2 Weeks

We have been sitting at the #1 spot for the last two weeks. I really did not think that it would take this long!! All that I can say is that this is really H A R D! It does not matter how much I pray, whine, cry etc. the wait does not seem to get any easier. In some ways, the wait is easier when you are number 10 or something because you are not constantly waiting for the phone to ring. Friends who have been through this before said that I just need to make myself busy. Okay, that is worth a try - maybe I will go find a project to do. But more likely, I will sit around and stare at my phone :) Please pray that our call comes soon - thank you!

Hope in the Dark Event

Last night, my husband and I got to be a part of an incredible event called Hope in the Dark. It was amazing!! Mike and Beth Hamilton (he is the athletic director at UT) brought home 3 children from Ethiopia last year. During their journey, they felt the Lord prompting them to do more. So, they started a foundation - the Kalugrace - to "get the word out". For the event, they had the Watoto African children's choir (orphan children from Uganda), speakers from a clinic in Kenya, a film about Blood:Water Mission, and Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman. Yes, you read that right - the Chapmans were there to talk about their organization called Show Hope. I just sat in my chair with tears running down my face half the night. Apparently, I was not the only one moved, because they raised $270,000. And, there was an AGCI family there who received $15,000 towards their adoption - holy cow!! So cool to watch the Lord at work!

It was such a blessing to be able to go and see all the people with hearts for Africa. Not to mention, we got to see a lot of friends from the adoption community (shout out to Lindsey). My heart feels full!!

Update

Okay, so for anyone who is following along, here is the update - nothing. Yep, we have spent a week at the #1 spot, and now I am ready to pass it along to the Keyser family. We were out of town last week at a conference, and I was just sure that we would get the call since it would have been very difficult to begin working on all of the referral/acceptance details; but alas, that was not the case. So, this week we are home with not much going on, and I am READY! Did you hear that, Lord? Now would be a good time :) It is the strangest feeling to know that when the next little guy who falls into our age range arrives at Hannah's Hope, we will get our call. My husband said yesterday that he still does not feel pregnant - HUH?? He said that once he sees our little guy's face it will become real to him. Well, I feel like I have been carrying this baby since late last summer, so I am more than ready. Little man, we have been praying for you and thinking about you, and now we would LOVE to see you!! Praying that we won't have to spend much more time at the #1 spot. We would be overjoyed to pass it to the Keysers. Now come on phone, ring!!

Unofficially #1

Oh My Word!! We are unofficially #1. I am such a big baby that I started crying when I found out the news. The family in front of us got a referral on a little boy Monday night (congrats "M" family -thrilled for you!!). So, that means that we are up next -aggh! I will probably duct tape my phone to my body. I just pray that we are not like the family that sat at #1 for 6 weeks. Y'all would have to come visit me in the looney bin. I promise that I will post all the details of "the call" once we get it. Just wondering, have any AGCI families gotten new numbers yet this month?

Cuckoo

Yep, that's me. I am going a little (okay, a lot) crazy waiting for our new numbers. Today is the 6th, so I am just wondering, what's with the delay? Don't our case workers know that we anxiously await these updates. It does not change when we will get our referral, but it makes us feel better :) Sure, they have a few other things to do with their time (give out referrals, schedule court dates, help with travel ...); but some of us get a little nutty during the wait. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. I know that we are getting closer to seeing that little brown face, and I am SO EXCITED!!

Rollercoaster ride = Adoption

Well, my last post was about two trips; but this week, there is a *rumor* that the law requiring the additional trip has been postponed. Hmm?? We shall see . . . I was just warming up to the idea of getting to spend several days with my hubby learning about the fabulous country. When we go for pick-up, there will not be much time or opportunity for sight-seeing etc. My husband asked me why I thought this new change had occurred, and I laughed and responded that it was because we are "in line". The last time we adopted, I can not even tell you the changes in process that took place WHILE we were adopting. Let's see - second DNA test, birth certificate to come through central authority, country SHUT down ... I hope that I don't sound jaded or bitter - I actually have a big smile on my face as I type this because I know that in the end, we will have a new little one to love. It will ALL be worth it! Just look at this cuteness if you doubt me

Two Trips

This week has been a busy one for Ethiopian adoptions. The country announced that they will now require two trips to complete the adoption. Obviously, the second trip is for "pick-up", and no one is entirely sure when the first trip will occur. We do know that it will be post-referral, and we will get to meet our little one. Having made several visit trips during our adoption from Guatemala, I look forward to this. Sure, it means more time and money; but, on the "up" side, it gives us another opporunity to experience the culture. And, best of all, we will have the blessing of putting our hands on our little guy that much sooner! It helps make the whole process more real in my heart that much earlier.
On another note -
Apparently, my math was a little fuzzy on my last post. While our official number is still #7, I think that our unofficial # is only 6. That's okay, because if there is one thing that I learned from our process with Gigi - you can't rush these things. God has the EXACT child picked out for us, and he will be placed into our arms on the EXACT day at the EXACT hour. Amen?!?