Waiting and Trusting

I was awakened early this morning by someone in the condo moving around.  Not sure who it was – Ellie has a little bit of a cough, Ryan is usually restless after 5:00 am, and the little guy inside is making use of his knees and elbows more and more in the last few days.  (Hannah, on the other hand, has always been a dependable sleeper, once she is out – usually very quickly after tuck-in – she is out for the night.)

So, I was wide awake thinking about the scenario in Ethiopia.  Our court date is tomorrow – now at 5:00 am, it is almost evening in Addis Ababa, so really just a few hours away.  Is all of the paperwork really in order?  Is everyone healthy and able to do their job tomorrow to present, hear, and decide on our case?

Wow, all these changes for Julia, a whole new identity while she has a regular  Tuesday at her orphanage, one that I hear is a good place.  So many more new things are for her around the corner.  I pray all the time that her little heart will be able to bear all the new changes – positive, permanent changes, but some will be a loss – a loss of familiarity, a loss of culture and country, after so many in her short life.

I decided, I’m not really worried, I’m just waiting.  I was thinking about all our time spent waiting.  I’ve done a lot of waiting in my time – hopefully, I have learned from it.  Maybe some trust, maybe some patience, maybe some peacefulness in hope in the Lord.  Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

I could jump on a plane today.  Tears come to my eyes when I consider the time is short now to hold my Julia.  I can’t wait to feel her in my arms, figure out her personality, teach her to trust Ryan and me, watch her be loved on by her big sisters, her grandparents. There are some precious moments to come for my Julia, moments that this Mama, like Mary, will treasure in her heart.

So it is 2 pm in Colorado – midnight in Addis Ababa.  Two things I can be sure of for me tonight:  I won’t be sleeping very well, and I will be trusting and waiting.