Update!

Here she is!!!!

Hey everyone! This is Theresa, a friend of the family.

I got a call this morning from Stacy, but it was actually 5pm on Monday in Ethiopia. They said that the flight to Ethiopia was long and that they didn't get much rest, but they have been having an amazing time in Ethiopia! They met Hanna yesterday and she walked right over to them while holding the hand of her special nanny. I can tell that they are already smitten by sweet Hanna. While talking to me, Stacy was laughing at how Hanna kept going over to Tom and giving him kisses! They said that she is spunky, silly, stubborn and very sweet. She is sleeping and eating very well. They love their hotel and the new Hannah's Hope. They had their Embassy appointment this morning and it went smoothly. The travel group of 10 families is meshing so well and they are having a great time. Tomorrow they are going to do some shopping and they feel that Hanna will do just fine hanging out at Hannah's Hope while they shop. Stacy said that Hanna is definitely a momma's girl and loves to be held by Stacy...but she is really warming up to Tom, with kisses and playing with him. Stacy said that she thinks that Hanna is going to fit right in with the family. The special nannies at Hannah's Hope remember L, who was the first child adopted from Hannah's Hope Ethiopia, and they have been kissing her picture that Stacy and Tom brought to show them. Their update made my day! And I know you guys were anxious to hear about them. All is well!

Christmas Pics and Travel news...

The boys were just a "little" excited about getting to open presents on Christmas Eve. We went out for an early Mexican feast and then to the candellight service at church, so by the time we got home and "jammied-up" they were pretty wound up.

The CHRISTmas de Chaos was really lovely, and really not too chaotic. My Mom went to Florida to spend the holidays with my sister, and most of the rest of our family was here for Thanksgiving, so it was just the five of us, laying around in our jammies, enjoying way too much food and playing with new toys. The kids really had a nice Christmas and Santa was good to them too.

J2 was so excited that Santa brought him an art easel. He loves to color and paint and draw...definitely one of his favorite gifts.

L, or course, got lots of "Cars" stuff.

And J1 was attacked by a giant squid...that came with their pirate ship...

I have to say that I was quite proud of all of them for being happy for each other's gifts and for sharing all of their gifts so well. Now, if we could just get that "cleaning up" part down...

ADOPTION TRAVEL UPDATE:

Mommy and Daddy leave very early Friday, Jan 8th for Ethiopia. We are all soooo excited to bring H home finally. We will arrive in Addis on Jan 9th and hold her for the first time on the 10th. My friend, T, will be updating the blog if I can get through to her by phone or e-mail (sometimes tricky over there), so stay tuned. I hope to see many of you at the airport when we return on the 16th, but be sure to check here for any changes to our travel plans. We love you all and thank you so much for your prayers and support as we welcome a new daughter into our family.

TICKETS BOOKED!!! Ethiopia here we come...

Just got official word on our travel dates and booked our flights. We will fly to Ethiopia on the 8th of January, arrive on the 9th (after a very very very long flight), and hold our sweet girl on the 10th! I am so excited...just a few short weeks away! We will return on January 16th at 11:38 and would LOVE for everyone to come out to the airport to meet our newest family member. Just please remember to meet down in the baggage claim so that our kids and Grandma can meet their new sister and Granddaughter first. Thank you all so much! God is good!!!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Chaos!!!

Tis the season for sugar-hyped, gift-wanting, Christmas-crazed kiddos at the Casa de Chaos! We are having so much fun and are so excited for Christmas to be here. Just a few weeks ago we actually got some snow! Not much, but the kids had a blast playing outside...until it melted about an hour later : )

We also had to have our traditional Christmas cookie making and decorating day...

And of course, for L a few sprinkles just won't do...

Pretty proud of their mess...um, I mean beautifully decorated cookies! We will have to save a few for Santa though : )

And of course, we are trying to stay focused on the true meaning of CHRISTmas...the birth of our dear Lord and Savior! We are just so amazingly blessed! And ,this Christmas, we are thrilled to add a new sister to the family...even if we don't get to bring her home until January. Thanks Grandma Bonnie for the new family ornament...we love it! Merry Christmas to all and may you have a blessed New Year!

She's OURS!!!!

Yipppeeeee!!!! She is ours!!!! We just got word that little H is now offically our daughter!!! Now, we wait for the U.S. Embassy to give us a date to travel to bring her home. I am on cloud 9!!!!! Thank you God!

Can I have a little cheese with my whine?

So, I have to admit that I have been a bit depressed, anxious and in a bit of a funk for the last couple of weeks. While I am THRILLED for all of the families passing court, travelling and bringing home their children, I must admit that selfishly, it hurts too. I know that anyone who's ever been there knows what I mean. This is our fourth adoption and we've been on both ends of this rope...getting lucky through the process, while others wait...having to redo documents while others breezed through the process...been there, done that. It never gets any easier, but it really is soooooooo worth it!
Now, our second court date is this Thursday, the 10th in Ethiopia...well, actually Wednesday night as we sleep; and I am just so nervous. I do trust God and His timing, but I am truly scared that one stupid little piece of paperwork will keep us from passing and then we'll have to wait another month for our next courtdate to find that that one stupid piece of paperwork is still not there. I'm not normally one to mire myself down in negative thoughts, I just MISS MY GIRL and I want to be with her. Seeing the videos my friends John and Theresa took of her were such a blessing, but it definitely makes it that much harder to wait to hold her and look into her sweet face.
I am hopeful that we will pass this week...and bracing myself to not be totally devastated if we don't. I would appreciate any prayers on our behalf...especially for my poor husband, who has to deal with me. Let's hope second time's the charm!

Adoption Roller Coaster...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Adoption is not for the faint of heart. It's a roller coaster ride...up...down....way up...way down fast....SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a bumpy journey, for sure...but well worth the ride. As I type this, we await our second court date next Thursday. Yesterday, my dear friends, John and Theresa, who just returned from Ethiopia with their new daughter, somehow found the time to not only send me several pictures of our "H', but also made me a little music video, complete with several shots of my girl on video. Talk about cloud 9! I laughed and cried and ached to hold her, but wow, did getting a video of her make my day!
Later that same day...SCREACHING HALT! Followed by superfast downhill ride..!!!!..AHHHH. We found out that three other families who did not pass their first time either, did not pass their second time in court. They didn't pass the first time for the same reason we didn't pass...so naturally, I freaked out thinking the same thing will happen to us. Last time we were missing a letter....so five weeks later, could we still be missing the same letter? Of course, I immediately called our case worker and asked if they knew for sure that it was there, but we are dealing with foreign courts so sometimes they can't find these things out until we don't pass court again. AHHHHHHHH!!!! We saw her gorgeous face for the first time on August 24th...it's been way too long...I want my baby home! Mommy meltdown!!!!
And, then once again....God gave me His peace...the peace that surpasses all understanding. My favorite verse..."Trust in the Lord with all your heart...lean not on your own understanding..." Proverbs 3:5, came to mind. And, sure enough my morning devotional was none other than that very verse, coupled with a very wonderful reminder of God's perfect timing and control. How can I complain? God has blessed me with three, and soon four of the most amazing children, through adoption...and he made me a sister in Christ. adopted into God's family by Jesus. Amazing! So, I'm climbing back into the seat, lowering the bar, buckling the seatbelt and hanging on for the next part of this crazy ride. Please continue to pray for all of the families who are experiencing delays in their process and for these silly court things to be resolved. Today, I am also choosing to be grateful to God and to the amazing birthmothers and birthfathers that have allowed me to become a Mommy. Hanging on and hoping for the best....