So long for now..........

We leave for the airport in about 20 minutes. Is this real? I just can't imagine seeing my babies out side of a computer screen. I can't imagine what it will feel like to look at them in real life, standing there where I can reach out and hug and kiss them. I can't imagine what it will be like to see all three of my boys together for the first time. But I will know soon. This is so unreal! Amazing. Thanks for everyone who helped make this happen. My Mom and Dad, Johnette and Willie, Grace, Momma Mary and John Dad and all of you who prayed for us. We are so honored to share this with all of you!

So Sweet............

My friend Carla just dropped off this gift for me.

Its an OmniPeace shirt to end poverty in Africa!

And they're off...........

Our bags are packed!! We are so excited! As you can see the boxes are packed FULL! Those are all donations! The green bag is also almost half donations as well! WOW! What a great network of people that are a part of our adoption group! I can't wait to meet several of them in Ethiopia! What a blessing this trip will be. A trip of a lifetime for Jeff, Aiden and myself. Not to mention Minte!! We will never be the same after Friday! Please pray for our safety and for our transition. This is so MAJOR!!

50s, 60, and 70s..............

Found out from a Hope mom, Lisa that just came home from a visit to Addis Ababa to see her kids that the weather in Ethiopia right now is 50s in the am, 60-70s during the day and 50s again in the pm. YAY! We will be gone for the HOTTEST month in Texas to AFRICA and it is going to be, on average, 30 degrees COOLER there. Whaaaaaa????

Almost time.....................

It is almost time for Aiden and I to hit the sky and head for Ethiopia. Ya'll pray for Jeff, he will be the blog updater for me. I am using this post as a bit of a lesson in blogging since Jeff hasn't done it before. I plan on emailing him updates to post for me. Hopefully I will be able to email a couple of times a week. I may be being a bit optimistic but it is my intention to get to the Addis Ababa Hilton to use the WiFi occasionally. I am told that you can purchase a day pass there to use their pool so I plan on taking the boys there some.
I am almost packed, just have a few more odds and ends to take care of. I am getting to take 25 sets of scrubs for the caregivers and some other small gifts. I am taking plenty of gifts from Hope families. We are so excited........just can't wait!
We will miss Jeff very much and I am sad that he won't be with me the first time I see my boys faces. That makes me sad but it is so important to us that Minte finally gets to be with his family. He has been in an orphanage for at least 2 years (we aren't sure beyond that, could be longer) and we are ready to be with him and bond. I feel so blessed to be able to have this extra time with him. Most families are only able to go for a week or two but I get to spend an entire month soaking up my children's culture and heritage. I am thinking about going to an Orthodox Church service and just enjoying Africa.
I might even let Minte show us around some. I bet there is lots of Addis that he has never been able to see until now. We will save the really good stuff like The Blue Nile and other interesting places that I have never heard of until Jeff joins us.
Please just be in prayer for our safety and travel. Continued prayers for the baby's paperwork would be nice also. It would be so sweet to bring everyone home together! Thank you and blessings to all of you!

The gift of friendship.................

We received a package in the mail today from the Ellerbee Family. It was full of stuff to take to Minte when we leave next week. You should know that the Ellerbees are how we found Minte. Joshua Ellerbee is Minte's best friend (hence the shirt). Here is some of what was in the care-package.

I can't wait to give Mintesinot his gifts! He will love it. Soon I will be able to post a picture of him wearing his shirt. So fun!

I love you Gina! Thank you so much for your friendship and love. Thank you for crying with me and laughing with me and everything in between. You are wonderful. Please tell your kids thank you for me and for Minte. I am so glad to have gained you all as an extended family! God is so amazing!

For those of you who don't know.............

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and thoughts. We received word yesterday that Minte has passed court. We are praising God for this. What a blessings. Hallelujah!
The bad news is that we also found out that the woman from the orphanage that Teodros came from forged a document rather than having it done the lawful way. He will still be our son but we will have to go back through court for him. Unfortunately Ethiopia closes court for all of August and September. Without a miracle from our God, Theo's paperwork won't be done in time for him to pass court before the closure. It looks like we may have to wait until Oct., Nov. to bring him home. We are not discouraged though because we serve a big God and he has delivered Jeff and I from so much. How could we start to doubt him now?
Adoption is just a roller coaster. Some people sail right through with no problems and others have awful experiences that leave them shaken. I would consider ours somewhere in between. It has been quite a journey but nothing compared to what some of my adoption friends have had to endure. God has surrounded us with a family of other adoptive parents. They help lighten our load when we are feeling
weary and worn from the struggle. If you are one of those people, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We love you and are blessed by you. For those of you who aren't adoptive parents but continue to support us with your love and prayers, thank you, because you are always there for us even when you don't know quite what to say or how to relate and that means a lot.
Aiden and I will leave as planned to be with Minte. We will be able to visit with the baby some and then we will give Minte an Ethiopian adventure. Jeff will join us in late August and we will have some family time in Addis Ababa before returning home. Possibly as a complete family. But even if we don't get to bring our baby home with us, we are standing firm on Jesus. We are hopeful. Please continue your prayers for us.
Blessings,
Jaclyn and Jeff

PRAISE GOD.................

THIS BOY IS OFFICIALLY OURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we are praising, praising, praising GOD!!!

Thank you all for your prayers for him. We are absolutely ecstatic!

I have added pictures to the slide show of Minte and his friends! Enjoy!