Court Date

We have a date with the Ethiopian Government! Oct.12th we have our scheduled court date. This is when we will officially become parents of Baby A. How cool is that!!! When we pass court on that date ( note the positive attitude I have towards the outcome) we will get our travel dates. The end of October or early November is looking like the time frame. We just had our travel conference call with the agency and got a rundown of how things happen when we arrive in country. They gave a lot of information but all I listened for was the part of getting my daughter. This is going to be so exciting for Sarah and I to go together. Our mission trips in the past have been apart from each other but this mission trip is a together deal! Thank you God for a wife of a like mind and heart! Thank you God for a supportive family to surround us! Thank you God for a church that raises us up to reach our full potential for Your glory! Thank you above all for your sacrifice on the cross! Without your death, we could not have life.
Chris Steward

The Video

Today we received a video of our baby girl in Ethiopia. I can't tell you what it means to me to see her move around and play. She is beautiful and has this sneaky kind of playful thing going on that just makes we want to get on a plane and bring her home. Oh wait I get to do that soon. In Gods timing of course. After 21 years of this little girl being on my heart, I see now the light at the end of the tunnel. God in spite of myself and my mistakes you love me enough to answer my hearts desire. Thank you God for your daily mercy and grace. Thank you for having a plan and purpose for the Steward family. Living for your Glory!
Chris Steward

God is so Real Right Now

OK so now we have the picture of our baby girl. We can't post them or her name on the blog until she is officially ours. I can tell you this though, God knew she was ours from the beginning of time. Every little detail that we have needed has and is still being met. The spoken questions we have. The unspoken questions we have, are all being answered. Baby A had very little documented medical history when we first saw her. This of course caused me to have some unease. Those of you that know me would say I am a very deep thinker. I'm inquisitive to say the least. My wife is such a woman of faith. She just goes after what God wants and trust Him, where I will follow Him but usually I have to ask questions and fight it out first. I love her more and more each day. We balance each other out.
Today we received over 20 new documents on Baby A's medical records. Another adoption agency had her for a period and did a great job with getting things in order. These records, by Gods grace,are now in our hands and being reviewed by our doctor. Thank you God for letting me be good old stubborn me. Thank you God for knowing exactly how I'm wired and what I need. You are the King of Kings, My Lord of Lords!
God is so real right now!
Chris Steward

She looks like our sister!

Yesterday while I was fixing my hair my cell phone rang. When I looked at the number I knew that it was our adoption agency. I thought that it was a strange time to be getting a call from them because it wasn't time for our monthly update. Christy our case worker started the conversation the same way she always does by asking how I am doing. We continued on through the usual small talk and then Christy said, "I have a little girl I want to talk to you about." Of course my heart started racing. She told me that the little girl was 20 months old and that she had some medical issues. She wanted to know if I was interested in seeing this child's "complete" medical and history report. I use the term complete loosely because there is nothing complete about the report but it is all the information they have about baby A. We cannot publish pictures or her name because she is not legally ours. I agreed to look at her information and called Chris to tell him the news. We have decided to proceed with the adoption. She is beautiful and I believe that God made her for us. The title of my post today comes from a comment made by Noah. My friend showed Noah a picture of baby A. and asked him who she looked like. He pointed to her and said, "She looks like our sister, brown! Not like us!" For me it was a great moment because in his innocence Noah explained our newest member perfectly. SHE IS OURS even though she is unique. The process from here will probably take 2-4 months. Keep us in your prayers. -Sarah

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

July's Number

I was sitting in an extremely boring training session today when my phone vibrated. I saw that the number was from Oregon and hopped out of my seat. It was our agency with our new numbers. Christy, the woman in charge of our case, asked if she should call back when she found out I was working. I almost screamed "NO! Don't hang up." She didn't hang up. She told me our new number. We are officially number 12 on the waiting list. We moved 9 spots in one month. After last month it's so excited to move so much. Keep the prayers coming!

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:18

-Sarah

Getting excited

We should be hearing this week our latest number. I have a strong feeling about this one. God is preparing the way and our hearts our ready. We got to eat at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant for our anniversary last week. They brought our plate of food out and I wanted to cry right then and there. We are SOOO ready for this. But God we trust in you and your will.
All things are possible with Christ.

I asked the boys what they would do when we bring our sister home. Sean will read to her and Noah will sing for her. That sounds like a great welcoming home party. We love you daughter! See you soon!!

Chris Steward

Do I have to think of a title?

This morning I've been reading adoption blogs and thinking long and hard about our own adoption. I have stumbled across several new blogs. Some of them are from families waiting just like us and some are from families who have their children home. They all have the same thing in common: Parents who are above all thankful and humbled by the experience. People who understand that it's not about the gift that you are giving a child but about the endless gifts that God gives you through a new son or daughter. The idea that you are being given a miracle. An amazing experience. A person born across the world belongs to you and your family. God thought about your life and knew that you would be just the right parents for this child. To be honest I haven't been praying or reading my bible the way I should or would like to be. However, the great thing about God is that he will touch your heart even in those moments and times when you are at your weakest. The picture above is our orphanage in Ethiopia. Someday our newest family member will spend nights waiting for us in this home. Friday the number eight family on the list received their referral for a child. I am in high hopes that next month our number will be much smaller. Feeling loved despite myself. -Sarah