This past week has been so exciting!! Last Sunday Brad started talking about the possibility of me staying in Ethiopia by myself between the two trips. I obviously said, "I'd love to"!! I just didn't think we could work it out. I thought I only got 6 weeks for maternity leave if i have the sick days built up (which I do). We have both talked about how hard it will be to leave our child/ren after court and come back to IL for 4-5 weeks before we have US Embassy clearance to bring them home. So as the week started out we were trying to toss out as many possibilities as we could figure out. On Thursday we met with HR and she said we could use as many sick days as we have as long as the trip is adoption/parental related. She also said that Brad could come and stay with me too!! So we have decided that we will both be staying between trips and 'living' in Ethiopia for up to 12 weeks, but hoping for closer to 6weeks. Now we need to find a house/pet sitter...
On Friday we moved from number 7 for an infant boy to number 3!!!!! Ahhhhh!! It's getting so close!!! Then today we received our ON DECK email. This email gives us more information about what's to come when we get a referral and tells us that our referral is coming soon!!! We can't wait!!! It just gets more exciting everyday!!
Along this process I have been asked many time if I have a feeling our kids have been born yet or anything like that. I have also heard several adoptive mamas talk about a feeling when their child was born, etc. I keep saying no, and I feel bad that I don't, but you can't make a feeling happen. Then on Wednesday morning I woke up really early in the morning with this feeling of urgency to pray for our baby. I surely did pray and try to understand what the feeling was, but I have no idea what it means. I have continued to wake up each morning since then earlier than normal (like 1 1/2 hours earlier) with my first thought to hurry and pray for our child/ren. So these have been my first motherly feelings and it's weird that theres nothing else I can do except continue to pray and rest assured in that I do know that God has His protective arms around our child/ren until we can hold them ourselves!!
What a blessing!!
ReplyDeleteTara, the day Yohanna was born in ET, my other daughter, Laural, got severely hurt at school. Laural suffered from severe brain trauma, and amnesia. But she ended up being OK. I know that was God's plan to remind me of that day. That it wouldn't be a day that would go by without remembrance. Now we know everything that happened the day our daughter was born. We were in the hospital with one daughter, while our other one was being born on the other side of the world!!!
ReplyDeleteVery excited for you guys! Can't wait to meet the new baby!
ReplyDeleteSO EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS!!!! This movement has been absolutely WONDERFUL to watch! Can't wait to see the words "referral" from you!!!! SO CLOSE!!!! Blessings to you and yours ~
ReplyDeletep.s....great new blog look! love it!
Oh my gosh you guys!! That's such exciting news! So happy for you.
ReplyDeleteYea! I'm so glad you checked with the board office! I was told that they were thinking about changing the "as much time as you need/want" rule as long as you the sick days built up, but I'm so glad they didn't! This will work out beautifully for you two. Isn't it amazing how God works everything out?! We need to get you over here soon! It sounds like little Mowen will be here before we know it!
ReplyDeleteAmazing that God put those prayers in your heart. He does have a special child (or maybe more than one???) all ready for you...and He knows just the right one for you and Brad to love as your own...just like He loves all of us as His own...all I can say is...AMAZING! Love , Mom M.
ReplyDelete