Sweet little Elizabeth,
It has been two months since our referral and the day that we first laid eyes on your precious face. I’m not going to lie- we are really feeling the weight of each and every day of those two months. We cannot wait to get you home, and the wait is becoming excruciating.
We did receive some awesome news a few days ago, though! Last week, on July 30th, a judge at Tribunal approved our petition to adopt you as our daughter! He’s just waiting on your birth certificate from Commune, and they we’ll have his official approval! We’re told that although we still have a bit of a ways to go before we can bring you home, things are moving at a faster pace than usual. Praise God!
Elizabeth, I lie awake at night thinking about you… if you’re sleeping well, how you’ve been eating, if you’re healthy… it’s crazy hard for a mama to be away from her baby girl, you know. I daydream about you. I wonder what your personality is like. What your voice sounds like. Are you talking at all? Standing up? I hate, hate, hate that I am missing all of these huge milestones. All of these “firsts”. As painful as this is- and, oh, it is indeed- I’m choosing to focus on my belief that God can and will redeem this “lost time” and use it for His glory.
On a lighter note, I bought you a whole ton of headbands for you this month in every color of the rainbow… to, ya know, attach hairbows in every color of the rainbow. Because, my girl- you might not have much hair right now, but you will wear bows. You’ll learn soon enough that that’s just how we roll down here in North Carolina. We’ve also officially moved Mary Grace out of your room, and I am planning on setting up your crib this month. Your brother and sister are so stinkin’ excited to meet you, Elizabeth! I hope you’re ready for a wee bit of chaos up in here. We have been learning bits and pieces of Swahili and have been studying books about your beautiful birth country. We pray for you all throughout the day, every single day. Pretty girl, you don’t know this yet, but you are covered in prayer. As you always will be.
We love you, and we’re coming…