Cautious optimism

Is it possible to be cautiously optimistic and elated at the same time? Yes.

Yesterday morning, we were thinking we were soon going to probably have to make the toughest decision of our lives, again. Sara's discouragement with the process was at all time high, as we were coming to the realization that due to the uncertainty surrounding our case, Baby Sister may never come home with us. Needless to say, we had a rough start to our day.

We received an email from our agency director shortly after I had left home for the morning saying that she was going to be calling us from Ethiopia very shortly. Our hearts were racing. The predominant thought was that there was another infant referral for us, if we chose to look at her.

Just our luck, I missed the telephone call from our agency, but she did leave a two part message. We were correct, as there was another infant girl, but after hearing the other part of the phone message the director left us, there was no doubt we were going to let this new little girl go. The second part of the message was that the orphanage believes that Baby Sister's paperwork will be ready in 2 weeks!

That's right, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We couldn't be happier with this latest development. We are what we like to call "cautiously optimistic." But that cautiousness isn't standing in the way our elation. We are elated that things could be moving forward, that there is a good chance that the little girl we have been waiting for is inching ever so much closer to being here with us.

That great news we received yesterday was followed up this morning by 36 new pictures of our stunning little girl. I can't wait to share the pictures of her. She is beautiful. I especially like the ones of her laying in her crib with the picture of Sara, myself and the boys right there next to her in her bed. It's one of the pictures we will look at for the rest of our lives.

This process is far from finalized, but I do feel like we are moving in the right direction finally. We certainly haven't been in this alone, and I want to thank each one of you out there for your thoughts, prayers, messages, comments, telephone calls, and emails through this challenging time. Sara and I feel so fortunate to have such great people around us helping to support us through these trying times. We hope to be able to report to you very soon that her paperwork has been finished and our case has been submitted to court.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.