Springtime

How cute is this?

Well, I haven't posted anymore for a while because (1) I wanted confirmed news about which to post and (2) we've been too busy having fun to stay in the house and blog.

God seems to definately be up to something in Ethiopia. The guy over the Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs has been removed and there have been substantial other personnel changes. The word is that they are still working hard to process the cases of families waiting to pass court. We still don't know exactly how these changes will effect us. We don't know when we will get a referral. Already it seems like the wait has lasted a lifetime. Our "unofficial" referral numbers have not moved since mailing our dossier and some days that just seems downright depressing, BUT God has a plan and I am thankful for it. I read this from Psalm 61 this just this morning:

"Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!"

Isn't it great how God's Word is never silent and speaks to us on the issues that effect us the most? He is teaching us to trust Him more these days and for that I am grateful because I know He will use this time to transform me more into the likeness of the Christ. That makes the waiting actually a little exciting instead of depressingly long!!!!

I am also thankful that I have this little mess to keep me busy while I wait:

Darren and I celebrated 5 wonderful years of marriage last week! We went to Gatlinburg for a relaxing weekend away while "Grandma Lewis" kept Josie. They must have had a great time because for the last couple of days Josie would reach out for Grandma over me. I suppose that's a good thing since Grandma lives in Nebraska and doesn't get to see her very much. It is really a sweet thing to watch them play together:) Anyway, we had a beautiful cabin, did some hiking, watched some Stargate (yes!), and came back very refreshed! Both Darren and I have terrible allergies this time of year, but it's sooooo hard to stay inside when the weather is so beautiful. So...sneezes and all we've been outside alot lately. Josie would stay out there all day if I would let her. She's especially fascinated with bubbles these days :) Well, that's all I've got for now. Please continue to pray for Ethiopia and all the families adopting from there!

Speed Bump

So everything in our adoption was going so suspiciously smoothly until we hit one of these this weekend--a speed bump. Darren and I fall into the "detailed planners of the world" bracket so we don't like unexpected uncertainty all that much.

Over the weekend we started to hear reports of the Ethiopian government cutting adoption processing by 90%. WHAT?!?!?!?! We were warned by our agency that many rumors would come out over the weekend and that they would update us with any confirmed information. It was still a little hard to stay calm when looking at a possible 4 year wait for our child?

Sunday was awesome...like every Sunday. God seemed to be speaking to our hearts directly through The Word that was preached through our pastors. We were reminded to petition the Maker of heaven and Earth and Savior of our souls for these children, to trust, to rest, to be patient and not to be anxious. I'm so thankful for a church that preaches the Word and for friends who encourage us to obey and trust our Lord. That night I felt like my heart was bleeding just thinking about the possibility that Keira could not come home to us for years or that we would have to start all over and apply to another country. I wept and prayed and knew that God did not lead us here for nothing. He has been sovereign over the whole process. He has watched as we have worked and labored to do what undoubtedly was His will for us to pursue. If now, He decides to undo that for His hidden purposes and glory, who am I to question His will? If He leads us to perservere through years of uncertainty so be it. If He calls us to abandon this process to seek another then that's what we'll do. So...right now I may not know what all of our passion and work has been for, but I know that the God of all creation has a plan.

So we and our friends have been praying earnestly...petitioning the Lord on behalf of an unknown child whom we believe to be ours and other countless children awaiting adoption from this country.

Today I recieved news from our agency that while the government of Ethiopia has made substantial cuts, they do not expect them to be permanent. These cuts were done in response to possible "corruption". These discussions could go on for days or weeks. We may not have an answer for a while.

I still firmly believe that my child is in that country and that we are meant to adopt from here. I am not giving up on what I believe to be God's will for us unless the Lord clearly leads us to do otherwise so PLEASE pray with me specifically for these things:

1. That God be glorified above all else and for our feelings and emotions to be subject to his will.
2. For the discussions in Ethiopia to move quickly.
3. For the number of adoptions processed to be a high workable number.
4. For the aweful practice of human trafficking to be lessened or even eradicated by the new decisions made.
5. For God to protect the children of Ethiopia and to raise up more advocates for them.

This Psalm was read in church yesterday. It was just what we needed and we have been meditating on it as we pray.:

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

I really have the best job in the world!

I am so in love with those two people up there! Ok so this post has nothing to do with our adoption right now. Nothing has really changed...just waiting for that referral. Instead I just wanted to share a bit of sappiness from a mom who LOVES her daughter. It's easy to become so frustrated with children sometimes. They can mess up your plans for the day, they can interrupt your "me time", they can be hungry when it's not lunchtime and not sleepy when it's naptime. I really like a schedule so I struggle with these things like any mom, I'm sure. But I try to keep my mind surrounded by scripture and wise sayings from mothers who have gone before me.

As one friend put it, "The days pass slowly, but the years fly by." I'm finding that to be SOOO true. How is it even possible that my little girl is 13 months old? Toddling, talking...wasn't she just born? Then I think to myself in a panic, "How much time have I wasted complaining today? How many times did I think, "I wish she wouldn't follow me to the bathroom this time" or "If she pulls on leg and says the ambiguous whiny word 'eh?' one more time I'm going to scream!" How many minutes did I spend selfishly thinking of what motherhood COSTS me rather than dwelling on the BLESSINGS I get from it. And then I pray and confess to my savior and ask forgiveness from a 13 month old. Sadly, sometimes I don't dwell on the things I absolutely adore about her until she's in bed and I have the house put back together. So lest I forget how ridiculously cute she is at this age, I'm gonna brag on my little beauty a little bit.
Here are just 21 things I love about being Josie's Mom right now:

1. I love that she is ALWAYS smiling and full of energy in the morning.
2. I love the way her little belly pokes out when she wears tight little pjs.
3. I love the way she laughs at herself when she does something funny.
4. I love the way she says "More. more. more. more." like a broken record when she wants food.
5. I love the way she says "Daddy!!!!" When she hears the door open or the phone ring.
6. I love the way she smiles and says "All done" as she does her little baby signs when she's finished eating.
7. I love those extremely rare occasions when she's so tired she falls asleep on my shoulder when we are dancing in the living room and I love how no matter how sore my arm gets it is impossible for me to stop dancing with her!
8. I love how she rocks her favorite baby doll.
9. I love how she climbs on anything she can possibly reach...wonder where she got that?
10. I love how she bounces on her little piano with her booty just because she knows it will make us laugh.
11. I love playing peek-a-boo with her.
12. I love that she's still small enough that I can carry her around...that won't last long.
13. I love taking her outside to swing.
14. I love how she gets SOOOO excited about bathtime that she runs down the hall yelling "bath! bath! bath!"
15. I love that she's fascinated with sitting on the potty...maybe it won't be long until she figures it out?
16. I love that she follows me around.
17. I love her relative innocence. (I mean everyone has a sin nature right?)
18. I love how she tries to meow back at the cat.
19. I love that she LOVES to be outside exploring and is really not afraid of very much.
20. I love hear her say "Amen!" at the end of a prayer or when I read scripture to her.
21. I love that there is really nothing I'd rather be doing because I have the BEST job in the world:)

Maybe sometime I'll do a brag post on my amazing husband too. I certainly would have alot to say about his awesomeness. That could be a long post...