Throwing away the doubts!

I realize now that I have been lost in doubt.  I let the road blocks and obstacles on this journey cloud what I know to be true in my heart.  There are so many challenges to international adoption that you begin to think, "How will this ever happen?"  The doubts started to take over my thoughts and make me fear the worst (never bringing our daughter home).  I started looking for alternative paths, but none of them felt right.  I looked into fostering/adoption in the U.S., other international adoption programs, and other international adoption agencies.  I assumed that there is a problem with our agency or the Ethiopia Adoption program that was causing the road blocks.  What I realize now is that my doubts are the biggest road block and I need to get my head on straight and trust that what I know in my heart is inevitable!  Since I have come to this realization, my heart is light again and I feel at peace.  For that I am so grateful!

I am happy to be writing some of the great parts of this adoption journey as well as the struggles.  It stretches you in ways that you never imagined.  Thank you for reading and sharing in our journey as well as your continued prayers.  Many of you have told me about your prayers for our family and I can't begin to put in words how much that means to my family and I.

Thank you!
Peace,
DMM

Renew!

Sometimes we just have to have those bad days  so that we can renew ourselves to continue on the journey!Better days ahead!

Timing

I have written before about the difficulty of waiting for God's timing, but today it is hitting me hard.  At the grocery store this morning I see a white woman with two small African American children.  I hope she didn't notice me staring at her because all I could think of is that will be me soon.  Then I got in the car and proceeded to cry because I want to know when soon is.  I headed for home and cried and prayed as I drove  and asked God to please help us get THE phone call today.  And.... just then the phone rang.  No, it was not my adoption agency it was Verizon wireless offering me a new phone.  Isn't that nice!  I wanted to hang up on her but instead I cried my answers to her and she got off the phone quickly.  How is that for timing?

I am so very frustrated today.  I want to reconcile in my mind why it is that there are millions of children needing homes in Ethiopia today and we have a home to give so what's the hold up?  We have prepared in every way we know how and left our hearts open for this child and we want to bring her home.

Please pray that we are united with our daughter soon!
Love,
DMM

P.S.  We are no longer #41 we moved back to #42 and I just haven't been able to change it.  

Kony 2012

Watch this video! 

If you love Ordinary Hero....

Please help us win the contest by purchasing merchandise from their store! If you find something you want to purchase please click on our name in the affiliate drop-down box (Deena Maley) and we will get credit towards our adoption! YEAH!

:)Thanks

Senator Sherrod Brown response!

Dear Mrs. Maley:

Thank you for getting in touch with my office regarding Ethiopian adoptions. I appreciate your bringing this issue to my attention.

I have passed your concerns along to the legislative assistant in my office who handles intercountry adoptions.issues. I will keep your thoughts in mind should this issue come before the Senate.

The intercountry adoption process can often be confusing and frustrating. My office has helped many Ohioans with their intercountry adoptions. If you require assistance, please contact my Cleveland Office at:

1301 East Ninth St., Suite 1710
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216) 522-7272

Thank you again for being in touch with me.


Sincerely,

Sherrod Brown
United States Senator

8 months waiting!

Today is our 8 Month Waitaversary. Never thought we would be saying that, but oh how things have changed over that 8 months. This marks the day that we were officially put on the waiting list which doesn't include the time we spent putting together our paperwork, homestudy, etc. Trying to keep perspective and realize that one day this will seem like a flash of time. In the meantime we will keep dreaming about..
how old will she be?
what will she look like?
will she like us?
what will be her favorite thing to do?
will she like having 4 older brothers?
and on and on and on!!!!!!!

A Step Back...

Two steps forward one step back! I just saw an updated list and a family who had previously accepted a child from the "waiting children" list has relinquished their hold on that child and has been put back on the list. UGGHH! I am sure they are devastated that they could not follow through with their adoption of that child. There were many complications due to the child's orphanage closing.
This is the nature of International Adoption. Always changing and never what you expected!
Please pray for our family that we can continue to have patience and peace while we are waiting this painfully long wait to bring our daughter home.