24 months ago

So, approximately 24 months ago, a young mother gave birth to a daughter. After trying so desperately to provide for her child for 2 months, she decided giving her child to the village leaders to care for was the best for her child's future. Month's later, a pominant politician entered the village and spoke to the leaders about American families looking to provide homes to orphans. They immediatley thought of the young girl currently in their care. A year later, the child moved to Bujumbura, the capitol of Burundi, Africa to wait for her forever family. After testing and medical exams, she was classified "an orphan" and on September 30, 2009 her forever family received her pictured via email...it was 10:30 pm. And they were ecstatic...and we still are!

Our agency contacted us by phone late on September 30 to inform us our daughter's picture was on its way via email! However, due to an unscheduled computer issue, it was going to be 2 more hours before the pictures would be sent! You can imagine it was the longest 2 hours ever!! We had pretty much decided on a name for our girl, but after receiving her picture, we both knew Zoe was the right name for this child...not Eden, as we had planned!

Our Zoe has amazing brown eyes that are bigger than I can describe! Her sweet hands clasped together showing slight apprehension in having her picture taken. Her faded blue jeans that are 2 sizes 2 big, a striped shirt (obviously a hand me down from a boy), yellow plastic flip flops, and beautiful bald head, and glorious brown eyes! We loved her instantly. I long to see those beautiful browns light up with a smile, hold her small hand, taking away her fears, kiss those sweet brown chubby cheeks!

We had hoped our sweet girl would be here to celebrate her 2nd birthday, but that is not going to happen. Red tape has slowed down the process, but certainly not tainted the love or excitement we have as we wait for our princess to join us. Financial fears linger as the process is very expensive, but we have amazing faith in our God, and know he will provide when the time comes to journey to Africa.

For now, we pray for the health of our girl, thousands of miles away. We know she is well cared for by her foster family, but that doesn't take away our desire to get her home! Our boys continue to ask about her and when she will come, and it is difficult to help them understand. I am sitting on my couch typing this blog and I've come across Annie on GMC. My favorite all time movie...I wanted to be Aileen Quinn when I was a child, I was always going to name my daughter Annie, I know the movie and soundtrack by heart. Funny how I watch it tonight with a totally different outlook on adoption than I did when I was 9...for better and worse.

Love you Zoe...miss you sweet child