On the night of Tuesday November 4 we met with our social worker Danita for our international Ethiopia adoption we were pursuing. She was contracted out by our adoption agency Children's Hope International. It was a wonderful meeting. We spent 3 hours with her in our home and we really clicked. Before she left we talked to her about what she does and about the domestic adoption agency she has. We asked her about placements she had made and she shared some great stories with us. After she was gone Johnathon and I talked and I was on cloud nine saying how great the process was going and how painless the home study was. Johnathon, on-the-other-hand, was quiet like in deep thought.
He broke his silence with, "I'm not so sure about all this". Practicing the art of biting my tongue, I asked him to elaborate. We spent about 2 hours discussing his thoughts and feelings and mine and basically he said after hearing Danita talk about local placements for adoption he started to think maybe we should reconsider domestic adoption. He communicated that he was completely on board for Ethiopia, but out of the blue started having second thoughts. So together we prayed for clarity. We asked the Lord to speak and give Johnathon a clear word as to what we should do.
Wednesday morning while we were at work Johnathon got a phone call from his friend Eddie who had recently adopted a baby boy. He and his wife had received a phone call from their social worker that morning about a 9 month old African American baby that was being placed for adoption and needed a home asap. They told their SW that they would call a friend who was open to adopt an AA baby (That would be us). So Johnathon received that call and talked to Eddie to get whatever details he had. Eddie gave Johnathon his SW information and come to find out their SW was Danita! After J got off the phone he walked into my office, closed the door and looked at me like he had just met Jesus. He said "you are not going to believe the phone call I just had". He explained everything to me. I said "You got some clarity now??"
We called Danita. The details were that the birth mom knew she could not provide for her baby and knew she needed to place her for adoption. Danita was going to meet with the BM on Thursday (the next day). If the mom signed the surrender papers Danita would pick up the baby that night. We were scheduled to fly out Thursday morning to Dallas to go visit my sister and her husband
Marcie and Zach for a little vacation get-a-way. Danita said that if we decided to adopt the baby we should not cancel our trip because it was still not for sure that the BM was going to sign the papers; however, if she did sign them it would probably be best for Danita to keep the baby for a few days to observe her.
So we prayed and talked and prayed. Talked to family and close friends and prayed some more. We made the decision late Wednesday night that we wanted to adopt her. We called Danita Thursday morning on our way to the airport to tell her we wanted to adopt this little baby girl. She began rejoicing over the phone and saying she just knew this baby was for us, but didn't want to say that before and influence our decision.
So we went to TX over joyed and a little shocked at what was about to take place. We received a call late Thursday night confirming that the BM had signed the papers. We spent the next few days preparing as much as we possibly could in TX for the arrival of our baby girl. Believe it our not it was really great to be TX during that waiting period. I thought I would have been freaking out not being at home getting everything ready but, I was so glad that Marcie got to be a big part of the whole process. It was also a huge blessing because Marcie's mother-in-law is a Jesus loving Martha Stewart and she taught me how to sew while we were out there and we made all of Anna Belle's bedding and pillows and window toppers. That is something I have always wanted to do, but have never learned. I always thought it would be so special to make everything in my child's room and it was the hand of the Lord that He would answer that silent prayer deep in my heart. Now do not be fooled Mrs. Toni (aka Martha Stewart) did ALL the hard work Marcie and I just played a part and learned a lot.
Family and friends at home went to our house and cleared out our guest room, moved all the furniture to my parents storage unit and painted her bedroom pink. My sister brought over all of her daughter's hand-me-downs and a handful of toys and bottles so that we had the necessities.
That brings us to Sunday, November 9, 2008: we boarded a plane and headed home to meet our little girl for the first time (Danita did take some pictures and sent them to us Saturday night and that is when we saw how absolutely beautiful she was). We arrived at home by 3pm had a million butterflies in our stomachs and waited till 6:15pm when Danita pulled up in our drive way with our baby. We finally held her in our arms still shocked and completely over joyed that in less than a week our lives went from baby less, hoping and praying for God to give us a child, to completely filled with love and devotion for our precious Anna Belle.
Needless to say it was a wonderfully crazy first week filled with many unknowns and so much love, happiness and joy that I cannot think of a better way to have received such a blessing.
ENJOY THE PICTURES
In TX late Thursday night receiving the call from Danita that Anna Belle was for sure ours!!
The next day we hit the town to go shopping and pick out paint colors
Johnathon's Parents said they would like to paint the room for us while we were gone so we picked out the colors in TX and they bought the paint in MS
Johnathon said he had never gone shopping for a baby before and it was a must. So we hit up the closest baby boutique and this is what he picked out all by himself...soo cute!
Picking out fabrics for the baby room!!
Sew sew sew....
Even Johnathon got in on the sewing...he was sewing the bumper pads together
Seeing Anna Belle for the FIRST TIME!!!!
This is the beautiful baby we saw... 
With her birth mom 
Finally in our arms and our home!!
Oh so perfect!!
Tea anyone?
Mia and I straightened AB's hair...it took almost 2 hours!! It was NOT worth it!
Anna Belle's First Valentine's Day with her Daddy!
At the New Orleans Aquarium
AB's first live concert...as you can see she was very excited!
First experience with Snow...in Oxford, MS
First time at the Beach just 1 week after her time in the Snow
Getting ready for summer
she loves her Tutu
outside on a chilly morning
Easter Sunday!
Anna Belle's Best Friend/Cousin having fun together!
My favorite little face!
Fun times eating at the dinner table
Anna Belle: "Do you want some watermelon?!"
Our first trip to the ER...not fun but still smiling!
Loving my beautiful girl!
