REFERRAL!!!!!!!!:):):)

**Disclaimer: this post was written yesterday through out the day when I had a moments to sit down and type, and LATE at night lastnight. I'm sure it doesn't flow and I didn't proof read it. SO - bare with me and ignore the typos.:)

Oh, my goodness. You have no idea how my heart and head are reeling with excitement, joy, anticipation, and just a million other thoughts and emotions. To write the title REFERRAL, a mere 5 DAYS after our paperwork was shipped to Ethiopia is completely UNREAL to Eric and I!!! Our paperwork, (also known as dossier) JUST arrived in Ethiopia today. ITS CRAZY!!!

So lets tell the story:):):)

Yesterday afternoon, at 2:30ish, I was on the phone with a dear friend when I saw a call come in from Virginia. I told Lindsay I should probably take it, and switched over to the incoming call. I have NO idea why, but the instant I saw the number, even though I wasn't POSITIVE it was from America World, our agency, I just had this hunch. I knew enough from other stories from other families that AW doesn't call you unless its something BIG. Big like referral big. My heart started pounding before I even said hi.

And it was LuLu, our Family Coordinator. She asked how I was doing and then ask me to remind her of our age range and child request. I reminded her of it and she said, (heart is pounding even harder at this point) "Welllll, we have a sibling set that has become available and the oldest is a little older than your age range, but because siblings are so few this days, we wanted to check to see if you would be interesting in viewing their file." OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I was COMPLETELY shocked and immediately burst into tears!!!! I think I blubbered something, "Are you serious???? We just sent our paperwork LAST week?? Are you really serious?!???"

LuLu went on to tell me that the referral included a 7 1/2 year old girl and a 3 1/2 year old boy. Our request was up to age 6, but we are approved by our social worker up to age 7. Here's the thing though - I couldn't tell LuLu that YES WE WANT TO VIEW THEIR FILE because Eric was flying that day. Literally, at the moment of our referral phone call, Eric was up in the air flying around the US with absolutely NO WAY to get ahold of him. And I knew he was going to land after AW had closed for the day. UGH!!!!

LuLu and I talked for another 10-15 minutes and I got of the phone and jumped our my bedroom, FREAKIN out but the whole time, SO bummed I couldn't tell or call anyone until Eric knew and that was going to be another 4 hours!!! AHHHHH!!!!

Britt woke up from her nap about 15 minutes later and we immediately left to run errands so I could just do SOMETHING instead of sitting around at the house waiting for Eric to land. I kept going over and over in my head how I was going to tell Eric, but would always come up with something different. I wondered if he would agree right away to view the file or if he would need time to process and seek the Lord since the referral was older than what we had requested. I just kept telling the Lord that my hope was in Him and asked for unity between Eric and I, regardless of what he felt or thought.

FINALLY Eric called at 5:30 to tell me he was on his way home and I just said, "Drive fast." Of course he questioned why but I wouldn't tell him.:) He told me later he had an idea it was our referral call so he had a little time to prepare himself on the 15 drive home.:)

Britt and I were waiting in the driveway when he pulled in and I just squealed and blurted out "We got our REFERRAL CALL!!!!" the instant he got out of the car. I think I sent him into shock, which I was well aware I would probably do. And I had had 4 hours to process it and Eric needs time. Lots of time to process.

So we had about 20 minutes to talk through what LuLu had told me before we had to bolt out the door to go to Community Group, our group of friends who we have been meeting with every week for the past 2 years. The whole car ride down we just talked and processed, laughed and looked at each other in disbelief. The whole thing is crazy! We thought for sure we would wait MONTHS before getting our referral. We thought for sure we would only get one child even though we wanted two, just because young sibling sets are rarely available. We thought for sure we were so far off from all of this but that wasn't the Lords plan and boy, was I okay with it.:)

I couldn't sleep lastnight I was too excited. I think I might have gotten 6 hours haha. And as I write, all I've had to eat are two eggs and two cups of coffee. And its 3:30pm. At some point I know I'll crash, but I'm JUST SO EXCITED!!!!!:):):):) I woke up at 6:30 this morning with no chance of going back to sleep so I just grabbed my Bible and spent time talking to Jesus about what the heck was going on and how I trust Him, and even in my excitement that I wanted to make sure HE was the center, not Eric or I, or even our new kids. Eric was going to go into work for a meeting but would be back around 8:30 when AW would be open and we would most likely get to talk to LuLu and see the files of our kids.

And about 9:30ish, we got our official referral call from LuLu, giving us the details of their ages, when they came to the orphanage, medical history, and their personal interviews. She emailed us their pictures.... um, THEY ARE SO ADORABLE I AM HEAD OVER HEELS. they are so so precious and in the same breath over and over today I have said that I cannot wait to be their mommy but please Lord begin to prepare me to enter into the pain and brokenness they have experienced and will experience in coming into our home. As excited as I am to have seen their faces today, I am made so aware that this is NOT has it was meant to be. But praise Jesus for His redeeming love and grace in my life and in the lives our our two new children.

SO.  We will call them "Miss F" and "Mr. K" only because I'm unsure as to what we are allowed to share with you via the internet.:) Miss F is 7 1/2 years old and has the biggest smile on earth. She is precious and completely dotes on her brother in the pictures that we were sent. Mr. K is so stinkin' yummy I want to eat him!!! He has the LONGEST eyelashes and we are told LOVES to dance!:) I think Britt will be an immediate fan of that!

We are shocked, excited, overwhelmed and just thrilled to know that the Lord has been preparing us and them to become a family. There are a ton more details but I haven't even process it all. We are so thankful for YOU though as we know you have prayed us through this process and will continue to do so. We still need you desperately!!!!!:) Thank you for loving us so well and so completely - it is so humbling how well you have supported us through this journey. We love and cherish you all.

And please leave comments!!! We want our kids to see others love and excitement for them!!!