Where are my eyes focused?

Got our August official numbers.  We are currently 60 on the girls list and 42 on the boys list.  Although not a lot of movement, it is great that we moved!  We started at 98 on the girls list, so have moved 38 spots since late January.  We started at 74 on the boys list, so have moved 32 spaces in 7 months.  If it takes that long to move that many spaces, we should have a child in the next 9-18 months.  Wow - hadn't done the math until now.  Kind of depressing.  We really hoped to have little "J" in our arms by the first of the year.  AGCI told us it would be about 12-18 months, so we are on the right trajectory for that time-frame.  UGH!  Truth be told, we are on God's time-frame, so that's what I need to focus on!  Keep my eyes on Jesus!  Oh, Lord, help me to do that please!!!

Blessings,

Ashley

Movement

Yahoo!  We received out official waiting list numbers for July.  There was good movement this time!  We are currently 64 on the girls list and 46 on the boys!  So exciting to see the numbers drop!  We should get our official August numbers soon.  We don't anticipate a large drop, like from June to July, but do anticipate moving a few lower on each list.

The Ethiopian government shuts down during August and September.  Yes - they shut down.  This takes place every year during the "rainy" season.  This mean that no court dates are assigned during that time.  Referrals will still happen, but no trips to see the children and no paperwork processed.  That slows things down a bit.  Ugh!  Seems like we'll never get there!  I know God has a plan and when we do bring our little "J" home forever - all the waiting and wondering will be worth it.

Please continue to pray!  There are families right now that have passed court and are waiting to go back to bring their child home that are facing anxious times.  Their cases have been put on hold because their children have come from the southern region of Ethiopia.  The government has decided that all cases involving children from this region need to be reviewed (even those that have already passed court and been approved by the government).  Again, this goes back to MOWA (Ministry of Woman's Affairs in Ethiopia) investigating the legitimacy of all foreign adoptions.  There is so much government uncertainty right now.  The investigations they say need to take place will not happen until the government opens again in October, and they aren't saying how long the investigation will take!  This effects those of us waiting, as well, because AGCI does obtain children through orphanages in this region.  Please pray for those families in limbo and for all still in the waiting process.  Pray for quick resolution and that any doubts of the government will be dispelled.  

I'll let you know what our August numbers are as soon as I know them.  Can't wait to keep moving on down!

Blessings,

Ashley