Well, today was an eventful day.  Eric and I got to talk on the phone today.  The first part of our conversation was all about getting our 2005 tax forms to him.  For some reason he did not have them in his portfolio.  So, thanks to modern technology, I was able to have them scanned and sent via email to the Sheppards home computer. 

He said that Joseph and Gabrielle are doing well.  Joseph went with Eric, Patty Anglin, and another man to go look at property the other day (tthe gentleman and his wife adopted two children in December.  They are from Texas and plan on selling and moving to Liberia.  This is the man that Eric met on the plane. ) Anyway, Joe was quite the tag along.  He was well behaved and loved being with Eric on this excursion. 

The Sheppard's have opened their home as a foster care for the sick children and physically disabled.  They have one little one that is, I believe, six months old and only weighs six pounds.  They think she has a heart problem.  Eric has been tempted to bring her home also on a humanitarian visa but we do not have health insurance that would cover this.  I can't believe that health coverage could be the only reason why this little girl could not get help.  Eric says she is so fragile and they are afraid that if she stays in country any longer that she will die.  If we had the money for the surgeries that she will need, we would bring her over also.  I can not imagine the heartbreak that Patty must feel everytime she buries another child. 

Eric said that there is a 60% chance of him coming home on the 29th.  I am to call tomorrow to find out if that chance changes to 80%.  They are hoping that the Visas come in tomorrow.  If they do, he will go in for the exit interview and if approved will head home. 

He was shedding some light on the whole visa and passport deal.  I guess the consulate is taking his time and does not want to be pushed into making decisions.  He is making it very hard to get the children out of the country.  Kind of funny that the same government that is letting illegal immigrants come over the Mexican border in mass will not let Liberian children come into the US without some form of debate and serious consideration.  These children need to get out of the country and be taken care of if for only humanitarian reasons.  He said they also are only allowing a certain amount of visas to be issued per month.  Well, they have all these people from the previous government that want to leave the country and so they are taking up those slots.  Patty is vigorously trying to change this so that she can get as many children out of the country as possible.  Eric has been impressed with Patty and her determination and love for these people. 

The new orphanage is wonderful and huge.  It is more remote then the one that they have now, which is in a very crowded neighborhood.  Eric said that they have built it on forty acres close to the ocean so it is cooler and beautiful. 

• Eric asked if all would pray that the visas would come in tomorrow (Tuesday), the exit interview would go well and that the consulate would allow him to leave the country on Wednesday. 
• Also, please pray for those who are being left behing at the orphanage.  Particulary this little girl that has really touched Eric's heart.  Pray that she would be adopted quickly and brought back into the US safe and sound where she can get the medical help she needs. 

Eric emailed me today.  I have been checking the email over and over hoping to get some news from him.

He said that the weather is hot.  Of course, we know what hot is right now in the Central Valley of California.  We have had eight consecutive days of over 100 degrees.  Three of those were 108!. 

But, back to Eric.  He has had the kids with him over the weekend and they seem to be doing well.  They are physically well with no trace of scabies or ringworm.  Gabbie fits into the clothes that I sent her but Joe's clothes were too small.  It was very hard to buy for him since he was only 33lbs but 44" tall.  Tall and skinny! 

Gabby is a cuddle bug and loves to be held.  Both kids want only to be with Eric and no one else.  Something that I have heard is very important in the attachment process. 

Eric did find out that men are suppose to wear pants...young and old.  I pity Eric who had to not only go out and buy pants (because he brought mostly shorts) but also because he is going to work in the heat in long pants.  He starts working on the construction site on Monday (they are nine hours ahead). 

He said that they hope to be home by the 2nd.  He has a ticket for the 29th but there might be delays.  He did tell me that the paperwork is not done.  So, we will wait once again.  This has become the theme of this adoption (actually, for most adoptions!)

Eric said that Joe will fit well in our family with a bit of work.  If you have never met my husband let me tell you a bit about him.  He is a strong man, very determined, and opinionated.  He is adventurous, fears very little, and loves a challenge.  He sees things in a very logical way.  Yet he is also extremely loving and absolutely enjoys children.  If he could do one thing in life it would be to spend every day, all day long with children.  Being with children is where he finds enjoyment but also is where he has the most fun.   So, being at an orphanage filled with children is a special treat.  So, I can't think of a better person to go over to Liberia to pick up our children.  He will establish a bond that will be more then just a hug with our children. Really, I couldn't ask for more. He is doing a lot of the dirty and hard work in laying a foundation for how life for Joe will be in our home. 

And, to top off all this news, he said that he will be calling me Monday or Tuesday (their time).  I was beyond excited to know that I would be able to talk to him.  We did not have a phone that works overseas and so we were thinking that I would just talk to him when he arrives back into the US.  What a treat to be in touch by email and phone. 

I will pass on more info as I get it. 

Prayer requests: 

• Physical endurance for Eric while working on the orphanage in the heat of Africa.
• Bonding between Eric, Joe and Gabby.
• I will be able to get his work done while he is gone.  Because he is going to be gone longer I have to do his store calls.  But, if I do not do it we do not get a paycheck. 

Eric called me at 2:30am on Friday morning to inform me that he was being given a mini vacation. Well, kind of.  There was something about a plane not being available so all fifty of the passangers going to Liberia were put up in a hotel with all meals provided and told that they would have a 14hr layover in Brussels. 

Well, Eric, being the adventurous person he is, decided to take a cab into Brussels and enjoy the sites.  When I talked to him later on in the day he kept down-playing the whole experience, telling me that there was not much to see.  Ha!  Anyway, he had Belgium waffles saw some incredible cathedrals, and had some very strong coffee.

Back at the hotel, he enjoyed his last hot shower for the trip and had a great time getting to know some of the native Liberians that were traveling back to their country.  He also met a missionary couple that were both born in Liberia but were now going back after spending most of their lives in the US. 

When he got into the country we figured that we would have no way to communicate but that is not so.  The Sheppards (the missionary family that Eric is staying with) have internet access so I have been receiving email updates from him.

He has met Patty and spent most of the day getting aquainted with the area.  He has been able to spend a lot of time with a gentleman that was on the same flight who is there to buy land (or something like that...I do know that he knows Patty).  Eric has been able to talk to the Sheppards and this gentleman about what we believe and why we feel so strongly about family integration and such.  Who would have thought that he would have theological and philosophical discussions while in Africa!  His other comment was that Liberia "is a wild place with so many lost people".

Today he goes to meet the children and start work on the new orphanage. We have heard rumors that the paperwork is all done as of today.  Not sure about that and will confirm with Eric.  But, if this is the case, then Eric will be home on Thursday. 

The biggest prayer request would be for Eric to be able to minister to those who are giving and serving in Liberia.

Second, Eric said it was mildly hot but the humidity is very high.  Please pray for physical endurance. 

Thank you so much for your prayers 

Well, I dropped Eric off at the San Fransisco International Airport.  Better known as SFO around these parts.  

Can you believe it?  He is actually on his way to start a new adventure and begin another phase of our lives.  While he is in country we will celebrate 19 years together.  The look on his face when he walked into the airport was one of great care, love, and compassion.  He would be surprised to hear me use the C word as we call it in our home.  You see, Eric is a command man.  Compassion is not always a trait that many people get to see in this man.  But, I saw it today in his eyes. 

They say that adoption is a life changing experience.  Much like having a child but also much different.  Take it from a woman who has given birth to four children...adopting these two children has been incredibly harder then anything I experienced in the birthing room.  But, through it all I have been learning patience and truly learning to lean on God's sovereign will.  Where as, Eric has been learning compassion for me and overall for the plight of the orphan.  God is good. 

I will keep you posted on Eric's travels when I have info.  At this point, I am thinking that I will not hear from him until next Thursday when he arrives back into JFK, Lord willing.  Thank you for your prayers during this time. 

"love knows not its own depth
until the hour of separation."

-- Kahlil Gibran

We are getting Eric ready to head out on Wednesday.  The process includes buying all the necessary items for overseas travel, packing, and of course, saying good-bye to the one I love more then anything in this world.  A part of this process is also sleepless nights.  

 I get insomnia quite frequently and figured that this episode was due to my nerves.  You would think as a Navy wife that I would be a pro at saying good-bye.  Well, the above quote is so true and I am living it right now.  So, during those sleepless hours I pray.  I am praying for the safety of my husband as he travels across the world.  I am praying that he will be able to help the orphanage out quite a bit with his construction skills.  I am praying that the children will love him and attach quickly.  I am praying that he will be incredibly blessed by the missionaries and the orphanage staff.  I am praying that the children will be safe and that they will travel home safely.  I am praying that all goes well and Eric is able to come home on the 29th.  I am praying that our transition will go smoothly and that nothing major will happen here at home while Eric is gone.

So, with all these prayer requests it's amazing that I get to sleep at all!  Knowing there are others praying for us helps me feel a bit more peaceful.  I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Eric, Joseph, Gabrielle and for that matter, the rest of us, are in the Almighty hands of God.  He does not rest and His will will not be thwarted.  The sleepless nights are not in vain.  But, saying good-bye is never easy and the benefit is realizing how incredibly in love you are with the one that you are saying good-bye to.  The great part of this journey is knowing that something incredible is on the other side.

By the way,  thanks go to the Flying Dutchman for this quote. 

  Last night around the dinner table, after we had eaten one of those great freezer meals, Eric announced that he had good news and bad news.  He had a smirk on his face so I knew he was up to something.

He said that he talked to Donna and that they had decided on a date.  There was quite a bit of excitement.  "The good news" he said " is that I am leaving earlier then expected." Yee-ha!  "The bad news is that it is going to cost more then we thought".  Bummer but at this point we don't care, we just want our children home.

So, we pressed him for the details.  He is flying out of San Fran on the 21st of June.  This is official since he actually bought the tickets yesterday.  He is hoping to return on teh 28th of June.  Hopeful because of a couple of glitches.  First of all, they are waiting on the birth certificates to be issued by the government.  And, this government can basically move as slowly as ours can.  Second, Eric's Visa expires on the 30th.  Now, in the US if you have an expired Visa you can stay indefinately but in Liberia they are a bit sticky about the issue.  In fact, it can be an issue even if you are a couple of days from it expiring. 

So, we are hoping to see him on the 28th but know that it could be longer.  He actually decided to go on the 21st because he is going to spend a week doing construction work on the new orphanage.  He is really excited about helping them out with his skills.  He is also equally excited about enjoying the children of the orphanage.  The kids have decided on sending Smarties candy (in honor of one of our dearest friends) and a Nerf ball. We have also been collecting baby clothes for the orphanage.  This is where I get jealous of the time that he will be able to spend at the orphanage and with the missionaries there.  I wish our whole family could afford to go over and experience this great event. 

If you are so led to pray....could you pray for Eric's safe travels?  Also, we had to pay much more for the flights then we were expecting.  We had saved up $3500 for the flights and they were well over $4000.  We also have to take at least $2000 over for tips, Visa fees, and housing.  God has provided so far and we believe that he will continue to provide.

Also, we are praying for not only the hearts of Joe and Gabby but also for their well being.  Both have been sick in the last month and we were reminded how hard life is in Liberia with the death of a child that was to be adopted by another family.  We grieve with them.  We are also praying for Joseph's adjustment to his new world. 

Thank you so much for all your prayers during this interesting phase of our lives.  It isn't over yet...in fact, as a parent, it is only just beginning. 

A bit of hesitation here....maybe a drum roll is appropriate.  I'm just not sure which direction to take because on one hand it is exciting news but on the other hand we have had exciting news over the past couple of months and then have our hopes dashed against the rocks of disappointment. 

So, with a bit of excitement and a bit of dread I pass on the info that my children told me today. Donna from AoH called and informed us that Joseph and Gabrielle are ready to come home.  Eric is scheduled to fly out of San Fransisco on June 25th and will be back in San Fransisco on July 1st.  All of this is Lord willing!

We still have not heard from Donna at Acres of Hope about when Eric will be leaving to pick up Joseph and Gabrielle. 

I would like to say that I am waiting patiently but that is not the case.  I strive to wake up every morning and not be anxious.  And yet, my actions and words do not speak of a heart that is waiting quietly but of a heart that is feeling a bit out of control.  So, back to my knees I go asking God to calm my spirit and make me content with my situation.  Then, it is to my children I go with apologies.  And then, back to the things that I can control:  the laundry, cleaning out cabinets, school, meals, etc. 

  Eric talked to Donna at Acres of hope on Friday.  We had been waiting to hear from her, knowing that Patty and Donna had just returned from Liberia.  The news was not good.

Liberia's new government is making it harder to adopt.  They are requiring more paper work and not being as forgiving if you are missing something in your dossier.  Our adoption is being directly effected by this change and so we must wait even longer.  Donna said that it will be no later then the middle of June.  They have a group coming home the first week of May and then we go in the second group.  The only reason that we are getting in on this group is that they expedite adoptions of those under the age of one for health reasons (the mortality rate of those under a year is very high). 

When I heard the news, I have to admit that I was overwhelmed with grief.  I just wanted to find a hole and hide in it.  But, in God's providence, we were on our way to a friends house for a big church get together. 

I had approximately one hour to stop sobbing and get a grip on my emotions.  I knew that all of my dear friends would ask me how the adoption was going.  I wasn't sure if I could deal with the questions.   But, God was gracious and after letting a bit of my emotions out with our friends, before others arrived, I was able to distance myself from the grief and relay the info to others. 

I thought being twenty days overdue with a pregnancy was hard!  This beats all.  I just want so dearly to hold these kiddos in my arms.  I want to get them away from the danger of living in a country still healing from a civil war.  I want for our family to not be in limbo any longer.  All in due time. 

I am a Navy wife.  And as such you learn how to deal with changes.  The line "It will happen when it is suppose to happen" comes from years of military life.  You learn to go with the military flow (who knew that the military understands the Sovereignty of God!  I highly doubt they do, but we do). 

Sound familiar?  It should.  You don't have to be in the military to know the truth of this phrase.  In fact, James wrote to us about this very subject. 

James 4:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."  14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."

We think that we know what tomorrow brings.  That we have some control over our "destiny".  But, when everything is stripped away and we get down to the nitty gritty we find that we have no control over anything in our lives. 

My husband understands this much better than I.  He has told me all along that all the plans, ideas, and dates have been subject to change.  He has even said that he will finally believe that we have adopted when he safely returns to our home with the little ones in his arms. 

But, my security is bound up in those things of this world that seem stable (our house, our calendar, etc.).  I am fine with change but let:s not keep changing.  The problem with this picture is that I look at change as something concrete.  But, James warns us to not be concrete with our plans.  Instead, we are to say Lord willing.

So, as I wrestle with not knowing the date of our children coming home, if we are going to sell our house, if Eric is going to take this job or that,  and if we are going to go on a trip across the U.S., I will also wrestle with the passage above.  I will strive to not set each change into concrete until the Lord wills. 

$500.  That is what I was hoping to make at our garage sale to raise funds for our plane tickets and visa applications for the kids.  Of course, the tickets and visa fees are much more then that but going by my previous garage sale experiences I figured that this would be reasonable. 

Well, after a lot of donations and dear family friends who helped out incredibly, we earned four times what I thought we would.  Praise to the Lord, Jehovah-Jireh!  We still have so much more to sell and many more donations coming in that we will be doing this again in two weeks.

I am not sure what is more exciting though.  The money that we were able to raise or the incredible people we met.  We met one lady who lived in Liberia for eleven years teaching young natives.  She can't wait for us to meet her friends who are on furlow as missionaries in Liberia.  We met a father and daughter who donated stuff from their house for us to sell.  We met a homosexual couple who were overwhelmed by our adoption that they brought stuff for us to sell and bought quite a bit.  The amazing thing....they heard the whole story of why we are doing this including our Godly conviction of taking care of the orphans.  I hope we see them again so that we can continue to show them the Light.  We also had those who bought and bought and then said keep the change. 

But, this is not the first time we have been financially blessed in this endeavor.  We have received checks from anonymous angels out there, we have received dollar bills in envelopes, and we have had checks handed to us from dear friends who do not necessarily have the funds to spare. 

We know that their crowns are in heaven.  They have been a living example to us and we hope that we can be for someone else in the future. 

Here you go....

• Eric's visa application has been sent and will hopefully come back in a week.
• Donna at AoH says that our paperwork is at the end of the process and  Eric will be able to travel by the middle of April
• We sent out our last big adoption fee today. 
• We are packing and getting serious!
• We are also packing our house and possibly already have a buyer

Bullet points are all I have time for right now as I race around trying to get our house packed, kids taught, household goods sent to good homes, and organize the items that will be put in storage.  And, in between we are trying to a breath here and there.  Excitement is the Davis word of the month!

We have been in contact with a couple of families that live on the Mercy Ship M/V Anastasis.  They are in the port of Monrovia, Liberia until June.  Many of the families visit the Acres of Hope orphanage to do puppet shows and give the gospel to these young ones.  They also help with medical and dental needs.  Thanks to Kristin, Brian and Warrie we are able to see the orphanage where our children live and even see their smiling faces.  Here is the site to visit. 

http://web.mac.com/blackbub/iweb/AOH/home%201.html

***I am sorry but this link is not working at this time

Well, here they are! 

It is official and the paperwork is now being processed

to bring home our little ones. 

Joseph "Joe" Foley Freeman Davis will be 4 on March 9th.

Gabrielle Priscilla Davis is seven months old and will turn 1 year

on July 15th. 

Eric is hoping to travel the first or second week

of March to pick them up. 

He will also spend some time doing construction work on the new orphanage that Acres of Hope is building.

For more info on the orphanage and Liberia please go to

www.acresofhope.org

the addition of two little ones to the Davis family.

We have been officially placed with a three year old boy and a seven month old girl (siblings) from Liberia. 

We are not sure who is more excited...the kids or Eric and I. 

The plans are for Eric to fly over to Liberia and pick up our new children either the middle or end of February. 

If the Lord provides, I might be able to go over also.

Pictures and names will be coming soon! 

For those of you who are wondering about the adoption, we were given an update from our contact at Acres of Hope.  Right now Liberia is going through some upheaval.   They had elections to narrow down the choices and then a run-off election this last week.  I guess there have been those who have not been very happy with the results because there have been increasing bouts of violence since the election.  The orphanage is basically holding all files at the moment until the civil unrest comes under control.  There are rumors that the UN is going to step in if it continues over the coming weeks.  So, this means that we will not have a baby or two in our home for the holidays.   Where I would normally be worried we are instead resting in God's sovereign hand.  His timing is perfect. We will continue to keep you posted when we hear more.  For the time being we are going to enjoy all the family members that are coming down to join our holiday celebrations.