiccups and heartaches along the way and we still don't have a child nestled in arms but the day is coming! You know, as difficult as it has been, our lives have been forever changed for the better and I would do it all again if I could. Actually, we will be doing it all again in probably another year or so, as we strongly feel that God wants us to continue with another adoption after Baby Girl is home and settled. We're not sure where the funds are going to come from but we didn't know when we started this journey 3 years ago and oh how God has blessed at just the perfect moment! Our God is so wonderful!

New Pics of Baby Girl!

Woo hoo, I just received an e-mail from the Monbergs with lots of new pics of our Baby Girl! She definitely has chicken pox - they are all over her little face and in her hair. Speaking of hair, it's growing, growing, growing. Also, she's in a new outfit - it's way too big but it's not the pink and striped hoodie suit!

I can't wait to show all the pics we have gotten of her. We have been so blessed to have lots of travelers provide us with fantastic video and photos! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

3 weeks from today and hopefully I can post the video introducing our newest daughter!

Maura's Dedication Gown

This past Saturday, I purchased Maura's dedication gown from Strasburg Children.  I've really been looking at gowns and after having found several that I just adored, Jason vetoed them due to their being too lacy, like a wedding dress, etc.  Anyway, I've kept going back to this dress over and over again because I like simple yet elegant.  It is a white silk dupioni gown with a smocked bodice with ecru hand embroidery - I love it.  Well, I went to Franklin and bought it then showed it to Jason - I knew he really didn't care but he seemed to like it too.  He said, "It's better than the others."  I'll take what I can get! 

Maura is going to be too long for my dedication gown because I've always been short, so I had to find something else for her.  I wanted something that wasn't stark white but more of an ecru and this outfit totally caught my eye!  I hope to have her dedicated in November since it is National Month of Adoption but we'll see what our pastor thinks when she gets home. 

Please Pray for Desta Monberg

Our friends, the Monbergs, are in ET right now picking-up their precious baby, Desta.  Desta hasn't been feeling too well over the last couple of weeks and her parents found out from the doctor at our agency's transitional home (our agency's orphanage) that last week, her condition was critical.  She still isn't feeling very well and her parents are very concerned.  They are scheduled to leave ET on Friday and make the arduous trip across the big pool (per Ashton) and they aren't sure whether or not she will be healthy enough to travel.  Please pray that God will heal this child and give her parents peace about her condition and the stamina to deal with the remaining days in ET.  She needs to get home and be seen by her doctors and start gaining weight and flourishing.  She has received the best care possible while in ET but reality is, the resources are limited - folks, you will never realize how spoiled we are in the US until you've experienced a third world country.  On top of the fact that last week she was on oxygen, IV, and medication, she now has chicken pox....Desta needs your prayers. 

Please click here to visit their blog and even though you may not know them, please let me know that you are praying for them.  I know firsthand that these parents need to know that people are lifting them up - won't you let God use you today but sending them a simple, yet life-changing message - we are praying.

Monbergs saw Baby Girl!

Melodie and Matthew Monberg saw Baby Girl today!  Here's what they wrote:

For the 2-1/2 hours I saw your baby, she was being held by the nannies. She's very long and lean, big brown eyes. She's just starting to get the chicken pox. Don't worry, all the babies had it (Desta was the only child in her room not to have them). She seems to be one of the "favorites" for the nannies.

The babies seem to greatly dislike bathtime, although the water is warm.

They are going to deliver our care package tomorrow and take pics (and possibly video).  Their e-mail just made my day!

Tentative Travel Dates and Reality Sinking In

Yesterday, we found out that if our case is successful on Oct. 7 and the Ethiopian judge approves our adoption, we will travel at the end of October. We are totally psyched about the upcoming travel! The week that we will travel is a great week for me to miss work because I have a very light caseload and have had several of my colleagues say that they will help cover my cases or do whatever needs to be done that week - thank you so much, friends!

Late last night I sent an e-mail to our travel agent to get the ball rolling with determining flight schedules. It's funny, we received our TTDs a month before our court date, but last time, we never did receive any official dates for picking-up Ashure. I look back and I think that was God's way of helping to shield us from even more heartache. I am so excited and planning away for the trip but I never really got to do that with Ashure and she was officially our daughter - weird how God works things out sometimes, isn't it - anyway, I think her death would have been even harder to accept if I was already in full-swing travel planning mode and her bag had been packed.

This morning, I was driving down the interstate heading to Nashville and planes started flying over my head and I started crying. I laughed at myself because I have grown-up around airports (my Dad was an air traffic controller) and planes are my child's world, so there's nothing new about my being around airplanes but today was different. Reality sank in as I drove down I-24W...in 47 days, I hope to be holding my baby girl!!!! How amazing is that!?!

Last night, Jason and I started "discussing" who would be the first to hold her on that day. We went back and forth (playfully) and I ended the conversation this way, "Now look, when Ashton was born, you were the first one who got to hold him and even brought him to the hallway to meet our family while I was on the operating table getting stapled, so it is my turn to hold this baby first." He grinned and added, "Well, it's not my fault you were sound asleep, snoring and missed the majority of the delivery." I said, "It was not my fault I was drugged!  So, it's settled, she's in my arms first." Jason just grinned.

Now, I was on bedrest the last 1.5 months of my pregnancy and had an infection within my uterus when I was in labor and ultimately ended-up with a C-section. I was VERY GROGGY during the C-section because I had been given so much medicine - some of which made me loo loo. Oh well, I will be wide awake for Baby Girl's "delivery"! This "pregnancy" has been the longest ever for me - 3 years!!

One Month Until Court!!

Woo hoo, 1 month from today is our court date!  October 7th is going to be a great day for our family - God has given me total peace about this!  As I type this message, the words are playing, "I surrender all to You" - that is truly my heart's desire.  Just as we prayed on the eve before Ashure's court date, we continue to pray today - "God, may Your will be done.  You are holding our child and we know that You will look after her all the days of her life and that Your timing is always perfect."  We are trusting that Baby Girl will legally become our daughter at just the right moment - which will hopefully be 1 month from today!!!!!!

To top today off, we received several new pics of Baby Girl from the Carpenters!  She has the most serious look on her face.  It is like she is saying,  "Who are you and why are you here?  Where are my parents, did you bring them with you?"  Oh, I can't wait to hold that little girl and kiss her all over! 

One thing that I noticed is that she is almost always wearing the same outfit!  We have sent her several outfits, and I know that realistically she may never wear any of them as it's not like she has a drawer marked with her name, but it does break my heart to see her wearing the same one over and over again.  The outfit does sorta look like something that they may put over another outfit, so maybe they put it on her whenever she comes outside for her photo session (which thanks to so many wonderful families traveling before us, she has had several of these!) to make sure that she doesn't cold?  Anyway, the pink and white striped hoodie outfit is going to be left in Ethiopia very soon because she's going to be in our arms in just a short time!

An Update from ET

The Carpenter family is in Ethiopia right now picking-up their beautiful daughter, and yesterday they took a care package to our baby girl. We were hoping that they would be able to trace her a hand and foot but they didn't have enough time. Here's what Jean wrote on their blog:

Erica - your angel is beautiful and is looking good ... they only let us see her for a few moments though, but I'll get the pics to you as soon as I can when we get home. I also tried to see if they'd allow me to get tracings for you ... but they wisked her away so fast I couldn't do this for you. I am SO sorry!! But I do hope you'll like the pics!

Well, we're bummed that we won't have tracings but at least we will have pics! Her feet and hands look big in pictures but up close folks say that she is very tiny, so I was really hoping for tracings but that's okay.  The travel group is HUGE (16 families), so I can only imagine how hectic the day was with everyone running around! 

Everyone who visits Baby Girl talks about how beautiful she is, and I can't wait to show you some pics - I know I may be biased, but she truly is gorgeous. She is going to look beautiful in blues and purples (as evidenced by the pics we have already seen)!