Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary.....Jim and I have been married 16 years today. It is hard to believe. I am sitting here this morning reflecting on all that we have been through in the last 16 years (22 years if you count the dating). We have moved 11 times, had two children, adopted 3 dogs and 3 cats, lived in 9 states, aquired PhD's, survived health issues, and on and on and on. I guess that is the making of a strong marriage and a lasting commitment to always love and support each other.

Now we are embarking on another journey to adopt again. This time, we are waiting for a referral for a little girl from Ethiopia. I have to say, I am truly ready to see her face. We have only been waiting 5.5 months, but I am still hopeful that we may be able to get a referral before the courts close in August. We continue to pray everyday that God will grant us patience, love, and understanding during this process. Now that I am home for the summer I am finding it more difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Congrats to all those that have received referrals, court dates, and travel dates. I pray every day for your safety as you make this remarkable journey to your children.

5 Months on the Waitlist

Well...... we have made it to month 5. We still are holding out hope that we will receive a referral soon. I can't help wondering if we will have a chance to make it before the courts close in August.

Congrats to all those receiving referrals this month. It really helps to hear all your "Call" stories. Hopefully they keep coming.

We continue to pray everyday for patience during this process. I just need to know our little Nayah is safe and healthy. I also need to know that her birth family is at peace with their decision to bring her into our lives.

The semester and graduation is over and now it is time to start focusing on home improvement projects. Painting, new tiles, and landscaping are at the top of the list. During this time, we will also be designing Nayah's room. Pink and Chocolate Brown I think.....Hmmmmm.

4 Months on the Wait List

Patience, patience, patience. We are "unofficially" #7 on the waitlist for a girl. Things have moved really quickly over the last few weeks. Congrats to all those receiving their referrals. We are patiently waiting for "the call" but have resigned to the fact that it will be a few more months. The average wait currently sits at 9 months for 0-12 month old.

We are starting to look at furniture for Nayah and clothes. In addition, the adoption ministry is beginning to form at church. We have had a lot of people donating clothes for both the trip and for a potential rummage sale at the end of May. Hopefully, this money will help with the additional expense of traveling twice to Ethiopia.

We continue to think about her constantly and pray for her and her biological family and the decisions they will be making in the near future. In the meantime, I have been drawing some inspiration from a few of my favorite quotes on "patience"

All human wisdom is summed up in two words – wait and hope- Alexandre Dumas Père

Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Patience can’t be acquired overnight. It is just like building up a muscle. Every day you need to work on it.- Eknath Easwaran

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.- Arnold H. Glasgow

Three Months Waiting for Nayah

Well, it has been three months on the waiting list for a referral. We have had a busy winter with travel basketball and family visits. I am not able to write too much tonight due to shoulder reconstruction last week. I was mugged in Ireland in November and never really recovered. Now, I incessantly stalk the blogs and pray that the list continues to move. I guess it is time to go back to work..... We congratulate all the families who have received referrals over the last month and pray that you have expedient court and travel dates. Now that the regulations are changing and we have to plan two trips, we are struggling with the decision to let our youngest child travel with us. Hopefully, with the help of friends and family, we can raise enough money for him to travel on the second trip.

We are also in the process of working with another adoptive family in our community on starting an adoption ministry in the High Country. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring this diverse community together and hopefully open up others hearts to adoption (domestic or international). It is an exciting and rewarding journey. Our oldest son is domestically adopted through Los Angeles Foster Care and he is a senior this year (18 years old). I can't believe he has been with us that long. Now I feel old...... Anyway, we are looking forward to this new adventure. We pray everyday for God to grant us patience during this process. Above all, we pray for our little girl and her family in Ethiopia. May their hearts find peace.

Two Months on the Wait List

We have been on the waitlist two months today. Referrals have been slow but the average wait time reported by our agency is 8 months. Hopefully, those on the list who have been waiting for over 7 months will hear something soon. We continue to pray everyday for patience and understanding through this process. I have been working with one of the local churches on starting an adoption ministry for people in the process or considering adoption. It can be a lonely place sometimes and we want to be sure to embrace and encourage those making their way through the mounds of paperwork and difficulties faced during this very rewarding journey. We live in a more rural area of North Carolina with few resources for adoption support. This will be a great way to bring people together to support a great mission.

Happy Valentine's Day

No new news on the adoption front. Referrals seems to be a little slow this month. Hopefully things will start moving soon. In the meantime, the snow is still falling here in the mountains of North Carolina.

Basketball season is in full-swing for Nikolaus. We traveled to Virginia today and are off to Tennessee the next two weekends. JJ is still working toward graduation in May. Jim and I are very busy this semester between teaching and research. My Mom is still enjoying her work at the church. We are going to be starting an adoption ministry at the church with the kick-off scheduled for Mother's Day. It is an exciting adventure that will offer us the opportunity to help others struggling with the expenses of adoption.

We continue to pray everyday for our little angel and her birth family in Ethiopia. Enjoy Valentine's Day and hold on tight to those in your heart.

Ethiopian Feast

Today the family tried many different Ethiopian recipes. We made Yataklete Kilkil, Ethiopian Beef Stew in Berbere Sauce, Injera, Ethiopian Honey Bread, Lentils, and Ethiopian Punch. We spent nearly 5 hours in the kitchen but it was well worth it. There isn't an Ethiopian restaurant here in Boone so we decided to try it ourselves. Great way to spend time with the kids.