We have court dates!

Court Date Day! Praising God for our court dates!

This morning I gave in and started an email to our case worker for our adoption agency. I woke up full of questions for her. We hadn't heard any finalization that our paperwork had been submitted to court. As far as we knew they were still translating it. So the anxiety killed me this morning and I broke down and send her an email just asking where we were at.

I also have felt overwhelmed for Tad. I wanted to know does he know he has a family coming? Does he understand what is ahead of him? How will we communicate with him when he speaks a rare language? What size of clothes does he where? How big are his feet? All things as a Mom I feel I should know about my little boy! The distance makes my heart yearn for court dates. Not that I am wishing my time away, but it is a home sickness for your child that is so far away. Well I quickly got an email back from the agency, and it said, I need to talk with you both, can I call you now.

My heart sorta stopped in fear that oh, no maybe something fell through. As I answered the phone, her excitement hit me by surprise as she said, " Congratulations!" I was thinking what? And she said I have COURT DATES, for you guys!! Holy Cow! I didn't know the paperwork was even submitted yet, and they told us it could take months to get a court date.

She told us our 1st Court Date is November 11th. This is where the Ministry of Women Affairs will submit information concerning our adoption to court and the judge will interview the responsible parties for relinquishing Tad for adoption. Once we pass this court date we can then book our flight!

Our 2nd Court Date is December 13th!!! We should leave on Jeremy's birthday or near then around the 7-8th to fly to Ethiopia to prepare for court and meet our little Tad for the first time!


She also answered questions to most of my concerns. Yes, Tad knows we are coming, and he has a family. They are working with him so he understands the concept of adoption and knows he will be moving away. They have been exposing him to English tapes and books so he can start to hear and learn English! This is HUGE! They also said he has picked up some of the Amharic language which is easier for us to start to pick up some short phrases because Tad's native language is very remote, and hard to find resources to translate it. This is a huge relief to know he is being prepared. We got new photos of him last week, he is so HAPPY! I told my mom it looks like they are saying, "Tad, smile for your family!" And there is a glow in his eyes that makes me know he is a Happy Boy. His soul has been protected by God's angels from all that he has faced in his short 4 years of life. We even got a birthday for him last week too! April 30th! He will turn 5. He is a slight bit older than they first told us, but he is still ours! <3

I am flooded with emotions! Giddy, and excited! Amazed at God's orchestration of small details and planning things out in his way and in his time. Ready to jump on a plane and squeeze my little Tad, and see his huge smile in person!

God answered a huge prayer last week, with a medical exam that confirmed that Tad's liver is NORMAL! On our paperwork/ referral there was concern he could be in liver failure. But the liver was normal and just fine last week! So glad to know that my little boy is ok!

It's hard to be a world away from your son. I can't explain the feeling of it. Though I have never met him and and have only seen his face, I have a love in my heart for him that has grown over the last 4 years of waiting for this time. With a regular pregnancy you feel it at conception, you know you have something growing in your womb. I guess adoption is like that, only this conception grows in your heart. The Holy Spirit has allowed me to be connected to Tad even though I am a whole world away. That is powerful.

Thanks for your prayers and support. Here are some ways you can pray with us!

1.) November 11 court date is HUGE~ Pray that everything is in order and that the Judge allows us to proceed to travel!

2.) Sanity- We have to research flights, get visas, vaccines, and prepare our hearts for this life changing event.

3.) Though God always provides, we do have to finance two trips to Africa between now and January. GOINK. LOL

4.) Tad. That this experience will be one he remembers as a new beginning, and that it is not so traumatic for him.

Thanks again! Love you all.