Out the Window...

Well, there’s no simpler way to sum-up this post except to say that adopting is hard and very unpredictable. Oh, how we wish there was good news to share, of stories of a referral, another hopeful video, another tidbit of hope. But, unfortunately, we’re at a point in our adoption journey in which we’ve got to throw all our expectations out the window. And, unfortunately… we need all of you to also throw all those expectations out the window too.

Since we’re people who hate rumors and drama and hype, we’ve refrained from bringing up rumors that have been lingering for the past couple weeks regarding Ethiopian adoptions. However, as it often does, rumors become realities. And, our new reality is that Ethiopian adoptions will be taking significantly longer.  Its not Bethany’s fault. Its decisions within the Ethiopian government and agencies which handle adoptions. The courts will now be reviewing only 5 cases per day. Five kids per day. Not dozens per day.

What we do know- no, we won’t travel before the end of the school year (actually, we already knew that), no we won’t travel this summer, no I can’t count on us being home anytime this year. We quite literally have to throw all our expectations out the window.  Because this information is new, we really don't know much more than this.  We hope to learn more in the next week or so and plan to speak with our social worker to gather more information. 
It breaks our hearts to have to share this information with you our friends and family. It just shatters my heart to think that so many children will sit under-nourished, under-stimulated and further regressing while they wait in orphanages. That’s the really sad part of this whole deal. The kids. The sweet little brown-eyed babies just needing someone to love on them. We really don’t know much more than this. Its really too early to know what this will look like in the long run.

Please, please, please pray for Ethiopia. Pray for God’s guidance in the hearts of those making decisions. Pray for divine intervention. Pray for the children. Pray for the families. Pray for grace.