Where have we been?  Where is my blog?  I don't know.  Really.  We were completely lost for about 4 months, hanging on by a thread, and somewhere in the last couple of months, we came off the respirator of 'family of 6 growing pains,' and here we are.  It's been a long 6 months.  But, that's another story, and I will get back to it soon.  For now, there's more!

We just got news that we have been submitted to court with our case to adopt 'T,' the kid's older sister.  Whoa.  This is familiar.  Just last week I was getting a feeling that I missed someone, someone who belonged here, and I was ready.  Ready to do this again.  Ready to be a mommy again.  

We met her in April, when we went to pick up Jesse & Lucy.  (New names, good story, more to come!)  She appeared at the care center steps with this look in her eyes.  It tore right through us and when I looked at Vince he said, "Oh, she's ours, we got to get her home."  She had been separated from Jesse & Lucy after caring for them for many years.  

We sat and talked, and asked if she'd like to see pictures of the kids.  (That's her in the gray sweater with red trim.)  She was very quiet, but wanted to look, and there were a lot of tears.  It was a moment in time I will never forget.  I didn't know I would meet my new daughter that day, and the emotion was high, and God had us all wrapped in his arms.  I'll have to write more about it later, it was very intense.  It was a good intense,  and sad, and happy, and full of grief, all wrapped up in one.  Before we knew it, 2 aunts arrived, and one of their children.  We were in awe that we were meeting birth family and they graciously allowed us to ask all kinds of questions.  We learned so much that we will be able to pass on to our children. 

 

We spent the day together, and then the next.  We let her watch us, talk with us, but from the first moment we saw each other, we all knew what we wanted.  It was a unique experience to ask T if she wanted us to adopt her, and make her our daughter, part of our family.  When we did, she jumped up and said 'Yes!!!'  She never wanted to be separated from her siblings, and we had asked about her from day 1.  In my mind, she should have been home in April with Jesse & Lucy.  I don't know why things had to work out this way, but they did.  Now, we're just grateful that she is really and truly coming home.

Before we left, T gave us a coffee ceremony.  She sat, lit the incense, roasted the famous Ethiopian coffee beans, ground them, and made us a delicious cup of coffee.  It was an honor for us, and we just loved every minute we got to spend with her.

During the last 6 months of adjustment we have been waiting to hear about our case, and working on paperwork.  Others who have traveled have sent back photos and she looks wonderful.  She is just beautiful, in that way that only Ethiopians can be.  I am just in love with Lucy's beautiful curls and skin, and she tells me that T's hair is the same, but T knows how to braid it!  Yeah!  She can teach me!

For now, we are jumping back into the waiting game.We wait to see when we get a court date.  We may not have to physically go to the court for our court date, since we were just there in January for Jesse & Lucy, but we really don't know.  Then, we come home, to wait for an embassy appointment.  My most hopeful guess is court in early November, home in  late December?  That is a hopeful, prayerful, wishful guess. 

I wish I could post full pictures, but can't until after court.  I love the picture of her dancing on the left, with her hair flying in the wind, just being a kid.  She has a hard story.  I am praying that she will relax in our home, and be able to recapture some of her childhood.  I always think of the kids song, "Red, and yellow, black and while, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world."  This young woman is precious and I can't wait to have her home.