it's time!! ethiopia bound!!!!

WE ARE GOING TO ETHIOPIA TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't even know where to start.  I've been in a place of brokenness and spiritual attack the past couple weeks.  Really struggling, being anxious, lonely, depressed a little bit.  The enemy had me right where he wanted me.  I couldn't take it any longer and two nights ago (Tuesday) I went into the babies room while Stephen was still at work and cried out to God like I've never cried out before.  I asked loudly and boldly for the enemy to leave us alone in the name of Jesus.  I prayed over our babies, I prayed and cried and begged GOd to move.  To open the doors for our court date.  At the end of my cry/pray/on my knees fest I felt better.  I felt a peace.  I spoke and prayed in the most calm voice I have ever had in my life.  It felt surreal.  Last time I felt a burden to pray for the kids was right before we got submitted to court.  And just like last time, this verse came to me at the beginning of my prayers, "let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you" proverbs 4:25  I prayed with faith.  God lifted me up.  Last night at the end of my day I was taking a bath & listening to some worship songs on my phone.  "Find you on my knees" by Kari Jobe came on (which randomly is the song Emme Knight always plays on my phone) and I just cried.  listen to the song - but here are some of the words....

But I will find you in the place I'm in, find you when I'm at my end,

Find you when there's nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness.

You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty, 

When I am weak, when I am lost and searching 

I'll find you on my knees.

When my hope is gone, when the fear is strong 

When the pain is real, when it's hard to heal 

When my faith is shaken and my heart is broken and my joy is stolen, God I know that 

You lift me up, you'll never leave me searching

wow!  thats where I was.  broken.  on my knees. and God found me there.

after my cry out to god session I met up with some girls that did a bible study together this year for wine night (complete with "i love jesus but i drink a little" cups -- i'm just being real! ha) I told them all about the past week & a half has been the hardest of the whole 20+ month process but I felt at peace.  I came home, took a sleeping pill (for some meds I'm on) and went to bed.  I tell you about the sleeping pill, because when Stephen woke me up at 11:30pm to tell me WE GOT OUR COURT DATE! I was so out of it.... but my heart was pounding out of my chest.  It was surreal.  crazy.  we had to be there on the 29th...."can we be there" Carol asked...I wasn't sure but if I know Stephen & I  I know we are crazy enough to make it happen.  "told ya you should have packed" someone said...well good thing I've been collecting africa things for a few months now.....always prepared to leave for africa ;)  I got out of bed, we held our flights, and did some work until 3am. 

basically the next 30 hours is a blur.

it was stressful.  it was exciting.  lots of paperwork.  calling my parents at midnight to see if they could still come (they are!).  the night ended with 20 of my closest friends in Midland swarming my house to help get me ready.  my small army I call them.  I sent out an SOS yesterday late afternoon and they swarmed in with food, fro yo, camera cards, organizational skills, goodies, prayers, love, encouragement.  it was like a dream!  I am crying now just thinking about it.  I kept saying "this is like a dream".  they organized me, packed my camera bag, charged all my stuff, picked out my clothes, hung EVERYTHING in the nursery that needed hanging (basically it was like HGTV at my house), made lists, gave jobs, did laundry, ran errands, worked on camp+ asher shirts, hung out with me!  the harpers came over later & sid gave us a little encouragement talk and they all prayed over us.  my house literally in 24 hours went from me feeling depressed and alone to having a FULL house of my favorite people!  I wish we had video!

so we are at the airport in houston.

our flight boards in 25 minutes.

there is so much more to say but that's what i have right now. 

thank you a million times for your facebook messages, texts, calls, emails, blog comments.  SERIOUSLY I AM OVERJOYED!!!! the people lover/pleaser in me wants so desperatly to write each of you back but time does not allow today!  but know that I LOVE and READ and pour over each one and it makes my heart so happy & full - so keep it coming!  

blogger doesn't work that much in ethiopia so I'll be doing email & facebook & instagram (@wynne4) so follow along there if this doesn't work.  

schedule:

• my parents are meeting up w/ us on our layover in frankfurt.  they will be there as we MEET our babies Saturday morning at 10 (friday night in the states!)
• when we get to ethiopia, our good friend Alison Holcolm will be waiting!  she's flying over from rwanda to PHOTOGRAPH us meeting our kids
• meet the babies sat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• court monday afternoon (there is a 8 hour time difference)
• visit with the babies every day between meeting & court
• parents go home monday night, stephen wednesday night
• i stay!!!!!  until we pass embassy (wait could be anywhere from 4-8 weeks)
• i'll be living with our friends who run project 61 -- doing mission stuff all summer.  and hopefully taking pics of families meeting THEIR kids.  living the DREAM!!!!
• i probably won't get to see the kids that much between when stephen leaves & embassy - but if I do i'll be pleasantly surprised & excited!!! 

ok that's all I have for now!

this is scattered & I don't have time to proof - but had to tell you the story!!!!

please pray for peace.  pray for our court date.  pray that HE is glorified.  pray that our story is told & not that it's about us but it's about HIM and the gospel.  pray that hearts are stirred towards adoption.  pray for our travel.  pray that we will just take what comes our way &trust that HE is in control!!! pray that our babies  BOND immedietly with us.  pray against fear & worry and that the enemy would not place those in  us.  that we would put on our armor and STAND STRONG!  praying isaiah 43.  

love all of you!  so thankful you are a part of our journey!!!!!!!!!!

as the matt redman song goes, never once did we EVER walk alone!!!!!

make HIM famous

Wynne & Stephen