The Beautiful

"Sacred literature in both Israel and Ethiopia describes Queen Makeda's visit to the king of Israel. "The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame...and she came to test him with hard questions," reads 1 Kings, chapter 10, in the Hebrew Bible. "She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels bearing spices, a great quantity of gold, and precious stones."

"This Queen of the South was very beautiful in face, and her stature was superb," says the ancient Ethiopian holy text Kebra Nagast [The Glory of Kings]. "Her understanding and intelligence which God had given her were of such high character that she went to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of Solomon." Makeda, known to the outside world as the Queen of Sheba, married Solomon, and they had a son: Menelik, founder of the Ethiopia kingship (thus, through the twentieth century, Ethiopian kinds claimed Davidic descent".

there's no me without you: pg 10-11

When we started our adoption journey many years ago we read Melissa Faye Greene's incredible book, "There's No Me Without You". We learned and we found beauty in a country we were only beginning to know. Several pages, words, stories, statistics - they impacted us and imprinted on our hearts certain pieces to commit to memory.

One was the name of a little girl. Her name held depth and grace and beauty in our eyes, like no other had. It captured us and we held it close for over three years.

HIV-positive and AIDS-afflicted orphans lined up politely to greet Haregewoin. The touch of their parents had survived in the children's beautiful and elaborate names. As each lisped his or her name, Haregewoin fleetingly pictured the mother and father, even the poorest of the poor, inclining their heads above a newborn and conspiring to bestow and extravagant and abitious name on the baby. Most nonbiblical Ethiopian names have meanings; but the names of these HIV-positive orphans seemed exceptionally poignant.

She met Tidenek (You Are Amazing), and Bizunesh (You Will Become Much), and Asegdom (He Who Makes Others Kneel Before Him). She shook hands with Mekonnen (Dignitary) and Zerabruk (Descendant of Holiness). Makeda (The Beautiful) had been the name of the Queen of Sheba, and here came a little Solomon, as well.

there's no me without you: pg 216

Our desire for our daughter, who will inevitably draw more attention than many children (not only because of her incredible beauty inside and out) because of the colour of her skin. We wanted to chose a name that could honour her country of birth but also be gentle on the tongue. Ethiopians, as do many cultures, allow the names of their children to roll of their tongue with elegance. We, however, often botch the names with hard sounding 'r's and other mis-pronounciations. And, while meanings have never been hugely important to us in the past, this time felt a bit different.

Our daughter, born Mihret is stunning.

What is more stunning and heart-breaking is the meaning behind her birth name: Mercy.

I was speechless and my heart ached when I searched and found it's meaning. Think about it: true mercy - the sacrifice offered by these life-giving, birth mothers as they seek a more full life for their children. And, in naming them they do their best to maybe emanate all they feel and all they wish, hope, dream, ache and pray for their child.

We decided early on that we would likely give our daughter a new first name and keep her birth name as her middle name.

And so Makeda Mihret

will be our daily grace-given reminder of

The Beautiful Mercy

...a theme which has run throughout our adoption journey time and again.

We thought the day was over. The ship had sailed. That somehow, The Plan was for us not to likely become family soon. More waiting would occur before the joy we have been anticipating for months, years now. But prayer never ceased. We know that.

And yet tonight, well after the end of the last day of court until possibly late September, we received an email around 7:30pm. That's 10:30pm in Ontario. And, because I am still picking myself up off the floor I will share that 7:30pm here and 10:30pm in Ontario means 5:30am Saturday in Ethiopia.

While our baby girl slept, we received our life changing news.

Her story like that of all orphans is tragic. And through that tragedy we have been blessed to take one step closer to being five under one roof. We will never take the sacrifice, the mercy for granted.

It has all been too beautifully entwined to ever take for granted.

We now await the end of the final step of this journey.

The final step - did you just read that in as much disbelief as I just wrote it?

Immigration.

We await (ultimately, with a few other details along the way) for Makeda's passport and the call to tell us we can go at any time to pick our baby girl up and never put her back down again.

Timelines aren't set in stone. (That's a lesson we've all learned well, haven't we?!) And, while typically our immigration route of choice has taken 8-12 weeks, in recent months it has been as short as 4 weeks. So, we'll ask you again to continue to pray her home.

We have a daughter.

{referral photo}

A wee, wonderful, beautiful baby girl.

{referral photo taken around 3+ mths}

Isn't she amazing?

{photo of a photo we were allowed to take while visiting the orphanage.

makeda with her favourite toy...her zebra.

taken around 7mths - just before we met her}