Still Plugging Away

Well...it has been a month since my last post. We have been extremely busy these past few weeks. We have nearly completed our dossier!!!! We had our home study visit on Friday and it went very smoothly. Our social worker said she will have our first draft to us within a couple of weeks. YAY! Andy had his biometrics done on Friday as well. I get mine done on June 8. Once the homestudy report is done I can send a copy to CIS. Then we wait for the I-171H to arrive. If it were me, I would have it all done now. I believe the Lord is teaching me patience. He is also teaching me to rest in Him and not get so uptight about it all. I finished my Hague training today. I just have to wait for the test results. Andy just needs to take his last test to be done. He also has to complete his workbook on Africa for the adoption agency. As of now, I have done all I can do. I just have to wait. I will take to more papers to the bank tomorrow for notarization, but then I am done. I can start the vaccination process, but I will probably wait until our dossier is in Ethiopia. I am getting really excited about the adoption though. My greatest concern is the financial burden it places on our family. We don't have $25,000 sitting in the bank. Andy and I have talked about ways to raise money. I think we are going to have a benefit this fall to help offset the costs. Some ideas I have had include a comedian, a band, a dinner, silent auction, etc. Our church has already offered their facilities for it. If you have any ideas, send them our way. I know the Lord will provide. He keeps opening doors and giving us confirmation that we are doing the right thing and pursuing His will for our family. Keep us in your prayers as we continue on this difficult journey to our daughter.

Andrea, Noah, and Nathan are doing well. Andrea keeps using the name Olivia in her story problems for school. Her sister is on her heart! Noah calls her "our little girl" which I think is precious. Nathan doesn't say much about it yet. I want to get some books on being a big brother. He just turned 3 on the 11th, so he is busy with all of his new toys. Andrea and Noah are finishing up soccer...finally. Most of the games have had to be postponed due to rain and storms. Noah is sooo funny. He graduated pre-k and since then he insists that he is already in kindergarten. He thinks he should go to school with Andrea now. Andrea constantly reminds him that it is after summer break. She is such a mother hen. God has been so good to me! I have such precious children with such tender hearts. Thank you Jesus!