Where does the time go?

I was thinking today about the fact that Lily has been with us for 8 months now! Maybe it is because we went for a haircut today and it is amazing how much her hair has grown.....or maybe it is because she seems to fit in so perfectly with our family like she has always been here....or maybe it is because her "true colors" are really shining because she feels so darn comfortable with us. I think it is mostly the latter of the three! She will throw a tantrum the moment she doesn't get her way and the girl has some lungs on her thats for sure! Mostly she is funny, happy, full of smiles, dancing and playing but that can turn off like a switch....and then watch out.
Not too much to report on Ethiopia. I know they are working hard to resolve the issues there and it seems like there has been some progress. We have completed our 3 homestudy visits and now we are waiting on our homestudy to be approved by our adoption agency. Things are moving along on our end. Please continue to keep Ethiopia in your prayers.
Here is a picture of Lily in her first "Ponytail".

Disheartening News from Ethiopia....

Last week the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children's, and Youth Affairs announced their intention to reduce intercountry adoptions by 90% beginning March 10, 2011.

The Ministry’s plan for a dramatic reduction is apparently based on two primary issues;

1) the assumption that corruption in intercountry adoption is systemic and rampant and;

2) the Ministry’s resources should be focused on the children for whom intercountry adoption is not an option.

Please consider signing the petition at the link below. You do not have to be an adoptive parent to sign.
Please help us to make a difference in Ethiopia. This change could cause thousands of orphans to not be united with the perspective families in a timely manner. It could cause thousands in the "process" to not move forward. All in all the child suffers. I am also asking that you will PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. God is bigger than this problem! The Department of State will host a caucus call with MOWA and international advocacy organizations, adoption service providers and non-government organizations THIS FRIDAY to see what they should do from this point.

Go here to sign the petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html