Number 2

Isaac's choice to add to the blog today. Him and his cousin at our annual car show at church!

Matt and I think we are second in line for a child! Wow, so many children matched this week with families. Everyday I was excited to learn of more referrals. We pray there are more in the next month or two, what a Christmas gift!
Isaac starts pre-school soon and we head to Canada for a vacation. Tonight we hope the rain holds off so we can make it to the demolitian derby at the local fairgrounds!!

9 Children to 8 Families

This week Bethany matched 9 kids to 8 different families. Isn't that wonderful?! We are excited for the families and believe our referral is right around the corner.
I need to take a deep breath and pray for these families and their little ones. Soon it will be our child's picture I am staring at and showing to everyone!
Until then I have Isaac's cute face to admire!

The good news is...

We have to be getting close to a referral. Maybe 4th or so in line. Congratulations to our friends who heard of their new children yesterday. So far 5 children will have homes and families!! Maybe we will hear of more yet this week.
I am posting a couple of pictures, one of Isaac and I in my brother's wedding and another of Isaac at a friends pool, showing off his new swim gear! Too funny.
I hope to share more good news soon.

The Rearview Mirror

It has been an exciting few weeks. My brother was married July 17th! I did not take a ton of pictures because it was a busy time but here are a couple for now!




Last night about 9 of us Ethiopian moms got together at a local Ethiopian restaurant. It was great! I am still enjoying left-overs. There were new and "old" friends there to encourage and share in each others joys!
Today we went to the zoo. Isaac wanted to get his hair painted red!! So out of character for him!

I was thinking today how much I love to watch Isaac in the rearview mirror. He enjoys listening to music on the ipod. Everything from Michael Gungor to Toby Keith and Hillsong United. He really rocks it out to Newsboys!
Thinking about out adoption journey and how for we have come made me thing of this verse..."And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place" Exodus 13:3
God has brought us so far and through many joys and sorrows. I am so happy to have him as my heavenly father and put my trust in him for myself and my family.
I talked to our adoption worker today and we are in the midst of updating our homestudy. New finger prints, home visits and changing our age range a bit. We are opening it up to 0-24 months old and removing any wording that would indicated we would prefer an infant. Soon our time will come and we will be able to hug and kiss our little baby!

It is July!

Matt and Isaac fishing in Canada

The falls in Canada

Matt and Isaac at the beach

July is usually one of my favorite months of the year. This year we spent the 4th of July in Canada with Matt's family. Isaac did not want to leave! We wish it was not so far away, otherwise we would spend more time there.
Next week my brother is getting married. We are getting ready for the big wedding. My dress gets fitted tomorrow, can't wait to see Matt and Isaac in their tuxedos!
Tomorrow Matt and I are going out to dinner to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. Wouldn't it be great if we got a referral for out little boy tomorrow?? We are expecting a phone call any day.
My birthday is also coming up! Often we take a week to vacation at my parents home. Not sure about this year, I may have to go up without Matt because we have to save some vacation days to travel to Ethiopia! I just can't hardly stand to be away from up north in the summer!!!!! When we visited Canada I thought to myself, "why don't I spend from Memorial Day to Labor Day in either Canada or Northern Michigan?" I am just having withdrawls today...
Two local families are in Ethiopia right now and several more should go by the end of the month. Pray for a friend who's baby will need to see some specialists next week when they return home. He is a cutie pie and it would be very difficult to not know exactly what he needs. I am sure they just want to bring him home!
I have my final exam in bible school tonight and lots of groceries to get. Thankfully the wash is complete!
Have a great week and I will be posting some beautiful wedding pictures soon.

Almost There

We celebrate with families last week who received referrals for their children! Five in all to families all across the nation. Two local families leave next week to meet their little baby boy and girl.

We believe we are next in line for a little boy. Their are several in front of us that are waiting for a girl. What a blessing!!

Some of you know Matt and I are in bible school through our church. It is called Leader's for Christ Training Center. We will complete 5 trimesters and receive an associates in ministry. Both of us will be finished next May. I am currently in a summer session to catch up to Matt.
A couple of months ago our facilitator asked us to believe for something specific by July when the class ended. He stated he would be praying for us daily.
Right away in my spirit I felt it should be for a call from our adoption worker telling us we had a child. Of course, my next thought was doubt. What if it does not happen? What if I feel let down by God? All those thoughts that can run through our mind daily.
Since the birth and loss of our son Samuel my relationship with God has grown and changed. It is definitely more intimate. So I talked to Matt about my feelings and to God. Matt's response was, "why not?" God is bigger than any human circumstances.

I decided, "Yes" I would step out in faith and believe for a referral by July. I really want to have a picture of our little one to show off at my brother's wedding. Now of course here we are next in line...I had to really put my faith in God!
Also, I step out and tell people we were believing for a referral by JULY! That we believed it could happen ANY day.

I went through all of Isaac's clothes and sorted through them to donate or repack for our baby. It was a step of faith because those clothes were waiting for Samuel and he did not get to use them. Thank You Jesus you have him in your arms in heaven and have made a way for us to continue growing our family through adopting. Adoption is so important. Just last night alone I was talking to Isaac about how Moses and Esther were adopted.

God wants us to believe Him for more than we could ever ask, think, pray or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)
More news to come soon...oh, and our next step of faith is to put up the crib!

Prayers for Friends

Cousins and Best Friends

We pray for two families in Ethiopia seeing their children for the first time. How exciting it would be!

I also found out today an American family who lives in Ethiopia, who we happen to get connected with through a friend of mine, knows and assists with programs in Ethiopia. (Kind of confusing how we know each other, basically Facebook connection) This family lives in Ethiopia, has adopted and knows the directors of Yezelalem Minch Children's Home.
So she was helping them with their community feeding program the other day. She told YM's directors, Birtukan and Nesibu about a recent Youtube video she had received from me! She said it made them smile!!
Small world isn't it? YM is a large part of the video Bethany put together recently. Anyway, we can't wait to get there and meet this family and of course our baby!! Praying it is soon.