More Waiting

So I just got off the phone with our agency. Rumors and bulletins are flying around everywhere on the Internet about the recent travel requirements. I guess there are varying accounts of decisions that are being made. Some people are saying that the new requirements are being put on hold indefinitely and others are saying they still stand. Our agency's lawyer is meeting with other agencies' lawyers and they are asking the judges in Ethiopia the same questions we are asking. What about parents that can't travel for medical reasons? What about military families with one parent deployed? What about families that are pregnant and can't travel? It's good to know we aren't the only ones who are waiting on pins and needles to hear about these new requirements.
Ethiopia is supposed to release these proclamations with more details by the end of this week or early next week. Until then our dossier and check sits on our kitchen counter waiting. Boy, when people tell you that you will wait a lot for an adoption, they aren't joking. The paperwork is a walk in the park compared to the waiting.
Prayers please!

Final Dossier Check!

We got our paperwork back from Olympia today all shiny and stamped with the Secretary of State seal. This is great! We would be sending our dossier off to our agency today but we are waiting to hear about the new "2 parents traveling" requirement. As soon as we hear more details from our agency we will put this puppy in the mail and wait on a referral!

Today I got all of our dossier paperwork in order. I REALLY hope we did everything correctly!

Baby Kallen, we are not giving up yet! We're trying so hard to bring you home!

Waiting on Info

Okay...so Amos and I talked last night about exactly what our next steps will be. Our paperwork is still with the Secretary of State. This is fine because we don't know details on the new requirements yet. We will not send off $6,500.00 until we know for sure that I can travel alone to Ethiopia. Keep on praying!
On a separate note...I talked with my brother, Jeremy today. He was so encouraging and told us to NOT give up. I agree. Amos and I feel as though we are answering the call no matter how hard it gets. As long as it is possible, we are going to forge ahead. Trying to live a Christ directed life is by no means easy... I am very weary of this process but I do know that God will only give us what we can handle.
Our prayer is that He continues to give us wisdom, patience and direction.

New news

Okay...so we got another email from our agency today. It looks like the new requirements will be pushed back so they won't take effect until May. Amos and I have paperwork in the mail to the Secretary of State to get authenticated. This usually takes about 2 weeks. We hope to send off our dossier to Ethiopia ASAP. We plan on racing the clock and hoping that when it all plays out, we are able to squeeze through on a medical waver or something. We both feel that we are WAY TO CLOSE to throw in the towel now. Prayers for us and for the Ethiopian governing committees are much appreciated.
Oh boy. Waiting is hard but waiting on pins and needles is harder.

Road Block

I'm back from Haiti and Amos and our USCIS approval notice were waiting here for me when I landed! However, yesterday Ethiopia sent word out from their high courts that starting immediately, there will be 2 trips to Ethiopia required and that both parents have to travel at least once...This is devastating to us because Amos cannot travel for any reason. We are holding our breath and hoping to hear more details that might give us a loop hole or something. I could manage 2 trips if I had to but Amos cannot go even once which is the main reason we chose to adopt from Ethiopia. Maybe a Dr.'s note?...Please keep this situation in your prayers for us. We are very nervous.