Typhoid Vaccination Hurts!

Okay, so today Chris and I got vaccinated for Typhoid. The nurse said that it won't make your arm hurt like a tetanus shot....yeah, it wasn't anything like that....it was ten times worse. I couldn't even lift my arm up to play the piano for my students today. Very painful! Anyway, just thought I would share that fact.

There doesn't seem to have been much motion these last two weeks with the referral portion of the list, so we are still waiting, and waiting, and waiting.....

Getting closer!

We are getting closer. I am thinking about the fact that we haven't been vaccinated for typhoid yet, and what if my little sister plans her wedding for the late summer or fall and we have to travel during that time...it's getting crazy. The new "two-trip" policy to Ethiopia will begin in May, so I don't think that anyone can say definitively how much time will be in between the two trips, etc., until they get this new "ball rolling". My experience with almost every part of adoption/foster-care is to never rely on a time estimate, you will only be disappointed. Instead, we put our Hope in the Lord. He has all time, space and everything else that we need to walk out this Life. That is a relief. Sometimes all of these unknowns feel very burdensome, but then I remember that I am not supposed to carry them.
Tony is the sweetest little boy in the world. He is so excited about getting a little sister. Whenever he sees a dark-skinned person, he says "Mom, they are Ethiopia!" Since English is his second language, he tends to say things a little differently sometimes, so it is still so cute. I have to explain that not all people with darker skin are from Ethiopia, but he is so focused on getting this little sister that he can't see things any other way. He is going to be such a big help. And I am so glad that we have had three years of him alone, he needed it. It takes a while for orphans to really believe that they are loved forever, loved unconditionally and home for good. I think that he is there. We are so in love with him.
We have room for another, now and can't wait to see her picture for the first time. Then the hard part comes; waiting to get to her, then having to leave her for a while, oh, I dread that. I know I will be a mess leaving her. But, only for a while. Then comes the waiting to hold her again. But, God's timing is perfect...we must believe.

#9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are now officially #9 on the infant girls list. And I am tired from being at rehearsals every night this week, but am starting to feel a new surge of energy just thinking about getting closer to having that baby in my arms. I deleted my very last post...since it was reallywritten out of my frustration in the recent changes in the adoption community. I want to start over, with faith that God will work all things out for those of us who love Him.

I was so broken-hearted to see the story of the Russian boy that was shipped back to Russia. I am so thankful that we have Tony! I hate that the boy was shipped back home, but obviously that mother had some major issues. I pray that like Tony, it gets better for him, and that he finds the home that God has planned for him. I am scard for the International Adoption community, it has received so much bad publicity lately and the other countries are taking notice. We must pray for orphans everywhere!

Must go to sleep now. There is a list of things that I need to take care of this next week, like get an International Pediatrician, get vaccinated for typhoid and get some sleep!

Just think....some where in Ethiopia tonight, sleeps my daughter and her birth-mother. We are forever connected to them both.