Eric... that's his name

This week has been an absolute roller coaster.  I can't even explain the emotions, worries, fears, excitements, and discouragement I felt.  I felt that I was seeking in SILENCE... and PAPERWORK! I didn't feel like I was getting the answers I wanted when I wanted them. I felt like there was so much silence around me - with the adoption process, work, and more.  I didn't want to blog because I just didn't know what to say. But... I'm ready now.

So... Monday was a CRAZY day.  Our first homestudy interview, home tour, and the breakdown of the plan.  We met our Social Worker.. SHE IS AWESOME!! She lives in Troy, VERY friendly, and just made us feel so comfortable.  We talked for THREE hours! It was a long process... but so good.

For this next info... I'm gonna need to back up a bit. So... Jacob and I have ALWAYS wanted to adopt... we had the itch even before we were married.  But we knew we wanted to just be married for a while... no kids... just us... so that's what we did.  We thought about starting the adoption process before, but God showed us to WAIT.  This summer through several situations and conversations, we knew the time was getting close. When we went to Belize, we met Eric at an orphanage.  He is 12 and has lived in this orphanage for 11 years.  He has witnessed several of his friends be adopted... and he has stayed there without a family of his own.  He is the most beautiful little boy ever, but his words to Jacob were, "I just don't think I'm wanted."  Well... let me tell you people... HE IS DEFINITELY WANTED! That little 12 year old boy, Eric, was the catalyst for this whole adventure.  We couldn't come back home and not do anything... so we started the process... sent the money and the paperwork and prayed for ERIC! We had no clue how easy or hard it was going to be to request a specific child... we only knew to pray. So we did.

Fast forward a bit to this week...
Our homestudy social worker tells us to go ahead and ask the adoption agency if we can get a referral for Eric.  I email the adoption agency... they sent me back an email that said one of us has to be 25 years old and we have to be at least 12 years older than the child. She had to check with Belize to see if Eric was available for adoption and check his birthday because if he was closer to 13... we weren't eligible to adopt him. My heart sank. Can you pray for someone's birthday to be changed? I don't know but I did. I prayed with all my might that he would be eligible for adoption and that his birthday would be where it was suppose to be.  Then, we waited... that was Monday...

Today, is Friday. 
I sent them an email this morning (because I'm impatient and I had to know something) to follow up with our request to Belize. She said Belize let her know that one of us does have to be 25 (never been so excited for a birthday in my life), THAT ERIC IS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, AND THAT HIS BIRTHDAY IS AT THE PERFECT TIME!! WOOHOO! I still didn't know what this meant... so I emailed her back and said "What does this mean? Can we get Eric? I shouldn't have any doubts, correct? Can he be ours?..."
She emailed back with my favorite line of the century, "That's correct. Let's bring that boy home, shall we?" 

AHHH! My heart is beyond excited! Our hearts broke when we met him in the orphanage... and soon (not soon enough) Eric is going to be our son!!!!

And get this... while I was impatiently waiting on a response I looked up the meaning of the name "Eric" because I love names... and I was going crazy.  It has 2 meanings... are you ready?
The first meaning is "alone" or one"
The other meaning is "forever' 
HOW NUTS? We will be changing his name from Eric Alone to Eric Forever... he is going from a life alone to a forever family that will (and already does) adore him!! God is so good and so clever. Even the little things... like the meaning in his name... is so ordained!

So... Eric is our son's name.  We need help getting him home! Buy a clock. Donate some money (WE HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT NOW!). Every dollar counts!! Most importantly, PRAY! Pray that he knows he's wanted, he's loved, and that he will get home soon!