To Nairobi we Go

Remember how I said our case might go to Nairobi?? It went to Nairobi. As most cases of her type have.

Which is a not so great thing - as it meant the Embassy in Addis didn't call me last week and say - come get your girl...

Which is also a kinda great thing - because it meant the Embassy in Addis didn't call for more investigations or let it set on their desk for 2-3 more weeks but sent it on pretty quickly. About a week ahead of schedule actually ...

Which is also a kinda great thing - because it should arrive early next week and the Embassy in Nairobi has been making decisions under a week normally.

Which means we might be able to go and have our appointment with the Embassy when the file returns a week or so later to Ethiopia.

So the countdown is on ya'll!! Hopefully, I will be back on a plane within 2-3 weeks. I'm starting to pack a little here and there!

Cause we got more pictures this week and our baby girl has gone from this baby girl:


to this baby girl:

SO she needs to become this baby girl again, like NOW. We need some baby spoilen going on! Nuf said?

Homesick

As in 'bring her home' sick. I am feeling literally sick to my stomach every time I think about how much longer it could be to bring Olivia Selam home.

I KNOW we were submitted at lightening flash speed.
I KNOW our 2 weeks, until you hear something, is just up tomorrow.
I KNOW many, many, parents had to wait much, much longer than us so far.

BUT, I still know that every morning as soon as my eyes open I am popping up and racing to a computer to check emails for early morning Embassy news. And my stomach drops at 10 am everyday as I recognize the end of their workday.

Last week we heard of some really fast, like super duper fast, Embassy clearances. Like under a week cleared. And the next day we got a generous, $2000 donation to pay for my plane ticket so I was reading the writing on the wall that said God was moving and I should get packing. This week, my weakness has kicked in and I'm back to trying to prepare myself for our paperwork to take a Nairobi trip which = a month more minimum. So much for my flexing those faith muscles. Thank goodness for my prayer warrior friends who I know have got my back!!

Someone had told me this was the hardest part of the wait and I was all like, 'NO, our 2 year referral wait was pretty dang hard - this is a piece of cake'. I have 300 brown eyed munchkin photos and 2 hours of video to feast on. Well friends..... this is the hardest part of the wait...

Come home soon baby cakes. Mommy has baby fever.

Adoption is just a Front

It's a front. It's not what they say it is. It's not about helping a child. Even a gorgeous angel like this one.

It's not about the hours invested, the thousands of dollars poured into it. It's all a front. It's not about 'saving' a child, really at all. It's not really even about creating a new family, not this one anyway.

Was it about making us look like 'super Christians'?? Like strong pillars of faith that trusted God every step of the way? Did we (or anyone else) adopt just to have the attention and the admiration poured on us? Because we've gotten more attention in the last 3 years than the last 15 combined.

Was it about making the baby, one lucky little baby? Bringing her into a family that loves her. Saving her from the horrors that IS growing up as an orphan? Well, that is a benefit, but it's not even about that at all.

Adoption is a front because it's not about the adoption at all. It's about what it does. It's about the master plan. It's a means to an end. And that end is not MY family. That end is HIS family.

Because when I tell our story, which I am able to do often - as it is often that I hear 'what made you decide to adopt?', I am able to tell HIS story. It's not mine at all. I'm just the little, pretty invitation which brings people into the party. And it is HIS party. A birthday party if you will.

Because when I tell you that I heard God say to go to Ethiopia to get my little girl as I drove down the road to Columbia, and then that He affirmed His will via a sentence on the computer, you can clearly see - God will talk to you if you pray and listen.

Because when I tell you that God sent us an anonymous money order for $1500 when we needed $1500... or a donation of $2000 when we needed $2000 for a plane ticket..... or buy one-get one free plane tickets on the last few minutes of the deal when we had literally minutes to spare - you can clearly see - God will provide for your needs, if you have faith that he will.

Because when I tell you that God sent me an artist's rendering of my daughter, a week before we ever saw her face, painted 2 months before she even went into our orphanage - you will clearly see - God's plan is in motion before we are even ready to receive it.

Because when I tell you that we fought through wanting to quit, that we cried that we were done, that we begged our social worker for news, and that we prayed 'why God?' more times than we can count - you can clearly see - it is not about our strength or faith muscles, as it was only with His strength that we are dragging ourselves over the finish line. It was not by our will-power. That is for sure.

So yes, we got lots of attention. And yes, our precious baby is no longer an orphan. But that is just the icing on the cake. You can clearly see - the difference made in a little one who has went from orphan to daughter. The change is amazing, it doesn't even look like the same child.

So it is the parallels of adoption that is the true story. The parallel of how when you allow HIM to adopt you, the change will be amazing, and you will no longer look like the same child. But instead of the story of the affluent American citizens making the choice to include a helpless orphan, it is the story of a mighty King, asking YOU, will YOU be my child? The miracles, the story, the beauty of my adoption, and of anyone else's - they are just how He drew you in and opened your eyes for you to see - He has a bigger plan than bringing a baby girl named 'peace' to America.

His plan is to make His name known, and to open your heart so that you can see the plan that he has for you as well. And the transformation should be easy to see. Have you been sitting on your hands and watching others dance? Isn't it time to let him turn your life into a frilly invitation as well?

Easter is a time of celebration, but it didn't end 2000 years ago with an empty tomb - Christ is moving, and active, and alive today. It's when you open your eyes to see what he has placed right in front of you that you really begin to feel and see his presence..

My Kid Rocks Monday

My friend Missy at 'it's almost naptime' started a new, fun game where moms are given a platform to brag on their kiddos every Monday vs. the usual - I am so tiiiiiiiiired of taking care of these little monkeys and their endless messes! (not that I would ever say something like that!)

So for my first edition I set forth my first born. Who Tony calls his little twin, but I know that under the surface, he is his mother's son to the very core.

Exhibit A:

The Big Brother Journal

Seth had asked to start a blog (like his mommy). I helped him set it up, saw them deny it because he was too young, so gave him my own google password and said 'here son, I pass you the baton'. Or something like that.

He wrote the post while I was taking Braeden to ball practice (read as: while I was sunbathing, chatting with other moms, and reading for 2 perfect, gorgeous hours I should have been cleaning). With only a couple 'how do I do XX?' texts - he did it completely independently.

I expected a post about the long plane ride, or the wild animals we saw. But oh no - he had to go THERE and make mommy cry. I love him. My kid rocks.