Ladies & Gentleman, We Have A COURT DATE!!!

Can you feel the enthusiasm of my title?!??!  Three weeks ago I saw his precious face for the first time and in 5 weeks and 5 days I get to hold him in my arms. My heart is overflowing with joy! You all who read my last post know I was praying to see my son this year and I asked you to pray for the same.  I'm so thankful that God has answered this prayer.  
Our court date is December 22nd!!! WAAHOOO!!
While this is what I was praying for, it wasn't super realistic of me.  To be assigned a court date as fast as we did and have one assigned just over a month from now is a blessing from the Lord, I will give Him the glory for the most wonderful Christmas present a mom could ask for!


So today I've been a busy bee.  We are working on our travel itinerary with an agency, I made our appointments at the travel clinic for vaccines, looked into travel insurance, made a list of documents we needed, and reviewed our travel pack from West Sands. I also realized this afternoon that since we will be getting home on Christmas Eve, I not only have 5 weeks to get everything in order for us to leave the country for the week, I only have 5 weeks to get everything ready for Christmas! Although, there is potential the Jenkins may be celebrating Christmas on December 26th so mom and dad will actually be awake and able to remember it! So if I lose my train of thought while talking to you it's because I'm mentally crossing off and adding to my to-do list (or just day dreaming about holding my little man :) 


What happens now...(I'll be so happy when the only thing left to happen is be a forever family!)


December 12th: Preliminary hearing in Ethiopia.  They review our paper work and little man's paper work.  We get travel clearance or request correction to documents. (We are praying for clearance!!)


December 18th: Fly to D.C.
December 19th: Fly to Ethiopia
December 20th: Hold on to and cuddle our little guy!!! Happy Day!
December 22nd: Court!!
December 23rd: Leave Ethiopia
December 24th: Home to our girls 


Noah has still has not been moved to the transition home.  So at some point between now and December 20th he will be moved.  Please pray for him to get there soon and safely.  I'll be one relieved mama when he gets there.


Please pray that our MOWA (they write a supportive letter to the judge that we are clear to adopt Noah, without that letter our case cannot be final) letter is there and that when we leave Ethiopia Noah is our son.  The longer the letter takes, the longer it will be until he is home.  


Obviously flying in December has weather risks.  We are asking the Lord to hold off a white Christmas until Christmas day :) 


So thankful and excited to bring Noah home!  So thankful for our friends and family who have been so encouraging and supportive!  We love you all and can't express our gratitude.  Please keep praying for our little guy.  That he stays safe and healthy. That someone is loving on him today, that he is well fed, and clean.  We can't wait for you to meet him!


My turn of "what I'm thankful for" at Thanksgiving might take a while :)