Update on Sweet Pea...

We recieved an email from our agency with a medical update on our sweet pea. There was not new pictures just the report. She is doing well and is growing. She gained 2 pounds and now weighs 14 pds 1 oz. She is also able to sit up without support.

Wow, she is growing and I am missing so much. I pray that we have her soon. It was tough making it through the holiday without her. God has a plan!

New look...

Thanks for your comments. I did design a new header. I tried to shove all my favorite things into it. I know it looks different but its still me! It's fun to dress up your blog. I probably won't have time to do that when sweet pea comes home.

Some of my favorite's...

We are so blessed to have such great friends and family. So many people blessed us with gifts for our sweet pea. I want to show you a few special and unique items.

This is the cutest tutu I have ever seen!!! One of my agents bought this.

A friend of mine thought it would also make a great lamp cover. She was right!

Deborah and her mom made this awesome quilt for sweet pea and one for her baby doll too. Of course it's extra special because it's in Ethiopian flag colors. She will always have this to cherish.

I love these baby wipe case holders. They are so cute!!!

Jessica made us a very special scrap book of the journey to get our daughter. I can't post it online because it has a picture of sweet pea in it but if you want to see the pages, email me and I will send it to you. It is really cool!

She also made this plate for sweet pea's room. It has a picture of Africa on the front and says princess in Amharic. It is now displayed in her room on her dresser.

Gotta LOVE these cute Ugg boots and now she will match her sissy!

Can't wait to bring her home to use some of the wonderful things everyone have given her!

Merry CHRISTmas from the Boyd's!

SOoooo WRONG,

So wrong, But SO FUNNY!!

Romantic Sleigh Ride Video:
WARNING: This post is not for the conservative.

Cheer Nation

Savannah had a cheer competition last weekend and I am just now getting time to post about it. If you didn't already know, cheer is BIG in Texas! Savannah loves it! The gym we joined is new so this was their first competition together. They were very excited and nervous. I apoligize for the video in advance. They would not let us bring camcorders in so I was using my regular camera.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The cheer venue was selling these photos at the whopping price of 20 for $170 (there was over 226 photos) and I sure as heck was not going to pay those prices so that is why the photos below have writing all over them. They are sorta copyrighted...

I can't get enough of this song!

The end gives me chills. If you haven't already heard it, it's worth a listen!

Emotional Drama Queen has left the building.

It is two days after a failed court date and I am emotionally strong again. At least I think I am. I just had a rough few days.

First let me say, thank you to all of you that left the amazing comments of support. It helped me out so much! I also got a few personal emails and I am afraid I may have unintentionally discouraged people from adoption due to how emotional I was in my last post after we did not pass court. If I have discouraged anyone, please read below:

I am sad about the court delay in our case but we have a relinquished child and they seem to be a little more challenging from what I have read lately on other blogs than the abandoned cases. They are not requesting a new document as I have read on a lot of blogs, the courts want the birth mom to appear in court again. She already appeared in court over 3 months ago with witnesses to relinquish all her rights so I don’t know why they want her to appear again, but that is the court’s decision. From what our agency says, they sometimes request this and other times not. I do not want to discourage people from adopting or getting relinquished babies, they need homes too but I do want to keep it “Real” as far as expectations go. I also want to say that when we pass court and get our little sweet pea, every moment will have been worth it and I wouldn’t change a thing knowing now what I didn’t know when we started the adoption process.

Do not be swayed by my emotional rant on my blog about not passing court when it comes to your decision about adopting. I just had an emotional day. Court delays can happen in any country or agency.

I do think that we should all keep the Ethiopia Adoption program and Governments/Court system in our prayers as well as other countries so that more orphans can have forever families. In closing, GOD is BIGGER than any courts! I know I will have my sweet pea soon!

Thank you for all your support! I am so happy for all of you who have just brought your babies home and I am stalking your blog to find out more. I am also thinking about the rest of you that are waiting for referrals and gathering the paperwork for your dossier.

Amber

Court update...

Our court case WAS heard today and we did NOT pass. Apparently the judge requested that the mother be at the court date and she did not show up. The attorney thinks that she is sick. I was not aware that she had to be there as she has already shown up to court and has relinquished all rights 3 months ago. The mother is very, very
poor and is homeless. She is only 18 years old. She lives 168 miles south of Addis so I imagine that it's hard for her to make it to court. When I asked why she had to be there, I was told that these things are happening in the courts right now, sometimes they are requesting that the mother be there and other times not. We were assigned a new court date of Jan 22nd. Jan 22nd? That seems so far away.

To say that we are devastated doesn't even begin to cover it. Adoption is not for the faint of heart. I am not trying to be dramatic, just trying to keep it REAL. I thought I was strong but I am feeling very weak today. I think about our baby sitting in the orphanage for another two months and it makes me cry. I am home sick from work today, thank God. I do not want everyone to see me like this. I just took a hot shower and let the water beat down on me as I cried. It's amazing how you can love someone so much that you have never met. It's indescribable. I can only imagine what parents like the Fournet's are feeling, who are going for their 5th attempt at court on this coming Monday.

PLEASE PRAY:

1. Please pray for the mother of our child. Pray for her health. Pray for her heart for what she must be going through being so brave to give up her child. Pray that we can find her to get her to court. Pray that she is blessed.

2. Please pray for our sweet pea and that she doesn't get the chicken pox, scabies, or eye infection that is going around the orphanage right now. Pray that God protects her and loves on her and the other kids in the orphanage.

3. Please pray for the stability of the courts in Ethiopia and for all future adoptions.

4. Please pray for the Fournet's to pass court on Monday.

Thank you dear friends.

Let's try this again...

Today will be out 3rd attempt at court. Please pray!

ETHIOPIA TIME

No GO #2...

I just received word that our case was not heard in court today. I am home from work today sick. I am bummed but I trust the Lord and His plan so everything will be fine. Rick is out of town but I talked to him a minute ago and his nerves are shot but he also is trusting in the Lord.

I want to thank Tania. She just got back from Addis and brought her baby girl home. She sent me three new pictures of sweet pea. It made my day. The Lord is good!Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Shout out! Our agency has 3 families that just got back from Ethiopia to pick up their kiddos. Go check out their blogs. I am so happy for them!

Tania
Lisa and Cory
Leah and Jon

Please pray that we make it through court tomorrow.

Do Over...

It's 4:11AM and I am awake. I am sick with a cold and I am praying for court that I hope is going on today and that they hear our case. Trusting in the Lord and His perfect plan.

ETHIOPIA TIME

NO GO...

Our case was not heard in court today. Apparently today is a big Muslim celebration.

Radu said usually they work today but they decided to not hold the Court session today. Radu was not aware of this, but he got the info from the attorney today. Today's cases will go before of the judge either tomorrow or Wednesday.
He said that he hopes they don't drink too much today so that they will hold court tomorrow. (can you imagine if the US worked like this?)

We are very disappointed but there is nothing we can do. Please continue to pray that our case gets heard soon and that God's hand is on the whole ordeal. I need to get some sleep but I don't know if I can.

Still no word....

Court should have already let out but I still haven't heard anything. I am freakin out!

ETHIOPIA TIME

Court Tomorrow!

We have our court date tomorrow, Dec. 8th. I pray that Dec. 8th, 2008 will be the day we remember always as the day Ayana became our daughter!

I have been working around the house all day trying to keep my mind busy but it doesn't work well. I am not sure if I will get any sleep tonight. I know Rick will because he is already asleep. He has to get up at 3:00 AM to leave on a business trip.

While I try to sleep tonight, court will be in session. Please pray with us that God's hand will be on our court case,the judge and our attorney. Thanks.

ETHIOPIA TIME