Merry Christmas & Melkam Gena to ALL!

Each year during Advent, our faith tradition reminds us that we must assume a posture of anticipation, that the best things come in time. We remember how Israel longed for a messiah and how we long for God's justice and mercy to fall, and our world to be set to rights. Of course, this year as we anticipated the birth of the Christ-child our family has been longing and praying for our little girl to come to our family.

Early in December we received information indicating that our case was approaching the last step of the process prior to receiving our court date. But as December rolled on, we only received a request for an updated document. While we had the form updated and submitted within 24 hours, it took 2.5 weeks for the originals to get into the correct hands in country. We are hopeful that no additional documentation will be requested and our letter of approval will be forthcoming.

It was disappointing to not receive a court date by Christmas, but we have much for which we can give thanks. In December, our daughter moved from the orphanage to our adoption agency's transition house (with several other children). And for the first time we were able to send her a care package which included a photo album with our pictures - so now she can see each face in her new family! In fact, here is a picture her her doing just that :0)

While our Christmas is on December 25, Ethiopia celebrates Christmas on January 7 - so maybe in our prayers for a court date by Christmas, we should have specified which one we were talking about :0) 

We learned our lesson and are praying more specifically now for a court date by January 7 - that would be a "Melkam Gena" indeed. 

Thank you all for caring about her and us. Please continue to pray for all five of us during this journey.

In God’s Grace,

Kameron, Nathan, J. Henry, Amelia and our New Little Girl!