So close..!

Today was an incredible day..! We have Zefina's birth certificate (that we got yesterday), Her passport (that we weren't suppose to get until this evening), Had her consult with the Visa Dr. AND the actual Dr. appointment (we we're going to have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to see the Dr!) And we were able to move up our Visa interview to tomorrow morning at 9:45! (had apt for thurs @ 2)  Woooo Hoooo!!!
This is CRAZY huge!! This means there is a huge possibility that we will be getting on a flight to come home on Monday morning!! Monday! That's in less than a week!!

I have to say this all now feels very bitter-sweet..all of a sudden I have an urgency to visit the places we've been wanting to see - villages, people, homes..It makes me crazy excited to begin our new normal at home, but SO so sad to leave our new friend Sophie and her new baby girl Natasha - that is also from Z's home. I am without a doubt certain that God has kept us here so we can be apart of each others lives. And this, I am more than ok with! :) Sophie is a single, young missionary from Michigan who is in the process of adopting little 2 year old Natasha from the Bryant home.. What an incredibly beautiful display of Gods love she is! We we're originally suppose to leave for home last Thursday - God had different plans! Instead, that afternoon we got the wonderful honor to be her 'family' and be with her as she welcomed Natasha home for the first time. What a beautiful blessing this new relationship has been to all of us! It puts a lump in my throat thinking about leaving Natasha and Auntie Sophie {as the kids call her!} we rely and depend on each other for support and encouragement - but it brings SUCH joy knowing that Zefina and Natasha will be raised knowing, seeing and being a part of each others lives forever. I pray there will be more kids to join this 'family', but for now take comfort in having Sophie and Natasha as apart of ours..

It's OFFICIAL!!

We are PROUD to announce the newest member of the Avery family!
Zefina Yuyu Avery!!

Gotcha Day August 26th, 2011

God is SO good - our adoption decree has been SIGNED!! Never has the pounding of a stamp sounded so sweet! 

We are the PROUD new parents of 4 kids!!

The race is now on..! We just received word that Zefina's birth certificate would be available today!! (we were told Monday at the earliest) So Chris just left to go downtown to get the birth cert then will race over to the passport office to submit her application before they close at 5pm. We were told 2-5 days with the passport - who are we kidding - we're praying for 1 day :) We have an apt. with the US Embassy on Thursday at 2 (providing we have the birth cert and her passport). She (embassy lady) has warned us that adoption investigations can sometimes take more than a day, and they are open 1/2 days on fridays.. {you still following??} We have tickets on hold for us for the next Monday morning (Sept. 5th) Lord willing the 6 of us will be on that flight ALL together!
We were suppose to be heading home today..God's plan is much bigger than ours - this is so clear!

Helicopter ride over Victoria Falls

::Hippos::

::Elephants::

Progress from Zambia

First Family Photo!!

Our 2 African Princesses!!

We need prayer for these things - 
1. The effective date granted (soon)
2. Court papers filed
3. Case to be heard quickly
(realistically the first 2 can be done by the end of the week, 3rd can be done by early next week)
4. Adoption decree granted (done at court hearing)
5. Birth Cert. (should take 1-2 days after adoption decree)
6. Passport rushed (2-3 days)
7. Visa (1 day)
8. 6 Avery's board a plane on the 24th of Aug..!! :)
Our return flights are currently scheduled for Aug 24th to come home to Seattle, we can change them if things aren't finished here but its pricey (it was much cheaper still to book round trip than one-way's)

You may be wondering why things seem to be in "limbo" so much - like why we waited 13 days for a police report (before anything else could proceed) - we knew this was the way it was going to be, this is a part of the process.  Zambia doesn't allow a single paper to be written for an adoption until you set foot in Zambia (which means all the waiting we did in the US was ON the US). We knew the process was going to take a long time - and we knew we'd be doing it all on our own without the help of an agency. BUT we also know God has completely gone before us and has paved the way for us - it has been so very clear to us over and over! We know he's not going to leave us now and won't abandon us here in Africa - penniless and without our daughter! We've chosen to embrace this time here as a family - to get to know our new daughter, to love on her and her country. To learn about ourselves - and to open our hearts to the life lessons and knowledge that we will take away from this incredible journey. (And the small fact that we can't control the speed in which things are done in :)

We really REALLY do covet each of your prayers!
So far 'home life' is going really well and Zefina seems to be settling in and relaxing as a new Avery - she's silly and dances and plays around - clearly is getting more and more comfortable with us and is trusting us more and more each day. She's eating great, kicks Haley in her sleep sometimes - but other than that is sleeping fairly well, not crying out or having nightmares.
We TRULY believe all the prayers are being answered and know that God has not left us - but has continued to go before us and prepare the way for us. We feel so very blessed to have so much support!!

Today was Zefina's 4th Birthday - so we celebrated with a trip to the Zoo (which is more like a zoo/animal rehabilitation place). It was a LITTLE bit different from the zoo's we grew up going to!! I personally think there should be more between you and a lion than just a chain-link fence...but that's just my opinion! 

Filters... (from Chris)

Yesterday we got out of our comfort zone as a family…..WAY OUT of our comfort zone.  Carlee and I decided to take the kids to city of Lusaka (we’re staying about 15minutes outside of the city) to see the outdoor markets.  Individually we have both experienced the outdoor markets of Thailand.  We learned the African market is similar but even tighter in terms of space to walk and breathe and the Zambians crowd around you while you look at different stalls.

When I experienced the Thai markets, I was responsible for myself.  Yesterday I was responsible for my wife and kids and their safety…. this was weighty.  My filters were on overdrive, trying to process everything I was seeing, feeling, thinking, smelling –all the while processing safety concerns, watching people crowd around Carlee and the kids.  I did constant headcounts, prayed over their safety and more importantly their experience and thought process.  Oh and my hand was in my pocket on my knife, ready to go….. don’t think I’ve ever felt so vulnerable and not in control as I did yesterday.  The first place we walked through had stalls on both sides of the walkway – the walkway was maybe 2 feet wide with people going in both directions.  People looking at the stalls, people carrying car parts, steel bars 20ft long, people staring at my wife and whistling and the roofs of the stalls made it dark so we couldn’t see the sky.  Our driver guided us through the stalls and into a larger opening where it felt like I took my first breath and did another headcount…yep all 6 were here.  We kept going and stopped at a few stalls. 

We left and drove to another part of the market where we got out and visited open -air markets, more space but more eyes on our family.  We bought a few things and the kids each bought sun glasses and negotiated a price with the seller.   The smells at this market were the strongest –dried fish, urine, garbage….  Tires were being sold and loaded into a truck which created quite the crowd, tires are hugely expensive in Zambia and thieves will grab tires and drive off if possible so the tire vendor had hired police to escort the loading and delivery…. a few hundred people gathered around to wait and see if any thieves would try to steal some tires.   

The third market we went to was a few minutes down the road and before we could get out of the car, we had a swarm of “runners” men who would offer to go get you anything you wanted from any of the stalls or “help” you negotiate, who would then take a cut of the sale from the vendor.  This was a trip.  We were looking for baby bags – the wraps that women use around their back, side or front to carry their babies and toddlers.  We were taken to a stall that had the fabric for the bags and I felt the crowd press in a bit on us.  In an instant I realized that I needed to get Carlee and the kids in a specific space to kind of form a wall around them as Carlee was picking out the bags….that’s when without thinking, I placed my hand on a man and pulled him out of our “zone”, he looked at me and I think the look on my face helped him realize that I needed him to move, nicely.  He was one of the “runners” and he was ok with it, thankfully.  Carlee picked out the fabric for the bags and we headed back to the car.  As we were leaving we both heard multiple conversations about our family.  The one that stuck out was a conversation about Madonna…I kept hearing Madonna…. a few different emotions and thoughts when through my head.  I immediately was thinking the men were being negative about our family and adoption but was quickly proven wrong as the conversation of Madonna then went to Adoption..adoption…adoption and then I head Good, Good, Good…that’s when one of the men approached me and asked where in Zambia are we from, I told him from the States.  He then asked us if we Adopted Zefina, I said yes, we are in the process and he replied with “this is very very good, very good”.  He shook my hand and said “Gob bless you, this is good, this is Gods heart”.  Out of chaos and what I assumed was judgement (which was really my judgement) came affirmation of the journey God has our family on.

Funny part is this is exactly what we wanted our kids to experience and I believe it’s exactly what God wanted me to experience from a father’s perspective. 

 I watched each of the kids respond differently yesterday to their experience and feelings.  Zefina was wide-eyed and had a tight grip around her momma’s neck and she resumed that position for the 2 hours in the market which was great attachment time.  Carter was holding my hand (the one not holding onto my knife) and he never let go while we were in the markets and I had to tell him a few times that he had to let go of my hand to get back in the car.  Tanner kept doing check ins and when he would get uncomfortable or didn’t feel safe I would feel him lean into me to feel safety.  And Haley took strides in independence when it was convenient for her but she checked in as well and would grab onto my arm or Carlee’s arm when she felt vulnerable. 

Carlee and I had a great conversation  with the kids during dinner last night about our experience.  The kids had tons of questions and did a great job expressing what they experienced.  Carlee and I were able to have a great conversation as well.  I think it’s safe to say our “filters” were adjusted yesterday.  This is good.