I am so happy to be able to say God has re-directed our path and moved our hearts in a way only He could. With joy, and literally with a smile on my face, I say, "We are adopting from AFRICA!" I am so happy to know (that I know, that I know) we are on the path to our baby girl and she is coming from Ethiopia.

In our time of uncertainly waiting to hear from God on where we were to adopt from, God ministered to us in such special ways. I was reminded of how very much all parts of our lives are to be lived in a posture of surrender. Not because we are unworthy or because God wants to shape us, but because He delights in blessing us. His blessing is so much bigger than what we can hold, so much bigger than our fists clench for, our minds imagine and our hearts race for. In this adoption journey I am so thankful for having been brought to a point of having no idea what the plan was, I released what little control I thought I had on where our daughter was coming from...only to find out how perfect his plan was the whole time. I have such a love growing in me for Ethiopia, for the people there, for the amazing woman who will carry my child. For the precious caretakers of our baby girl. I read something a friend adopting wrote this week and it is so true. She wrote of a mama's love for her adopted child, "How deep love can precede sight". Sweet Pearl, I will dream of you tonight, you are forever loved.