Too excited to sleep!!!

I don't know how I'm supposed to sleep tonight. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. Only this is even better. I just have to blog in this moment. I am so excited. I just got home from my friends baby shower and checked my mail to find a letter notifying me that I am going to receive a rather large adoption grant. With the addition of this grant and all the money raised in the last 2 weeks, I think I'm pretty much fully funded (or very close to it). Whoa!!! This is huge!!!! Of course, I won't know the exact amount needed until I know when I'm going to get him and how much the flights are. But I do know that I'm really, really close and it's the most exciting thing ever. As soon as I get the word from my agency that I can go - there's nothing holding me back. Definitely not finances!!!! God is so good. And He truly does provide. Thank you Jesus!

On top of realizing that I'm pretty much ready to go financially speaking, my friends are throwing me a baby shower tomorrow. I've thrown a whole bunch of baby and wedding showers over the years but I can't even describe how excited I am that I get to have one and that ultimately the fact that we're having a shower means one very important thing: this is finally, really happening! My boy is coming home soon!!! Praise the Lord. There will be much joy and celebration tomorrow, that is for sure. 

I feel so blessed, especially this week  - I've been so amazed at the outpouring of support from family, friends and strangers around the world who were commenting on my photos, spreading the word on their facebook pages and encouraging others to donate to help get my sweet boy home. So many have donated. So many have sent me notes of encouragement. So many have been praying.

The Visiting Orphans staff took me to lunch and a movie Friday to celebrate me passing court. And they gave me the book "You are Special" and what they wrote inside is so very special. They wrote the sweetest message to Mihretu. I couldn't read it without crying. It blessed me so much. I cannot wait for him to get here and meet all these amazing people in my life.

So many already love this little boy that I love so very much. I'm seeing the body of Christ in action and I'm seeing the Lord provide in so many neat ways. It's everything you can think of - from several of my friends helping to take care of my dog for free for 2 weeks (that saved me like $600) to some serious blessings in Ethiopia of several nights free lodging to the miraculousness of getting to meet with the judge and do my parental interview while I was already in Ethiopia therefore saving me at least several thousand dollars by avoiding having to book another flight over there. The list goes on. And then there's all of the people I don't even know who have read my blog, saw others posting about my adoption and felt led to give - that blows me away. And on top of all that - there is my amazing group of friends and family who have been celebrating with me and just encouraging me so much throughout this whole process. The prayers alone that have gone up on behalf of this adoption and this child  - more than I can count. Mihretu doesn't even know yet how truly loved he is and how many people have played a part in this adoption and ultimately in his future. Amazing!!! Plus y'all have literally prayed me through - during many months of no movement at all, during discouragement and impatience and wondering if things would ever move. I see God using all of you in this. You are all part of this story. And I'm so glad I have a tree hanging over Mihretu's bed that will display every one of your names. From the bottom of my heart - thank you. I wish you knew just how much you've blessed me and strengthened me during all of this. Words cannot even quite express how I feel. I'm overwhelmed with the goodness and the love that has been poured out. My joy is overflowing.