48 hrs and 5 sales.....

There are still 95 t-shirts left. Whew! Other than t-shirt stuff, I have been working on figuring out the details of what we need to prepare for Etienne and Daniel's arrival. 1. Car seats- "check" as Blake would say. Thanks to Ella and Emma, our favorite twins, we are set on item #1. 2. Crib-check. Just have to remember how to assemble it. Without directions. 3. High chair- check. Probably needs hosed down. 4. Clothes-check. Blake isn't passing down anything because he is a shrimpo, but many good friends have rubbermaid boxes full. 5. Diapers??!? We are awaiting word whether Etienne is potty trained. Can't tell in the big belly pic if there is a diaper or not! 6. House-check! Hopefully, moving in next week. God is good! Anyone hangin' in Basehor next weekend, you're invited to a moving party. Free food.

See the T?!

On the left sidebar is the back of our t-shirt. We've ordered 100 to start with. Hopefully, by the time you read this, there will be a button to order one (or 10 or 20)!

Another week closer

A little closer to being a party of six. Update #1: 100 t-shirts have been bought buy us to resell to all of you! They are in print and hopefully be week's end we'll have figured out how to have a button on the blog to buy them. The family that runs www.missionthreads.com is another adoptive family that helps people like us become whole. I don't know how God will use Ryan and I or our kids to help other families adopt, but I think it will always be a mission for us beyond getting our boys home. Update #2: No court date yet. We updated our home study this week so that it specifically states that we'll take two non-related children. $200 later, it is in the mail and thankfully did not need to be authenticated. Whew! Our coordinator promises that this won't be a hold up. Update #3: It's a little emotionally fragile here. I find that I try NOT to think too much about Etienne and Daniel because I am so overwhelmed. I say specific prayers and then don't think about the details of their lives right now. All the parents out there know the feeling of ache that you have when your family isn't together. That is how we feel. But also a peace of knowing that God is seeing this whole amazing miracle through.

Miryango!

Miryango is family is kinyarwanda, the language our boys hear most. This weekend we put together photo albums to send to Etienne and Daniel. Amazingly, we are hearing from Americans who remember our little buddies from volunteering at the orphanage or are currently working there. The report is that each is smiley and affectionate-which makes this mama even more anxious to snuggle them!

This week you'll see a new gadget on the blog- a spot to order "Rwanda Adoption Project" t-shirts. One final (hopefully HUGE) fundraiser. Please forward this to anyone you know who may be interested in a retro,fashion tee for a good cause!

We can't post pics of Etienne and Daniel until they are legally a Higgins, but if you'd like to put a face to a name, just email me. I am more than happy to show them off!

Our Boys

"Then Christ will make a home in your heart as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down in God's love, and keep you strong. And you may have the power to understand, as God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is." -Ephesians 3:17-18 I have a few more details to share about Etienne and Daniel today. First, and most important, we have accepted our referral and the travel coordinator has already begun to get the ball rolling for the final phase of the process! The emotions I am feeling are surreal- overwhelming awe at the depth of love that we feel for our sons and gratitude to our Lord that He sees us through. I am touched by the joy that others are feeling with us. At moments, I want to cry that Etienne and Daniel aren't with us right now. We are grateful that a volunteer at the orphanage will be delivering hugs and kisses to our boys on Saturday from their mommy and daddy. The other questions: No they aren't biological siblings (we all know how much biology matters!!!). Ryan and I feel that Etienne knows his name- he will be 3 in October, so Etienne he is. This name is Stephen in French and pronounced (a-tee-en). Daniel we are not decided yet, may move Daniel as a middle name. TBA. We are beginning our last (hopefully!) fundraiser in the next week- selling "Rwanda Adoption Project" fashion tees through this blog. We will also be adding a link to donate frequent flyer miles. Stay tuned!

Today!

My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude! We are the proud family of Etienne, our 33 month old son, and Daniel, our 17 1/2 month old son. They are perfect and beautiful and ours. God is so good. We are all 4 speechless and it is surreal. More to follow....we've got good news to spread!

Huh?!

Here's one for all you OCD-anxiously awaiting-adoptive moms: Call at 9am this morning, area code 703, awaa! Just our case manager, saying, "This isn't a referral, but it is about your referral. Would you be disapointed depending on which gender of your children is older?" HUH? You know I said no and attempted to pry further with no luck. I did get told that it would be "within reason" to continue to carry my cell phone in my pocket at all times. Sigh. It is a little funny to the average outsider and I fear my new co-workers may think I am a wack job.

No Noticias

No news. In Spanish, cause I speak it a lot these days. I feel a little sad only because it is more time that our children aren't with their family. This weekend I am asking all of our great prayerful friends to pray for that the Limmer and Himes families, also waiting for referral. I am blessed by both Courtney and Heidi, yesterday getting frequent texts during the day, saying "You call and see what's going on, I'm chicken!" God put the desire to adopt in our hearts, He will see us through.

Maybe this week

Yesterday our friends, the Limmers, received word from awaa, asking did they mind if they received a 12 1/2 month old rather than a child under 12 months? Of course, we all know their response! They are at the same stage of waiting as we are, as well as one other family; and we've all been told we'll receive our referrals together. Well, the Limmers were also told that they'd most likely have a referral by the end of the week! We're praying it will happen with for all 3 of our families this week- and it is emotional to think that these referrals will mean that 5 orphans will have a forever family. "My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for morning, more than watchmen wait for morning." -Psalms 130:6

Omaha-who?

Week 1 of our move to Omaha is behind us, even though we haven't really moved yet. Molly says we can't totally move to we get our new brother and sister, so I'm cool with that. It was important to me that we bring them home to Basehor and somehow, we'll still do that. Also, since our house hasn't sold, we can't buy a home in Nebraska yet. So...we just pray that we will want what God wants for us, not what we want.

We are grateful that my new job is really a dream come true. I get to practice as a midwife with a compassionate, enthusiastic, happy group of people. It also helps that my boss adopted internationally, so that's an added bonus.

I remember when we started the adoption last summer, I saw some t-shirts that read "Yes, I am still waiting," and at the time didn't appreciate the truth to that. I am glad that people care so much to ask, but I would like to just refer them to the blog. Sigh. Yes, I am still waiting.

Here's a picture of the Old Market, so all my friends who haven't been to Omaha can see that its actually more then cornfields.