For the longest time I pondered over how I would open this post when given the chance. I have finally resigned myself to the fact that there really is no way to express my feelings about today’s significance and Anne is pushing me to get to the point. We passed court today and now two incredibly beautiful children, Yemisrach (Yemi) and Abenezer (Abe) are officially joining our family. All that stands between them and us is time and about 8,378 miles. In Ethiopia it will take about 8 weeks for paperwork and embassy requirements. Then we will travel to Ethiopia to meet our children and bring them home forever.

To say that this journey has been unbelievable would be an understatement. If you read our post from August, “How It All Started”, you read about what led us to make the decision to adopt. This is more of the story.

In early April we made the decision to start the process of adoption and emailed our application at the end of the month to International Adoption Net in Denver. In our application we were fairly specific in regards to the ages and sex of the children we would adopt and our notion was that we would have ample time to plan and to save the money needed. We were expecting a 12-18 month timeline and for things to move slowly. Anticipating plenty of time we planned on being fully prepared in every way, financially, emotionally, logistically, etc. So much for planning!

Less than two hours after we sent in our application we were surprised to receive stacks of paperwork via email! We immediately began appointments for fingerprinting, doctor visits and our homestudy. If you know Anne, then you know that she tends to become a bit of a freight train once she gets started. Things were crazy; the dining room was not only stacked with home school books but growing piles of adoption paperwork as well.

One Friday towards the end of May we had been out trying to get fingerprinted. After over an hour of waiting at the Police station we gave up and left discouraged. Anne returned home to a call from our coordinator saying she had been stalking us. Actually she had been trying to reach us all afternoon because the agency had just realized that they already had waiting children that matched our request exactly! We couldn’t have known what God had planned but just when these children were put on a waiting list for parents a second time, we were led to submit our application to adopt children just like them!

I recall staring into their faces when we received their initial photos. Abe was so cute, yet he looked frightened. Yemi was smiling beautifully but was stiff. This all happened so suddenly. It was less than a month after having decided to adopt and there we were, faced with perhaps one of the most significant ‘decisions’ we would ever have to make. We read through what was available of their history and social information but how does one decide whom they will accept as children? Unlike childbirth, in adoption you are faced with decisions; which child will you choose, what imperfections are acceptable? Needless to say it is not a simple subject and that will have to wait for another post.

We hadn’t made any plans nor had we fully discussed the details, logistics and circumstances and we didn’t have the money to finance this. I do not think it is a stretch to say that we were entirely unprepared. The agency said, “Take the weekend and think it over.” We still haven’t figured out what exactly we were supposed to think over. Was there even a decision to be made? When God hands you a gift, do you hand it back? When you are given children without a home or family, can you say no? We felt obligated to take the weekend but we already knew our answer, “Yes, of course we will adopt these children, God willing and by His grace alone!” We realized that neither the decision nor the outcome were ours. So there we were, with pictures of two adorable children and what seemed like an insurmountable task.

What transpired over the following five months was nothing short of miraculous. The process itself was quite complicated with many points that could go wrong and cause delay. However, the delays never came; everything just seemed to go smoothly. We enjoyed spending a whole day with our amazing social worker and she completed our home study in record time. Paperwork that should have taken two weeks was returned over night. Busy doctors’ offices took it upon themselves to arrange for notarization. Anne hand delivered important documents to the Secretary of State and spent the night with great friends. The next day she picked up the authenticated documents and hand delivered them to the agency. I was amazed at the energy she had for this. Almost daily we learned something new, received good news or were encouraged by friends. We received invaluable advice from many who had travelled this path. We received countless words of support and encouragement from people all over the world. Boxes of clothing stacked up in our basement. Friends handed us the keys and the title to their van so that we could transport our larger family. Friends, family and even strangers stepped forward to ease the financial burden of adoption expenses. In an economy where almost everyone we know is struggling financially we are continually reminded of the widow who gave out of her poverty. It was as if God had shoved Anne and me aside and said firmly but lovingly, “Be still, and know that I am God!”

We realize that this is merely the beginning. We’ve yet to travel to Ethiopia, meet our children and start the next phase of life together as a family. This will come with its own set of challenges. We know little of their past and we don’t know what health, social and psychological issues we face. We almost certainly will see hurt, sadness, resentment, loss and grief. But we know that we do not stand alone. We know that we cannot trust in our own abilities or fret about our inabilities for we have One whom we can lean upon and He is fully trustworthy, capable, all-knowing, ever-wise and all-powerful. The author of Proverbs says it well:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Today, because of what God has done through others, we are making plans to bring our children home. We are not worthy to serve Him in this way, yet still, God has chosen to entrust two more of His children into our care. We pray we will honor Him in doing so.

Just in the last twenty four hours we have been overwhelmed again by the support, encouragement and prayers from our friends and family. Words cannot express our gratitude and love for you. Thank you and God bless!

Tags: adoption