I'll take any excuse to be barefoot, but this is a GOOD one!

April 8th provides an opportunity to remind others the impact a pair of shoes can have on those in need. Really, spend one day barefoot. As you walk through your daily life without shoes note the difficulty it adds to your tasks. According to TOMS, a whopping 40% of the world’s population lives without shoes. 40%! The statistic is mind boggling when you think about how benign slipping a shoe on your foot can be. In some countries it’s not so benign- shoes are a precious commodity, and the people who go without have to endure walking miles barefoot for basic necessities such as food and water. Not only is walking barefoot uncomfortable, but there’s also a high risk for all kinds of nasty infections and diseases such as podoconiosis, which can cause extreme swelling, ulcers, and deformation in feet and legs. Yet a pari of shoes can prevent these hardships. It’s amazing how much change a simple pair of shoes can make in a person’s life. Join me. Advocate April 8th and a day without shoes.

From Love to Law...Mezekir Ayers Knight

Finally, we can say you are ours. You've been in our hearts for too long. We can not wait to hold you in our arms. We love you, Mezekir Ayers Knight. Enjoy a glimpse of our precious gift. Turn off the music a the bottom of the screen prior to watching!

Tomorrow, tomorrow...we're waiting till' tomorrow...it's only a day away!

We are waiting again. Our caseworker called. She shared that the judge "was unable to get around to signing off on our case." Everything is in order, and we really don't have any hangups. But we are not dealing with the westernized world here, friends. Things in Ethiopia (and I'm told all of Africa) are far more laid back. They don't stress about the details. It seems our case falls into the category of "details." Supposedly, we are to hear in the morning if the judge was able to get to our case. So tomorrow, tomorrow, we'll hear something tomorrow, IT'S STILL ANOTHER DAY AWAY! Thanks to all of you, who keep lifting us up in prayer. We will be glad to make room for others on your prayer list soon.

ThumP, ThUmp, THumP...go the fingers

SO, I'm up thinking that it's 8:33 a.m. in Addis Ababa now. At this moment a judge is preparing to hear our case, a mother is relinquishing all ties to a child she loves very much, a little boy is unknowingly acquiring a new identity, and a family anxiously hopes for the fulfillment of a wish long overdue. I can't stop imagining what's going on in the hustle and bustle of Addis. I wonder if the midst of the traffic, the comings and goings of workers, and the students heading to school, if ANYONE realizes what is going on at this moment, on this monumental day? Just one person, please, who realizes today changes so much. Today, the life of a birth mom, a baby boy, and a family permanently change. Is there anyone who's memorializing the transition of an orphan to a son? Is there anyone sitting next to my son, explaining to him what is transpiring, how his life is going to change? And what of his birth mom? Who is holding her? I'm praying for her. I pray that today, God in His gracious, loving way puts an encourager in her path. I pray He gives her an Aaron to hold her up as she is warn and tired and must choose to persevere in this path. I pray she knows God as her sustainer and strong tower, as He has proven to be! I just can't put to rest all of the thoughts in my mind. There is no way to capture the emotion, the love, the fear, and the pain that co-exist. But I can say, "I am ready, Lord. Bring him home. Thank you for the extra time You took to prepare our hearts."

Headlines: Darling Baby Boy is within Reach!

Our agency sent another update yesterday. Can I just say, the moment I don't think our little guy can get any cuter, he goes and does it? I mean C-U-T-E! I love the unexpected pictures, which they have been attaching. It makes the update all the sweeter. So, this time, "BabyOpia" is reaching for the camera in front of him. We couldn't believe how much he is changing, growing, and developing. Our last report, at four and a half months, he was not reaching and following items. So this is exciting on many fronts.

Our agency reported, "—It’s been fun to watch _________ grow over the past few months. He’s now got quite the curly little coif growing just on top of his head. His little body has filled out and he’s nice and chunky. However, he still seems like the same laid-back little guy. Today, when I visited with him, he enjoyed chewing on his little pillow and playing with the toys hanging from the top of his crib. What a delightful little guy!"
Ummmm, by the way, Dear Sirs and Madams, he's not just chunky...he's fat! And we love it! Keep up caring for him until we can get there.

Baring any more mishaps, we will be "BabyOpia's" parents soon. We should pass court next week, March 10th. This week, there was one item missing; it is said this is just a perfunctory measure. We believe it's true. From the sounds of things, there is no reason for concern. God's giving us an immeasurable amount of peace in the midst of unknown. This is where your jaw drops and you say to self, "What, Lori, not anxious? No fear, no tears, not pacing, needless organizing...sleepless nights?" Nope! He is proving to be our portion and peace as He has always promised.

Now, we are still navigating the re-fingerprinting issues. Our case worker was able to contact the U*CIS office yesterday. U*CIS said they were holding Josh's prints, while they waited on mine to arrive. WHAT? This was striking for a few reasons. 1. Josh and I re-printed together. My prints were taken literally seconds after his. 2. My prints will not expire until June. Why wait if my prints are still valid? 3. We had a similar issue with our original prints, which delayed our dossier five months. 4. Holding the prints means delaying our visa appt. in ET. Ugg! Things never work easily for us. Our case worker was quick to encourage the U*CIS office to send them to the Nat. Visa Center without further delay.

If you aren't familiar with this process you would need to know a few things: After we pass court next week we are legally "BabyOpia's" parents, and we can take placement of him as soon as we arrive in country. However, we cannot travel back with him until Josh's prints arrive in country, because our son will be immigrating to the US. The prints must be there with days to spare. If they arrive the day before our Embassy appt, we must wait for the next Embassy date...April 22. We have a few choices. We can travel, believing the prints will catch up with us in country, allowing us to travel back as originally planned. 2. We could delay travel and try to book tickets last minute and pay the optimum price. 3. We can travel knowing there is a possibility I would end up staying in country until the April date. We are choosing to move forward. We will travel on March 20th and hope for the best, but we are comfortable with the alternative. For us the bottom line remains; our son is there. We are here. We are ready for him. The sooner he is integrated into our family, the better. We can't stomach the thought of him remaining an extra month in an institution, while we could be holding, loving, and cuddling him.

It seems like the end, or beginning, is just within reach. Our son should be in our arms within the month. Two years, many tears, lots of prayers, and much support are culminating into the son for whom we have longed. Come home, "BabyOpia", come home!

One More Time, More Opportunity for Growth

Court did not work in our favor today. MO*A ruled in our favor, yay. But the birth mother's picture ID was not available. This is not good. It's not awful, either. We pray the new ID is in by next week, when our case would reappear before the judge. In the meantime, we are moving forward with our plans to travel on the 20th of March. Risky or not, our hearts are in ET; and we are determined to move forward. God has granted us peace in the midst of this set back. Pray we remain securely planted in His goodness as the reality of not having legal custody of our son sets into our hearts. We will wait for one more opportunity for our case to move before the courts.

Today is the Day

I can't move right now. I'm stuck by the computer. I'm sitting by the phone. I'm anticipating the call, while I stare at my sweet boy. Hoping, praying, trusting, believing that he's not just ours by love but also by law. It's time. He belongs. Our love has taken him in. Please, Lord, one last prayer before your throne; please, make him ours. Last night our case went before the federal courts for a second time...today is the day he should be ours. We are waiting to know.