Things are happening pretty quick now!!! We are in the final stages of our adoption and hoping to go to Ethiopia by the end of the summer. We are hosting a few more fund raisers within the next few months....here is the first. Thank you all again for your continued prayers and support during this journey!

 

Adoption Benefit 5K Walk/Run

June 15, 2013

Walnut Hill Park, New Britain

8:00 am Registration

9:00 am Start Time

$30.00 per adult

$ 5.00 per child

You can pre-register here on our blog or you can register that day.

Overwhelming

Adoption can be so overwhelming.......

Quick little story:

So this week it is all hitting me....hopefully going to Ethiopia by the end of the summer and realizing that we are still short of our fundraising goal...(we have a 10 day T-Shirt selling campaign)

But I know and believe in:

 Eph 3:20-21  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

We know that God has called this little boy to our family so we are trusting that God will use his provisions to bring him home!  But in my own head and finite wisdom sometimes I get overwhelmed and scared until God confirms his will for us again and again.

Last night on our way home from our son's 17th birthday dinner we stopped at the gas station for milk.  As I was checking out the man at the counter asked me if I was a foster parent.  I was a little taken back because I had never met him before and thought how did he know we had a foster daughter.  He must have realized I was a little weirded out so he pointed to a bracelet I was wearing (the ones we are selling on our blog) and said "Is that from Ethiopia?"...it made sense now...so our conversation took off.  He himself was from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and expressed how poor the conditions are over there, the war, the poverty, the hunger.  I told him that our church sponsors children in a place called Korah, which is about 15 mins from Addis and he said that he knew about that place.  (Korah is a garbage dump in which hundred of thousands of people live and survive on the garbage of others. )  He said that he respected us so much and had a look on his face that I can't even describe....not sure if it was sadness, happiness, longing for his country....I had never seen that look before.    That conversation with a stranger confirmed it once again that this IS God's will for our family and that this little boy is ours!

Thank you all for your love, support and prayers and we continue on this walk.  It is so much appreciated!

Prov 3:5-6   
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Welcome to the Ethiopian Program

So many things have been happening....where to begin.....

Our foster daughter has been with us now for just under 3 months.  She has seemed to be adjusting well.  We love her very much and consider her part of our family.  It hasn't been without some struggles and difficulties but we know that God has an amazing plan for her and our family together.  She calls us mom and dad and at first it seemed a little strange but now it seems second nature.  We are still praying for her parents and family and know that Romans 8:28 is true!!!!

The adoption process has been so emotional.  We completed the homestudy FINALLY!  It is delivered and notarized and we are now in the Ethiopian Program officially.  About a month ago when the initial homestudy was sent to our agency we recieved a phone call from the agency letting us know that there was another family interested in and had submitted a homestudy for same little boy.  WHAT!  Our hearts sank.  We were told that this never ever happens and that they would have to wait for the "team" to choose a family.  It was the most heart wrenching 2 days.  But again, God reminded us to be still and know that He is God. 
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).   So we did.  We prayed, we trusted and were given the news a few days later to be his mom and dad.....The ups and downs of this ordeal have been some of the most stressful of my life. 

So, we get the official email stating that we have been accepted to the Ethiopian Program but now the grant that was set aside for him has been reduced by $2,000.00 and was also asked that if we didn't need the grant to consider not using it because their funds are low.  So, here we are again!  Praying and trusting. 

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Eph 3:20

We still need to raise money to get this little boy home!  We believe whole heartedly that God has chosen us to be this precious little boys family, so we believe whole heartedly that God will bring him home!

Thank you all for your support and love and prayers!  You have no idea how this has encouraged and lifted us up!