Excited about 2 Trips

I was talking to my mom this weekend about my excitement for the 2 trips to Ethiopia, and she acted a little shocked. She said that was news to her and requested a blog post about it. Yes, Momma, I will obey.Since finding out in April 2010 that we'd have to make 2 trips to Ethiopia instead of just 1 trip to pick up our kiddos, I've been adjusting to this idea. On one hand, it's really hard to know that we'll have to leave our kids in Ethiopia for another 4-8 weeks and that a 2nd trip will cost an additional $5000 [or so]. On the other hand, there are a number of perks that come with 2 trips.

• We won't have to jump head first into the deep end of parenting. We get to hang out for a few days with each other but not have to instantaneously be with each other. After 9+ years of marriage, we consider this a gift from God to slowly mess up our routines and expectations about our next stage of marriage!!
  
• Adoption experts affirm that - especially for Lil' A - meeting each other, spending a few days as a family of 4, then bringing them home at a later date is best for his transitions and attachment. I can't imagine the grieving this little guy will do. So the time gifted between court dates and bringing him home [Embassy date] will be good for his soul. After the court date, we will leave him a photo book which also helps in attachment and transition.
  
• We'll be able to get a glimpse into their personalities and needs. This will even help with creating their room and buying stuff for them/their room.
  
• On the first trip, we'll be able to purchase gifts for our kids as they grow up to reinforce their heritage and explore their birth country.
  
• Brian and I LOVE traveling and LOVE Africa - so this is a gift for us. We'll be able to soak in Ethiopian culture all the more by spending 2 weeks in Ethiopia versus 1 week.
  
• We'll get a dry run in traveling without kids before we have to do it with them. We'll work out whatever kinks exist to make the 2nd trip home as good as possible!
• Our church has a partnership with Lifesong for Orphans and Gobena Coffee. During our first trip, we will get to see what these 2 amazing organizations are doing in Ethiopia. We hope to get some video and photos of how our church is making a difference in Ethiopia.
• After the 1st trip, we'll be able to tie up lose ends in our jobs to prepare for our maternity and paternity leave. I'll be taking a 3 month maternity leave, so this enables me to prepare my team, delegate responsibilities and "leave well" for a few months.
• The time between trips will also be great to prepare our village for the imminent reality of having 2 Diaz babies home!
  
• We'll be able to focus the 2nd trip entirely on our kiddos! We won't need to travel, purchase anything, or go anywhere. The 2nd time in Ethiopia will be all about bonding and transition.

One of the HARDEST things for me [a planner!!!] about adoption is not having an end. When you're pregnant, you more or less know your due date. Planning and mental preparation are made possible because of this due date. With our adoption we've been in a state of limbo for most of 2010. We haven't made significant travel plans, committed to events or opportunities, committed to added responsibilities, or even completed a nursery because we haven't known when we might need to travel - TWICE - to Ethiopia. It just throws off everything.

Yet, having a couple trips has allowed me to settle into the future labor and delivery that will take place. It's my ultrasound of sorts. It's my version of contractions that's allowing me to settle into our new family.

Finally, all along we've known that our adoption is much bigger us or the 2 little ones who will become Diaz's. We really feel like these 2 trips will also enlarge our communities' hearts for our kids and awareness of adoption. We are praying that's true!

Court Dates :: a good change!

If there's one thing that I've theoretically learned in the past 19 months of our adoption, it's that nothing is "for sure" in the timing. Multiple times we've been surprised by the delays in our process. Since we've received our referral, we've been delighted at some unexpected changes in the time line. Thus is currently the case when it comes to our court dates!

Past Tense ::
Prior to our referral and up until this past week, we were expecting 2 separate Ethiopian court dates and a U.S. Embassy date.

• 1st court date :: We do not travel for the 1st court date; it is for any biological family members or Ethiopian officials. This court date is to affirm that our kiddos are legally approved for adoption. The time between 1st and 2nd court date is typically 4 weeks!
  
• 2nd court date :: We travel for the 2nd court date, which is when the adoption becomes legal in Ethiopia's eyes. Between the 2nd court date and Embassy is the transfer of documents to the U.S. Embassy and legalizing the adoption in the U.S' eyes.
  
• Embassy date :: The embassy date usually takes place 4-8 weeks after the successful completion of the 2nd court date. We also travel for the embassy date, and this is when our kiddos get to come home with us!

Present Tense ::
We got word on Thursday that the Ethiopian judge who hears cases for the 1st court date has decided to combine the 1st and 2nd court dates into the same day - NOT WEEKS APART! They will do the 2 court dates in the same day!!!!!!!

• Morning :: judge will see any bio family or Ethiopian official
• Afternoon :: judge will see us and approve the adoption and Lil' A and Baby T could become legally ours that day. The only way this would not happen is if the bio family/Ethiopian official doesn't appear in court that day. However, our part of the process would be completed. We'd just need to wait for the approval from the bio family/official.
  

This streamlining in the process is HUGE! This could allow us to bring our kiddos home a month or so earlier than planned. For the families that have already received 2 court dates, they are also combining them! So a couple families I know are traveling with a week's notice to that court date. They are elated and overwhelmed. This also seems to me that more court dates are open sooner than later, which leads to some prayer requests...

PRAYER REQUEST :: God would give us our court dates this week, and we could have our 2 successful dates by the end of '10. We've been asking that specific request for over a month now, and it seems like God's creating a new path so this could be possible. With the old way, that request was quickly evaporating between our fingers. Who knows!?!?!?

One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 43:18-19. It's a reminder that God is all about restoring newness from the dry and broken and worn out....

But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Confession. Theoretically, I know that God's in control of our adoption and bringing our babies home. In real life, I'm a slow learner and dumb sheep in believing that God can do whatever he wants. Continually I find myself mentally resorting to Plan B, doubting that God will pull it off. This recent news has been yet another lesson that God knows what he's doing. He can be trusted. And he wants our kiddos home more than we do. Oh ye of little faith...Forgive me Father. I know. I trust you. You're right. Help me be faithful.

365

One year ago today we got on the wait list for our adoption!!!!!!

Unreal what's happened in the past 365 days! We are so grateful.

Today we are praying for the best anniversary present - court dates! Our agency only hears about court dates on Wednesdays, so it's today or at least another week. It's been 3+ weeks since the courts re-opened. I'm getting antsy. I'm just sayin'...