here we go!

Welcome to our blog!

Many of you have asked about blogs and email updates over the past few weeks so that we can update you on our adoption happenings- and here it is! Thanks for joining us on the journey - we appreciate your support and excitement as we have been preparing to bring home 2 little ones from Uganda.

For those of you who are just joining us, here's a quick timeline of where we've been:

• July/August 2010 - we began all of the homestudies, paperwork and errands that go with the initial stages of the adoption process.
• September 2010 - homestudies were complete.
• December 2010 - all paperwork was submitted to our agency, and we began the wait for our referral....which wasn't long in the grand scheme of adoption stories, but it feels like a long time when you're in it.
• August 2011 - we received and accepted referrals for our kids: a 4-year-old boy named Ibra, and a 2-year-old girl named Sumaya :)
• September 2011 - our dossier was sent and received in Uganda, and we were on stand-by for the call to get on a plane and get our kids
• October 2011 - we got the call to get on a plane(!!) and the mad dash to get plane tickets, kid stuff, wrap up work things and pack began.

So that brings us to today, and oh boy...

Over the past week, we have visited Target enough times to be on first-name basis with the cashiers, put bed frames together 4 different ways, packed and repacked our bags at least twice, run on adrenaline and caffeine in lieu of sleep...and I think we're ready to get on that plane.

We are a little shell-shocked after all the preparations this week and wondering what we are getting ourselves into - and absolutely, 187% excited to meet our son and daughter in a matter of days!

Please be praying for us as we travel and get ready to meet our kids! Please also pray for our kids as they have their final days in their children's homes, that the Lord will prepare their hearts for all the changes that we will have as a family. We'll plan to keep you updated on this site and would love to hear from you!

~shayna