We're pregnant!

Yes! We are expecting a 7-8 month old boy around the end of April, beginning of May.

We sent our Dossier to Washington D.C. for authentication at the Department of State and the Embassy of Ethiopia 3-4 weeks ago. We sent via courier service specifically used for adoption proceedings. The Dossier flied through D.C. in a week's time and then was shipped back to our agency. We received word on February 18th that our Dossier had made it back to the agency and that we would be notified when it was sent on to Ethiopia. On February 29th after welcoming my nephew, Freedom, into our family, I emailed our social worker to see what was going on as we still had not heard from her. She emailed me back to let me know that the Dossier was sent on February 19th and that she was trying to get a hold of us.

I got off the computer and was a little shaky. I was pretty sure that if she was trying to call us it could only be referral information of a possible child. But I didn't want to get my hopes up either. We had been told that it would take 2-4 months for a referral. Our Dossier had only been in country 10 days.

I emailed her a number to reach me at and waited.

She called me at 11:14 a.m. and wasted no time beating around the bush. There was indeed a referral for us! I was so shocked I just wrote the information down with seemingly no emotion at all. My mom was watching for an reaction to give her a clue about the reason for the call but left the room when she saw me so emotionless.

The referral is for a 6 month old boy. We are given ten business days to pray about it and discuss the medical report with a doctor. We have found a doctor specializing in reveiwing referrals in Ohio who has agreed to help us for free. Isaac faxed the information over today. Barring any major issues, we will accept the referral and move right along.

After the acceptance of a referral we will be given a court date, probably one to two months out. If we pass that right away, we will travel 2 weeks later.

We are stunned that everything has been happening so quickly lately. Our agency works with five different orphanages in Ethiopia so that certainly helps speed the process along. We are not allowed to share details about the referral as he is not legally our child yet. I will tell you all, however, that when I saw his picture, I instantly felt connected to him. I cannot wait to meet him and hold him in my arms.

Z is very excited to be a big brother and meet his new playmate. When I told him the news, he ran into my arms with a big grin on his face and said "I really wanted a boy!". Precious. I am soaking up my time with him right now and trying to make it clear to him that he is still loved and important. I think it will be difficult for him for a little while but, all in all, he is very proud and happy.

When I called I. to tell him, I couldn't get through because they had a power outage that messed up their phones. I was freaking out having to wait. I emailed him and told him to call me. When he did I had Z get on and say "I'm going to have a baby brother". I. was very confused and didn't believe me when I told him. It was all so big and sudden, he had to hang up, collect himself, and then call me back. We were all on cloud nine, and still are.

God is good!