Got Empties? Wanna shop?

I am getting creative with our fundraising efforts and found a few ways that will earn us some funds. One way is if anyone has empty ink cartridges you can contact us and we will send you envelopes to send them in for us. We get anywhere from .25-$4.00 per cartridge. It is no cost to you. If you know of others you can pass the word to that would be awesome too.

One other way we are raising funds is through Current. This is a catalog selling a variety of items. If you are interested in finding out more, please let us know and we would be happy to fill you in.

Not sure what to even say....

I wanted to write, but I have no idea what to even say. My emotions are completely shot!

I feel like I have gotten on a roller coaster ride that I wanted to get on, but the turns and the up side down flips and whirls are too much for me, but I am buckled in and the ride has already started. The ride didn't seem like it was to rough before I got on, but now it seems like I can hardly hold on. I feel like the roller coaster is never going to stop.

As most of you know the 15th was suppose to be the cut off date until September, but I talked to our Adoption Agent yesterday and she said we are at the top of the list so if a child comes into the orphanage and the Ethiopian agents think there is enough time still to get through the courts there is still a possibility for us to get in. If we do we would travel in late September. If we do not hear anything in the next week or so she said we would be one of the first to receive a referral in September when they reopen. That means we would be traveling November. Like I said in the beginning, I really don't even know what to say anymore. I feel weak and so emotional I can hardly take it. I just want my baby home.

Cindie

Tell Me How to Feel Right Now

So the deadline for getting to Ethiopia before fall/winter has officailly past. But word coming down from the agency through the forum is that there MIGHT be a few more referrals next week.

We're both trying to stay really busy to avoid hysterics.

Surge of Hope- tick tick

After only one June referral being listed on our agency's forum, there have been six in the last two days. We still have but one day, but a bit more hope attached to it.

Unexpected...

So many things in our Adoption process have been unexpected...

Just when we thought the document we just filled out is done, there are 3 more similar ones that we didn't know we had to fill out. When we thought that was the last meeting with our social worker and it turns out we need just one more. When the time frame is unknown, when every day could be the one that brings news that our beautiful child has arrived. AND the list goes on...

BUT our adoption process also has brought us unexpected blessings too!

Just when we feel defeated with document after document to fill out, someone calls to see how things are going, someone tells us that they are praying for us. Just when we feel like we can't see this process ever coming to the end, someone tells us that God knows our child and is taking care of her and this is all in His time. And when we feel the overwhelming weight of debt, money comes in. God has provided so much encouragement through so many of you at just the right time.

I wanted to share the latest!!
Last night I sat alone after getting the kids in bed finally. Both have been sick all week with high fevers. Hannah had just gotten a cough that sounds horrible and Eli threw up at Applebees, yes on someone else's table! (the joy of being a mom) Shannon is gone for 4 days to St. Louis for his grandmother's funeral. As I sat with my huge stack of girly movies and the phone rang. Feeling exhausted and a bit defeated I answered. It was just what God knew I needed, a blessing from a friend. He said, we just got back from camp and just wanted to let you know you and Shannon's adoption was our mission for the week and the kids earned $213 dollars and .50 cents!

What encouragement that we are being taken care of at ALL times and that even when I didn't know it, children were learning about our adoption and raising their money for our daughter, Ramiah! After I got off the phone I sat and cried and praised the God, who provides all of our needs and knows just what we need and when we need it.

Referrals are slow

Our agency is not sending out many referrals to anyone, so the likelihood of us getting ours in now even slimmer. We still carry some hope with us to the phone every time it rings, actually as we RUN to the phone when it rings. We will keep you posted on any news!
We ran across an interesting article in the New York times about Ethiopian Adoption and our Agency CHSFS if you have time and would like to read it.

Deep Breaths Are for Sissies

As we've mentioned before, if we do not get a referral by June 15, we will have to wait until mid-September at the earliest. Click here for an explantion.

That means we have just ten business days to recieve that call. It just does not look likely. We're still hopeful, but the uncertainty is getting to us.

So, while we wait, we jump at every phone ring. We fumble the phone to read the caller ID.

We are both wishing June 15 would come quickly just so that we will not have to keep wondering.

I don't mean to whine. We're good with waiting if we must. The waiting builds patience, patience we'll need later. And we put our hope in the God who knows where she is and what she needs.

While we wait, our stomach knots, grit teeth, greying hair, and short breaths will keep us company.