REFERRAL!!!!! Meet our Ellie

This post is about yesterday (Tuesday), but I was too spent to post last night.

Today I was travelling back to Georgia to finish up my project work for State Farm. I spent a good deal of time in prayer pouring out my heart to God (like Hannah) about my desires for a referral before the delegates come to the States. I asked God specifically if He could give us a referral this week so we could travel by the end of the month instead of having to wait until July.

I stopped to get gas and popped into a Dollar Tree and left my phone in the car. I didn't see any missed calls when I came back out, but I think my battery had died so I plugged it in to charge. A bit later, while checking my email, I saw a message from our agency that they had left me a phone message and could I please call them. I almost had a heart attack. I called back and both Brent and Joyce were on the phone (ARGHH!) and I left a message. I could barely drive after that. When they called back (they were both on the line), I said, "Let's just cut to the chase and tell me if this is "THE CALL" so I can pull over and have a heart attack." They laughed and Brent said, "Yes, it was "THE CALL" so I pulled over into a Shell parking lot and listened as I got the word of our new daughter. We spent a while on the phone going over her particulars and I tried not to get all weepy so I could pay attention and take good notes to share with Kevin.

As soon as we hung up, I called him and told him we have a daughter!!! and shared all the details with him. I went over to a McDonalds and had to go to the bathroom and as we discussed our options for looking at the photo, sharing this with Joshua and our families, it became apparent that I would just have to come home. As I told my mom, "Sometimes you just have to go home." So, four hours there, four hours back. I know God was with me on that trip back because I did NOT have enough time to get back before it was time for Joshua to be at his ballgame and yet, I made it -- by the skin of my teeth. We had agreed, Kevin and I, that if we got the referral when we were apart, we would wait to see the photos until we were together. Had I known.... maybe I wouldn't have made that agreement.

She is absolutely beautiful. Her photos appear to be from birth which is a HUGE blessing in that she will never have to wonder what she looked like when she was born. She is tiny, tiny. She is in the orphanage now and since we have some friends who are there and are going to take photos of her for us. Stay tuned for photos next week when they return.

SO, you don't want to read what I have to write, you want to see photos. SO... Meet our little Ellie!!