Piece Out!

First of all, I am so pleased to be able to share an excerpt from an email I sent out THE DAY AFTER posting our last blog:

“David and I are soooo happy to announce that Ethiopia has decided to continue to keep international adoptions active in their country.  Our agency sent us an email today, stating that Minister Zenubu and high ranking officials are interested in keeping up good adoption practices within their country.  They spoke in a POSITIVE manner about international adoption, which is HUGE!  As you maybe read in our blog, the negativity stemming from isolated bad adoption instances was apparently coloring some of the previous debate concerning this issue.  We are immensely relieved.

We want to thank you all for your prayers, concern, and encouragement during this amazingly stressful time.  I absolutely do NOT believe it was a coincidence that we received this news after the end of our 21 day fast at church and also after our blog was posted which spurred on so many more prayers for our family.  I think God did a miracle of changing hearts and minds because of your petitioning on our behalf.  While we're certain this will probably not be the last difficulty we encounter in this process, it is good to know that we have both a faithful God and faithful friends who are by our side no matter what.”

<Insert virtual hug here>  

This is us after getting the news about Ethiopia.  We were just a tad excited.

Now onto the second big deal-y thing we have to tell you.  You may remember the “Piece by Piece” fundraiser that we began in November of 2012.  At least I hope you remember.  If you participated, you have a puzzle piece pin as a reminder to pray for our adoption and the country of Ethiopia in general.  In the beginning of this fundraiser, we had 500 pins to sell.  For each pin sold, we put a piece (with the pin buyers’ name written on the back) in a puzzle that we are going to hang in our daughter’s room.  Well, we *finally* completed that puzzle at the end of January (Also, David would like me to mention that he put in the last 18 pieces or so which were ALL WHITE.  Hard work.  I’ll won’t tell you who diligently trudged through the rest. of. it.)!

Beautiful- I cannot wait to get it framed and hung!

These little puzzle pins have accompanied us through some interesting times over the past year and couple months.  We’ve lost loved ones and have seen friends' families increase.  The pins started many riveting conversations and brought others to a complete halt.  But most of all, they became a tangible show of support, a visible encouragement to us.  Seeing one pinned to a friend’s shirt or coat reminded us that we are not alone in our desire to bring our daughter home.  And those are the bright bits of hope that we grab onto with both hands.

The big brother being silly with his pin.

To honor the fundraiser’s many participants (in addition to writing your name on the back of the puzzle piece), we are going to record your names here.  Some of you we have never met and others of you we know a little too well ;), but we are grateful nonetheless.  I would engrave each of you a "Thank You" plaque if I had the time (Psssst-it's never gonna happen), but for now you'll have to settle for your name on our blog's wall of fame:

The Legos, Nana & Granddad Rushing, The Deneens, The Barnums, The Foxes, The Seifarths, The Dingles, Ashleigh Hobby, Emily Hobby, Dawn Dingle, The Waldrons, The Ashleys, The Stevens, Carolyn Anthony, The Kneppers, Great Grandma & Pawpaw Rushing, The Greenes, Steven Rushing, Hannah Myers, Anna Myers, The Martins, The Burtners, The Wards, The Harts, Lisa Key, Phyllis Fehlauer, Marilyn Gibble, Tammy Gantz, The Campbells, The Kendalls, The DeLauters, Jessie Kretzer, Heather Slough, Wanda Black, Holly Kendall, Sara Woolf, Shelia Graham, Terri Plumer, Penny Schildt, Rhonda McNulty, Teresa Burkhart, Robin Dile, Kathy Kopp, Kathy Stone, Meredith Magipalane, Audrey Jordan, Amy Moats, Kara Smith, Marissa Smith, Brady Smith, Connor Smith, Angie Oswaltio, Annie Thrift, Carol Sutch, Tina Bradshaw, Aliceana Onley, The Gibbles, Jake Weissman, Laura Dugan, The Reifsniders, The Dicksons, The Hubers, The Frosts, Pat Edwards, The Bares, Deb Danner, Sarah Spealler, Chris Spealler, Roark Spealler, Myla Spealler, Matthew Danner, Ashley Danner, Baby Boy Danner, Elisabeth Danner, Thelma Hohl, Grandma & Granddad Gross, Karen Starlipper, Beth & Dennis Shakan, Emma & Abby & Caleb Shakan, Holly & Ward Fleger, Hannah & Sophie & Sam Drumm, Jill Macaulay, Alyvia Macaulay & Kemar Greem, Sid Starlipper, Tom Fleming, Michelle Fleming, The Koontz Family, Shae Lawson, Rob Lawson, Jett Lawson, Lyric Lawson, Bonnie Elam, Rollie Elam, Jean Elam, Ryan Elam, Amy Elam, Maddie & Garnet & Trey, The McCullums, The Brechbills, Barb Smith, Tara Henry, Mariamu Mjumbe, The Hutzells, Shawna Kelly, The Heids, The Hoovers, The Pangborns, Jan Bare, The Griffiths, The Stitchers, The Thomas Family, Caleb Coe, Gabe Coe, Maggie Coe, Ellyn Coe, Chad & Kristi Coe, The Packards, Kyle Maday, Roy Maday, Norma Daring, Kim Gates, Lauren Gates, Lindsey Groank, Lesta Packard, Amy Hannah, Jane Gutierrez, Allan Bare, The Shanks, The Blairs, Ken & Gabby Lynch, Barbara Godfrey, The St. Clairs, Chris & Lisa Shea, Jessie Holbrook, Jeannette Williams, Keegan & Skylar Mayes, Raimi & Evan Neal, Leah & Izabeau Mayes, Jo & Chris Mayes, Jamie Dudeck, Tim & Amanda Gross, Great Grandma Bare, Meg Panzarella, Irma Curtis, The Browns, Allan Bare, The Ottos, Debbie Huntsberger, The Dearings, Yvonne Costa, Ella, Darrel & Peggy Knepper, The McCartys, The Detrows, Tim & Heather St. Clair, The Lindstroms, Becky Diaz-Pons, The Ortiz Family, The Turfles, Lisa Bingaman, Deborah Subetto, Missy Dehaven, The Siemers, Lisa Lynn, The Blairs, Casandra Tressler, Tammy Tressler, Pat Lindstrom, Jill Craig, Jess Grimes, Christine Neus, Angela Jarvis, Doug & Karen Bare, Scott & Steph Gross, The Churneskys, The Friedmans, The Bylers, Deb Kelso, Jessica Weitzel, Corey Weitzel, Anita Smith, Jennifer Peiffer, Kari McCauley, Kristin Keelen, Terrie Shank, Adrianne Calson, Lisa Warren, Breast Cancer Survivor, Amberly Blair, The Harnes, Lisa Tobias, Shirlee Imes, Rhonda Dudeck, Tiffany Kallman, Cayla Covington, Amy Marquis, The Renders, Grandma Reed, Kim Reed, Teresa King, The Fitzgeralds, The Gahans, The Slemmers, Amber Shindledecker, Virgie Small, The Benchoffs, PRAY families

Wow-that's a lot of love!  I think I got everybody and I hope I spelled all of your names correctly (I'm sure I'll hear about it if I didn't)!  From the bottom of our hearts-Thank you!  Each name listed above participated in bringing our daughter closer to home and because of that we're eternally indebted to you.  She's going to have a ton of plaques to engrave once she gets here ;).