Hoops that Help!

Lots of people have asked if there is any way they can support our adoption...this morning we got news of a great way you can show us support!

Lipscomb University has an amazing program this year for their basketball season. They are selecting an adopting family for each home game to receive a grant from all the ticket sales of that game. Jonathon applied for this Adoption Rally, and we were selected! Let me say that again-we were selected!!! They picked us!!!We are so excited!!!

We will get all the ticket proceeds from the game!!!! What an incredible blessing! The game we were selected for is Saturday, December 3 at noon! They will recognize us during halftime and award our grant then! We need you to be there! Please come if at all possible! If you don't live in Nashville-tell anyone you know that does live here!

Here is a link to order tickets online or you can get them the day of the game!
http://lipscomb.streamlineticketing.com/web/section.asp?eventId=82

We got class!

Adoption classes that is!

In honor of our classes, here is a picture of Emory from her first day of "school!" Really just mother's day out that she started back in July, but she calls it school! Sorry it has been forever since my last post! Lots of busyness around here and not really any exciting adoption news.

Part of the adoption process is mandatory adoption education classes. We have been taking these for a few hours the past 3 Monday nights.  We were happy to go to these because it felt like one step closer to that precious baby! Each night we went in pumped and thrilled to learn, but came out feeling like someone had just burst our balloon.

One of the reasons these classes are mandatory is because they want you to know what you are getting into. Their job is to prepare you for the worst. Usually adoption is painted in a good light, and it gives people warm fuzzies. I am so thankful that over the years the concept of adoption has transitioned into a very positive thing in our culture, but the truth is it is difficult for all involved and there is a tremendous amount of loss.

The biggest topics we covered were adoption expectations, attachment & bonding, race & culture, and losses & gains. They gave us so many resources and information to equip ourselves and be prepared.

One of the best things to come from these classes was being around other adoptive families. These classes were specifically for international adoption, and there were various countries represented. It was so nice to be around other couples that are in the same boat! Each country program is different, but they also have a lot of similarities. We made connections with other people in our area to keep in contact with as we all go through the process!

Jonathon and I still haven't quite decided how much of our adotion story and details we will make public knowledge through this blog, but one thing is for certain-we will always be honest. And honestly speaking, we are scared and uncertain about how everything will go when we meet our child and bring them home. BUT what we are certain of is that we are called to this, and no matter how difficult the days ahead may be, we feel blessed that this is part of our story. We have complete confidence in our Heavenly Father that He will be with us every step of the way!

Tiiiimmmmee is on our side, yes it is!

Hope you all have that song stuck in your head now like I do!

We have had several people ask lately about what our time frame is looking like. First off, THANK YOU for asking and being interested. We really appreciate it! Now to answer the question-there is an average wait time of 6 to 12 months after our dossier is submitted before we get our referral! Pretty wide range, huh?

In the beginning of this process, we wanted to rush through everything as quickly as possible, and we were quite impatient. Now, we have a different outlook. Whether we get a call tomorrow or a year from now, we believe whole-heartily that the Lord has gone before us and knows who our son or daughter is. He will join us together in His timing. So until that comes, we want to use that time wisely.
If you know much about Jonathon, you know he is forever an optimist! What can I say, I guess after being with him for 10 years, he is starting to rub off on me! So here is a list of perks for having a longer wait:

-More time to read pretty much every resource I can get my hands on!
-More time to downsize things in our house to make room for another nursery
-More time to find nursery ideas! (I check hgtv rate my space everyday:) )
-More time to decide on a girls name (we have about 5 boys names we love and 0 girls we can agree on)
-More time to pray for our baby's birth mother!
-More time to prepare our hearts
-More time to talk to others about this massive, global need!
-More time to learn as much Amharic(Ethiopian language) as we can!
-More time to hopefully have Emory out of diapers!
-More time to get to know others on this adoption journey!
-More time to save money for this endeavor!
-More time to learn to fix African hair! If its a girl, I may need even more time!!!
-More time to adjust to both of us working.
-More time to relinquish control, and completely TRUST!

When you look at it that way, Time really is on our side. I need to start working on this "to-do" list!

One Month Down!

We have officially been on the wait list for one month-wohoo! That means we are one month closer! Even though technically we started this process back in January the time on the wait list is what really matters.

Jonathon and I were just saying last night that we both have such a peace about the timing of this whole thing. We know we are going to get our referral at just the right time, whether that is 3 months from now or a year from now. There is nothing that compares to peace from the Lord!

Psalms 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord!

Bring On The RAIN!

If you have never been to a third world country, you may have never considered what it would be like to be a pedestrian nation. It is a completely different way of life. Obviously things move at a much slower pace because it takes significantly longer to get from one place to another! Of course there are some people that have cars, there are construction trucks, and some type of cab-like vehicle for those that can afford it. But overall, there is quite simply a LOT of walking! This can greatly complicate life at times.

Rainy season is one of those times. Rainy season comes every year and lasts about 2 months. Usually it pours! In the adoption world this is an important time because all of the Ethiopian courts close. That's right-the court doesn't see one case for 2 whole months! This can be devastating if you have already had your referral and are waiting for court. So most of the time, this is a disappointing time of year.

From the beginning of this process, I prayed that we wouldn't be affected by the "rainy season."Recently, my prayers have changed.  There is a tremendous drought right now in the horn of Africa. In fact, it recently turned from a drought into a FAMINE. Difference between a drought and a famine-simple, people STARVING. This isn't nearly as glamorous as Kim Kardashian's upcoming wedding, so it isn't getting the same news attention. THOUSANDS of people have died from this just in the past 3 months. The main country hit is Somalia, so most of the people there are fleeing to Ethiopia and Kenya for refuge. Some people have to walk hundreds of miles to a refugee camp, with children in tow. Praying they make it to just a little more food and water.

Now, I don't dread the rainy season, I am desperately praying for it. These people NEED the rain to survive. Please join me in praying that the Lord would BRING ON THE RAIN!

A Hug and A Punch

Most people that blog do so because they love to write. Not the case with me. Not a fan of writing and really feel silly when people read what I write. But I knew we needed a way to communicate what was happening on this journey, and this seemed like the best way to do that. For a little while we had things going on to keep you updated on, but now really we are just waiting. And its gonna be awhile. So what do we talk about.

Over these next few months I would like to use this blog to share with you a little bit about the world of orphan care that exists. God gave me this passion a decade ago, but it wasn't until the past 6 months that I have discovered others that share this same brokenness and what they are doing to help with this crisis.

There are so many amazing stories of people reaching outside their comfort level, financial means, and society's idea of normal to love and care for those in need.

"Once our eyes have been opened, we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows we know, and holds us responsible to act."-Proverbs 24:12 This Scripture has been weighing on me lately. Jonathon and I feel such a burden for these children because we have been there and we've seen. We can't go on with our lives pretending to forget. Not only are we called to act and reach out ourselves, but now we are challenged to share it with you.

Just discovered this song called "One Less" by Matthew West. Wanted to share with you the background on where this song came from. I love how he describes it as " a hug and a punch."I hope that is what this blog becomes for you- a warm fuzzy hug, but kind of a punch in the gut too!

Feel free to end this post here. Or if you think you can handle it watch this video a local church put together for this song.

Dossier Submitted!!! Officially "Waiting"

When I came home late Monday night, I was elated to find our immigrations approval in the mail! This is what we have been waiting for since we first applied for it in April! The missing key for us to turn in our dossier.
Many of you have asked us what exactly is a "dossier?" Basically, it is a big stack of paperwork that tells everything about your life!

Here is a sample for you! Each one of those papers has a stack of papers under it! And almost every one of them had to be notarized or certified! Bank records, birth & marriage certificates, physicals, recommendations, etc. On top of that we needed 3 copies of EVERYTHING!

On Tuesday, Emory and I headed to the Copy, Pack, and Mail with our stack of paperwork and a huge smile!

Ok-I may have been slightly more excited than Em!
Unfortunately, Jonathon was out of town on business. As soon as I told him Monday night, after a few squeals of joy, he said "Text me when you actually put it in the mail, I want to take of picture exactly where I am at that moment." Here is the result of that-

On the road with his buddy Landon and the biggest thing of Mountain Dew I have ever seen!

We overnighted our blood, sweat, and tears to our adoption agency, Holt. They received it and reviewed it Wed. and Thurs., and gave us the thumbs up today! We are now officially on the "wait list."

Although we still have a long wait before us, this was a huge step in our process! We are super pumped! Things are out of our hands now (although we know they have been this whole time!) The next step will be the referral of our sweet baby!

Fingerprinting Complete!

Wohoo! We have officially been fingerprinted! The FBI now has our prints on file-so no major crimes in our near future! I was really hoping for at least a little ink residue for our pics, but that's too old-school I guess-everything is digital now!

On Monday morning we headed to the office of Homeland Security here in Nashville. On a side note, it is so helpful that we live in our state capital. If not, we would have already had to do a lot of travelling to get various papers signed, fingerprints, etc. Let me just say, Jonathon and I were the only ones that were excited to be at this office. Apparently no one else was there for the same purpose! Not many people there were enjoying their day. This is also not a great place for Jonathon to be as he takes great pleasure in trying to get people to smile and laugh. Note to self-Homeland Security employees aren't hired for their sense of humor :)

It took Jonathon about 8 attempts to actually get his prints! His little pinkie just wouldn't cooperate.  Even with all paperwork and that pinkie struggle, this whole process took 12 minutes!!! Over 3 months to get things worked out with immigrations, but only 12 min to complete!

Next step-we are anxiously awaiting the approval notice from immigrations. Then we will finally be able to turn in our completed dossier, so our official time on the "wait list" will begin!

Thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement- can't tell you how much we appreciate it!

Should've painted my nails for the occasion!

Fingerprinting Date!!!

Remember way back here when I first told you about checking the mail like a little school girl? You may have thought I was just kidding, but I was not. Since then, I have been running to the mailbox (usually right as the mail-lady drives to the neighbors house) in anticipation of the next step in our process. Each time disappointed when our immigration papers weren't there-every now and then there would be a package or birthday card that would soften the blow. But TODAY it arrived! Wohoo! Our fingerprinting has been scheduled!
Not only is this a praise that is got here, but the date we were given is perfectly planned as well. We are going to be out of town much of the next three weeks, and we knew the odds of us being here when our appointment was, was slim to none. Then we would have had to request a change of date and add to the process. BUT-that was not the case. We are getting fingerprinted July 11- the day after we return from NYC! Wohoo!!!!
Of course this is just a small step in what is a very lengthy process, but we can celebrate the little steps especially when the road hasn't been easy! If I am this pumped about making it through the US Immigration process, can you imagine the excitement when we get paired with our sweet child?! No post will probably be necessary because you will be able to hear my enthusiasm from states away!

A Mother's Heart

Although I am exhausted right now from being at teen camp all week, I have been awake for the past few hours dreaming and praying for my baby. Not the sweet precious little girl that I can see through the monitor soundly sleeping in her crib, but the one that is on the other side of the globe. This might sound crazy to you, because the truth is, that baby might not even be born yet. We don't know really know anything about this baby-whether it is a boy or girl, how old they are, what their features look like, how their voice sounds when they cry or when they laugh, but that doesn't matter to this mother's heart.

I have actually been thinking, dreaming, and praying for this child for over a decade. It hasn't always been an everyday thing. At first, when I returned from Uganda it was heavy on my heart. I would often think back to the children I had met and pray for their life there. Then the Lord made my burden heavier and heavier. I would tell those I was very close to about this passion in my heart for a people whose life is so different from mine, yet created by the same Master. Finally, when we moved to Kenya, I could truly share this experience with the one I am honored to share my life with. Now, he too could understand.

Words can't accurately describe this connection and love I have. I only know that it has to be from my Heavenly Father. When we came back to the states, everything fell into place in our lives and we felt confidence that we were living in the center of the Lord's will, what an awesome place to be! But my heart has always longed for my baby. I was very fortunate that I had a fantastic pregnancy. I really felt great, and I loved having Emory inside of me. During that time I would dream about what she would look like and be like, and as weird as this may sound to you, even then I would think about and dream about my other child on the opposite side of the world.

God has placed this love in my heart for such a long time, and I cannot wait to see His plans unfold. Right now, this process feels like it is slow and never-ending, but the truth is I am closer now than ever before. I firmly believe God already has our child chosen for us, and it will be in His timing that we are finally joined as a family. Until then, I wake up in the early morning hours crying, praying, and trusting our baby is in the Lord's hands until I can hold them in my arms.

Update on Immigration

Hope you are all doing well! Thank you so much to all of you that have been asking us about how things are going. I am sorry that once again it has been a little while in between posts-I have now identified why I take so stinkin long-2 reasons. Reason #1- we have a lack of info, so it is hard to write when there aren't a lot of answers. Reason #2- I have realized I tend to be a more private/internal person.  This is also why I am terrible at fb-I am not really comfortable having my thoughts published for everyone to see. You may be saying, why did you start a blog then? Great question-I really want to use this to keep people involved in our adoption process and to share in this journey. So I am going to work to eliminate Reason #2 and I am praying Reason #1 takes care of itself:)

Where we are right now-before you can adopt internationally, you have to have permission from the US government. Once again this is something that requires a good amount of paperwork, a chunk of money, and about 60 days. We have an awesome social worker who got our home study completed crazy fast, so we were able to overnight everything required in the very beginning of April. About halfway through the process we were supposed to be scheduled for fingerprinting. Then shortly after get our approval. I would run to the mailbox everyday like some giddy little schoolgirl anxiously awaiting our fingerprinting info, but it just wasn't coming. After numerous phonecalls for about 2 1/2 weeks someone finally told us that our homestudy was not with our paperwork and needed to be resent. We were very frustrated, but were relieved to at least have some answers.

We overnighted our homestudy to them again 3 weeks ago. We were told we would have our fingerprinting in 5-10 days. Frustration and disappointment. I called once again yesterday to check on things, and I was told everything was there and we should be assigned an officer anytime as well as receive our fingerprinting notification. Officer White was the name of the person that was so helpful to us 3 weeks ago and finally got us some answers, and she is also the person I was put in contact with yesterday. We have talked to many different people, but she has been the nicest and most helpful. Thankfully, she said she should be the one to receive our case and promised she would make sure we were taken care of. We are disappointed that things have taken this long and still aren't resolved but I do feel better knowing this kind woman is willing to help us with this piece of the process.

Our timeline had us sending in our dossier the beginning of June. Now we are hoping to send it by the first of July. We know it is only a month delay, but that is one month longer til we get to hold our sweet baby. Jonathon and I both can get overwhelmed by the weight of the process. Thankfully, it usually hits us at different times, so we can balance the other one out. We KNOW this is all in the Lord's hands. Our "timeline" is just feeble anyway. He has our son/daughter chosen and we will be joined together in His perfect timing. Most days, we stand firm on this and have an incredible peace. But some days are harder than others.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We truly cherish it.

Sneak peek for next post:

FAQ's

WOW! It has been way too long! Sorry about the absence-we have been crazy, busy around here!
So many things going on!

I thought I would answer some questions that we get asked a lot.

Why Ethiopia?
As you read our story about what brought us to adopt here in the long version,  you can tell that we have a heart for East Africa. I (Jess) feel in love with it over 10 years ago! When people say East Africa they are typically speaking of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.  Ethiopia is actually the only one of those countries that I have not been to, yet. The reason we are adopting from there and not one of the other 3 countries is simply because of the international adoption process. The other countries are not really open to US adoptions. Technically they say that they are, but really you must go and live there for the entire process-which is usually 2 years! We really prayed about it and actually tried while we were living in Kenya, but obviously the timing wasn't right and things did not work out. Uganda has recently started opening the doors some to US adoption, but it is a very new program that is still being worked out, and they are predominantly adopting out older children at this point.

Will it be a boy or girl?
Great question. Not sure the answer though. You can specify gender, but we chose not to. The odds are in favor of a boy, simply because more people request girls. But that is not definite, so we aren't buying blue yet!

How old will they be?
In the applications and paperwork you fill out, you specify age ranges that you feel comfortable with. Our agency strongly encourages not to disrupt the birth order-so they recommend your adopted child not be any older then your youngest child.  We trusted them and followed their counsel. We requested younger than 1 year. Because the process is so lengthy they may be a little older when they get home with us. Our US immigration paperwork states that the child should be 18 months or younger.

How long is the process and where are you at in it?
You can see most of the steps here. And we have actually hit a little snag with our immigration application right now. There has been a slight delay for some reason. Our paperwork is currently in the "file room," while we should have received a fingerprint request. Truth be told, we don't know what that reason is right now. We know and understand the difficulties of working with foreign gov't, but this is the first time we have been witness to difficulties working with US gov't. It is hard to find the right person who can give us the answers we need, but we are still trying.

How much does this cost? Is it expensive?
Yes, it is expensive. It is sad how much it costs, and I think more people would be open to adoption if it didn't cost as much. There are a lot of people involved, a mountain of paperwork, gov't expenses, and travel. But the truth is, you cannot put a price on the life of a child. They are worth it. I recently saw a quote from the founder of one of my fav places to eat-Chikfila:) Dan Cathy said " If it's God-inspired dreams the He's given you, they will never fit in your checkbook or calendar."
I serve the Lord that owns it all! God is providing the money we need for our child, and if you are interested in adoption, I fully believe He will provide for you too.

How can we help?
There are a few different ways we could use your help. In the next week or so, I will let you know how you can help support our adoption effort not only financially but through something that will hopefully get the word out about this orphan crisis.
Truly, the most important thing you can do to support us is PRAY.
I don't say that casually either. Prayer is what has brought us to this point, and honestly, prayer is the only thing that is going to get us through this.
This process is challenging-emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

-Pray for our baby(which may or may not have even been born yet) I am overwhelmed when I even think of our precious innocent baby so far away from us and not knowing what situation, circumstances, or surroundings they are in
-Please pray for the process in general-that everything will be handled ethically, smoothly, and quickly as possible-Specifically right now please pray that our application will go through immigrations and not be held up any longer
-Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom, guidance, and peace

You've Got Mail

Remember how exciting it was when you were a little kid to run to the mailbox and see if there was anything in there for you. There very rarely was, except of course around your birthday. And, maybe your parents were like mine and let you open the stuff labeled "resident." At only 15 months Emory is already tickled when I ask her if she wants to go with momma to check the mailbox. She doesn't care who the letters are for, she is just pumped she gets to take them out of the box.

When I was in college, the thrill was back again. We would run down to the Hub where our mailboxes were and hope there was something in there. On a really good day, there would be a little slip of paper that said you had a package!

After college, mail was not so fun anymore. Except for the occasional magazine or catalog, most everything was junkmail or BILLS! It's actually a good day when there isn't anything waiting.

Until NOW! Right now, we are in the process of applying with US Immigration to grant us permission to bring a child into the US. From what we understand the average approval time is about 8 weeks. About halfway through that time our social worker told us to expect to get a letter in the mail requesting us to get fingerprinted. We can't move forward until this happens. A few days ago, I was almost giddy as I opened our mailbox to find a letter from US immigration! Then, just a few microseconds later a little disappointed when it wasn't our fingerprinting appointment-instead it was a receipt letting us know that they received our application and money.

Two days later, I was in a hurry to get somewhere but checked the mail on my way out. A letter from Holt-our adoption agency-was waiting! I wasn't expecting anything from them-they almost always email us-was this something good, bad?! Instead another receipt!

All of sudden I am brought back to being a child again. Looking outside for the mailman-hoping he leaves me something! Each day has to bring us closer! Maybe there will be something inside for me today!

Waiting

Wait...I have heard this word so often lately. Of course in our journey as a family this is where we are...waiting. But it seems many people are here as well. We may all be in different seasons of life, but it seems waiting is inevitable. For some it is only a short time, for others it is longer.

In our culture today, we cannot stand to wait. We want everything fast, and usually fast isn't fast enough. We want it faster. We want it now! I think one of the reasons I have such a hard time waiting is because I want control. When I have to wait, I don't have any control in the situation. And patience is a virtue that I do not yet posses. Don't know about you, but I am definitely still a work in progress!

Just this past weekend someone brought to my attention a bible story that I have heard a thousand times before but had casually read over key parts. We have all heard the story of Noah. I think we hear this story so often while we are young we often skip all the waiting. Not only did Noah build this ginormous boat when everyone around him thought he was crazy, but after he did as the Lord told him to loading up his entire family along with 2 of every kind of animal, he had to wait. He is in tight quarters with smelly animals and the Lord makes him wait 7 LONG days before one drop of rain. I bet that was the longest week ever! He probably had a lot of doubt during that time whether this whole flood thing was going to happen or not. And I am sure the towns people really thought he was nuts! Then again after the flood waters stopped-more waiting! Noah-his family-and the animals had to be ready to get off that boat! But the time wasn't right and the Lord made them wait even longer. It was 150 days after the flood waters stopped before God "remembered" Noah.

This is just one of many stories in scripture that the Lord required a time of waiting. Not sure if you are in a time of waiting or not. If you aren't right now, it is almost a guarantee that you have been before and you will be again. I am confident that the Lord uses these times to teach us valuable lessons, but that doesn't change the fact that waiting STINKS!
The following songs have been on my mind all day. If you like any songs that have to do with waiting leave them in the comments section to share!
Everlasting God (Strength will Rise) and We Will Wait

Celebrity or Infertility?

We have had lots of different responses in telling people of our adoption plans. Overall people have been fabulous! We have had an overwhelmingly supportive and loving reaction from so many of you online. We really cannot THANK YOU enough for that. We do not have any doubts that this is the path our family is supposed to go down, but it is even more helpful and encouraging when you have wonderful people walking with you and more importantly praying for you along the way!

When we have told some people though we have had...different reactions. The most common being-WHY? Not sure why we didn't expect this, but it was a surprise each time someone said it. I guess in our mind the question is really WHY NOT? As we have thought about this we understand a little more the reason some people react this way. Unfortunately, I think overall in our culture, adoption is accepted more or maybe the better word is expected more from those that are celebrities or those that have struggled with infertility.

In case you didn't know we are not celebrities. Not once have we been mistaken for Brad and Angelina:) So obviously, we must not be able to get pregnant. Thats not our situation either. I have several friends that have struggled with the quiet heartbreaking battle with infertility. I can't imagine how painful that process is. And for many adoption becomes their miracle-not just for them but for their beautiful, innocent child as well.

But should those 2 types of people be the only ones that provide love and shelter for so many helpless children that are orphaned? Please do not be mistaken-I DO NOT think adoption is for everyone nor do I think it is the answer for this global crisis, but with an estimated 143 million orphans in this world-I sure hope it's for more than just celebrities or those struggling to get pregnant.

Timing is Everything and the Hardest thing!

As I have mentioned before, our adoption process is a long one. Many have asked what the timeframe and process is. It is definitely not set in stone and has lots of variables that can affect it drastically, but here is a general overview of our steps and timetable.

Selection of Agency
Agency Application
Acceptance into Ethiopia Program-3-4 days
Home Study (Lots of paperwork, interviews, educational classes, and a home evaluation)-6-8wks.
Immigration Application/Fingerprinting-about 8 wks (WE ARE HERE-our immigration app was turned in last week)
Dossier (A LOT more paperwork!!!!)-6-9months
Referral of Child-6-8wks
1st Ethiopian trip (Meet our child and go to court for adoption proceedings)
Unfortunately we have to return to the US without our baby (Part I am most nervous about)
8-12wks later
2nd Ethiopian trip-Embassy clearance and Bring baby home!!!!
This entire process takes 1-2 years-that is quite a time range, huh?! So right now we have about 7 wks before we get our immigration approval. Our  Dossier is almost complete just a couple more things to add. It will be ready and waiting when we get out approval, then the LONG wait until we have our child referral.
We would really appreciate your prayers for the Ethiopian gov't right now. There are some major changes in the area that handles adoption.We want everything done in a concise, but ethical manner that is in the best interest of all orphaned children there. They have 4.6 MILLION orphans in Ethiopia.
Thank you all so very much for your support, love, and prayers!

Adding to our Family

In January 2011, we began the process of expanding our family through adoption from Ethiopia. We are so very excited about our addition on the way. We want to keep you updated on our journey, as it is a very long process!

For us, adoption is a God-inspired dream. If you want a little background on our story please look here. There is a ton more information on orphan-care, the adoption process, and our story that we want to share with you.  We also want to answer all the questions that are probably running through your mind right now. We hope this is a good avenue to do that over the next few months.

During this time of waiting that we are in, we truly cherish your prayers.

The LONG Version

The summer after my freshman year in college I went on a missions trip to Uganda. That is where this all begins-I fell in love with Africa! Not only was it the most beautiful place that I had ever seen, but the people there are like nothing I had ever experienced. Although they lived in extreme poverty, joy filled their soul and body so much it made their faces glow! We were building playgrounds in a couple of hte villages, and the children were absolutely incredible. My heart was never the same.That trip was only a couple of weeks, but I knew I would return.

Jump ahead a couple of years to the summer after my junior year. I had the oppurtunity to be a part of a summer long missions trip to Kenya and Tanzania. On this adventure I traveled around these countries along with 3 other American students and 6 Kenyans. I was able to see more of this gorgous land and become engulfed in the culture. Once again, when I left, I knew I would be back again one day.
Its a lot easier to go on these trips when you are a carefree college student-once I graduated, got married, and entered "the real world" I wasn't quite sure when and how I would be able to return to this place and people I loved.
  
If you know Jonathon, you know he is nothing short of AMAZING (ok I may be a little biased)! Although he is fabulous, he didn't exactly have the same passion I did for East Africa. Thats not really his fault, because he had not actually been there like I had. When we got married, I prayed that if the Lord wanted to use this passion I had for Africa, that HE would have to put that desire in Jonathon's heart as well. We didn't talk about it a lot, it was just always something in the back of my mind. 


During this time, I was a Resident Director of one of the ladies dorms as Trevecca. Basically, we lived in the dorm that I was in charge of. We knew that whenever we felt our days in the dorm were over, we would be looking for a place to live and I would be looking for a new job. We both started praying that God would make HIS plans clear to us.We began to discuss some possible missions related options. We knew that if we were ever going to do anything like this, NOW was the time. Another long story shortened...we had the chance to live in Kenya for 5 months through a volunteer missions program. 

We lived on the Nazarene campus and God was able to use our feeble talents to help out at the University.Very close to campus there was an orphanage that we were able to walk to about once a week to spend time and play with the children. Needless to say Jonathon was hooked. God had opened his heart in a way that only HE can to this place and these people so that we could share this passion. 
We knew it was time for us to return to the states but we also knew our journey with East Africa was not over yet. 

If you know us, you know when we returned we settled back in Nashville, God provided a job for Jonathon, and shortly after our return I got pregnant with Emory. Although we currently reside in the US and feel incredibly blessed to live in this free country, there remains a part of our heart that is on the other side of the world. From my first trip to Uganda 10 years ago I knew God had a bigger plan than I could imagine. Which brings us to where we are right now...after a decade of prayer, we are in the process of adoption from Ethiopia.