Snow Adoption Video from Ryan Snow on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Monday, January 5, 2015
QUICK UPDATE
I told a friend today that I think I could write a book on adoption someday. But---really, that's silly. Anyone who has walked this road has a chapter in that book already. And anyone who has brought their children HOME already, has every right to publish their own.
This is quite a journey. My dear friend Beth tried to describe this journey when we first sent our application into our agency (exactly three years ago this week), but WOW was she right. She kept telling me to never look at timelines, never expect ANYthing to happen like you think it might, and to hold on tight.
We are almost done. What I mean by that is that we have almost crossed the finish line to OUR homecoming day with our son. In so many ways it still seems like "somebody else's story," or even a fairytale. But, it will soon be our reality. We are waiting on the Ethiopian government to process our case and send it back to the USCIS. Once it's stateside, our government will be issuing us "THE LETTER." I describe this letter as the letter we've been waiting for since day one. Upon receipt of this letter our agency files us for court. That's it!
When will this all happen? When do we "think" we will go on trip one? How much notice will we get before we have to book flights and leave?
Haha---welcome to the journey. No clue- on any of the above.
We have been holding onto hope that we will travel our first trip in February. Of course that is still a possibility... but- you. never. know. And honestly, the more I tell people that, the more I feel fear creep into my heart. Isn't that sad? I think when you wait 9 months at the same spot on a waiting list, with nothing to know and too much to worry about...it just gets emotional.
There are days I am cheerful, positive, pumped, and able to just pick up Grady's picture and smile/pray/think. But there are also many days I'm in the valley and hear everyone's questions around me above the promises I know God has spoken to Ryan and me.
"Why does adoption take so long?"
"Aren't there like 5 million orphans in Ethiopia?"
"Why can't you just go get him if you already know who he is?"
"Wouldn't it have been easier to do adoption a different way?"
And Griffin tells someone today- "No, Grady isn't ever going to come home."
I haven't written on this blog in a year. I think when we hit that plateau and stopped moving on the wait list, we lost our words for how to explain what was up. Now I feel like it's time to bring this back into circulation. I have to say this, and it's with somewhat tight fists- ha! God's timing HAS been perfect in this. I didn't believe that last winter when we were in such a dry season and felt like we were "ready" for him to be here. But looking back, we now know.
We got Grady's picture in our inbox on Aug. 27, 2014 while we were driving to Disney World. Yep, pretty much the most amazing day our family has ever experienced together. And if I could share details about our little guy, or even his picture- I would. But that's against the law until he is legally ours (after court).
So many of you pray faithfully for our family. We love you and we need that. Please pray big with us right now. As the sweet country of Ethiopia (and our family here in toledo, OH) celebrates Ethiopia's Christmas on Wednesday, we also pray that movement can happen and papers can be pushed this next week. Please pray. Pray that these next steps (so few left) just FLY by and that God surprises us.
Thanks for standing alongside us in this journey!
This is quite a journey. My dear friend Beth tried to describe this journey when we first sent our application into our agency (exactly three years ago this week), but WOW was she right. She kept telling me to never look at timelines, never expect ANYthing to happen like you think it might, and to hold on tight.
We are almost done. What I mean by that is that we have almost crossed the finish line to OUR homecoming day with our son. In so many ways it still seems like "somebody else's story," or even a fairytale. But, it will soon be our reality. We are waiting on the Ethiopian government to process our case and send it back to the USCIS. Once it's stateside, our government will be issuing us "THE LETTER." I describe this letter as the letter we've been waiting for since day one. Upon receipt of this letter our agency files us for court. That's it!
When will this all happen? When do we "think" we will go on trip one? How much notice will we get before we have to book flights and leave?
Haha---welcome to the journey. No clue- on any of the above.
We have been holding onto hope that we will travel our first trip in February. Of course that is still a possibility... but- you. never. know. And honestly, the more I tell people that, the more I feel fear creep into my heart. Isn't that sad? I think when you wait 9 months at the same spot on a waiting list, with nothing to know and too much to worry about...it just gets emotional.
There are days I am cheerful, positive, pumped, and able to just pick up Grady's picture and smile/pray/think. But there are also many days I'm in the valley and hear everyone's questions around me above the promises I know God has spoken to Ryan and me.
"Why does adoption take so long?"
"Aren't there like 5 million orphans in Ethiopia?"
"Why can't you just go get him if you already know who he is?"
"Wouldn't it have been easier to do adoption a different way?"
And Griffin tells someone today- "No, Grady isn't ever going to come home."
I haven't written on this blog in a year. I think when we hit that plateau and stopped moving on the wait list, we lost our words for how to explain what was up. Now I feel like it's time to bring this back into circulation. I have to say this, and it's with somewhat tight fists- ha! God's timing HAS been perfect in this. I didn't believe that last winter when we were in such a dry season and felt like we were "ready" for him to be here. But looking back, we now know.
We got Grady's picture in our inbox on Aug. 27, 2014 while we were driving to Disney World. Yep, pretty much the most amazing day our family has ever experienced together. And if I could share details about our little guy, or even his picture- I would. But that's against the law until he is legally ours (after court).
So many of you pray faithfully for our family. We love you and we need that. Please pray big with us right now. As the sweet country of Ethiopia (and our family here in toledo, OH) celebrates Ethiopia's Christmas on Wednesday, we also pray that movement can happen and papers can be pushed this next week. Please pray. Pray that these next steps (so few left) just FLY by and that God surprises us.
Thanks for standing alongside us in this journey!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
And...We wait...more
We got our referral update today. We are no longer legally able to share our exact number on the wait list...however, there is literally NOTHING to report. We are at a standstill. This is month 5 at this spot. We are encouraged that West Stands/Lifeline has started an Ethiopia face book group so we can have community with other people walking the same path as us, but we are still SO tired of waiting. Waiting for SOMETHING.
Ellie said to me today that she doesn't know why we just can't jump on an airplane and go to Africa and get him. She asked me, "he's out there somewhere, right? And there's like a gazillion orphans in orphanages needing homes? Why can't we just go get one? This is SO annoying."
Emma said to me, "Mom, I wonder if the reason we aren't moving on the list is because he's really sick and can't come to us yet."
I love their hearts. They are sweet and innocent, and honestly...asking questions that WE are too.
We are trusting God with his timing and that He. Is. In. Control. We have to believe that. Yes we have felt let down again with news of nothing, but we have something greater to trust in. I know I've said this before, but Ryan and I really do believe it. We can't make the Ethiopian regional courts just start processing paperwork. We don't know why they are dragging their feet. Honestly it's a little scary and no one can answer our questions as to why this is happening. So we have to just pray that God would move and that God knows our little boy and when the PERFECT time is for him to join our world.
Ellie said to me today that she doesn't know why we just can't jump on an airplane and go to Africa and get him. She asked me, "he's out there somewhere, right? And there's like a gazillion orphans in orphanages needing homes? Why can't we just go get one? This is SO annoying."
Emma said to me, "Mom, I wonder if the reason we aren't moving on the list is because he's really sick and can't come to us yet."
I love their hearts. They are sweet and innocent, and honestly...asking questions that WE are too.
We are trusting God with his timing and that He. Is. In. Control. We have to believe that. Yes we have felt let down again with news of nothing, but we have something greater to trust in. I know I've said this before, but Ryan and I really do believe it. We can't make the Ethiopian regional courts just start processing paperwork. We don't know why they are dragging their feet. Honestly it's a little scary and no one can answer our questions as to why this is happening. So we have to just pray that God would move and that God knows our little boy and when the PERFECT time is for him to join our world.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
What are you waiting For?
Today I had the opportunity to write/share on a blog that both Ryan and I contribute to each month. Some friends of ours run a great thing over at forthefamily.org :)
Waiting...honestly it's the story of our lives right now and the reason for so few posts on our own blog. Not a whole lot to share these days. The regional government in Ethiopia is being confusing and unresponsive. They are holding many referrals that orphanages have sent their way...paper work is just simply NOT BEING PROCESSED. And our agency does not know why...
Please be praying for God to satisfy our hearts as we wait, and pray that we would trust Him in giant ways as we are again reminded we have no control over so many things in life. Thank you friends!
http://forthefamily.org/waiting/
We are ALL waiting for something.
Maybe you’re waiting in line right now, waiting for the timer on the oven to beep, or waiting for that phone call. You’re waiting to hear if you’re forgiven… or maybe you’re waiting to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
You might be waiting for a positive pregnancy test or for good news from your boss.
Or… are you waiting for a job? a ride? encouragement?
The reality is this…we are all waiting for something. What is it for you? If you can’t pinpoint it, ask yourself this: what am I nervous about or anxious for?
Isn’t it tough sometimes to just. wait? Like really, really hard? I don’t know about you, but waiting can cause me to be ugly. That is simply because waiting requires patience, and that far too often tends to be a lacking fruit in this season of my life with young kids. What else does waiting require? Hope. Trust. Surrender. But honestly, I think that those are words we toss around way too easily as followers of Jesus. What do those terms even mean?
Let me first say this…
My family right now—we are waiting… for our our boy to be home with our family. We started at #77 on the adoption wait list for Ethiopia, and after 15 months just on the list, we are still at #15. There are have been far too many months where our number has remained motionless.
Yes I know we have been blessed with 3 biological children who thrill us, humble us, and bless us every day. Ryan and I love them more than life itself.
But we also have a son, and he’s not with us yet. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who have been walking this road of adoption with us. All of those people have their kiddos home now, as we still wait.
So what does waiting do deep within me and what could it do for you?
It causes us to decide whether we will rejoice with those who are rejoicing. It causes us to celebrate OTHER people even when we don’t get the same blessing, promotion, or get-outta-jail-free-card. And it reminds us to weep and mourn with those who are suffering and waiting and walking on much longer, tougher, or more painful roads.
Even as we wait we are to “rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them… Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:12-13, 15 NLT).
Or… put another way, we are to “rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer… Rejoice with those who rejoice (sharing others’ joy), and weep with those who weep (sharing others’ grief)” (AMP version).
What does God’s word tell us to do as we wait or as we “suffer?” It tells us to be patient and to keep on praying. It tells us to step beyond ourselves. My dear friend said this to me the other day: God does so much good work when we wait. It’s so hard, but He has work to do in us all.
“…We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy” (Romans 8: 23-25 MSG).
So join me today and take your waiting to the Father. Open your hands in surrender, and ask God what He has for you in this time.
Blessings,
Libby Snow
Waiting...honestly it's the story of our lives right now and the reason for so few posts on our own blog. Not a whole lot to share these days. The regional government in Ethiopia is being confusing and unresponsive. They are holding many referrals that orphanages have sent their way...paper work is just simply NOT BEING PROCESSED. And our agency does not know why...
Please be praying for God to satisfy our hearts as we wait, and pray that we would trust Him in giant ways as we are again reminded we have no control over so many things in life. Thank you friends!
http://forthefamily.org/waiting/
We are ALL waiting for something.
Maybe you’re waiting in line right now, waiting for the timer on the oven to beep, or waiting for that phone call. You’re waiting to hear if you’re forgiven… or maybe you’re waiting to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
You might be waiting for a positive pregnancy test or for good news from your boss.
Or… are you waiting for a job? a ride? encouragement?
The reality is this…we are all waiting for something. What is it for you? If you can’t pinpoint it, ask yourself this: what am I nervous about or anxious for?
Isn’t it tough sometimes to just. wait? Like really, really hard? I don’t know about you, but waiting can cause me to be ugly. That is simply because waiting requires patience, and that far too often tends to be a lacking fruit in this season of my life with young kids. What else does waiting require? Hope. Trust. Surrender. But honestly, I think that those are words we toss around way too easily as followers of Jesus. What do those terms even mean?
Let me first say this…
My family right now—we are waiting… for our our boy to be home with our family. We started at #77 on the adoption wait list for Ethiopia, and after 15 months just on the list, we are still at #15. There are have been far too many months where our number has remained motionless.
Yes I know we have been blessed with 3 biological children who thrill us, humble us, and bless us every day. Ryan and I love them more than life itself.
But we also have a son, and he’s not with us yet. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who have been walking this road of adoption with us. All of those people have their kiddos home now, as we still wait.
So what does waiting do deep within me and what could it do for you?
It causes us to decide whether we will rejoice with those who are rejoicing. It causes us to celebrate OTHER people even when we don’t get the same blessing, promotion, or get-outta-jail-free-card. And it reminds us to weep and mourn with those who are suffering and waiting and walking on much longer, tougher, or more painful roads.
Even as we wait we are to “rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them… Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:12-13, 15 NLT).
Or… put another way, we are to “rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer… Rejoice with those who rejoice (sharing others’ joy), and weep with those who weep (sharing others’ grief)” (AMP version).
What does God’s word tell us to do as we wait or as we “suffer?” It tells us to be patient and to keep on praying. It tells us to step beyond ourselves. My dear friend said this to me the other day: God does so much good work when we wait. It’s so hard, but He has work to do in us all.
“…We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy” (Romans 8: 23-25 MSG).
So join me today and take your waiting to the Father. Open your hands in surrender, and ask God what He has for you in this time.
Blessings,
Libby Snow
Friday, November 1, 2013
Been Dry in this neighborhood
Well I'm trying to stay positive after today's update, but the reality is that there are just really dry seasons in the adoption journey. Anyone who has walked this road would concur.
There is no movement in my belly, no glimpses of hope with the sound of the baby's heartbeat, and no ultrasounds that tell me he is healthy and well. So, we really really do look SO forward to the first of each month when we get our only bit of communication from our agency.
Today was a let down.
Still no movement. I had misunderstood the email last month that led me to believe the courts had opened at the beginning of October. When in reality, they just opened two weeks ago. This means that the Ethiopian court house and our agency's connections over there are just starting to dive into a really really big pile of paperwork after having been closed for so long.
We stayed at #15 this month.
But I believe in Jesus.
And I believe that He loves me, my family, and our son out there. My friend Mandee called me today with such encouragement and great reminders. Numbers on a list mean something, but not everything. Paperwork is important, but God honestly knows the PERFECT child for our family. And Mandee, who walked this road just months ago, understands what waiting is like. I know that the tables will be turned at some point and I will be able to encourage another waiting mom someday...because then I will see and I will know for SURE that our son was a perfect match for our family. And in perfect timing.
We actually got to meet our friend Mandee and Chad's daughter, brought home from Haiti just two months ago, when we were in Columbus this past month. This was probably one of the highlights of October for me. I have prayed and prayed for their daughter, listened as Mandee wrestled with God's seemingly evident silence too many times in their journey, and learned from her as she's been steps ahead of me in this journey.
But I got to meet this girl.
And she was great.
She is Chad and Mandee's daughter. She and Emma ran off together and played with Hello Kitty and dressed up. Sweet Geralda showed Emma around her room and shared pictures with us of her life in Haiti. But she is home. And all is well.
We talked with the Lowers about caring for their daughter's hair (and what that will be like when our little man comes home). We talked about how terrible it is to compare your story and journey with someone walking the same path. We talked about sleep and discipline and food and school. It was GOOD. And I couldn't stop smiling as I saw them finally home with ALL THREE kids. What a joy.
Our time will come. So I cling to that and I am hopeful for a more fruitful November!
There is no movement in my belly, no glimpses of hope with the sound of the baby's heartbeat, and no ultrasounds that tell me he is healthy and well. So, we really really do look SO forward to the first of each month when we get our only bit of communication from our agency.
Today was a let down.
Still no movement. I had misunderstood the email last month that led me to believe the courts had opened at the beginning of October. When in reality, they just opened two weeks ago. This means that the Ethiopian court house and our agency's connections over there are just starting to dive into a really really big pile of paperwork after having been closed for so long.
We stayed at #15 this month.
But I believe in Jesus.
And I believe that He loves me, my family, and our son out there. My friend Mandee called me today with such encouragement and great reminders. Numbers on a list mean something, but not everything. Paperwork is important, but God honestly knows the PERFECT child for our family. And Mandee, who walked this road just months ago, understands what waiting is like. I know that the tables will be turned at some point and I will be able to encourage another waiting mom someday...because then I will see and I will know for SURE that our son was a perfect match for our family. And in perfect timing.
We actually got to meet our friend Mandee and Chad's daughter, brought home from Haiti just two months ago, when we were in Columbus this past month. This was probably one of the highlights of October for me. I have prayed and prayed for their daughter, listened as Mandee wrestled with God's seemingly evident silence too many times in their journey, and learned from her as she's been steps ahead of me in this journey.
But I got to meet this girl.
And she was great.
She is Chad and Mandee's daughter. She and Emma ran off together and played with Hello Kitty and dressed up. Sweet Geralda showed Emma around her room and shared pictures with us of her life in Haiti. But she is home. And all is well.
We talked with the Lowers about caring for their daughter's hair (and what that will be like when our little man comes home). We talked about how terrible it is to compare your story and journey with someone walking the same path. We talked about sleep and discipline and food and school. It was GOOD. And I couldn't stop smiling as I saw them finally home with ALL THREE kids. What a joy.
Our time will come. So I cling to that and I am hopeful for a more fruitful November!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
All Quiet on the Homefront
Been way too long since we've given updates and that's mainly because it's been pretty quiet around these neck of the woods. As stated in our previous blog, Ethiopia's courts were closed for approximately 6 weeks, which included the entire month of September. That prevented us from seeing any movement on the list for our Oct 1 update.
The cool thing, however, is that three of our very close friends/family have had such excitement in their adoption journeys the past month or so. It honestly keeps us excited and encouraged as we see people around us making strides and learning in their journeys...all different styles and at all different places. One of our friends, a local family in town got news that their local/domestic adoption was finalized and their daughter is now legally theirs. Awesome.
Another dear friend of ours is with her family (husband and 3 kids) in Uganda right now...been there for 2 weeks and won't return until Thanksgiving! Their family is about to grow from 5 to 7...
Once again--awesome.
(This is their family's blog: http://goodnightdreambig.com/)
And Ryan's sister and her family are about to met their daughter (our neice), and welcome her into their family as they travel to China in a few short weeks. What blessings. (http://prestonpartyofsix.blogspot.com/)
The only news we have received isn't the most encouraging. We have to update our home study and the trail of paperwork that accompanies that. We need to have our fingerprints scanned again for the USCIS and we need our immigration approval extended. But ya know what? These are the things that will bring our son home. And although we have so many stepping stones ahead of us to build the trail, it's being traveled down and we're a-truckin along! There are many many many moments I find myself daydreaming about our travels to Africa in 2014. There are many times I tear up with emotion (or slightly panic) when I think about what it will FEEL like to step off that plane with our boy and have him meet his siblings. And both Ryan and I pray pray pray for this munchkin to be the perfect fit for our family. So our minds and hearts are full and anxious.
Ryan and I have also joined the troops over at http://forthefamily.org/ and will be participating as monthly bloggers/contributers for this great ministry. Check out their blog and be blessed by the many fantastic writers!
The cool thing, however, is that three of our very close friends/family have had such excitement in their adoption journeys the past month or so. It honestly keeps us excited and encouraged as we see people around us making strides and learning in their journeys...all different styles and at all different places. One of our friends, a local family in town got news that their local/domestic adoption was finalized and their daughter is now legally theirs. Awesome.
Another dear friend of ours is with her family (husband and 3 kids) in Uganda right now...been there for 2 weeks and won't return until Thanksgiving! Their family is about to grow from 5 to 7...
Once again--awesome.
(This is their family's blog: http://goodnightdreambig.com/)
And Ryan's sister and her family are about to met their daughter (our neice), and welcome her into their family as they travel to China in a few short weeks. What blessings. (http://prestonpartyofsix.blogspot.com/)
The only news we have received isn't the most encouraging. We have to update our home study and the trail of paperwork that accompanies that. We need to have our fingerprints scanned again for the USCIS and we need our immigration approval extended. But ya know what? These are the things that will bring our son home. And although we have so many stepping stones ahead of us to build the trail, it's being traveled down and we're a-truckin along! There are many many many moments I find myself daydreaming about our travels to Africa in 2014. There are many times I tear up with emotion (or slightly panic) when I think about what it will FEEL like to step off that plane with our boy and have him meet his siblings. And both Ryan and I pray pray pray for this munchkin to be the perfect fit for our family. So our minds and hearts are full and anxious.
Ryan and I have also joined the troops over at http://forthefamily.org/ and will be participating as monthly bloggers/contributers for this great ministry. Check out their blog and be blessed by the many fantastic writers!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
At least we like roller coasters!!
Got the email today. Moved 1 spot last month. A little different than the 16 we moved in July!
We knew (but had forgotten) that the Ethiopian courts close for 6-8 weeks every fall. This dramatically affects, and almost halts, referrals from coming through.
"The Ethiopian court system closes down for about 6 weeks at the end of every summer to coincide with the Ethiopian New Year. Typically this closure extends from mid-August through the entire month of September. The first cases after the closure are usually heard the first or second week in October."
Sooooo because the courts are closed, we are going to be delayed for a few months.
It was good to be reminded today from a few people that God has the right time for our family and current kids, for our son, and their brother to come home. Trusting in that.
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