Spiritual Food

So this hasn't been an easy week by any stretch of the imagination.  In fact, while we celebrated the joy of Christmas, we have also grieved quite a bit.  Thank goodness though, our God is gracious and His mercies are new every morning.  Over the past week, God has given us quite a bit of spiritual food that has helped sustain us through this difficult time.  Much of this nourishment for our hearts and spirits has come from you all!  You have shared words of encouragement, scripture, songs, quotes, and prayers.  For that, we are eternally grateful.  One form of spiritual food was a seed planted in both Brian and I...an older hymn that neither of us had really heard or thought of in a while.  But, over the last week, we have sung it together, hummed it, and meditated on it often.  I'm so thankful that this song of comfort has popped into our hearts and minds.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

We will continue to feast on every bit of spiritual food that we are given.  Still trusting and praising our Strength for Today and our Bright Hope for Tomorrow!

Fast Forward...Like SUPER Fast!

A Little Refresher/Background Information:
With the recently changed adoption procedures in Ethiopia, families are assigned two court dates and an embassy date.  Adopting families do not typically travel for the first court date; it is for any biological family members and Ethiopian officials.  Our first date is scheduled for November 1st.  Families do travel for the second court date, which is when the adoption becomes legal in Ethiopia.  Our second date is scheduled for December 2nd.  The embassy date usually takes place 6-8 weeks after the successful completion of the second court date.  Families travel for the embassy date, and this is when the newest member of the family gets to go home with his/her new family.

The Exciting News:
We got word on Thursday that the Ethiopian judge who hears cases for the first court date has decided to allow families to travel for their first court date!  Since our first court date is so soon, we weren't sure that this would be allowed for our family, but we got the green light on Friday afternoon. This essentially combines the first two court dates, which means Brian and I are LEAVING ON WEDNESDAY for Ethiopia.  We will get to meet our daughter in less than a week.  Also, if our court case is resolved quickly, we will be able to bring her home sooner!  As you can imagine, Brian and I are thrilled beyond belief and running around like crazy all at the same time. 

To be honest, there have been no part of our adoption that has fit the estimated timelines that we have heard along the way, and we are OK with that.  We're so thankful that God's timing is perfect...through the times that seem slow and the times that seem out-of-control fast!  I've decided that adoption is predictably UNPREDICTABLE!!!

Now, we have a baby to get ready to meet, so I'm off to continue making arrangements, pack, etc!  Please pray for our FAST preparations, safe travel, and that our hearts would be prepared to meet our cutie pie!