Thursday, September 6, 2012

Rainy Days Are Here Again.

It's hard to believe it, but it's here again...

the "rainy season" in Ethiopia.

Every year about this same time (although the exact dates vary from year to year), the courts in Ethiopia close for the rainy season.  The courts actually had their last day to be open before the rainy season on August 17th, and they will be closed until October. During this time, no adoptive families are able to go to court, so this is obviously a  slower time every year for Ethiopian adoptions.

Sometimes, the courts still issue court dates during their recess period, and sometimes they do not. I have heard of a few families that already have court dates issued towards the end of October.  So, it looks like the courts will be re-opening sometime in mid to late October.  I will let ya'll know when they are open and running again!

Referrals can still go out from our adoption agency during the rainy season, but it just takes longer to get a court date usually.  There is just more waiting time for families who happen to get "caught" in the rainy season.

It's also hard to believe that this is our THIRD rainy season to go through since we have been in the adoption process.  It's so crazy for me to comprehend that we are in the THIRD year of our adoption process.  Wow.

I have been emotional over the past few days, but I did this same thing last year as our 1 year wait list anniversary was approaching. So I am pretty sure as our 2 year wait list anniversary approaches, I may be even more emotional this time! :)

We are good though...just clinging to the Lord, waiting on Him, trusting His faithfulness, counting our blessings, staying busy with school, church, jobs, sports, etc. and...

HOPING and PRAYING for a huge miracle from the Lord that we will see our baby girl's face soon!!!

Last night on the way to church, we saw a rainbow in the sky.  I told the kids, "Look!  It's a sign of God's promise!"

Callie Grace said, "It's a sign of God's promise that He will bring Caroline Faith home soon!"

Love her heart.

"Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful!"  Joel 2:23 

5 comments:

Erin said...

Hi Alison--

We received a referral on July 27th, and we are one of the unfortunate ones to wait out the court closure. We do, however, have a court date of Oct 23rd. The birth parents court date is usually 1-2 weeks before, and ours is set for Oct 9th. So the courts must be open then! Hope you get your referral soon, maybe at the end of the court closure so you don't have to wait so long!

Meredith said...

Praying for you friend. I can't imagine how emotional I'll be at approaching 2 years on the wait list because approaching one has been tremendously hard.

And I can see CG gets her sweet heart from here mama.

leemeandthegirls said...

Praying for you!

Hannah said...

We had the rainy season in Guatemala too. It's so hard to deal with the setbacks and times of waiting. I believe you'll see her sweet face soon. I know you will. Then when you hold her, all this time and pain melts away. It's coming. The Lord will reward you with a beautiful daughter and her smile and love will heal all the wounds :)

michelle said...

Just wanted you to know have had you in my thoughts and know this is a really difficult time in the year when on the wait-list. When we left ET from our 1st Trip (Aug 4th) it certainly seemed like it would be soon after as it was SOOOOO rainy our stay and so very chilly. We have all the kiddos in the Orphanage, many coming down with colds (our two kids are there waiting it out for us to go get them), in our prayers for Gods to continue to embrace them and care for them. I know you long to write that post of referral, we all will love reading it too:)
Michelle