We are in Chicago awaiting the birth of a sweet baby girl who we pray is Ellison. Our birth mom is due tomorrow so hopefully it will be soon. Chicago is fast and windy! We did some exploring today and took tons of pictures. I'll upload them later. Keep the prayers coming. I will keep you updated.

With very guarded hearts, we announce that we are matched again. After two failed placements we are very nervous but proceeding on faith and hope. Our birth mother is due in 10 days. Brett and I had the awesome privilege of flying to Chicago to meet the birth parents and their two girls. It was a whirlwind 24 hour trip but so worth the exhaustion. They are great people whom we formed an incredible bond with. We talked for 2 hours like old friends. We have continued to talk on the phone several times this week. It's amazing! Now we wait..... now we pray. Please pray that God's will be done in this situation, whether this is Ellison or not.

God's Mission: Adoption by Max Lucado

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. And you, God's creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God (Rom. 8:15–16 NASB).

But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4–5 NASB).

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but he does more. He takes you home. He takes you home to the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don't mean to offend any biological parents—I'm one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I've heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I've never heard of an unplanned adoption.

That's why adoptive parents understand God's passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God's ardor for his children, it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.

God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.

11 months....... 11 months to fall completely in love with a baby girl that we have never seen or held. 11 months of unbelievable love. 11 months to prepare our house and our hearts. 11 months since we started our journey to Ellison.