WE ARE HOME

Just a quick note to let all my friends and family know that we are home safe with our precious Saron.  I promise to write the details of our trip, but for now I will just post a few pics.  Saron came home with a double ear and throat infection.  I was at the ER with her for five hours today.  I am exhausted and Saron is hurting... my poor sweet baby :(  She got a shot along with another prescription to knock out the infection.  When the medicine kicks in, I will be able to spend a little more time updating ya'll. 

In the meantime, please enjoy the pics.  It was an incredible,  memorable, heart-wrenching, joyous trip!
 

Our first meeting.

Saron was not at all impressed, but it was only a matter of time before she warmed up to us and was smiling up a storm.

All dressed up and ready to go on our embassy date.

She learned how to play peek-a-boo quickly!

HOME AT LAST!

Thank you Jesus

Our prayers and condolences go out to the family members of those killed in the Ethiopian Air flight 409 that crashed in Lebanon.  It was due to land around the same time our flight did.  We heard about it moments after we got off our plane.

Finding Peace Again...

So much on my heart... How do I put it into words...

I'm not sure.  All I know is that

~ I am the clay in God's hands.  All I want to do is what he wills me to do.  I have prayed unceasingly for God to reveal his will to my husband and me.

~ there is a woman in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who ill and is inflicted with the Aids virus. She gave birth to a daughter on November 12, 2008; and knowing that she would be unable to raise her, decided to give her up, with the hope and prayer that there will be a family who might want this child.

~ in 13 days Haley and I will be on a plane headed to the other side of the world.  There is a child there, a little girl, and God has chosen us to raise her.  She will become our daughter and sister.  This child is the answer to my prayers.  And Lord willing, we are the answer to her birthmother's prayers.

Dear God. You have given me peace again.  You have taken a horrible tragedy and turned it into something so beautiful.  You have taken Josi from us only to bring us Saron.  Thank you for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

Christmas 2009

We had a wonderfully blessed holiday

filled with friends and family.

Here are a few pics!

Travel Dates

Haley and I will be traveling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopa, on January 23. We first fly to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and spend one night there getting a well needed rest after a 16hr flight, and then on the morning of the 25th, we will have a short 4hr jaunt to Addis. I imagine we will be getting Saron either that Monday or Tuesday. We will spend 7 days in Ethiopia. We hope to be able to meet Saron's birthmother while we're there. Spending time with the children in both Hope's and Arise's orphanages is also a priority. On Thursday, we have our embassy appointment, and then we have the weekend to rest up until our long flight home.

We arrive home at LAX on Tuesday, February 2nd in the afternoon. Then this 2yr long adoption chapter will end and we will have the child, Lord willing, that God has meant for us.

Christmas Photo Out-takes & Giveaway Info.

Well after over 80 shots, we did get some good ones. But I thought I would post some of the ones that didn't turn out so good.

I found this blog, My Crazy Adoption, through another blog and wanted to post about her great giveaway. She's giving away lots of stuff including two t-shirts. The grand prize equals $180 worth of gifts, and also some other giveaways. They also design and sell some awesome looking adoption t-shirts. I have seen many, and these have the coolest design and wording I've ever seen. In fact, I want one.

You have to check it out, just click the box below. The entries are free, easy and fun!

THE VERDICT IS IN.....

WE PASSED!!!

Thanks and praise and glory be to God

our Heavenly Father!!!

Somebody pinch me!

Is this for real.

I'll write more when I get my thoughts together.

This is our new daughter, Saron.

Tentative travel date is the week of January 20th.

ONE MORE DAY!!!

We are so happy that our court date is tomorrow!

(It will actually take place tonight, while we sleep.)

Looking forward to this day has done wonders for all of our family in keeping our minds off of the tragic event of last year.

I have a few friends who also have court dates tomorrow and the rest of this week. Would you please join us in praying that we pass court.

We are all desperate for good news!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~Philipians 4:6-7

One year ago on December 5, 2008...

One year ago tonight, our family was rocked to its core, when we got the call that changed everything. Our daughter, Josi, whom we were days away from picking up was dead. Murdered. Stabbed to death. Dear God, could this be true? Could this really be happening?

But... today is also the one-year anniversary of a most Joyous event. Jhosseline Merary Alejandra Azhderian entered Heaven's gates and went home to live with her Heavenly Father in eternity. While we ache with sadness that we will never see her again this side of Heaven, we rejoice because we know that she is the happiest she could ever be. So much more happier than we could have ever made her, experiencing so much more love than we could have ever given her.

Josi may have been an orphan here in this awful, sin-filled, world; but she was never an orphan to Jesus. The way she died was worse than anyone can imagine, yet Jesus guarantees instant Heaven and carried her home in his arms. The moment Josi saw Jesus, she was made perfect, and completely transformed into the image of Christ. Now she has perfect pleasure, perfect knowledge, perfect comfort, perfect love, and perfect joy.

God is sovereign and perfect in all that he does. Obviously we cannot know, or understand, his full purpose or plan, but we can trust that his plan is perfect.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." ~Isa.55:8-9

The first photo we ever saw of Josi

(It is dated December 5, 2007)

Visiting Josi

For one year we were blessed to know you and love you.

You will remain in our hearts until we see you again.

Spend Less, Give More, LOVE LIKE JESUS