happy birthday daddy!

Today was my dad's birthday!  My dad loves history so we went to the civil war exhibit at the national archives.  then.... we went to eat at founding farmers.
The restaurant offers "farm inspired American food".  It was very yummy and a great recommendation from the Chois.

I had fried chicken fingers, waffles, and eggs....soooooo good!!!

But before we got our yummy food our waiter poured diet coke all down my dad's back and onto the booth which got all over my mom.  :(  We felt really bad for the waiter.  After we ate all our yummy food ;D they gave us a bunch of desserts for FREE!  It was great!

Daddy is supper low key, but I think he had a good day!  :)

my DIPLOMA arrived!!

 This was very exciting because two weeks after I walked (way back in May) I recieved an e.mail from George Mason saying I had not completed my requirements to graduate.  Needless to say I was furious (that is my whispering mad voice).  It took over two months for them to get everything straightened out and officially confer my degree.  So this was very exciting to finally get in the mail!!

"Zekl" aka Ezekiel

Tonight Jacob showed us a new book he had gotten.  It was about baby expressions.  When he opened to this page his mom asked, "Who is that?" 

"Zekl!"  We laughed and were on the brink of tears, at least I was!

So our little Ethiopian hun-nee does have a name, Ezekiel!  Ezekiel means "Strength of God".
Since we got married we wanted our first boy to carry on the initials EGS.  These initials have been used for many generations on Evan's dad's side of the family.  We have always gone back and forth on what the E name would be, Glenn is always the middle name.  Every night when Jacob says his prayers with his parents they pray for our sweet little boy in Ethiopia.  God only knows who he is and if he is even born.  He is ours.  He is loved, prayed for, and though of often.  

I Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.

We are so blessed by the many people who also love, care, and pray for Ezekiel... Thank you!!

 P.S.  Evan said I should tell this story...  So I've known Evan has liked the name Ezekiel since High School.  When we were talking about children and told me he would like to use the initials EGS for our first son, Ezekiel was obviously his first choice in a name.  
As a teacher I have had experience with LOTS of names.  So when Evan would talk about using the name Ezekiel I pictured our son, that I would birth, white, with the name Ezekiel.  It didn't seem to fit.  Then I would try to picture him as a grown man going in for and interview, with the name Ezekiel, again it just didn't seem to fit.  Last summer I was at Home Goods and I heard..."Ezekiel, sit down!"  I turned and saw a little African American boy and thought, that fits.  Little did I know a year later we would be anxiously waiting to meet our son from Ethiopia!

Evan bought me this necklace for graduation...

The phrase "I choose you" is written over and over again

And here is our little hun-nee's name!

Choi Boy Shower

Today was Grace's shower!!  I was so excited to be able to make it!  Her little boy is soooo loved!! 
Here we all had a chance to write little notes to him!!

  























Needless to say she got some great books!  We even coaxed her enough to read one to us!!

 Grace also got the book God Found Us You.  She gave me a copy for my graduation.  It is such a sweet book!!  I ended up reading that one for her and I was surprised I made it through... although I definitely started with tears.

It was a wonderful afternoon catching up with friends and meeting some of Grace's friends and family.

last few days at the beach

The last few days at the beach we had some CRAZY storms... 

With stinky weather I was able to catch up on some blog reading and my new favorite book There Is No Me Without You  Evan was reading with me for a little bit... then I guess he got comfy....

We were able to catch a little more beach time before it was time to head back to the craziness that is Northern VA...  I thought this was a cute picture of Evan and Ed.  The similar stance made Susan and me giggle...

Many times during our trip we talked about what summer will be like next year with our little Ethiopian hun-nee.  For me, it seems to flood me with mixed emotions... excitement and anticipation as well as a little fear and uncertainty.  I guess all new parents feel like that, at least I hope so...

Snyder Dossier in Ethiopia!!!

So what is the next step?

Although we are now just in the waiting stage, it is wonderful to know that everything we need to do is out of our hands!!  I really didn't believe we would send our dossier over this soon... but it is there..... so now we wait.  The court in Addis Ababa closes from August 6 - September 26 due to the heavy rains (rainy season).  This can cause things to slow back up a little.  This is definitely subject to change, but we think we should get a match around December.  Four - Six weeks later we should get a court date and make our first trip over to Ethiopia.  We will be in Addis Ababa for about a week.  During that time we will testify in court that we want our little boy AND we will be able to meet him and spend time with him!!  But then we have to go home....approximately 6-8 weeks after our court date we will take another trip to Ethiopia to pick up our little hun-nee!!  It is a strange balance of keeping our hearts guarded and trying to imagine life with our Ethiopian hun-nee... (mmm i like that!) 

  

oh lala pari

Dossier Snyder made it to Paris today!  It also departed and is in transit to... somewhere!  :D 

Although I have never been to Paris.  Paris made me think of Europe, which made me think of England, which made me think of our the mission trip Evan and I went on right after we were engaged, May 2006.  We look sooo young!!

This was right before we left to come back home.  Keith was the  youth pastor we worked with in England.  He left a lasting impression on both Evan and me!


I finished reading my book today.  I decided it is a book I am going to need to read over and over again to constantly remind myself of "the things that break God's heart".  I don't think I have ever read a book and wanted to (and potentially did) earmark almost every page I read.  While reading this book I learned more about the overwhelming need in the world, but how do I keep that in forefront of my mind comfortable and abundantly blessed in Northern VA and again how do I start to make a difference?

final aha moments...(although this will probably not be the last time I reference this wonderful book!)

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito." - African Proverb

"One of the most common mistakes we can make is to believe that we have nothing of significance to offer - that we're not rich enough, smart enough, skilled enough, or spiritual enough to make much difference at all, especially in the face of huge global problems." R.S.

"God does indeed use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. David, a mere boy, killed a giant and became king of Israel.  Mary, a teenage girl, gave birth to the Messiah.  Peter, a fisherman, established the early church and changed the world.   If the gospel is to be proclaimed, poverty defeated, racism overcome, the tide of AIDS turned back, or injustice challenged, it will be done by such people - ordinary people like you and me." R.S.

 

a few visitors

On their way home from the beach our friends the, Schleidens, stopped by for some more beach time!

Evan finally had a buddy to play with in the waves and it was the best wave day we had yet!  Jacob is watching Jeremy and Evan head out for some fun "sponging"

I got a chance to practice my sand castle skills for next summer with our little hun-nee!!
 

There was no doubt we loved having these guys around!

Before the Chois left the beach to go home they came over and had dinner with us.  They have eaten my cooking twice and both times it has been the same dish!!  Pollo con Salsa (thanks Kerry!)!!!  It was great fun!  Even if the deck was covered with TONS of spiders... ewwww!

New Jersey in and out

Today our Dossier arrived at Newark, NJ...

and departed from Newark!

a few rambling thoughts...

I can't really say this was an aha moment... more like ouch:
"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it."
"Well, why don't you ask Him?"
"Because I'm afraid He would ask me the same question."
- Anonymous

I am convicted and conflicted while reading this book.  There are many things I can begin to change to make some difference, but what does it look like to have a complete life style change to make a difference that impacts others truly in need?  Where do I feel God calling me?  Is it a different location?  A different job?  More service?  I'm guessing mostly likely the need for a dramatic change of my heart is the best place to start.
Knowing that most people reading this book would be overwhelmed with the information and the unfathomable need in our world, Richard Stearns gently reminds the readers of three important principles:

• Every one of these hurting people is created in God's image and loved by Him.
• Every one of these challenges has a solution.
• Every one of us can make a difference.

I wonder what that difference is going to look like in my life and how it will affect others? 


aha moment!
we must never see poverty or justice as "issues" that need solutions; rather we must see the human beings at the heart of those issues as people who need and deserve our love and respect. 
"I believe that we really can alter the world, but we can only do it one person at a time.  And when enough people choose to do this, even a crisis on a global scale can change."  Richard Stearns

DTE = Dossier To Ethiopia

This afternoon we received an e.mail from American World letting us know that TODAY is our official DTE date!!!  That means our Dossier is on its way to ETHIOPIA!!!!

 

This was great news to get on our vacation at the OBX!!  

Today is also my mother-in-law's birthday, she said it was a great birthday present!  I totally agree!

We got a tracking number for our FedEx package so we will make sure to track Dossier Snyder's progress to Ethiopia.  
As of this afternoon Dossier Snyder is in...

anther aha moment from my reading today...

Bob Pierce once said, "Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything."  These are wise words to anyone overwhelmed with the magnitude of human suffering in our world.  We are not asked to help all of them ("the least of these") at once, just one at a time.

Richard Stearns The Hole in our Gospel

a few of my favorite things...

Tonight Evan and I were finally able to meet Mr. and Mrs. Kim!!  They are the owners of our favorite Chick-fil-A in Reston and provided us with the wonderful opportunity to have a fund raising night last month. With over 150 transactions that evening and an additional gift from the Kims we received well over $500 to help bring our little hun-nee home!!  

Evan and I were so excited to meet the Kims and thank them in person.  We also go to more about when they met their grandson, who is also being adopted, while on their trip to Korea.  It was a so nice getting to talk and learn more about them.  They have an obvious love for the Lord and a genuine desire to serve others.  Of course we can't spend a night with Grace and Peter and NOT talk about Chick-fil-A, so there was great conversation about our favorite quick service restaurant!  Since there is no Chick-fil-A at the Outer Banks to get icedreams, we went to Big Bucks instead.  Big Bucks is now in close competition with Chick-fil-A's icedream beacuse they have SPRINKLES for their ice cream!!  Maybe I can talk to the Kims about adding that to the menu. :D

            
















The gentlemen who took my order said,"Sooo.... you want ice cream covered in sprinkles, on a sprinkle cone?"  "YES!!!!!"  Sprinkles are my favorite!!

 
So Big Bucks might be my favorite ice cream place down here, but DUCK COTTAGE is my true favorite place!   

It has the most yummy coffee!!  My favorite drink is the SWAN ~ a white mocha (with that best kind of ice) AND white chocolate shavings on top of whip cream.... mmmmm.....

a little celebrating

We did a little celebrating with my folks and Lesley, one of Evan's sisters, for completing and turning in our DOSSIER!  It was fun to celebrate such a huge accomplishment!!

 Red Robin is one of favorite restaurants!!  While we were there we ran into an old college friend who shared that she and her husband just applied to start a domestic adoption!  So neat!!  

Evan and I were so amazed we had the money we needed to send the dossier.  Equally amazing the Lord has continued to financially provide us.  After this evening we are only 1500 short of our next payment, not counting travel.  Again, there are not enough words to express how God has continually supplied a very real and tangible need, over and over and over again!