Roller coaster week

This has been a week full of highs and lows. Early in the week we learned that the delay in getting a court date was due to some missing paperwork. Our POA got the missing report and was given another date to report to the judge on April 26th. That meant we would get a travel date sometime next week. The very next day after that news, we got a call saying he was able to get into court early and we would need to be there by April 27th! NEXT WEEK! Our heads were spinning, and we were so overwhelmed and excited by the thought we would meet our son in just a few days! About an hour later, we received a report from his social worker saying that she had given him the photo book we made. She told us he was so excited and pointed at the pictures of himself saying "Kidus!" He pointed at the photo of me and his Gamma and said "Mimi." He was super excited about the planes and cars and loved looking at photos of his room. The next hour we learned that Federal Mowca had made a seemingly sudden and unexpected decision to suspend review of all cases. For us, that could mean we would still travel next week for our family court date and meet Kidus, but it would likely shorten our first trip and lengthen the time between the two trips, or our court date could be cancelled due to the uncertainty. Yesterday an official from Federal MOWCA called the US Embassy in Addis to tell them that all intercountry adoptions were suspended, effective immediately.

Needless to say, we are reeling and heartbroken. However, we are trying really hard to stay calm and patient. This is not the first time in our 6 year wait that adoptions have been suspended. Beyond that, we know that God has a plan, and He is good. Though we were shocked, this suspension was no surprise to Him. He will use this for our good and His glory.

As I type this, I am sitting on a secluded little beach with my family taking in His glorious creation and feeling His "bigness."  What's really crazy and encouraging is that this trip has been planned for weeks. In His infinite wisdom, He knew I would need to sit here and feel His presence in the place I feel it most. God is a good, good Father. He knows and loves me and my family. His plans are always the best and He is sovereign. These are the truths that I am telling my heart.

We assume, but we don't yet know for sure, that we will not be traveling next week. Please pray for Kidus's heart. As another friend stated, "I'll pray for time to be fuzzy for him as he waits." God knows and loves him, too, and we are confident that he will protect and comfort him as he now waits for us.

Please join us in praying for a miracle. Pray that this suspension will be short, or at least that MOWCA will decide to go ahead and finalize the cases that were in process. Please pray for our hearts, that they will trust and believe what we know. Pray that we will glorify God as we walk through this valley.