Update

I made the phone call to the home study agency yesterday and they said that our current living situation was nothing that would stand in the way of our starting a home study!  So, after I spoke with them I called the adoption agency.  They also had no problem with it so it's on!!

I have both applications filled out and am bringing the one down to our local office in about an hour.  The other I will send off tomorrow.  Once I get the application to the adoption agency, I can request a video of T.  Let me tell you...we cannot wait to get that!  Of course, she is not officially ours and if someone comes in and has a completed home study, they can request her and we would lose her.  That's the way it works and for good reason.  But we all have a good feeling about this and are praying that she'll be ours.  

Please pray that our home study goes as quickly as possible so we can put her on an official 'hold.'

Her face is so full of personality and hope.  Her eyes sparkle and her smile would light up a room.  She must be very resilient to be able to smile like that, living in away from her family and home in a care center.  Wish I could post her picture but Ethiopian law requires we wait until the child passes court in Ethiopia and that is a LONG time from now and I'm getting way into the future with that one.  So you'll just have to take my word for it!

My sister in law, Karen (the one who just moved from WA) has graciously offered to help me get my paperwork organized.  Man, that offer couldn't have come at a better time!  

My 'desk' is a wobbly folding table (a wedding gift from 23 years ago!).  I have a little basket with some stuff in it and everything else sits in piles all over the table.  It wasn't SO bad when all I had was the house fire inventory stuff but now I have:

-Still the house inventory stuff!

-The stuff for the house that we're in process of picking out (paint, fireplace brochures, etc.)

-Applications for adoption

-The boys social security info which I need to get done

-The boys Certificate of Citizenship paperwork which I need to get done

And for those of you who know me, you KNOW I am not a paperwork person at all!  I honestly can say that I hate paperwork and details.  Ughhhhh....but it is worth it all!!  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

Blessings,

Laura