No Gas To Be Found

We are having a major gas shortage here in Atlanta. It is weird to drive around and see all of the gas stations out of gas. The ones that get some only have it for a few hours and lines are hours long. Since we have so many adults living under one roof, we have five cars (though only four are used now that Jared is gone to Costa Rica). We can't find gas for most of them, so I have been stuck at home. We are trying no to go anywhere that we don't have to since we are out of gas. Everyone here in Atlanta is freaky out (which is a big part of the problem) and people are driving hours out of the city to wait in line for gas. It is crazy! Hopefully it will be over soon.

The Courts Are Open!

Yesterday the Ethiopian courts opened up again. That means that now the families who already have their referrals will now be able to get court dates. Once their adoptions go through they will get their travel dates. I am so excited for all of the families who have been waiting for the courts to finally open back up, it means that they are getting closer to holding their babies for the first time.

The courts opening up means that there might be more referrals in the next few months. When parents come to pick up their children it allows the orphanage to go and get more kids to refer out.

We were number 10 at the start of September, but I think we are now more like 6 or 7 now based on other blogs and what they think their new numbers might be. Getting so close is both scary and exciting. I know that we could be another month or more, but it could be less if referrals keep moving fast. I feel like there is so much for me to do before we will be ready for the new baby. We will have a few months after the referral before we will be allowed to travel though. I will keep posting any new information!

Aunt Jillian!

My best friend (known each other since birth) and my college roommate Jillian came to visit us this month for two whole weeks! It was so much fun and very relaxing. Tobin look right away to his Aunt Jillian, who is very good with kids being the oldest girl of eight. It never takes Tobin long to fall back in love with Aunt Jillian.

Out to eat with Jared for his last dinner before leaving for Costa Rica. Jillian and I are opposites in so many ways, which is why we are such good friends. The funny thing is that I ended up marrying some one a lot like her!

Mom, Destiny and Jillian after church.

Jillian's goodbye dinner out. Clark and Jillian are so funny together and often gang up on me to get out and do more fun things. I don't know what I would do without either of them.

Tobin has been acting up ever since Jillian left. He misses having someone to play with and do what he says (he is a bossy toddler). We miss you so much Jillian.

Uncle Jared Leaves :(

Mom, Dad, and Jared at our dinner out for him. Their last kid is leaving.

My youngest brother Jared left two weeks ago for Costa Rica where he will be studying Spanish at a year long language school. After that he is off to college in DC. He is all grown up and I can't believe it. He is the baby that I prayed for when I was 10 and wanted another sibling. I got my prayer answered and have been trying to mother him ever since.
I think I have finally realized that he is grown up now and will be 18 soon.
I am so proud of the man that he is turning out to be!

Brothers to the end. Now Clark has no one to go to late night movies with.

After church we all prayed for him.

We will miss you Jared, but we know that you are getting to do such exciting things! I am a little jealous, but will try to live vicariously through you.

The person who will miss Uncle Jared the most is Tobin. They are such friends and Tobin loves to play music with Jared. Now Tobin just sits at the piano all by himself and looks sad.

We love you Jared!

Aunt Jessa Visits!

Jessica (or Jessa as she is known by her friends in NYC) got to come home over Labor day and it was so much fun to see her for a few days. I miss the days that she use to come home all summer! Darn life and job up in New York City! The kids at church were very glad to see her as well.


Tobin fell in love with his Aunt Jessa all over again! And our pastor's kids (Mya and Levi in the picture above) were of course glad to see their beloved Jessica.



The whole family minus Jeff who lives in Japan and baby Jessa (guess who we are naming her after!) who is somewhere in Ethiopia! I think that we might be #7 or #6 now on the wait list but I won't get official numbers until the first week of October.

September Numbers

Just got our monthly update call and our new wait list number for September. I can't believe that we are number 10 now! We were 15 at the beginning of August. There has not been much movement at all in the referral list and almost none for the boy side. This next month will be really really slow or more likely no referrals at all. So it still will be a while before our referral, I think it will be more like November. But, still it is a step closer to baby Jessa!

By the way, Clark asked me to put this image on this post because I guess it has something to do with the number 10.