USA ... Here We Come!

So, another night of not being able to sleep... my poor baby is not feeling well and after cleaning up puke and diarhea, I just need a little relax time before I can sleep. 

Today we will pack up to leave Ethiopia. We received all Silas' documents to get him through customs in Minneapolis, where he will become a US citizen as soon as his visa is stamped. 

Documents and passport ready to go

It will be great to get him home where we can take him to the doctor and get him on a schedule. 

I'm ready for Wisconsin

And I cannot wait to see you daughter. She has been so brave staying with Grandma and Grandpa. I guess she has been reminding them to pick us up at the airport every day. 

Saying goodbye at the airport

Kiera's story about us flying to get Silas

This is us coming through the security doors at the aiport (we told Kiera to look for us there when she picks us up). 

In Kiera's story this is me giving he a hug when we come home. 

Kiera made a rice crispy treat snowman with grandma and grandpa... looks like they are having fun :) 

Soon we will be together as our family of 4. Praise God for his gifts in the adoption of these two precious little ones. We are truly blessed!

Joel, Mandy, Kiera and Silas

Update from Ethiopia

We made it!

We have Silas!

We passed embassy on 1/17/13 and received Silas' passport, visa and papers today.

We fly home on Sunday, 1/20/13

Silas is amazing and we are having a great time. We miss our little girl terribly, but I hear that Kiera is having a great time from Grandma. 

Silas has bad chest congestion and has had trouble sleeping, but we think it is getting better. Thank you for all your prayers and we will update more once we are home. 

Packed and Ready ... I Think!?

We are ready, I think...

I keep throwing extra things I think of into the carry-on and suitcases, but for the most part we are all packed. 

Kiera's stuff is ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa's. Joel and my bags are packed. Silas' wardrobe is stuffed into a suitcase, along with enough toys (we hope) to entertain him and us in the guest house for 5 days. And we have a pack 'n play that was generously donated by a member of our church to use for Silas in the guest house (and leave there for other families). 

So, I think we are ready. 

The baby gate went back up today, along with the highchair and changing table. It is starting to feel real. 

I can almost see my little guy running around after his sister and getting into everything. 

I am so excited!

We leave for the airport tomorrow (Monday) at 11 am (we fly out at 2:00) and travel for about 24 hours before we arrive in Ethiopia at 9:30 pm their time on Tuesday. 

Then on Wednesday we get to officially take custody of Silas and keep him with us forever. 

On Thursday we have our interview with the US embassy and then we wait for papers before flying home on Sunday (arriving Monday afternoon)

Please keep our travels and our stay in your prayers! I will try to update the blog when we have time and Internet. 

Blessings!

Joel & Mandy

"It's Time"

So, last night, January 10, 2013, at 11:27pm my water broke I began to cry. 

I checked my email one last time before going to sleep and immediately elbowed Joel to wake him up... "its time" ... 

We received the email we were waiting for from the us embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

CLEARED CASE

This office is ready to schedule an interview for the I-600 petition filed on behalf of the below applicants.

1.      Case Number   ADD2012650024

Family Name, Child Name   Brandt, Abay Joel

And then reality hit with the next email at 12:59am this morning ...

Good morning

Please be informed that the interview is confirmed on Jan.17,2013 at 01:00pm.

Regards,

Adoption unit

Now it is the mad dash to pack up all the stuff we will need, rush to the hospital airport, and wait.

In 72 hours we will be on a plane ... Then after 23.5 hours of labor travel, we will be in Ethiopia. Ready to hold our son in our arms.

We will have to spend a few days in the hospital guest house before the doctor embassy checks us over one more time and gives us our release papers Silas' US entry visa, so we can come home.

----------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for your prayers for our family as we move along this journey of adoption for the 2nd time to be united to our son. We have been blessed by so many people and will be forever grateful. And I ask for you to continue your prayers for us as we go back to Ethiopia and this time bring home our son and become a family of four. 

• Especially Silas and Kiera with all the changes that are about to happen for both of them.
• Pray that Joel and I are strong enough to guide them through it.
• Pray that God will guide us as we parent.
• Pray for protection and health as we travel.
• Pray for the language barrier.  (Unlike our first adoption, Silas is old enough to understand much of the Ethiopian language and he knows no English). 
• Pray that our family will be able to bond together.

Pray that God would cover this whole thing with his blessing

God Bless you all!

Joel & Mandy

P.S. Stay tuned for updates from Ethiopia (when we can get internet)

Praising God ... and Waiting

Today was Silas' finder interview at the embassy. We heard that it went well, but need to wait to be approved and cleared to travel by the US embassy. Then we can hop on a plane and go get our son.

So, how do we wait...

That is the question of the hour/day/week...

We are waiting and trusting in God.
It is not easy. Even though it is now nightime in Ethiopia and the embassy is closed for the day, every time I hear my email notification sound on my phone my heart starts to race and I have to check, hoping we can book our flights. We hope to leave this weekend or next week, but we know it has been taking longer for the embassy to clear cases and this may not be the case.

So, again we wait. I am learning through this whole adoption process, as I did with Kiera's adoption, that God's timing is perfect. Silas' is God's child and He loves him even more than we do. We can trust that our Lord is with him and will move things along in His perfect timing.

Today I came across a verse that calmed me (for now):

Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! (Habakkuk 2:3 TLB).

Our bringing Silas home will not be overdue a single day. 
This is what I am leaning on right now.

And I am taking a cue from a friend of mine who is also waiting to be approved to get her twins ... to decide to "praise God in the wait" and list the things I am grateful for in this wait:

1. We get to spend some special time with Kiera. 
2. I can get over my cold before we travel for 30 hours. 
3. My faith can grow as I daily seek for comfort and reassurance from Christ, my Savior. 
4. We can sleep through the night a few more nights. 
5. I can play in the praise band and go to small group Bible study again this week. 

Prayerfully these will help me Praise God in the Wait this week. 

Blessings,

Mandy

Praise God!

Happy New Year Everyone!

We have a lot to be thankful for this year ... and a lot of things to celebrate in the New Year!

Silas is almost home!

Prior to issuing a visa for an adopted child to be brought home, the US embassy does an investigation of the parents and the child (looking into Silas' history and making sure he is a true orphan). We were approved within 1 day, but are waiting for Silas' orphan status verification. As soon as they tell us this is complete, we have to be there within 2 weeks to bring him home. We are praying this happens quickly.

So, it is very good timing ... God's timing .... that WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR PUZZLE!

We set out to make $5000 to assist with our travel expenses in bringing Silas home.
Basically, this would cover our flights for both trips.

But God had more in mind.

God knew how much we need for this adoption and he met that need through all of your donations and prayers.

This week as we are preparing our house and ourselves for Silas to come home and adding up all the expenses of our trip, we received 3 very generous donations in the name of Jesus ... not only completing our puzzle just in time, but going beyond ...

Are you ready???

You all helped us raise $11,800
(more than double our goal)

We cannot begin to express the joy and awe we have in your generosity!
Thank you all!

There are over 50 families named on this puzzle. Some family, some friends and some anonymous.

We are thankful for all of you.
We are now ready to go whenever His time comes.

God's peace and joy be with you all in 2013!
Joel, Mandy, Kiera & Silas