At a Loss for Words...

So I'll borrow some verses from the Word:  "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant."  God just blew our socks off yesterday, and I can't wait to tell you about it!!  

This month marks 1 year since we began the process to adopt a child or children from Ethiopia.  Patience does not come naturally for me, but I've been so grateful that the Lord has poured His patience into me and helped me to ride out this long, long process without losing my mind.  To tell you the truth, though, this past week has been tough...really, really tough.  I've been nesting in the worst way.  Cleaning the trashcan with a toothbrush and Mr. Clean?  Yep, that was me.  Figuring out rooms for the kids and wanting to start on the new kid's room even though I didn't know gender or age??  Yep.  Crying all day Saturday because the wait was getting to me and I just needed to hold our newest addition?  Absolutely.  Like I said, it was a tough week.  So Monday morning I got up, grabbed a cup of coffee, and sat down to cry with the Lord.  I knew at that point that we were still way down on the list and realistically wouldn't be called with a referral for another 4 or 5 months.  I asked Him to be my Help, to pour His patience into me, to love and protect our child and his or her family, to sing hope over them to let them know that Mommy and Daddy were coming!!  I felt better after that, but I must admit that I felt more of a resignation than a joy in my heart at that moment.  I got the kids in the car, went to co-op, had lunch, and then hung out at a dear friend's house until it was time to take the girls to gymnastics.  Just as a side note, I love my friends.  They are pure gifts to me from the Lord and I so appreciate how they can minister to me and lift my spirits.  We got back from gymnastics and I started supper around 4:00 p.m. Monday, March 7.  At 5:00 my third-born brings the phone to me and says, "It's for you, Mom.  I don't know who it is."  Anytime the kids have said that over the past 4 months, my heart stops inside of my chest for a second.  As it turns out, it was (drum roll please....) 

OUR ADOPTION AGENCY TELLING US THAT THEY HAD A REFERRAL!!!  AAHHHH! 

I listened in stunned silence as the kind woman on the phone told me that they were referring a child to us and we should be receiving the e-mail any moment with her paperwork and picture.  What??  But we're number 41 on the list!  I have to wait another 4 months!  Only 1 child, not 2?  Questions swirled in my head.  I told her thank you (I think) and hung up the phone, running to tell Aaron.  He looked as shocked as I was.  We waited, not so patiently I don't mind telling you, for the e-mail to arrive.  It finally did, and we skipped past all of the formalities and went straight down to her picture.  There was not a dry eye in the place.  We sat and stared at this precious little 3 year old girl, and somehow knew that she was the one we had been missing.  She was the one we had been waiting for.  I called the grandmas, my sister, my brother, and my friends who all rejoiced with us over this completely unexpected news.  We called our adoption agency at 6:30 to accept the referral and got voicemail (argghh); she called back at 7:00, and at 7:05 we had officially accepted the referral.  Her picture is the wallpaper on our computer and hangs on our refrigerator.  She is Abigail Biruk, and she will be coming home in the next few months.  Our God delights in surprising us, I'm convinced.  I imagine that the week of nesting (which I went through for each of the children) prior to this call was His way of saying, "She's coming!  I'm just getting you ready."  We have a baby girl!  O Lord, you gave ear to my words in Your graciousness; You listened to my cry for help, for I prayed to You.  In the morning, O LORD, you heard my voice; in the morning I laid my requests before you and waited in eager expectation. (Ps. 5)  I just had no idea to expect...our daughter.