It's official........87 (unofficially....)

Although we've been in the adoption process for about 7 months now, the "official" wait time doesn't begin until your dossier is sent to Ethiopia.  I realize that many of you probably don't even know what I'm talking about when I say dossier.  Here's a quick adoption lesson for you, dossier (pronounced doss-e-ay) is a huge collection of papers that basically sums up our lives; from work information, home information, family information, financial information, you name it, it's probably in there.  Most of the information has to be notarized, then certified, the it gets sent to the state department in Washington DC for certification, then to the Ethiopian Embassy here in the US for certification and THEN it is sent to Ethiopia.  

May 18, 2012 marks our D.T.E date 

(our dossier to Ethiopia date) 

Now, we are officially waiting for our agency to match us with a child!

 Our agency gives 'unofficial' wait list numbers, and we are number 87!  But our agency doesn't necessarily place a child based on where you are on the list, the placement a child is based on your families  preference and situation and what would be best for the child. So although the number isn't really "officially" how long we could wait, it's fun to see our name on a list that shows we are waiting. 

When I saw what number we were, I thought I'd be a little sad, maybe bummed by how far down on the list we are, but it's totally a God thing that I'm not at all! I'm actually excited that by the time we get matched with our child over 86 children (because others ahead of us are requesting siblings) will be orphans no longer!  

That. Is. Glorious! 

So for now, we wait, "unofficially" at #87

Let's see what God has in store for us during this wait, it's going to be good, I can feel it!

An exciting new venture!

Friends, I am so excited to get to share with you a new venture I've taken on, but before I tell you what it is, I wanted to share with you how I got here...

When we very first started the adoption process...

(by started I mean waaay back almost a year ago by praying, researching countries and agencies, ect)  

I noticed that I was changing, the way I thought, the way I went about my day, it almost seemed as if I was more aware, more aware of what was happening beyond my little life's bubble.  

Once we applied with America World and offically began this wild and crazy ride, I began to notice that I was getting very...well, uncomfortable-which was GOOD! I'm not called to live a "comfortable" life, and my comfort was beginning to get shaky and I would find myslef laying in bed at night and worrying about people and places I've never met and been to.  I would cry to friends knowing that I needed to do more, more for those who can't fight for themselves-and I'm not just talking about the orphan (although that's a huge part of it). I'm talking about the sick, the poor, the dying, the infected, you name it, I was thinking about it, and thinking about a way I could stand up for them and open others eyes to the world as well...

Enter...

Noonday was literally an answer to my prayers, and it was totally a God thing that I was able to partner with them.  I found out about Noonday several months ago, and wanted to get involved so badly, but after some prayer between Justin and I, we decided that with the paper-chase portion of our adoption in full swing, it wouldn't be fair to either (adoption or Noonday) to take on something else that I would want to give 100% to.  Literally the day we finished our dossier (the huge pack of paperwork that goes to Ethiopia) I got an email from Jessica, the founder asking if I was still interested in working with Noonday! Literally that day. It was as if God said, okay, it's time. 

So my friends, I am thrilled to announce my partnership as an Ambassador with Noonday Collection (stephanienunes.noondaycollection.com), a line of distinctive, handmade jewelry and accessories that provide a pathway out of poverty for men and women around the world.
 

Here's how you can get involved with me! You can host a trunk show in your home (or someone elses) and you don't have to do a thing except spread the word and invite you friends over to check out some super cute jewelry and accessories, and hear the stories of the men and women who created them.  By hosting a trunk show YOU are doing a part in opening others eyes to what we can do to help our brothers and sisters around the world, AND by hosting a show you can get some super cute jewelry OR get money to help with your adoption! What a win win. 

So please, 

check out my site and all that Noonday has to offer-not just for you and I, but for others around the world. 

 With Noonday, you can "style your friends, and change the world."

Okay, lets do what we can to change the world friends. 

Want to book a trunk show? Let me know, they're awesome and so much fun!

"...when you satisfy the needs of the oppressed, your night will become like the noonday."

Issiah 58:10

The waiting game in adoption

I love what Sear Frost wrote over on her blog today, it was exactly what I needed to hear so I thought I'd share it. I'm always encouraged by what I read on other adoptive mama blogs, I also LOVE Jen Hatmaker, that woman is amazing.

"This is why Jen Hatmaker is incredible. Love her. Check her out here

On Waiting in Adoption:

"Forget whatever timeline you were given at the beginning. Forget you ever heard that. Put that in the trash can. Adoption will change, shift, slow down, hit snags, be weird, be difficult, take longer than you think, take longer than you can stand. This will happen. When someone gives you a timeline, say

 "Thank you for that cute little sentence. Flush."

Potential adopters, let me tell you this: Get your "YES" straight at the very beginning. Decide on it. Roll around on it. Put it on the table and shellack it. Because you cannot let every delay and snag derail your certainty about adoption. When you say YES, you are saying YES to enter into the suffering of the orphan, and that suffering includes WAITING FOR YOU TO GET TO THEM. I promise you, their suffering is worse than yours. We say YES to the tears, YES to the longing, YES to the maddening process. YES to the money, YES to hope, YES to the screaming frustration of it all, YES to going the distance through every unforeseen discouragement and delay. Do not imagine that something outside of "your perfect plan" means you heard God wrong. There is NO perfect adoption. EVERY adoption has snags. We Americans invented the "show me a sign" or "this is a sign" or "this must mean that God is closing the door" or "God must not be in this because it's hard" but all that is garbage. You know what's hard? Being an orphan. They need us to be champions and heroes for them, fighting like heck to get them home. So we will. We may cry and rage and scream and wail in the process, but get them home we will."