REFERRAL DAY!!!

Yesterday afternoon our prayers were answered. We received information about a beautiful Ethiopian baby girl, her name is Semenesh. This has been long awaited, as we started the process Feb. of 2008. We're glad we waited! This baby girl is perfect for our family in every way. Her mother's story is heartbreaking but she has done the best thing for her baby and given a wonderful gift to Semenesh and to us.

Judah says his favorite thing about his sister is that "she will play with him." It may still be a while (she is a tiny 6 lbs. at two months) but if he has learned anything through this process, it's patience.

Today we took her medical information to our pediatrician who had no real concerns about her health. All of her blood work looks good and we have decided to accept the referral! We anticipate receiving a court date, which could take anywhere from 4-6 months. Our family trusts that Semenesh is getting great care and she is receiving lots of love while she waits for her forever family.

We LOVE her sweet face and look forward to meeting it soon!

Our official journey began in early February of 2008. After a whole year of researching different avenues we could take in the world of adoption, Kelly and I discovered our call to the orphans of Ethiopia. It started as an uncertain dream for both Kelly and I, as we tried to figure out how we would pay for a costly international adoption. After a home study, application fees, agency fees, country fees, government finger printing, notarization, required education, airfare and stay in country, we were looking at almost two thirds of our annual income. But God always provides to those who follow what He calls them to. So Kelly and I trusted that he would provide for our family, and we began saving and fund raising. We received $3,000 from Shaohannah's hope, $5,000 from a matching grant, that our close friends and family generously donated to, and a $2,500 employee assistance donation. We also held a community garage sale and after lots of work, raised $800. My mom held a scrap booking retreat and added to our fund. Completing this adoption has required our family to work hard and has taught us much patients.
When we look at how much God has provided for us through this process, our faith is strengthened. We still have a long road ahead, but as we remember the road behind, we see a tremendous amount of support in all the ways we've prayed for. Kelly and I hope that other families interested in this process can find encouragement from our story, and pursue adoption as well.
We are currently waiting for the referral of a baby girl and expect to receive information about her sometime in November or December, although international adoption is always very unpredictable. From there, we are given a short amount of time to accept, and then wait for the clearance to travel.
We decided to start this blog so that our time in Ethiopia can easily be followed by the people close to us. Thank you for your continuous support.