Surreal!

Guys. It’s been almost 8 hours since we found out that we finally cleared MOWA and received our positive recommendation letter.

 

It doesn’t feel real! I mean, we’re CRAZY excited, but after waiting for so long, I don’t think it’s fully set in that we’ll be leaving soon to meet our daughter and bring her home.

 

BRING. HER. HOME.

 

I don’t think it will hit until KC and I are sitting on that airplane about to fly out.

 

We’ve had a lot of you ask us what’s next. Well, we got our letter and the team immediately took it over to the courts so that we could be issued a court date.

 

It generally takes 1-3 days for the court to issue a court date.

 

And that’s it guys. 

 

Once we have our court date (probably by Monday or Tuesday), KC and I will be heading out. The last family that cleared MOWA had a court date of only 1 week out! They left almost immediately. So there’s a good chance we could be leaving by mid-week next week or at the latest the following week. Either way, we’ll be heading to Ethiopia in about a week and a half!

 

YAY!!!! I can’t believe it!

 

Now, once we clear court, that’s when we’ll be able to share her beautiful face with you guys!

 

KC will be coming home after court, while I stay in-country to get her passport, visa, and to finalize everything with the US embassy so that she’s a citizen as soon as we step foot on US soil. I could be there an additional 2-4 weeks. 

 

And then, we come home!!! ❤️

 

And I know everyone’s curious – we will be hunkering down at home for a few weeks before we go anywhere. This will give her time to adjust to us here at home and to get in a routine.

 

We’ll give everyone the opportunity to meet her at the airport before we begin our “cocooning”.

 

We want to be absolutely sure that it’s as smooth of a transition as possible for our girl. There will be some hard times over the next few weeks and months, but we’ll be here with her and for her. So please bear with us as we all adjust. 

 

We’re hers forever. 

  

 

PS: Here’s a link to “cocooning” if you’re interested in reading up on it. The main idea is that we are her providers – we will be giving her food, drink, hugs, kisses, taking care of boo-boo’s etc. for the foreseeable future. That way, she knows we’re going to take care of her. 

 

http://yestoadoption.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-is-cocooning-and-why-are-you-doing.html?m=1 

 

  

    

But He’s good

Friends,

 

Our agency just sent us a message stating that they were "expecting an update of some sort" on our case tomorrow. We don’t know what that means exactly…. My heart is about to beat outside of my chest. I’m getting excited.

 

A LARGE part of me doesn’t want to get excited because it’s likely that we really won’t hear anything. KC and I are at this place of “Do we allow ourselves to get a little excited? Or do we guard our heart just in case it turns out to be nothing”? Because seriously guys, this day to day is torture. 

 

It stinks finding yourself at that place. It really does.

 

But I know my God. And I know He is bigger than any update we may or may not get. He has the power to hold us when we’re scared and confused and heartbroken. He has the power to hold Bertie – to comfort her and let her know we ARE coming for her. Because we ARE coming for her.

 

Throughout this process, I find myself wanting to err on the side of caution; to be safe. Isn’t that what I’ve been doing? Trying to control the outcome? Guarding my heart? 

 

But that’s not what this is about. Following Christ isn’t about being safe. Saying yes in a BIG way is the furthest thing from safe. But it's so good guys. 

 

I think of the line in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (one of my favorite books) – “Safe?... Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good”.

 

Why am I just now realizing this?! I have no clue. Haha!

 

So even though my brain is telling me no, I’m going to keep hoping. Because my hope isn’t in a piece of paper or a court date. My hope is in a God who adores me and wants only the best for his little girl, and for my little girl.

 

So please friends, keep praying for our little family as we continue this uphill climb. We know the peak has to be close. And if not, He’s still good.

 

 

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…” James 1:4