Looking Up

Things are working out in Ethiopia. They have done some personnel changes with the Ministry of Women's Affairs and they even have a new title MOWCYA (Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs). They are looking to restore the amount of adoptions they process to what they were. With God all things are possible :) Are we really surprised?? Nope!!
Our dossier arrived in Addis Abbaba Ethiopia on March 17. So exciting!! Now we just wait for an email that shows us a picture of our little guy with all his medical and social info. Praising God that we have gotten this far.
So I have been training for this half marathon on April 2. Well I did my long run for the week last Saturday nite, (9 miles) and while I was running I felt a little pain in my left Achilles but nothing major, so I continued running. Well the next day it felt weird. Our friend who does orthotics and prosthetics took one look at it and saw it was swollen. He said I probably tore some ligaments and should stop running. No race for me. I am more than disappointed to say the least. I enjoy running so much. As a stay at home Mom for the past 9 years I have just started running again as of last year. It's my down time, my "me" time, a prayer time. I also get a little grumpy if I don't run almost daily. Not to mention, I have mild scoliosis so if I don't exercise then I deal with chronic back pain. I know training is a little more extensive than what I had been doing so hopefully I can continue running again soon. I know the Lord has a reason for "benching" me so I will not stress about it. "Be still and know that I am God." I am not good at being still, at all. I hate it to be honest, sitting is my least favorite thing. Anyone that sits near me at church can probably testify to that. I fidget and switch positions constantly, not to the point of distracting others of course. I watch in amazement at people who don't move the entire service. The Lord wants us to be still in Him. My husband was just telling me how I always "find" projects to do as soon as I finish one. I wish the Lord didn't have to go to such extremes for me to sit and be still. I will learn...God has something big planned for us and I felt as though He said, "If you were willing to spend that much time training for a race, how much time are you willing to train for what I have in store for you next?" Ouch. So I enter a brief season of rest. "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." Phil.3:7-8
I have been able to add more recipes to the cookbook we're doing to raise money for the adoption. We were aiming for 200 but are at over 250!! Pretty exciting, I must say. So that's been a way I've been able to be productive. More fundraisers to come...

PLEASE SIGN!!!

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html


Ethiopia is looking to reduce the number of adoptions by around 90%!!! Our paperwork will be headed there on Friday and we don't want to wait any longer to bring our son home. Please sign the above petition and pass it along. This is very important!!

DTE March 11, 2011!!!

In adoption speak this means our dossier will be going to Ethiopia on March 11. I can't believe it!! Our last paperwork and check will be arriving at our agency on Monday, then it has to be authenticated in DC before traveling across the pond :)How did we get here you ask? God. Within a few weeks He provided the money we needed through a matching grant and other monetary gifts. That's just how He works. One of the largest gifts we received was from people we don't even know! It is nothing we could have planned for or foreseen. He will do it His way and in His timing. I can't emphasize enough that God is our provider, Jehovah-Jireh. If adoption has ever been on your heart, please prayerfully consider what God wants you to do. The money may not be there to do it, but God will be, and He will bless you exceedingly above what you could ever imagine. My heart is so touched by ALL of the people who have helped our son get one step closer to home. Seeing hearts break for orphans that never really considered what it all meant, it's all so beyond us. If you have helped at all, whether it be prayers or monetarily, THANK YOU!