Adoption Update

We have not received any word on a travel date yet but we did get a new picture of sweet pea. She looks like she is trying not to fall out of the seat. I can't wait to pick her up!

I LOVE this!!!!!!

www.iamsecond.com

Court Update....

Praise the Lord...We PASSED!!!! She is officially ours!!!!!!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Featuring music from the African Childrens Choir.

Thank you so much for all your prayers!!!

This is it...

Well, this is it, in the middle of the night tonight, the judge will be hearing our case in Addis. We are praying for favor with the judge and praying that the birth mom will be there.

Ethiopia Time


Thank you for all your kind comments and for all your prayers!!!!

My husband asked me what I wanted for my Birthday and of course I said, "For us to pass court and bring our sweet pea home!"

Court....

We have court in less than 4 days. For those of you that are new to the blog, we had our first court date on Dec 8th. They ended up not having court that day due to the Muslim Holiday. The following day, they were only open a few hours and did not get to our case. By then, I was a mess with emotion. The following day we waiting on pins and needles. We soon found out that our case was heard but we did not pass due to the fact that the birth mom did not appear at court. She lives very far away and was ill. A new court date was assigned for six weeks later, Jan 22nd.

So here we are, 4 days away from court. Addis is nine hours ahead of us, so while we sleep on Wednesday night, court will be in session for our sweet pea.
We are praying that we pass. Court dates are getting harder to get and further out. They are now assigning families who have just received a referral, April court dates.

Our sweet pea turned 8 months on Friday. She was three months when she made it to the orphanage and we were assigned to her a short time later. We have received medical and photo updates each month. She is growing up before our eyes and I feel like I am missing so much. I am thankful for the people at toukoul for taking such good care of her while we are waiting to

bring her home.

Please join us in Prayer...

1. Please pray that the birth mother makes it to court

2. Please pray that we have favor with the judge and MOWA with our case

3. Please pray that the birth mother is comforted in such a hard time

4. Please pray that I stay calm during this process!!!!!!!

5. Please pray that more children are adopted and have forever families.

6. Please pray for the Ethiopian adoption program and that it stays healthy and strong in the coming years.

Thank you kind friends for your support in bringing our girl home! I appreciate it more than you know.

Question

HELP! I am looking for a new devotional book. I have been surfing the web and they have so many. I would love some suggestions if any of you have a good one.

I am actually looking for two.
1. For myself
2. One for my 13 year old girl

Any ideas?

Getting Closer...

Great Recipe for 2009

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3.When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'

4.Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5.Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6.Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7.Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8.Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9.Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

10.Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

11.You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

12.Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

13.Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all
about.

14.No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

15.Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

16.Forgive everyone for everything.

17.What other people think of you is none of your business.

18.GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

19.However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

20.Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

21.Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

22.Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

23.Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

24.When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.