You'll notice that we don't have any pictures of our newest little ones. In accordance with Ethiopian guidelines and international adoption, we are not allowed to post pictures of our children through public sites. So, unless we see you in person, you will have to take us at our word and know that our three cuties will melt your heart at first glance...at least for us, they did!
P, S, B & SK will have a few hands to hold as we welcome a 6 year old brother, a 4 year old sister, and a 1 year old boy in just a few months. At this point, there aren't many days that go by when we don't at some point think, "Oh my! We have 7 children."
Why? Simple. God called, and we answered.
Top 5 Questions (usually in this order & AFTER, "Did you say 3?"):
1. How many rooms do you have? Where will you put all of those kids?
Honestly, our kids end up in the same room many nights, so this is really not a tough issue. Right now, we think that SK will share with her sister, S & B are eager to have their brother with them, and our little bundle? He'll probably be in our room, but we do have a guest room that can be turned into a nursery. We figure most folks won't choose to stay with us anymore. For centuries, there were large families, living in less square footage, surviving their tight quarters just fine...even J's mom and my dad could be included in this category!
2. Will you have to have a new vehicle?
Yes.
3. When will they come home?
We're currently waiting for a court date (you can pray that this comes soon!). Once we receive our court date, we will plan to travel to Ethiopia for our first visit. We can't be certain, but we are hoping this first trip will be some time in February. If all goes well, we could travel again (yes, two trips to Ethiopia!) some time in May to bring them home.
4. What do your kids think about the adoption?
They are really excited. They realize that a large family will call for sacrifices on various levels, but they know this is not something that we have taken lightly. We've all prayerfully considered this decision, and God has been so clear that we just can't say, "No." They experienced the devastation of AIDS in Swaziland, and they saw children that were living similar lives to those of their new brothers and sister. We're trying to be open and honest about some of the anticipated challenges of adoption, and they have consistently blown us away with their insight and desire to love the least of these.
5. What made you choose Ethiopia?
God was very clear in this area, too. The story is too long for this blog, but it did begin in Swaziland, Africa, as we served with others from our church and just simply loved. We haven't been able to move beyond those chocolate brown eyes and infectious smiles and live our lives without knowing that we had to be a voice for those children and do something. We didn't know that adoption would be part of the "something," but, we did know that as Christ followers, we had a responsibility to care for the widowed and the orphaned. As in many countries in Africa, the need is great in Ethiopia. Ethiopia was an option for our, already larger, family. From Kisses from Katie, she explains her thoughts about the orphan crisis and the church's responsibility. She suggests that God didn't create too many children, and we have the opportunity to be the vehicle He chooses to use in their lives. How wonderful! How amazing! We agree with her, and know that our children are waiting for us in Ethiopia.
We've been called to this place, but if you read this and think, "What about our children here? What about the children in our foster care system?", please don't ignore that question and think that we have made a poor decision. Follow that thought and see if it might be the Lord whispering to you about your role in caring for the orphaned, the poor, the abandoned. There is a place for all of us.
"It may take place in a foreign land or it may take place in your backyard, but I believe that we were each created to change the world for someone. To serve someone. To love someone the way Christ first loved us, to spread His light. This the dream, and it is possible." Katie Davis, Kisses from Katie
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