She's All Ours! - Approval by the Ethiopian Court

We had our court appointment on Wednesday and it went off without a hitch - except forgetting our passports and our paperwork being misplaced for a few hours!... Minor complications to an otherwise perfect day when Jessica Rachel Sitota Ryan became our daughter! On April 18th at 11AM in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Judge Rahila declared that Sitota is ours!! There are no words for the deep blessing we felt when she said those words. It was very emotional and beautiful. Our Trip to Ethiopia was life-changing. Sitota is so small and healthy, beautiful and precious. Holding her in my arms was heaven. The city of Addis is like nothing I've ever seen before. Even looking at the pictures, we don't feel like we can really communicate what it was like there. Beautiful souls living in a very poor, poor city.

We loved being at the care center not only snuggling with our baby, but playing with the other kids, too. I'm sure you can imagine how much Sarah and Nathan loved that part. The kids adored them!! From here, we wait for the Lord to get her paperwork processed through the US Embassy. Once we cross that hurdle, Ryan and I will return to Ethiopia to bring her home.

And every day between now and then I am praying for the Lord's protection over her. Every day I wonder what we are missing - the smiles, the spitting up, the kicking and playing. I definitely need God's protection over my heart as I wait patiently for Him to move this last mountain range that stands between us and our baby girl. He is faithful, loving, and mighty to save.