In the Trenches...

Haven't posted in a while....I've been totally consumed with all things adoption.  Levi decided to have a mudfest at the ballpark and his escapade totally reminded me of how we've been in the trenches laboring to bring our kids home as soon as possible!  We had one mishap after another toward the end of getting our dossier together.  Every hurdle was another opportunity to be stretched and refined and purified....God's way of preparing us for what lies ahead!  Also, it's a reminder that none of our frustration with notaries, doctors, the bank, the TBI, the FBI, the post office, etc., can compare with what our Lord Jesus went through to make our adoption by God possible! 

God has been showing us in a huge way lately how it is His plan for this adoption to bless way more people than just us.  Everywhere I went while gathering our paperwork, I was able to show our children's picture and tell about how God led us to them.  It never ceases to amaze me how you can actually see someone's heart begin to melt when they learn how many orphans there are in the world. 

And God has been blessing and encouraging us by sending many faithful friends to walk alongside of us.  The adage "it takes a village" is a total understatement for this venture...."it takes the nations" is more like it.  We've had unexpected generous donations, doors opened that we didn't even knock on and more prayers than we could ever count on our behalf.......and we could not be more grateful!  

I sent our dossier off on Monday afternoon and just got word from our awesome courier

that it has already passed through the State Department in Washington DC and is at the Ethiopian Embassy right now! Now that's service!  Hopefully it will be in Ethiopia in line for a court date next week. :)

Meanwhile, more adventures with the totally fearless Levi Jeremiah!  Pictures, compliments of my friend Kim's cool i-phone.....I just never have my camera when I need it!

Why???!!!!

futile effort to clean up

Ashleigh, Anna Grace and Allie--

"Boys...what is wrong with them?!"

doesn't taste too bad...

at the deep end...

anybody want to join me?

how do I get out of here?

just try to catch me!

At this point you might be wondering how in the world I got this child home from the ballpark in this condition.....well, my guardian angel neighbor, Lisa had just put a bag of super cute hand-me-down clothes for Levi in my mailbox that day.  When I got the mail that afternoon, I left it all in the car where it was waiting for just such an occasion.  So, I was able to clean him up as best I could with baby wipes, and dress him up in a warm, clean outfit complete with jacket and shoes....and he didn't have to miss a second of his hero Nash's pitching!  Does the Good Lord have my back or what???...........and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Isaiah 58:8b