The Details

I always imagined what it would be like when we finally got our referral. I pictured us sitting at our computer at home, opening the email together, I'd probably start crying, and then we'd spend the next several minutes (hours?) staring at their pictures and pouring over their information. I thought maybe we'd even video tape it so that we could share it with our kids someday. It didn't quite happen that way. 


We actually got the email while we were both at work. I knew there was no way we'd be able to wait until we got home to open the email together... we're both too impatient and the distraction of knowing that email was sitting in our inbox would have been more than we could have handled! So, we decided ahead of time that if we got the referral email at work, we'd just go ahead and open it. Thankfully, I didn't get the email until my students were already out of the room, so I had a little time alone in my classroom to look at everything. Right away I forwarded the email to Don at work and we both began to look over their pictures, and then began firing off tons of emails to each other in response. Eventually we did call each other and talk through all of it on the phone, but our email records show a little glimpse into what was going on. I took these right from some of our first emails to each other: 


Sara (to Don): I forwarded the pics. to you. I think they look great! Really sweet with gigantic eyes!
Don (to Sara): Wow. Yes, they look really great. Really beautiful boys. Huge eyes. 
Sara: Do you think they are sweet?!
Don: Yes. Very much so. They are very sweet. Beautiful eyes. Do you? What do you think?
Sara: They are SOOOO SWEET, cuter than I ever imagined!


We loved them instantly! Seriously. More than I ever thought possible. 


All of the official paperwork and medical records didn't come in until the next day, so we didn't say anything to anyone. Thursday night, we had our own little private celebration and went out for Giordanos pizza and then to pick out a matching set of pajamas. It was so fun to finally have their faces in mind and to know who it was that we had been praying for and waiting for all of these months!


And twins?! Can you believe it?! We didn't think there was any way we'd get twins, and we had long stopped praying for it (though I know many of you persisted on! thank you!). God certainly surprised us and gave us a better gift than we ever thought possible in these sweet little boys.


And seriously (not that it matters), they are BEAUTIFUL. They have the most perfect button noses, perfectly shaped pouty lips, and the most gigantic dark brown eyes. I wish we could share pictures, but until we pass court in Ethiopia, we won't be able to post their pictures publicly. 


There is so much more to share, but I'll save it for future posts. In the meantime, here's how you can pray for us now:

• Pray that we will get a quick court date. We are hoping that our court date will be in the next 3-4 months. We will travel to Ethiopia at that point, and the adoption will be finalized in Ethiopia, though we won't get to bring them home until the US Embassy clears us for travel (which could be another 3 months or so from our court date).
• This puts us at about 6 months until the boys are home, but we are PRAYING, PRAYING, PRAYING that it will be sooner! Please join us!
• Pray that the rest of the process goes quickly and smoothly and that God will continue to sustain us as we wait. 
• Pray for our boys. They are healthy as far as we know, but they are a little tiny. One is smaller than the other and could stand to put on a few pounds, plus his iron counts are low. Pray that God will nourish and protect their bodies and their health over these next months. Pray also that they will have people caring for them that will love them and attend to their needs (and kiss their sweet cheeks once in awhile!). 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying for us over these months and years. We are completely humbled by the undeserved kindness of the Lord in giving us these boys and by the love and support of so many of you! Please be encouraged that your prayers for us were not in vain, God has heard and has given us abundantly more than we could have asked or imagined!