Non adoption prayer request

With all of the adoption happenings lately, we honestly have been preoccupied with our daughter Jordan's health.  On September 22, she got diagnosed with Iodiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP).  Basically, this is a condition that we are not sure why is happening but her immune system is destroying her platelets in her blood, leaving her at risk for bleeding.
This appears to be a chronic condition that we will deal with for a long time.  Right now, it is super frustrating, as the correct medicine and treatments are being figured out for her.  The doctors are confident that this is manageable and that she will not live with ITP forever.  However, as parents, it is so hard to see our daughter suffering from medicine side effects, worrying about her platelets crashing and wondering when a medicine will work.

We don't know exactly when we will be traveling to Africa and the thought of leaving her here on 2 separate occasions, is a great fear for us.  We have been obviously looking forward to this for a long, long time now and the timing of this has really taken the wind out of our sails.  Quite honestly, we are trying to live day by day.  The thought of major travels to the other side of the world isn't even that exciting when our daughter is home dealing with this.

Would you please pray for Jordan.  That the right treatment would be found quickly and that her platelets would maintain a healthy level. Also pray for peace for Todd and I as parents.  We know that God is in control and His plan and timing are perfect.  We are overwhelmed and we covet you prayers.

Early morning email from the US Embassy

Woohoo!!  Todd woke me at 4:42 this morning to tell me we got an email from the US Embassy in Ethiopia stating:  NOTICE OF COMPLETED I-604 INVESTIGATION

Woohoo!!  This means that one final paper we have been waiting for has not only surfaced, but has been submitted to the Embassy!

It's still early and the significance of this hasn't completely hit me.  Can't believe things are finally progressing. :)

At this point, if I'm understanding these final processes correctly, we will receive confirmation that we have completed the PAIR process (pre adoption immigration review) and that notification is our authorization to set up a court date for us to travel!  Yes, I said we are getting this close to our travel date for court!!

Thanks so very much for all the continued prayers.  If we can be specific about what we would see as a wonderful time for all of this to happen, it would be over the long Thanksgiving break.  :) I know Gods timing is better than what I plan, but as a mom of 5 and growing, it would be really nice to travel while Gabe is home from MSU and the other kiddos don't have to think about schedules much.  Is that too much to ask!?!  

Praying today for our girls to have peace about all the changes they are about to experience.

Birth Family Court!

There are many parts and steps to an International adoption.  Dealing with 2 countries (the US and Ethiopia, in our case) there are different processes and requirements for both.  

We are close to finishing the PAIR process with the US Embassy.  Once that is complete, we move forward to setting an adoptive parent court (assuming the Birth Parent Court is complete and finalized).

And, there are 2 steps in completing the Ethiopian process.  The first is the Birth Family court, the 2nd is the adoptive parent court.  The Birth Parent Court is set for Wednesday, October 22!  This coming Wednesday!  

We ask you to pray for this process scheduled to take place in just a couple of days.  That those needed for court will arrive promptly and that there will be no issues that arise with our girls cases.  

Thanks to those of you who pray for these adoptions!  May you be blessed because you care about orphans!

Just have to say a big prayer of praise that our good friends recently received their referral for a beautiful little 2 year old Ethiopian boy!  He is absolutely adorable and we give God all the praise for his little life and matching him with this family!  Another friend received good news this past week about a step achieved in bringing home their little girl from Haiti!  AND, friends from church just told me this morning about a match with a foster child!  God is working in SO many lives on behalf of His children who need families!  To God be the glory, forever and ever!  Amen!!

2 Years HOME!!

Today marks 2 years having Kyah HOME!  Can't believe this little honey has been with us for this length of time and can't imagine life without her!  

She turned 3 in June, 
  *seriously talks all the time (Solomon has a hard time keeping up!)
  *loves country music and watching their videos
  *always, always puts her shoes on the correct feet =)
  *pretends to text and talk on the phone all the time
  *loves macaroni & cheese and could eat it for all 3 meals a day!
  *wants coffee with hazelnut syrup every morning
  *loves to dance to fast paced music
  *wants to wear Jordan's hot pink lipstick and mascara
  *likes to pretend she's a Dr and makes us take deep breaths, looks in our
    ears, eyes and mouth, pushes on our bellies and wears a stethoscope 
    around her neck
  *or pretends she's a Phlebotomist and "draws blood" wearing gloves, she
   looks for our veins, taps on them and uses a syringe.  HA!
  *always likes her nails painted
  *prays to get her sisters "T" and "B" home everyday in an urgent way.

                                             LOVE this girl!

 
     

PRICELESS!!

OUR GIRLS KNOW THEY HAVE A FAMILY!  After waiting for 12 anguishing days to hear about their responses (I know 12 days isn't that long...but we were so excited!) we received 3 videos and their social, physical and educational updates yesterday!  Along with a bunch more pictures!  

I would love to be able to post pics and videos, but can not yet at this point.  Let me just give you a written explanation of the amazing videos of the girls being told:

Both girls are sitting on a bed with their social worker in between them.  It's mostly all in Ahmaric, so we are guessing what is being said.  The social worker talks and then hands each girl the photo books I made them with pictures of our family!  There is literally a 2 second pause and "T" whips her head up and you can tell she processes this and begins asking questions!  Then announces "we have family!" clearly in English!

"B" just starts screaming and bouncing on the bed!  Then they both laugh and giggle for the rest of the video!  The next video they are punching the air shouting "we have family! We have big family!"  And then "B" starts laughing and bouncing so hard she rolls to the floor!  

We are told they kept asking the social worker "if this is real and that they were really going to go together and be in the same family".  Priceless.

We have pictures of each of them holding the photo album I sent.  It is an 
awesome thing to behold and made the wait since being matched with them in March, totally worth it!!

These videos are cherished by our family and are truly priceless!!