Linking Up

I'm a day late but I'm linking up to Kelly's (over at Kelly's Korner) Show-Us-Your-Life Friday link-up where the topic of the week is adoption.  If you're visiting from Kelly's little corner of the world wide web, WELCOME!

I'm thinking a fun way to catch you up on our story is to highlight (by linking you to) a few of our favorite posts.  So, here goes:

• Back to the beginning; we're ADOPTING!
• A turning point
• Our adoption shirts
• The trip the sealed the deal
• The first post by my hubby - everyone LOVES these.
• Our first wait list number
• Sadie potties for her cousin in Africa
• Sometimes waiting just stinks
• I answer some FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
• Waiting and Learning
• Blessings while we wait
• Changes
• Another word from Daddy
• We're adopted
• So close and yet so far
• Latest monthly update

Thanks again for dropping by and PLEASE feel free to email us at movedtomove@gmail.com if you have questions about adoption, in general or any part of the process.  I love to share my heart and what little knowledge I have on the topic.

We're Next (sort of)....and I got some explaining to do.

Within our agency, things on the referral front have been pretty quiet of late.  As you will recall, we didn't move on the wait list at all from the first of December to the first of January.  And, even since then, things have been disappointingly quiet.

Until Friday.

We learned, on Friday (1/18/13) that FOUR babies had been matched with their forever families.  There was so much excitement on our agency's FB page (and just on FB in general as many of us have become FB friends).

Let me catch you up to where we are and how these new referrals affect us.....

(Official) Wait List (as of 1/1/13)

1. K Family - Doing a concurrent adoption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo / waiting to bring home their son from the Congo / unable to accept a referral from Ethiopia until he has been home for 6 months.
2. H Family - I have become friends with this Mom and we spend a lot of time FB chatting, trying to encourage one another (along with family #5's Mom too) and keep one another "off the ledge".  : )  This family has been waiting for the referral of an infant girl.
3. Williams Family - THAT'S US! - Remember, we are waiting for the referral of a girl, age 2 to age 6.
4. Unknown family
5. H Family - One of the other Mom's that I now consider a friend.  Waiting for the referral of an infant girl.

Now.....on Friday, the families shown above in the #2 and #4 positions received referrals for baby girls.  In addition, a sweet family who had the unfortunate experience of losing a referral also got a referral for a baby girl and a family further down the list got a referral for an infant boy.

So......based on this, the top of the (unofficial; only because the new official one won't come out until 2/1/13) list is looking like this:

1.  Williams Family - that's us!
2.  H Family (formerly #5 above)
3.  G Family

(The K Family listed above as #1 is still on hold.  Our agency may consider us #2 but we know we're really #1....wink, wink, smile).

Technically, because of our age parameters, we have been at the "it could happen any day" status for a while but, can I just tell you that things feel different lately?  Like it really COULD happen any day.

And since we're so close and because so many have asked, I want to take a moment to explain what's happening next.

What it is, at this point, that we are waiting FOR is a phone call from our agency saying that they have an available child that meets our parameters.  Our adoption coordinator has her own special ring on my cell phone so the moment that call comes should prove to be REALLY exciting.

When she calls, she will share with us the details that she has available and then she will forward us an email that will have copies of any paperwork that is available (birth certificates, medical records, etc.) and PICTURES!  Because we have contracted with the International Adoption Clinic at Vanderbilt, we will promptly forward them any and all information for their review.  They have 24 hours to get back to us with any advice, recommendations, etc. that they might have/think that we need to know.  Once we accept the referral, more paperwork will be involved and our case will be filed with the Ethiopian court system.  Once we are granted a court date, we will make our travel arrangements and head to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (where our daughter will be waiting for us in our agency's Transition Home).  This will hopefully happen 4-8 weeks after "the call".

While we are in Ethiopia (likely for about a week), we will be able to spend time each day getting to know our girl; we will also do some sightseeing and plan to visit with our sponsor child, Teraku and my sister Ashley's boy, Kumalechew.  One of our days will be spent going to court where the ultimate goal is to hear the judge declare, "she's all yours".

The most unfortunate part of this trip is that when it comes to an end, we will leave without her.  She will remain at the Transition Home until the US Embassy clears her to travel (which can take several weeks to several months).  There is nothing natural about that, so we could use your prayers (for us and for her) regarding this step in the process starting now.  From there, we will wait for another call saying that she is cleared to travel.  We will travel once more to bring her home.

It is our plan for both of our boys to go on one of the two trips; we aren't sure at this time which trip they will take.  It will depend on timing.

Thanks for praying for us, for loving our family.....all five of us!

P.S.  Other families with age/gender parameters different than ours could still receive referrals before us, of course.  So, technically, we aren't necessarily "next" but it sounds/feels good.

One Year

Earlier today, I shared the following as my Facebook status.  Thought I would post it here, for the record:

One year ago today we were paper ready and officially placed on the waiting list with our adoption agency. I didn't think we could ever be more excitedly expectant than we were on that day, but now I know, these 365 days later that I was wrong. God has grown a love for her in our hearts and taught us so very many lessons about Him and about ourselves in this time. We're ready, God, whenever you are.

What's funny is that as I was copying and pasting this status to post here, my FB friend and fellow Lifeline adoptive mom, April (whose family landed on the waiting list the same exact day as we did), commented that we actually had been waiting one year as of YESTERDAY (the 2nd).  Apparently, I'm getting so good at waiting that I've lost track.    

By the way, April and her husband received their referral several weeks ago and are now waiting for a court date.  Could you pray that their case moves along and they are able to travel soon?

A new year is always encouraging.  A fresh start.  And I have to say that starting this new year with the promise that our girl will join our family in the coming year feels great.  It has also been encouraging to reflect on the things that He has shown us during the wait; for the gifts that He's given us through friends that we've made with like hearts, and through the reminders from our dearest friends and family of the love that others already have for our girl.  

Monthly Wait-List Update

Well, at least we can't go backward at this point.

We received our monthly wait list update email today from our ever-faithful Lesley and, just as we expected, we are number.......

As you recall, this is the same number that we received at the beginning of December.

This doesn't mean that there were no referrals in December because, actually, 9 children were placed with their forever families last month.  It's just that none were placed with families ahead of us.  There was one special needs placement made; there is also one set of toddler twin boys (oh what fun!), 3 infants and 3 older children who are now no longer orphans.  Praise God!  Please pray for their families as they begin a new and different kind of wait.

As for us, things look the same up here at "the top".  The family who is currently in the #1 position, as I've shared before, is on hold as they are currently adopting from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (I marvel at the families doing this....many prayers for them).  It is my understanding that they will not be able to accept an Ethiopian referral until that child has been home for six months (and he's not home yet to my knowledge).  Selfishly speaking, I hope we get a referral before their hold is up.  The family in the #2 spot is waiting for the referral of a girl, age 0-2 which, since we are approved for 2-6, doesn't technically affect our referral.  On days when I'm being particularly upbeat, I just go ahead and consider us #1.  On days when I'm not, well.  (I mean, there is always the real possibility that their hold will be lifted before we receive a referral (they are approved for a girl, age 0-4) and, well, we'll still be hanging on).  God's timing.

In the meantime, this is Jeff's last week at his current job.  He has worked for the same company for 11 years, serving as their CFO until the company was purchased by another in May.  At that time, he became the Chief Integration Officer and has helped to merge the multiple companies into one, which has moved its headquarters here to Nashville.  Now that everything is moving right along, he has decided to do the same.

I think, at this point, we both vacillate between great excitement and nervous fear at what our future holds.  Earlier in our adoption, when we first knew that this career change was a possibility, we talked of how no one but God could make a way for us to adopt and bring home our new daughter at the exact time that Jeff would be unemployed and able to spend more than normal time at home, bonding with our daughter and strengthening the ties of what will soon be our new family.  It is exciting to see what He has in store for each of us.

While We Wait - Gifts

I'm not going to lie.  I (Kelley) have been weepy more than once during the Christmas holidays as my heart has longed for our girl.  When we first got on the waiting list with our agency, we were told by our caseworker that she expected us to receive a referral in 3 to 4 months.  Here we are almost 12 months later...with no referral.

Some of you wonder how we can already love a child we do not know.  I know you think this....because some of you have asked.  And the only explanation that I have is....God.  We love (her) because He first loved (us).  He placed us on this journey and, already, He has instilled a love in our hearts for our daughter.

And as our families gathered this Christmas season, I often found myself on the verge of tears (or in tears) as her absence with us for another holiday weighed heavily on my heart.

But God, as He is always so very faithful to do, gave me/us the gift of SO many reminders of His great love for us.  And for our "LG" (Little Girl).

We received physical gifts like these.......that let us know that she was in the hearts of others:

We received precious notes in books soon to be hers....reminding her that she is loved and prayed for.

(This one, by the way, was a tear jerker for me).

Prayers were prayed for her as we gathered at mealtime; sweet prayers but painful reminders that one of us was missing in our (daily) lives but not in our hearts.

And at times when I needed the reminder(s), sweet friends randomly sent messages through cards, calls, Facebook or text messages reminding me that we were being thought of, prayed for and loved.  Messages like this:  "You certainly do not have to worry that she is being covered in prayer...y'all too, I have no doubt".  And this:  "When you get sad and your faith feels weak, you can rest in knowing others are standing in the gap for you".  Messages reminding us that loved ones were thinking of "our little pink boots" and how they SOON would be filled.  Reminders to "hang in there; it's going to be SO worth the wait".  I'm so very thankful for ALL of these gifts, for a loving and faithful Gift Giver who, through the Holy Spirit, reminds others to remind us that we are not forgotten....and when I say "we", of course I mean "SHE". 

Christmas 2012 - Thinking of Mary

I guess this is what happens when you're a Mom but, more and more, when I reflect on Christmas and the ultimate gift we've been given in Jesus, I can't help but go to a place where my mind wanders to Mary, his mother.

One of my favorite Christmas tunes has always been "Mary Did You Know" and I do still love the message in that song but, this year, it was replaced by a new one (to me) by Francesca Battistelli.  Her song, "You're Here" has been my personal favorite this Christmas season.  If you haven't heard it, take a minute and listen to the words.  As parents, we never know, when we stare into the eyes of our children who they are ultimately to be.   

Like Mary, I've been given the precious gift of my children and I often wonder what it is that God has planned for them.  It can be exciting and scary all at the same time.  Mary surely didn't want to witness the journey that her boy had to take and, though it doesn't compare, I too have had to watch my boys experience hard life lessons.  (And I'm certain that there will be many more).

Today, as I reflect on how thankful I am for the birth of Jesus Christ, I can't help but be thankful for each of my children.  For our oldest, Jordan, who has matured so much in the last year or so.  He is no longer a boy but a Godly young man with so much wonder for history, music and travel; he continually impresses his Dad and I.  For our soon-to-be middle child who has had almost 15 years in the "baby" spot.  Braeden is such a creative teenager, a talented musician, a loyal friend and has the most sensitive heart.  And to our baby girl, whose eyes we've not yet stared into.....tears build just beyond the surface of my eyes today as you are thought of and loved from so far away.  Our sweet family has remembered you in thought, in conversation and with gifts this Christmas season and we all look SO forward to loving you in person soon.  

God has a GREAT plan for each of you....and we are so eager to see it unfold in your lives.  

While We Wait - So Close & Yet So Far

It was about this time last year that we posed for our annual Christmas cards wearing our newly designed/produced Adoption T-Shirts.  And as I penned our (not always) annual Christmas letter, I used that forum to announce that we were adopting.  At the time, we had just recently sent our dossier on its way to Ethiopia and we were so certain that this year's picture would include our little girl.

(November 2011 - Photo Credit to Jeff Williams and the camera's timer:)

As Thanksgiving 2012 approached and I began to think about this year's card/letter, I knew that we had to include her somehow.

And what represents life with girls more than a little PINK?

I not only wanted to have her present through the color pink but I also wanted to honor her country and make note of the fact that she's so close but yet so far away.  

(November 2012 - Photo credit to Emily Drake Photography)

We are SO very hopeful that those little boots will be filled in 2013!