Dinner with New Friends...

Last week Tom and I had an opportunity to meet and have dinner with a fabulous Ethiopian couple who currently live and work in the area. They came to the US in the late 90's and have a strong desire to return to Ethiopia and work with orphans in some capacity. She is currently employed with America World, a top notch adoption agency in Mclean, Virginia. Another couple hosted and after we settled our crazy kids down for bed, the six of us shared stories and were given the chance to ask questions.

We were so blessed by their heart for Ethiopia and openness to our questions about their culture. They were very open and honest and got the four of us even more excited about our adoptions (this other couple is also in the process of adoption). They shared with us different cultural customs and norms - the unspoken "rules" of Ehtiopian culture. We were able to process and brainstorm with them how to honor our child's heritage and become engaged as a new family of five.

Are we thrilled about adopting our son? YES!
Are we scared and anxious about it? YES!
Are we thankful for our new friends who are delighted to share/teach us about the beautiful Ethiopian culture? YES!
Are we thankful for the support coming from family, friends and the adoption community at large? YES!
Do we think this is going to be easy? NO!
Do we need grace and mercy as we tackle raising our children? YES!
Do we think about our son and the other people who are in different stages of adoption? EVERYDAY!

We are so grateful and appreciative of the people that Jesus continues to put into our lives as we continue along this journey. It is amazing to see the handy work of the Lord and how time and time again he surprises us with little connections here, conversations there and encouragement. Thank you for your prayers, comments, and support. We will continue to lean on Jesus and His truth as we encounter each new day.