We're on our way Baby Girl

Our patio is finished and our new baby girl's room is almost completed. Once it's done I'll post a picture; we just need a couple of finishing touches. I love when N says, "B______ bed!" every time she walks in there.

We are about 10 months into the adoption process and I've had a good amount of interesting comments from strangers and people we know. Thankfully I have two friends who have gone this path before me and I have been able to learn some things from them about "comments". I actually enjoy them. Well, I enjoy most of them. It feels like an opportunity to talk about adoption and it's importance to our family. The most hurtful one was when an African American woman scolded me when she found out I was adopting our daughter from Ethiopia. She told me that when white people adopt black children and don't take care of their hair then they don't love them. I stood a little dumb founded as my little white almost two year old ran around right in front of her with crazy frizzy hair sticking out all over the place. She said, "You tell me you love my children, but you don't even take care of their hair!" Another comment someone made to me was inquiring how I would know how to raise our daughter since I didn't understand "the slavery thing". Here are my simple thoughts to this:
1. There are 25 million orphaned children in Ethiopia. I pray my daughter knows I love her whether or not I can get the hair thing right. That goes for you too, N.
2. My understanding of slavery is that wicked and ignorant people have scarred America's history forever. I feel honored to be a part of the church that was on the forefront of abolition those many years ago.
3. B will never have to understand slavery any differently than anyone else as she nor her ancestors were never slaves. Ethiopians are the oldest of nations and they have never been conquered by another nation. Isn't that an awesome legacy?!?!
4. To all my African American friends- PLEASE help me with the hair thing. I had no idea it was this big of a deal. I need your help because, well let's face it, have you seen MY hair?

The most interesting and eye opening comment was made by a retired neighbor during our patio project. Mind you he had partaken in several beers while "supervising" Todd's work. I felt like it was time to let him know that we were getting close to bringing our daughter home. He was taken back as he hadn't heard this news. He looked straight ahead and thought for a second then said, "Let me ask you a question." I knew it would be a good one so I smiled. Drum roll please... He said, "Now, why is it that people go all the way around the world to adopt children, but we have so many right here who need homes"? I was really happy with my answer to that one! He thought a little and nodded his head and then came the next one. "How can you know for sure that it will be healthy"? I was happy with my answer to this one too. The next was, "I've watched on TV that the kids get here and the parents realize there's something wrong and someone lied. Do you have a way to send it back if there is something wrong?" Oh my word. I started walking away, not out of anger, but out of not wanting to say the wrong thing. I just said, "You probably won't get the answer you are looking for when you ask that of a mother."

Back to the waiting on a court date.

For awhile now we knew that Ethiopian courts closed during the month of August for the flooding season and that if we didn't get a court date assigned for the month of July that we were going to have to wait until the courts reopened. We were so hoping to bring our little B :) home sometime in the fall and things were starting to get a little scary. Scary was not a new word in our adoption process so I began to pray again for God's will. Of course I prayed that we would be able to have our court date in July, but ultimately we want God's will. 

Two weeks ago our case was filed in court and last week we were given a court filing number. Last Saturday we were told that there was a good chance we would get a court date this week and that there was hope we would go in July. Monday passed quickly by as I checked email every 5 minutes. Tuesday and Wednesday flew by. Then came Thursday. Thursday night we got an email that was encouraging, but nothing solid. We got another email from a friend Friday morning that the word was ET was not giving any more court dates until they reopened after August. My heart sank. Then 30 minutes later I got an email that made me sing a thank you song to the Lord! A court date! July 27th! We just barely squeaked in there! If I could kiss the Ethiopian clerks working in that court house I would do it.

We are going to get to travel with 2 other families who are going to be there for their court dates also. I'm looking forward to starting those friendships and feel comforted that we will be there together. We have chosen one of the most diligent, hard-working, and God-glorifying adoption agencies and we are so thankful for their support.

Our next adventure is deciding on a first name and packing for this trip.
Baby B here we come!