Exciting News!!!!

We have some exciting news!!!!
Ya’ll know the year that we have had, with me finishing my masters and Jeff away at pilot training.  All of this while waiting patiently (at least trying) for a referral.  As we look back, we understand God’s timing and we know that we couldn’t have accomplished all that we did if things would have happened according to our plan. 

Jeff and I haven’t been together for more than a week in the last 6 months.  When I came to Jacksonville for this trip, I didn’t know what I was going to do with all of my free time….with Jeff still in the RJ program (school for 10 hours a day) and then finishing up his last week of work.  I love the sun and the beach, but there is only so much of that you can do by yourself for 2 weeks.  I looked into getting a 2 week job but no one hires for 2 weeks and even volunteer work was not available.  Like always, God had a bigger plan!

While in Florida, we got a call…this call was different than any other call we have received from AGCI.  Her voice was excited and as she told me to look on my email for a possible referral, I felt her excitement…I also felt overwhelmed, scared, not ready….what am I saying…not ready….of course we are ready, it just felt so un-real!  As I went through all the information, medical records, court documents, legal paperwork from AGCI, it was explained to me that before any decision was made, we needed to talk with an international doctor and find out any medical issues.  I started to get all our ducks in a row and meetings were set for this week.  When Jeff got back to the hotel, I had the picture of this little guy up on the computer and explained everything to him.  We prayed and gave him to God, asking God to direct and guide us in our decision making.  We sat in our hotel room and looked at each other, realizing that this could be our JLuke and then thinking, this could not have come at a better time.

Today we talked with our international adoption doctor from Seattle, via cell phone. J  He told us that given the circumstances he is in relatively good health.  He said that the information that we have is some of the most detailed that he has seen and that he has heard very good things about Hannah’s Hope (orphanage).  This is what we needed to hear to go forward with this process.  

So we have a referral!  He is a between 4-6mo…not sure of his actual birth date because information gets lost in translation and the Ethiopian calendar is different than ours.  Between now and when we go to Ethiopia for the final trip, his birth mother can still change her mind.  We are trusting in God’s plan, knowing that any changes made are made for a reason, but also praying and hoping that this in fact is our son. 

So with all of my free time while in Florida, I completed the paperwork (pages and pages) so that the process could move forward.  We will not know when our first trip date will be...most likely some time in October...we wait (we are good at this).

Please continue praying for this journey that we are on.  We can’t wait to bring him home to his forever home so that everyone can meet him face to face!

Looking back...ready to move forward

If you have been following this blog, you can tell that I am a bit behind.  As you can see the post that is titled "January brings change" was not posted on here until June.  This post was an email that we sent out (back in January) to our friends and family, giving them an update.  Now it is June and as I look back over the past year, so much has happened since we were first put on the "wait list".

I have been in the process of completing my masters in Education Administration...which I have just completed!!!  Jeff has been in airline school to become a professional pilot, finishing all of his courses and internship at the end of this month.  We are praying now that he gets a job with an airline.  For the past 7 months, Jeff has been in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Jacksonville for schooling and I have traveled around visiting him when I have long weekends or vacation time.  All of this flying has truly taken away my fear of flying.  Plus, helping Jeff study has educated me and I have an understanding of what goes on in the cockpit, which somehow makes me feel safe.

As I type, I am sitting in a hotel in Jacksonville.  This is the first true down time I've had since August.  I often wonder why the adoption process has taken so long.  My emotions go from being patient and knowing that God has a plan and a timeline, to not understanding why Ethiopia keeps changing laws, my patience shot and feeling frustrated. 

Over the past few days, I have had time to think, to look back on this year and really take everything in.  This school year, to say the least, has been the most challenging for me.  Transitioning to a new school, taking on the job of co-ASB/Leadership director, completing my masters, interning for my masters, coaching and teaching.  It was a crazy busy time.  I have learned so much and I feel that the experiences have challenged me and changed me.  This all while Jeff was also in school, also being challenged and stretched, gaining the training that he needs to be a commercial pilot.  Looking back...God knows how much we can handle and God knew that we just needed to get through this year and then we would be ready.  Yes, the wait has been hard, but God knows, His timeline is the best....so stay tuned because we are ready!  

January brings change....

I haven't written anything for awhile so here is a little update on the adoption. Our January number is 19 and we continue to patiently wait………patiently………some days I do way better with this than others. :) The adoption journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions and we are so lucky to have the support of our family and friends throughout this time. Thank you all for your prayers, support and words of encouragement. I love that we have all of you going through this with us!


Jeff and I have really been praying for God's guidance during this time. We know that he is leading us in this journey and that He has amazing plans for our family. When we started the process, we knew that we wanted to adopt a precious baby boy and this little guy is now known as J Luke. As we continued the process, we talked about the future and the desire to adopted another baby from Ethiopia…..once we had the opportunity to go through the process, the travel, all the aspects of the adoption. The waiting and praying and waiting and wondering why it is taking so long and why Ethiopia has changed so many laws and procedures has made us really depend on God and His direction for our lives. We have talked with other families who have adopted, read blogs, researched and we have a love and a tender heart for the people of Ethiopia. I can't explain how excited we are to travel to Ethiopia….even the plane ride doesn't scare me anymore.

As I stated above, we have a desire to adopt again. Through the waiting and gaining more of an understanding of the need for these children, this desire has only become more intense. After the January phone call with AGCI and again finding out that the process has been extended (MOWA is slowing down the number of cases they are processing per month, we really don't know what this means, however, we are told that it will extend our wait time), I felt a bit of a nudge from God. I can't explain it. As I thought and prayed about this, I thought, Jeff will never go for it. So I took my nudge to Jeff and explained how I was feeling and I knew that he would say…."Mindy, slow down, lets just see how this process works"……But instead, he said, "I'm down with that!"…..and he was excited too like God had been nudging him too!!!!! I called AGCI and told them what I wanted to do, expecting them to tell me that I had to do all of this paper work and that it would be a huge process and it wasn't, it was so simple and we stay at the same wait list number!

As of today, it looks as though we will not have J Luke for at LEAST 6 months. However, we may have another little baby coming with J Luke. We changed out parameters to except twins. Meaning that we may still get one precious baby boy…J Luke, or that J Luke will have a twin sister or brother. Our Agency has said that twins are very unlikely but that obviously it happens. So please continue to pray for us and for the adoption and for God's will and direction. When you feel the nudge, you have to follow it and that is what we are doing.

The Wait

We are still patiently enjoying our ride, but currently...we just wait.  The Ethiopian government closes from August to September so we know that there will not be any changes until October.  We pray that October brings lots of change.  We can't wait to meet the little guy God has for us!

"The Ride"

It has been 7 months since we started the application process. We are filled with excitement, waiting to see what little guy God has for us. It hasn't been easy, waiting, wondering, and not understanding why things happen the way they do….like Ethiopia changing adoption laws. We know that the new laws are better for the Ethiopian people but it will be so hard for us! If you are wondering what the changes are, I will fill you in. Ethiopia now requires a 2-trip process. The first trip requires adoptive parents to travel to Ethiopia, meet their child, and attend the first court date. Then we have to leave, leaving our little boy there. We return home and wait for the final court date, which could be 4-8 weeks later. When we get the call, we will travel back to Ethiopia to bring our baby home! I can’t wait for that day!

This journey has been a roller coaster ride…Jeff loves roller coasters, I don’t…they make me sick! I would love to say that this roller coaster ride is different but it is not. It is not the same type of sickness but more of an emotionally draining one. However, God is good. Every time I hit one of those drop off, low points, God brings someone in my life that brings me up…right at the perfect time. And for those of you who know me, you will laugh at this…it always happens at Starbucks.

In April, right after I found out that Ethiopia changed their laws, I was sitting at Starbucks talking to some friends about the changes. I was telling them that I just needed God to tell me that this IS what he wants us to do. I explained how I was feeling about having to leave this little boy after meeting him face to face and knowing the love I already have for him, I can’t imagine how that will intensify when I hold him. As we talked, a man sitting at a table near us, turned around and ask if we were talking about Ethiopia. I told him that we were, that my husband and I are adopting from there. He told me he was from Ethiopia! We sat for the next 45 minutes and he told us all about his years growing up in an orphanage in Ethiopia. He, his wife and 2 children live in Yakima and he was so excited to hear of our adoption. He invited our family to join his family in celebrating Ethiopian traditions. How crazy is this!!! Not crazy at all when you know God is in control… I need to keep reminding myself of this!

Since then, things have moved slowly…it seems like we have had to complete “one more thing” for months. In June, I was at another low point. This time I was outside of Starbucks and I saw a little African boy running around. He was with a “white” lady. I thought, “that will be me someday”. I wanted to ask her if he was her son, if he was adopted, but I didn’t have the courage. I don’t know why because I wouldn’t care if someone asked me that. I saw that she was talking to someone I knew. After they finished with their conversation, I went over to the girl I knew and explained that Jeff and I are adopting from Ethiopia and I was wondering if she knew if he was adopted. She smiled and said, he is adopted from Ethiopia and I would love to introduce you. I met Ky and his mom. Ky is full of energy and laughter and has the sweetest little voice. On this day I fell even more in love with my little boy that I don’t even know yet. Again, God knew what I needed and showed me His love through Ky.

Today, June 24, 2010, we are finally on the wait list. What does this mean….well, we wait. We wait for the perfect little boy that God has for us. We have been told that the wait time is about 8-10 months. So for the next 8-10 months, I will continue to remember Jeremiah 29:11-14…“For I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” God has big plans for our family and I can’t wait be apart of His plan!