Yet....

Sorry for the lack of posting. Just not a lot of new news to post.

 Yet.

We have been in lots of communication with our adoption agency (as have all families in the Ethiopia program) regarding wait times. There isn't a lot to report that is different, except to say we are approaching 16 months of having our paperwork in country with an average wait time of 18-24 months for a referral for a child over 4 (our preference age is 3-6 years). There was a recent increase in all wait times due to a slow down on the Ethiopian side of things. All that to say: we press on. The days come and go and every day when Brycen and Regan get in the car and ask if we got our referral today I usually say the same thing: not

 Yet.

 Just a couple of days ago Regan and I were talking about different parts of the world and how they live life differently than us. Something she said has stuck with me. She said, "Mom, you know how some of those people don't know Jesus

 Yet?"

 We continued our conversation about going to the "uttermost parts of the earth" to share the gospel as well as sharing with people living right here in Knoxville who do not know Jesus.

 Yet.

 I kept thinking about her question. She hadn't assumed people would NEVER know about Jesus, simply that they didn't

 Yet

 know. I kept replaying it over in my mind. The faith of a child. Isn't it just like them to know when and how to say something that just sticks? I have voiced those words to Him in prayer over the last few days in confession... "Lord, I know it's coming and I need to focus on the

 'yet.'

 It's coming and I trust You with our family." I will admit our spirits are growing more excited with each passing day, knowing we are one day farther down than this road and she is one day closer to home. On the flip side, we also find ourselves tearful and longing many days, knowing our girl is out there wanting a forever family. In the meantime, I will repeat it a thousand times because it is so true, I wouldn't trade anything for what the wait is growing in us as a family as well as individually. Our kids are certainly learning that waiting on God is real. That His timing is different than our timing sometimes and just because you could change things to speed it up doesn't mean you should if you are still doing what He called you to. They are learning about waiting on Him because He hasn't finished this chapter in our lives.

 yet.

 I am learning it, too. In a world where nearly everything happens fast and we hate to wait for much of anything, learning to be patient and to trust, really trust, Him is such a valuable attribute. Even Corbin this past week said, "We don't know when Lakin will be here from Africa. We just know we love her." Yes, we do. And she will know it, too, just not

 Yet.

 The reality of having another child around here seems to be setting in more and more as days and weeks pass. We find ourselves planning things including FIVE kids rather than four. We each have our own stories about what Lakin has already taught us despite the fact we haven't seen her face, heard her voice, or kissed her cheeks.

 Yet.

 Thank you for your prayers, calls, emails, texts, and love in the waiting. We are forever grateful. And we look forward to a post coming soon to share with you our travel plans! It's coming! Just not quite Yet.