My mommy heart is sad!

I am feeling so sad...

We received a small update on Ava today.  She was so not happy in her pictures!  She is sick and running  a fever.  

This makes my heart break.  It is HORRIBLE to know that your child is thousands of miles away from home, sick, without a momma to make it all better.

PLEASE join me in prayer for our sweet girl.  I have no idea what is wrong but I do know that God knows and He will touch her for me.

Thanks!

Kara

1 month until Court Date & Mail Surprise!

1 month from today, our case goes before a judge in Ethiopia to determine if B$%$^% will legally become a Portilla. Forever.

Yesterday, we made an awesome paper chain to count down the days until this important day.  We have it hanging over our kitchen table.  Every night at dinner we will pull a loop and pray for this judge and for favor over our sweet daughter.  We love her so much already!  We are ready to have her join us.

What a WONDERFUL surprise we received in the mail yesterday!  Our friend, Sarah Moffatt, sent us Ava's hand and foot print.  WOW!!!  To touch the same paper she touched--very cool!  I was in awe of her tiny fingerprints and her darling foot.  They were much smaller than I thought they would be.  I immediately went to a local children's store and measured the foot print.  It is a size 3 in infant/toddler shoes.  I bought the CUTEST!!!  shoes for her!  Can't wait to see her in them.  

Abby was at a girls' conference at church yesterday.  When she arrived home I handed her the piece of paper with Ava's prints on it.  OH MY GOSH!!!   Priceless moment!  When she open the paper she was instantly in awe, exclaiming how little Ava really is.  THEN--she placed her hand over Ava's hand print and said. "Mom, her hand is so little, how will it ever fit in mine"?   To see my oldest baby girl cover her hand over our new baby girl's hand was pure joy!   

We are anxiously awaiting a report from our adoption agency containing *updated* information about Ava.  It should come this week.

Where I long to be...

Sweet, sweet words!

We received precious words today from Sarah Moffatt who returned on Saturday from picking up her daughter, Rosie from Ethiopia.  We received some GREAT photos too!  Just can't share them with you yet!

Here is a little of what Sarah said about our girl:

"Your little Ava is a sweetie!  So tiny and petite.  The outfit you sent was a perfect fit.

 She is very cute, and around us was very serious and shy.  I think the camera and all of the white faces were overwhelming for her.  I tried for ages to get a smile out of her, but never succeeded.  She did like looking at the photo album, though.

 I went back later in the afternoon to find her, and she was playing out in the garden area with one of the little boys.  She was having a great time, wearing loads of stickers and smiling and giggling (such a cute giggle, too).  But, she saw my camera and got very serious again."

What a delight to know and see more about Ava Joy.  Thank you once again Sarah for this gift!  

Hold on baby, we are coming soon!

We have TRAVEL DATES!!!

How exciting!

Yesterday, we received tentative travel dates.  If we pass court on May 26, we head to beautiful Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to pick up our precious daughter!  Our dates of travel are June 20-27, 2009.

We are beyond excited!  

Our first care package was also delivered to Ava Joy yesterday by our friend, Sarah Moffatt.  She is there picking up her little girl, Rosie.  I can't wait to hear more from Sarah about our little girl.

Please pray for the following:

1.  That we pass court the first time--May 26th!  

2.  All our paperwork (updated home study) is sent to the proper places and all things are in order for our travel plans.  VERY IMPORTANT!!!  

3.  Finances would come together--planes tickets will be over $5000 alone.  We still have the in-country travel portion too.  We can still receive tax deductible donations for our in country portion.

God has done great things!  We are rejoicing!  We are in awe of the story that is being written.

A little bit of Ethiopia!

On Sunday night we received a lit bit of Ava from Ethiopia!  Some Yahoo Group friends returned from ET on Saturday from picking up their sweet son.  They were gracious and offered to take some photos of our girl!

WOW!!!!

It was like Christmas morning!  She is GORGEOUS!!!!  Her daddy stared at her face forever! We are so in love!  Abby and Ben were beyond excited to see new photos of their baby sister.

Can't wait to share them with you!!!  

How about a sneak peek!

Ava's first care package!

We are allowed to send care packages with a traveling family to our precious girl!  We had so much fun picking out things to send.  We are limited to a gallon size ziploc bag.  The really neat thing is the family traveling (Thanks Sarah!) will be able to take photographs with Ava as she opens her package from us!  

We are thrilled that Ava will soon have a piece of home!

Here are some photos of what we sent:

Update on Ava Joy Bi#(%@

Every month until we travel we will receive an update on our baby girl.  Along with weight and height, we are allowed to ask up to 5 questions regarding our daughter.  After much debate, these are the questions our family has come up with.

1.  How many formula bottles does she drink daily?

2.  Potty trained or diaper?

3.  What are her sleeping habits (does she sleep thru the night? naps?)

4.  Does she babble/talk?

4.  Does she have a best friend or preferred nanny?

It will be wonderful to have a better view into our daughter's world.  Can't wait to meet her in person!  We think about her often and are anxious for her to join her forever family.

HANG ON BABY!!!  We are coming soon!

We have a COURT DATE!!

I received an email from our adoption agency today announcing that we have a court date scheduled in Ethiopia.

Our date is...May 26th!

Please begin praying for some specific things:

*  All paperwork would be in order.

*  The judge residing over our case would grant favor the FIRST time.

*  Direction and guidance within our agency and all parties involved in helping bring our sweet daughter home!  They work long hard hours to ensure our children are united with their forever family.

Also, please continue to pray for Ava Joy Bi**** .  Pray for comfort and her health.    We are praying that God would prepare her heart for another big change coming to her little life.

There are many, many factors that could affect our court date.  So many to list!  It would rattle your brain to see all that has to happen.  But we serve a mighty God who is MIGHTY TO SAVE!!  We are praying for Ava's release.  Please join us!