'Rainy Season' : closed till October

August is the beginning of the "rainy season" in Ethiopia and the courts actually close and will stay closed for about 2 months.  At the end of September the courts re-open but they are typically a bit back logged from their break.  This isn't effecting us too much seeing how we don't even have a child referral....once you have a child referral you wait for a court date.  

We are still #4...and I'm feeling like how Caleb felt in the picture above- he wanted something really bad  - but he had to wait.

This wait is very hard.  It's hard to explain but it truly feels like someone is missing from our family.  Even when we are out and about w/ the kids and doing a quick 'kid count' making sure everyone really left the park and got in the car - I'm Always feeling like someone's missing- it's really weird.  

As I start preparing for this new school year w/ the kids I'm sad that there will not be a 4th 'student' at the kitchen table this fall. 

It's very frustrating to be on the waiting end when we know there are millions of children in need of a family.  Getting their paperwork ready is a very long and detailed process (and apparently quite slow.)  And like I mentioned before, our agency works w/ small orphanages- one question I Never thought of asking them when it came down to choosing an agency!  (lesson learned)

Normally while we wait I would be putting all of this stressful energy into organizing/ simplifying/ streamlining our home BUT the fact that we hope to move this fall is actually making me Not want to do anything in the house!  (my thought- why rearrange and organize it if it's hopefully going to be packed up in boxes this fall- correct?) 

It's time to remind myself that God's timing is best...and to rest in knowing that He is ultimately the one in control of these things.  In the mean time I plan on doing an in depth country study on Ethiopia w/ the kids for geography.  I'm excited to learn more about Ethiopia, practice cooking some food (spicy stews- lots of onions & turmeric) buy a hair braiding book, learn some Amharic phrases, and then hmmm well maybe GO!!!  (note the few bonus's of homeschooling...Im choosing to cover what I need to learn all while teaching the kids, having fun and preparing for their little sister's arrival...I love it!)