The Whirlwind!

She's ours! I haven't been able to sit down and really think about it. is the roller coaster really pulling into the station. Or are we simply getting on another ride? That's the thing about parenting and maybe life in general, it's quite a ride.

We got the call on the vineyard. The last day of our two weeks out there. The thing is it was soooo late. 2:15. I was preparing myself for not so good news. Texting back and forth with one sweet friend. Emailing back and forth with another sweet friend. I was about to hand the phone over to my 17 year old so he could stand watch while Jason and I went for a second kayak ride and it rang. I threw the phone to Jason (think hot-potato). I felt like crying before he even answered it. I could tell it was good news though as soon as Jason answered and I truly was even closer to crying. She's ours. I will get to watch over this sweet little quiet girl. I will get to read her stories at night. I will get to put the band-aid on her skinned knees. I will get to walk her to school.

We will drive to New York, and take Emirates to ET. Timing and layovers drove our decision (no pun intended). We are bringing Eliza. Boys are staying home. Hard decision. First full week of school. Eliza was talking colleges with Andrew. (She will be a freshman-in HS). We had already decided kids had to stay home because of school. She is telling him that she is going to major in pre-med with a minor in African Studies. She is reading There is No Me Without You. She was a major driving force in our looking at adopting from Africa. She wants to live in Africa. She has taught herself more Amharic than I have learned (okay to be fair she is younger than I am :) She has loved Africa since she was a small child. The list goes on and on.... but the cost in money, in high school, and will Bela need our undivided attention. It was decided when the Vice Principal of her school called and said..."How can you not take her? She is meant to go. This is a calling." She is old enough to back off if needed. She is amazing with little ones if needed and most of all she will see Ethiopia for the first time with her sister. We leave on the 12th and will have Bela in our arms on the 14th.

We have our lodging as of today. Now, on to the packing and settling the plans for the boys and the dogs and preparing for the school year for the three older kids...oh my gosh, I am a mom to four!

Please could you pray for this sweet family to pass court....

And if you need anything delivered for your little one...I would be honored to deliver small packages or take pictures. We lived on these pictures when we were waiting.