It's Official...We have a baby boy!!!!!

Our court date went through successfully today and we now have a baby boy!!! Ashenafi is now a Mager! Here are some photos introducing our precious son...

Our tentative travel dates are Feb. 18-25. That's less than a month away...Oh my goodness! I can't wait! What an exciting day!

Tomorrow...Tomorrow..

Tomorrow's the day! Hopefully, we will even hear news tomorrow. However, I am prepared for the fact that it might be Thursday or Friday before we know what happened.

Lord, please let everything go through so I can go meet my baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Week to Go!

In exactly one week we have our court date for Baby A. Hopefully, on Wednesday, January 23, we will have a decision and not a postponement. For some reason, it is all I can think about today. Partially, because I see his face and just know he's getting older by the minute and I want to be able to hold him when he is still tiny! Partially, because I feel like I have so many things on hold for the spring (as far as the calendar goes). I am responsible for many retreats, trips and events that happen at our church and Christian school so it is hard to know what I'll actually be in town for and what I will be missing. I don't mind missing any of it, if it means I am in Ethiopia; but, I don't want to schedule myself out for February if we aren't going to be able to travel until later. None of these things are a big deal, but I would like to just be able to plan something!!! I don't even know what to do to get ready for the trip, yet. Not that it matters, because I usually do things like that closer to the last minute. I guess I just work better with a deadline : ) But, I feel like I'm in limbo and I wonder what the baby must be feeling. I'm sure he is well taken care of at the HOH; and, of course, he's too little to "think" anything. I just wish I knew who was holding him, where he was sleeping, what he was hearing...all of those things! Hopefully, it won't be too long before I see for myself!

Lost in Translation

So, there was a little mistake...apparently, the director in Ethiopia emailed our offices the date on the Ethiopian calendar for the day of our court appointment (which is the 14th of their current month); however, according to my calendar, it is actually the 23rd. Therefore, we wait again!!! Praying, praying, praying that it goes through with the first court date. I really want to travel in February!

Court Date Scheduled!

Just got a call from our social worker Julia and she said that we have a court date for January 14th...Yeah!!! I was expecting it to be the end of January, so that's good news. That means, if all goes well the first time through (which is praying for alot!), then we will travel about 2-3 weeks after that. So, I'm planning to travel in February, maybe even as early as the first week!

Referral --- Merry Christmas to us!

Finally, we officially received our new referral. Baby A is a 3 month old boy, healthy, and paper ready! Sharon, the director of the Ethiopia program, called us herself on Christmas morning to give us the news. We were so thrilled and appreciative that she would take time out on her holiday, even while she was out of town with family, to call us and give us this wonderful Christmas gift! ... YEAH!!!!

My perfect timing must not be His!

Yesterday, December 12, was our 10 year wedding anniversary. I told God that would be a great day to get the call for our new referral. I even told Him that it would be perfect timing! Laughingly, I also told Him that He probably doesn't care what my perfect is, because His ways are higher than mine. I guess He proved me right....No call yesterday...or today, for that matter! Oh, well, there's still tomorrow (before another long weekend waiting!).

By the way, though, we did have a great day celebrating. We left work early, skipped church, and had a free babysitter. It was a fun night of movies, fine dining, and Christmas shopping. Just perfect to be together (alone) for a change!