Movin' On Up...

Lots of people got belated Christmas gifts today. It seems as though a lot of people got calls today with their referrals! Wow! That puts us at #56 on "The List" (remember, it represents only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the people waiting. We are just about to hit the 3 month mark as "officially waiting". They are currently estimating a 6-9 month wait for a referral.) . This is the most activity we've seen since we've been on The List. Hopefully, there might even be a few more referrals made that haven't made it to The List yet, and we might even hop a few more spaces over the weekend.

I can't tell you the emotion that wells up in my heart, balls up in my throat, and escapes a bit through my tear ducts as I read the posts from the elated parents that have finally been matched with a child that they have been holding in their hearts for months or years. To finally put a face on that little one you've longed for...oh, I just can't imagine. We rejoice with each orphan that has been set in a family. We dance with each parent longing for a child...one step closer to fulfilling a dream. We long for the day when we will hold our next daughter in our arms...

All in God's timing. All in His perfect timing. He is so good.

Dossier Sent to Ethiopia

We found out yesterday that our Dossier has been forwarded to Ethiopia for translation, etc. It doesn't change our wait at all, but it is good to see continual movement with our file!

Longer Wait Expected

We just heard today that things have slowed down enough in Ethiopia that we should now expect a longer wait time until we receive a referral. We are now being quoted 6 - 9 months rather than 5 -7. This would put our window for a referral between April and July. Its a bit disappointing, however things could also pick up at any point. Our agency has had 100 referrals for children since September...so things are still moving.

God's Timing

It has been so great seeing how God provides. We have a $3,000 bill due to our agency which we have had for a couple of months, but have waited to pay...trying to make it until after the beginning of the new year. Our agency graciously gave us time to do so. Yesterday we found out that Life International (the agency giving us the matching grant) is going to pay that bill for us. That means we are paid in full with our adoption agency. We'll still have a lot to pay for: airfare, stay in Ethiopia, visas, as well as legal stuff and post adoption reports, but it is SO AMAZING to have paid all of our adoption fees by this time in the process.

On The Radio

Had an interesting day...We were interviewed on a Radio Show called Prime Time Chicago which is on a Moody Radio Station - WMBI. They were doing a spot on Life International - the organization providing us with a matching grant. It was a great time. They interviewed Andy Lehman, VP of Life Intl and the two of us about financing adoption and our personal story. It was a great experience...being able to help highlight adoption as well as Life International which we have found to be an awesome organization. If the audio file of the show becomes available, we'll post it here. They also said they hope to have us on again after we bring our little girl home. In 2008 they are highlighting adoption on Moody Broadcasting.

A Unique Christmas Gift for Us and Them

We received a card in the mail from a name I did not recognize. I opened it up to find a note and a check. It was indeed from someone that we do not know. She explained in the note that she is a friend of a friend of ours who somehow heard about what we are doing. So she decided to give us money in honor of several of her friends, and that will be their Christmas gift. In their Christmas card, they will get a little note that says she gave money to our One Less Orphan fund in their name. We were blown away!

God does indeed work in mysterious ways! He has continued to surprise us from the places we least expect it. He continues to show us that He is indeed in control, that this is His plan, and that He's going to make it happen. We are left with our socks blown off, speechless and grateful!

Video about AIDS Orphans in Ethiopia

Here's a video which talks about the plight of AIDS orphans in Ethiopia. www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLkcFzJZ4Y

An Early Christmas Gift!

Yesterday we received great news! We heard from an agency named Life International that they are going to be providing us with a $3,000 matching grant toward our adoption expenses. These guys are a great organization that helps people like us in funding adoptions. This is great news because once again every $1 we raise equals $2 toward adoption expenses. 100% of anything donated will go toward our adoption and it also is tax deductible for you. Thank you to many of you who have responded by providing prayer support and financial support so far on this journey. We feel truly loved by you.

If you are on our email list, you will be receiving a letter from us and from Life International in the next day or so. Thank you for considering it.

If you are not on our email list and would like to be added, please drop an email to onelessorphan@gmail.com.

You can check out Life International's website at www.lifeintl.org

This is great news for us this Christmas time!! Thank you for sharing in it!

The List Continued

Just checked the list...we were sitting at #64. On the new and improved updated version, we are at #66. Welcome to this journey.

(I know. I know. Someone probably joined the forum that was one of the "uncounted" half in line before us. I know. I know.)

The List

Let me let you in on a little piece of our waiting journey... our agency hosts a forum. It's not "official", and the views expressed on it are not necessarily the views of the agency....you get the point. It's full of disclaimers ~ only run by volunteers...not part of the agency...only as accurate as the people reporting the info...and on and on the disclaimers go. Not everyone using the agency registers on the forums. They figure about half the people do. But in the waiting stage, it's all we've got. All that to tell you about "The List".

Every week, a dear woman (only known to us as "carrieoutwest") compiles all the names of every registered person, when their dossier was accepted, how long they've been waiting for, and what age and sex they are waiting for. Then, when you accept a referral, you move to the next List, which tells how long you've been waiting to travel (notice a theme on these lists...?). And then, the glorious day arrives, and you finally get to permanently move all your information to the final list that shows your whole journey (in wait time increments), including how long you've been home with your child.

So, every week, sometimes more than once (yes, we get anal), we check "The List" to see if there have been any changes. I actually just checked it right now. We started out at #78 on the list. We have moved down the list in tiny increments. Once we even moved back up the list. But for today, we are sitting at #64. That means there are approximately 128 people in front of us waiting for a referral and picture of their child. On the surface, that feels like we might actually get her home before Caia graduates from college. But, then you consider that they've already placed 287 children this year, and you feel like it might actually happen sometime in this decade.

So in a time of no action, no news, and nothing new to tell you about, we turn to "The List". We'll keep you posted.