April and May happenings

We are 4 months into our wait for the Ethiopia adoption with, quite frankly, no end in sight. According to the current wait times, we will be waiting another 14 months but that is subject to change. So on to more exciting news... Isabelle (our first foster daughter) was adopted in April! I can show her picture now, and share that Isabelle has an older brother and sister (biological). When she was with us she was separated from them because DSHS was unable to identify a home that could accomodate all three. We are only licensed for one child so we were out. And while we were open to adopting her, the desire is obviously to keep siblings together. So last May Isabelle was moved to a foster home that was willing to take all three kids and adopt them if it came to it. Eventually, Isabelle's birthmom asked to enter into an open adoption with the foster mom. She is so happy to be with her brother and sister and her new family! This picture is from our camping trip last year and her mom says we can take her with us again this year. We are so blessed to have her in our lives still!

And after a year of doing some short-term/respite foster care we got our second long-term placement. On May 7th, MJ was placed with us. He's two years old. Eli has loved all of the older and same-aged kids we've had stay with us. But honestly, he's struggled with this younger one. Fortunately he's coming around. And it's opened the door for some meaningful conversations about how important it is to help people even when it's not comfortable or convenient for ourselves.