One Step in the Journey

We were startled yesterday morning into a deeper sense reality of our process. Neither Lori nor I were prepared for what we read in a post on a private blog by a fellow new mother on the ground in Addis Ababa.

In spirited detail, we read that a last minute immigration appointment had been secured and that four children were ready to go, dressed to the nines. Adugna Christopher Grant was in the van as one of the babies going to the appointment. Apparently he was the first to finish his bottle in the "bottle race" and won hands down!

At the immigration office, he was in queue with those seeking immigration and a passport to the United States. He was brought to the window with his volunteer and his prepared file was opened and there it was . . . his official birth certificate and adoption paperwork. This is a significant step in the process and one that we thought was weeks away.

The birth certificate had his name, Adugna Christopher Grant, and named Lori and I as his adoptive parents. His birth date was stated as June 20, 2009 (three days after the anniversary of the day Lori and I first met and the date of our engagement).

Let me lay out the next steps, it’s only one. We are waiting for our visa appointment date to be set at the US Embassy in Addis Ababa. Once set, we travel to be there for that date. The embassy sees cases every other Wednesday for our agency. We're hoping for either April 7th or 21st. Pray that we get the right appointment in time.

The reality is setting in and with it a heightened level of energy to get everything ready for his arrival at home.

We continue to get exciting news about Adugna. He is a favorite of the volunteers, described as happy, engaged and a strong eater, crier and sleeper – sounds perfect to us.

And for the first time, we can say that today is his nine-month birthday.