This is the face that changed my family's life. The face that I saw when I was searching for answers. When I heard a small voice calling me to do more. To act now. To open my eyes and see beyond the statistics and know the people behind them. This face of a 4 year old little boy more than half way around the world had that power. Once I saw this face and that face had a name, (Tedi) I knew God was about to blow the doors off of our reality and take it to another level. My friend Natalie, whom I had just met for the express purpose of finding out a little about Ethiopia and the adoption of its orphans, slid the picture book across the table to me. I opened it up and looked into the big sad brown eyes of her son and that was my undoing. They were waiting to pass court in Ethiopia so they could go and meet him and bring him home forever. Her strength was unwavering. She was meant to be a mother to this boy just as much as she was meant to be alive. There were no questions inside her. There was only assurance that God had given this child to be hers and JT's. The road had been long and grueling. The wait had been almost unberable. The work to raise the money had been a lot! But through it all they rested in the fact that God was right beside them, leading them to Africa. Even though they had been in the valley of infertility, His perfect love had cast out their fears and frustrations. He had never let go. This is how I know we can do it too. As an adopting couple, it's important to have the support of others who have journeyed that road before you. Tonight as I write this Tedi is sitting between JT and Natalie on a couch somewhere in Louisville watching Toy Story. (As he has been since his arrival in early July!) And I rest in the knowledge that someday soon, our little one will be nestled on our couch with us, secure in the fact that she will never have to go to bed again without the touch of my lips on her forehead and the sound of Jarrod's voice, telling her how much he loves her and how happy we are to have her here with us. Forever.

After much encouragement (and pressure :) )I have decided to chronicle this journey to our daughter in a blog. At present, I don't know what in the world I am going to write about. We are accumulating a lot of paperwork and not much else is happening. It all feels very tedious.

This weekend will be our 4th yardsale. We have managed to raise $55oo so far with these yardsales. All of the items have been donated by friends, family, and fellow church members. When I came up with the idea to have these things, I never dreamed we would make so much money. The kindness of the people who have donated items has been overwhelming. So many have given so much. We are greatful to all that have helped us and worked so hard too. Believe me, it's a lot of work. I will never want to have another yardsale as long as I live when this is over with! But, when it's all said and done, and I look into my daughter's face, every second of this labor will be worth it.

Speaking of labor, my sister shared with me a nugget of wisdom that someone told her about our adoption. They were talking about the yardsale and all the work that's gone into it. The lady told her this. "There's more than one way to labor a child into this world." I thought that was quite a simple and profound way to sum it up!