"Bring it on, God!".....and He did.

I love writing in journals. I've done it since I was a little girl and I enjoy it even more now as a grown woman. As of right now, I have five journals stashed around the house, and whenever I feel the need, I pull one out and start writing. It's such great therapy for me, that I can write everything down that's going through my head. It's kind of like word vomit! Every year since I was 10, my favorite journal entry is always January 1 of every year. I always right down goals and dreams that I have for the upcoming year. I love going back and reading them at the end of the year, to see my progress. Well, last night I read January 1, 2010. All it said in big bold letters, was "I will wait upon You, Lord....Bring it on!" and boy, did He bring it.

I've never been more stretched, more disciplined, and more molded by God than I have this year. Not only going through painful legal battles, and embarking on our adoption journey, but we've also gone through a lot of growing as a family. I can see God slowly changing us and preparing us for what's ahead in 2011. The struggles have been ruthless, and I've never cried so hard and felt so helpless and hopeless. Amidst, all the pain and struggle that 2010 brought, it also has led me to fall even more in love with Jesus. He has been my rock this year and has provided for my family every step of the way. God putting me through the fire this year has brought me the most unimaginable joy through His grace and His mercy. He's given me many moments and milestones that have forever changed me for His glory, and i will never forget them. He has broken down my family, only to make us the strongest we've ever been, and He's taught me how to love so much harder than I ever have. What a truly indescribable God He is and oh, how He loves us.

So what do I want for 2011?

I cannot wait to meet our son. I cannot wait to get to finally travel to Ethiopia, this beautiful country with the most resilient people, a country that I have fallen in love with. I cannot wait to take a little piece of their culture and add it to our family. I can't wait to sit outside with Jordan on our porch and watch our THREE kids play together. I cannot wait to complete our family!

And yes, we are getting closer and closer everyday. Here's what's next with our adoption:

Our homestudy is complete and has been added to our dossier. (the big fat stack of paperwork that will be sent to Ethiopia.) We have a few more forms to complete for our dossier, i.e. doctor's notes, police clearance letters, and we are also about to start filling out our I600A form. This is the immigration form that is needed to legally be able to adopt internationally. Then, we will wait for our FBI appointment to be fingerprinted. Once our dossier is complete it will be sent to our Secretary of State to be notarized, then it will be sent to Washington DC to be notarized at that level, and then finally it will go to Ethiopia and go through all the proper notarizations there. Then it becomes the long waiting game to be matched. I can't wait to start waiting, as funny as that sounds.

Thanks again, everyone, for their supporting words, encouragement, and prayers. They are all felt! Keep praying for us. Happy 2011!!!!!!!!