Week 27... I really need to ... or maybe just want to check off something off this list.

So I must admit I've hesitated to write for the last few weeks.  I kept hoping if I just waited this finalization of the homestudy would happen.  And then I wondered if I could pester it into happening and this weekend God reminded me ... this is His time frame in this journey and if He wants me to wander in the desert who am I to complain.  Just because the Israelites wandered didn't mean they were outside of God's will or His direction. We've been studying Moses leading the Isrealites and it struck me that God's presence was seen as a clear physical sign while they wandered.  They still complained and I must admit I've had my share... glad for God's grace.

  At times I feel that being stuck somewhere is a waste of time in my journey.  I often get caught up about where and when I can reach the journey and still have to be reminded that its about the faith and relationship during the journey that God focuses on.... guess I don't get to check it off yet but I know I am faithfully getting things done and doing things as God leads so that I can be grateful for.

I've been working on collecting the paperwork needed for the Ethiopian dossier.  I have gotten vital records we needed from outside the state and thankfully the last one came back from out of state with a state seal.  It took a month for one of them to return so I'm glad I did it ahead of time and don't have that holding me up later.

At this point we are waiting for a staff member to give their final approval.  Then it gets signed and notarized and sent to the state DSS office for their official review and then its released to the immigration office. I file a form called a I 600A.  We wait for them to review it and make an appointment to get our fingerprints done then wait for them to confirm pre-approval for citizenship for a future adopted child.  They then take a few weeks for background checks on fingerprints and send us a form we need to get state sealed.  After we get that back all the south carolina forms need to be taken to Columbia for a state seal and then we can submit it to Bethany.  Bethany reviews it and forwards it to Washington DC Embassy for Ethiopia who confirms it then its sent to Ethiopia.  Their embassy in Ethiopia then recieves it and reviews it.  Once its submitted through their review we go on the waiting list to be matched which may take up to three years....

Oh the places we must go to get there...

While we wait... we are beginning to learn more about the culture.  We had fun going to eat Ethiopian food with friends near my birthday a few weekends ago.  The food was delicious!  If anyone wants to go back to eat with us family style again let me know. :)  I guess while I'm waiting I've been blessed with friends who excitedly ask for updates and pray with us and participate with us.  We are really blessed even though I don't have that check mark life has been blessed.

A traditional chair and basket to hold the family plate to sit around and eat

This was our wonderful sample of many different types of food with bread -injera rolled in a basket in front of it .  you broke off a piece of injera and dipped/scooped with  your whole right hand to eat with... no utensils supplied

We obviously liked it  :)

We had a good time

My friend Karyn sat beside my cousin Karen

Kayla and Sergio came along and were courageous to try new flavors

My cousin David and his wife Karen and daughter Kiera met us.. Kierra ate "green berries"  (Karen's creative alternative name to get her to eat her peas) and she ate each with gusto adding "Spicy!!" comments to try to fit in with the rest of the table discussions... too cute!!

We are blessed to have shared our first taste of Ethiopian food with friends and family-- can't wait to go back.

Week 22.... In need or is it just want to be able to check this off?

So I must admit I've hesitated to write for the last few weeks.  I kept hoping if I just waited this finalization of the homestudy would happen.  And then I wondered if I could pester it into happening and this weekend God reminded me ... this is His time frame in this journey and if He wants me to wander in the desert who am I to complain.  Just because the Israelites wandered didn't mean they were outside of God's will or His direction. We've been studying Moses leading the Isrealites and it struck me that God's presence was seen as a clear physical sign while they wandered.  They still complained and I must admit I've had my share... glad for God's grace.

  At times I feel that being stuck somewhere is a waste of time in my journey.  I often get caught up about where and when I can reach the journey and still have to be reminded that its about the faith and relationship during the journey that God focuses on.... guess I don't get to check it off yet but I know I am faithfully getting things done and doing things as God leads so that I can be grateful for.

I've been working on collecting the paperwork needed for the Ethiopian dossier.  I have gotten vital records we needed from outside the state and thankfully the last one came back from out of state with a state seal.  It took a month for one of them to return so I'm glad I did it ahead of time and don't have that holding me up later.

At this point we are waiting for a staff member to give their final approval.  Then it gets signed and notarized and sent to the state DSS office for their official review and then its released to the immigration office. I file a form called a I 600A.  We wait for them to review it and make an appointment to get our fingerprints done then wait for them to confirm pre-approval for citizenship for a future adopted child.  They then take a few weeks for background checks on fingerprints and send us a form we need to get state sealed.  After we get that back all the south carolina forms need to be taken to Columbia for a state seal and then we can submit it to Bethany.  Bethany reviews it and forwards it to Washington DC Embassy for Ethiopia who confirms it then its sent to Ethiopia.  Their embassy in Ethiopia then recieves it and reviews it.  Once its submitted through their review we go on the waiting list to be matched which may take up to three years....
 
Oh the places we must go to get there...

While we wait... we are beginning to learn more about the culture.  We had fun going to eat Ethiopian food with friends near my birthday a few weekends ago.  The food was delicious!  If anyone wants to go back to eat with us family style again let me know. :)  I guess while I'm waiting I've been blessed with friends who excitedly ask for updates and pray with us and participate with us.  We are really blessed even though I don't have that check mark life has been blessed.

We learned a typical family basket to put food bowl on and sit around and share and chat

This is all that was left... mostly collard greens and a little of the bread called injera

We had friends go with us and Karyn sat beside Karen

Kayla & Sergio went and I am impressed how willing they were to try stuff we couldn't name

My cousin Dave, his wife Karen and their daughter came Kierra ate "green berries" and told us  "Spicy" imitating us... too cute!!!

This was the food when it arrived and came with baskets of injera (the bread rolled in the basket) You take a piece of bread to scoop up a bite and eat with your hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Labor day weekend

This weekend was such a great time. Friday night was painting therapy with Janelle. Where we changed the two toned green nursery into a princess ice pink bedroom for Mady after Janelle had already transferred Adrian into a shared room with Jayden.

Saturday was a busy day killing spiders, sweeping up dust and old bugs and cleaning windows at the cabin. Then Saturday evening was fun hanging with some great friends chilling and laughing and eating and playing apples to apples.

Sunday was so good with a great sunday school discussion and great sermon comparing two Psalms one of desperation of feeling alone and abandoned by God and the other at the height of elation and feeling God has delivered in on all his promises. And that God wants us to cry out to him with our heartfelt questions and to keep coming to him. That afternoon someone spoke to a group of us sharing of this small car accident that crushed his cervical vertebrae making his completely dependent on others and that we have a gift --- each new day. How we chose to embrace it and look at each day will change how the day goes and what we get from it. But God gives us each a gift. And it stirred me to be thankful for my youthful energy and excitement about life and to look for each wonderful thing He gives me.

That evening was good walking in the park with perfect temperatures and hanging with a friend. I am so blessed by the people God puts in my life. But was saddened to see another friend hurting.
Monday I was blessed to only have to work a half day and then get to spend a final day at the pool with my neice and nephews and hang out with the Wilder family for half the day and dinner together. We also had fun trying a round of miniture golf until the little one got sick repeatedly. We will have to try that again sometime. :)
Here are a few pics

Loving life at the beach.

This weekend I went to Hilton Head Island. What a great get away and refreshing time doing the things I love. Watching the sunset, taking pictures, watching a lightening storm blow onto the beach, wind in my hair, sand between my toes, salt on my lips and sun on my back, hours of swimming, fresh fruit, cold drinks to chase away the salt and heat, time relaxing with my feet up people watching, time reading a book, time laughing, and nature watching. I really have had so many of my favorite moments in the last two days that I feel like a new person. I need to remember its worth it to run out of town even for the weekend to have fun and new experiences. A few pics

Life truly is great at the beach. We've had great weather all weekend and have been blessed. Time to head home tomorrow but what to do before that? Hmmm haven't decided yet. Should be fun :)

My beautiful day off.

My day off. Here are a few pics. I had a great day off today. It was beautiful. I got a chance to get organized a little then decided to go for a hike. Since it was already noon I couldn't go far so I decided to hit Paris Mountain State Park. It was beautiful and I enjoyed just getting out on the trail with my camera. Then was able to make it back pick up groceries and go for a walk at the Park with Donna. It was such a beautiful day and great to decrease my stress. Click here for a link to the pictures.

Time...

What is time...
Today I spent time praying, time working, time drinking coffee, time eating and time chatting while laying in the sun by the pool.

Sometimes I take time and plan every last minute.... today was a reminder that the most enjoyable moments are those left with no planning.

Its amazing how a few minutes in the sun can revive you.

Emotions... hope... delight

Emotions...
As a female I at times get blown away by my emotions.

I've been trying to take time to try and take every thought and make it obedient to God. That means my emotions too... This week I was so burdened with some prayer requests and with my own life expectations that have not happened before the century closed I sat praying and journaling about how to deal with these emotions. God gave me freedom to verbalize the emotions on paper and leave them before Him and I felt his direction to seek scripture to replace my thoughts and emotions with truth. I felt like he showed me to focus on the word Delight I searched scriptures and focused in Psalms. The thing that struck me as I searched it in biblegateway.com was that many times David spoke of taking delight in scriptures. (Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law does he meditate day and night) Do I delight in following God's requests and truths? I enjoy knowing truth, but it's work to follow His commands, and at times demands sacrifice. Am I ready to delight in sacrifice? I hope to one day to be mature in my faith to be able to say that with truth and emotion....

Until then, I focused on
Psalms 147 -- Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit... the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love


Psalms 18:19 He brought me out into a spacious place he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalms 37 Do not fret...Trust in the Lord and do good...Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart...Commit your way to the Lord .... be still before the Lord (this chapter put together many truths that friends have been sharing with me -- it's interesting how God repeats himself until we hear him) If the Lord delights in a man's way he makes his steps firm.

I've been rereading these for the last three days...storing them in my memory

Today I went to bible study... what did I hear? ...
Isaiah 62:1-5
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah, [Means my delight is in her]
and your land Beulah [ means married] ;
for the LORD will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.

5 As a young man marries a maiden,
so will your sons [c] marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.

So there's His emotion for us.... he takes delight in us when we follow his ways, repent, and allow him to mold us to follow his commands and guidance -- he delights in us and will be married to us - he will commit to loving us for life. He does delight in us -- he wants us to follow him.
Wow -- I bring delight to the Creator, Designer of the universe, Master of time and space, the Beginning and the End the Creator of love -- this Being delights in me when I follow Him.... now that's some emotion I need to focus my hope on...