Preparations, Provisions, and Praises!

It really has been an absolutely amazing few weeks and I feel super blessed!!

Our last update on Nahom was a few days ago from another adopting mom, HollyW, who is currently there in Ethiopia, going to the care center every day loving on her little one and sharing hugs with all of the other sweet kids waiting, including Nahom!! She said Nahom is amazing and adorable--- and yes, she has lots of pictures of him to share when she returns!! YEA!! Our court date is in a mere 12 days. Wow. Parents to 5 children in only 12 days! In less than a month, we hope to hold him in our arms! It's absolutely amazing what God is doing to prepare our hearts!

In fact-- I have to take a side-bar here and tell you a story about God's work in our family. God's Preparation for even Joel Daniel, who is only 3! His understanding of adoption is beyond what I ever dreamed it would be! Last night I was lying in bed with him and we were reading a book that has pictures of farm animals in it and Joel says, "I want to go to Mama Carr's house and ride a tractor with Papa Carr." I said-- "That will be fun! We will get to go there in a few weeks and then Mom and Dad are going to Ethiopia" He said-- "I want to go to Mama Carr's and you and Daddy go get Joshua. Joshua is my brother. Joshua come back with you."

Big tears just filled my eyes at that precious moment.

We've been praying for Joshua Nahom. We've been praying for the new relationships between our children! We've been talking about Joshua Nahom every day. We have pictures of him all around the house. BUT-- I have not said "Joshua Nahom is your brother!" BUT JOEL DID-- without a prompt! Isn't that cool!! AMAZING!

Just as God knit each one of us together in our mother's womb and knew us before we were even born..........I know that God is also knitting our hearts together before we even meet Joshua Nahom in person!

Just as God adopted each of us into HIS family to be HIS heirs, we are adopting Joshua Nahom into the Newsom family! Can you tell--- I am really ready to bring this bundle of joy home!

Oh---and now speaking of our "HOME"...... after our trip to Ethiopia to pick up Nahom, we will be moving to El Paso Texas. We have been anticipating moving in July into a house on-base there- but we got word this past week that the "only" housing they can offer us at that point will be a 4 bedroom, 1400 square foot house, with no basement, no garage, and very little storage. Hmmmm...... 5 HOMESCHOOLED children into a 1400 square foot house that does not have great storage capacity. We CAN do it-- but it would be really nice to have a little more space! We are PRAYING BIG for better housing options once we move. Our God has shown us that he moves mountains and this is our new mountain! We LOVE living on post and hope that the housing office finds favor with us and can help to accommodate our large family in slightly larger quarters or at least in housing that has better storage capacity--like a basement or a garage. Please PRAY BIG folks! Lord, MOVE THE MOUNTAIN!!

In fact-- as we've been praying BIG over our housing situation we have felt more and more that I need to make a trip to El Paso this next week to visit the housing office in person. Perhaps this will help MOVE THE MOUNTAIN-- and if God says "NO" to the other/larger housing on post, and He has other plans for us- then I'll be able to determine what area of El Paso we need to live in, if we do have to rent a home there. We know it is IMPORTANT that we do our research and planning NOW-- we don't want Joshua Nahom to be uprooted and unsettled for very long at all after he becomes a part of our family (we want to be able to come home from Ethiopia and move quickly to Texas and offer him stability and routine and structure as soon as possible)! So, I'm going to El Paso on Tuesday morning to see what God has planned for us there!

I'm not really excited about travelling to El Paso alone but God has been so faithful to show me AGAIN that He is with me ALWAYS! This time in a totally random way! Last week I got a forwarded email from a friend here at Ft. Leavenworth that was from her friend that now lives in El Paso. Now this El Paso friend is part of a Christian Homeschool Ministry there based out of a Baptist Church. I sent out an email introducing myself to this group and was overwhelmed with tons of great emails that showed a VERY active homeschool group!! (YEA!) Last night, Joel and I were planning my trip and since we are in the middle of our adoption and funds are TIGHT--we were discussing ways we could make this trip less expensive! He asked "Do we know ANYONE there that you could stay with?"

hmmm.....NO.

I boldly said to "I don't really feel comfortable about this and it is WAY out of my comfort zone for sure--- but God's really stretching us right now. I wonder if I sent out an email to this homeschool group asking for a place to stay for 2 nights next week if someone might open there home to me!" So-- that's exactly what I did and less than 6 hours later-- I have been personally "adopted" by an elderly couple that are the parents of a homeschooling mom that all go to this certain Baptist Church. I have a private bedroom in their home they are already "conspiring" to find us a house to rent close to them!! LOL!! :)

Now the most amazing part of this story is still to come!!! We've told MANY people over the last few months that we've been talking about and praying for an "Abuela" to be part of our family while we are in El Paso and friends.... "ABUELA" means grandmother in Spanish!!! I want to share just part of the email I got back this morning with you because God amazes me and goes before me!

"......My Mom lives right next to the airport and has a huge house. You would have a room of your own and my mum is the best cook in El Paso. (She's 75 and still cooks breakfast for the entire church at her house Christmas morning - this last Christmas we had 97!) ....My Mom and Dad are the homeschool ministries "counselors" - we ask them before we make a move. And they teach for us a lot. They are also very adoptable as temporary "mom and dad" (because this was the military way - to be family to one another when far from home) and they are also pretty good surrogate Grandma and Grandpa's. The first thing Mom said when I called to ask was "Well, we need to find them a rental on the EAST side." And I laughed and said I would only send you the ones near by our house.... Just kidding! "

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? WHAT A BLESSING!! I am so thankful and blessed by this provision from God and I don't even know these people yet!! God loves me so much and He knows my fears, my weaknesses, my anxieties, and He knows exactly what I need at exactly the right moment! ---Oh ME of little faith! God is so good!


Hope the sharing of MY blessings has blessed you today!!

Please keep PRAYING BIG for our family--- for Nahom, for his transition into our family, for our housing and upcoming move, and also for my trip next week!

With Love and Joy,
Amy

Psalm 78:4 "We will not hide these truths from our children but we will tell the next generation about the GLORIOUS deeds of the Lord. We will tell of His power and the mighty miracles He did!"

Psalm 31:21 "Praise the Lord, for He has shown me His unfailing love."

Psalm 106:2 "Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise Him half enough?"