"My Boys"

It's been a while since the last post simply because a lot has been going on in our lives. Besides all of our normal summer activities, having a 15 month old in the house again creates a whole new sense of busyness.

Jeremiah continues to amaze us and all those that come into contact with him. His magnetic personality ensures that he is always the center of attention no matter where we are. It's been amazing to watch him develop and adapt to all of the changes that he has experienced in the 6 short months that he has been a part of our family. The amazing thing is that it is hard to imagine a time when Jeremiah wasn't integrated into our lives.

As far as the adoption process goes, all of the paperwork has been completed, filed, and approved! Even though there was a ton of paperwork, red tape, and waiting ~ we would have done ten times that amount if we had to...as it was so worth it all.

Jeremiah is talking, walking, and doing everything else that a 15 month old does. He definitely doesn't like to be told "No", and can melt your heart with his pitiful reaction.

It's surreal how our dream just a couple of years ago are now playing out. I love it when someone refers to "my boys" and it warms my heart to see Jaden and Justin interacting with their brother.

We have definitely been blessed by this whole experience and know how easy we have had it as we have friends that have been delayed months by red tape. Our hearts break for their situations and we pray daily for protection over the children and a peace within those families.

The love and support that we continue to receive is overwhelming and we are so thankful for our family and friends. This journey that we have been on is only beginning!!

Happy Birthday Jeremiah!

It’s hard to imagine that one year ago today, a little boy was born under such circumstances that he was unwanted and abandoned. Born into poverty…future unknown. Little did he know, that God was watching over him. God had a plan for him that would change not only his life, but the lives of many people. Although he may not have felt the physical love of parents at his birth, he had a Heavenly Father that loved him unconditionally.

Several thousand miles away, there was also a family that loved him. A family that had already been praying for his safety and care. Although this family didn’t know he existed, they also loved him unconditionally.

What a remarkable story of this little boy, Jeremiah, fusing together with our family. A year later, living in a different world…one that is full of love and happiness.

It saddens my heart when I think what kind of life Jeremiah may have had. A life of poverty, filth, and suffering. Even though Jeremiah has been ‘rescued’, there are millions more in the same predicament. I want to save them all…but that would be impossible. For now, I can pray for them. Pray that they are given the same opportunities as Jeremiah has been given. Pray that other families open up their hearts and homes. Pray that awareness of the severity of this problem continues to rise.

Happy Birthday Jeremiah…you are loved, you are so very loved!

Celebration!

Amazing...that's the only word that can describe the past two weeks. What a blessing it has been to finally be able to bring Jeremiah home ~ home to his forever family.

Our trip to Ethiopia was pretty uneventful and filled with much excitement, curiosity, and anticipation. Upon our arrival on Monday, January 30th, after a full day of travel, we were able to choose if we wanted to pick Jeremiah up that day or wait until Tuesday after we were rested up. Of course, we chose to get him on Monday! We have waited 2+ years for this day and we weren't going to let a little jet lag slow us down.

So, after we got settled into our room, we headed to the orphanage to get Jeremiah. When we arrived at the orphanage, all of the children were seated in a room...ready for the going away party. The nannies had Jeremiah dressed in a traditional outfit and as they brought him out, all of the kids were chanting his name. They then sang a couple of songs. Then they had a coffee ceremony for us, along with popcorn and bread. We were able to take some pictures of the event and also took some of Jeremiah and his nanny. It was a bittersweet moment for all of the workers at the orphanage as they were happy for Jeremiah, but sad knowing that they would miss him terribly.

Once we got back to the guest house, we quickly realized how much work a 10 month old is as we started the repetitive tasks of feeding, burping, changing diapers, bathing, rocking, and playing with Jeremiah. We were also able to confirm what we already knew ~ that Jeremiah has a great personality and has an infectious smile and laugh. That first day, we examined him from head to toe, constantly gazed at him, cuddled him, and kissed every square inch of his body (several times!).

On Wednesday, we had our Embassy appointment. The goal of this meeting is to be approved for a Visa to bring Jeremiah into the United States. They had already reviewed all of our paperwork, investigated the case, and were now ready to interview us. This process should be pretty straightforward, however they could make it complicated if something stood out. In our case, it went perfect! A couple of questions from the agent...and we were approved for his Visa.

We left on Friday night to return home...and after a brutal 29 1/2 hour flight (due to weather, airline, and airport complications) we arrived in Indianapolis to family and friends awaiting their first meeting with Jeremiah. We are so blessed to have such a great family and friends who are very supportive. They all immediately fell in love with Jeremiah as he cooed and grinned at them all.

We have now been home almost a week and it all seems so surreal. A process that took over 2 years to complete is now a reality. Jeremiah is adapting wonderfully. He loves playing with Jaden and Justin and exploring all of the new sights. He is also saying "da da" and "mam ma" which melt our hearts!

All in all the experience has led us through many emotions, but the joy in our hearts that we currently have trumps any past feelings of sorrow, anticipation, worry, or heartache. We continue to pray for the many families that have yet to bring their children home. We pray for comfort and contentment for the new daddies and mommies as they await the completion of their next step. We also pray for the health and safety of all the children that are awaiting their turn to be placed with a family.

As I complete this post, Jeremiah is on the living room floor playing with Justin...a day that just a few months ago seemed so far away. What a blessing!! God is good, all the time!!

Living at Cedar Point

Each time that we reach a milestone, a milestone that one time seemed so far away nonetheless, we have a quick celebratory moment. Then, we come back to reality and realize that we now have another milestone that we are waiting for...and even though the waiting times shorten the farther into the process we get, those shorter wait times cause the most pain!

Let's back up. After our Thanksgiving visit to Ethiopia where we first met Jeremiah and had our court visit, we came home in a daze. We were exhausted, but energized...sad to leave, but happy to know that we were much closer to getting Jeremiah...anxious to complete the final step, but relaxed knowing that God was and has always been in control. The next step in the process once we returned home from Ethiopia was getting Jeremiah's passport and birth certificate and then submitting our case to the U.S. Embassy. From there, the Embassy issues a Visa after they review the paperwork to determine if everything is in order. Our case was submitted to the U.S. Embassy on December 20th ~ 25 days from the last time we saw Jeremiah.

After the first of the year, we learned that the Embassy required a little more information about our case and that they would receive the information on January 19th. So, a few more weeks of waiting was on our agenda. Our anticipation built as we prayed we would receive notification that our case was approved when we woke up this morning...and to our amazement, we did indeed have an email from the U.S. Embassy that our case was approved!

Once again, we were quick to celebrate this huge milestone! In the email, the Embassy requested that we submit three dates for an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia. They would then check their schedule and let us know when our appointment would be so we could schedule our travel and BRING JEREMIAH HOME! Well, we didn't waste any time and submitted three dates by 7:00 a.m. this morning. Since that was only 3:00 p.m. Ethiopian time, we were hopeful that we would have a response by late this morning. Two of the dates that we submitted were for next week and one was for the week of January 30th...so, in our minds, we were quickly forming a plan of attack to be ready to leave and bring Jeremiah home. The notification that we were hoping for never came so our response expectation was pushed out to tomorrow morning. Then, this afternoon we found out that tomorrow is Epiphany day in Ethiopia...which means that all government offices (including the U.S. Embassy) will be closed. UGHHH!! Now, the earliest we will hear anything will be Monday.

Our waiting ~ started out as years as we worked on our dossier and waited for a referral...then went to months as we waited for a court date and Embassy approval...and is now down to days as we wait for an Embassy appointment.

Even though we are only waiting until Monday to learn of the date that we will be reunited with Jeremiah, it seems like an eternity. It has been 55 days since we have held him - 55 days since we have seen his smile - 55 days since we have gazed into his eyes. But soon...and, yes, very soon, we will be bringing him home forever.

If you are not familiar with the amusement park Cedar Point...it is an amusement park made up mostly of roller coasters. Some are small and short in length; some have loops and tunnels; some are extremely fast; but they are all rollercoasters! Well, we pretty much feel that we have been living at Cedar Point over the past couple of years going from rollercoaster to rollercoaster. And right now, we are all in ~ heading down the steepest hill, hands high in the air, stomach in our throats, with huge smiles made of fear!!! Monday's going to come and we will soon learn of our date with the Embassy and make our travel plans. This is so hard...but the prize at the end is so worth the wait! Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We can't wait for you to meet our son. God bless.

No, not yet.

Most all of our conversations here recently have begun with "Have you heard anything?". And, unfortunately, our answer is always "No, not yet.". It has been 5 weeks since the Ethiopian court approved Julie and I to be the parents of Jeremiah. (And boy have these 5 weeks been long!) However, we are still waiting for the US Embassy to issue him a Visa so we can bring him home. Home to a community that is anxiously awaiting his arrival...home to a house that has been prepared especially for him...home to a family that can't wait to care and provide for him.

All along, we didn't really think that we would have him home for Christmas. But, deep down we were praying that we would! The waiting is definitely more intense now that we have met him and know that we are literally days away from heading back to Africa to bring him home. There is an aching in our hearts that something is missing from our lives...and that something is Jeremiah. It has even been a little concerning here recently as we have received word that Jeremiah has been sick. Even though he is our son, we feel so helpless knowing that we can't comfort him and nurture him back to good health.

Understandably so, our life is about to get a spin...however, it is a spin that we are ready for and willing to endure. Hold tight Jeremiah! Mommy and Daddy will be there soon.

He is ours!

Much has happened since our last post! We have traveled to Ethiopia, met Jeremiah, appeared in court, and officially adopted our son. During the week of Thanksgiving, while most Americans were eating turkey, watching football, and shopping, we were making the long trek to Ethiopia and visiting the orphanage that has been Jeremiah's only home for his short life. On Friday, November 25th, we appeared in Ethiopian court to finalize the adoption...and much to our joy, the adoption was approved! This means that Jeremiah is legally our son. Unfortunately, there is still the process of receiving a passport and Visa from the U.S. Embassy, which takes a few weeks. So, we headed back to Indiana to wait in anticipation of the call allowing us to return to Ethiopia to pick Jeremiah up.

In just a few weeks, we will be able to bring Jeremiah home to his forever family! Now that we have met him, it makes the waiting much harder. However, meeting him has also confirmed how blessed we are to have been paired up with this marvelous little boy. He is perfect...with his huge eyes, long eye lashes, and cute smile. In just the short time that we were allowed to spend with him, we have already picked up on his adorable little traits - such as the way that he sticks his tongue out sideways. Our trip could not have been anymore enjoyable or smoother! For this, we thank you for the prayers. Prayers of safety, travel mercies, and for all of our paperwork to be in order and approved. Your prayers were felt throughout the entire trip and for that we are truly grateful. Please continue to pray for Jeremiah and his health, for the other children in the orphanage, for the other families that are in the process of adopting children, and for patience during our last few weeks waiting. God Bless!

One Week From Today!

It's hard to believe that after 24 months, we are finally going to meet the little person that has been in our prayers for so long. A little boy that we were praying for long before he was born. Prayers of protection, love, and comfort. In just 7 days, all of our waiting and anticipation will be over as we are introduced to Jeremiah for the first time. Although our meetings will be short lived and we will have to return home from this trip without Jeremiah, the reality of our dream is coming to fruition and he will be with his forever family very soon.

Currently, Jeremiah lives at Help For The Needy, an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He has spent his entire 7 1/2 months of life in the care of the workers that dedicate their time to caring for orphaned children. The majority of his life has been spent inside the walls of the orphanage, unable to see (and too young to understand) what lies beyond those walls.

Then here we are...clear across the world. Blessed beyond imagination with more than we need. Able to see the world and experience all that this physical life has to offer. However, sometimes these blessings create blinders...preventing us from seeing inside the walls of the orphanage; unable to see and experience the physical life that abandoned and orphaned children are living.

As I think about our physical life and the many blessings and challenges that we all experience throughout our existence, I can't not think about the temporariness of our time on Earth. How one simple decision to allow Jesus into our heart can open up blessings beyond our imagination for an Eternal Life. One that will provide more than we need and one that will not allow sorrow and despair.

Soon and very soon...Jeremiah will get to see what lies outside of his current home. The increased opportunities, blessings, and challenges that he will encounter by leaving his surroundings are unknown at this time. However, one thing that we do know is that Jeremiah will be loved, protected, and most importantly he will be introduced to a Savior that will offer him a life that he never would have imagined.

Black Friday

Much to our suprise, we received a court date yesterday! This was about 2-3 weeks before we were expecting to hear this news. (Notice that I said we were expecting to hear. All along we have learned that we don't know much and are not in control.) So...now it looks like instead of going to Florida for Thanksgiving and eating turkey and dressing we will be traveling to Ethiopia to meet Jeremiah and eating injera and wot. Our actual court date is November 25th. We are so excited!!

In everything that we have completed for the adoption to date and all of the milestones that we have put behind us, this is the first time that it feels real. Not only do we know what Jeremiah looks like, we now have an actual date that we are going to be able to hold him in our arms. It doesn't get much more real than that! I'm not saying that all of the past experience hasn't meant anything, it's just that nothing can compare to seeing him in the flesh and counting all of his toes and fingers, kissing on his cheeks, and looking into his eyes and knowing that he will soon be with his forever family.

We now have about 7 weeks to make travel arrangements, complete more paperwork, and prepare for the long trip 20+ hour trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Please continue to pray for Jeremiah and that he is receiving loving care, pray for Jaden and Justin and a smooth transistion from a family of 4 to a family of 5, and for our preparations to meet our son for the first time. Black Friday will never have the same meaning in the Sutliff household!

Just the Opposite

Well, we continue to wait for October 10th...which is when the courts re-open so the judge can assign us a court date. We are getting pretty excited as we anticipate our court date, our first trip to Ethiopia, and most importantly meeting Jeremiah for the first time. We continue to get monthly updates on Jeremiah's progress. He just turned 6 months old on September 28th and weighs almost 13 lbs. Every update shows progress and his photos portray him as a very happy and healthy young man!

During conversations with people about the adoption, a constant comment from people is that Jeremiah is one lucky kid. They always mention the opportunities that he will now have, the fact that he will be a part of a loving God-centered household, and being part of a family that will embrace him. However, Julie was recently having a conversation with someone about Jeremiah and they stated how we are so lucky. Lucky that God is entrusting us with Jeremiah, and the many blessings that he is sure to bring to our family.

Throughout this entire process, I have never felt that we were not supposed to be adopting. From the point that a decision was made, it has become part of our life. Almost a normancy of sort...a calling of faithfulness and obedience. There have also been thoughts of changing the life of a child by bringing him into our home. It's the least that we can do! Right? Or is it? I believe that our mindset should not be to change Jeremiah's life...but to change our life. We should be learning that God is changing us through this process as He shows us how to live a more Christ-centered life. A life that involves listening to, following, and obeying God's word. This is just another step in God's plan for us and we should understand that there may be many more to come.

This looks great in writing, but application is difficult. Sometimes, we have to go into things with our eyes wide opened, our ears fully listening and our mouths closed...and just let God direct us. Personally, there are many times that I forget this and have patches over my eyes, cotton in my ears and all the while my tongue is just a flappin'. Just remember - this isn't about what you are doing for someone else, it's about what God is doing for you. Blessings are abundant and we don't ever want to loose sight of that!

Submitted to Court

As we continue to wait, we did receive word a few weeks ago that we have been 'submitted to court'. Basically, that means that all of the required paperwork has been gathered and sent to the Ethiopian court. Normally, the next step would be for the judge to assign a court date...however, since the courts are still closed, the judge is not there to assign a date. So, once the courts reopen on October 10th, and the judge gets caught up, a court date will be assigned. We are being told that it could take a few weeks for the judge to get to our case and assign a date. From there, court dates are usually scheduled 6-8 weeks out. It looks like we will probably have our court date before the end of the year, but won't be bringing Jeremiah home until after the first of the year.

Jeremiah will be 6 months old on September 28th! It is amazing how receiving our monthly updates and pictures can be so excited. As we anticipate our next update, and can't wait to see how much Jeremiah has changed...it makes me appreciate all of the long range relationships that people endure daily - such as parents in the military and grandparents that live several states away from their grandchild. It helps put into perspective that we are truly blessed and God is in control.

Levels of Emotion

One of the 'benefits' of international adoption taking so long, is that we have much more time to mentally prepare for the arrival of Jeremiah than the traditional 9 month pregnancy. As we go into our 22nd month of the process, our emotions have been all over place. Many of our emotions have included (in no particular order): hope, concern, frustration, love, suspense, peace, excitement, and anticipation.

We have hope in the program and pray that our decisions are God-centered.
We have concern over the hundreds of thousands of orphans that so desperately need saved.
We have concern about the care that the orphaned children are receiving.
We have experienced frustration in regard to the delays and red tape involved with international adoption.
We love a little boy that we haven't even met more than we could have ever imagined.
We love that Jeremiah has a beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes.
We love the fact that all of our family and friends are so supportive.
We are full of suspense as we await the moment that we first lay eyes on Jeremiah.
We are at peace with the decision that we have made to adopt and know that it is part of God's plan for our family.
We have a peace that Jeremiah is a healthy, happy baby.
We are so excited about the day that we bring Jeremiah to his forever home.
Not a day goes by that we don't anticipate holding Jeremiah and counting his toes and fingers.

As our emotions continue to flow, so do our prayers. Prayers for the remaining steps to go quickly, for Jeremiah's continued good health, for the caregivers that are taking care of Jeremiah, and for all of the children that are orphaned. If we could, we would help all of the children...but, we know we can't. We just keep telling ourselves, "One can't help everyone, but everyone can help one.".

Jeremiah Ashen Sutliff

Today is our anniversary...we have been married 15 years! They have been 15 awesome years, and we can't wait to see what the next 15 hold. In comparison, it's been just over a month since we received our referral and already it seems as if our son has grown significantly. We recently received some 4 month pictures and he is as adorable as ever! He has grown a little and has the cutest smile and most gorgeous eyes. It is so hard to look at Jeremiah (yes, we have chosen a name! ~ Jeremiah Ashen), but to have never held him; To see his bright eyes, but never watched him sleep; To see his chubby cheeks, but never kissed on them. As our anticipation builds, our love for him also builds.

We are still waiting to hear that we have been submitted to court and then we will have to wait for a court date. Unfortunately, the courts in Ethiopia close in August and September. Therefore, the earliest that we will have a court date is October...but, we are more realistically looking at November. From there we will have to wait another 1-3 months until we can actually bring him home. As much as we would love to have him home by Christmas, it is becoming more apparent that it will be after the first of the year.

One milestone produces another hurdle. We pray for him daily...that his care givers will love him, take care of him, and protect him. We pray that all of the legal matters go smoothly and there are not any delays with court. Most of all we praise God for all of our blessings and are honored to play a small role in His plans.

Love At First Sight

The last few weeks have been quite busy in the Sutliff household. A week after school was out for Julie and the kids, we left for vacation. Since Jaden's dance recital was on the day we had planned on leaving, we left later than usual and ended up driving all night. Since the kids were able to sleep most of the way, they didn't think the 13 hour drive was that bad! Needless to say, we had a great time at Woodloch and then headed to Connecticutt to visit Julie's best friend Katie. Since I was leaving on June 22nd for a mission trip to Honduras, I flew home on Monday, June 20th. Julie and the kids ended up staying for another week and came home on the 29th. I returned home from Honduras on July 1st.

We had a feeling that we may hear something about a referral while I was in Honduras and unreachable...but, we also knew our case manager was going on vacation from July 1st through the 15th and felt our wait may just continue on. However, Julie received a call from Bethany's home office at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1st. While I was traveling home...Julie was hearing the details of our son for the first time. Yes, we received our referral!!! The excitement of knowing specific details of our son and that we are now another step closer to meeting him is making this process all too real.

Our son, was born on March 28th...which makes him 3 months old! He is healthy and weighs about 10 lbs. He has big beautiful eyes and a lot of hair. We immediately fell in love and now have a face to go along with our prayers. Even though it's progress, we are now in the next phase of waiting. We have some paperwork to fill out and then we will wait to hear the date for our first court hearing. This trip will enable us to meet him for the first time. Although we have some time before we will bring him home, we are excited to finally be matched with a child.

We will keep you posted as we learn more. In the meantime, please continue to pray that the process goes smoothly and God protects our little boy.

Red Light...Green Light

Anticipation continues to build as we await the precious phone call revealing the details of our child. Unlike a pregnancy, the physical aspects and approximate due date is missing...however, we are still experiencing the excitement and apprehensiveness that comes with being expectant parents. Although it's hard to imagine right now, we know the day is coming sooner than later.

As mentioned in the last update, there have been some delays within the Ethiopian government as it relates to adoptions. Official (as official as anything in a third world country can be) word came a few weeks ago that the agency that writes the approval letters for court will be reducing the number of letters per day to 5 (that's from 40-50 per day). The reasoning that this was changed is not known, however other areas of the government did not agree with this change and replaced all of the workers in that specific department. Recently, we received word that they are now processing around 20 letters per day...which is good news, but not 40-50 as before. Some of the background is due to illegal/unethical adoptions taking place and the need for more investigative and thorough work - which we are 100% in favor of as long as it doesn't make the process cumbersome and so long that the children are directly affected. We are not getting too worked up about all of this because we know that it will probably change again.

As we are already 8 months into the referral waiting process, the time since our entire adoption process started is 17 months...which seems like an eternity. However, it really has passed quickly. I'm afraid that the closer we get, the slower time will move. People are always asking us if we have any updates or if anything new is going on ~ and we keep giving the same response...not yet. The day is coming though, that we will be able to share specific details of our little guy. Details like how much hair he has, how old he is, and of course how beautiful he is! Please continue to be in prayer for the entire Ethiopian adoption process, the orphaned children in this world, and patience for all of the adoptive parents.

A Milestone (at least on paper)

It's hard to believe that it has already been 6 months since we submitted our dossier. Although there are days that the waiting is painful in regard to the adoption process...life continues to happen which helps keep us focused and determined to accept God's timing.

According to the adoption agency, the average waiting time for an Ethiopian referral is 6-9 months after the dossier is submitted. So...here we are! It's been 6 months and the excitement is building. Unfortunately, in keeping up with the forums and blogs from Bethany and other families, we have learned that the waiting period for Ethiopian adoptions has been getting longer - not in all cases, but nonetheless families do appear to be waiting longer. From what we understand, this is due to some concerns about illegal adoptions from the Ethiopian government which has caused increased investigations and the growth of adotions from Ethiopia. We just continue to pray and trust that God has a plan.

I thought that I would leave you with a few facts about Ethiopia that may surprise you:
The Calendar There are 13 months in the Ethiopian Calendar! Each month has 30 days and the last month has only 5 or 6 days. New Year's is celebrated in September and there is a 7 year difference with the western calendar. For example, in 2011 it is actually 2004.
The Clock/Time of Day The Ethiopian clock begins & changes time at first light or at 6am rather than at midnight. When you ask an Ethiopian what time it is, although, it's 12 n00n because the sun is right above your head, they would tell you that it's 6:00 o'clock (in the morning) which is also when the date changes; at 6am rather than 12 midnight. It can be very confusing!
Literacy Rate The literacy rate in Ethiopia is 43%...compared to 99% in the United States.
Average Income US$200 per year
Orphans 4.8 Million

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Disheartenment

Today I listened in on a conference call set up to help families understand the current situation in Ethiopia. Apparently, there have been delays with families getting court appointments and embassy dates for travel caused by some corruption within the Ethiopian adoption process. Unfortunately, with anything good...comes bad. When greedy people see a good thing happening, they immediately want a part of it and cause havoc. There have been suspicious activities with some of the adoption agencies and orphanages within Ethiopia as it relates to unorthodox adoptions. People trying to make a quick buck by finding children meeting certain criteria that are not abandoned or orphaned and getting them 'into the system'. There have also been reported cases of parents selling their children to certain orphanges...which for a family in despair and desparate to support themselves is a very enticing proposition. I want to clarify that this is a very small part of the entire adoption process in Ethiopia and that Bethany Christian Services is not a part of the investigation, however one bad apple causes the entire system to go into gridlock.

I know for us, a family that is awaiting the day that we are presented with a referral of a child, the waiting is very difficult. However, as I listened to the other families today asking questions, I realized that most of them already had referrals and were waiting for their court date or embassy date for travel. I quickly realized how hard it must be for them...already knowing who their child is...seeing photos of them...perhaps already meeting them...and then hear about possible delays. Knowing that you have already prepared a place in your heart and home for this child, only to receive reports and photos of your child's development...of your child growing up thousands of miles away. At the ages of most of these children, a couple of months makes a big difference. The difference between crawling and walking; the difference between making noises and talking; the difference between bonding with a nanny or their forever family. I can't imagine the disheartenment that they must be going through.

Please be in prayer for this entire situation. Specifically for the Ethiopian adoption process and the investigation to conclude and the timing of the court dates and embassy dates to improve. For the families that have received referrals and are waiting to travel to Ethiopia to either meet their child or bring them home. For the children that are in the orphanages that they continue to receive good care and are safe. And for us...that we will remain faithful to our commitment and know that God is in control and His will be done.

Christmas Blessings

I'm finding it easy to get caught up in our everyday life and briefly forget about the fact that we are on the edge of a major life change. It's the simple things like seeing a mother loving on her baby, or planning something on the calendar for 2011, or preparing Christmas cards that brings everything back to reality and stirs up the anticipation of bringing a new baby boy home for the first time.

With the Christmas season quickly seeping into every aspect of our lives, the excitement of adoption continues to build. It brings reminders of all the changes to come with thoughts of our last Christmas pictures with just the four of us...thoughts of waking up Christmas morning without a baby playing with all of the paper and boxes...and not worrying about 'baby-proofing' the Christmas tree, everything changes the minute we bring our new baby boy home for the first time.

I'm continued to be drawn to the fact that God delivered a new baby boy home for the first time on that cold night some 2,000 years ago as a Savior was born! My Savior was born...your Savior was born. My prayer during this special time of the year is that we reflect on the change that the birth of this baby boy brought to us. Change that lasts an eternity...everlasting change as we are cleansed white as snow and walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!

Shooting Stars

Although it seems as though we just started on this journey...almost a year has passed since we first began the process. It's hard to believe that we have already been waiting two months since our completed dossier was sent away. We are definitely ready to see the child that God is sending us, but we realize that it will be in His time and that He is still preparing the road...not only with us, but our family and friends. While we recognize that some people find it difficult to completely understand our motivation, we truly know that we are fulfilling a request from our Savior. A request that involves sacrifice and faith; a request that involves unconditional love and security; a request that involves unity and compassion.

We received notice over the weekend that we are one more step closer to a referral as our dossier has completed all of the necessary steps. It has been authenticated, translated and registered with the MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs-the adoption authority in Ethiopia). Now we are officially ready to receive a referral. A referral is when we are presented with the biography, medical history, family history and photos of the child that we will be matched with. This is very exciting as it will be the first time that we actually "meet" (even if it's only on paper) our son.

I have to share something else that happened over the weekend. Throughout this whole process, as I have been praying, dreaming and anticipating the delivery of our son...I have secretly hoped that God would show me a sign when our child was born. I know this seems a little hokey, but how cool would it be to experience the birth of our son in a non-physical way thousands of miles away. So, as I have been thinking about this and praying, I would question different things that would happen and wonder "was that my sign?". But, then I would just say to myself...no, it was just that I was thinking about it at that time. Well, on Saturday evening as Julie and I were on our way to Montezuma to pick Jaden and Justin up from Julie's dads house, we both saw a shooting star falling in the night sky and then it just fizzled out...like a spark that made its way from a fire. I can count the number of shooting stars that I have seen in my lifetime on one hand...and the more that I think about that star, I can't help but wonder if that was our 'sign'. God has definitely used a star in the past to announce a birth. I know...silly huh?? But, how cool would it be to find out that the child that we have been matched with was born on October 2nd? Can I at least dream?

This experience also made me think of the lyrics of a song by Mainstay called Stars are Singing. The lyrics are as follows:

Under open skies I leave the day behind
Wonder in my eyes, the world feels so alive
I just speak Your name and my heart seems to change
God of truth and grace, I can only praise You

And the stars are singing out
the glory of Your wondrous love
Heaven's reaching down
to show me all that You have done for me

Healer of my heart, come burn away the dark
Under soft twilight, I can hear your voice tonight

Your name is higher than the Heavens
Your glory fills a million skies
Your heart is reaching down from heaven
and my soul cries out to You

We are so blessed...blessed beyond complete understanding.

Sacrifice

Well, we received word today that Agegnehu was placed with another family. Although we knew that we didn't have much of a chance in getting him, we still were excited about the possibility of getting a child so soon. However, we know that God placed him with a family that is best suited to meet his needs (whatever they may be). Please continue to pray for Agegnehu and his new family and the exciting future that they are about to begin together.

So, as for the Sutliff family, we will continue to be in a holding pattern while we wait for our Dossier to get translated. We feel that we are ready to receive our referral and begin the final part of the adoption process. The unknown is exciting, thrilling, overwhelming and scary all at the same time ~ however, looking into the future and seeing hope in the eyes of a little child makes the sacrifices all seem so trivial.

Please don't ever forget that all over this world there are little children that are being abandoned, orphaned, abused and just plain not wanted and that you can help. Whether it is through adoption, sponsorship, donations, education and/or prayer, everyone has the ability to make a difference. It starts with one...a sacrifice is still a sacrifice, no matter how big or small.

"One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving." - Amy Carmichael

A New Life Filled With Love

Just when you think you are in a holding pattern...BAM! Somehow I knew my timing and God's were a little different. Needless to say, this has been a week of unexpected excitement. As you are aware, just a few weeks ago we completed our dossier. Since then, it has been approved at the corporate office, been authenticated in Washington D.C. and is currently in the process of being sent to Ethiopia. Once everything is squared away in Ethiopia, we are looking at 6 months to a year before we would hear about a specific child.

Well...on Monday, we received an email about a 7 month old little boy. Because he didn't match any specific dossiers that were currently waiting to be assigned, they sent out his referral information to all of the various locations to see if there was any interest in Ethiopian adoptive families that were in various stages of the process. So, our Adoption Specialist forwarded it to us to see if we had any interest.

Immediately, we begin to think "what is the matter with this child?" or "why isn't he going through the 'normal' referral process?". However, after a couple of conversations with our Adoption Specialist we understood the complicated process of referrals and why this child was so special. To start with, his name (Agegnehu) literally means 'I have found you'. Once we saw his picture, we knew that he is going to be a fine addition to some lucky family.

After much prayer, some questions and a 'very basic' medical review, we decided that we would put our name on the list (along with several other families) to be considered for this precious little boy. Although we know that we are low on the priority list since we just submitted our dossier, we do know that God is ultimately the protector of this child and will match him with the best family.

What now? We wait. We wait to hear back from the adoption agency on whether or not we have been chosen for Agegnehu or if he was placed with another family. Either way, this little boy will be the winner. Our time will come, but his time is now. His world is about to be rocked upside down. A new life filled with love, opportunity and family. Please be in prayer for this situation and that Agegnehu will be placed in a home that overwhelms him with love in a God centered family.