Nesting

So thankful that Philip and I are able to get away for a few days to our “haunt” on the river.  It’s a little cabin/lodge place where we can bring our own food, sit in quietness, read, draw, watch a movie, spend time together and in the Word of God, and do as little as possible!  There is no better way to celebrate our anniversary!  It’s hard to believe it’s been 7 years-- so much has happened it is a little overwhelming.  It’s even more overwhelming to think of the changes that will be happening in the next few months!

I’m beginning to experience that “nesting” instinct-- the desire to chuck everything that is in my way and create a perfect little atmosphere that's clean, comfortable, kid-friendly, and ready for my small people to arrive.  

I’ve contemplated:

• Raising chickens for eggs and to teach my kids about animals and responsibility
• Overhauling the unmaneagable foliage in the side yard
• Putting a roof on the back porch for a better play-space
• Organizing (or calling haz-mat?) the mysterious contents of the man-cave

What is more realistic:

• A bunch of goodwill trips (taking general clutter, bringing home baby clothes)
• Washing the aforementioned baby clothes
• Sorting them according to size and gender
• Handmaking about 100 “birth” announcements
• Stalking garage sales
• Pureeing and freezing food in ice-cube trays for homemade baby food
• Turning the pillar in the kids’ room into a tree (in the contemplative stage, currently)
• Debating what nursery furniture I actually need
• Writing their names over and over and over and…
• Drawing a picture (or two or three or four) of their names and coloring it
• Stressing over the arrangement of the nursery
• Editing and re-editing our “dream list” baby registry on Amazon
• Chucking garbage and clearing space
• Hoarding diapers
• Freaking out to an adoptive mom over e-mail, asking about bedtime routines
• Dragging Philip to Ikea to look at baby furniture
• Dreaming about my kids allllll night long
• Posting their pictures on my closet door so I can see it laying in bed

This list could go on and on.  I’m sure I’ll have more to add to it as the weeks go by.  Thank you all for being polite as I can’t seem to utter a sentence unless it’s kiddo-related.  :)  And thank you to the folks that have listened to my clueless-mom questions, like “is it ok to feed babies pureed bean soup?”  

I’m hoping in the next few days to be able to share their American names with you.  I still cannot post their Ethiopian names because of legal reasons, but we’re choosing to move their Ethiopian names to middle names, and give them more pronounceable first names.  :)  Comin’ soon!

No Court Date Yet

Philip and I outside the Lewis and Clark Caverns in MT

Ok, yes, the title is correct: we have not received our court date yet.  Yes, the Ethiopian courts closed August 6th, and will reopen around October 6th.  We won't receive a court date until sometime after they reopen.

But....

Here's the thing...

Our agency called and said that our case was approved by MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) before the closure-- which is the biggest part.  Now, after the courts reopen, there's a birth-parent interview something-er-other and then they tell us when to travel to court.  Everything we've heard is that those steps go very quickly, and our agency says we are still likely to travel in late October or early November!  Praise God that our process hasn't been set back as much as it might have been and that our kiddos will still likely be home around January.

When we do hear about travel, we may only be given a few weeks (2-3?) to purchase airfare and get ourselves to Ethiopia.  I'm thinking I'll pack in late September and not have to worry about that piece of the equation when the time comes.

Please be praying with us that when we do have a "date", we can find reasonable airfare on short notice.  We've a friend in WA that's a travel agent and scouting out flights/accommodations for us.  Another friend told me about a group that does discount airfare for adoptive families.  God is never caught off-guard by anything, and flights are no different!

On a completely different note, we were given a car-seat carrier, a chair-top hi-chair, and warm fuzzy PJs, which is totally awesome!  And, a friend stopped by and dropped of two brand new pack-n-plays and a baby monitor.  I'm sooooo blessed.  Our kiddos are so loved, it gives me warm-fuzzies.

This past week, some friends came from Idaho to visit my pastor and his family.  Their cousins are from Ethiopia and taught my friend how to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Amharic (Ethiopian).  Enjoy!