the BEST day ever, so far. . .

Our dearest K,

K, for those who follow, they might already know what is up. They might have noticed your letter isn’t addressed to Lando, our working name for you. K, we have seen your face and have fallen in love. 

It has been about 24 hours since we received the phone call which changed our lives. On Monday, August 22 at about 7 pm (central time) our case manager, B, called to say she wanted to discuss a child with us. K, you are approximately 4 months old and the most beautiful boy we have seen!

So why haven’t I posted about this amazing event in our lives? Simple, we have been doing paperwork, telling our family and family, and just staring at your pictures.

So K, you probably want to know how this happened. Well. . . Your Dad was watching something on TV and I was posting on your blog about how I am was no longer allowed to call your Dad at work until we got THE CALL. (I should also tell you, it was the end of the day. We were both in our “comfy” clothes and relaxing.) At a little after 7 pm the phone rang, I remember calculating the time in Portland going it is too late to hear from B and your Dad said, “I can’t take this anymore.” I got up to answer and I heard B say, “Is this Kara?”

Me: Yes

B: It’s B from All God’s Children, do you have a moment?

Me: B is this THE CALL? Cause if it is, we have all the time in the world for you!

B responded something along the lines that it was and I said I was going to put her on speaker phone. Then she told us about you. (K can I just say it was kinda painful to go through all this information about you and not see your face?) Throughout the information your Dad and I sat in the hallway with Joey holding hands and crying looking at the computer while we talked to B. Why the hallway? It’s where the phone base is located and we couldn’t process moving elsewhere. (Yep, best news/phone call ever in my life and I was sitting on the floor. So not how I had THE CALL happening in my head when I thought about it.)  

When we got off the phone with B, we moved to the sofa, with the computer so we could see your picture to call your Grandmas and others. K you have a lot of people excited!  Your Grandma Kathy and Aunts Marcia and Courtney came over to see your picture last night. Your Dad talked with your Aunt Kristi and I talked with your Aunt Jennie. I can’t tell you how much we loved saying to them, “We have a son.” 

K, your phone call came on a great day! Over the weekend, while talking with your Aunt Jennie, we talked about how awesome it would for her daughter to be born on the same day as THE CALL. K, it happened. I found out about A’s birth at 4:05 pm and we got our call about 3 hours later. (Yes, I am sorry I didn’t note the exact time we got the call. It is one of the many things I wasn’t processing last night.) Your Aunt Jennie and I have talked multiple times since your call and we feel this means you and A are so going to be BFFs. (You have 3 more BFFs living a block away and 2 across town by the way.)

K, we have seen your face. It is amazing! From some of your pictures we can tell you have a bit of an attitude, which will be perfect in our family. We can’t wait to actually meet you. We know it will be at least November before we do, but you are so worth it.  

Love,

Mom and Dad

(Yes, I really loved typing that.)

As we rejoice over becoming a family of three, we pray and give thanks for:

• Our K at Hannah’s Hope in Addis Ababa. Pray K stays healthy, attaches to his care givers at Hannah’s Hope, and can come home with us as quickly as the system allows.

• The biological family of our child. I cannot image what they have gone through in the process of making their decision.

• The children who are still waiting to be matched with their families and those who are waiting for those matches. It is a hard wait.

• Almaz and her staff at Hannah’s Hope. They will be the ones caring and loving our K until he can be here with us.

• Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA), the government agency, in Ethiopia processing our paperwork.

• A quick court date, as well as passing it, the first time. 

• Our agency, AGCI, and its workers as they do their part in bringing our family together.

• Our case manager, B, for the wonderful news she was able to share with us and for dealing with us until we can bring K home.

• Our amazing home study agency, The Baby Fold, and our worker, L, for their part in this journey.   

• Luc and myself as we wait knowing our child is around 7,500 miles and an ocean away, as we finish our preparations for bringing our child home, for safe travel, and once K is home.

Thank you so much for being on this journey with us, no matter how directly or indirectly.