It's Out Of Our Hands!

Well, today is the day, peeps!

WE SENT IN OUR DOSSIER!!!

There's no turning back now! :) We sent all of that paperwork that we have been doing for the last 5 months to our agency to review. Then, it will be on its way to Ethiopia!!!

I'm not gonna lie, it was a little hard to hand that blood, sweat and tears over to a stranger to be mailed off. I mean, I know that was the point of all of this, but that's my baby I just sent to Virginia! Adam and I prayed over it before it left our hands and I know the Lord will take care of everything.

I emailed a color copy to our Family Coordinator yesterday and she said everything looks great, so I'm praying that we aren't missing anything and as soon as they get it, they can send it to Ethiopia!

We'll get our DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) date after that and be on the waiting list!!! I'm excited for that day!! :) Our dossier should arrive in Virginia on October 4th.

Here are some pictures from our eventful day. :D I'm just beaming today. I'm so happy to be *almost* there!!!

Our original dossier is on the right and the two complete copies we made. :)

Another view of all those papers!!

Daddy and Addi at FedEx. Makayla was at Nana's house. :)

Yeah there's a $7,700 check in that envelope...

One more view of all those papers stacked together.

LOVE.

Addison is pretty excited that she is going to be a BIG SISTER!!! <3

Such a precious girl.

Oh yeah, we'll ship it!! :D

There's my baby...on its way to Ethiopia!!

Daddy holding his baby. Swoon. Love that man.

Praying over the paperwork before we send it on its way.

My baby bump!!

And again.

Jesus, please protect our sweet baby until we can get to Ethiopia to bring him/her HOME!!

And one more thing:

After we went to my mom's to pick up Makayla, we were on the way home and I asked Makayla if she knew what we were doing while she was at Nana's. Of course, she said yes. HAHA!

So then I told her, "We sent in all of our paperwork to get our Ethiopia baby!!"

She clapped and smiled really big and said, "Is she at home?"

Oh my word, my heart leapt out of my chest and I got tears in my eyes!! My sweet angel GETS IT. She knows that there is something SO much bigger going on. She knows that there is SO much more to this world and she is only 3!!

After I told her that, sadly, no she wasn't at our house. And that I also think we have a higher chance of getting a little boy, she responded with, "Now?" As in, is she there now? No, sweet girl, she isn't here yet, but she will be. Not soon enough, but the Good Lord has that all worked out and He knows exactly when that will be.

I love that Makayla knows at the ripe age of 3 what Africa looks like. I love that she cares so deeply about her brother or sister that is halfway around the world even when we have no idea what he or she looks like. I love the compassion that oozes out of my baby girl.

I am so sad that it took me 27 long years on this earth to learn about orphans and Ethiopia and the starvation and devastation. I am, however, thankful that God opened my eyes and that I can't go back. My life is forever changed by a sweet 0-24 month old child that is living in Ethiopia, Africa right now...either in his/her's mommy's belly or in an orphanage or still with their birth mama for the time being.

I wish I would have known and learned more earlier in life. I am so grateful that our daughters will know from such a young age that there is more to life than a brand new car, a name brand purse or the hottest shoes. They know what is really important in life. And Makayla already gets it. She gets what living for Jesus is all about 24 years before I did. Thank You, Jesus.