11 Months Old

Sixteen weeks ago, I had no clue that we would be in this position.  At that point, I was sure that we would be biting our nails, waiting for news from the Embassy saying it's time to come get our son.  I was SURE he would be home by his birthday.

That's not how our story has played out, though, and, although it's hard {so painfully hard} to wait, and wait, and wait, I cannot help but to be thankful.  Thankful that we have a precious, beautiful, growing baby boy on the other side of the planet.  Thankful that we get to experience this level of longing and of reliance on God.  This is not an easy place for a control freak, but I am learning to give that up.  I'm a slow learner, but this week I am focusing on waiting gracefully and standing on this command:

⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

~James 1:4~

Today our sweet Bek turned 11 months old.  Although I am longing to hold our little man and kiss those precious cheeks, I am choosing today to focus on the strides he is making while he waits for us in Ethiopia.  Some things I know:

• Bek is being potty trained!  Yep, you read that right!  We have pictures of him in his polka-dotted undies to prove it. :)  At the transition home, they start potty training at 10 months.
• No more bottles for baby B.  At 9 months, they switch the babies to sippy cups. 
• He's pulling up!  In our last pictures that we received this week, he is standing in his crib.  Such a big boy.
• Because he's pulling up, he's also falling, which I am assuming is the cause for the shiner he's wearing under his right eye these days.
• Bek's buddy, Fasika, is in the crib right next to him.  Baby Fasi just turned a year old...I'm guessing she's teaching them the ways of the world by now.  In a couple of the last pictures, he has his arms through the top of his crib reaching into hers.  So sweet!

Bek's room; his crib is right under Bert :)

Some things I don't know but wish I did:

• If Bek has taken his first step
• If he knows he has a family in Missouri that is dying to meet him
• If he has any teeth {though, I would guess he's teething based on the tongue hanging out of his mouth in his last pictures}
• WHEN we are going to get to go meet him

We received word last week that we have been submitted for court!  Praise Jesus we have made some progress.  We are so hopeful that we will learn of our court date by the end of the week.

Thank you for your continued prayers.  We are so thankful for a Savior that sustains us and for friends that pray for us and our son.