THEY ARE YOURS!!

AND NOW...THE FACES BEHIND THE NAMES CAN BE 'PUBLIC' BECAUSE THEY ARE 'OFFICIALLY' OURS;)


We proudly share:
                                                               Yakob aka Jakob...

and Ermias aka...Jeremiah

and our first family of 7 photo...

So now we've arrived home, knowing not everyone is here.  It's OK.  It's not in our hands, but the Lord's timing.  We ask you to join us in asking though that HE WOULD GET ALL THE GLORY in bringing them to our family and we believe He will call them into HIS FAMILY for His purposes.

The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy-psalm 126:3

Court Appointment.... (again from when we were in Addis)

from an email...
Greetings from Ethiopia!
As if God had not opened the floodgates of blessings enough, today topped them all!! After a time of WAITing in the court holding room, we were invited before the judge.  She asked us several questions and w/o our knowing what was next, the words that will forever be etched on my heart came: THEY ARE YOURS!!!!

Totally, irrevocably, forever...YOURS!! In that moment (though It was quick!) I realized that the Lord was simultaneously reminding me that I AM HIS!!!! I got the parallels before but right then and there, the God of the universe was calling my name out as settled...adopted forever.

That would have been sufficient,but it didn't stop there.  Our orphanage rep said, we were going to be the first to show up at the US Embassy and try something new to speed this along.  We had a quick visit with OUR SONS and then paperwork before heading to this unplanned Embassy appt.  Well, there we learn others were trying to do the same and were denied.  So, it was worth a try I figured.  But no...there we were taking oath and getting a jump-start on the Embassy process. We think it's going to be sooner than later but all tbd.

I share these details so you see your prayers have been specifically heard...for us, but more importantly that we all would see His glory.  We have to say our good byes tomorrow, but they really seem like a 'see you soon'.  Same for us...Jesus says see you soon...and we have no clue.  He knows what's coming is better...and we know what's coming (although hard) is better for our sons. 

Rejoice in these blessings with us!!
Pictures to follow as soon as we get home!!!

To God be the glory,
Cindy

Meeting Jakob and Jeremiah (couldn't post from our hotel)

from an email...
Thought a quick update was in order after all the faithful prayers
from y'all!! Indeed our Lord lives!
I was sure of our plan for meeting the boys...Andy and I would go in
first w Justin video taping; we would follow the boys' lead on letting
us get close,etc; after we had a few moments and first pix, then we'd
go get the girls and have Justin join for their own time (and pix).
Well...as God was in control (lest I forget) he had something else in
mind.  So, we were waiting for the go ahead when these 2 more than
precious faces that we had only seen in pictures came RUNNING out to
us!!!! As if saying 'tadda'!! We were all stunned...they were coming
to US.  I've learned God likes to teach me so much more in this
adoption process about Himself...this was no different! With every bit
of our wanting to offer ourselves to them, they gave of themselves to
us for the morning...a multiplied minutes morning.  There was not a
hint of awkwardness from them!  We played outside alone as a family..w
a couple of balls, bubbles and trucks (which later they would not
share of course). We went to their room and saw their cribs head to
head, we saw them proud before their friends, we saw them play (and
not) w the others and with us and snacked a final few minutes
together. Our kids were overjoyed...they too witnessed their little
personalities unfolding before them without a word understood.
I think I felt like I came up short with what I could offer, until I
realized the offering was for me.  I sometimes just stared at what was
unfolding....in a couple birthing hours our family was being knitted.
Not by what we were doing but by what God had already done....and will
continue to do.  He redeems...he can't help it.  Friends, if you ever
get the chance to 'risk' because God nudges in some way....JUST DO
IT!! He is the treasured gift...whatever the process.  Ours today just
happens to be 2 boys across the world that we get to call our sons.
Jesus does the outpouring, we get to taste and see that He is soooo good!!

Oh....and we get 2 extra days with them ..all bc our flight was cancelled;)
I hope I can write more this week, but really savoring up our time here!!