The Time Has Finally Come

Once home from our whirlwind trip to Ethiopia, we were exhausted spiritually, mentally and physically.  We prayed hard and trusted that God would indeed take care of our little Harris.  We continued to wonder when we would receive a court date.  But thankfully we didn't have to wait very long.  At the end of August we got an email informing us that we had our long awaited court date!! 

November 3rd.

At that time, November 3rd seemed like a long way away.  Yet here we are just two weeks away from our departure date!

Now to explain this trip...

November 3rd is the court date in which Jake and I both have to appear before a judge and answer questions and somewhat prove ourselves (again) "worthy" and willing to adopt.  This is the court date where we legally become Harris' parents!!  Typically, once this court hearing is complete, families will go home leaving their child in Ethiopia and come back once all paperwork is completed .  But we have chosen to take Harris into our care after that court date.  Meaning, he will be able to stay with us until the needed documents are ready for him to legally leave the country.  Jake will spend a few more days with us, then head home to be with Asher and Mary Clair while I stay in Ethiopia with Harris.

The time frame of me and Harris being in Ethiopia is unknown (which makes it all the more hard!!).  But we prayed through lots of options and quite frankly, none of the options sounded great.  This was the best of all the terrible options.  I'm dreading our family being separated but I know that God will meet all our needs and get us through this crazy time.  In fact, God has already provided!  A dear college friend of mine is coming to spend a little less than a week with me!  It will be so wonderful to have someone to talk to and have a helping hand!

Things you can pray for:

1) Travel.  It's quite a journey to get there and back!  Pray for us to get rest on the way there.  Pray for Jake as he travels home alone.  And for me as I travel home alone with a baby in towe (there's lots of details to pray about with traveling a baby...I'll let you be Spirit led on that one!)

2) Speed of paperwork processing.  With an unknown time frame, I am praying that the God who rules the governments will have us home before Thanksgiving!  In fact, specifically, I would like the needed papers to be ready by two weeks after the court date (or sooner!!).

3) Bonding and attachment.  It will be fun to have a new baby.  But with adoption comes all sorts of attachment issues.  We plan on being very intentional about spending a lot of time together as a family making sure that Harris understands that we are his family and that he is so loved by us.

4) Time of family separation.  This is the one that makes me sad!  I am a quality time person and I feel like I'm going to miss so much while I'm gone!  Pray for Asher and Mary Clair while Jake and I are both gone.  Pray for Jake as he plays "single dad" for a period of time.  Pray for Harris and me as we spend a lot of good time together and that we won't get cabin fever at our hotel.

I'm sure there is much more to ask in prayer, but those are the main things that come to mind.

All of you have shown such great support over these past years!  Thanks for hanging in there with us--praying, donating funds, loving on us, listening to us, playing corn hole with us, and just being all around a wonderful support group.  We can't do this alone!

As always, feel free to ask questions.  Y'all are great!

"My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest."

Exodus 33:14