Growing Zane

Today we received a great surprise via email - this new photo of Zane. He looks so happy and like he has put on weight! The green blanket with brown stripes pictured here is the one we sent to him. Ryan and Abby Brown are on staff with Gladney and moved from Dallas to Ethiopia one year ago to work with the orphans and also host families as they travel to pick up their children. They were recently in the U.S. and we sent this blanket back with them to Zane. They visited Zane yesterday and reported he was very happy and making lots of silly faces. The initial paperwork we read on Zane did say he was quite the charmer. We are counting days until we can hold out little guy.

ZANE IS OURS!

Just got the call! Court went great this morning! Our adoption of Zane is legally approved and finalized by Ethiopia! Wahoo!! We leave August 12 and will spend a couple days in Rome before arriving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on August 15. We return August 24.

Countdown to Court

Two more days until our court date. Time is ticking by slower and slower the closer we get to this court date! I just want to know that for sure we get to fly out Aug 12 and be on our way to pick up Zane.

Since we were told of our court date we have been working to reserve airline tickets and a hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Funny factoid about Ethiopia - this country is currently partying like it's 1999! Seriously. The Gregorian calendar is used by the vast majority of the world but not Ethiopia. They follow the Julian calendar, which consists of twelve months of thirty days each and a thirteenth month of five days, six days in a leap year. More info that you wanted, I know. Their new year begins on our Sept 11 so with us traveling mid August we are traveling with others going to Ethiopia to celebrate their Millennium. Needless to say securing flights and a hotel has been a bit of a challenge. Thankfully we are now all set. Maybe we will get to share in some pre-New Year festivities while in Ethiopia!

Tight knit

Someone recently asked me what it was like having Lily and Claire so close together. This is what it brought to mind:

Transracial Adoption on NPR

NPR is having a series on adoption this week. NPR has interviewed the Stigger's who adopted biracial children 3 decades ago in Chicago which was quite unheard of at the time. Today's story offers wonderful insight from the mom and son. Very touching and educational.

Another court date

Our agency called today and our court date was bumped up. It's now scheduled for Friday, July 27! This does not change our travel but at least we get through court quicker!

COURT DATE!

These past few days I have checked other people's blogs to see how long it was taking them to get court dates. I was reading 4, 6, 9, 11 weeks and thinking it was such a long shot to get our court date before the Aug. 8 closure. Once again God is making it very evident that He is in total control. Our court date is July 30!!! Record fast time! This means we should arrive in Ethiopia Aug. 15 to pick up our little guy!

This morning I was able to pack up a little blanket to mail Zane. It was sweet to think something I was holding would soon be holding him. And now, just hours later to actually know the date I get to hold him --- I am not articulate enough to express how I feel.

Wow. God is good.

Introducing our SON!

On lucky Friday the 13th we were shocked to receive a call from our agency, saying they had a referral for us of a healthy, 4-month-old baby boy. Minutes later as we sat in front of our computers (Heather at home, Christopher at work), this gorgeous face greeted us:



You can click on photos to enlarge, by the way:-) We have never been more aware of God's real and active presence in our lives. He has led us on this path in ways we can only attribute to His good work. So after much prayer and discussion we are thrilled to say we are adopting this baby boy and will name him Zane (a slight variation of his given name).


Our next step - Monday morning our agency will request a court date on our behalf to finalize Zane's adoption. Ethiopia has a heavy rainy season which causes annual court closures for about six weeks. The courts are scheduled to close August 8th. Typically once you request a court date, it is scheduled in 3 weeks time - sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. We are 3 1/2 weeks away from this closure. We would covet your prayers that we are granted a court date prior to the closure so that we can bring Zane home in August (next month!). Otherwise, we are looking at bringing Zane home in October.


Zane's adoption will be finalized on the court date. However we will travel two weeks later because that is how long it takes to process his passport, visa, etc. We will be in Ethiopia for about a week.


Forgive us for not calling to share this news with you personally but we are just too excited to wait any longer!

Fun News!

My sister, Courtney, is engaged! The lucky guy, Scott, proposed on her birthday last week. They have set a record wedding planning time frame and are getting married September 22 - yes, of 2007! We are big fans of Scott's and are thrilled to have him join our nutty family.