This year

 A year ago today, we started this adoption. A YEAR!! High five, right?! that's a big milestone!!

This year in summation:

-The paperwork stage was intense, but strangely fun for me (giant dork)
-After paperwork, getting baby/nursery stuff ready has been one fun way for me to feel connected to our baby
-God has opened our hearts and minds to the needs of people all over the world, but mostly, that people need Him all over the world, and that we can help with that
-He's opened my heart to a desire to love on and help orphans find love and a home
-We love the beach, we love our family, we love encouraging music, our friends, Ethiopian anything :), baby things, Haiti, Modern Family, blogs and blog friends, Szechuan 132, and Harry Potter (but we already knew that)
-We're praying for our babe every day; that he/she'd be safe, warm, fed, clean, and played with, and that God would be near to them, that they would grow to love Him, and that He would give us wisdom to raise them well
-We're learning about trials and suffering and what it means to have joy and peace in the midst of all of it
-I'm getting super pumped about doing black baby hair!!!! I've started stocking up on some Carol's Daughter, I'm keeping my eye out for other good stuff

-We're praying every day that we can bring him/her home soon. Maybe this year...

On hold.

You might be wondering what it means that we're on hold. Well, basically because a large part of our income has unexpectedly ceased, we are no longer able to report the same financial numbers on our adoption paperwork and have therefore, after a lengthy conversation with our most wonderful case worker, been placed on hold until the situation is rectified. We are praying fervently that the Lord would bring us a good job, one that would be fulfilling and encouraging, and obviously one that would allow us to complete this adoption and BTBH (bring that baby home), as we affectionately like to say. Please pray for us, if you think of it. Once we have things in order, we'll be re-doing some paperwork so as to get back on that wait list asap, and we'll get to retain the 6 months and change that we've already spent on it.

On a personal note, it's been hard. I've pitched fits at God. Then I felt guilty for pitching fits (duh), considering that it's not like anyone died, and we're not starving, or cold, or alone or enduring anything like what most of the world is suffering through. After which I determined that my pain is still real even though it's not the worst pain the world has ever seen. That pain belongs to sweet Jesus, and after all, pain is not a race. I've now come back around to a place where i want to bring my pain to God again, and my supplications, and he has begun to soothe my hurting heart. Thank you D.G. for a well timed letter, thank you L.Y. for your 10 minutes on why you'd say no to the devil if he offered you everything you ever wanted, and thank you Betsie ten Boom, you were the bomb. You guys helped me when I needed help turning this heart around. I'm doing better now. I have peace. I know that I must have faith, and that my God is trustworthy. My life is all in His hands, even my desires to love on our baby.

In other news, today is Ethiopian Christmas, so Melkam Ganna, everybody!!! Hope you're enjoying some wat and injera on this fine evening :) If you wanted to learn more about Ethiopian Christmas traditions, just click here.