October #s...very late

We have had a busy October getting ready for 2 garage sales to raise money for our adoption. Many, many things have been missed and delayed during this time. I'm so sorry that our updated waitlist numbers are one of those things. So here it goes! We got an email on October 5th (heehee, like I said, this is late) that our official #s are 32 on the girl list and 21 on the boy list. We were excited about this because any movement is good and it has been SOOOO SLOW the past few months, but then a couple minutes later I get a second email. A family just accepted a referral and our new official #s are 31 on the girl list and 20 on the boy list!! How awesome is that! This is the most movement we've had in 4 months. We've been asking everyone to pray that the process in Ethiopia will speed up again so more children can have a safe place to be and a family to call their own. It is awesome to see God answer those prayers.
At least by me waiting, you won't have to wait long before I post our November updated #s. But until then, we have another garage sale coming up this Saturday. Our last 2 have been great successes and not only financially. My hope is always that we are able to enlighten people to the need for more families to open up their homes through adoption and to focus on pointing towards God working in our lives. With each sale it has been encouraging to hear the stories of other adopting families. It seems like everyperson we talk to at these sales has been touched in some way by adoption. I'm looking forward to hearing a whole new set of adoption stories! Oh...we also hope to sale a LOT of stuff to raise the last bit of $ needed.

-amory

September Numbers

We have now officially been on the waiting list for 4 months. We had hoped that we would be further down the wait list by this point, but the law changes in Ethiopia seem to really have slowed things down. Therefore our numbers this month haven't really moved much. We are 23 on the boy list and 39 on the girl list. I could write a very long email on my thoughts on what is going on and why things have slowed down but I'm not going to. All I am going to do is ask that everyone be praying for the process in Ethiopia to run smoother as they figure out how the law changes will work and that each child who needs a family will come home in God's perfect timing. My plans would be for that to happen sooner rather than later, but we know that God's timing is perfect. As Habbakuk says..."these plans I have for you will surely come...they will not be late by a single day." So we cling to that hope. Please pray for us to have peace in this difficult waiting period.

-amory

August Numbers

24

We received our August update today and we are officially #24 on the boy waiting list and #41 on the girl waiting list. We'll take any movement as progress. Our agency said that the referrals have slowed down over the last couple months due to some of the changes in the court process in Ethiopia. It is taking longer to do everything to get the children legally ready for placement. The courts also close in August and September, which obviously will slow things down a bit. We just have to keep patiently waiting knowing that God is preparing our child and that when our baby is ready for us we'll be matched.

People have been asking me if we have any updated numbers yet. Nope! Sorry but they haven't come out yet. However while looking at other adoption blogs to try and see if anyone had their new numbers, I came across some great posts that made me feel like I needed to write this.
I just finished reading "There is No Me Without You". The book talks about the orphan/AIDS epidimic in Ethiopia. While the book was really intersting and entertaining and sad, one fact really hit me hard. There are MILLIONS of orphans in just that one country who, through no fault of their own, are destitute. We in the West can not quite grasp what this really means, I think. There are children who are raising children because their parents have both died. A seven year old raising a 5 year old. How can this be? Of these millions of orphans, only thousands are adopted. What do you think happens to the rest of them? Could you imagine if something were to happen to you and your young child's only option for survival was to beg on the street? We can't fathom something like that ever actually happening here in suburban America, but that's life for millions of children across this globe. And I'm only adopting one! We did not go into this adoption having a real clue of what the orphan crisis is like. We decided to adopt because we just wanted desperately to be parents. While that is reason enough, my eyes have been opened. Adoption is definently not the solution, though every child adopted is a child that doesn't have to go through life on the streets.
What hit me today with the blogs I read is that I live a very comfortable life. I have a beautiful house, and cars, and a bunch of stuff that I really like, but could I give it up? Like this fellow adoption blogger says, would I be willing to scrimp and save and raise $30,000 to just help these children? We're doing this to bring home our child, but would we do it to help show hundreds or thousands more of them Christ? To show them our Hope? To pay for a school, lifesaving medicines or feed them? I'm being convicted today that I am a selfish sinner. I'm not saying that having nice things is bad. I feel like all we have is a blessing from God and we strive to glorify Him with what he has given us. The point is, isn't it all God's anyways. We can't take any of it with us when we go. Wether you believe in tithing, or giving your first fruits, or giving based on your convictions...are we really doing that? If just $30 a month can feed one of these orphans, can't I give that above what I already tithe? This is a fallen sin-scarred world we live in and we have been commanded to go and be salt and light. Am I doing that to my fullest extent with my offerings? A year ago I would have said yes. Now I think not. Check out this video from Piper. It's really good.

While the ball is in the air...

Let me start with a little story, a true story that means something to me, but might not mean much to those of you who do not play sports. When I was a freshman in high school we were playing a game against Desoto. We were playing without one of our best players who was playing with the JV. We were behind by two points with less than 30 seconds left. I took a three point shot, which missed the mark, but one of my teammates got the rebound. He threw it back outside to me at the three pont line, and I hoisted up another shot. I still remember that ball hanging in the air. I had done everything I could possibly do to win the game. Now, all I could do was watch and wait as the ball floated to its final destination point. During that moment, which lasted maybe a second, my mind must have raced through a hundred different things.

I know. I know. Get to the point. The point is that the ball is hanging in the air right now. We have completed every single piece of paperwork we could possibly complete. We have submitted forms and money, and forms and money, and, did I mention, forms and money. We have done everything we could possibly do to insure the outcome of the adoption process. Now all we can do is watch and wait.

Though, that is not entirely accurate. While the ball has been in the air, we have painted the nursery, received the bedding for the nursery, written a poem to go on the wall, taped out the exact location for the furniture, and saved money to purchase said furniture. Still, I find this is the hardest time for me because there is nothing I can do to speed up the process. It is a helpless feeling when all we can do is wait, but that, I suppose, is the point. God is teaching us patience and continuing to grow our faith exponentially.

You know, I guess I never finished that story about the Desoto game. Believe it or not, that ball did come down. It went right through the net. We won the game. The hard work had paid off, and we celebrated. I know some day soon we won't be waiting on this ball anymore. And even more exciting, I know the outcome because I know who God is: the sovereign Lord of the Universe. Then, we will truly celebrate, not just for our child, but for God's faithfulness to deliver our child.

Bryan

July Numbers

Well, we are a little late getting this out. Sorry. I just haven't had a chance to update the blog lately. So better late than never. We are now officially 26 on the boy wait list and 47 on the girl waitlist. I do think though that there has been a boy and 3 girls matched since then so that might put us at 25 and 44. By the way. If you're reading this and would like for us to be able financially get a little closer to bringing our baby home....please check out our coffee store (link to the right). $5 of every bag bought goes to support our adoption. Please tell your friends about it! Thanks for all of your prayers and support as we wait.

June Numbers

You've got it!! We have moved to number 29 on the boy waiting list and number 50 on the girl waiting list.

Psalm 29 says in vs 10 and 11, The Lord sits enthroned over the flood, the Lord is enthroned as King forever. He gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

A fitting Psalm. God has definitely blessed us with peace and given us strength as we wait. He sits on his throne forever so praise Him!!