Some exciting news............

Well, I realize that I haven't blogged in about 4 months. The Facebook thing got me and it is quite convenient. I also realize I need to blog to keep track of all the things that happen, that I will someday forget. So I am now going to start blogging again and I am going to make my blog public but not searchable on the Internet. So, the news.............

We are starting the adoption process again for a child from Ethiopia. We have actually been working on paperwork for about 3 weeks but just haven't said anything because we felt we might be crazy. Then we attended church this past weekend and the Pastor was talking about a step of faith and how it is not logical and can be scary but you have to know God will be there to walk with you and be there at the end of the journey. He specifically mentioned adopting a child. Now when we went to church Saturday we had already sent money to the home study agency but had not told many people. I know God was speaking to us through that sermon and God has great timing. We were scared. A fourth child on one income, another adoption which is emotional and financially draining and all in this unsure economic time. So then we questioned our sanity but kept proceeding. Adopting again has been on our hearts for quite sometime and when I brought it up to Steve again, he was on board right away, umm that does not happen often:)

So we are on our way, our home study visit is in 6 days and we are excited. I have been working very hard on paperwork and will have it accomplished by Monday. The social worker can't believe how quickly I have gotten it done, I guess the second time around, you just do it and don't think about it. Here are some answers to questions you might have:

What age and gender child are you adopting?
We are hoping to get approved to adopt a boy age 3-4, right in between M and D. We know this will be a more difficult transition for the child being older but we are reading and learning about "older child" adoption.

When will he be home?
This is very up in the air. We hope to have him home by this time next year but with any adoption there is much uncertainty.

What agency are you going with?
We have not picked a placing agency yet. We loved CHSFS out of MN but they have bigger rules on adoption out of birth order than most agencies and don't have as many older child placements as some other agencies. We are seriously considering going with WACAP out of Washington. Again we have not decided yet.

How do the kids feel?
N and D are so excited. N wants to get a loft so he can share a room with his new brother and now D wants to get one so she can share a room with M. We are blessed with some loving kids who picked adopting a brother over a trip to Disney. Not that it was really a choice but I wanted to see what they would say. M doesn't understand but I am sure she will be happy to have a sibling that is from her same birth culture.

Over the next year we will for sure encounter some bumps, big and small. We may be asking for many prayers and will undoubtedly question our sanity. The one thing we won't question is this journey and why we are doing it. Adoption is an amazing process. We are so blessed with M in our lives and will be blessed with our fourth child as well. Hey to be totally honest, it sure beats a c-section:) Please stay tuned for our journey to our Ethiopian prince! So here we go and we shall remember that just because this journey is not the most logical and simple one, it doesn't mean we should not take it. Till next time(hopefully not too long:)