WE GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!

Last week we got a referral!!!!!!!!!! We've been in shock ever since. But we're totally in love!!! She's beautiful!!!!! I wish I could post pictures, but I can't. If I did, we could lose our opportunity to finalize her adoption or to adopt in Ethiopia. So, we'll wait.

The Ethiopian name that she has been given is Bethlehem. Isn't that beautiful?? I love it!! The name we're going to give her is Faith. Her name will be Faith Bethlehem Saltzman.

She's already 8 months old. We don't have a lot of information about her yet....of course we're requesting to get more information. What we know is that in her short life she's already struggled with malnutrition and on the limited medical records that we have there is a note about a "slightly reduced" thyroid issue. We have done our research and talked to a doctor and for those of you who have a medical background, you know that this could be a big or small issue.

We are accepting Faith Bethlehem's referral with a step of Faith. We are fully trusting that God is in control of her life and ours. We know that He will give us the grace to get through whatever challenges might come her way and ours. We believe that He is the One who has placed this sweet little girl in our lives!! We can't wait to meet her and we hope to do that soon!!!!!

You might be wondering what's next. Well, we need to go to Ethiopia to visit her before our paperwork goes to the Ethiopian courts. Then, there will be the Ethiopian Court Date. We don't have a Court Date yet. IF/When we pass court in Ethiopia (we don't have to be there) then we will go get her three weeks later. We will bring her to the States for a visit and to take care of her immigration paperwork before we return home to the Middle East.

Right now there's lots of unknowns. We've sent our referral acceptance agreement and we're waiting to know when we can visit her and we're waiting on a Court Date. You'll notice I keep capitalizing "Court Date." That's because it's the most pivotal part. So, please begin praying for this. Pray, pray, pray!!!! Pray that we pass!!!! Pray that we can get through quickly.

Oh, and about the rainy season and courts closing....this is what we were told by the agency: "The courts haven't closed YET so we just keep working." That's all they or we know and that's all we can know. But, we were told to still expect a court date at the beginning of October.