My other lovies

Ryan and I are so blessed to have the most wonderful friends and family to support us through this whole adoption. I know they would do anything for us and we would do the same for them. Their children are our children and we have a very close unique bond that it very special. So here are some pics of our "lovies". You mean the world to us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terese and Angie you girls are not only the cutest but definately my best friends! I love you!! Terese, Angie and Kirstie are the 3 god momma's to Ahnya!

My mom you're my rock! The girls call her "Foxy Nana!" I love you mom!!!!!!!!!!

Kirstie is my other beautiful best friend and god mother to Ahnya. Who else would go 1/2 way around the world to help their friend adopt their baby???? I love you!

Paul, Nate, and Carl are the most wonderful husbands around, and great friends!! They've been known to get wild and crazy on occasion, but mostly the sweetest daddys and hubbies to my girlfriends!!!! Paul, Nate and Carl are all Ahnya's god fathers!!!!!!!

Here Comes the Easter Bunny

We had a fun, relaxing and enjoyable Easter at the lake. Grandpa Bob and Grandma Peggy were there to celebrate with us, too! The girls went on a huge Easter Egg Hunt at one of the parks in Glenwood! There were so many kids, and so many eggs. The girls loved the hunt and spending time at the lake, while Ryan and I enjoyed some much deserved relaxation. It's always fun spending time at the lake with Grandpa Bob and Grandma Peg!

Here she is........Our daughter Ahnya Leigh Meretech

This is the referral picture that we received when she was 4 months old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at those amazing eyes and her sweet face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is a doll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's Ahnya at 6 months

Here's a pic of Ahnya at 6 months old!!!!!!!!!!! This is one of the many pictures we received in our Social Report last Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can tell that she's happier, smilier, and oh so sweet! I can't wait to smooch on her and hold her. I don't think I'll ever put her down. She really is a sweetie!!!!!

Now we wait to receive her birth certificate and then we can arrange flights and prepare for travel. So hopefully, in 3-4 weeks we will be traveling to Ethiopia, Africa to meet and bring home Ahnya!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh it seems like we are so close now. We hopefully will have the birth certificate at the end of next week and then we'll know when we're leaving.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support!!!!!! Our family and friends are amazing and I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Passed Court!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We did it!!!!!! We passed court!!!!!!!!!! Yep, we found out at 10:40 a.m. and it's legal...Ahnya Leigh Meretech is offically ours. Ryan and I are legally her forever adoptive parents and we welcome her to our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are over the moon and so excited!!!! Thank you God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll post pictures later today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report from the Orphanage

On Friday, April 3rd @ 3:15 p.m. I received Ahnya's social report and many many pictures from the orphanage in Hosanna, Ethiopia! I was expecting this all day and was about to lose my mind when it FINALLY came!!!!!



Oh my goodness....Ryan and I are totally amazed at Ahnya's overall health, cuteness, beautiful brown eyes and long lashes, and the thorough information we received. We have a 14 page Social Report complete with color pictures and explicit description of her physical, emotional, social development and also her feeding, bathing, sleeping schedules! By looking at the packet of information it's obvious that Ahnya is very well cared for in this orphanage!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes my heart relieved that she is going to be completely cared for until I get to Ethiopia.



I can't post pictures, YET! Sorry. Ethiopia law states, that until families pass court, the children can not have their pictures on the web. So for now, you'll just have to believe me that she is doing very well and really is a beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers for Our Court Hearing on Monday, April 6th

The time as finally come and we anxiously await our court hearing on Monday. Ethiopia time is 8 hours ahead of us. So somewhere between 1:00 a.m and 7:00 a.m. Monday morning on April 6th, our case will be presented to the judge in Ethiopia where he/she will rule whether the adoption is final and Ahnya is legally ours forever!!!!!!!!!

Our agency has all the paperwork in order to present to the judge and we are hoping and praying that this judge approves the adoption and Ahnya Leigh Meretech is no longer an orphan, but a Schlenner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I shouldn't worry as almost everyone passes court.....but I'm on pins and needles and feel like I have butterflies in my tummy! Please pray that we pass court on Monday and baby Ahnya is legally ours. Pray that the birth certificate and visa paperwork are processed quickly so I can travel and safely bring her home this month. Pray that Ahnya's birth mother is finding peace and strength in her decision and that she and her family are safe and well.

Positively speaking...when we pass court and we receive the "good news" THEN I will FINALLY be able to post pictures of our baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I'm at the part of the roller coaster that's going up, up, up, slowly to the very top of the hill....click, click, click, and then the short pause before sailing down the coaster!!!!!!!!!!!! Right now, everything is in pause..........................and we're stuck at the top with sweaty palms, butterflies in our tummies, and a huge lump in our throats! Hang on for the rest of the ride because it's gonna be an exciting one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!