Ouch! Take two...

Well, I got my second round of shots today... They didn't hurt any less than they did last time. :) Kevin was able to start his vaccines today as well. I'm only one series of shots away from being done with them. I don't love pain.

WE GOT A COURT DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, Debbie called me and told me that we got our court date! It is scheduled for March 13th. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the E. adoption process, the court date is when the children are declared legally ours!) Now, not only is this INCREDIBLE NEWS, but it is also a miracle. From all the Yahoo groups, emails from other adoptive parents, and the forums that I have read, it typically takes at least 3-4 weeks for a court date to be issued after your paperwork is submitted to the Ethiopian court. It was only ONE WEEK after we were submitted to the court that we received our court date! PRAISE THE LORD! I know I've said it before, but He has just made this adoption process to Ethiopia so smooth for us. He has just cleared the path for us to bring these babies home. It is no doubt in my mind that we have been called to adopt these little babies, and that He has orchestrated the entire process by His hand.

Now, (if the court date does not get moved, postponed, or changed for any reason... you know how courts can be) the court hearing will take place on the 13th of March. If there are no missing documents from the babies' files, if the birth mothers are able to appear in court that day, and everything is approved by the courts, the BABIES WILL BE OURS. After that, it is anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks after that that we TRAVEL to bring those babies home. Pray for us that the court process goes smoothly, and that we are able to bring them home as soon as possible. YIPPEEE! (Can you see me jumping up and down right now???) I don't know HOW I'm going to be able to focus on homeschooling today! :)

Ouch!

I got my first set of shots today for the trip. (I sound like a puppy or something, huh?) Kevin had to miss his appointment (he was scheduled to come with me) because his flight got delayed. (He has been out of town for the past two weeks on business.) I think he probably planned that, don't you? Hee, hee.

I got my shots from a place called Passport Health. They do immunizations for travellers. It was a very informative visit. The nurse went over all the health and safety guidelines for travel to Ethiopia. She wrote me prescriptions for Malaria meds and for Bactrim (for "traveller's stomach). I had the option to take all kinds of shots (that I didn't really think were necessary), like a Rabies shot. (Let me know if you see me foaming at the mouth when we get home from Ethiopia...)

Submission to court - Take two...

Well, our paperwork was not submitted to the Ethiopian court, as we had originally thought. Dereje apparently contacted Debbie and told her that he would be submitting it today.... It seems that he is new to the Ethiopian court and says that it is taking longer because they are getting established in the court system, but he promises that it will speed up. Well, in the meantime, another week of the babies' lives have slipped by. I am sure that promise to "speed up" may benefit some families down the road, but as for us, well, I don't know.

I know the Lord has a plan and a reason for every delay. It is just so hard sometimes, waiting. I guess for the time that I am in waiting, I need to enjoy my other kids more while I can, and continue trying to get this house in order... What a MONUMENTAL task! Ugh!

Rick Warren (not one of my favorites.. he's becoming really "new agey") says, "Hope is about the future. Hope is wanting and believing in something you don't have yet. An in that space between wanting and having, between the present and the future, lies a gap that you can fill with one of three things: despair, fear, or faith. Despair is the decision to quit hoping, to quit wanting anything because disappointment has broken your heart. Fear seeps in when you want something but lack confidence in God's faithfulness. Faith upholds you when you want, and even when you ache while you don't have what you want. It helps you stay focused on God's trustworthiness".

I think God's Words of wisdom are so much better!

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

The eyes of all look expectantly to you,
And You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing. - Psalm 145:15-16

Submission to court!

I spoke with Debbie today, and she told me that our paperwork was going to be submitted to the Ethiopian court on Monday. She wasn't sure how long it would take before we were given a court date once it was submitted. (When we have our day in court, that means the babies are legally ours! A power of attorney attends court in Addis on our behalf, so we don't have to travel to be there.) A lot of times, though, the court date gets moved before it happens, or you have to be submitted to court more than once due to the necessity to gather more information, etc. So PLEASE pray for a fast court date and that we only have to go through court ONCE!

Debbie told me that once court is over, we travel 6-8 weeks after that. Getting so excited, but SO IMPATIENT! Please also pray for our ability to wait patiently. (This is going to be SO HARD!) Thank you so much for your prayers. We so desperately need them. :)