What I Most Want to Say...

We've been home with Judah and Addise for exactly 1 week and what a week it's been!! I've been well informed by our faithful blog community that blog posts are eagerly awaited. I know you most want to hear how the trip to Ethiopia went, what our first days as a family in Addis were like, what the trip home was like [one word: HARD! I will blog more on this], what Judah and Addise are like, see pictures and videos [we have LOTS!], and maybe you're even wondering how Brian and I are holding up. I hope post ad nauseum - mainly for Judah and Addise's sake one day - but today I want to start with the one thing I can't get off my tired momma brain.

My greatest hope and prayer is that our adoption
will cause many of YOU to adopt.

A long time ago I sensed that our adoption wasn't just about the 2 kids that would become Diaz's. I wasn't thrilled about the idea because it was so personal and because I had a sense that some things were taking longer so that God could pull more of your hearts into our story. A while back I accepted the reality that our story was larger than our little family. While I'm honored, moved, and humbled that so many of you [some I don't even know, others I've known forever but haven't walked with in years] have followed our journey, I desperately hope our story and Judah and Addise's homecoming irrefutably compels many, many of you to bring orphans into your family.

I haven't been shy about calling people toward caring for orphans. I firmly believe that ALL Christ followers are called to care for orphans in some way, shape, or form. [I believe that Christians could solve the orphan problem if we would just respond.] But I deeply hope beyond all hope that more Christians will respond to welcome the orphan into their family and call them "my child". I pray you'll go all the way. I believe that some of you are called to adopt, and I hope you will. I hope you will trust God with your fears, the finances, the barriers. I hope you will say "yes" to one of the most amazing journeys you could experience in life. I would wish adoption on anyone. Clearly it has utterly changed us. MUCH LOVE, my faithful blog friends!!! The best is yet to come...

Welcome home, Judah and Addise!

A Roller Coaster, Yo-Yo, and Blender

Last week after we got the news that our 28th Embassy trip didn't look possible, I had a meltdown [and continued having them for the past week]. Brian sat down on the couch, held my hands, and prayed for Judah and Addise and for us. In his prayer he acknowledged before an all-knowing God that this process has been a full-on roller coaster, yo-yo, and blender all wrapped up into one. The last image of a blender was how I've felt this past week, but it didn't feel "mmmm". Thus the blog and social media silence. My heart's felt broken and though we've had hope that someday Judah and Addise would be in our arms, "someday" was just too ambiguous and painful to ingest. Honestly, I've been in a pretty dark place for the past 7 days.

Until Today! I got up early and immediately checked my email. Nothing. I was on my way to work early this morning and checked my email again - 3 emails from our case manager. WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR THE JANUARY 11TH EMBASSY DATE - CLEARED FOR TRAVEL - GREEN LIGHT TO GO GET OUR BABIES!!!!!

We've re-booked our tickets and will be on our way to pick up our babies in 8 days!!!!! Remember my friend that heard God say "Christmas, Christmas, Christmas" as she prayed for us [read that post HERE]? Well, we are leaving on January 7th which is Ethiopia's Christmas. If I'd only known God was speaking in Ethiopian time, it could have saved me buckets of tears! It was truly a gift to have this piece clarified because haven't understood what God's already said with that's currently happening. A little is making sense now...

Regardless, after 22 months we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it feels goooooooood! We will be home with Judah and Addise Diaz on January 13th. :)

NOTE: Please continue praying for our friends the Mitchell's and Mummert's. They were in our original travel group and have not been cleared to travel yet for the 11th Embassy date. Their hearts LONG for their kiddos like ours do, my heart aches for them as they continue waiting without understanding.

12 Days of Christmas :: A Decade

Day 7 :: I am grateful for my man.

Ten years ago today, Brian proposed to me. We were 21 years old and madly in love. We started as high school friends, turned into sweethearts, and became best friends. Never would have we imagined that 10 years later we would've seen and done and become all that we have over the past decade. Ten years later, I am even more in love with my husband. He is the best man I've ever known and gently pushes me to become more of who I truly am. He is so many things I am not [or at least less of!], and he fascinates me still.

Today, I'm grateful that we are taking on new roles this year: mother and father. I love seeing Brian as a daddy. Who knows what this next decade will hold?