I GOT MY CALL!!

On Monday morning, I received an email devotional that said “God Wants To Surprise You”. And my best buddy, Dan, had told me that he thought Monday would be THE DAY which made me all the more nervous. Sure enough, he was right! Yes, it finally happened – my phone rang on Monday, March 22nd at 1:00 PM with the news I’ve been so patiently waiting for. I have been blessed beyond my imagination with a beautiful 7-month-old baby girl. She is absolutely perfect – such a cutie! Above is the video of me seeing her face for the first time. I will treasure that moment forever! (Excuse my messy desk and red nose & eyes! Ha)

I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from my family and friends – THANK YOU! Many of you are asking the same questions, so I thought I would answer them here as best as I can for now:

WHAT IS HER NAME? I am still considering a handful of names – it’s a huge decision! When I finally decide, I will let you know.

WE WANT TO SEE PICTURES! I wish I could share her pictures with you here on my blog or by email, but I am unable to do so until she legally becomes mine. However, if you see me in person, I will be happy to show you the copies I have! I can give written permission to any families traveling to Ethiopia before me to take additional photos, so hopefully I’ll get more soon!

WHEN WILL I GET TO BRING HER HOME? Believe me, that’s the big question I am asking! There is a lot up in the air at the moment concerning whether I will be making 1 or 2 trips to Ethiopia (likely 2) and exactly what the time frame will be. On average, I am hoping to have her home with me within 3-4 months. The news about the possible 2 trips is so new that the details are ever-changing, and my agency is doing its best to get definitive answers for me asap. You’ll know once I know!

Please continue to pray for me and my baby girl in the coming weeks. God is so good!

SO CLOSE!

Well, the last time I posted I was “Top Ten”, the next day I moved to “Top Five”, so here’s hoping this post will bring similar luck. Drum roll, please…I AM NOW AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. Okay, actually, I’m not sure if I’m #1 or #2 (there’s a mystery family in front of me, but I’m not sure if they are waiting on a baby girl or a sibling group), but the bottom line is that the call I have waited exactly 2 years, 1 month, 2 weeks & 3 days for could come at any moment. My cell phone is officially with me at all times just waiting to ring!

The big news for this week was a completely unexpected announcement that the Ethiopian government has declared that prospective adoptive parents will now be required to travel to Ethiopia for their court date prior to bringing their children home. Yes, that means I will be making TWO TRIPS to Ethiopia. I will be the first to admit I am not the greatest at adapting to change, so I’ve been a little whacked trying to wrap my brain around this news. There are still many unanswered questions, but I am trying to focus on the positive. First and foremost, it appears I will get to meet my daughter sooner than I expected. And secondly, by meeting my daughter prior to going to court, she will now automatically become a U.S. citizen when we arrive in the States rather than having to go through a re-adoption process. Of course, the negatives include having to leave Ethiopia without my daughter on the 1st trip, and there’s the expense of an extra flight. Hey, it’s just money, right? :) I would rather be putting those dollars towards my daughter’s education, but I am faithful in believing that this is all a part of God’s plan as He maps out my journey to unite me and my sweet girl.

Please keep me in your prayers in the coming days as I anxiously wait for the call that will change my life forever.