Christmas at Home

Merry Christmas from the Etters, party of 4!  In 2019, our family grew in love and in size.  Nikolay joined our family in August when we brought him home from Bulgaria.  He is 4 years old and has quite a bit of catching up to do since he missed out on having the love of a family to build him up, but we are amazed at how much he has learned already in the short time he's been home with us.  He keeps us on our toes and every day presents its challenges, but we find joy in knowing God has a plan for little Niky Etter!

Vivien loves her little brother, at least as much as any little girl has ever loved a little brother.  This past fall, she asked Jesus into her heart!  She has such a compassionate and tender heart and is always thinking of others.  Viv is in Pre-K 4 and loves going to gymnastics class and AWANA.  She sings and plays the handbells in our church's children's choir.  Disney movies and twirly dresses are her favorite things.

We wish your family a Christ-centered holiday season filled with love and joy!  Merry Christmas, from Justin, Tara, Vivien, Nikolay & Casey Etter.

Counting It All Joy

Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months.  Nikolay joined our family precisely three months and 14 days ago.  And it's taken us almost that long to be able to scratch two minutes together to hop on the blog and give an update.

But first, a note.  This blog is about our journey, not Niky's.  We in no way discount or diminish Niky's journey both before and after joining our family.  In fact, we cherish his journey and believe it's just that:  HIS journey.  And one day it will be HIS story to share if he wishes.  This blog was always, and will continue to be, about our journey.  And even though the adoption decree was handed to us on August 4th, our journey chugs along just like every other parenting journey in the world.

Owlette and Blippi, ready for treats!

The past three months have both flown by and crept along.  It's true what they say:  The days are long but the weeks are short.  We still feel a bit in limbo trying to find our "new normal."  We're not quite sure what that looks like, or if we'll ever really find it.  But for two Type-A parents, it's important for us to feel like we have some sort of control over the future.  That's probably a pipe dream for a parent, but it's one we'll go down in flames trying to pursue.

While we search for the proverbial "new normal," we do feel it's important for people to know it hasn't been an easy road and we have frequently found ourselves questioning God's plan.  In the middle of the daily battles, we literally cry out:  "This isn't what we signed up for, God!"

Behind every smiling picture are hours of tears and rage that go undocumented.  Follow our Instagram accounts and you'll see scores of picture-perfect moments like this one from the pumpkin patch.  But you won't see the reality of a special-needs breakdown that forces you to leave a half-filled grocery cart in the store.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."  (James 1:2-3, NIV)  Our faith is being tested, sometimes on an hourly basis.  The true test here is whether we believe God's purpose.

God is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving.  So, if we aren't exactly where we're supposed to be it means that God either a) doesn't know about it, b) can't do anything about it, or c) doesn't love us enough to change our circumstances.  We refuse to allow any of those statements to linger because we know they are lies planted by the Great Deceiver.

We have failed.  The moments where we all flip our lids are too numerous to count.  But we are learning, just as Niky is, how to be in this family.   We continue to raise our Hallelujahs and we remind ourselves that it's not by power or by strength, but by his Spirit.  And we know these trials are pure joy.

The Etters at Home

The road to adoption isn't easy.  Anyone who has followed our journey knows this to be true.  But life after adoption is no cakewalk either.  All of the training, videos, podcasts, books, classes and advice could not prepare us for life with our newest family member.  And yet, we have all grown over the past month since Niky became our son (and brother).

Retrospect is everything and looking back, we're not sure which was harder:  life with a newborn or life with a newly adopted, special needs four-year old.  They both rank up there as pretty much the hardest things we've ever done.  But we haven't been alone.  In the beginning, in that tiny Bulgarian apartment, we lived 15 minutes at a time with our new Niky, raising a "hallelujah" to thank God for getting us through another quarter hour unscathed.  Over time we gradually started to live day by day, praising Him for living to see another bedtime.  Now the days blur into weeks and we're watching progress in motion for a little boy who was all but given up on.

James 1:2 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance."  It's been a difficult few weeks in the Etter home, and I can't say we've always responded to the tests with faith and grace.  But we do know that the more we lean on the Spirit of God we are proving our faith in Him.  I can distinctly recall each and every moment my tear-filled eyes cried out to God:  "This is too hard!  I can't do this!"  And I can also just as distinctly hear the voice of God replying back to me:  "Not by power or by might, but by my spirit."

Get Out of the Boat

This past Sunday, our pastor gave a sermon about Jesus walking on water.  How many times have I heard that story in my lifetime?  It's always been one of my favorite miracles from the Gospels.  We've even performed the scene during Christmas Live for the past few years.

You know how it goes:  The disciples start crossing the Sea of Galilee and a storm comes up.  Meanwhile, Jesus was back on land praying.  Then suddenly, the disciples see a "ghost" walking on the water!  They realize it's Jesus and Peter (a man after my own heart!) wants in on the miracle, so he steps out onto the water too. 

Did you catch that?  He stepped out on the water too.  Peter, a simple human with no God-like power whatsoever, stepped out and walked on water.  How did he do it?

Simple:  Jesus.  Oh, and the fact that Peter was willing to step out of the boat.

There is nothing in this world that could make you believe that you can walk on water.  It's just not physically possible!  Likewise, there is nothing in this world that can make the Etter family believe they can adopt a special needs child filled with trauma and show him the love of a family.

In just seven days, our lives as we know them will be forever changed.  We reminisce back to those few days before Vivien was born.  There was so much that we didn't know.  Nothing can prepare a new parent for the upheaval that a new child brings.  The same is true now for this new addition to our family.  There are plenty of unknowns.   We are excited and just a smidge terrified of them!

When we pick up Nikolay, we will be forever ripping him from the only home he has ever known.  There will be sadness and mourning that we will share with him over this.  He will grieve his life as he knew it, and we will also grieve our lives as well.   It will be difficult and tiresome for all of us - like any family with a new addition.  We will adapt, and we will learn, and we will love.

If there is anything we've learned over these last two-and-a-half years, it's to lean in on God.  Because adoption, much like parenting in general, is not done by our might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Pick-up Trip

Our official pick-up date is August 5, 2019.  This will be the first day of the rest of our lives.  Our son will officially be ours.  While there's a court document out there somewhere saying we are his parents, we won't obtain custody until the morning of August 5th.  

We will spend about 10 days in his country while his Visa and passport are processed and then we'll make the long trek to his forever home.

We are as ready as we can be.  His room is just about ready, doctors' appointments have been scheduled, meals have been prepped, and we are ready to expect the unexpected.

As we travel (Aug 3-14), please continue to pray.  Here are the specifics:

• Pray for Vivien and her Grams as they stay at home.
• Pray for the logistics of pick-up, medical appointments and Visa interviews
• Pray for us to be able to bond with our son and vice versa.
• Pray for travel logistics (there's no good way to get from here to there!)

We are excited and overwhelmed - much like any new parents who are expecting.  But God has called us and we will follow.  "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

He created this fingerpainting during our "Meetcha Trip."  We added the hearts and the sun.  Now it's hanging in his room waiting for him.

When he comes home, he'll know he's already part of the family.

It's Official!

On Friday, June 21, in an Eastern European courtroom, a judge made it official and ruled that the Etter family may adopt our very special little boy.

A journey two and a half years in the making, with more ups and downs and turns and spins than a Six Flags roller coaster, nears the home stretch.  We are so far from where we started back in January of 2017 - spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally. 

We are currently awaiting approval for a July 22 pick-up date! 

This journey of paperwork, background checks and government approvals is about to come to a close in few weeks but the adoption journey will continue forever.  We are so grateful that you're along for the ride of a lifetime!

WE HAVE A COURT DATE!!!!

Hold everything and alert the presses: The Etter Family has an adoption court date!!!!

On June 21, 2019, a national judge in a faraway country will officially grant that the Etters have a son!

We do not have to be present for this court ruling.  Part of the adoption paperwork process is obtaining background investigations, medical records, and home study reports so mind-mindbogglingly thorough that the adoption agency attorney is able to represent us, an American couple she has never met or even spoken to or communicated with.

Viv sees a light at the end of the Rainbow!

What happens next?  We should hear of the judge's ruling by the end of that day, or early the next day (after all, they are 5 hours ahead of us over there).  Then we'll be invited on Trip 2:  The Pick-up Trip.  And then, at long last, we'll be a family of 4!!

We expect to travel 4-6 weeks after the court date - so by the end of July. 

Please continue to pray for us as we anticipate this added blessing to our family...we know there will some tough times ahead of us, but we also know that we have the support of so many of you, and that we're not in this alone!  Above all, God is in control! 

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you."

Family in Waiting

There's something special about this time of year.  Spring flowers, freshly cut grass, and chirping birds are the harbingers of longer days and warmer temps.  They bring a certain hope.  A hope to grasp and cling to.

At this very moment, we are at the exact same place on the international adoption timeline where we were with the adoption of "Jenny."  The US Embassy in N's country has issued the "Article 5 Letter" to the Ministry in N's country.  This letter essentially states that the adoption is copacetic with all of the Hague requirements of an international adoption and that N is allowed to immigrate to the US as our child.

Now we're waiting for a court date.  The court proceedings will take place in N's country and a member of the adoption agency will represent us which will save us a trip across the world.  Once the judge decrees the adoption as official, N will get his passport and we'll be invited to go pick him up.

We've been here before. And we take nothing for granted.  We have heard that no judge has denied a family in Hague history.  After all, to make it even this far requires much effort and scrutiny from both American and foreign authorities.

A picture Vivien drew of her with her little brother (Apr 27, 2019).

It has been a while since our last blog post - and people are starting to wonder.  Golly, even we are starting to wonder.  Where's our paperwork?  Who's our judge?  Why haven't we been given a court date yet?  Every week that passes is another week without our son.  It's a week farther from the bonds that we tried to leave with him back in March.

Until we get the call, we'll keep praying:  Father, please put our paperwork into the right hands today.  Allow our case to be scheduled and progress to be made on this journey.  And in the meantime, please continue to prepare our hearts and minds to add this little one to our home.  In Christ's precious and all-powerful name, Amen.  

Happy Birthday, N!

This year we celebrate with an ocean between us.  We miss you and we love you.  

We praise God for your birthday, knowing that He has a plan for your life.  We can't wait to celebrate all of your future birthdays by your side. 

The Adoption Curse

Like most urban legends, no one is quite sure where the origin of the "Adoption Curse" lies.  Some skeptics may even try downplay its existence with words like "coincidence."  What is the Adoption Curse?  Let us give you the official Etter definition:  It's any unfortunate event that happens during your adoption process that is designed to create stress, deplete finances, and/or test faith. 

And the curse is real, ya'all.

Last week, while we were visiting N in his eastern European country, we signed consent forms essentially making the next boldly official step toward becoming his parents. 

Cut to this week.  We return home from our meetcha trip after a long day of traveling across the world late Saturday night.  Sunday morning we proceed to take showers and do several loads of laundry in the hopes that our clothes will one day be rid of the smell of cabbage and European cigarettes. 

All of that water usage turned out to be too much for our underground pipes which had already had a soft clog (unbeknownst to us).  Backing up - with waste water.  Backing up to the point of flooding our basement.  With waste water.  Our beautiful basement, lovingly refinished just about 3 years ago.  Waste water.  Waste.  Water.   Yes, the curse is real. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Yes, the curse is real.  But it wasn't our adoption that brought it upon us.  The curse started way back in the Garden of Eden and it's been plaguing mankind ever since.  The curse is the result of a fallen world and a depraved humankind.  The curse is the enemy "seeking whom he may devour."  Satan would love nothing more than to see us fail.  Wouldn't it be so easy to curse God and throw up our hands in defeat?  Why would a loving God let this happen to us who are trying so hard to follow His plan?  These unfortunate circumstances were definitely designed to test our stress, our finances, and our faith in God.

But we, as Christians, see our circumstances a bit differently.  "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  Did you catch that?  The Bible doesn't say that "all things ARE good..." (Waste water in our basement was most certainly and unequivocally NOT good).  It says that God can USE all things for good if we keep focused on His plan (His calling) for our lives. 

Not everything happens for a reason.  And we can't control everything that happens to us.  But we can 100 percent control what we do with the circumstances life gives us.  Including waste water in our beautiful basement.  Because, yes, God can use even this for His glory.  And we will come out on the other side with newfound perseverance, character and hope.  And we'll give the glory to God!

Bonding through Ball Pits, Pretzels, and a Big Sister Who Knows His Name.

Days 3 & 4 at the Eastern European Orphanage.  The weather is chilly so we have to spend most of our time in a big playroom with a ball pit and gym mats.  N seems to love it, but of course he'd much rather be outside.

It also doesn't help that the room is actually a pass-through from one part of the hospital to the other and people are constantly coming in and out.  I'm certain he's played with everything in this room millions of times, but he still hyper-actively flits from one thing to another.  His Baba has a small bag of pretzels as a treat for him, and we've been using it to teach him the ASL sign for "more" for which he has already successfully learned the proper usage.  He's actually very smart.

The biggest reality for us is that we're not adopting an almost four-year old.  Because of his mental delay, we're basically adopting a one-year old.  His play is very similar to that of a baby's.  He's very curious and he doesn't play with other children, but he will play alongside of them and try to do what they do.   He has a short attention span, and although he understands most of what's being said to him, his stubborn streak often gets in the way of doing anything that isn't his idea.  His only words are "Da" (yes) and "Nay" (no).  We spoke to his speech therapist and psychologist and both agree that he has some form of mental delay, but both are optimistic that a family setting will be tremendously better for him than the institutional life he has only ever known.

Stray cats often take over the playground

Yesterday afternoon we showed him a video of Vivien saying "I love you, N" and holding a picture she drew for him.  He recognized his name and was immediately enthralled and watched the video on my phone no less than twenty times.  

Viv's video

Watching Big Sister

We've accomplished so much this week literally and emotionally.  We took him to get his visa picture (his first car ride in who knows how long?) and we signed more adoption documents to move the process along.  In the short time we've been here, we've seen tremendous strides made in his interaction with us, in his ability to learn simple things, and in our capabilities as parents of a special needs child.  A bond is definitely forming.  We can do this.  The tragedy is that we need to temporarily sever that bond tomorrow afternoon as we finish our week of the "Meetcha Trip."  

Trip Two, the "Gotcha Trip" will come in about three to four excruciatingly long months.  We leave behind a few shirts, a Pooh Bear that we hope reminds him of us, and a photo book of his new family members.  We also leave behind our son and consequently pieces of our hearts.  Four months isn't that long in the grand scheme of things and we know that waiting is a right of passage for adoptive families.  In the meantime, at least we have a glimpse into what life will be like with him.  And we'll go ahead and get his bedroom ready, stock up on baby bibs for all his drool, and look into some specialized doctors and services that he might need once he comes home.  

And of course we'll continue to pray:  for him, for the people who care for him, and for us - that we might be forged into the very best parents for this precious little boy God has called us to.

At First Glance

Yesterday we met our son.  We played for nearly four hours outside on the playground equipment at his orphanage.  To say he loves being outside is an understatement.  It was a beautiful, sunny and 65 degree day and we soaked in everything:  the warmth, the meeting, the awkwardness of being "mama" and "dada" to a child we've never met, speaking a language we barely know.

Where he sleeps

We got to see him eat lunch.  We got to meet some of the people who care for him on a daily basis, including his "baba" (volunteer adopted grandma).   We brought some bubbles which he loved trying to blow and chase.

Today was chilly and rainy, so we played indoors with him during our two visits.  He loved Daddy's fidget spinner, but wasn't that into a Pooh Bear that we bought special for him.  He loves being tickled, and is extremely stubborn when he doesn't get his way.  Welcome to the Etter family, little guy!

a view of our apartment building on this chilly overcast day

Our initial thoughts:

• He's a one year old in a three year old's body
• Orphanage life must be boring
• He can probably do a lot more than they allow him to do
• There's no consistent discipline
• He is definitely a Daddy's boy
• His special needs include strabismus, and possible low-spectrum autism with some type of oral condition that prevents him from speaking and causes him to drool excessively.
• Eating is a luxury and food must be devoured immediately
• He's too big to sleep in a crib
• The stairwell smells like smoke
• We wish they gave him water more frequently

Lest the world think that international adoption is all butterflies and rainbows, please know that today, our second day with him, was pock marked with epic fails.  He was upset that we had to stay inside and frequently showed his displeasure by throwing things or screaming at the top of his lungs.  Having a four-year old at home, we are not oblivious to the perils of toddlerdom, but neither are we naive to the fact that we have some work to do.  Work to make our son trust us.  Work to teach him what's proper and acceptable behavior.  Work to show him God's love. 

Tomorrow is another day and we'll roll up our sleeves and start again to forge the lifetime bonds that will make us a family.  

In a Foreign Land

Four airports, three plane rides and one car trip later, we find ourselves in a foreign land, about to meet our son.  

The gravity of this statement is not lost on us.  In fact, we feel just as we did in the days leading up to Viv's birth.  We know our lives are about to change dramatically, but we have absolutely no idea what we're truly in for.

In the 24 hours that it took for us to get here, we've had plenty of time to pray and reflect on God's grace and mercy in our lives.  Never in a million years would we have ever thought that we would be in a Eastern European country about to meet our almost four-year old son.  As we crossed over the Austrian Alps, a song lyric came to my mind and has become a theme for us on this journey:

You brought me this far

So why would I question you now?

You have provided

So why would I start to doubt?

I've never been stranded, abandoned, or left here to fight alone

So I'm giving you control.
("Lift My Life Up" by Unspoken)

Looking back on this 2 year journey, with its mighty highs and costly lows, we have seen God in every step.  He has never abandoned us, even in the darkest moments, even when we felt alone.  And as we are about to leave our apartment and head for N's orphanage, we stop to pray.  We cast our cares on God, knowing full well that He brought us here and would not take us this far only to leave us high and dry.  And as we walk up the steps to meet him, we're nervous, but we know we are not alone.  This is God's plan for us and He will finish the good work He has started.

The "Meetcha" Trip

In a just under a week, will Justin and I will fly halfway around the world and we'll get to meet our little guy in person!

Nearly every country that allows international adoption has different policies and protocols involved in the process.  Jenny's country didn't allow parents to meet children until a custody court date was set.  N's country, conversely, wants prospective parents to meet their child prior to committing to the referral and moving forward to finalize the adoption.  This is lovingly referred to as the "Meetcha Trip" (As opposed to the "Gotcha Trip" which will come next when we travel again to pick him up as an official Etter.)

It makes sense on many levels.  There were times when we wished we had gotten to meet Jenny so that we could better prepare for her arrival into our home.  What was her favorite color?  Shoe size?  favorite food?  Would she need an overnight nurse?  (On the flip side, we're infinitely glad we never got to meet her because we're certain our hearts would never have been able to recover from the loss.)

We'll get to meet N and ask all of these questions and more when we're there.  We'll get to spend time with him each day for a week, getting to know his likes and dislikes and his habits, tendencies and routines.  For the Etters, who are proud Type-A's, this will help us to at least have a tiny glimpse into what we can expect when he comes to his forever home in four to six months.

So now we're packing, setting up Airbnb accounts and trying rather comically to learn an Eastern European language.  Vivien will be staying with our friends from church and school so there won't be any break from her normal routine, except for missing mommy and daddy.

As we embark on this journey, we ask for your prayers:  for us as we travel to a small Eastern European country - it's not easy to get there from here, so pray for travel mercies!  Pray for us as we meet our little guy for the first time.  Pray for N as he meets us and pray for the adoption workers who will be orchestrating the meetings and translating between us.  Pray for Vivien as she spends a week away from mommy and daddy.

But most of all, pray that God would be honored by this trip in everything that we say and do.  We are His light and may we shine into the darkest parts of the world for His glory.

The Making of an Adoption Announcement

They say nothing is really official until it's "Facebook official."  And all the life milestones must be documented and announced to the world in an official facebook picture or they didn't really happen.  We cleverly announced our adoption of Jenny on facebook with this photo:

Once we were ready to announce our current adoption to the world, we wanted to have an equally impactful photo to go along with it.  This time, we enlisted the help of Tara's good friend who had recently procured a cricut machine and was subsequently slapping vinyl on anything that stood still.

This mug is special because it was made as a reminder that Jenny will always be home in our hearts.

We wanted to announce our new endeavor with the same enthusiasm we showed the first time.  Little "N" deserves the same attention and excitement that we had for Jenny.  So it was time to dust off the old adoption blog and make our announcement to the Facebook world.

We found the perfect adoption message to have printed on matching shirts and commissioned our friend to make them for us.

Adopt.  Do.  There are so many things keeping us from moving forward in life.  At times the inevitable heartbreak doesn't seem worth it.  We're comfortable in our bubbles.  We'll do it later.

God never promised us it would be easy to be His hands and feet.  But we must DO.  We must move forward because "N" is waiting.  And he is worth it!

(Photo Credit:  the incomparable Dave Miller - Thanks, Buddy!)

How Did We Get Here?

There's a new group of photographs on our fridge these days.  It was a bitter journey to finally get them up there, but our appetite is whet and the taste is getting sweeter everyday.

Our Kiddos

June 2018 - As we attempted to grieve our loss and celebrate "Jenny's" potential forever family, we continued to hear God nagging us in the background:  "Your journey isn't over yet.  This was never supposed to be the end."  There were days spent laying in bed in our darkened room trying to shut out the Voice.  Too many tears were shed and our hearts were raw.  Some friends drew close to us while others distanced themselves.  We were all forging new territory...how do you grieve the loss of something you never had?

July 2018 -  Through the tears, we had never lost faith in God's plan or His calling for us.  Jenny was one of millions of orphaned children in the world.  Now she was one less, and we still had open arms for a child who needed a forever family.  We reached out to our placing agency and told them we were ready to consider child from another Hague country (one with a stable and open program, please!) and would they please send us available girls, ages 0-5?  They sent us the profiles of four boys.  And only one of them was under the age of five.  And that's how we met sweet "N".

August 2018 -  The paperwork chase begins again as we scramble to update our Home Study and apply to change countries before our current approval with USCIS expires on Nov 4, 2018.  More fingerprints, more background checks, more financial statements, more doctor's appointments.  When we got our original approval from USCIS almost a year ago, I remember seeing the Nov 4, 2018 date and scoffing at it with the certainty that our child would be more than settled into our household well before that deadline.  And now it was approaching like a racehorse while we were lagging somewhere only inches beyond the starting gate.

September 2018 - We officially commit to adopting N.  We receive medical files that we forward to our international adoption doctor at CHOP.  His condition(s) are much different than Jenny's, but we're confident that we have the support and strength to welcome him and his potential ailments into our family.

October 2018 - Our Home Study needed to be updated to show that we're capable of parenting a boy, from a different country, with different medical and/or cognitive conditions.  Our social worker had gone on maternity leave (congrats, Katie!) at the beginning of September, but fortunately had updated everything for us to the point where her supervisor only needed to fill in the blanks.  We got the finalized Home Study just days before the November 4 deadline and squeaked in an extension application to USCIS and asked permission to change countries.

December 2018 -  One month after applying for an extension and change of country, we were granted our approval.  Once again, we rushed our documents into Trenton to be apostilled (ie certified authentic) and got them submitted to the adoption agency just before the holidays.

Viv is ready to Rock and Roll and meet her new brother!

January 2019 - The Ministry will decided if we are a good match for him and they will actually invite us to come and spend a week with him before accepting the referral.  We expect to travel in early March 2019.  Once we meet him and spend time with him, we can decide to fully commit and apply for his Visa and a court date which is typically 4-6 months later.  With God's grace and timing, we could have him home with us by the end of summer.

We know nothing is guaranteed.  Believe us, we've experienced first hand the uncertainty of international adoption.  But when God calls, you can't let your past or your emotions stifle His word.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.  (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

The Journey Moves Forward

This journey is moving forward.  

To be fair, this journey never really stopped to begin with.  Seven months ago we hit the mother of all roadblocks.  In hindsight, it was more like a speed bump.  The most devastating of all speed bumps in the history of speed bumps, but a mere bump in the journey nonetheless.

The journey to Jenny will never be over.  As long as there are orphans in the world, we will keep moving forward.  Today we press forward toward a precious little boy in a far off country who needs to know the love of a mom, a dad, and a precocious big sister.

We are painfully aware that nothing is certain on an adoption journey, but by God's unmatched grace and perfect timing, we anticipate bringing this little guy to his forever family by the end of this summer.   We hope you come with us and wrap him in your love and prayers just as much as you did for Jenny.  After all, this journey never would have started without her.