5 Months Later

Just over five months ago we met our son for the first time. It seems like just yesterday and at the same time seems like we have never been apart.
This video is from the very first time we were able to get him to smile, and let me tell you it wasn't easy! This child wasn't especially excited about his new parents.


These days you can hardly catch him without a grin from ear to ear. God has done a wonder in healing this child's heart and filling it with joy. We are praying that his soul will always be softened to the voice of God and that good deeds are being prepared for Josiah to do in service to the King.
Would you believe this video is of the same boy?

Through the abundant grace of God and the prayer of His saints, we have seen miracle after miracle in bringing Josiah into our family:

• Passing court the first attempt.
• Our immigration paperwork being completed in the nick of time for us to only make 1 trip to Ethiopia.
• Even though the July travel groups were cut from 10 families to 5 families we were able to go on schedule because of the earlier flight we had chosen.fjm
• A truly supernatural attachment and adjustment since we returned home.

This last month has been no less of a move by the hand of God. Learning from the IRS during the beginning of Decmber, that in order to be eligible for a tax credit, our adoption had to be finalized in state by December 31st. We were a little panicked! Our last post-placement visit was not scheduled until January of 2011! With the help of our agency and our social worker, they worked to speed up the process and have our post-placement packet prepared a month early. My brilliant husband found an attorney that was willing to go the extra mile for us (after talking to some that told us it couldn't be done). She called in a favor to get us a court date before the end of the year.

December 27th at 2:30pm our adoption was finalized and Andinet Micah Gitlin became Josiah Andinet Gitlin, the SON of Micah and Sarah Gitlin now "considered to be the same as a child born to us, with every right of inheritance." When the judge said these words I could not help but be reminded of our place as children of God.

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and shares together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6