PAIR!

For the past couple of days I have been running to the mailbox eagerly opening it hoping to find our PAIR letter. Today was the day! I threw the other mail aside knowing what was in the piece with the return address of US Department of Homeland Security. This is a huge step. The US is giving their approval to immigrate the boys. This approval came after a lengthy proces and we could not be happier to know the US is on board with our adoption. To give you just a small idea of what was involved in getting this letter, our documents for this were filed on January 21, 2014. Over five months ago. I won't go into the RFEs, interviews, e-mails....I am just comforted to know to know that a very thorough investigation was done and we are not adopting children that already have a family. We could not have gotten this letter without our agency that guided us through these past few months and made sure the process kept moving even when some of us (me!) felt completely overwhelmed with it. And especially not without a very special person half way accross the world that knows these boys and wants what is best for their future.

Next step? We need a letter of consent from Ministry of Women Children and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) in Ethiopia. Once this is issued we can be submitted for a court date that we will attend AND we get to meet and hug our boys! We are praying hard that we get this letter soon. It could be issued this week or not for a few months. The Ethiopian courts close for a few months starting in mid-August, so for us to be able to meet our boys before the end of October, we need this letter in the upcoming weeks. A lot of policy and document requirement changes were made around the time of our referral, thus affecting how quickly these letters are issued. Please pray with us that this comes soon so we can travel!

Since I want this blog to not only update our supportive friends and family, but I want it to document our feelings throughout this process, I will end with a story of how God continues to work in our lives and sharpen us for what is ahead. I was in need of a MAJOR attitude adjustment a few nights ago. I have been bogged down with fear about these last steps ahead and struggling with having my expectations broken during this whole process. I am not just referring to our timeline since our referral on January 8, but to the past 4 years in our adoption journey. I am like a broken record about these 4 years, but I have trouble keeping hope alive sometimes in light of the disappointments. Well....my husband happened to be the perfect person to set me straight. He reminded me what we are hoping for. Not only hoping and staying strong for these beautiful boys but for our current children. Showing them what hope is all about and giving them an example to live by. He reminded me of the good (awesome) things that have happened the past few months (and we have one more to add to our list tonight!). God's light shined through him as he lovingly reminded me that no matter what timeline we want to be on, take time to celebrate the small accomplishments and wonderful things along the way, even when we are praying for something we have not yet finished, take time to love and enjoy what and who is around us and most important we should never lose hope. It always shines within us...Keep hoping boys, your family is one step closer!

MELISSA