After the rain {Peace}

We have officially missed the window.  The very small window of time that would have been considered a miracle. It would have been a miracle to receive a court date in time before rainy season. (The Ethiopian courts close for the rainy season- August thu late September or October)

So...looks like we will see our girl ...hold our girl...and bring our girl home- sometime AFTER THE RAIN.

While we love a good miracle over here at the Mathews ...We are OK with it. Really.  As a matter of fact, it's more than just OK.  There is PEACE.  

And after ALL we've been through (so far).... 

Let's hear it for PEACE!

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

JUSTICE JARS {Fundraising}

 Our Justice Jars have help us raise over $400 to date!

***From original JUSTICE JAR POST

These are JUSTICE JARS!


We have been busy making these cute little jars using recycled jars of all shapes & sizes, decorative papers, stickers, threads, buttons, bling, glue, paint, and a whole bunch of love!


Over the next few days & weeks we will be delivering JUSTICE JARS to friends and family.


It is our hope that JUSTICE JARS will serve a three-fold purpose:

1. Serve as a tangible reminder in your home to prompt you to pray for our adoption process, our daughter Justice and for the millions of orphans world-wide.


2. To collect donations to help with the travel costs to Ethiopia.


3. To raise money for humanitarian aid items that we will hand deliver to orphanages that we will be visiting while we are in Ethiopia.


If you would like a Justice Jar, please comment or email (mail AT themathewsfam DOT net) us and we will get it to you right away!

Thanks!

Get ready!...Get Set...WAIT.

We are still on cloud nine since receiving our referral.  Our sweet girl's little face is all over the house, in our phones, on our computers.....everywhere!  And I think I watch  the clip of video that we have of her (Thanks Billy!) at least 3 times a day.....

And while we are in the clouds.....the reality is that we are back to WAITING. A NEW kind of waiting. Waiting for our court date. Which....will probably be sometime after the rainy season. UGH.  (more on that in another post).

This stage in the adoption process  is the HURRY UP and WAIT stage. Hurry up because you never know...we just may be the exception to the rule and get a court date with lightening speed and so WE NEED TO BE READY!

Aside from the fact that being prepared is a GOOD THING....The best way I know to WAIT is to keep busy.

So, I'm back to keeping too busy AND  I've got my lists to prove it!  When I say lists I do mean LISTS...plural with an an S.  (meaning more than one!)

Aside from the normal, day-to-day to do's ....

I've got a list of things to do in baby girl's room, a list of gear and clothing we need for baby girl, a list of things I would like to get done around the house, a list of fund-raising projects, (ie: t-shirts, a potential car wash, a cut-a-thon and possibly yet another garage sale?)...   I've got a list of things to get done in my studio/my online store, and or course...I've got a list of things to do before we can travel and soon...(like today) I will have to start a packing list as well.  YIKES!

And OH.... YES!!!!  (Although it's not on any of my lists.) Let's not forget...our biggest TO DO is....to remember to enjoy the journey! AND breath...(in through the nose and out through the mouth.)  Seriously, it helps.