When we come home

Dear Friends and Family,
I want to share some points of prayer for this coming week as well as share what it will be like when we return. We have greatly anticipated this week and cannot wait to hold baby Violet in our arms. We also cannot wait to introduce you to her! But I want to help you understand what this experience will be like for her.

Internationally adopted children come from institutionalized care and may also have experienced several moves. When children are institutionalized they often do not learn correct attachment (bond from child to parent) with their caregivers. This is emphasized by multiple placements and caregivers blurring the role of parent into something unspecific. Often times they view the world simply as the big people take care of the little people with no preference to any particular adult. Violet doesn’t know that we are her mommy and daddy. She needs to learn that we are not another temporary caregiver, we are forever. Therefore it is imminent in building an attachment with Violet that Mom and Dad be her sole caregivers for the first several months. Especially during the first few weeks it is important that others do not try to hold her. We also need to be the only ones to feed her, change her diaper, or console her when she’s crying. Violet may have never seen outside her orphanage. Ethiopia is like another world and places like Target or church will be very over stimulating for her. Children adjust incredibly and quickly, but initially she will need some space and time. Before you know it she will be calling you all by name!
Violet and Tytus will grow up knowing that they were adopted from Ethiopia. However, as they grow older and begin to understand more and ask questions, we would like to ask that you not engage in conversation with them about their life in Ethiopia. Some of you may know more about their specific stories, or even very simple information needs to be handled delicately. If for some reason Violet or Tytus begin to talk to you about where they are from, PLEASE encourage them to talk to us. We have taken classes and read a lot of information on how to talk to them in age appropriate ways.

I also want to share some prayer points for the coming weeks and months:
*Travel: Please pray for our safety as we travel. And especially for my fear of flying.
*Financial: We still need a little money for this trip. And will need to pay for another trip to go pick up Tytus. I believe strongly that God is going to work all of this out. Please pray for God’s provision.
*Emotional: Pray for Violet to attach to us quickly. Pray for us to fully attach to her. And pray that I will have God’s strength as we meet Tytus, but do not get to bring him home yet.
*Spiritual: The enemy does not want us to adopt Violet. He will continue to attack and pray that we will continue to place all of our trust in God.
*Physical: Pray that we don’t get sick while we are in Ethiopia. Many people get sick as our bodies are not used to the type of germs and parasites that they have there.

Thank you SO much for your overwhelming support and love. We are truly blessed with the most amazing family and friends. We love you all. And can’t wait to introduce you to our daughter!

Love,
Sam and Katy

We're going to Ethiopia

In less than a week I will be on a plane headed for Ethiopia to bring home our beautiful daughter. We also found out that while we are there, we will get to meet our son! How great is our God!
We leave on Thursday the 18th and get back on Saturday the 27th! I can't believe it's finally here!

Birth Certificate Arrived!

We now have Violet's birth certificate! I'm so happy! So we will know no later than Tuesday what our travel date is. AND there is a very good possibility that our Embassy Appointment will be February 23rd!!!! Less than three weeks away! If it's not that day then it will be March 9th. It finally feels real! Like this really is going to happen! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!