Party Time!

Can I just say we have the BEST friends in the world??

We had a Welcome Home Party for the boys (minus the boys!) on Sunday afternoon at the Jolly's house. Many of our church family and friends joined us in celebrating their upcoming arrival. And they helped us out tremendously with things that you need when you have little boys, as well as stocking us up on gift cards and cash to buy necessities!

We could not be more thankful!! We had great food, great weather and great folks to spend time with! Thanks to ALL of you who made Sunday night SO much fun!



And we did it again today at work...along with a touch of a going away party!! My co-workers surprised us with lots of toys and goodies for the boys...and my favorite...a family pass to the Louisville Zoo!! Love the zoo and hope the boys do to!



We are blessed to have so many people that care and are anxiously awaiting the boys arrival with us! See here for all the pictures from the weekend fun!

Ethiopia or BUST!

Got the call today! We are headed to Ethiopia the end of August to pick up the boys! It's a little less than 4 weeks away, but it doesn't matter. Just knowing that we are going, does wonders for my heart!

Please continue to pray that the boy's TB tests come back negative. We still don't have word on the results. And pray especially now for the boys...their world is about to be turned upside down! (Not to mention our world...) Pray that God grants them peace to know that they are safe with us. Pray that they will bond well with each of us and our transition to Mommy & Daddy will go smoothly. And pray for that little thing called a language barrier...should be interesting!! :)

My last day at work is this Friday. That will be transition enough! I've worked my whole life, so waking up Monday morning with no job to go to will be weird...but I'm SO looking forward to all the time I will have home with Charlie & Sam. Now the next 3 weeks will be completely devoted to getting everything together to bring the boys home...I feel a list coming on...Where's my notepad??

Don't worry buddy...we won't make you drink that anymore!!



But y'all can have a sucker anytime...

So...

We don't have travel plans. Patiently (somewhat) waiting for the MOWA office to re-open. I'm hoarding travel related items, while my husband laughs at me. He won't be laughing when he needs a granola bar after a 20-hour flight or a wet one to wipe someone or something down.

My last day at work is July 31st. I will be quitting work to stay at home with the boys. It's bittersweet, a long time coming and exciting all at the same time. I love, love the folks I work with, but know that God's plan for me in this time of our lives is at home with our boys. It's overwhelming to think that we are adding to our family by 2 and dropping to 1 income...Ahhhhh!

My new best friend is Joey, Physical Therapist. Since Dr. Nawab decided not to do big knee surgery number 6, he is at a loss of what to do with me and my silly knee. So Joey's goal...rebuild my non-existent quad muscle. Ha, I laugh at his loftiness! Nonetheless, looks like Joey and I will be spending some time together over the next several weeks/months. It's okay, Kenny knows.

Kenny played in the British Open...er, the Summit Cup this weekend. I think he had fun with all the boys from work, but no word yet on whether they may add him to the PGA. Waiting on Tiger's call...

God is good all the time. He provides peace in all situations. He provides for all situations. Each day, each step, He is in control. Sums up daily life right now. :)

My house is clean. The grass is cut. The dishwasher is loaded. The laundry is finished. Is it time to go to Ethiopia?

Almost frustrated. Almost.

Somebody, somewhere...their goal is to knock us down, delay us even further, make me mad, further frustrate an already exasperated mother...

We received news last week that the MOWA office (Ministry of Women's Affairs...the government office, of sorts, that is over adoptions in Ethiopia) has randomly closed. For 2 weeks. Just out of the blue.

My initial thought was that this doesn't effect us since we have passed court--still terribly excited about that!! I am somewhat wrong because apparently the MOWA office also has a hand in assigning embassy dates for traveling families (that's us). So...either our travel COULD be delayed until the office reopens and assigns us a date. OR we may just not know about our assigned date until closer to time to travel.

MOWA is also who issues birth certificates, which the boys need to be able to obtain VISA's to travel. Difficult to process birth certificates when your office is CLOSED!

That's okay...Maybe they needed a vacation. It just happen to fall in the middle of practically the most important thing we have EVER done in our lives! Everyone needs a break, right? [enter small amount of sarcasm]

Continue to join us in prayer that we can travel soon. Our biggest hurdle has been accomplished by passing court, but other critical tasks and paperwork still stand between us and our boys.

Knocked down? No.

Delayed? Possibly.

Made me mad? Almost.

Further frustrated me? Not as long as I still have a peace that passes ALL understanding from my God. I know He has a plan...

____________

Sam getting checked out by Dr. Andy... (photo courtesy of Hollie Colwick)



Charlie taking a break from ...school?

No. 5

If you know me very well at all, you also know that since my junior year of high school on, that I have spent roughly half of that time on crutches (just a slight exaggeration...but not far off), due to having the knee of an 80-year-old woman.

Well, yesterday I had surgery number 5, in anticipation of surgery number 6 following this fall. (I know, I know...not good timing with the boys coming home...) But the good news is the meniscus transplant that Dr. Nawab wanted to do later in the fall, is not going to be necessary right now! PRAISE THE LORD! That's the 2nd best thing that I've heard in the past week! (If you can't guess the first, then we can't be friends...)

Now I'm propped up in the bed, leg elevated, being waited on hand and foot by my most precious husband. (He's my hero!) I could get used to this...

The best "movie" I've seen ALL year!

While Pat was in Ethiopia, he took a couple of videos of the boys. (Praise the Lord, they do move!) Here's a short sample...Pat is videoing, the guy talking to the boys is one of our agencies social workers. It's hard to really hear what is being said, but he is asking the boys their names, how they are doing and if they want to tell a "tale...short story"...they didn't! I think I might have watched this a million times, each time finding something new about each one of them. In the longer video I have, it's very obvious that we have one shy little boy and very energetic little boy, as Sam bounces around showing his best bunny moves! Enjoy!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What now?

Because we have the best friends in the whole wide world who want to make sure that the boys have everything they need when they come home, I spent the day yesterday registering at the "R us's" and Target for life's necessities when you have kids. (Seeing that we are starting from scratch and all...) Nicole, Grace and Emma joined me to give expert opinions on what I needed and didn't need. This also means that because I was joined by two people who were fascinated with "shooting" the items we needed, that we are registered for just about any and all things two little boys would possibly need...plus some! We had fun!

Plans as of now...we are planning on traveling mid-August. We still have to wait to be assigned an embassy date, which will determine our exact travel dates. The boys also will have their TB tests, but we may not have results until just before we travel, so that's just a risk we will take as we go ahead and purchase plane tickets, etc. I've seen video now of those two little stinkers and it's very obvious that they aren't sick, but who knows what could pop up if they have a false positive, etc. Continue to pray those tests are given quickly and with negative results!

I may seem very calm and collected, but inside, that's just not the case! I have self-diagnosed myself with pre-adoption travel anxiety disorder which is keeping me up until all hours of the night, causing random fits of tears and the uncontrollable urge to make lists. The only cure will be arriving safe and sound in the Louisville International Airport with two of my favorite people in the word. And even then, I fear the symptoms may remain... :)

And here's a picture, just 'cause I can! This is the boys with Pat, just last week...I'm personally loving the pink capris...

Coming soon to a location near you...

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The details...

Okay, so now that the initial shock is over--well, it's not over, but at least I'm back to semi-functional--here's how it all went down...

I talked with our Susan, our agency director yesterday afternoon after her husband had returned from Ethiopia. He had a good visit with the boys, was able to get video of them (which we watched last night for the first time...yes, I cried) and more importantly was able to put a little pressure on the agency staff so that they realized how important it was that we get the boys paperwork completed. Due to the mistake regarding their biological father, we either needed a death certificate OR a paper signed by the government from the area where the boys are from saying that they realized the mistake on the paperwork, but that it was okay. The hope was that we would hear something in the next couple of days, although, honestly, I wasn't holding my breath. (I know, I know...so unfaithful.)

This morning at 9:01 am, in the midst of a semi-crisis involving a co-worker, I received the phone call that I had come to the conclusion might never come...As soon as Susan asked me if Kenny was with me, I just fell apart. I screamed once and then resolved myself to tears of happiness. She told me she had no details about travel plans, embassy dates, etc., just that we had passed court this morning, while we peacefully slept!

Here's what's next, at least I think...

The boys still have to have negative TB tests in order to be approved to travel into the United States. (Or "TV" test, as Emma says...she is still 'o so confused about why we don't want the boys to have "TV"...) Pray your hardest that their TB tests are administered quickly and results are communicated quickly.

To determine our travel dates, we will be assigned an appointment with the Embassy. I really have NO IDEA when that might happen, but the optimistic side of me is hoping for sometime in August.

I think I have a perpetual stupid grin plastered across my face! I have a million things running through my head that need to be done...lists to be made, bags to be packed, rooms to be finished...I could go on... The next few weeks will probably be a blur, but a much anticipated blur.

I spent the day frantically returning and sending texts, phone calls, and emails and just generally being unproductive. God is SO, SO good! I can't even put into words how thankful we are that today is the day that He chose to add Charlie & Sam to our family!

13 months, 1 week & 6 days since we started our adoption trek. July 1, 2009. A day I won't soon forget.

Stupid smile day. :)

Today is a good day!

WE PASSED COURT!!!!

...details to follow, as soon as I can calm down long enough to type without shaking...

Here's a long awaited picture...so handsome!