Little Ways God Works

We have had an interesting week so far. 

Full of busy running around, making phone call after phone call and doing our educational sessions online.

I just have to take a moment to marvel over one of the MANY ways we have seen God lead us lately.

To be approved to get our baby, we have to have medical/psychological clearance which is notarized at time of signature. We finally got appointments today and tomorrow with our doctors to get this completed......ONE LESS!!! Wahoo!!

 I then was thinking about my immunization history. With traveling abroad I thought that might be wise to have available and update whatever may need updating. Plus, I thought my doctor may want it for signing off my form. Maybe not, but I am learning just how important all those documents are to have on hand because just when you think you don't need it.......paper chase. 

I keep all that stuff....BUT WHERE ON EARTH did I stash my immunization history??? I needed it for Southern Nursing & Loma Linda University Med Center.......surely I had it. 

Nope...

Called mom.....

Nope...

So I thought maybe, just maybe, LLUMC would still have the record of my history in my personnel file.

I called Employee Health at LLUMC...hoping if they had the history it wouldn't take long since my appointment is tomorrow.

The woman who answered the phone was very nice.

AND THEN

I recognized the voice.

FLORA!

I asked if she was Flora........IT WAS!!!

Flora was one of the nicest women I worked with in the ED at LLUMC.

Always kind. Always helpful.

And now she works in employee health.

She said it might take a while because they were really busy.

Not sure what she meant by "while" because within an hour I had my full history!!!

This process has really shown God to us. He has worked all sorts of details out for us. There are times when the challenges can be frustrating but each time, we can look back and see God working.

I know we will continue to face challenges, but when we do all we need to do is pick out a recent experience and remember how God works with the details.

We are learning more than ever.....God handles the details.

Don't worry.

xoxo

One Less

When Thank You Doesn't Seem Enough

As part of our process we have had to request help from others. Also, being as family is incredibly important to both of us, we have needed their support and prayer.

How does one really say, "Thank You"? Those words just do not seem to be enough to express how we feel towards our family and friends who have joined us on this journey.

So off to Blogger world I went......

I found an idea which I thought I could do myself. 

I have been following a Blog, Domesticated Diva and found this link on her blog:

Shopping For A Cause 

I didn't buy them, but thought I could give it a shot and create similar item to give as gifts to show our love and thankfulness.

First I went to my dear friend, Joann's Fabric and got the materials I believed I needed.

Then I printed a photo graphic of Africa and shrunk it down. From there, I used some holiday scrapbooking paper to create my image.

As I have shared before, coffee IS Ethiopia and very much embedded in their history and culture.

After fashioning all my materials together.....

Here's what we came up with...

Drum Roll

Now, I haven't quite figured out the safest way to ship these little guys....they are so fragile.

So if you haven't received yours yet and you're reading this......

I promise...it will be on it's way...just afraid of shipping.

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

We love you VERY much!

x's & o's

Erika and Tim

It Was Not a Silent Night......

During this Christmas season, I could listen to this one song...OVER AND OVER

This song is just so beautiful. 

Our Savior

Born

Today I found myself in tears....

We received the next "packet" this week from AGCI.

In it was our Adoption Planner and a disk.....

more forms

We had our webinar Wednesday at lunch with our Case Worker at AGCI. I meticulously took notes over an already highlighted planner from previous study.

I took off work today. I organized papers and forms.

I made many calls.

I had our afternoon perfectly planned.

Tim left his office and I headed from home down again to the Sheriff's office only for it to be closed, EVEN THOUGH I spoke to someone who said they would be open till 3pm. All doors closed.

So no worries...we'd just go get the remaining documents notarized. Only to realize once getting to our bank I had made mistakes.

Defeated. Discouraged. Teary-eyed.

I worked so hard to really use this day to get much more done and to be one little step closer to bringing our baby home.

And what really happened was we both drove all around town only to not accomplish anything at all.

After getting in the car to go home from the bank...tears welled up. 

 I listen to z88.3 and they're playing Christmas music now.

What song came on?

Labor of Love.

It dawned on me, this is our labor of love for our baby.

The volumes of paper work.

The perfection required so paper work is approved.

The journey to get on the waiting family list.

The journey to wait for our referral.

The journey to the other side of our world....

Moses' mother...it was not a silent night when she gave birth to him either. 

The tears down her face and pain she felt when he was placed in the Nile river.

The Labor of Love she felt when saving her son from death.

She loved him so much.

I can't imagine.

So I've had a good hard cry. Tim has been supportive as always.

Wish the paper work could be done. 

It will be.

It just feels like staring at Everest.

Soon we will be checking a lot of things off our list and the videos I love will also be our story.

Little Mary Full of Grace. With the tears down her beautiful face.

It was not a Silent night in David's town.

It was a Labor of Love.

Sippin a Good 'Ol Cup of Warm

It's Sabbath morning....  My favorite morning of the week.

 I just poured my warm and delicious cup of warm. 

The house is quiet....ish

We have three pets, one of which is an adorable kitten, Bones, who happens to be teething and causing havoc! He also happens to be Chloe's new best friend and play toy.

So the point of my post???

Well at work I guess we're trialing a new line of coffee. 

Guess what was in that new line of coffee???

So I took one of the packages for my desk....hehe

The Ethiopian flavor, FOR REAL, is my favorite. I'm not biased...I promise. It REALLY IS the best flavor. 

So cheers to everyone on this wonderful Sabbath morning sippin their cup of warm!

Lovin you from O-town!

Jesus Loves the Little Children. All the Children of the World....

Red and Yellow, Black and White, ALL are precious in His sight.

Don't you love that song from childhood Sabbath School???

One of my BFF's has started a new mission to raise money in children in need.

She is making pencils rolls. Not just any pencils rolls, Pencil Rolls for Him .

These pencils are unique, have insanely cool fabric selections, are high quality and the perfect gift ofr your little bub!

You can stuff them. Roll em up. and drop them in your purse, tote or your child's Church bag!!!

Perfection!

Be sure to stop in to see her new Etsy Store!!!

After you visit her store....swing by her blog, Hughes xs 4...it's SIMPLY the CUTEST blog ever!!!

Have You Been Called?

Every Moment Matters from Videos for AGCI on Vimeo.

Orientation Packet Sent!

We sent our Orientation Packet and Service Agreements today!!!

Tim and I worked very hard to read everything this weekend.

We had 14 documents to read, have notarized and sign.

Yes.....14!!!

I did the online FedEx shipping label deal for the first time!!! I was not trusting the idea at first...Tim said to go for it...I did! It went overnight shipping, so I guess I will know if I did right tomorrow eh???

NERVES

We will be receiving another package from AGCI with guess what???

Yep, MORE documents.

But........

this time it's for our DOSSIER!!! 

Once our Dossier is done and sent in........

Pending Approval and

WAITING LIST!!!!

oh man....seriously...CANNOT WAIT!!!

and........Tim's pretty excited too!

December 2010

It's that time of year when the holidays make everything feel so magical. I'm usually racking my brain for the perfect gift to give. 

This year...all I can think about is our baby.

We decided late October we were being called to adoption. Last year we attended a Steven Curtis Chapman concert and heard their family's story and journey. Since, the idea had been tugging on our hearts. What is interesting is that Tim nor I ever shared that the burden to adopt had been placed. 

For me, the need grew stronger when attending a Women of Faith Conference in Atlanta, GA with some of my girlfriends.

For Tim, the need grew stronger after having lunch with his father where Dad Reiner shared a story he had heard on NPR. The story of Scott Simon; Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other.

One Sabbath afternoon in October Tim asked to talk. It was then we realized the same desire. 

Initially, we believe we were being called to China. Little did we know then, this was not God's plan. Since, God has led us to Ethiopia.

I could explain "why Ethiopia" for quite a while, but the simple fact is....there is a need.

In Ethiopia there are over 4 million orphans.

4 million.

It's hard to imagine the number.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 

Psalm 82:3


Since that one beautiful Sabbath we have become part of the All God's Children International family, nearly completed our home study and have been reading all we can to educate ourselves.

A "little" of the paperwork we've faced and we have much more to go.

This Sabbath, I find myself so thankful for the support of family and friends as we begin our journey.

I will keep our blog as up to date as possible as we continue our journey.

One Less has begun.

I can't wait for this to be our day...get tissues

One Less

We're under construction in our blog so......

Stay Tuned

For Now, we have a video to share

Take a peak to the right of this post for video.