One Teeny Tiny Baby Step

As you know if you read my previous post, the Ethiopian judge declared Bek our son last Thursday.  However, we have been cautioned against posting pictures or distinguishing information until the letter is obtained from the regional MOWA, which will allow the federal MOWA to write our approval, which will allow our Power of Attorney to take the approval to the court, which will allow our file to be complete.  This will {finally} conclude the court portion of the process.  I would never have guessed this part would still be dragging on. 

Today, we received news that our regional letter is written and should be obtained tomorrow {please, please pray that our POA is there at the exact time that the office can see her...it's a strange balancing act!}, which would allow the rest to begin.  We are cautiously optimistic that this really will happen. 

But, the really great answer to prayer is that our adoption decree is currently being translated *praise Jesus* and should be done later this week!  Aside from having a complete file, this is exactly what we hoped to hear today!  This means that not having this paperwork has not completely stalled the process.  We still need that paperwork so that the steps toward Embassy submission can begin, but this is good, good news. 

Specific prayer requests for the remainder of the process include the following:

1. That our paperwork will be obtained tomorrow.
2. That at the conclusion of this week, we will have our translated adoption decree and both letters will be in our file, completing the court portion of the process.
3. That Bek's passport, birth certificate, and visa medical examination will be obtained quickly and that we will be submitted to Embassy in early May.
4. For all our documents to be complete and translated correctly so that the US Embassy is 100% sure that Bek meets the status of an orphan by US standards.
5. For our peace and patience...that we will be open to what Christ has to teach us through this period of waiting.
6. For Bek...his health and safety as well as his little spirit. He has already experienced so much loss in his little life and I imagine it must be so confusing when his little roommates leave to go home to their forever families.  Please specifically pray that he remembers us and that God will somehow comfort him with the knowledge that we are his family and that we will be back as soon as we can. 

And, because I can't post any pictures of his sweet little face, how about a tiny glimpse of him with his buddy Taye, waiting and watching for their mommies and daddies to come back and get them?!

Soon, baby, very soon!