oh, my heart!

Today was a big day in our adoption life.
First today was the first annual 'Love Gives' golf tournament. Although I could not be there in person, I thought and prayed about it constantly.
As I ate breakfast-there were people playing golf for my baby to come home.
As I got Audrey and Norah dressed and ready for the day-there were people playing golf for my baby to come home.
As we ran errands-there were people playing golf for my baby to come home.
As the girls ran in Fort Hill parks field- there were people playing golf for my baby to come home.
It was such a great reminder to me of how God is working behind the scenes. How there is never a lull for Him where 'nothing seems to be happening'. It is extremely humbling to have people literally being Christ for you. To have brothers and sisters in Christ come along side of our family during the adoption process has reminded me of how BIG God's plan is. This is not only about Jon and I and our family, but about His acceptance of us into His family. I hope that today was a success in that adoption was spoken about openly and His love was show through that.

Other BIG things happened today!

Our dossier was completed this morning-I mean 100% done! I can hardly believe this day is here! It is GONE! SENT! I have been laboring over this packet of papers for months and months. Analyzing, checking, double checking. The legalities are so daunting, like labor, there are plenty of times that you just want to give up. It's exhausting. But then there is the moment where it is completed! I wish I had the reward of seeing their sweet face!!! The dossier has a few stops before Ethiopia:
-Lifeline Children's Services in KY
-West Sands Adoptions in UT
-The US Embassy in Washington DC
- and then the Ethiopian Embassy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Please be praying for:
-Prayers of thanksgiving for today's 'Love Gives' golf tournament
-Our dossier to make it's way without any misfortunes
-For fundraising efforts to be successful-the next amount of money is large and we are trusting we will have it!
-For God to continue to comfort and hold our child until we can!

Blessings,
The Patterson's

What's next?

So, we are in the clear! Our fingerprints have been passed! Our paper chase is SO CLOSE to being done. Sometimes being this close, but not yet there, is the hardest part. We are extremely anxious to be in the actual 'waiting stage', where there is nothing left for us to do...except wait and pray!

Because our home study took longer then expected, there are some papers that I have to have re done. We even have to get another physical (Jon and I both), they are only good for a year, and seeing as though we got one right in the beginning of our adoption journey we are required to each get another one. WOMP. But, happily, they can get us both in by August 20th. Which means I am planning on having every other piece of paper in it's place and ready to go and when we get the sign of on our physicals, that's it...IT IS GOING!(first to Lifeline, for last checks and translation, then to Ethiopia!)


I have a confession to make:
Lately, I have been consumed with youtube. Every night, I find myself watching Ethiopian adoption videos. I could watch them forever.
I cry a lot.
I try to imagine what it will be like to actually live that moment of meeting them and holding them. 
 ...I cannot wait for the day!


Please continue to pray for us:
-the paper to END! (I don't know what I am going to do with myself once it's gone!)
-fundraising efforts
-our child. For their heart to be preparing for this change ahead.