Here we GO again!

GO.SET.READY!

                                                    Mark and I on a flight to Ethiopia in Oct.2014

                              

Okay everybody…HERE.WE.GO!  It’s hard to believe that this is really happening!  Yes, we are adopting again and we couldn’t be more excited!  I can still remember being at our guest house in Ethiopia one day after we got custody of our son, Ashur Biruk, and Mark looking out over the city and saying, “ We will be back here someday to bring another child into our family.”   I just smiled, but inside I thought, “Yeah, right!”  Adoption is such a long, emotional road, one that had taken us through so many ups and downs to be at that guest house with our new son and one we are still walking today, so I wasn’t sure if we would ever be ready to do that again. But, God has had us in a season for a while of telling us to GO before we are set or ready.  GO adopt again (yikes!)  Let your daughter GO to Revolution 5 in Colorado (do we have to?)   GO to a new church (double yikes!)  GO start a missions ministry to lead others to GO (really, God??) 

 So, we step out and He meets us there.  Just like He did with Ashur.  Can I tell you the feelings that come with hearing him say “I love you, mom,” and “Love you, dad.”  The joy we get from the kisses, hugs, laughter and seeing all of life through new eyes?  I am smiling now just writing this!! Watching a skinny, scared, angry young boy become a healthy, confident, happy young man is so fulfilling!  But most of all, we have learned much about the Savior’s great love for us.  How He adopted us into His own family, when we did nothing to earn His love, He reached out for us and loved us just as we were.  He has accepted us, loved us greatly and changed us into something beautiful.  It wasn’t easy, but so worth it.  We are forever grateful and we are ready…..

So, here we are….coming full circle….  A little over 2 years since we brought home our son, we are preparing to bring another little Ethiopian into our forever family, this time a girl! (This is the first time in 21 years that we haven’t had a girl living in our house!)  This sweet little one just turned 6 years old.  I wish I could post a picture because she is precious!  She has type 1 diabetes which is considered a special need in Ethiopia.  This disease is manageable in the United States, but in a third world country, it is hard to keep levels stable and have healthy food to eat.  SO- we need to get her home quickly!  However quick is not a word in the Ethiopian culture, so we would appreciate prayers for favor in her case.  We are so thankful for so many friends and family that have helped us be set and ready over the past years in all areas of our life.  We love you, we need you, we are grateful for you.