It's a Girl

We knew it would come eventually. We’ve waited for weeks to hear word about the baby God had for us in Ethiopia. We began this process over a year ago now. At 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon as we prepared to go meet some dear friends visiting Savannah Erika decided that we wouldn’t hear this week. For Erika, weekends had become one long exercise in patience since referral calls only go out on weekdays.

Having greeted our friends at their hotel we headed for River Street. We hadn’t even had time to tell them where we were in the adoption process when the phone rang. Right there on River Street on a beautiful Savannah afternoon Erika looked at her phone and said, “I think this is it!” Lucy, Harry and our friends continued down the street as Erika and I listened with tears welling up in our eyes. We are now the parents of a 5 week old baby girl. Even as a massive cargo ship from who knows where in the world sailed into the port of Savannah we became aware for the first time of a little girl in Africa who is now our sweet daughter.

From there the afternoon was a whirlwind of excitement and fellowship with good friends. We walked around downtown Savannah telling each other of all the things God is doing in our lives and churches. After walking them back to their hotel to say goodbye we drove to my parents’ house where, for the first time, in the company of Grammy and Granddaddy, we saw our daughter. No doubt it will be a story that we tell her over and over again.

Sleep came slowly for Erika last night. This morning we’re busy filling out papers and contacting friends. We are blessed to be able to write a check for exactly the amount we need to accept the referral. If you remember, God provided almost exactly that amount at our garage sale late last spring.

This morning our prayers have changed. For months we have asked God for help as we believed He was leading us to adopt a child from Ethiopia. Now we pray for a specific baby girl that He would keep her safe in His loving arms until we can get there to bring her home.