Good morning or good evening! My entries will be a little wacky this week. But I will be faithful to it and write something everyday... Isn't it just crazy about the Krippels?? Our town has a population of about 12,000 and I can honestly say that it just blows my mind that our daughter will have friends in her town who are from her birth country!! Our little town!! I couldn't have planned it or orchestrated it any better! When I let that fact sink in, I am amazed. No other word describes it better than amazed!

Now you can probably understand why I felt compelled to share our journey. There are just so many fascinating events that have taken place. I have another one to share and it just might amaze you as well.

Steve and I were now giddy with the idea of having a little one in the house again. (Now I know why I kept all of Alexa's dolls, Barbies, Polly Pockets, Fisher Price People and the many other pink things!) If I may, I will refer to our future daughter as Aleya. Again, I'm not sure of the spelling and I'm not certain if that name will remain. As of now, I can't think of any other name that would fit her better!

So now we are thinking of our little Aleya and wanting to get this process going. We were told that parenting classes would need to be completed. (Didn't they know that we were already pros in that department?) That was a joke. hehehe. So we scheduled an appointment in Mt. Vernon, three hours away. Just a day before our appointment, which was to take place in January, we received a call from Baptist Children's Home and Family Services. They wanted to inform us that the 10 hour class we were scheduled to take was canceled due to icy roads. They told us we could take the class in Naperville, which is about an hour from us. We said, sign us up! She said it was in April......Are you serious?

We did the only thing we could do and waited for April. I read books about international adoption to pass the time. Did I mention that I read a lot? Days and weeks passed and we were getting ourselves geared up for the upcoming 10 hour class. I was looking forward to meeting other couples, exchanging e-mails and sharing the journey together. So I was a little disappointed when we arrived and it was just us and the instructor. Where is everybody else? She informed us that we were waiting on Barry. Who is Barry? Where are the other couples? We waited and waited. Barry enters and that's it. Just Barry. I was seriously bummed. I was hoping to have at least another woman in there besides the teacher. Where was Barry's wife? It turns out that they had already completed their adoption (domestic adoption) and their baby Samuel was already at home with mom. So what is Barry doing here? Well it just so happens that Barry was unable to attend this class with his wife previously. He and his wife thought they may adopt again (internationally) in another two years, so he thought he should take the class. So that is why Barry was there.

What is so amazing about Barry? Can you tell I like to say Barry? I don't know why, it just sounds cool to me. I will tell you why I think meeting Barry was amazing. Barry was a pastor. You may be thinking, so what? who cares? Well he wasn't just a pastor of a church, Barry was a missions pastor who had taken many trips to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia! When he learned that we were adopting from Ethiopia he told us that he knew the pastor of a huge church in Addis Ababa, with a congregation of 16,000 people!! He gave us his business card with his e-mail address ( remember I wanted one of those?) and said he would make some calls. He was certain that someone would be able to help us out if we needed anything.


Amazing.


We wouldn't have met Barry in Mt. Vernon.... When he found out that the class was to be in Naperville he decided to take the class. Remember, he had already completed his adoption. He was not planning on adopting again for about another two years. He didn't have to take this class....on this particular day. But he did, and we... Steve and I...were there.


God has been holding our hand every step of the way. When we are uncertain, He is there. When we are troubled, He is there. When we argue, He is there. When we are frustrated, He is there. When we think this can't happen, He simply shows us it can. What God initiates, He completes.

My endearing love to you all.



Photo above is Addis Ababa, Ehiopia. I think I failed to mention that Aleya will be cared for at Hannah's Hope in Addis Ababa until we go out to get her!

I finally finished my profile. It is pretty boring. lol! But you are welcome to view it.