Todays High Court Events

So for a week I have been stretched emotionally, spiritually, and physically really as I have been sleep deprived with stress. Tanzania just passed a new law that Single women cannot adopt and even married couples must live in Tanzania for 3 consecutive years before they are eligible. Basically this law will pretty much make adoption in this country extinct. It is a sad thing. I am not sure when exactly it will go into effect but you can see the added urgency for Neema and I to finalize! It seems that no matter what I provided for the social welfare officer (the one person that says yes or no...and the only and final sayer) he always needed "just one more thing" to complete our report. First, I heard that he was not going to be in Arusha this week because his father passed away, then i heard that Ed (Muslim holiday was going to fall on Friday - it is determined by the movement of the moon and there are two Eds a year - and they both happen to be right near two of my court dates - fortunately I was able to miss both of them by a day) Then just when I thought my report had been turned in, my lawyer calls me to tell me that the social welfare officer needed to see me again! AGAIN?!?! Why???? Court is tomorrow im telling myself. Ok stay calm just go see what he needs...So I go. And he says "just one small thing...." He wanted to go to the village where Neema is from and see where all her relatives are living. But he can't go until that night. (ok this is the night before court date) So we go. I take him to the tiny little hut where her 80 year old great grandfather lives. The hut that is made more poorly than the outhouse where my guards go to the bathroom! It ended up being good for him to see it. To see the water run off from the rain flowing into his home. To see the mosquito manifestation. To hear the neighbors complain about how the other relatives do nothing to help him. After that he said he didnt need to see anymore! Finally, I think he is satisfied that it is not in Neema's best interest to live in the village. However, he is concerned at how tiny Neema is. He says and her health card agrees that she is underweight. I try to explain to him that she just has a little frame and that children who have lived in orphanages are typically smaller than the average child but he insists that i dont feed her enough. He asks me if i want to keep her skinny like all of us American girls! I try to convince him that she eats a lot but that she is just naturally small. But he says I must bring her in to his office even after finalization to check on her and make sure she has gained 4 kilos. That is something like 8 pounds!!

So for Thanksgiving Neema and I went to Snow Crest Hotel and drank water out of wine glasses and ate up a big plate of vegetable spagetti. I gave Neema like 4 rolls. We had cake. Then when we got home at like 9pm I made her drink a whole mug full of uji (its like oatmeal but made with rice, sweet potatoes, vitamins, and minerals - what the box says) Eat and grow, baby!

7am rolls around we crawl out of bed and pray. We pray that the report will be complete, we pray everyone will show up. We thank Jesus that no matter what happens He still died for us and that we are still His. I drive to pick everyone up. The uncles...Calvin who is always late, is late. Her father who is always on time...is late. I'm still scared the moon says its Ed and we will pull up and the gates will be closed. Im trying to pray and im trying to believe and trust but im so anxious. Finally everyone arrives and we head to the court house. There we wait for the lawyer...he is late. I see the judge, im relieved he is atleast there. They are about to call us. Where is the social welfare officer my lawyer comes to ask me. Par for the course....then he comes, thank God.

They call us in and we are barely seated when the judge says that we are going to need to reschedule for December 7th because he is traveling. I hold it together knowing I cant ever cry in front of these men again. But then the judge says that he has the report and its been turned in and so now all we need is our verdict. I finally feel relieved. The report is done, that is the most important thing. No more "one more thing"s....so as I understand on Monday, Dec. 7 we will just go in and they will give the final say...which should be YES since the report is complete.

Thank you all so much for the messages, emails, and texts! And don't become tired of praying for us. :) We love you.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

Neema LIVE

This video is old but I am finally somewhere with strong enough internet to post it. Now that it downloaded we will try to post videos more frequently. Please forgive us that we are in pajamas and its a little rough. It was Saturday MORNING. kisses from Africa. :) 

Best Friends

The other night Neema and I were reading from her Children's Bible. We got to the chapter about Jonathan and David and it was titled Best Friends. I was trying to explain to Neema the meaning of best friends. I told her a best friend is someone you tell all your secrets. You know they will always be there for you. You want to spend all your time with them, etc. Then I asked her who was her best friend? And she said "God."

What an amazing answer. I love how children have such pure hearts. It seems they get things that I often miss. I don't know why I make things so complicated. Thanks Neema for shedding light on such a simple truth!

Neema's first SAFARI!

We have a friend in town and she has never been to Africa so she selflessly agreed to pay for us if we could take my car. So on Wednesday morning we got up early and piled in for a day trip to Tarangire National Park! It was the first time Neema has seen wild animals and it was such a great day!! We had to battle through a little bout with tetsi flies who wouldnt stop biting us but other than that we saw many beautiful animals and got to relect on God's amazing creation. Driving through the bush with mountains on one side of you and impalas prancing about on the other side and just listening to worship songs it just takes me to another place. A place of complete joy. To a place only Jesus can promise us. He says he has come to give us life to the full. I get so down about my house not being completely finished, or the fact that restaurants here stop serving food at 4pm, or the endless frustrations of this adoption process. But then I see the bright blue birds soaring above my head or the giraffes lazily munching on some tree limbs and I think they don't worry if God will provide. They eat like I do, sleep like I do, breathe like I do...they are His and He takes care of them. And he says How much more does he care for us? Lord I pray that I can remember that feeling. That feeling of completeness even when im sad or lonely, hurting or frustrated. Help me to remember that I am Yours. That while you made the hills and rivers that inhabit this game park that you also made the cities, the buildings, the homes the places I spend my days. Everything is Yours. I thank you.  

7am - Neema is so excited!!! 

Little Monkey Family

4pm...still smiling...i love her!

Living the Life

Life has been busy lately. Lots to update you on. First, we went to court on the 5^th and I must give a huge praise because our (3^rd) finalizing court date got rescheduled for November 27^th! Still three weeks away but at least we are getting it in before December when everything here in Tanzania shuts down for like two months for the Holidays. So please continue to pray mightily for NOVEMBER 27^th. If we pass court on that day, Neema will be officially my daughter in this country. At that point, we will no longer be confined to these borders and we can then proceed to making her a United States citizen. Oh how I look forward

 to the day……We will all jump for joy together!

Also, we have moved into a new house! There were some bumps along the way (TIA) but we are in and beginning to feel more settled. The house is beautiful and it sits on a hill that overlooks Mt. Meru and when she is not feeling shy I can see Kilimanjaro from my balcony. The Lord has blessed us abundantly. For months I have been praying for the perfect house. A couple that I have loved fell through so I began praying not for certain houses but for the place God would have us be. And not surprisingly he came through for us. It’s a big house but for an unbelievable price! We have a yard for Neema to play, lots of space (plenty of room for visitors!), walking distance to street shops and public transportation, and most importantly we feel safe. We

 brought in two gaurds from the bush who have never even seen gates, locks, etc. So they are learning but they have bows and arrows so don’t mess with them! Penda is still a puppy and not so scary yet but in the next few months we will have the toughest looking dog to go with our superb security. J

The Bushmen

The House

Neema just celebrated her 3^rd birthday and it was such a fun day!! We ate lunch at this great restaurant here in Arusha that is like a giant backyard. Many friends came to celebrate over pizza and cake and Neema loved being the center of attention all day! I just couldn’t stop staring at her. I can’t believe she is already three. I am so thankful to God that he has brought us to this place. I am thankful that he has protected Neema all the days of her life and he has faithfully brought us together. I look forward to so many more days of just being in awe of her and in awe of the One who created her.

Looking at the Cake!