My Last 6 weeks!

Picking up Baby From Hospital

July is over? Seems like time is going much faster than normal. I am really enjoying my time with Lydia. Lydia is so sweet and very passionate about the work she does with Abba Adoptions.  She is so busy and we are driving everywhere! Court Dates, Hospitals, Other Baby Homes, and Foster placement home visits. I am learning quickly that flexibility is key. We will start the day at court with 3 or 4 appointments after. Then its really luck if we can get out in less than 2 hours. Many days we have to reschedule other appointments because court decides to take all day. Fun stuff.
Unfortunately, these particular outings don't have a lot of opportunities to take pictures. Identities need to be protected and a lot of the times its not appropriate to do so.
Doesn't sound super exciting but I am really have a great time. I am learning so much and getting to hang out with Lydia is wonderful. Its been enlightening to be able to fill in the gaps of what I already knew about the legal side of an adoption.



Some thoughts from one of my days: "It started early sitting in 2 different courts for a few hours 🗂and sitting with a sweet mama who wanted to sign consent for her daughter to be adopted. As the time got closer I could see her getting more nervous. At the last minutes all the different options ran through her head again and she asked me about foster care and what if she kept her? I got to tell her how courageous she was and reminded her that it was her choice whatever she decided. I cant imagine the heartache she was feeling. 💔Then we drove to the other court and met with a family. There was a lot going on in that story. After an intense morning we ended the day at the hospital picking up this sweet little girl who was 6 days old." 👶🏽

Mr. S was Adopted by a very sweet Finland Family in June.  He loves his family and seems to be fit in so well. On the first day as a family mom sent us a video of him going around the circle giving hugs to daddy, sister and mommy. I think it was about the cutest thing any of us could have received. We love updates at El Roi. Between S and his sister their house will be full of loud laughs and cheering. What a wonderful sound it is.

H is finally with his family!!!!!!!!!!!! Today he met his family and tomorrow he will be taken to the guest houses where his mommy and daddy will stay until they fly back to Holland. I couldn’t be more happy to finally see this kid with his forever. He was very chatty and seemed pleased to be with his family. It was almost like he was a different kid. Went better than I think any of us could have imagined. He Came to El Roi at 4 weeks old and now is 3 1/2. Its been a pleasure being his auntie and even more of a thrill to finally have this day be here.

Last Picture with H!

Praise!
-My dad is coming! I am having a hard time containing my excitement. I am thrilled to get to show him Refilwe and my Home these last 4 years. We will spend 12 days in Joburg then we have a 24 hour stop in Amsterdam on our way back to San Francisco. The stop is a small treat I am super excited about it. I am looking forward too sitting at a Cafe with a cup of coffee and take it all in.
*** update we are spending almost 48 hours in Amsterdam. Just looked at our tickets again. 
- We got an update from Baby E in Sweden which I really cant call a baby anymore. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady at 3 1/2. Her parents are rocking this thing called parenting haha. I might be given an opportunity to get more updates from my small people and I am jumping at the bit to see if it will pan out. Hopefully next blog will be full of updates. Thats my dream anyways...

I got to sit on C's placement

Her Mommy and Daddy are so cute!

Prayer:
-Safe Travels for my dad and I in 6 weeks. Officially half way through my last bit of time here. so many emotions! If this is new news you should read my last blog : )
-I applied for a Job and its kinda my dream job. Its exactly what I was hoping to do going back to the States. I hope this is a good foot in the door to working with adoption in the states. I would just about jump out of skin if I would get this opportunity.
-Everything gets sorted by the time I have to leave. Ive been working on it it all for a few weeks now and I'm feeling good but anyone who has moved cross the world knows that doesn't always work.
-I have a last wonderful 5 weeks with Lydia.
-Adoptions! I have 4 more kids (from my original kids) that could go to their families before the end of the year! I want them to be with there families so badly!!!

Baby Brother turned 18 this month!

Got to make Chocolate chip cookies with the boys!

Okay, I finally took picture of my little cottage. Many of you have been asking where I live. 

View from my front door

Living Area

View of my garden

Kitchen. 

If was staying I had high hopes to get chairs and put them against the counter closest to me and use it as my Dining area. Since its usually just me and the counter is very low. But since im moving I either eat on the floor or sit on my couch. I also had so many dreams of decorating more (which I love to do) but alas, maybe in my next house!

Blessed be the name of the Lord...

Hey Family all over the World,

2017 has been really crazy. I always want to be honest with whats going on even when it’s not sunshine and rainbows. God is showing me that what I'm thinking and his whole picture are two different things.  

So, here has been whats been going on…

Im moving back to California. Wait, What? Yep exactly what I said. The first four months of this year have been really hard. Hard in all the ways transitions usually are then so much more. After six months at Onthatile I began to to feel like it wasn't a good fit for me. And a week before I flew out in May I thought it would be best if we parted ways. My time at Onthatile was a learning experience and I have a lot of memories. Some Highlights were:

- God allowing me to play a part in Introducing a forever family to one of my El Roi babies
- Getting to place baby N in his forever mommy’s arms
- Realizing this work with babies and adoption is something I am very passionate about and  always want to be apart of the process.
- Also very passionate about bonding and attachment and what a vital role it plays in baby development, especially in regards to adoption.
- Deeper relationship with my heavenly father. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21

I just resigned Now What?  I knew when I ended my time at Onthatile it meant I was coming home. I want to use this time to reevaluate my calling by coming back to my home base. With  a lot of counsel and prayer I know it is the right thing to do.  

Whats going on now?

I wasn't able to get a long term Visa so, I am on a 90 Visa. I have to leave the country by September 13th. During this time I am closing up my life here in SA and to sell and give away anything that wont fit into my checked bags.

My journey here in SA isn't over! 

For my last bit of time, Im calling it a Mini Mission Trip. I get to be apart of the other side of adoption, working in a adoption agency. One of the social workers names Lydia at ABBA (adoption agency we used at El Roi, Largest Adoption Agency in SA) who loves Jesus and has agreed to take me on as a “intern” of sorts and let me follow her around for the next 3 months. I hope this will be a time of conversation and questions but also a time where I can encourage her and the other social workers. Fighting everyday to move an inch or sometimes not at all against judges who don't care is draining and discouraging.  I started this week and some of the things i will get to do is, go to court cases, meet judges, foster care home visits, Birth mom counseling, adoptions, filing, agency meetings (matchings) and I'm most excited about going to a three day conference for families who want to adopt in August. I am so excited to be working with the ladies who are matching my kids with their families. My babies would grow up in group homes and without mommies and daddies if it wasn't the amazing work that they do everyday. Please be praying that I will be a help with their cases but also be able to pray with and encourage them.  I  am very excited for these next months!

I wrote this earlier so my little update didn't fit. I got to start my job at ABBA on Wednesday and it was amazing. I did some filing and ask questions and then we got to go to a foster visit update. We got to go to a family home and check in on a this little boy who is now being raised by his grandparents. They have been through so much already and it was beautiful to see how they have embraced this little person. They definitely asked great questions. On Thursday we counseled a young mom wanting to give her baby up for adoption, went to court, and picked up a sweet baby from the hospital and brought her to a baby home close by.  So much more greatness happening next week and lots of miles to drive around Joburg.



Whats Next?


Well honestly, I don't want to move back. I'm not super happy about it but the Lord is pretty clearly moving me. God asks us to do things that we don't want to, right? I will take a month when i come back to adjust and go to counseling and sort my life out a bit. I will start working in October and start back at CSUEB in January. Even though God is moving me back to the US I am still very passionate about adoption. After I graduate, hopefully in 12-18 months, I want to join an adoption agency and use my experience to help other families. The future is so uncertain but I know that we serve a Good God.


Prayer Requests:

-My Heart! All these ups and downs for so many months. Its been hard.
-These next 30 days! I hope that I can make the most impact for the next months. Pray for a good time and encouragement with friends and sister ministries as I close up my time.
-I have three boys 3, 4 and 4 1/2 who are waiting for for their families. Judges are not moving to sign papers.
-My dad might come out to “come get me”. I would like his luggage allowance : ) but also for my dad to know and to see what i have been doing these last 4 years. Praying that his passport comes quickly but also for the right side jobs come along so my dad will be able to come.
-Im pretty nervous about the future and all the uncertainty it hold. I could use peace in my heart
-Im still about $700 short for the rest of my trip.If you would like to help, Send me an email!
-I have a bad cold. : ( no fun.

Baby we picked up from the hospital.

She was being called Baby Ruth till her mommy could pick a name for her