Dog Wash! {Fundraiser}

We are having a charity dog wash on Sunday, October 24th from 1-4pm at Dogtopia-Waco.  All donations benefit our travel costs to Ethiopia, Africa! (we hope to travel Oct 30th!)

• Dog Baths- Baths include: a brush-out, shampoo & dry.
  A $10 donation is suggested per wash.

• Pet Adoptions- Fuzzy Friends Rescue will be on site!

• Bake Sale- Purchase yummy treats for you & your favorite K-9!

MOWA, TRAVEL and COURT {Dates}

We didn't get the news we were hoping for. The judge doesn't want to change ANYTHING in regards to our case.  BUMMER...But...it's OK.  We are thankful to have a MOWA date of 10/29 and a court date of 11/2!  (even though they are SO CLOSE TOGETHER!)

Since they are so close together...that means we travel less than 24 hours after hearing if we pass MOWA.  We have taken a HUGE step by faith a booked new tickets for the 30th.

Please join us and pray for these specific things:  Birth Mom needs to be transported to Addis in time for MOWA on the 29th.  Pray for all those pieces to come together.  And then....that the judge would issue a favorable opinion RIGHT AWAY on the 29th....(we have heard of some cases not being "made official" for a day or two or more...YIKES!)

Anyway...there you have it!....  In the meantime (17 days between here and there) We are staying busy with fun stuff like CIS appointments (YES! Our fingerprints are going to expire 11/20) and we are also working on a DOG WASH FUNDRAISER!!! (Stay tuned!)

Fingerprints Expire {ugh!}

UGH.  Our CIS fingerprints expire on 11/20!!! So this means we have to travel up to Fort Worth and get our biometrics updated. Fun stuff.  Just when you thought you were done with paperwork and jumping through hoops...think again.  

We've got an appointment for the 26th, but with MOWA on the 29th and travel set for the 30th for Court on the 2nd....I think we are going to try and show up sometime this week and hope they will take us without early without an appointment. (I am not feeling warm and fuzzy about playing it so close!)

I have read lots of stories about CIS/fingerprint drama.....and I think it almost always works out...so I trying to stay calm, cool and collected.. Not easy.  17 days and counting...

H.O.P.E. {While we sleep}

 Since receiving the BAD NEWS, we have gotten our hearts and our minds around things and are feeling much better.  Everything looks better in the light of a new day...and even better after a couple of sleeps.

Without going into too many details about our case or about the BIG MIX UP...here is the skinny:

We didn't pass court because Justice's birth Mother was unable to make it. (she has been detained)

So the court(s) in the region where she is now and in Addis have to work as a team and arrange for her to be transported to appear in court (MOWA).

Right now, we have a new date of 10/29 for MOWA and a new second court date (to appear) of 11/2....(once we pass on 10/29) This would give us approximately 72 hours (give or take) to get from Texas to Ethiopia, see our daughter and then appear in court.  (YIKES!)

So....(since these dates are less than ideal....) tomorrow (tonight while we sleep) is a BIG DAY!!!

An in country (Ethiopia) representative from our agency will go and plead our case to a judge asking for a THIRD new MOWA date and a new summons for birth Mom to appear on said NEW MOWA DATE.

With all of that being said (sorry...I know it's confusing)  This is what we are asking and believing for:

We are asking for GOD'S BEST.  We are asking for mountains to be moved and for all the pieces to be fit together.  We are asking favor and mercy and more favor!

We will keep you all updated as soon as we hear anything.  Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts for your continued love and prayers and encouragement.

BAD NEWS. {an update}

It's true. WE DID NOT PASS COURT after all.

Last Thursday we were told that we PASSED our MOWA court date.  But sadly, yesterday, we got the call from our caseworker telling us that we actually DID NOT pass.  That our case had been mixed up with another case.

Needless to say it came as a HUGE shock and we have been walking through a lot of disappointment.  We were moving at top speed preparing to board a plane this Saturday and it's hard switch gears...really hard.

While we are not thrilled or happy about ANY of this, we DO have a lot to be thankful for and we want to do our best to focus on those things.

First and foremost....  Justice is fine.  She is safe and happy and is being VERY well cared for.  She is still OUR GIRL and we know that even though this delay is painful.... we will have her in our arms soon.  We will bring her home soon. (just not as soon as we thought)

Our MOWA court has been re-scheduled for 10/29.  To be honest, we are not overly thrilled that the date is so far down the calendar, BUT we are still thankful to have a date. As far as our second court date (to appear)...That is still pretty sketchy.  Hopefully, we will know more about that soon.

There you have it. (for now.)  Please pray for all the moving pieces both seen and unseen.  That every piece would be shifted and moved into place. Quickly.  AND that we would be covered in peace and with wisdom and continued grace for the journey.  That we would trust and believe.

 

..."The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth". 
Psalm 97:5

www Weirdness.

It's a sad day.  Our the Mathews family.net domain now belongs to someone in Australia.  Weird.

We changed emails awhile ago and (in the midst of our adoption fog) clearly I must have forgotten to give godaddy the new one.  With that, we didn't receive the notice that our domain was going to expire.  Sometime between when it expired and now...our domain was purchased and it is no longer belongs to us. 

The good news is that it happened BEFORE our trip (we leave in 5 days!)  The bad news..I don't have time to deal with it now so for now...

We will be parked here:  http://themathewsblog.blogspot.com/ 

Please bookmark us!

Good News AND an Update!

 We got the GOOD NEWS on Thursday early afternoon that we PASSED MOWA!!!  Needless to say this is THE BEST NEWS and we are on cloud nine around here!  This means that everything is a GO and we have hit the ground running.  (Yard work, errands, packing, loose ends galore....)

AND...if that isn't enough....we got another update on Justice yesterday along with the most AMAZING picture.(still can't post pictures of baby girl until after our second court date 10/12)

Here's what the update said!:

H .has such a happy and playful spirit! Every time I see her, she is always smiling and welcomes any stranger that might come into the room. Although she is very social, she seems to be content playing with toys by herself too - as long as she is sitting right in the middle of friends so she doesn’t miss any of the action. When I visited today, she was singing her little heart out! Each time she would catch me looking at her she would flash her beautiful smile and tell me to come play with her. She is absolutely adorable!

We travel ONE WEEK from today which means that in just 8 short days....we will have our sweet girl in our arms! 

Ready....Set...Go!