Step one in preparation for daughter #4...

...new beds.

Seeing as though we will have 4 girls sharing one room (we are NOT giving up the playroom!) we knew that the only way it would work would be to have two sets of bunk beds in the bedroom.

Have you priced those things lately?!? Unreal. Then add 4 mattresses...jeesh.

So we've been on the lookout for months. Months. For a good deal.

Finally found a good deal...or two!

We got the first bed from a friend...we found the ad in the paper and didn't realize it was our friend until we called about it.

Deal #1: an amazingly solid bed with 2 mattresses for $250. Can't beat that with a stick.

Deal #2: found by our best buds Jennie and Scott in Alabama...another solid bed with 2 mattresses for $300. Can't beat that one either.

So there you have it. Two sets of bunkbeds in great shape...4 mattresses...$550.

Dave would be proud. We are stoked!

So here's the completed bed #1. We'll have the other in 3 weeks when the Murphy's come for our trip to the mountains.

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

It is with great joy that we announce our acceptance of a referral of a little girl!

After 10 months and 4 days of waiting we received the loooooooooooooooong awaited phone call from AAI on Thursday afternoon at around 3:30. I was coming out of my phenergan induced sleep when my phone rang. To say that I was shocked was an understatement!

We are not able to post photos or tell of her particular situation under after she is legally ours, but just trust me when I say that her little face melts my heart! We have been told that she is healthy and happy and brings a "good disposition" to whoever she's around.

When we originally turned in our home study, our requested age was 18mo-4yrs. We had our home study changed for birth-4yrs, after being told that toddler girls didn't become available very often. Generally toddler girls are part of a sibling group, and those sibling groups are placed together.

So for the last 10 months we had been expecting to receive a referral for an infant girl. Imagine our surprise when we found out that our little girlie is thought to be 2 1/2!

Not quite what we were expecting, but what we had originally desired. Her age fits perfectly with the spacing of all of our girls...only God takes care of those little details!

JK, LB, and AA are very excited and think that she's "so cute".

So what's next?!? A few more papers to sign...

Then we will be filed in court. Court has been closed in Ethiopia for about the past month. They are getting ready to reopen in the next couple of weeks. We are hoping for a court date sometime in October. That would be wonderful! But as we have learned throughout this process, things don't always happen in the time frame that we desire.

So for now, we sit and wait (again) to find out the next step that will bring our daughter home!

We continue to covet your prayers as we prepare to help this little girl adjust to one more change in her young life.

Pray also for our girls that they will be ready emotionally when we bring our little EG home!

Stay tuned for the next update!

Already a part...

My dad was in Honduras last month for a mission trip. He brought back several things, and of course, the girls were spoiled!

He found these dresses. And bought 4 of them. On his own. Made my mom cry.

It's pretty cool when your entire family is getting excited and thinking about this little girl as one of us already. What a blessing!

How 'bout that little dress on the end?!? I'm seeing spring photos in a field...

We.Are.Next!!

That's right...we are next in line for the referral of a baby girl!

Billie called yesterday to find out the latest scoop. One family has currently been given the information on their referral, then it's on to US!!

To say that we are excited is an understatement. The light at the end of the tunnel suddenly got a lot brighter!

Stay tuned for the big announcent...

New Info

Well, we're 9 months and a week and something since our DTE date of 11/6.

The founder/head of AAI is currently in Ethiopia for one of her many trips during the year.

She posted on our yahoo group that 4 more babies came into care in the past week or so and they are all girls!

So while I am burdened for the circumstances that brought these babies into the care of the orphanage, I am encouraged because one of these precious girls could be ours!

I still don't know how many families are in front of us on the November girl list. Part of me wants to call this week and find out.

But then part of me just wants to continue to be patient and just let it happen.

Which is probably the best thing to do...otherwise...

I. Will. Go. Nuts.

Still no real timeline but just hopeful that we will get "the call" soon!

8 month post- DTE update...

Well, 8 months down, about 7 or so to go...then we'll have our daughter home!

We are still about a month or more away from a referral...AAI is almost complete with Oct families that have requested a girl. **EDITED to add -- ONE more Oct family!**

We are the beginning of Nov!

I have learned a lot more of the adoption process in Ethiopia, so I understand better how and why it seems to take so long for a referral.

So we continue to be patient.

Just knowing that in another month I could have a picture of my baby...makes my heart happy!

We are looking at approximately Jan or Feb 2010 for her homecoming. Once we have/accept our referral, there will about a 6-8 week wait for court date in ET. After we pass court, we will have another 6-8 weeks for her travel date. Since we have chosen to have her escorted, our wait will be a tad longer than if we were to fly to ET.

So our prayer now is that we pass court the first time, and that we are able to gather the rest of the funds needed.

The Lord has blessed us financially in this venture...and let me tell you, a youth minister is not the biggest money-making job out there!

I will share how much we lack so that you can join us in praying for the amount that we need. We know that He is able to provide! We lack around $4,000 for the remainder of our fees and our daughter's visa.

When we started this process, we felt that we didn't need to borrow money to complete this task. And He has provided! We are committed to doing this debt free.

Thank you for your support and prayers as we continue this amazing journey!

I've had better...

...days that is!

Denied one more time from another grant agency. That makes 3.

Found out that it could be FALL before we even have a referral.

It's days like this that I wonder if we're really supposed to be doing this. Like "wouldn't God give us everything we need if this is His will for our lives?"...

...but then I remember that nobody said that this would be easy...

...and that this test of our faith and patience will all be worth it...

...and we'll be able to praise Him for providing for us in every way during this journey...


"Adoption is not for the faint of heart"...I can't tell you how many times I have read/heard this over the last 2 years. Sure, I believed it...but now I'm living it.

My friend, Emily, sent me this verse today.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (The Message)
With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

So we continue to be patient, and long for the day that we get the email that will change our family!

We covet your prayers!