We have a court date (tentatively)!

Yesterday morning (on what would have been my daddy's birthday!) I woke up about 4am and decided to check my e-mail. Lo and behold, we had gotten an e-mail from our agency saying we had a court date! Our court date is tentatively set for next Thursday, June 21! Why is it tentative?

There are actually two court hearings. The first one is when the birth relative or orphanage go before the judge and the second one is when the adoptive family goes before the judge. The first court hearing was actually last night our time (Tuesday day, Ethiopia time). Unfortunately, "E's" birthmom was unable to make it, so it is now rescheduled for tomorrow (or tonight our time). Please pray for her, for her transportation to be reliable so she can make it in time, and especially for her heart. This is a very hard time that she is going to be facing. My heart aches so much for her!

If all goes well and the court hearing goes through, we will be leaving Florida a little after 5am on Saturday, head to Washington DC, and then fly directly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! We should arrive there early Sunday morning. Michael should get to meet his two new sons ON Father's Day! We will head back home the following Saturday night and get home Sunday night. We are so excited and just cannot wait to finally meet and hold our boys!

Now, several have asked if we get to bring them home after court. Unfortunately, no. We will be heading home without our sons. In an Ethiopian adoption, there are two trips. The first trip is for court, and then we will wait several weeks for all the documents to be submitted to the US Embassy in Addis. Once we are approved by Embassy, we can finally travel back to bring them home! We're hoping for late August, early September, but only God knows! 

Hopefully in just a little over a week, we will pass court and finally declare the boys officially our sons and will be able to share their photos with all of you!!! Please keep us in prayers over the following week! I will try to update a bit while we're in country, but the internet is not completely reliable. Please also pray for me, as I have never ever left my kids (Ilana and Aydan) for more than one night. I am getting nervous just thinking about leaving them for over a week! But like my great (and very wise) friend said. "Praise God you have never had to be gone from them, but also praise God that these two boys who haven't had one day with you will be able to spend 8 days with you!" SO true!!

Thank you so much for all the prayers and support that has gotten us to this moment!!!! Can't believe, after almost 2 years, it's finally happening!! Praising God!!!!!!