Coming together to make a difference!

Our adoption agency and the 30+ families with referrals had a 2-hour conference call on Thursday. This is a monthly conference call that takes place in order to answer questions and share information. In this particular call, we were informed of the dire need right now for infant formula. Food prices have dramatically increased and at the moment, formula is not even available. In a matter of days, the orphanages our agency works with will have to begin using regular milk to feed desperately malnourished, sick and under-weight babies. Instead of bringing clothing, shoes and other supplies, they have requested that we only bring formula - because that is the immediate and desperate need.

Ethiopia and much of Africa experienced a drought during the rainy season - which is affecting food prices and food availability now. The children arriving in orphanages are exceptionally malnourished and sick. Food supplies can be shipped into the country, but unfortunately it can take months to arrive after getting through customs, and the taxes and fees to get it into the country are enormous. So the easiest way to alleviate the immediate need is with the families travelling in the coming weeks and months. We have been asked to load up our suitcases with formula first - and then whatever else will fit!

With this information in mind, many adoptive families across the country are appealing to friends, family and church families to ask for help. Alone, we can only do so much - but together we can make a larger impact!

This morning, I shared our adoption story with our church family, and explained the immediate and ongoing needs in Ethiopia and what our adoption agency is doing. Speaking in front of a large group can be daunting. Speaking about something this personal/emotional to us - and then asking for financial support for our agency and for supplies for the orphanages, was exceptionally difficult. I prayed for the right words to touch hearts and encourage action. I hope I was able to appropriately convey the needs. Not for us - our adoption expenses are paid in full except for our travel, but for the children in orphanages and the transition home right now.

Another adoptive family, the VanWettens, held a large fundraiser last night and we just found out that $40,000 was raised. AMAZING!!!!! Ray VanWetten works in the grocery industry, and when several vendors found out about their upcoming adoption, they offered to donate non-perishable food supplies, diapers, etc. Suddenly, the accumulated response was enough to fill a container! Overwhelmed by the response, the VanWettens were now faced with how to ship a container-load of supplies to Ethiopia - about an $8000 expense. Duni, the Africa Program Director for AWAA, flew to OR to speak at the event and several AWAA families attended as well. Initially, there were concerns about a small response and many last minute cancellations from sponsors and attendees ... and then we received word moments ago about the outcome. $40,000 raised to ship the container and to help with immediate needs at the orphanages and the Transition Home! Again - AMAZING!!!!

The response from our church family has been rewarding and encouraging. I thank you - and I am humbled by your generosity and willingness to help - either financially and/or with prayer. I am hopeful that we will continue to see financial support in the next few weeks as we prepare for travel. Every dollar will be used to purchase desperately needed supplies for the Transition Home and orphanages. We will keep everyone informed of our upcoming travel dates and the impact your generosity will make for hundreds of orphaned children in Ethiopia.

As for our recent delays and upcoming court date - it is in God's hands and it will happen in His perfect timing. As hard as that is to comprehend and understand, I am at peace knowing that it is in His hands. And that is a perfect place for it to be - I can trust in that!

Numb ...

Dear family and friends - your love, prayers, and support right now is so appreciated. Already my email box and chat group is overflowing with prayers and encouragement for the sad news we received today.

There were 3 families that did not pass court today - all of the families with older, sibling children (3 families, 6 kids). Evidently, during the court closure, the courts and MOWA changed a paperwork requirement and orphanages and agencies did not get informed. Our agency found out only as they were presenting our cases to the judge. Previously there was different paperwork for children that were abandoned and children that were relinquished to the orphanage by a parent. (The older children were relinquished because the parent could not provide for them or the parent was dying.) With the new rules, relinquished children need the same paperwork as the children that were abandoned. It will take a day or two to get the new paperwork from the orphanage, but now the courts are overflowing/backlogged due to the closure and the earliest court date we can get is Nov 8. Duni will continue to work to appeal for an earlier court date, but she did not sound optimistic. In fact, she sounded very sad.

So today is a bittersweet day - we are so happy for all of the other families that had a successful court date today!!! And we are so saddened (and quite numb) at this turn of events. These older kids have been through so much already, and now to have this delay added to all the other delays. One of our sons has been at the Transition Home since March. That's a long wait for a little boy.

Now we will continue to pray for a breakthrough on a court date, rejoice with the other families as they are united with their children, and look forward to the day we meet our children for the first time. That day will be long over due and so very precious!

In a few hours ...

The photo is supposed to represent tranquility and peace - which I am trying hard to hold on to right now as I glance at the clock - knowing that the courts in Ethiopia will be in session in a few hours (Ethiopia is 8 hours later, at midnight here, it is 8 am there). With a favorable ruling from the judge, two little boys in Ethiopia will become our sons. It is just that simple - and yet so very complicated. There are a lot of details to pull together and 7 AWAA families wait with baited breath and prayer tonight. A long wait for these families may be just about over - and then only the journey to Ethiopia awaits and meeting our children for the first time!

As I was reviewing the flight itinerary from our travel agent, I realized that although we would be departing Ethiopia on Oct 31 (Halloween), we would be arriving in Mpls on Saturday, Nov 1. I'm happy to have Halloween behind us - can you imagine arriving home just in time for the doorbell to start ringing, as costumed kids fill the doorway, and we hand out candy to the little ghouls, goblins, spidermans and princesses? Imagine trying to explain this to our 2 Ethiopian kiddos who don't speak English. What would their first impressions and memories be of their new home?

Time feels like a freight train!

Time is rushing by like a freight train! When we were initially delayed for 2 months by the court closure, it felt like the next few months would just crawl by. Instead, there have been so many details to take care of and the next thing I know, our court date is barely 2 days away (Wednesday) and we will finally be able to book our travel right after that (travel dates of Oct 24 - Nov 1).

In the meantime, the boys' room is now ready (and its cozy and cute!), school conferences start tomorrow (I almost forgot) and we are still packing and trying to pin down our flight itinerary. Not to mention all the other details like notifying teachers, arranging for doggie daycare, prepping things at work to function while I am gone, and then I hear from Duni today that the Ethiopia consulate has not received our updated USCIS approval which changed our age range to 0-8 years old. So among all the other details, we are once again attempting to converse with USCIS!

We received news today that Duni, the gal that makes everything happen at our agency, will be leaving the U.S. next month to permanently reside in Ethiopia and handle all the details in country. Wow - the families here will miss her terribly but she will be able to accomplish so much more in Ethiopia!

We had a wonderful fall weekend with my family (parents, brother, sister and all the nieces and nephews) and enjoyed some great conversation, backyard football and the apple orchard!

With a successful court date on Wednesday, I will be able to post pictures for the first time ever on our blog of our 2 sweet little boys!

I love a great story!

I never did tell the story about naming this blog ... and it's a great little story with not one, but two little coincidences. (I love when that happens!) So I was trying to come up with a unique, catchy title and a little word trick that writers use within poetry or titles is "alliteration". It's the repeated use of a similar consonant within a sentence that gives it a catchy "tune" or a pleasing sound. An example would be the description "a sizzling summer sun". For my blog, I came up with "Family from afar". It was descriptive, unique (so it was available from blogger) and had a nice flow to it. The dictionary definition of afar - is "from a great distance, from far away." And we are creating a family from a distant land - from far away.

A few days later, I discovered the bible verse Isaiah 43:5-7, Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, "Give them up!" and to the south "Do not hold them back." Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth - everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

I remember thinking - wow, what a coincidence! The verse said "bring my SONS from afar". Sons not daughters - what a coincidence. Then I noticed the explanation in the footnotes that said "afar is the upper nile region". Now, knowing that the Nile originates in Ethiopia, my curiosity was piqued and I googled the word "afar". Coincidence #2 - In the bible, Afar is a region in ETHIOPIA!!!

A few recent happenings ...

The Kulp family received a referral for a baby boy, the Semlow family received a referral for a sibling group of 3, and the Tennant family received a referral for an 18 month old boy!

We are one week from our court date of October 8 - the count down has begun although I am trying not to focus on it. This much I know - sooner or later, we will have a successful court date and we will bring our sons home.

Our travel group (7 families) is in communication through email and has begun coordinating gifts for the Transition Home and orphanages (it looks like we will be visiting 2 orphanages). Upon a successful court date, we will contact the waiting families with referrals to coordinate bringing care packages to their children.

Our travel plans continue to solidify and it looks like we will likely be travelling on Emirates through Dubai. We may stay with some family friends there for an extended layover before we meet up with our travel group in Ethiopia.

Our son's voice

Today we received 2 CDs from the Gibson family with video from their trip to Ethiopia in July. My eyes welled up when we saw our sons interacting with their friends and the adoptive families. There is one scene where Kari Gibson is talking to several little girls and they are saying into the video camera "Mom, I love you." Our 7 year old is taking this all in and as the camera pans across their faces, he looks into the camera and with a soft, sweet voice he says "Mom, I love you". We all sat there in shock! What an amazingly sweet moment.

We are narrowing in on our travel plans. Sadly, we will not be flying NWA through Amsterdam - this option is just too expensive. Presently we are considering an extended layover in Rome on the front end of our trip - or - an extended layover in Dubai. Jay's family has friends that work in Dubai and we have contacted them through email. They have invited us to stay with them and will roll out the red carpet for us. So - we have 2 great options to consider.

Two AWAA families received referrals this week for a 2 month old boy and a 2 month old girl! Congratulations Howley and Burk families!

Happiness is ....

For my daughter who loves exploring outdoors, happiness is . . . sitting next to a mountain stream within a few feet of a drowsy, 12-point bull elk. See that smile? That is pure joy!

On Saturday night, we had dinner with the Hutchinson family who live only about 35 miles from us. What a great connection to make! We both received our referrals in the month of June and we have the same court date - Oct 8. With a successful court date, we will be travelling together to Ethiopia on Oct 25! The Hutchinsons have 3 beautiful children and are adopting 2 sweet little girls that are living at the Transition Home with our 2 little boys!

We are so fortunate to have this family close by - to travel together to the other side of the world, experience this amazing journey together - and then to have our children who have lived at the Transition Home together for many months, be able to maintain that connection here in the U.S. - nothing short of amazing!