round two.

what started out as a 6-10 week trip to Africa to adopt our two precious ones has now turned into a 40 week {and counting} crazy, life-changing journey.
as if the 18 month process before we boarded a plane wasn’t enough…

things have not gone how we expected…funny thing is, it is quite the opposite….it seems like every single thing has gone awry…all the things we have counted on…they have all changed. 

the one thing that has been constant {the only thing} is our God. Seriously. it is THE only thing. He has gotten us through the ups and downs of the past 27 months.

and so we begin round 2 .. or so it seems. 

you see, we went out of town last week to help at a camp up north. it was amazing. words cannot describe the joy and hope we experienced working with the youth of these northern villages. before we left, we packed up our little cottage that we had been renting for the past 6 months. packed up our little african home in hopes that something big is going to happen THIS month. when we arrived back into town, we came to the very home that we were staying at during our first court date for our girl. even after all these months in africa, it feels as if we are starting the process over. the medicals that we had to complete for our visa interviews have expired. so have the pictures for the passport and visa.

so today, we started over. ..…round two.

we went and got pictures taken, got the medical exams completed. and wednesday we go to court. again.

the stakes are high. our hearts are so ready.

she is our daughter. in our hearts and our minds. with our whole beings, she is our daughter. we have cared for her for the past 9 months as our own.

9 months ago today, she came to live with us. we…all of us….have changed during that time. even her. especially her!

9 months ago. .. she pushed us away. she hit us. she refused to look at me. she thrashed around and had so much anger inside of her.  she did not want to be held and she especially didn’t want to cuddle. the sight of food made her so crazy that we had to hide it until it was ready to eat. even after a full meal, she would scream out for more. she would grab and grunt and she never. Ever. full.

all 9 pounds of her {at 10 months} was an angry mess.

now. ..

now, our sweet nya girl has such a joy for life. she is a fighter and a lover and a comforter and a snuggler and a giggler. she LOVES to laugh but she also LOVES to give the stink eye. she is weary of new people but with time, she warms up. she signs all the time and if she doesn’t get her way, she screams. L O U D L Y.  and makes this noise similar to a taradactle … well at least, how I imagine one sounds.

when she is going to bed, she wants her milk and something soft and lovable to cuddle. she loves to bury her head into my chest. AND i can’t leave her sight without her saying, “mama!! Mama!!! MAMA!!!!”. she is easily comforted and LOVES her brothers with all her might. she loves giving kisses and looking deep into our eyes. 

she is a changed babe. and so are we.

as we embark on round two, we pray for huge things to happen….HUGE things to happen THIS week.

for the courts to recognize our bond and the love between our family.  

for the judges to see how she was and how she is now. ..

for a positive ruling to be given on the spot.

for our three littles’ attitudes while we are in court…{last time we were in court, our oldest yelled, “I HAVE to go pee!!! NOW!!!} .. praying that doesn’t happen and that everyone remembers to use their “court voices”.

for the lawyers representing us to be like-minded. for open hearts and ears.

and above else…for His name to be glorified. no matter the outcome. 

because this journey…it’s about Him..not us.