Another Step Back

Just got an email that the interview date that we do not attend got pushed back. It is now 24 days from today. . . My patience is being tested and I'm tired of it.

Too Long...

301 days of looking at my sweet girl's picture.
89 days since going to court and becoming her parents.
84 days since I last got to hold her in my arms.

21 days until the appointment that we do not go to - and begin waiting in anxious anticipation for the email with our interview date.

I've had good days lately and bad days. This wait to go and get her seems to be taking forever. Please join us in praying that all goes well in 21 days and that we get to travel just a few days later to bring our baby home.

Two Steps Forward

Well, good news! We were submitted to the Embassy this past Tuesday and our case was screened by the Embassy today. These are two big steps forward! I am hoping for no more steps back and a quick and easy process from here on out! Next step: The Embassy does their own investigation of our case. There is an interview that needs to take place in Ethiopia with some people from our daughter’s past. It appears that it is taking about 3-4 weeks (from being screened) for that interview to happen. IF all goes well with that interview, it appears most families get cleared quite quickly and are able to go and pick up their children just a few days after. In other words, if all goes well, it appears we could be bringing our daughter “home” in March! I can’t even tell you how excited we all are about this ~ but ofcourse, we are a little cautious as well. With international adoption, you never know what is challenges may occur in your case and you have no control over any of it. I am optimistic, at this point though, that we will have our daughter “home” and in our arms before the beginning of summer! I can’t wait to have three kids to hang out with this summer. It’s going to be awesome!!

So, next we will hear is the interview date in Ethiopia (that we do not attend). When we do - I'll let you all know!!

PRAYER REQUESTS

-          For our travels – that we would be safe and healthy the whole time.

-          

    For the next part of the process (the Embassy phase) to go quickly so we can bring our baby girl home!

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family

Who Knows?

Want to know whats new with our adoption lately - yeah, so do I - but who knows? Our agency has been closed due to inclement weather all day. . .

On Tuesday, we received an email saying that we had been submitted to embassy but our case was rejected because we were missing a document that needed for one agency to upload it for a different agency to see. I spent Tuesday afternoon and evening on the phone, begging and pleading people to take care of the paperwork quickly.

On Thursday, we received word that the document had been located and we should, hopefully be submitted to embassy on or before next Tuesday. Then, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, we received another email saying that a different document may be out of date and they may not be able to submit us in the next few weeks after all. I called and emailed yesterday, but couldn't get a hold of anyone. I called today and the office is closed because of inclement weather. So, now we sit this whole weekend, uncertain of if we have been submitted to embassy or not yet and if we will be in the near future. . .

As you can imagine, it's been a rough week of setbacks for us. Neither of us are having an easy time dealing with it at all. We are both so anxious to go back and pick up our girl. Waiting is hard, having no control is hard, missing her is hard... It's all hard these past few days.

Immigration Paper Work -- Check!

Well, our agency received our immigration paperwork this afternoon! This is a HUGE step for us returning to Ethiopia to bring home our girl. Once our agency looks it over to be certain I filled it out correctly (I pray so - it took hours) they send it off to Ethiopia. Then we are submitted to the embassy. This part will probably take about 2-3 weeks. Once we are submitted to embassy, the US Embassy in Ethiopia reviews and investigates our case. Once that is complete, we will be free to go and pick up our girl and bring her home to her forever family!! In looking at other people who have been through this last part of the process in the recent months, it looks like it is taking cases and average of about 6 weeks to clear embassy. That means, we could be traveling back to Ethiopia in about 2 months!! I am so excited, I can hardly see straight! I understand and support the embassy doing their due diligence in this process, I am just praying that it goes by super quick so that we can get our girl home and start loving on her and bonding with her and all that great stuff that I've been looking so forward to for over three years now!! 

So, next we will hear is that we have been submitted to embassy. When we do - I'll let you all know!!

Patient

I am one of the least patient people I know.  This can be good.  I am a hard worker and my effort is usually consistent.  I remember signing up for the adoption process and asking our social worker how long it took the average family to complete their home study.  She said about 5-6 months.  I had ours done in 3 months. When I get an idea in my head, I will run around like a crazy person until it is completed.  

This can also be not such a great thing.  I can have too high of expectations of others and be judgmental or a big complainer when they don't get things done as quickly as I had anticipated.  I can also rush through things and I miss the forest for the trees - or really for the ground - because I've got my head so buried in the dirt and busyness that I forget to even look up and see the trees!  Also, when you have a lack of control over a situation and the process and the people take way longer than you think they should - it is hard to stay patient (even just a little) and press on.  It's hard to stand firm and wait on the promise. 

That gives you a little idea of where I am at lately.  Christmas is over.  New Years is over.  A big event at work is over.  I'm struggling with some things and praying about how to handle them.  And I'm having to wait and be patient ~ and I don't like it.  

Don't feel sorry for me.  I know I need to persevere and stand firm and wait for the promise.  Along the way, there are SO MANY blessings that I am trying not to overlook and miss out on.  I have two wonderful kids that bless my socks off seriously like 100 times a day.  I have the most amazing husband who I know loves me and prays for me all the time.  

I was struggling this morning with how do I fill the time until we get to go back to Ethiopia and bring our little girl home.  I was struggling with having no clue about how she is doing, what she is doing, what size clothes she wears, how often she eats, what she eats, what her sleep schedule is like...  And then I began mulling over everything else in life I have no control over and am impatient about.  Very fitting that I would then be praying and asking God to take away this worry impatience and replace it with steadfastness and perseverance. Open up my Bible and this is what I read...

James 5:7-11

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Ethiopia Trip One

We've been back from Ethiopia for one week now - feels like 3, but it's only been one!  I have yet to get back to my regular sleep cycle, but considering it's nearly 9:00 p.m. and I'm still wide awake, tonight might be the night!

We are still processing all that we saw and experienced in Ethiopia - our daughter's home!  The best part of the trip, of course, was spending time with our daughter.  We got to visit with her four times, for varying lengths of time each visit.  She was hesitant with us at first, but by the end of the third visit, we had her waving, clapping, giving hi-fives, playing peek-a-boo, and giving hugs.  It brought our hearts SO MUCH joy to see her smile, finally!!  She is SO VERY beautiful.  I can't show her face in pictures until after we have cleared Embassy, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  She has dimples and her smile takes my breath away!!  Here is a sneak preview . . .

What happens now? Now our agency works diligently and hopefully VERY VERY quickly to get us ready to be submitted to Embassy. This can take anywhere from 1-3 months. Then, the Embassy does their investigation and starts working on more paperwork. This could be an additional 1-6 months. Once we are cleared, we will be able to go back and pick up our daughter and bring her to her new home!!  I know, I realize that there is a large discrepancy between 2-9 months before we can return to Ethiopia, but it seems to be taking other families adopting through our same agency from Ethiopia about 4 months between the two trips. I am going to estimate 5 months for us so that I can be pleasantly surprised if it happens sooner. That puts us bringing her home in early May - spring - great time to add to a family!

More info to come... Stay tuned!!