Princess Tea Party

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The Heart

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Today, Riley and I celebrate our 9th anniversary! I feel so blessed to be as crazy about Riley as 9 years ago. I would say our life feels harder, but much more fulfilling at the same time. He instills a confidence in me that no one else has had the power to do. I'm grateful for my best friend, soul-mate, and Love.

As far as our adoption goes, we received an update that as of this morning... there is one man refusing to give further info unless he's contacted directly by the Embassy through MOWCY

So frustrating that this Planning Expert's heart is hardened! Everything within us wants to be angry that one man is stopping Solomon from coming home. But, we know the greater truth. God is over all man. God softened the heart of Pharaoh and we will pray for this man's heart as well. God softened my heart 24 years ago when I realized I needed a relationship with God. Pray with us for this Ethiopian man that his heart would soften and he would give the needed information. Pray for the country director that is working on Solomon's behalf- that God would give him grace & patience as he is trying to work with the planning expert

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Nat & Kids

Isaac thieving Jeremiah's food

Dance Party Fun

Saedi, Meadow, Brooke & Ellie

6 Bugs in a Tub with Isaac begging for freedom!

Natalie came to visit with the kids a few weekends ago and it was DELIGHTFUL to see them again! As soon as Brooke & Meadow stepped out of the car they were bombarded by screams and hugs from Ellie and Saedi. It was so sweet to see that time did nothing to hinder their friendship. Nat and I headed to NYC Saturday and Riley was a trooper and watched all 6 kids! All the below snapshots are of his cheat night with the kids. Nat and I had a blast in the city. Unfortunately, I'm not able to get those pics off of our other camera yet. But, we took the train from Garrison into Grand Central. Kyle met us there and we walked with him around Times Square a bit. He hailed us a cab (we were laughing hysterically at his expertise doing this) and sent us to the High Line. We sampled some fine food- kimchi tacos, chinese dumpkings, natural lemonade/teas and then walked the High Rise to Union Square where sampled cupcakes and did a little shopping. We took a late train home and got in around 1am...pooped but happy. It was fantastic to have a girls night with Nat, and I need more visitors so I can have a excuse to do that again!!!

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Applaud God

In my inbox today I received 2 things:
1. This beautiful picture of Solomon standing and looking so happy and well-cared for.
2. A message from our friends we met in Ethiopia (also Americans adopting) who were on the same time line as us. Their paperwork cleared on Tuesday & they received their travel date of August 16th. While we're happy for them, it's so excruciating hard to not feel left behind right now. While I look at Sol's picture and cry God calls me to Psalm 100

Psalm 100
On your feet now-applaud God!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password: "Thank You!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty,
all generous in love,
loyal always and ever.

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Birthday

Our internet was down the past 5 days so I'm definitely behind in the blogging! I celebrated a fantastic 31st birthday last Thursday treating myself to a hair cut (and color), pedicure, & shopping. A friend watched the girls and I put Isaac in hourly care. Following my pampering, Riley and I attended a party with his department before picking up the kids. After getting the kiddos, we bought a few slices of pizza and ate them outside at Lusk Reservoir, which is so beautiful and quiet! Finally, we went home where the girls decorated brownies for me as my birthday cake. I even got to blow out a Hello Kitty candle! It was a lovely day! Oh, and that lovely box next to me turned out carrying a Schwanky-Fabulous-New-Food-Processor!!!

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Marathons and Adopting

When we began our international adoption process, we had a number of people advise us that we needed to approach it as a marathon, not a sprint. While there is some utility in this analogy, it has one fundamental flaw: both sprints and marathons are measured races in which the participants can know at any time their position relative to the finish line. The adoption process, on the other hand, feels like a race in which the finish line continues to retreat as you get closer. And not only does it move, but each move is unpredictable in both timing and length.

As many of you know, our recent move to New York required us to re-do a number of documents and gain bureaucratic approvals to remain current in an approved status. Thanks be to God, we seem to have passed that hurdle quicker than we anticipated. However, we received news over the past couple of days that things in Ethiopia are not going as smoothly as we had thought. The US Embassy in Ethiopia is implementing additional verification requirements for every child approved for adoption. In our case, they want our adoption agency staff members to work with the Awassa Regional Police to verify witness statements regarding Solomon’s relinquishment. This requires the police to cooperate and, unfortunately, adoptions are low on their list of priorities. If the police do not provide the required information, the Embassy is requiring the adoption agency to run a 4-week ad in the Awassa newspapers to ensure that Solomon was freely given up for adoption.

Together, these changes will add weeks and possibly months to our process. We continue to trust God and his timing in all of this, despite our lack of understanding. It is frustrating and disappointing to feel so close and to think we can see the finish line only to have it moved over the next hill. We covet your prayers as God works in our lives and refines us in his fire.

Fast Eddy

Please welcome our newest addition, Fast Eddy:







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