Ready for matching :)

I can hardly believe how quickly this stage has taken place.  Below is the e-mail I received earlier today:

This email is to let you know that the above family’s Dossier has been authenticated, translated, and registered with MOWA. The next time you will likely hear from me is when this family is presented with a referral.  Thanks and of course, let me know if you or the family has any questions in the meantime.


Oh wow.....while I know this much has taken time, the idea that the next step is our first introduction to our child is exciting, overwhelming, I'm not even sure I can find a word to describe it.  Real might be it.  It's real now.  It's no longer just paperwork and signatures, seals and notaries, now it's a child.  A child that God is preparing to bring into our lives.  Now, I am supposed to sleep????  Guess I should've read my e-mail earlier!

And the Journey in Africa begins.....

Good things happen when you are away from your e-mail for a few days!  Kevin and I had the DEEP Retreat this past weekend with our youth group, which was AWESOME, and also meant that I didn't check my e-mail for 3 days.  Sifting through it all this morning, I see an e-mail from Ann, our social worker - YAY!!!!!  Our paperwork was cleared in Washington D.C., came back to Grand Rapids, and was shipped out to Ethiopia on Friday 11/12.  So.....we're going to Ethiopia!  And by we I do mean our paperwork, but it is so exciting!  Our next update will be sent when our paperwork has been authenticated in country, translated, and approved by MOWA (the Ministry of Women's Affairs).

We had lunch with Mary and Charlie yesterday and we were talking about the adoption.  If we receive a referral on the short end of the waiting period, (5-6 months) that means that an amazing Ethiopian woman is pregnant with our future child at this very moment!!!!  What an amazing thing!  Please pray for her, the father, and the baby.  I cannot imagine what they will go through in choosing to give the baby up for adoption.  I pray that they will be comforted by the grace of God and know that he is always watching over them.  I pray that they will know Him and live their lives for Him.  I pray for their safety and well being.  I pray that they will know what a blessing this child will be to us and the amazing love we already feel for him/her.

More to come.... :)

Dossier complete and sent for authentication

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to post another update to let you know where we're at now.  After we got our approval, we got our last few documents notarized and state sealed (which involved Kevin sitting at the Secretary of State for almost 3 hours because they did not have power) and dropped it off to Bethany.  They verified that everything was complete and then the paperwork was sent yesterday to Washington D.C. to be authenticated.  From there, it will be sent back to Bethany for finalization and then off to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Once in country, it will be translated into Amharic, which is the most commonly spoken language in Ethiopia, and then we will be in the pool to be matched to a child.  So, start the countdown!!!!! :)