March- Oh wait, it's April- Madness!

Hey Everybody!

So, I’m about to fall on my face, I’m so tired, but I had to update y’all a bit.  Things are CRAZY in the Baker household right now. 

Back in February we came across a house we LOVED in Oldham County that was an amazing deal, and we decided to put our house on the market.  We knew that because we would have to update our homestudy for USCIS if we moved, we would have to sell the house in no more than a month’s time.  It was a long shot since the house was on the market for like 18 months when we took it off the market about a year ago, but we thought we’d give it a chance.  If it was going to work out, the Lord was going to have to perfect the timing.   Well, within two days of putting it on the market this time, we had two offers and a third buyer ready to make an offer if it didn’t work out with either of the other two!  Eek!  So, guess what we’re doing tomorrow- moving to Oldham County J

Right before we got the offers on the house, we got news that I was going to have to have surgery.  Ugh.  On March 21^st I had a hernia repaired and had to have a bunch of abdominal muscles sewn back together.  On March 28^th, I had a precancerous bunch of cells on the skin on my calf removed and stitched up- ouch.  Basically, I’m  pretty much feeling like an old woman who’s falling apart, but all is well… Except for the fact that moving is not easy when you can’t lift anything heavier than a jug of milk.  So, I write to you from a den of boxes, while pains shoot through my leg and mid-section… oh well, this too, shall pass J

This morning I woke up feeling tired- never a good thing to wake up that way.  Quite honestly, I was dreading the day.  Today happens to be our Addie’s first birthday.  I felt sick.  I miss my girl everyday, but to not be with her on her birthday just felt like a ton of bricks sitting on my heart.    What if no one even knows that today is the day the Lord brought her into the world?!  What if no one near her is celebrating her precious life?!  I so want to give her a hug today and tell her what a treasure she is.  I want to know if she’s walking and how many teeth she has.  How does she spend her days and is she getting enough to eat?  The questions come frequently, and the Lord answers each time, reminding me that He loves her.  His love brings peace, but still, there is hurt.  I just plain miss her. 

The day began, and I got to work with my mom, packing up Payton’s room.  I was prepared for a day of drudgery (who likes to pack?!) and a day of feeling fairly pitiful.

Then my phone rang.

We got a court date!!!!!!!!  We head to Ethiopia on April 29^th and will meet our sweet Ellie Claire on the 30^th!  The news couldn’t have come at a better time- Isn’t our God soooo good?!!  We miss our Addie so much, and the pain of losing her still stings deeply, but how immensely grateful we are for Ellie Claire.  We know that if things had worked out with Addie, we wouldn’t even know that Ellie Claire existed, much less be calling her daughter.  I will most likely never fully understand why the Lord allowed what he did with Addie, but He has proven again and again that He is sovereign and He is good, and we will continue to trust that with all that we are.

So, Happy Birthday Sweet Addie!  You are loved beyond words, and prayed for each and every day. 

And Ellie Claire, Mommy’s comin’ baby!  Can’t wait to kiss your sweet face and hold you close.  I love you sooooo much, sweet girl!

Thank you, Jesus.  He is just so good.