Court Update

We told you last week, in our news update, that our paperwork was going to court in Ethiopia this Wednesday. 

We'd first like to say thank you for your thoughts and prayers on Wednesday.  We've heard from so many of you asking what we know.

On Wednesday the boys and I woke up and went to eat breakfast.  I reminded them that the paperwork was going to court today.  I also realized that even as we were praying about the paperwork....whatever was going to happen already had happened.  With Ethiopia being 7 hours ahead of EST, when we were praying at 9, it was already 4pm there.

So we heard from our agency that it looks like we passed through court.  We are another step closer.  Unless something was really wrong with our paperwork we were pretty confident that we would pass.  We didn't get all excited when we found out.....and then we were reminded that this is a big deal.  This is a step closer to bringing our son home.  We needed this step to go well.  We're still moving in the direction we want.

So what's next?

We're waiting on a letter from WoMA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) telling us when our next court date is.  This next court date is when Marjorie and I fly over to physically take our paperwork to Ethiopian court.  We need this letter NOW.

The problem is that even when things are running smoothly, WoMA is slow.  We've heard that they're particularly slow and backed up right now.  So if we're going to get to Ethiopia before courts close, we need a bunch of paperwork (not just our own) to clear through them FAST.

We are being guardedly optimistic that this can happen.  We know God has a plan.  That may be that we go now.  We also know that the way things are working right now, there's a very real chance that we're going to have to wait until October for our first trip.

FOR YOU:

As always, we still need your prayers.  Obviously right now we need to hear that we are headed to Ethiopia to meet our son sooner rather than later. 

Beyond that obvious prayer, please pray for our hearts.  That they wouldn't be hardened to the process and not be cynical from past adoption struggles.  That we would continue to be open to what God is speaking into our lives.

Also pray for C and T's hearts and minds in this adjustment.  Corban particularly has been having dreams about traveling to Ethiopia right now to pick up his brother.  They are excited, but I'm sure they don't fully grasp what changes are going to come to every day life.  Pray that their hearts would be molded for their new brother.