The reality of this week...

It has been a great week. An exhausting week. A week full of many emotions.

....We received our court date...meaning that we could travel relatively soon...like in the next 4-6weeks...we'll know more after next week...

...My little princess graduated from preschool...such a good moment...cannot believe she will be in kindegarten in the fall!!

...Our oldest son at home is still working through the beginnings of using an insulin pump...it has proven to be tricky and we are still working for good control...especially through the night...meaning me & Riley are getting up 2-3 times a night...i am so not used to this anymore:)!!! But he is doing awesome and has transitioned so well...

...first piano recital for my beautiful girl...she rose to the occasion and did so well...brings back lots of memories...and first track to meet...growing up:)

...little man is getting sick...he is NEVER sick...sore throat and fever so we are praying that it passes quick...on the positive side he wanted to cuddle in bed with daddy:)

...we are in the process of looking at bigger vehicles...test driving a 15 passenger van tomorrow...it is sort of crazy when your minivan will become the run-around fast vehicle-ha!

...we have just finalized a family for RUN 143...details to come:)

...looking to start renovations sooner than later...a few things to do!

...lovin my job...just need to find time to do paperwork...

...received an update on the boys today and they are growing up...even in a month they look so different and they are so handsome...cannot wait to share more pics with everyone!!

...and I have a day off tomorrow...a wonderful blissful day off...full of things to do but on my own time and no dress clothes:)

Have a great evening tonite....I am enjoying time to be reminded of all the good things that I have been blessed to be a part of this week...

Blessings,
Candra

Acceleration!!!

The process......is speeding up.....

So this is where we are at today...we received our second issuing court date today!!!!! And it is in a week!!!!! And things are moving a lot faster than I had planned!!!!!

As you may notice, there are lots of exclamation points in the last few sentences. And although they are excited exclamation points they are also a bit of a freak out/ this is happening so fast exclamation points. They are conveying a lot of emotion, as you will likely figure out as I keep going...

For those of you who may not have frequented our blog in the last few months, I will give a very brief update- we started the process to adopt from Ethiopia when we moved to our new province late last summer. All of our paper work was submitted in the new year with our dossier taking flight to Ethiopia in early April. This is where it get interesting - we received a a referral April 22. That is really fast- we were open to a lot of situations, which probably played into the quick referral. Thinking it would be a while until we received a court date but... last week we received our court file number and today we found out our first court date.!!! So...that means that early July will likely be our first trip for the second court date and likely just a couple of months or so after that they will come home.....

Breathe. just breathe...that is what has been repetitively in my mind all day. 

And wow...this is awesome...they are coming home!!

And Jeremiah 29:11 has been cycling through right after that:

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

They are good plans. They are God's plans. And we get to be a part of His plans for our children- and that includes three of them coming home SOON! Some of you may have received an update letter, some of which I shared in a previous blog. If you wouldn't mind keeping us in your thoughts and prayer, we would by SO appreciative- there is a lot of preparation that comes into bringing 3 older children into our home and we want to give the best to all of our children...

We haven't had a lot of time to implement our plans (which is also probably part of His plan as we are both the oldest and like the element of control:))so now we are holding on for the ride with everything we have got and trusting in God's provision and love for His children!!!

Thanks for reading... 

Love you all-

Blessings,

Candra

And for all my new friends- Ethiopian adoptive families -  ANY info would be helpful on travel, accommodations, things to do, what to bring.....and my lists begin!!!

Prayer

This weekend has been filled with many emotions..Mother's day means many different things now than it did when we had our first child. And I am still sorting through all the emotions that are jumbled up inside me so that will have to wait for another day - when there is more clarity...

But for today, I wanted to update you a little on our adventure of expanding our family from 4 to 7 children. As many of you know (and some maybe not) we accepted a referral of three beautiful boys just three weeks ago- it seems like a lifetime and a moment ago all wrapped into one. We have been amazed at God's timing as there are so many other experiences that have taken place in the last three weeks that have affirmed and encouraged our decision.
Yes, we are crazy in some ways.
Yes in time we will have to drive a 15 passenger van. Riley is definitely more excited than me about that one!
Yes, there are so many things that need to be done in preparation to welcome these beautiful boys into our family.

So tonight, I would like to share with you an excerpt of a prayer letter we will be sending out to people we know (and if you are interested in receiving it, please let me know...). We recognize that we cannot do this alone - that God is before us, beside us and behind us every step of the way. And that the support of our friends and family will be so important.  To be transparent, even though a lot of amazing personal details have been falling into place, this is a huge undertaking and we could really use some prayer.  So if you would you like to pray for our family, please read on...

Here are a few of the specific needs:

1. For the court date & immigration process to move quickly

2. For attaching & bonding - with older children and being in institutional care there

may be noticeable repercussions on how well the complex and difficult work of

building trust, connecting & attaching with us as parents goes. And pray that our 7

kids will all get along!!!

3. Language -  They are all fluent in Amahric, with the oldest knowing some English phrases. Please pray that they will able able to learn a new language as they come home.

4. Provision in finances - accepting this referral meant significantly more costs

($65,000+ just to get them home). In self building a home, we were able generate

approximately 1/3 of that cost. We’ve sensed God’s leading and want to trust that He will

help us steward what we have and also provide for these unexpected needs in

other ways.

5. Home needs - there is renovating to do in our home, rooms to outfit for the boys,

clothes to buy, a larger vehicle needed, etc. Please pray that God might direct us to

find some good deals or donations of furniture!

6. That we wouldn’t get too overwhelmed before the boys even come home. It’s

easy for our minds to run away at times & start to worry about a lot of aspects.

Thank you in advance for your prayers!  If there are any other questions you have, please feel free to get in touch with us!

Blessings, 

Candra & Riley

***You may have noticed on the corner of your screen a donate button. We have had several people wonder if there is an opportunity to give towards our adoption costs. The 'button' is there for that purpose.