Friday, November 18, 2005

Joe and Gabbie's Adoption Story -2005/2006

Nov. 19, 2005
For those of you who are wondering about the adoption, we were given an update from our contact at Acres of Hope. Right now Liberia is going through some upheaval. They had elections to narrow down the choices and then a run-off election this last week. I guess there have been those who have not been very happy with the results because there have been increasing bouts of violence since the election. The orphanage is basically holding all files at the moment until the civil unrest comes under control. There are rumors that the UN is going to step in if it continues over the coming weeks. So, this means that we will not have a baby or two in our home for the holidays. Where I would normally be worried we are instead resting in God's sovereign hand. His timing is perfect. We will continue to keep you posted when we hear more. For the time being we are going to enjoy all the family members that are coming down to join our holiday celebrations.
…. Jan 15, 2006
the addition of two little ones to the Davis family.
We have been officially placed with a three year old boy and a seven month old girl (siblings) from Liberia.
We are not sure who is more excited...the kids or Eric and I.
The plans are for Eric to fly over to Liberia and pick up our new children either the middle or end of February.
If the Lord provides, I might be able to go over also.

Pictures and names will be coming soon!
Feb 1, 2006
Well, here they are!
It is official and the paperwork is now being processed
to bring home our little ones.
Joseph "Joe" Foley Freeman Davis will be 4 on March 9th.
Gabrielle Priscilla Davis is seven months old and will turn 1 year
on July 15th.
Eric is hoping to travel the first or second week
of March to pick them up.
He will also spend some time doing construction work on the new orphanage that Acres of Hope is building.
For more info on the orphanage and Liberia please go to
www.acresofhope.org
Would You Like an Update? March 21,2006
Here you go....
Eric's visa application has been sent and will hopefully come back in a week.
Donna at AoH says that our paperwork is at the end of the process and Eric will be able to travel by the middle of April
We sent out our last big adoption fee today.
We are packing and getting serious!
We are also packing our house and possibly already have a buyer
Bullet points are all I have time for right now as I race around trying to get our house packed, kids taught, household goods sent to good homes, and organize the items that will be put in storage. And, in between we are trying to a breath here and there. Excitement is the Davis word of the month!
God’s Blessing April 12, 2006
$500. That is what I was hoping to make at our garage sale to raise funds for our plane tickets and visa applications for the kids. Of course, the tickets and visa fees are much more then that but going by my previous garage sale experiences I figured that this would be reasonable.
Well, after a lot of donations and dear family friends who helped out incredibly, we earned four times what I thought we would. Praise to the Lord, Jehovah-Jireh! We still have so much more to sell and many more donations coming in that we will be doing this again in two weeks.
I am not sure what is more exciting though. The money that we were able to raise or the incredible people we met. We met one lady who lived in Liberia for eleven years teaching young natives. She can't wait for us to meet her friends who are on furlow as missionaries in Liberia. We met a father and daughter who donated stuff from their house for us to sell. We met a homosexual couple who were overwhelmed by our adoption that they brought stuff for us to sell and bought quite a bit. The amazing thing....they heard the whole story of why we are doing this including our Godly conviction of taking care of the orphans. I hope we see them again so that we can continue to show them the Light. We also had those who bought and bought and then said keep the change.
But, this is not the first time we have been financially blessed in this endeavor. We have received checks from anonymous angels out there, we have received dollar bills in envelopes, and we have had checks handed to us from dear friends who do not necessarily have the funds to spare.
We know that their crowns are in heaven. They have been a living example to us and we hope that we can be for someone else in the future.
It Will Happen When It is Suppose To Happen April 15, 2006
I am a Navy wife. And as such you learn how to deal with changes. The line "It will happen when it is suppose to happen" comes from years of military life. You learn to go with the military flow (who knew that the military understands the Sovereignty of God! I highly doubt they do, but we do).
Sound familiar? It should. You don't have to be in the military to know the truth of this phrase. In fact, James wrote to us about this very subject.
James 4:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
We think that we know what tomorrow brings. That we have some control over our "destiny". But, when everything is stripped away and we get down to the nitty gritty we find that we have no control over anything in our lives.
My husband understands this much better than I. He has told me all along that all the plans, ideas, and dates have been subject to change. He has even said that he will finally believe that we have adopted when he safely returns to our home with the little ones in his arms.
But, my security is bound up in those things of this world that seem stable (our house, our calendar, etc.). I am fine with change but let:s not keep changing. The problem with this picture is that I look at change as something concrete. But, James warns us to not be concrete with our plans. Instead, we are to say Lord willing.
So, as I wrestle with not knowing the date of our children coming home, if we are going to sell our house, if Eric is going to take this job or that, and if we are going to go on a trip across the U.S., I will also wrestle with the passage above. I will strive to not set each change into concrete until the Lord wills.

In Due Time April 29, 2006
Eric talked to Donna at Acres of hope on Friday. We had been waiting to hear from her, knowing that Patty and Donna had just returned from Liberia. The news was not good.
Liberia's new government is making it harder to adopt. They are requiring more paper work and not being as forgiving if you are missing something in your dossier. Our adoption is being directly effected by this change and so we must wait even longer. Donna said that it will be no later then the middle of June. They have a group coming home the first week of May and then we go in the second group. The only reason that we are getting in on this group is that they expedite adoptions of those under the age of one for health reasons (the mortality rate of those under a year is very high).
When I heard the news, I have to admit that I was overwhelmed with grief. I just wanted to find a hole and hide in it. But, in God's providence, we were on our way to a friends house for a big church get together.
I had approximately one hour to stop sobbing and get a grip on my emotions. I knew that all of my dear friends would ask me how the adoption was going. I wasn't sure if I could deal with the questions. But, God was gracious and after letting a bit of my emotions out with our friends, before others arrived, I was able to distance myself from the grief and relay the info to others.
I thought being twenty days overdue with a pregnancy was hard! This beats all. I just want so dearly to hold these kiddos in my arms. I want to get them away from the danger of living in a country still healing from a civil war. I want for our family to not be in limbo any longer. All in due time.
We Continue to Wait May 30, 2006
We still have not heard from Donna at Acres of Hope about when Eric will be leaving to pick up Joseph and Gabrielle.
I would like to say that I am waiting patiently but that is not the case. I strive to wake up every morning and not be anxious. And yet, my actions and words do not speak of a heart that is waiting quietly but of a heart that is feeling a bit out of control. So, back to my knees I go asking God to calm my spirit and make me content with my situation. Then, it is to my children I go with apologies. And then, back to the things that I can control: the laundry, cleaning out cabinets, school, meals, etc.

A Bit of Hesitation June 2, 2006
A bit of hesitation here....maybe a drum roll is appropriate. I'm just not sure which direction to take because on one hand it is exciting news but on the other hand we have had exciting news over the past couple of months and then have our hopes dashed against the rocks of disappointment.
So, with a bit of excitement and a bit of dread I pass on the info that my children told me today. Donna from AoH called and informed us that Joseph and Gabrielle are ready to come home. Eric is scheduled to fly out of San Fransisco on June 25th and will be back in San Fransisco on July 1st. All of this is Lord willing!
Big Adoption News June 9, 2006
Last night around the dinner table, after we had eaten one of those great freezer meals, Eric announced that he had good news and bad news. He had a smirk on his face so I knew he was up to something.
He said that he talked to Donna and that they had decided on a date. There was quite a bit of excitement. "The good news" he said " is that I am leaving earlier then expected." Yee-ha! "The bad news is that it is going to cost more then we thought". Bummer but at this point we don't care, we just want our children home.
So, we pressed him for the details. He is flying out of San Fran on the 21st of June. This is official since he actually bought the tickets yesterday. He is hoping to return on teh 28th of June. Hopeful because of a couple of glitches. First of all, they are waiting on the birth certificates to be issued by the government. And, this government can basically move as slowly as ours can. Second, Eric's Visa expires on the 30th. Now, in the US if you have an expired Visa you can stay indefinately but in Liberia they are a bit sticky about the issue. In fact, it can be an issue even if you are a couple of days from it expiring.
So, we are hoping to see him on the 28th but know that it could be longer. He actually decided to go on the 21st because he is going to spend a week doing construction work on the new orphanage. He is really excited about helping them out with his skills. He is also equally excited about enjoying the children of the orphanage. The kids have decided on sending Smarties candy (in honor of one of our dearest friends) and a Nerf ball. We have also been collecting baby clothes for the orphanage. This is where I get jealous of the time that he will be able to spend at the orphanage and with the missionaries there. I wish our whole family could afford to go over and experience this great event.
If you are so led to pray....could you pray for Eric's safe travels? Also, we had to pay much more for the flights then we were expecting. We had saved up $3500 for the flights and they were well over $4000. We also have to take at least $2000 over for tips, Visa fees, and housing. God has provided so far and we believe that he will continue to provide.
Also, we are praying for not only the hearts of Joe and Gabby but also for their well being. Both have been sick in the last month and we were reminded how hard life is in Liberia with the death of a child that was to be adopted by another family. We grieve with them. We are also praying for Joseph's adjustment to his new world.
Thank you so much for all your prayers during this interesting phase of our lives. It isn't over yet...in fact, as a parent, it is only just beginning.

We Never Do Anything the Easy Way June 16, 2006
The above is so true...we never do anything the easy way. We try but it never works out that way. For instance, we thought that Eric should have picked up the kids from Liberia in March or April. This way my parents would be able to meet them when they came through in May and we would have a few months to get them ready for a trip to Hawaii. Well, instead, we are picking up the kids this next week and fourteen days later Eric is flying to Hawaii and we are following behind him three days later.
Now, for the average person this would not be that big of a deal. But, consider that they are going to be very attached to Eric after spending a week in Liberia and an eighteen hour flight with him. So, to have their new daddy fly away could be very tramatic for them. Also, getting on a plane themselves could be even more tramatic with the possibility of them thinking that we are going back to Liberia.
Isn't it interesting that none of our well laid plans seem to come to fruition? God's ways are not our own. And, in the possible we take much more of the glory then when the impossible happens. When all looks impossible, God is truly glorified. So, really, never doing things the easy way ends up becoming the impossible (by the world's standards) plan of God being accomplished for His glory.
Ready, Set, Go June 21, 2006
Well, I dropped Eric off at the San Fransisco International Airport. Better known as SFO around these parts.
Can you believe it? He is actually on his way to start a new adventure and begin another phase of our lives. While he is in country we will celebrate 19 years together. The look on his face when he walked into the airport was one of great care, love, and compassion. He would be surprised to hear me use the C word as we call it in our home. You see, Eric is a command man. Compassion is not always a trait that many people get to see in this man. But, I saw it today in his eyes.
They say that adoption is a life changing experience. Much like having a child but also much different. Take it from a woman who has given birth to four children...adopting these two children has been incredibly harder then anything I experienced in the birthing room. But, through it all I have been learning patience and truly learning to lean on God's sovereign will. Where as, Eric has been learning compassion for me and overall for the plight of the orphan. God is good.
I will keep you posted on Eric's travels when I have info. At this point, I am thinking that I will not hear from him until next Thursday when he arrives back into JFK, Lord willing. Thank you for your prayers during this time.
Traveling to Liberia June 24, 2006
Eric called me at 2:30am on Friday morning to inform me that he was being given a mini vacation. Well, kind of. There was something about a plane not being available so all fifty of the passangers going to Liberia were put up in a hotel with all meals provided and told that they would have a 14hr layover in Brussels.
Well, Eric, being the adventurous person he is, decided to take a cab into Brussels and enjoy the sites. When I talked to him later on in the day he kept down-playing the whole experience, telling me that there was not much to see. Ha! Anyway, he had Belgium waffles saw some incredible cathedrals, and had some very strong coffee.
Back at the hotel, he enjoyed his last hot shower for the trip and had a great time getting to know some of the native Liberians that were traveling back to their country. He also met a missionary couple that were both born in Liberia but were now going back after spending most of their lives in the US.
When he got into the country we figured that we would have no way to communicate but that is not so. The Sheppards (the missionary family that Eric is staying with) have internet access so I have been receiving email updates from him.
He has met Patty and spent most of the day getting aquainted with the area. He has been able to spend a lot of time with a gentleman that was on the same flight who is there to buy land (or something like that...I do know that he knows Patty). Eric has been able to talk to the Sheppards and this gentleman about what we believe and why we feel so strongly about family integration and such. Who would have thought that he would have theological and philosophical discussions while in Africa! His other comment was that Liberia "is a wild place with so many lost people".
Today he goes to meet the children and start work on the new orphanage. We have heard rumors that the paperwork is all done as of today. Not sure about that and will confirm with Eric. But, if this is the case, then Eric will be home on Thursday.
The biggest prayer request would be for Eric to be able to minister to those who are giving and serving in Liberia.
Second, Eric said it was mildly hot but the humidity is very high. Please pray for physical endurance.
Thank you so much for your prayers
Letters from Liberia, part 1 june 25, 2006
Eric emailed me today. I have been checking the email over and over hoping to get some news from him.
He said that the weather is hot. Of course, we know what hot is right now in the Central Valley of California. We have had eight consecutive days of over 100 degrees. Three of those were 108!.
But, back to Eric. He has had the kids with him over the weekend and they seem to be doing well. They are physically well with no trace of scabies or ringworm. Gabbie fits into the clothes that I sent her but Joe's clothes were too small. It was very hard to buy for him since he was only 33lbs but 44" tall. Tall and skinny!
Gabby is a cuddle bug and loves to be held. Both kids want only to be with Eric and no one else. Something that I have heard is very important in the attachment process.
Eric did find out that men are suppose to wear pants...young and old. I pity Eric who had to not only go out and buy pants (because he brought mostly shorts) but also because he is going to work in the heat in long pants. He starts working on the construction site on Monday (they are nine hours ahead).
He said that they hope to be home by the 2nd. He has a ticket for the 29th but there might be delays. He did tell me that the paperwork is not done. So, we will wait once again. This has become the theme of this adoption (actually, for most adoptions!)
Eric said that Joe will fit well in our family with a bit of work. If you have never met my husband let me tell you a bit about him. He is a strong man, very determined, and opinionated. He is adventurous, fears very little, and loves a challenge. He sees things in a very logical way. Yet he is also extremely loving and absolutely enjoys children. If he could do one thing in life it would be to spend every day, all day long with children. Being with children is where he finds enjoyment but also is where he has the most fun. So, being at an orphanage filled with children is a special treat. So, I can't think of a better person to go over to Liberia to pick up our children. He will establish a bond that will be more then just a hug with our children. Really, I couldn't ask for more. He is doing a lot of the dirty and hard work in laying a foundation for how life for Joe will be in our home.
And, to top off all this news, he said that he will be calling me Monday or Tuesday (their time). I was beyond excited to know that I would be able to talk to him. We did not have a phone that works overseas and so we were thinking that I would just talk to him when he arrives back into the US. What a treat to be in touch by email and phone.
I will pass on more info as I get it.
Prayer requests:
Physical endurance for Eric while working on the orphanage in the heat of Africa.
Bonding between Eric, Joe and Gabby.
I will be able to get his work done while he is gone. Because he is going to be gone longer I have to do his store calls. But, if I do not do it we do not get a paycheck.
Letters from Liberia, part 1 june 25, 2006
Eric emailed me today. I have been checking the email over and over hoping to get some news from him.
He said that the weather is hot. Of course, we know what hot is right now in the Central Valley of California. We have had eight consecutive days of over 100 degrees. Three of those were 108!.
But, back to Eric. He has had the kids with him over the weekend and they seem to be doing well. They are physically well with no trace of scabies or ringworm. Gabbie fits into the clothes that I sent her but Joe's clothes were too small. It was very hard to buy for him since he was only 33lbs but 44" tall. Tall and skinny!
Gabby is a cuddle bug and loves to be held. Both kids want only to be with Eric and no one else. Something that I have heard is very important in the attachment process.
Eric did find out that men are suppose to wear pants...young and old. I pity Eric who had to not only go out and buy pants (because he brought mostly shorts) but also because he is going to work in the heat in long pants. He starts working on the construction site on Monday (they are nine hours ahead).
He said that they hope to be home by the 2nd. He has a ticket for the 29th but there might be delays. He did tell me that the paperwork is not done. So, we will wait once again. This has become the theme of this adoption (actually, for most adoptions!)
Eric said that Joe will fit well in our family with a bit of work. If you have never met my husband let me tell you a bit about him. He is a strong man, very determined, and opinionated. He is adventurous, fears very little, and loves a challenge. He sees things in a very logical way. Yet he is also extremely loving and absolutely enjoys children. If he could do one thing in life it would be to spend every day, all day long with children. Being with children is where he finds enjoyment but also is where he has the most fun. So, being at an orphanage filled with children is a special treat. So, I can't think of a better person to go over to Liberia to pick up our children. He will establish a bond that will be more then just a hug with our children. Really, I couldn't ask for more. He is doing a lot of the dirty and hard work in laying a foundation for how life for Joe will be in our home.
And, to top off all this news, he said that he will be calling me Monday or Tuesday (their time). I was beyond excited to know that I would be able to talk to him. We did not have a phone that works overseas and so we were thinking that I would just talk to him when he arrives back into the US. What a treat to be in touch by email and phone.
I will pass on more info as I get it.
Prayer requests:
Physical endurance for Eric while working on the orphanage in the heat of Africa.
Bonding between Eric, Joe and Gabby.
I will be able to get his work done while he is gone. Because he is going to be gone longer I have to do his store calls. But, if I do not do it we do not get a paycheck.
Letters from Liberia part 2 June 26, 2006
Well, today was an eventful day. Eric and I got to talk on the phone today. The first part of our conversation was all about getting our 2005 tax forms to him. For some reason he did not have them in his portfolio. So, thanks to modern technology, I was able to have them scanned and sent via email to the Sheppards home computer.
He said that Joseph and Gabrielle are doing well. Joseph went with Eric, Patty Anglin, and another man to go look at property the other day (tthe gentleman and his wife adopted two children in December. They are from Texas and plan on selling and moving to Liberia. This is the man that Eric met on the plane. ) Anyway, Joe was quite the tag along. He was well behaved and loved being with Eric on this excursion.
The Sheppard's have opened their home as a foster care for the sick children and physically disabled. They have one little one that is, I believe, six months old and only weighs six pounds. They think she has a heart problem. Eric has been tempted to bring her home also on a humanitarian visa but we do not have health insurance that would cover this. I can't believe that health coverage could be the only reason why this little girl could not get help. Eric says she is so fragile and they are afraid that if she stays in country any longer that she will die. If we had the money for the surgeries that she will need, we would bring her over also. I can not imagine the heartbreak that Patty must feel everytime she buries another child.
Eric said that there is a 60% chance of him coming home on the 29th. I am to call tomorrow to find out if that chance changes to 80%. They are hoping that the Visas come in tomorrow. If they do, he will go in for the exit interview and if approved will head home.
He was shedding some light on the whole visa and passport deal. I guess the consulate is taking his time and does not want to be pushed into making decisions. He is making it very hard to get the children out of the country. Kind of funny that the same government that is letting illegal immigrants come over the Mexican border in mass will not let Liberian children come into the US without some form of debate and serious consideration. These children need to get out of the country and be taken care of if for only humanitarian reasons. He said they also are only allowing a certain amount of visas to be issued per month. Well, they have all these people from the previous government that want to leave the country and so they are taking up those slots. Patty is vigorously trying to change this so that she can get as many children out of the country as possible. Eric has been impressed with Patty and her determination and love for these people.
The new orphanage is wonderful and huge. It is more remote then the one that they have now, which is in a very crowded neighborhood. Eric said that they have built it on forty acres close to the ocean so it is cooler and beautiful.
Eric asked if all would pray that the visas would come in tomorrow (Tuesday), the exit interview would go well and that the consulate would allow him to leave the country on Wednesday.
Also, please pray for those who are being left behing at the orphanage. Particulary this little girl that has really touched Eric's heart. Pray that she would be adopted quickly and brought back into the US safe and sound where she can get the medical help she needs.

Letters from Liberia part 3 June 27, 2006
I talked to Eric again today. What a thrill to be able to speak with him. The passports came in today but with only one signature instead of the two needed. I guess they could not get a second signature due to the embassy employees watching the Liberians play in the World Cup championships?!?
So, we must wait till the last minute to see if he can get on the plane or not. He told me to call him tomorrow at 1:00pm our time. If he answers then he will be coming home on Monday night. If he doesn't answer then he will have already left the country. Crazy, huh?
I got to talk to Joseph and Gabby on the phone today. Joseph said hi and then listened to me babble my way through a conversation. Gabby laughed for me and did some of her famous singing I guess when she is happy and content she sings to herself. She will do just fine in the Davis family!
I also asked Eric about the six month old baby. Her name is Dorcas. So, now we have a name to go with the prayers. A friend of ours went as far as to email the Gates foundation in hopes of getting some kind of funding to bring her over here. It doesn't hurt to dream big. Like I said, if we had the funds to take care of her medical needs we would bring her over in a heartbeat.
Prayer requests for today:
That Eric will be able to leave the country tomorrow. We found out that to change the tickets to Sunday will cost us around $800. So, tomorrow is looking better and better all the time.
Traveling mercies for Eric and the kids. Remember, these kids have rarely even traveled in a car let alone in an airplane for 18hr. Eric has a lay over in Brussels for 6 hrs starting at 5:30am. So, you can imagine that he will need traveling mercies.
That Dorcas will find a home soon. And, that the US government will start being helpful in getting these children out of the country. We seem to not have a problem letting illegal immigrants over the Mexican border but have a big problem letting orphaned children into the country (sorry if I have said this a couple of times already...we just have quite a few friends who are waiting to bring their children home but are being held up by the US and Liberian government. )
So, no more news until tomorrow at 1:00pm

Letters from Liberia part 4 June 28, 2006
Quick update....just talked to Eric. So, that means he did not leave today for the US. Ugh! We have booked another flight for him on Sunday the 2nd hoping that this time he will actually be able to leave the country. The problem? He is waiting for the government to get their work done. They have warned that they do not want to be rushed. So, we will wait through the weekend for them to return home.
Prayer request:
That Eric will truly be able to come home on the 3rd of July And, that there will be no more delays.
That I would have the strength and fortitude to do Eric's work for him (he is a manufacture rep for companies like Adobe, Tivo, and Sandisk). I will have to do some store calls for him whih is much more up his alley then mine.

Praise and Prayer June 28, 2006
We found out today that because Eric is taking the same flight out just on a different day, we will not have to pay the extra charge of $175 per person. But, we still have to pay the $100 per person for the Delta flight between JFK and SFO. She said that sometimes they waver this so we are hoping and praying. So there is our praise for the day.
Now for the prayer part. Eric informed me that he was sick. While he was telling me this Gabby was in the background screaming. The honeymoon is over and it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Here are the prayer requests:
That the medicine would kick in and Eric would feel much better. He could use some endurance during this time of laying a firm foundation for the kids.
That the Sheppard family, who have been such a blessing to us, would understand when Eric disciplines Joe and Gabby. (We do not give choices to our children until they are able to cheerfully take every choice that we make for them- this is foreign to Joe and Gabby but essential for living in the Davis family).
That the Sheppard family would be given a big measure of grace and mercy during this time of sharing their home with Eric and the kids. I know that after a while it must be very hard to have someone stay in your home for so long.
Peace for our family at home who is rather melancholy about the whole deal. I have to go do some work for Eric tomorrow which is also weighing heavy on my mind since it means I have to step out of my comfort zone.
Have I told you how much I appreciate your prayers? It is such an incredible feeling to know that there are so many out there that care and pray a quick prayer for our family.

The Prayer of a righteous Man…. June 29, 2006
availeth much....and that is what we are asking for. We are asking that our brothers and sisters in Christ would pray without ceasing for us right now.
Eric is feeling much better but received rather bad news today. We have been waiting for the passports for Joseph and Gabbie. Well, Joe's came in today but Gabbie's did not. They are not sure why and have done everything, including bribery, to get her passport to no avail.
There is a 10% chance that it will come in tomorrow. That seems rather slim but our God is a God of miracles. So, we are asking for a miracle here.
If the passport does not come in then Eric will have to make a choice of either leaving on Sunday with just Joseph or staying longer and wait for Gabbie's passport to show up. This is a hard decision since it could affect his job. Please pray for Eric as he is torn right now with what is the right thing to do. He is bonded to these kids and can't imagine leaving Gabbie with the orphanage again but the reality is that he needs the job to make money. Yet, he does not want a job or money to be the reason to make a choice. Thank you for your prayers.

Joy Comes in the Morning June 30, 2006
We have an answer to all of our ferverant prayers. I just got off the phone with Eric.
He had a very impromtu visit with the American Embassy to finalize all of our paperwork on the US side. He said it was not a fun ordeal but will give me more details when he gets home. The US Embassy staff that he talked to will not allow the sibling group to be separated. This obviously helped Eric make his decision.
Patty later found out that the passport had been found and was promised to be in their hands either by Monday or Tuesday. So, Eric is staying in Liberia until Wednesday. He will be home Thursday night.
Isn't God incredible? All night I tried to figure out different scenerios but none was quite like this one. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. We now can praise the Almighty for His gracious answer to our prayers.
If you would still like to bow your head for us, here are some other requests.
Joseph and Gabbie both seem to have another bout of Malaria. Please pray for healing since they have a long trip ahead.
Eric will come directly home to a lot of work for the business he is in. He will only have 8 days before he leaves for Hawaii. July is now going to be a very energy draining month. I am praying for his strength to hold out.

Waiting Once Again July 3, 2006
If I could sum up the whole adoption experience in one word it would be....waiting. We waited for the paperwork to get done, waited for our referral, waited to pick up our children, and now we are waiting to get that passport for Gabrielle. Of course, I am waiting to finally meet these children and Eric is waiting to finally come home.
But, thankfully, there is something that I can do while I wait. And, maybe that is the reason for all this waiting. I can pray and pray more. And, at the end of this process I can truly say that I am a different person because God has truly sanctified me through it.

Yet Will I Praise Thee July 4, 2006
even in the dark, even in the shadow of thy wings.
Right now, life seems rather dark. I just talked to Eric. It is 3:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday. I was expecting to hear wonderful news from him. I was expecting him to say I have the passport in hand and all is ready for us to board the flight tomorrow.
Instead, I heard him say that the promised paperwork did not come in today. He has been given no answers.
My soul is weak right now. I still have faith in my God, my Creator. I just do not understand and I have to admit that I am asking why right now.
I will call Eric at 1:00 our time to hopefully get more info. But, for now, I guess I am asking you once again to pray on our behalf.


The Saga Continues July 5, 2006
I was just on the phone with Eric again. It was our second time to talk to each other today. The first time was a bit hazy in my mind since I was barely awake. He called to let me know that the passport did not come in this morning so I needed to call the travel agent to see about changing his flight again. Sharon, at Golden Rule Travel, has been wonderful. She found a Friday flight for Eric and the kids. Now, I am sure by now that you also have your doubts as to whether or not Friday truly will be the day. I have my doubts too. But, after our recent phone conversation, I am feeling much more confidant.
When I was talking to him, he was in the room with the Sheppards, Patty Anglin, and some new folks that arrived, the Zackeys. Many of you will recognize these names from the Above Rubies magazine. The Zackey family is very much involded with Children Concerned, another non-profit organization that is helping the children of Liberia. Anyway, he let me know that the passport has one more step before it is complete. The lady in the office was holding it but would not let it go today. Instead she said it would be ready tomorrow. You thought our government red tape was bad! So, now the kids and Eric are scheduled to leave Liberia Friday night and arrive in SFO Saturday night.
In the meantime, we sitll do not know about the situation with his job. He has an email into them asking that they have mercy on him. So, here are the updated prayer requests:
Eric and the kids would actually leave on Friday
We would somehow come up with the extra $4000 for these new tickets that we had to buy
Eric would get his work done in the four days between when he comes home and when he is suppose to be traveling to Hawaii for the Navy
That it might work out that I can fly out to NewYork (using a friends air miles) to meet Eric and the kids and be able to fly back with them.
There you go. I can not thank you all enough for standing with us in prayer. In a future post I will relay what I have learned spiritually through all of this. But, for now, I am going to take a long awaited nap!

Blessed Be Your Name July 6, 2006
Every so often the Holy Spirit reminds me of a song that just seems to fit the moment. This is the song that I have been humming for the past couple of hours as I wait for the news on whether or not I will see my husband and meet my two new children on Saturday.
Please know that I am not finding peace, faith, or hope these past few weeks. What I have found is that if it was up to me I would be utterly unable to create these. But, I solely lean on Jesus Name and realize that He is supernaturally giving these to me as a gift. I am weak yet He is strong.
Blessed be Your Name
Written by Beth Redman & Matt Redman
Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed be Your name Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise And when the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me When the world's "all as it should be" Blessed be Your name And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name You give and take away You give and take away My heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name © 2002 Kingsway's Thankyou Music CCLI# 1596342 Album: Where Angles Tread to Fear

Waiting No Longer? July 7, 2006
I did not get a phone call from Eric yesterday or last night. So, the majority of this time was filled with anxious thoughts and prayers. I finally decided at 7:00am our time that I needed to find out what was going on. I am happy to announce that Eric was busy packing and a bit focused. He said that Patty got the passport and was hurrying over to the Embassy to get the visas.
Donna called me and let me know that Patty and Eric were on their way to the airport. His plane should be taking off any time now. Barring any complications, Eric should be on it WITH the children.
I am flying to JFK on the red eye tonight because of some wonderful, gracious friends who dontated their airline miles. So, I will be reunited with my best friend tomorrow afternoon and introduced to our two new children. Then, we will be able to enjoy getting to know each other from JFK to SFO.
Thank you all for your support, emails, posts, and prayers over the past couple of weeks. It has been a crazy ride and one that we did not expect.
It's on the mountain top that you can see clearly. Not only can you see the valley of despair below that you traveled through but you can see the incredible climb that you just made. I am exhausted from this long climb but the view from up here is incredible and there is reward and satisfaction of knowing you made it up and conquered the mountain.

We’re Home July 9, 2006
And, we are thankful to be back together.
My head is spinning right now so I don't think I will write out the rest of our story at this time. I just wanted to let you know that we made it home safely and are enjoying our two new little ones. Check in this week to hear the rest of the story and maybe even see a couple of pictures!

The Rest of the Story July 10, 2006
Here is the ending of our adventure in Liberia and the beginning of our new family adventure.
As I told you before, I called Eric Friday morning at 7am our time to see what was going on. He told me that it seemed that all was a go and he was packing. Donna called me an hour later and told me that they were getting everything together and he would be on the plane. Well, little did I know how close of a call it all was. Patty got the Passports for the kids and then ran over to the US Embassy to get all of the paperwork needed to get out of the country. As the story goes, she then went to pick up Eric and the kids. By this time it was about 5pm their time and the plane left at 6pm. So, Patty called ahead to the airport and had the second in command walk Eric through the whole process. This kept him from getting any grief from each station. He did end up on that plane but he said it took almost the whole trip to Brussels to realize that it was truly all coming together.
Well, the adventure continued when he arrived in Brussels at 5:30am. He had a six hour layover there. Two hours before the scheduled flight to JFK he went up to the desk to check in. This is when he found out that they had no ticket for him. Somehow the travel agent did not re-issue a ticket for him. He said that he was the first to check in and the last on the plane. He ended up having to buy a new ticket for him and Joe..but at least he made the flight.
In the meantime, I headed to SFO Friday night to fly out on the red eye. For me, this was quite an adventure in and of itself. As many of you know, my eyesight is failing. My eyes take over an hour now to adjust to different lighting. And, I can't drive at night. So, I had to leave by 5 to get to the airport before the sun went down. Trying to work myself around the maze of the SFO airport was hilarious in retrospect. I have to admit that it is times like these that remind me how much I depend on others. Sad to say, that will be the last road trip I take without a co-pilot. But, the Lord was gracious and placed people in my path at the right time all along the way.
So, I spent the evening listening to Steven Curtis Chapman on my MP3 player and knitting up a storm in the SFO airport. On the airplane, I had three seats to myself and took advantage of some well needed rest. When I arrived in New York at 7am the next morning I was exhausted. I tried to sleep but really only rested....there just happened to be a crying baby on board!
I spent the next two hours trying to figure out how to find out where Eric was going to be flying in. It became increasingly difficult when I realized that anyone who could help me was on the other side of security. I finally decided to take the plunge and leave the secured area. Then, I really got the run around. Due to security measures, they could not give me info on where my husband was. They wouldn't even tell me if his plane was on time and where I could meet him. After wandering aimlessly around JFK a UPS cargo pilot asked if I needed help. By this time, my sleep depraved mind was about to lose it. He came at just the right time. I told him why I was there and why I just wanted to know where to meet my husband. So, he set me up with someone who looked like they were important and I was finally given an answer. She said I would have to meet Eric at the terminal that our connecting flight was flying out of. Ugh! All that just to tell me that I couldn't see him until he got to the connecting flight?
But, the story does not end there. You can't check in to your flight more then four hours ahead of time. So, I had to wait in the check in lobby until they could check me in. There were no chairs and so I ended up on the floor for the next hour. I laugh now because these are things that happen to Eric and I all the time. It always seems like great memory makers after the fact.
So, off I go to the terminal. And, I sit and wait and sleep and read and knit. It really was an enjoyable time. Hey, at least they had a Starbucks!
Eric called me at 1:30 to tell me that he was at the airport. I quickly filled him in on the fact that I would not be able to meet him until he got past security. He then called me about a half hour later telling me where he was. He was not in a hurry since they were starting to board our flight home. I met him in a hallway of JFK. Not very romantic but it was pleasant all the same. He had Gabbie in the baby back pack and he was pulling the carry on. Joe was walking right beside him with Eric's Tivo hat on. He grinned from ear to ear when Eric introduced me as his new Mama. I took Gabbie out of the carrier. What a peanut she is. She really is very, very small. They were fine coming to me and giving me hugs. It was more then I could ask for. Eric looked like he had aged about ten years. He was scruffy and his hair was getting long. He had bags under his bloodshot eyes. But, oh how I was thankful to see him. We have truly become one. He completes me.
When we walked up to the terminal podium we met the two captains that would be flying us to SFO. They were awestruck by our story and were instrumental in getting us all in the same row. We ended up in the front row of the airplane and enjoyed the leg room and extra attention from the flight attendants. Joe loves planes. He was so thrilled when the plane took off and landed. He snuggled a bit with me and let me help him. Gabby was a bit apprehensive She started to warm up to me when she woke up from her nap. She is a snuggle bug and will readily put her head on your chest when she is sitting in your lap. Both did great on the plane. Eric actually was able to sleep a bit while on the plane as I was there to help with the kids. We also got to catch up on life. He told me that he would have missed the flight if it hadn't been for Joe having to go to the bathroom. Joe does not have a lot of self control and yelled that he had to go pee. Well, that got the attention of everyone. Eric told a guard about his dilemna. The guard told him to go ahead and take him to the bathroom and then make his way to the front of the immigration line since he had these two kids. Eric later found out that the line usually takes about two hours to get through! God bless that guard for letting Eric pass through quickly (and God bless Joe for having such great timing!).
We arrived at the SFO airport with no problems. It did not take us long to get to the car. The kids did great in the car seats. They are very amiable and compliant. They have such sweet dispositions. We drove the two hours home with both the kids fast asleep. We had to keep reminding ourselves that there is an eight hour difference in time zones.
When we got home at 9 our friends brought our four older children back to the house There were a lot of tears of joy that night. Our friends stayed to enjoy the reunion. Joe played the drums for us (I must add that he is incredibly talented) and the kids all tried on their new african outfits. Out with Laura Ingalls and in with African!
This has gotten so long. So many of you have asked for details and so that is what I have ventured to give you. I will post more a bit later on our adventure the days after we arrived home.

And Our New Life Begins July 14, 2006
What a wonderful, busy week we have had. Our friends have showered us with visits and meals. What a blessing.
I came down with the cold that Gabbie had (how could I not with all those kisses!) on Tuesday. We have had a lot of people visiting and a lot of shopping to do to get ready for Hawaii.
Wednesday was the craziest day of all, We all went to French class. It was graciously hosted by a dear friend. I am not sure how much our children learned from the lesson but I sure had a great time holding Gabbie as she slept. I was also very excited to see that Joe not only knew his alphabet but could write it. So, I taught him how to write his name.
I then sped Nathan and a couple of his friends to Medeival Martial Arts. Becca stayed with Kendra from Preschoolers and Peace. Becca sometimes helps Kendra work her way through her house organizing it every summer. Anyway, I had the two middle girls, Joe, and Gabbie. We decided to go to In and Out Burger. This was when I learned that I am a little rusty at the mothering of young ones. I ended up leaving Mallory, Paige, and Joe at In and Out waiting for our order, while I walked over to Safeway to buy some formula. Gabbie was finally satisfied, with a bottle in her mouth, on our walk back to In and Out. I was so happy to find all three that were left behind, sitting quietly playing with sticker cards that Paige went up and asked for. The order was sitting on the table waiting for me to dispurse it all. We learned that Joe loves burgers and Gabbie loves fries.
The next stop was Target where I got to use my Ergo pack to its fullest. What a great gift...thanks Kenj and Lis. It was sweet to be able to shop and yet communicate with Gabbie. She would coo and caw and I would coo and caw back. If you ever needed another endorcement of this pack you found one here.
Can you tell that I am enjoying this new part of life? I am enjoying every diaper, every blow out, every tear, every bottle, every waking moment with these kids. They make us all laugh and I am enjoying our older children loving on these little tots. What a gift!

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