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Adoption Update…bout time
I know that I have been terrible at updating everyone on our adoption process. Last time around I was so good about blogging but with it being the end of the school year for Ella, and all the other crazyniss that come with the spring, I have not had a moment to process my thoughts let along write about them.
We have cruised through our process in record time…all our paperwork is in Ethiopia and ready to go. We had our fingerprints taken last week and should have our final clearance letter very soon. It has truly been amazing to watch God at work. Any doors that we felt were closing he quickly made them wide open. Tonight we got word that the judge has quit and that the courts are in a bit of chaos which is slowing down the court process. We are hoping to get submitted this week and need prayers that we get through before the end of July. In Aug the rainy season starts in Ethiopia and causes the courts to shut down. If we do not get seen before then it will mean months of delays. We know that God will bring our family together in HIS perfect timing and that we must rest on that. We ask that you pray that God works to fix the courts, that our case is seen quickly and that everything goes through without a glitch. We ask that you pray for our patience and that we trust in the Lord and not in our own timeline which is so very hard to do.
This morning at church while we were singing I was looking around in awe at all the different families that have brought home their sweet children. Children coming home from Africa, China, Ukraine, and locally. What a beautiful thing to be a part of. We are so so lucky to be a part of a church that truly loves and is walking in adoption. In the last few months two families have brought their daughters home and two more are on the way. It made me think of our children. How I can’t wait to get them home…two less orphans in the world.
For now though we are just waiting, praying, and trying to just be. Be still and cherish the time we have in the now. Soon our lives will be thrown into another very busy season and I am trying to just sit and enjoy. As my mom’s dear friend Joan would say… we are just going to sit and stare.
Sweet Sweet Hannah
Another adorable little girl in her forever home. Sweet Hannah came home last Thanksgiving and just turned two. She was so well behaved and made my job such a cinch. Their family ran in the Choosen Race last year and were blown away by all the families able to adopt that never would have had the chance finically without the race. Hannah’s mom told me how incredible it was to see runners sobbing while coming through the finish line, not because they had completed a marathon or a half but knowing that they were running for their daughters, their sons, their grandchildren, or their nieces or nephews or their friends bringing their children home. I am so very blessed to see the power and amazing strength of Gods plan and what he’s doing in other adoptive families lives. It is so encouraging and typically leaves me sobbing while editing the faces of these sweet children, orphans no more.
Family of 7!?! WHAT?!?
We have some very exciting news to share!!! We are growing our family of 5 to a family of 7 through adoption again! Thats right, a family of 7! I really can’t believe it but already feel so very blessed. I don’t really where to start with this story and how it all came to be because I believe that its always been our story we just hadn’t known it yet. So lets start at the beginning of our journey. In 2005 God blessed us with our first daughter, Ella. She has been such a blessing and such a light in our lives. Adjusting to one child was huge for us, I remember begging Jason to come home early to help out with her and struggling to keep everything in order. Looking back I laugh. Little did I know. In 2008 God placed adoption on our hearts. I remember the night that we sat on our porch and both talked about how the Lord had been stirring a heart of adoption in us at separate times, neither one knowing that the other one was having these plans. It was amazing to watch God work in our hearts and the perfect timing that he had. In 2009 we brought our sweet handsome son, Bennet, home from Ethiopia. After returning home Jason and I both knew that a part of hearts would always be in Ethiopia. We always hoped we would get the chance to go back, and get the chance to adopt again. Then two years ago in 2010 our ’small’ family of 2 grew to a family of 3 when our daughter Maggie was born. She is a pure joy. Just a funny, nutty, happy go lucky sweet sweet girl. And now God willing in 2012 our family will grow again through the adoption of 2 sweet children. This time around should be a little different, as we already have seen the sweet faces of our children. We have names and info and I am already feeling like a mother bear in constant prayer that they are kept safe until we are able to get there. I wish I could show you their adorable faces and share more info but for now all I can say is that they are perfect! Made beautiful in Gods image. Please pray for us and for them. Pray that paperwork goes quickly and that God’s will is done. We have no idea of how long this all will take, we are in it for a long haul but pray that God has other plans and that this is all brought to completion quickly! So a family of 7…7 I always have like that number!
Bath Time
I swear sometimes he stays in the bath so long that I think he must have grown gills. Little fishy.
Long summer days
On these long summer days I can’t wait until the evening, when the sun changes from brutaly hot to perfectly warm. When the cool breeze blows through our yard, and you know another wonderful summer day is about to come to an end and another wonderful summer night is about to begin. There’s about an hour of perfect light. The light that just hugs the earth with golden, pink tones. It is my favorite time.
My Sweet Maggie is one
My sweet Maggie turned one year old yesterday. She has been such an incredible little ray of sunshine in our lives. Maggie is always happy, always laughing and smiling. She is content just about anywhere and gives the sweetest hugs in the world. She loves herself a good ‘mum mum’ and likes yogurt for breakfast. Maggie idolizes her big sister and waits with arms up for Ella to swing her around. She loves playing with Bennet, watches his every move. In fact, no one can make Maggie laugh like Bennet can. I am so sad that my sweet Maggie is growing up, but am so excited each day to see her grow and change. Thank you God for this sweet light in my life. Happy Birthday sweet Magpie!
Wes and Melanie Edwards
Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day, it was simply perfect. Thanks you to Grooms Sold Separately for featuring my work on this gorgeous wedding.
Robert’s Family featured
This session is featured on ‘On to Baby’ blog! They are also the ones behind the ‘Wedding Chicks’ blog where I was lucky enough to be featured a while back. Thank you so much for putting my images on your blog!
by ashflo
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