Pictures from Ethiopia..

Another family returned today, from Ethiopia and shared their pictures. There were about five new ones of Olivia, that I cannot post, but wanted to share some of just the sites around the city...as soon as I can get bloggers photo feature to work!!! You will see them here....
waiting by unpacking, but also reading a book on adopting older children and attachment. It will be interesting to see how our transition goes, with Olivia being older. Mary Beth was almost three when she came home. Olivia will be seven. Enjoy the pics....

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Nothing new under the sun...

at least on the adoption front....

I am in a wait mode. Waiting for the homestudy to be sent.

They are waiting on a piece of paper that they will only allow to be signed by the director of the adoption agency, who happens to be in Ethiopia right now and will not be back until next week.

So wait.

We are in our new house, with more space....

So we are living life, and waiting...

God's timing is perfect. So I am at peace on this. Have actually set my mind to realize my Nov/Dec will probably be the timeframe...and as I already posted, it may be better. We will be more settled, the kids in school, Angela will be here and more comfortable with the family and routine...so in many ways, probably better.

So, nothing new....:)

Just boxes to unpack!

Setbacks and Delays....

So I have had a piece of paper delay in my homestudy being completed...and again it is outside my control. With this added delay, I have pretty much given up hope to get to Ethiopia before the courts close....which would mean Oliva would be coming home in the November December time frame....

God knows what is best, and I am surrendered to His timing. I keep getting awesome pictures of her....and I know God is in charge of the whole situation...who knows what He may do.

So I am trying to learn about ESL and how to transition a child who does not speak English into the school system mid-year. Maybe Nov, Dec would be a better time anyway....less going on, kids in the school routine, so I could spend 1 on 1 time with her.

Our Abba loves us all...and we will be united....what a Christmas that would be, no? :) Can't wait. Hold on dear little daughter of mine....we are coming....we are coming soon, and we have made a great place for you....a house with many rooms, and one for you to share with your little sister. What laughs we will have. What fun. What pretty dresses, and dancing around the house and songs about Jesus. What hugs. What love. What a future. Our Abba Daddy is wrapping us all in...making us family. We are family. And we are coming.

Good News.....

No, I did not get my homestudy, yet. But I did get some good news, from another source.

The company I work for just added an adoption benefit. They will reimburse $5000 of my adoption cost! Isn't that an awesome blessing?!

Thank you Lord, and God bless Intel!

I also got to see some video footage today from the orphanage. I wish you could see these little precious smiling faces, and high-pitched voices. It is touching. I am hoping they will post the video of Olivia when she got our package and photo album.....

So here is a funny thing, I was thinking about the $5000 reimbursement from my company, that I was not planning on..... That is the exact amount to adopt a second child at the same time. Hmmmmm. Am I nuts?

BTW. The fabulous picture above was taken by a family who were in Ethiopia just a week or so ago.

Connected...

oh...more more thing, I forgot to mention....

In the many many pictures of Olivia Mame I got, one showed her holding a card, with her name and my name on it!!!!!

We are connected....we belong to each other. That is so amazing. To think, this little girl on the other side of the globe holds pictures of us and we hold pictures of her and the "belonging" is already starting. How awesome is that?

Just adjust...

Well, I did not get the good news I was looking for. :( The social worker was not done with the homestudy on the day she thought she would be, or on the 30 day mark....

But what can you do? Nothing I am not in charge of timing, and although she may not know it, neither is she.

So I had to adjust my thinking again, as I am counting days...and realize God is in charge of timing.

And regardless of when the next chain of events kicks off, it will be the perfect time in God's timing and it will all work out. :)

Isn't this a cool picture? A family that just got back from Ethiopia took it while they were there.

So...the homestudy is now being reviewed by various folks in the agency and should be sent to the head office...maybe Friday...in which they take up to 30 days to review and approve it.

Meanwhile, I am going to pull out all my dossier papers, double check that they are all in order, and then get them authenticated...so all I will have to do when I get my homestudy, is get it authenticated and send it off to Assistant Stork. Makes me feel like I am doing something.

On a happy note, I got TONS, I mean TONS of very cute pictures of Olivia, from the same family mentioned above. So cute. and in a few she was wearing the necklace and bracelets we sent her and the little purse!!! How cute!

She is always smiling and right in the middle of things and hugging her little friends. I am glad I have a full house for her to come home to, or she might me lonely.

What a blessing.

Hoping for good news on Monday....and Tues....

Well, I am hoping to hear good news on Monday: My social worker said a couple weeks back, that she hoped to have the homestudy done and sent to the agencies corporate offices by the end of April. Well, it is 4 days past that. I have not heard anything, but I sent her an email asking if it was done, on Friday...I am hoping to hear good news tomrrow! The home office gets another 30 days to review and approve it...I would love for them to be quicker than that....we are all waiting!! Hoping to beat the rainy season, as well as get Olivia home before school starts. ...Fret, fret....but God knows all this....Lord, your timing, your will.

My other good news, I am hoping to hear, is Tues or Wed. . . but more on that later...so waiting waiting.