September

Waiting, waiting......till at last we got a COURT DATE!!!!  In Ethiopia they have a rainy season in the fall and the Ethiopia courts close for 6 weeks. It is unusual to actually be given a court date during the rainy season, but we did!!  October 23 we will go to the Ethiopia court and testify our commitment to raise M, Y, and E as our own with all the rights and privileges as our other children.
Now to the preparing and packing!  Shots (check). Malaria medicine and antibiotics (check), clothes and school supplies for the orphanage (check), clearance from World Vision to visit our sponsored child ( check).  Is this really happening...it is hard to imagine ...

August



Two things happened this month to remind me that "there is a reason for everything".    I had so hoped to have gone to meet the kids this month, but as the adoption process slowed down, I knew that something was up....Were we not going to be allowed to adopt afterall?  Did someone along the way find us "wanting" and decide we weren't fit to parent these children?  Did they want people younger? wealthier? the questions in my head at times were overwhelming.  About August 17th, the day before Rock's birthday we found out that things "slowed down" because there another sibling was found....WHAT?  We were told we didn't have to go forward with these children, because of this new discovery...WHAT?  But she stole our hearts just looking at us through a picture thousands of miles away...and suddenly we were the parents of 3 new children :) 
Younger sister E joined brother M and sister Y in our journey to be a family.  The other thing that happened was that on August 20th Rock's dad suddenly died.  He had been having some health problems this year, but appeared to have been doing significantly better and we were all so overjoyed.  Nothing prepared us for this shock...and we both knew...we were meant to be HERE not Ethiopia at this time.  There is a plan,  thank you God for your faith in us, when our faith in you and your plan is sooooo small. 



Waiting...

Waiting.....I have never been good at waiting......living in such a fast paced society and one where gratification is well...instant..., my skills at waiting have not been well defined.  I have always been someone who worked hard and often long to get what I thought was best for my children and my family, but in this there is not one more thing I can do.  The last month has been hard, a lot of inner emotional overwhelm, turmoil,  anxiety, sadness and beseeching...   On several occasions I know I have embarrassed Rock as emotion neither of us knew was so strong came rushing out of me like lava out of volcano.  Homeland Security is not one of those places you want to make a spectacle of yourself, but when they could not find my paperwork to do my fingerprinting, I sobbed and begged through tears.  I rationalized with the poor worker and poor Rock nervously looked at the 3 security guards with their guns.  A few phone calls later the matter was cleared up and a new appt made ...for 10 days later...don't they know I have children 1/2 way across the globe that need a mother?...Don't they know that these children have been waiting for a long time and I don't want them to feel abandoned and alone another minute?  My pleading with "man" and with God has felt defeating...but I know the Truth. As many of you know the Ethiopian court closes for 6-8 weeks beginning sometime in August through into October.  I desperately wanted to meet our kids and go to court before they closed.  As that window of time is closing and I have gone from hope to sadness, defeat to hope again and then to acceptance it doesn't change my longing....This past Sunday in church I felt a real peace and felt the Lord telling me that it was ok, that He was in charge and that He had a plan.  Of course I knew all these things in my head, but to feel it resonate deep within my soul was a comfort and a blessing.  Then there was an email....a family who had submitted their paperwork a MONTH after us got a court date.  I didn't know my peace was so fragile.....I was thrown into hurt, anxiety, anger, desperation and my driven nature to take charge.  Even though it was impulsive I called our agency "after hours" and left a pleading voicemail.  Well, I guess if I can bawl in Homeland Security, I can plead with our agency worker.  i have tried hard not to be "that emotional annoying mom who calls every week to find out what's happening" in fact I have seen that rather than externalizing my emotions I have taken many of them to the Lord and wrestled with Him about them.  Though we do not have a court date and it feels like we are no closer to meeting our new children, I am closer to their Maker and Creator.  He knows the longing of my heart and He is already making me a better mom to them, by helping me trust and rely on Him more.

                           

 You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1-3 

My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.

Isaiah 26:8

I know that when God closes a window, He opens a door.  Rock and I will wait upon Him and His plan. Thank you for your continued prayers for us, for M & Y and their family too

Here's What Love Looks Like!

These are some of our first letters from the kids!  Together Rock and I had goose bumps and tears as we read their messages!  They even love and miss the dogs!

Enjoy!

Pam & Rock

Many of you have asked....

Many of you have asked how dinner went....I must admit my first attempts at Ethiopian bread were a flop!!  But I recovered with making a mild chicken stew & doro wot (a hotter chicken dish).  I am having so much fun!

If you want to learn more...read on!

Dining in Ethiopia is characterized by the ritual of breaking "injera" and sharing food from a common plate, signifying the bonds of loyalty and friendship. The traditional way of eating is with fingers. "Injera" is placed on the plate with variety of dishes decoratively arranged around it. A small portion of "Injera" is torn off and wrapped around a mouthful of the selected dish. "Injera", our staple bread, is a flat bread made of "Teff", a fine grain unique to Ethiopia. "Wot" is dipping sauce which maybe prepared using a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables. "Wot" is cooked with "Berbere" (Ethiopian seasoning prepared from matured red chili pepper and other exotic spices) which may range from very mild to spicy hot. "Alitcha" is more mildly spiced dipping sauce prepared with a variety of meats or vegetables. Ethiopian dishes are prepared with a distinctive variety of unique spices for an unforgettably striking dimension to exotic cookery. To help you make the best of choice for this truly different and exciting dinning experience we offer the following descriptions: Berbere : A popular Ethiopian seasoning prepared from red chili peppers, garlic, & other spice. Berbere is sun-dried then mixed with more spices & used in wots. Nitir Kibe : Another Ethiopian basic, Nitir Kibe is pure clarified butter seasoned with several condiments and used in traditional sauteing. Kaey Wot : A lively sauce prepared with berbere, nitir kibe & meat, fish or legumes. Alitcha : A delicately mild sauce made from meat, legumes or beans with garlic, ginger and Ird. Mitmita : Bird's eye red pepper spiced with cardamom & salt, usually served with Kitfo.

Welcome M & Y !!

We are so excited to announce that we will be welcoming M & Y, brother and sister to our family either late this year or early next year!  We have begun corresponding and we just received our first letters from them.  Our hearts are full!  Please pray with us that the process goes smoothly and quickly!  They are anxious to have a new family and we are anxious for them to be here! 

Anyone For Dinner?

These just arrived!  So excited to learn to cook food for our new children! In the end they may say "I want pizza", but that's ok!  Anyone want to come to eat the experimenting!

Cheers!

Pam