busy

This has been a crazy month, and it has flown by. Aaron is in Haiti right now with a team from our church and the boys and I are in Oklahoma (woo hoo!). Between all of his trip preparations, (he also is leading the team) we also celebrated Eli and Micah's 4th birthday. And before that Aaron and I got to go to a Weekend to Remember conference, which was awesome. And before that, we found out some news about our adoption.
Not the "call everyone you know because it is so great news," more like the "wow, that was unexpected news." We found out a couple of weeks ago that the Ethiopian government changed their regulation about traveling and now we will need to make two trips to Ethiopia. The first one for our court date over there after we accept the referral, and the second one when we travel to pick up our daughter.
Our agency has done a great job keeping us as updated as possible as well as preparing us from the beginning for the up and down journey that is international adoption. I am not altogether sure why the rule was changed, but I am definitely in support of anything that is for the best interests of the children and for their benefit. And I am thankful that we have several months to plan and prepare for this change. I know there are families who have been waiting 7 months and could get their referral any day who now have weeks to get things ready.
On a happier adoption note, I have been gathering things here and there for Hope. I found a super cute rug on major clearance from Target that I am planning on using in her room. And a couple of people have given us little girl clothes which has been so fun! I can already tell we are going to have some issues in that department, girl clothes are just so stinkin cute!!! I also found a little ornament around Christmas time of a little black angel, super sweet. And I think the last item I have is matching bracelets for Hope and I from another family raising money for their adoption. I know we have many months ahead of us, and I am prepared for a long wait, but doing little things to prepare for her makes her seem closer and keeps her right in the front of my mind and heart.