What's another week when it's just your heart hanging in the balance...

Our paperwork should have been submitted to the embassy yesterday but we found out this morning that wasn't the case. Something to do with a paper copy of the boys' physicals not being ready yet... who really knows. So we wait till next Tuesday.

Just another week.

It kinda feels like we're running a marathon and keep hitting mile 26 and when we should just have 0.2 miles to go they keep adding a mile. And another.

And can't we just be done running this race? Be done waiting?

I'm tired and probably shouldn't post at all tonight, but just wanted to pass on the no good news.

Orphaned no more

WORLD magazine's cover story this week on Ethiopian adoptions

Passports and pneumonia

We received the good news that Tamagn's passport cleared and all our paperwork will be submitted to the embassy next Tuesday. The average time at present for the embassy to review paperwork and offer an appointment is just one to two weeks. That's great news!

We also were informed that both Bereket and Tamagn have pneumonia at present. They have not had to be hospitalized so we are assuming it is under control; this seems to be a common thing for this time of year. But, don't let that stop you from praying for their little lungs to clear of fluid and health to be restored so that we are able to travel with them once the paperwork clears.

Casey seems to be struggling with this more than I. I'm afraid I've found more peace from my familiarity with pneumonia from working with it in pediatrics and my confidence in penicillin than from remembering that the Father of these little ones stands at their bedside while we cannot. But, this has sobered me and reminded me that I can do my best fighting for them from my knees. Seventy-two hundred miles away. We'd appreciate it if you would too. Thanks.

I've had the privilege of having a few phone conversations this last week with a few of you that I don't see on a regular basis and wanted to say thank you again to all of you who take the time to read this and pray for us and care over the distance. Means a lot to us. It's really strange to journal our journey and have no idea who is following it, but know I appreciate it!

Correction... not quite embassy ready yet

Ah, well. Maybe by the time we are done with this whole adoption process I'll understand how it all works. We are not quite ready to have our paperwork submitted to the embassy.

We got an email today stating that Bereket's passport had been issued but there was a hang-up with Tamagn's and it will need to be investigated. We are not anticipating this to be a big deal but it is a delay. If it can be cleared up quickly, our paperwork will go to the embassy this week. If not, we wait another week. Once the embassy has our case, it may take them just a few days to review it and clear us to come back, or a couple of weeks. My heart jumped when Casey told me this on the phone today. I'd given up hope for early August travel.

So, once again, can I ask you to pray for us? That Tamagn's passport would come tomorrow. That we might hear back from the embassy quickly. That we might travel early August.

Thank you. Lots.

Embassy ready!!

Amidst the pictures of friends smiling at us from the side of our refrigerator, we've added two pieces of paper--copies of the birth certificates of two little boys with our last name. Oh the thrill!

They were issued on July 4, 2011.  Thought we'd continue with our style of having adoption milestones occur on national holidays. I'm hoping this funny coincidence ceases here and that Labor Days comes well after we are home with these little guys.

The boys went for their Embassy physicals last Friday, completing the final requirement for us to be "embassy ready." Our paperwork was submitted Tuesday and now we wait for them to review our case and invite us back to make our appearance before them with the boys, get visas and bring them home. For forever.


We are close.

I'll share with you the happy surprise I found in my inbox yesterday afternoon.

See that band on Bereket's wrist? Yep, it says "Unverzagt." Did we tell you that they are our boys?

It's a thrill every time I see their names written with ours. Their new, complete names. And I wonder if our Father in heaven doesn't look down at us and have His heart stretch with love as He beholds the children He has adopted into His family, the children He has renamed with His name. And when I consider that my love for these little boys, who can no longer be called fatherless, doesn't begin to compare to the extravagant love that our eternal Father and Maker has for me, for you, I am overwhelmed.

Can I remind you today that He has written His name on your wristband? Can I remind you that you are precious to Him and that traveling the distance from eternal deity to mortal man was not too far for Him to go to make you His own?

Or can I join with the apostle and "implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5)

Being part of His family is a really, really good thing.

A quick update and a few pictures

We were made aware this week that CWA had not received our court decree yet and therefore could not submit our paperwork to the Embassy. We had not realized we were still at this stage in the game. A little discouraging... But, we received an email yesterday stating that our court decree came through. So, yippee! Moving forward.

We did get a new batch of pictures of Tamagn today, which show evidence of his rapid gain in growth and development. The child has 6 teeth now! He had none when we met him four weeks ago.  Looks like he's also making gains in standing with aid and isn't being too stingy with that flashy new smile.

Not sure why we've just gotten new pics of the little one and none of Bereket. Maybe soon.

Families who are "embassy ready" now are getting their embassy appointments for the end of July, so chances of us traveling back to get the boys this month are unrealistic.  We are not yet in that category. We are still very hopeful for August travel. Always appreciate your prayers.

Our little family is home this holiday weekend, enjoying being home, wrapping up a few projects, resting. Hope you all are able to enjoy your families this weekend and the many freedoms we know. They are not to be enjoyed lightly. They have come at a great price.