Court Date Assignment!!!

Well, we've been given a date that could prove to be very important in the life of our family. December 3, 2009. On this date, three weeks from tomorrow, our family will be represented in an Ethiopian courtroom by our agency's (America World) staff. And if everything is in it's place- the paperwork, the agreements, the necessary people- we will be made the legal parents of Ezekiel E**** Rice. We plan to give him a new name, Ezekiel, but keep his given name as his middle name, which we may be able to disclose on...December 3rd, once he's ours.

However, we need to remember that 'it's not over till it's over' as they say. There are a multitude of uncertainties that go along with this journey of international adoption. Things often change very quickly, delays arise, policies are altered. So, only about 50% of families pass court their first time through, due to problems with documents or other complications. If we don't pass on Dec 3, we'll be given another court date 3-6 weeks later. If we DO pass, we could travel POSSIBLY before the end of the year but more likely, I think, in January. We can't wait to share our newest family member with you. Thanks for joining us on this trek of faith.

We also want to praise God for being our Great Provider- Jehovah Jireh- by allowing us to receive a grant, a $4000 gift!, from Show Hope (previously Shoahannah's Hope), Steven and MaryBeth Chapman's adoption support organization. This will hopefully cover our plane tickets, unless we travel at Christmas.

Thanks so much to those of you who have been praying for us and supporting us in so many different ways. We love each one of you to bits and pieces. Just last night we finished painting our lower level, including Whitton's new bedroom, who is moving in order to give Ezekiel his room. We can't say THANKS enough to our friends Mark Lipic, who framed in the room, and Ray Arquette, who hung the drywall and 'mudded' it. What a ginormous blessing.

Please visit our new online JustLoveCoffee store, Rice and Beans, at www.justlovecoffee.com/TheRices if you'd like to support our venture financially and also love drinking coffee or want to give coffee gifts for Christmas. :D

Much love,

Susan, for Ben, and Whitton, Sylvia, Maren and Ezekiel :D