Here we go again...

So after a week of pure torture, we learned we will be resubmitted for the approval letter we need on Tuesday. We are so close to not making the Court closure this year that I am starting to freak out! Would you please be praying with us that this week sees the approval our case needs and that we would be able to obtain the ever so coveted Court Decree?

The courts in Ethiopia close for the rainy season sometime in August until sometime in October. Although there is no official announcement yet, and we do know of people who are traveling for Court dates on August 8th, we also have been watching the weather like "old people" watch the weather. It has been raining non-stop for over two weeks now.. which means, the rainy season has begun and the closure is imminent. If we do not have our Court decree by the closure, we have to wait until is opens sometime in October.. I can't, right now, think about that. I am hoping and praying and believing that God is working a miracle here and we will be able to get our decree before the closure.

We got another video of Big Man G today, his sweet laugh and tender smile melt me. I miss him so much that I just can't handle it... watching him today brought me to my knees. I cried every time (all 100) that I watched it. I wish we had gotten a video of Princess G, but I know that is harder because she is little <3

Would you pray for us: We are emotionally exhausted from the back and forth and up and down trying to bring our G's home.. I feel like I am short with everyone and I don't like that. My patience is short... I need to have grace.

Walking in Faith

This week has held more setback and defeating moments that I thought could be possible at this stage in the adoption. Out of respect for our agency and the government systems in ET, I will not elaborate on what has happened... only that those mighty steps forward that we had taken over the past two weeks were countered by 5 steps backwards. Yesterday and today have been full of tough decisions and lots of emotional conversations.

All of this to say: WE ARE NOT GIVING UP HOPE, WE ARE NOT GIVING UP ON OUR BABIES. WE ARE WALKING FORWARD IN FAITH.... 


God is the one who designs families, and no matter how long it might take... we are going to continue down the path God lead our family in July of 2009.


Please be praying for the 8 other families, besides our own, who are stuck in the same mess of paperwork and frustration. Please be praying for all of the kids stuck in this mess, who have been waiting for their families with much anticipation... waiting for a very long time.


*** We have been sending Big Man G lots of pictures over the past several months and today we got to see photo's of him sitting and looking through the pictures of his brothers and laughing and smiling... oh how my Momma heart needed that today.***


WE ARE COMING FOR YOU PRINCESS G AND BIG MAN G! WE LOVE YOU AND WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

While we sleep... or not sleep... Day 236

Last night was not a good night to sleep, but actually was a good night to pray. I have some major kidney stones right now... major... and was in too much pain to sleep... so most of the night I prayed.

Ethiopia starts their day right as we are headed to bed each night... each night I think... "While I am sleeping will our world change? Will our cases make progress? Will someone in Ethiopia look at our files and realize we have been waiting 7 months 23 days to go back and pick up our kids?"

Last night there was suppose to be a meeting to discuss our case, this morning we are having a hard time confirming that meeting happened. Not that I am counting, but did you know it has been 236 days since we have seen our kids?


Would you all pray with us that if the meeting did not happen last night while we prayed and waited, that it would happen tonight? Would you pray that our case would be given the paperwork it needs and we can be submitted for a Court Decree?

****On a side note, we just went to my good friend Wendi's little sweetness's birthday party on Monday evening where I met a lovely couple I had never met before. We were talking about the adoption and she asked me the name of my blog,,, and do you know what? I could not remember it?! LOL! I never have been  super into tracking my blog posts and stats... but her comments got me interested a little... so I peaked... I am so blessed by the number of people who view my blog daily and are following us on this journey.

If I don't know you personally, would you leave me a comment? I would love to follow your blog as well!  

Overwhelmed!!

I don't even know what to say today.... I am overwhelmed by the love and support coming from all over the country for our family. Knowing that each of you are praying for us, has been and will continue to be, the most uplifting time in my life. Truly, being able to see God's people surround each-other and pray over one another from thousands of miles away is one of the things that brings me to my knees regularly.

Over the past week we have been so blessed by many thoughtful emails and blog postings about our family and the journey we are on to bring G & G home forever! Here are just a few of the amazing people who have changed me...
Our Family... over the past two and half years, they have been the foundation of encouragement and support while we navigated the process of adoption. It is confusing and I know they try their best to understand, they are excited to support us when we bring the kids home and I know they will be welcomed and loved by our amazing family.
Our Small Group- You all have prayed for us, listened to be cry, and held our hands while we waited for news... I am so thankful for each of you and I am so thankful for the support you have offered while I am in Ethiopia with G & G.
MY Desiree wrote the sweetest blog posting about our family here. It was an honor to hold her T while we were in Ethiopia, she has been a rock of strength and encouragement, calling and sending messages as her family prayers for ours.
My dear friend Rachel and her amazing hubs welcomed us into their home and prayed over our family, for G & G and for the process in Ethiopia. Touched my heart in ways they will never know.
Beauty for Ashes (My Chicago Ladies) YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL!!! My heart is overwhelmed daily by your support, advise, and prayers...
The people I have never met- Over the past two weeks I have received emails and facebook messages from families across the globe that are adopting or have already adopted, their words of encouragement and even some with financial support for my stay in Ethiopia, have just been amazing.

In April, I got a tattoo on my arm... it says "The Journey is the Reward"... You my friends, near and far, are the reward along this journey of bring our G's home. 

Big Decision on the Front in the Huff House

So.... this is where we are at right now. Ricky and I have been praying about and have talked with our families and made the decision that once we have a Court Decree in Ethiopia... I will travel to Ethiopia and take immediate custody of G and G and stay at a long-term guest house until we obtain US Visa's for the kids and can travel home. At that time, Ricky will fly to Ethiopia to  help me return with the kids. This is a complex decision, and it involves two difficult scenarios.

I am horribly scared to leave our little buggers here for a period of unknown time, likely between 4-6 weeks or a touch longer... and I am horrible scared to not go and leave our little buggers in the orphanage for any longer than necessary. So picking between the two, has been really hard. Lots of tears, but we know that Ricky and our amazingly supportive family is here for the boys... and no one is there in Ethiopia for G and G... except me... soon!

We have been so blessed by the a surprise job for me over the past two years... that paid for the adoption and allowed us to move into a bigger home that will fit our expanding family. Now that I am not working and this additional adoption expense has crept up, we are praying for another miracle. Also, recently become very aware that while we thought we would all fit in our car, the car seat situation makes that impossible when G and G come home..... and as of the end of 2011 the Adoption Tax Credit is not something that will supplement all the funds we have spent over the past two years in the adoption process. Because of the delay in our case, we were faced with additional costs that I don't think anyone anticipated... again pulling on the reserve for the car fund.

We are applying for adoption Grants and saving like crazy right now. The best we can calculate, it will cost me and the kids about $65.00 a day to stay in Ethiopia and we will need to purchase an open ended ticket allowing us to travel back, but with the ability to change the date (I am sure you know the costs associated with anything airline related! HA!).... So here we are, praying and trusting that God is going to provide for what we know HE is calling our family to do... for Momma to go to Ethiopia and care for the littles there until we can come home all together!

Would you join us in prayer over the following items:

1. Timing of travel... kids starting school, my brother getting married, etc.
2.  Cost of my extended stay in Ethiopia with the kids and airline tickets that have flexibility
3. Ricky and the boys while I am gone.... It is no secret to any of us that this will be a challenge
4. G and G's health...
5. My health while in Ethiopia
6. My heart while away from Ricky and the boys for such a long period of time.

Blessings!

Brandi and Ricky Huff

Progress....?! Could it be real?

So this last week we have renewed HOPE that our littles are coming home soon! Here is where we are now...
We have 1 of the 3 letters needed to approve the kids for adoption, that does not seem like very much BUT our cases have been submitted to the 2 level for approval and they have promised after changes were made to some paperwork that they would approve the cases. Those changes have been made! Our case will be submitted back to the 2 level for approval this week and based on what we have been told... they have promised to processes these cases (4 families total stuck in the same paperwork mess as our case) with urgency... fully understanding it has not been 7 MONTHS since we traveled for court! 


The third level has, from the beginning, agreed to sign the letter needed ASAP and then we would have the much coveted Court Decree legally making G & G our kids! At that point, things will really start moving along and we will be making plans to travel to Ethiopia again.

Please be praying for our family as we process through timing in travel to Ethiopia. Big Man G has not been looking very good and we are concerned over his health, so prayers over him is also appreciated.

As for the Huff's right now... we are trying to enjoy summer and all that comes with that! Here are a few moments of the first 6 weeks of summer...

 It is really stressful around here... can you tell? lol

 Me and my dearest friend Em hanging out at the beach in Newport!