Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Socks
On a very cold night we were putting our blessings to bed. We were doing everything we could to ensure as much toastiness as we could, when my four year old precious one said, "Mommy, would you get me some socks?" I couldn't imagine not having socks on a night like this one, so I got up and quickly got her some socks. But as I was doing so, I just was so struck that so many little ones don't have anyone to get them any socks. And I really wanted to travel to Rwanda that night, even though it isn't that cold there, get my babies some socks, bundle 'em up and bring them home. We're coming soon, precious ones. We are coming soon!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Simplify
This time of year, like every season, gives us a chance to take one path or another. To make a choice.
Peace or chaos.
Calm words or harsh words.
Simple or frenzied.
Well done or just done.
I haven't always made the right choice, and each day offers me many, many opportunities to choose again. Sometimes I make the choice my Father would have me make, other times I don't.
Two things I have done this season, that have made a big difference:
1. Christmas cards. I have sent them, but I did not write one word on them. Usually I send these long, detailed, personal messages and let that person know how much I love them. Not this year. Thanks to my mother, who suggested the crazy idea, I didn't write one word. Just had my four year old blessing stuff the envelopes with the preprinted message on it. It hurt a little bit, but it was oh so worth it. Because they are done.
2. Not attending every thing I am invited to, even if the schedule is free. Yikes! We have decided that we will never have time to read the Christmas story to our kids, we will never have time to do meaningful advent devotions, we will never have time to read just for fun, if we are gone every night at some awesome Christmas party or concert. Some nights, it is good to just be home, even if that means missing something. Which, if I am honest, I haven't missed at all.
How have you simplified this season? I'd love to learn from you.
Peace or chaos.
Calm words or harsh words.
Simple or frenzied.
Well done or just done.
I haven't always made the right choice, and each day offers me many, many opportunities to choose again. Sometimes I make the choice my Father would have me make, other times I don't.
Two things I have done this season, that have made a big difference:
1. Christmas cards. I have sent them, but I did not write one word on them. Usually I send these long, detailed, personal messages and let that person know how much I love them. Not this year. Thanks to my mother, who suggested the crazy idea, I didn't write one word. Just had my four year old blessing stuff the envelopes with the preprinted message on it. It hurt a little bit, but it was oh so worth it. Because they are done.
2. Not attending every thing I am invited to, even if the schedule is free. Yikes! We have decided that we will never have time to read the Christmas story to our kids, we will never have time to do meaningful advent devotions, we will never have time to read just for fun, if we are gone every night at some awesome Christmas party or concert. Some nights, it is good to just be home, even if that means missing something. Which, if I am honest, I haven't missed at all.
How have you simplified this season? I'd love to learn from you.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What Room Time Can Do For You
Ever since my first child was born, I was encouraged by those who had traveled this parenting road before me to begin something called "pack-n-play time." This was a time for my sweet baby to play by herself, safely in the pack-n-play, while I did things that I needed to do, like cook or clean for a few minutes or put away groceries. It also helped teach the fact that Mommy was not their personal, 24 hour entertainer, and that they were perfectly capable of amusing themselves without me right there.
We did begin this time, and eventually, our sweet baby was ready to graduate from the pack-n-play to her bedroom. We put a gate in the door of her room, and let her play by herself for a few minutes with toys that I had picked out from our toy closet.
When our second child was born, we began to coordinate the times, so that pack-n-play time was the same time as the oldest's room time, giving me a few minutes to do what I needed to do without little hands around.
It was so helpful that it is the first thing I tell new moms when they ask me for advice.
We continued room time for all of our children for a certain time each day, and they loved it. Your two year old may not love being in the pack-n-play at first if you have never done this before, but believe me, there will come a time when your child will love this down time as much as my kids do. You get to play with toys, all by yourself, and Mommy doesn't even expect you to share. How often does that happen?
Now, for my older ones, it is a time to read books, to practice shooting the small basketball into the goal on his closet door, to listen to some music on the CD players. The youngest one still has pack-n-play time, where he bangs little cars together, or builds with Legos.
The other day, the kitchen had gotten away from me. I know...shocker.
The dishwasher had been loaded and unloaded by my precious, almost two year old, and things just got a little crazy.
It was time for room time/pack-n-play time.
Twenty minutes later, calm was restored.
What can room time do for you?
We did begin this time, and eventually, our sweet baby was ready to graduate from the pack-n-play to her bedroom. We put a gate in the door of her room, and let her play by herself for a few minutes with toys that I had picked out from our toy closet.
When our second child was born, we began to coordinate the times, so that pack-n-play time was the same time as the oldest's room time, giving me a few minutes to do what I needed to do without little hands around.
It was so helpful that it is the first thing I tell new moms when they ask me for advice.
We continued room time for all of our children for a certain time each day, and they loved it. Your two year old may not love being in the pack-n-play at first if you have never done this before, but believe me, there will come a time when your child will love this down time as much as my kids do. You get to play with toys, all by yourself, and Mommy doesn't even expect you to share. How often does that happen?
Now, for my older ones, it is a time to read books, to practice shooting the small basketball into the goal on his closet door, to listen to some music on the CD players. The youngest one still has pack-n-play time, where he bangs little cars together, or builds with Legos.
The other day, the kitchen had gotten away from me. I know...shocker.
The dishwasher had been loaded and unloaded by my precious, almost two year old, and things just got a little crazy.
It was time for room time/pack-n-play time.
Twenty minutes later, calm was restored.
What can room time do for you?
Monday, December 7, 2009
My Sweet American Girl
This weekend I took my soon-to-be-eight year old daughter, Marie Joy, to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro for the first time. We had a blast!
Friday, we had her girl friends come over for a super fun, super late, slumber party. It was a horse theme because Marie Joy kind of, like, loves horses right now. We watched the old movie National Velvet, and the girls played horse and rider the rest of the night. Add a little bit of eight year old drama, such as who is sitting next to whom during the movie and where each sleeping bag is going to be placed, and you have the perfect slumber party.
Saturday, after her friends left, Marie Joy and I piled in the car, and Daddy held down the fort with the rest of the crew. Did I mention my husband is a saint?
We arrived at the store a few hours later, and it was everything we imagined and more. We got Molly's hair done at the Doll Hair Salon and we even got Molly's ears pierced. This was a major highlight.
We stayed at a hotel with an "American Girl Boutique" package, and when we arrived, there was an American Girl bed with a satin blanket, an American Girl magazine, milk and cookies, and an American Girl book! Over the top and worth every penny.
We shopped and shopped and shopped (my girl puts me to shame in this area) and she really was ready to drop.
Sunday, we went back to the store, bought a few more things and one thing for little sister Kate at home, and then had lunch at the bistro. Totally fun!
We talked about Jesus, what it means to be a Christian, why it is hard to do the right thing even when Jesus does live in your heart (like sharing with little siblings), and how to fight it when we do want to do the wrong thing. We talked about how to walk with Jesus, and how doing the right things will never earn your way to heaven ("even if I share with Kate everyday?"). No, honey, even that will never earn your way to heaven.
Thank You, God, for the blessing of being a mother. Life is such a gift.
Friday, we had her girl friends come over for a super fun, super late, slumber party. It was a horse theme because Marie Joy kind of, like, loves horses right now. We watched the old movie National Velvet, and the girls played horse and rider the rest of the night. Add a little bit of eight year old drama, such as who is sitting next to whom during the movie and where each sleeping bag is going to be placed, and you have the perfect slumber party.
Saturday, after her friends left, Marie Joy and I piled in the car, and Daddy held down the fort with the rest of the crew. Did I mention my husband is a saint?
We arrived at the store a few hours later, and it was everything we imagined and more. We got Molly's hair done at the Doll Hair Salon and we even got Molly's ears pierced. This was a major highlight.
We stayed at a hotel with an "American Girl Boutique" package, and when we arrived, there was an American Girl bed with a satin blanket, an American Girl magazine, milk and cookies, and an American Girl book! Over the top and worth every penny.
We shopped and shopped and shopped (my girl puts me to shame in this area) and she really was ready to drop.
Sunday, we went back to the store, bought a few more things and one thing for little sister Kate at home, and then had lunch at the bistro. Totally fun!
We talked about Jesus, what it means to be a Christian, why it is hard to do the right thing even when Jesus does live in your heart (like sharing with little siblings), and how to fight it when we do want to do the wrong thing. We talked about how to walk with Jesus, and how doing the right things will never earn your way to heaven ("even if I share with Kate everyday?"). No, honey, even that will never earn your way to heaven.
Thank You, God, for the blessing of being a mother. Life is such a gift.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
So thankful
Seeing all the activity in the Rwanda program has made me just so thankful to be a part of such a neat thing that God is doing. He is on the move. He is "setting the lonely in families" just like His Word promises. I love watching the blogs of friends who are in Rwanda right now. I am thankful that there are women and men in Kigali working so hard to make our dream a reality.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Flurry of Activity and Adoption 101
What an amazing few days in the Rwanda adoption program!
As of today, there are 9 families that I know of that have received their approvals! In case you don't know what that means, it means their families have been approved to adopt from Rwanda. About two months after you receive your approval, you receive your referral, which is when you see your child's beautiful face and their name! More on that in a minute...
So the adoption process goes like this:
I. Paperwork phase, including home study. This is when you gather all kinds of paper and get it notarized, certified, and authenticated. You meet with a social worker on several occasions and they find out all sorts of things about you. :)
II. Submit all of this paperwork, called a dossier, to your agency, who then makes sure everything is in order. The Rwandan Embassy in DC then looks everything over, translates all pertinent information, and sends a letter of non-objection!
III. Dossier is sent to Rwanda. You follow the tracking number like a mad woman. Once it arrives, you are officially DTR, which means Dossier To Rwanda.
IV. Now, you wait. You wait for Approval. The ballpark for this wait is 3-6 months. During this time, the people in Rwanda are working hard to read all that paperwork!
V. Once you receive your approval, you wait for your referral. In your approval letter, it is explained that it will be around two months until your referral comes through. During this two months, the people in Rwanda are trying hard to match your family to a child. They are praying over each one! What a gift! Your referral is when you receive a picture of your beautiful child and their name! The day you have been waiting for!
VI. You are assigned a court date, about four weeks after your referral. The court decides if this referred child will actually become a part of your family! This is a huge day.
VII. Travel! From what I hear, this happens around two weeks after court.
Now, the amazing thing about these nine families is that many of them have been waiting since June for their approvals. They were the families who had waited the longest of anyone--over five months!
Things pretty much go in chronological order so things had really come to a stand still with no one hearing anything. This saddened us all, and made me take a step back and not expect ANYTHING any time soon.
But, when the families received their approvals over the Thanksgiving weekend, many of the letters were dated in September! Which means that had been approved in the time frame that they were expecting, but just hadn't been notified! So lots of emails had been sent to inform everyone about the approvals. What great news!
But this morning brought even better news, as many of these families received their referrals this morning! The two months between the approval and the referral had already passed, since the letters had actually been written in September, they just didn't know it!
How great is that? That's like finding out you are pregnant when you go into labor. I've always been jealous of those women. Approvals and referrals within two days of each other! WOW!
As of today, there are 9 families that I know of that have received their approvals! In case you don't know what that means, it means their families have been approved to adopt from Rwanda. About two months after you receive your approval, you receive your referral, which is when you see your child's beautiful face and their name! More on that in a minute...
So the adoption process goes like this:
I. Paperwork phase, including home study. This is when you gather all kinds of paper and get it notarized, certified, and authenticated. You meet with a social worker on several occasions and they find out all sorts of things about you. :)
II. Submit all of this paperwork, called a dossier, to your agency, who then makes sure everything is in order. The Rwandan Embassy in DC then looks everything over, translates all pertinent information, and sends a letter of non-objection!
III. Dossier is sent to Rwanda. You follow the tracking number like a mad woman. Once it arrives, you are officially DTR, which means Dossier To Rwanda.
IV. Now, you wait. You wait for Approval. The ballpark for this wait is 3-6 months. During this time, the people in Rwanda are working hard to read all that paperwork!
V. Once you receive your approval, you wait for your referral. In your approval letter, it is explained that it will be around two months until your referral comes through. During this two months, the people in Rwanda are trying hard to match your family to a child. They are praying over each one! What a gift! Your referral is when you receive a picture of your beautiful child and their name! The day you have been waiting for!
VI. You are assigned a court date, about four weeks after your referral. The court decides if this referred child will actually become a part of your family! This is a huge day.
VII. Travel! From what I hear, this happens around two weeks after court.
Now, the amazing thing about these nine families is that many of them have been waiting since June for their approvals. They were the families who had waited the longest of anyone--over five months!
Things pretty much go in chronological order so things had really come to a stand still with no one hearing anything. This saddened us all, and made me take a step back and not expect ANYTHING any time soon.
But, when the families received their approvals over the Thanksgiving weekend, many of the letters were dated in September! Which means that had been approved in the time frame that they were expecting, but just hadn't been notified! So lots of emails had been sent to inform everyone about the approvals. What great news!
But this morning brought even better news, as many of these families received their referrals this morning! The two months between the approval and the referral had already passed, since the letters had actually been written in September, they just didn't know it!
How great is that? That's like finding out you are pregnant when you go into labor. I've always been jealous of those women. Approvals and referrals within two days of each other! WOW!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Before
One of my very favorite things to do in the world is look at before and after photographs. You know, where somebody takes a picture of somebody else's desk BEFORE they work really hard on it, and then they show you the AFTER picture and you stand amazed.
You get to see the before picture, and hear a story about how the desk got to this state, such as bad habits, poor time management, and general busy-ness.
Then you get to read about how the person decided to make a change, get to work, learn some new skills, and get rid of some serious stuff. A weekend or 7 later, the person emerges from the piles, and their desk is now the perfect example of organization and beauty.
Shows like Mission Organization and Clean Sweep just are my favorites. What seems to be such a hopeless mess is really just a few work sessions away from being a "great space".
As I write this post, I am surrounded by piles. Piles of paper. Piles of notebooks. Piles of things that need to be given away. Piles of CDs. I am definitely in the "before" picture.
I have read many, many good books on subjects such as organization, decluttering, cleaning. It's just implementing the great ideas that is difficult.
So, I am actually going to post before pictures of our office. Yikes.
Two things that would be good for you to know:
1. I am doing this to motivate myself to show you the "after" picture at SOME point in the future, but I can't say when for sure.
2. This before picture in no way reflects my husband's things, he really is organized and gracious and just all around neat.
Tomorrow is the Sabbath, the Day of Rest (I know, I know, it looks like I've had a few too many of those!) so I won't be touching it then. But, maybe on Monday I'll have the courage to start!
You get to see the before picture, and hear a story about how the desk got to this state, such as bad habits, poor time management, and general busy-ness.
Then you get to read about how the person decided to make a change, get to work, learn some new skills, and get rid of some serious stuff. A weekend or 7 later, the person emerges from the piles, and their desk is now the perfect example of organization and beauty.
Shows like Mission Organization and Clean Sweep just are my favorites. What seems to be such a hopeless mess is really just a few work sessions away from being a "great space".
As I write this post, I am surrounded by piles. Piles of paper. Piles of notebooks. Piles of things that need to be given away. Piles of CDs. I am definitely in the "before" picture.
I have read many, many good books on subjects such as organization, decluttering, cleaning. It's just implementing the great ideas that is difficult.
So, I am actually going to post before pictures of our office. Yikes.
Two things that would be good for you to know:
1. I am doing this to motivate myself to show you the "after" picture at SOME point in the future, but I can't say when for sure.
2. This before picture in no way reflects my husband's things, he really is organized and gracious and just all around neat.
Tomorrow is the Sabbath, the Day of Rest (I know, I know, it looks like I've had a few too many of those!) so I won't be touching it then. But, maybe on Monday I'll have the courage to start!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Is it November already?
Does time fly or does time fly?
I really didn't mean to be a once every 3 weeks kind of blogger, but man, before you know it, the day is just gone.
What have I been up to?
**reading the Clutter Diet book, and trying to learn new tricks about being organized
It seems hopeless.
**Christmas shopping, as December really seems to do me in. Out of my family of 6, we have 3 December birthdays. Yikes. Can you smell the stress? I just know that our precious ones from Rwanda will have December birthdays! God likes to stretch me like that.
**checking emails in case of referrals from Rwanda. Not my own referral (it will be several months before we will receive that) but the referrals of friends in our program.
**emptying closets of "summer" clothes and trying to fill them with "winter" clothes. The upstairs of our home is a current disaster. I do pack clothes away for our next blessings, but some aren't worth keeping. But instead of just giving them away (or throwing them away!) like a normal person, I have to give them to the "right" person, which means they stick around here in a nice pile for months.
**trying to spend less time on the computer reading blogs. It is improving somewhat, with a long way to go.
**trusting God in new ways with our future, leaving it in His hands. Then I snatch it back, and then I trust again. What a process! My own plans exhaust me, yet God promises His yoke is light. Why I would exchange the two confounds me, yet I do it again and again.
Thank You, God, for planning for me, for thinking for me, for loving me.
I really didn't mean to be a once every 3 weeks kind of blogger, but man, before you know it, the day is just gone.
What have I been up to?
**reading the Clutter Diet book, and trying to learn new tricks about being organized
It seems hopeless.
**Christmas shopping, as December really seems to do me in. Out of my family of 6, we have 3 December birthdays. Yikes. Can you smell the stress? I just know that our precious ones from Rwanda will have December birthdays! God likes to stretch me like that.
**checking emails in case of referrals from Rwanda. Not my own referral (it will be several months before we will receive that) but the referrals of friends in our program.
**emptying closets of "summer" clothes and trying to fill them with "winter" clothes. The upstairs of our home is a current disaster. I do pack clothes away for our next blessings, but some aren't worth keeping. But instead of just giving them away (or throwing them away!) like a normal person, I have to give them to the "right" person, which means they stick around here in a nice pile for months.
**trying to spend less time on the computer reading blogs. It is improving somewhat, with a long way to go.
**trusting God in new ways with our future, leaving it in His hands. Then I snatch it back, and then I trust again. What a process! My own plans exhaust me, yet God promises His yoke is light. Why I would exchange the two confounds me, yet I do it again and again.
Thank You, God, for planning for me, for thinking for me, for loving me.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Loving October
This has got to be one of the best months of the year. I love when the weather changes, and you wake up actually cold in the mornings. I love wrapping my hands around my hot cup of coffee each morning and making hot chocolate for the kids. I love football and watching my kids' soccer games and eating apples.
On one lame note: my kids still do not have pumpkins. I know! Lame.
Here is a glimpse of our week so far:
Caleb lost his first tooth! On Monday, October 19, we were at a birthday party, rock climbing at an indoor climbing wall. Caleb accidentally hit his mouth against his rope, and POP! Out came the tooth. He was so excited, so thrilled that it didn't hurt, and then he saw the blood. That didn't go so well, but a quick call to Daddy at work made him feel much better.
Ezra is sick today. I kinda like it. He just lays there with me, and puts his head on my shoulder.
Marie LOVES to take care of her little brother!
And one just for fun!
On one lame note: my kids still do not have pumpkins. I know! Lame.
Here is a glimpse of our week so far:
Caleb lost his first tooth! On Monday, October 19, we were at a birthday party, rock climbing at an indoor climbing wall. Caleb accidentally hit his mouth against his rope, and POP! Out came the tooth. He was so excited, so thrilled that it didn't hurt, and then he saw the blood. That didn't go so well, but a quick call to Daddy at work made him feel much better.
Ezra is sick today. I kinda like it. He just lays there with me, and puts his head on my shoulder.
Marie LOVES to take care of her little brother!
And one just for fun!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Voice of Truth
This weekend was a time of rest for me, and I thank God for it. Joel took the two oldest blessings on a retreat with our church, and I headed west with the younger two to visit a dear friend and her two beautiful blessings. We got there and it was cold, wet, and windy.
She fed us lunch, and we sat in front of her roaring fireplace and talked, laughed, poured out our hearts about all that God is doing in our lives. Most of it unexpected and hard, but we both see God's hand at work, drawing us closer to Himself. And while her set of circumstances is different than mine, they are still circumstances that she would not have chosen for herself. And somehow, over our hot chocolate, in sharing our broken dreams with each other, we found rest and healing, even though nothing really changed.
Friends are a gift. Thank You, God, that we do not walk alone. Thank You that through others, we can hear Your voice of truth.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Umbrella of God
It has been two full weeks since my last post, indicating that things have w-a-y slowed down in terms of our adoption process. Our dossier, our beloved load of paperwork, is where it needs to be for now, and we wait. It is a restful place to be. There is nothing I can do now to hurry the process along, nothing depends on me. I feel like I am under the umbrella of God's protection.
As far as other things go, Joel and I are in a place we didn't expect to be. Has God ever done that to you? We had so many things planned out, so many ideas. And God just says, no! We have been confused, saddened, disappointed, asking where do we go from here. We are asking God "What now?", and sense He is saying, "Rest. Wait. Pray. Be."
Here we are God, under Your umbrella of protection again. It is a safe place to be.
As only God can do, He has encouraged me through other blogs, books, believers. One of my greatest fears is that God would leave this situation unredeemed, unrestored, in its current state. That would seem like such a waste. But that is not Who God is. He is THE Redeemer. I found these lyrics on another blog I love and read (teamalexander.blogspot.com). They are sung by the group Selah, and I thought if they meet me where I am, maybe they will meet you, too.
UNREDEEMED
The cruelest world
The coldest heart
The deepest wound
The endless dark
The lonely ache
The burning tears
The bitter nights
The wasted years
Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered
Is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every lie that gave up hope
We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered
Is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle
The Father has in store
Just watch and see
It will not be
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
As far as other things go, Joel and I are in a place we didn't expect to be. Has God ever done that to you? We had so many things planned out, so many ideas. And God just says, no! We have been confused, saddened, disappointed, asking where do we go from here. We are asking God "What now?", and sense He is saying, "Rest. Wait. Pray. Be."
Here we are God, under Your umbrella of protection again. It is a safe place to be.
As only God can do, He has encouraged me through other blogs, books, believers. One of my greatest fears is that God would leave this situation unredeemed, unrestored, in its current state. That would seem like such a waste. But that is not Who God is. He is THE Redeemer. I found these lyrics on another blog I love and read (teamalexander.blogspot.com). They are sung by the group Selah, and I thought if they meet me where I am, maybe they will meet you, too.
UNREDEEMED
The cruelest world
The coldest heart
The deepest wound
The endless dark
The lonely ache
The burning tears
The bitter nights
The wasted years
Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered
Is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every lie that gave up hope
We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered
Is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
Places where grace is
Soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle
The Father has in store
Just watch and see
It will not be
Just watch and see
It will not be
Unredeemed
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Dossier is There!
Wow! Go FedEx! FedEx rocks!
Our dossier is in Rwanda, signed for, and delivered!
It was scheduled for delivery on October 6! It arrived a full week early! How often do we hear of things being delivered before we expect them?
Thank you, Lord.
"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
Let the wait begin!
Our dossier is in Rwanda, signed for, and delivered!
It was scheduled for delivery on October 6! It arrived a full week early! How often do we hear of things being delivered before we expect them?
Thank you, Lord.
"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
Let the wait begin!
Dossier On Its Way!
While we were at Disney, our dossier was approved by the Rwandan Embassy in Washington, DC, and we received our letter of non-objection.
Wahoo!
For those of you that love dates as much as I do, it was finished on Friday, September 25, which was 3 weeks to the day after it was taken there. Just about 14 business days, like I was told.
Now I have another tracking number, which I love, and am able to see where it is at all times.
Right now it is in England, in a place called Poyle!
Wahoo!
For those of you that love dates as much as I do, it was finished on Friday, September 25, which was 3 weeks to the day after it was taken there. Just about 14 business days, like I was told.
Now I have another tracking number, which I love, and am able to see where it is at all times.
Right now it is in England, in a place called Poyle!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Where In The World?
Can you guess where we have been?
Why, Disney World of course!
Our four blessings and both sets of grandparents took a fabulous trip to Disney World, and we had a blast! We soared, we Toy Story Mania-ed, we safari-ed, we tower of terror-ed, we rock-n-roller coaster-ed (whoa!), we mission space-d, we Peter Pan-ed, we Philharmagic-ed, we Expedition Everest-ed, we dinosaur-ed, and we got to meet Cinderella herself.
Caleb and Marie got to fight against the powers of darkness, and battle Darth Vader himself. 
Little Ezra fell in love with Goliath from Jo-Jo's Circus.
We had such a good time and made lasting memories.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
First Day of Soccer
What a great day!
Caleb and Marie Joy are on the same soccer team this year. How fun! That means only one weekly practice and only one game on Saturday!
It clicked! It was the first thing she told me this morning after she got up. "Mom, did you know that you go after the ball?!"
Caleb and Marie Joy are on the same soccer team this year. How fun! That means only one weekly practice and only one game on Saturday!
Today was their first game, and Marie Joy scored for the first time ever! We are so proud of her. Last night, Joel took the kids to the park to kick the ball around, and he told them not to look at the person who has the ball, but to just look at the ball. Go after the ball.
It clicked! It was the first thing she told me this morning after she got up. "Mom, did you know that you go after the ball?!"
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Watermelon Salsa
I know this is not a recipe blog, or a cooking blog, or anything like that.
This blog was created to document our adoption journey, to share with others what we are doing and why we are doing it, and to remember. I know that as the days roll on, I will forget all that God has done each day, each moment of this process. So, mainly I blog to remember.
"Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
Take note of the highway,
The way by which you went."
Jeremiah 31:21
Since there won't be any adoption news any time soon, I have a choice to make. I can either just lay low, and not blog really at all since this is an adoption blog and there is no adoption news going on, OR I can blog about a few other things, even if they aren't adoption related.
I can blog about all things I want to remember, not just adoption things I want to remember.
So, with that in mind, I just have to take a detour for today and tell you about the most amazing thing. It is called Watermelon Salsa. I had never heard of it before yesterday, and am not really even that big of a watermelon fan. But I bought this huge one last week to have for our last big summer cook out over Labor Day weekend, and, well, my family wasn't here! So I had this big huge watermelon and no one around to eat it.
So I delayed the cookout a bit until Tuesday night, when a bunch of guys come over here for dinner and Bible study, and served it all cut up, as you would expect, since it's not really good unless it is cut. I still had over half of it left. What can I possibly do with all that watermelon?
Thankfully, last night I was hosting a baby shower for my sweet friend, Erin. I had yet another large group of people coming over who could help eat this huge watermelon.
But how could I jazz it up a bit?
I happened to have two large pineapples, one of which was being used as a centerpiece. The other one just needed to be cut up and enjoyed. So I put my leftover watermelon, and my freshly cut pineapple, all in the same bowl. Then I just began to add the salt. If that sounds gross to you, I understand. It didn't sound right to me either.
But then I tried it.
Watermelon and salt is absolute heaven. And pineapple. And salt. And red onion. And salt. And then a splash of balsamic vinegar. And salt. And feta cheese. And salt. And fresh basil. And salt. And fresh mint. And salt. And then the magic magic: banana peppers, and a bit of banana pepper juice.
I have never tasted anything so unbelievable. Definitely something to remember.
Serve with Tostitos Scoops and you will be in heaven.
Just in time for the big NFL game tonight!
This blog was created to document our adoption journey, to share with others what we are doing and why we are doing it, and to remember. I know that as the days roll on, I will forget all that God has done each day, each moment of this process. So, mainly I blog to remember.
"Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
Take note of the highway,
The way by which you went."
Jeremiah 31:21
Since there won't be any adoption news any time soon, I have a choice to make. I can either just lay low, and not blog really at all since this is an adoption blog and there is no adoption news going on, OR I can blog about a few other things, even if they aren't adoption related.
I can blog about all things I want to remember, not just adoption things I want to remember.
So, with that in mind, I just have to take a detour for today and tell you about the most amazing thing. It is called Watermelon Salsa. I had never heard of it before yesterday, and am not really even that big of a watermelon fan. But I bought this huge one last week to have for our last big summer cook out over Labor Day weekend, and, well, my family wasn't here! So I had this big huge watermelon and no one around to eat it.
So I delayed the cookout a bit until Tuesday night, when a bunch of guys come over here for dinner and Bible study, and served it all cut up, as you would expect, since it's not really good unless it is cut. I still had over half of it left. What can I possibly do with all that watermelon?
Thankfully, last night I was hosting a baby shower for my sweet friend, Erin. I had yet another large group of people coming over who could help eat this huge watermelon.
But how could I jazz it up a bit?
I happened to have two large pineapples, one of which was being used as a centerpiece. The other one just needed to be cut up and enjoyed. So I put my leftover watermelon, and my freshly cut pineapple, all in the same bowl. Then I just began to add the salt. If that sounds gross to you, I understand. It didn't sound right to me either.
But then I tried it.
Watermelon and salt is absolute heaven. And pineapple. And salt. And red onion. And salt. And then a splash of balsamic vinegar. And salt. And feta cheese. And salt. And fresh basil. And salt. And fresh mint. And salt. And then the magic magic: banana peppers, and a bit of banana pepper juice.
I have never tasted anything so unbelievable. Definitely something to remember.
Serve with Tostitos Scoops and you will be in heaven.
Just in time for the big NFL game tonight!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Little by Little
Now that I am enjoying the freedom that being done with paper chasing brings, I am looking for all sorts of new ways to fill my time. As I started making a mental list of all the things I could set my mind to accomplishing, my mind started to get crowded and overwhelmed, wondering when in the world I was going to get any of it done.
My school room, for example, is a total wreck. Not that this is a surprise to anyone who has seen it before, or that this state of affairs is any different than it has been ever in my short little homeschooling life. But it has been blissfully ignored and walked over for, just, ages. I was beginning to feel some conviction, some gentle, loving conviction, that perhaps the time may have come to begin, just begin, dealing with a few of those piles.
As I contemplated all my new free time, I realized as well that somehow, over the last month, we have really ignored our budget/receipts. We are just in love with Quicken and how it keeps track of all that stuff for us with such ease. But it is only a beautiful, helpful tool if you enter in the receipts, not if you leave your receipts in the biggest, most unmanageable pile of receipts you've ever seen on anyone's desk in your whole life. Of course, I could just wait until the bank downloads it into Quicken for us, but then it wouldn't know how to categorize it for us. Was $20 spent on groceries at WalMart, for example, or $20 spent on miscellaneous items? And if you really don't care if it was groceries or miscellaneous (my personal favorite category), then you really don't need to bother with Quicken.
Anyhoo, can you sense the dilemma? Where to start? What to do? As I discussed these things with my husband, my wonderful, precious husband, we came up with a never-before-tried plan where he would take the entire gang to his parents' house, and give me time to work, alone!
Joel has given me lots of time to myself over the years, without the blessings, just to kinda, you know, recharge. He has reserved hotel rooms, just for me, while he stayed home with the kids and sent me on my way with magazines and chocolate, which is very important. I so recommend this to anyone reading.
But this time, I was going to be alone, in my very own house. This is a new twist. I started to think about all the things I could secretly put in our give away box while the kids were gone. I started to think about all that could be accomplished in that school room. On that desk.
I packed the kids up real quick.
I have a few hours left of quiet and they will return today in time for lunch. Then violin. Then school. And within moments, we will be back to the loudness and craziness that is so normal around here.
As I think about it, I realize that the trick will be to find ways to get these big tasks done even when my blessings are here, underfoot and needing me every few minutes. I remember the Lord giving me a sweet "trick" when I was first married and learning how to do all the things that wives do, and not doing it so well. One morning in desperation, as I read my Bible, I read:
Exodus 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
and later again in Deuteronomy 7:22
This sweet word has saved my tail over and over again. This is what God taught me. No matter how overwhelming: little by little. Step by step. To not be slack in my work or overindulgent in my computer time.
And while eliminating my work load all at once sounds really good to me, it is not reality, it is not the nature of my work load (my current work load tends to really repeat itself, like several times a day), and in this case, and the cases of those quoted above, it is not what God deems best. He says "we're gonna do this little by little."
So, the plan when my blessings return is to do a little each day. And then I will do a little bit tomorrow.
But for now, I am enjoying the quiet, the insane productivity you can achieve when all alone.
And I am lovin' it.
My school room, for example, is a total wreck. Not that this is a surprise to anyone who has seen it before, or that this state of affairs is any different than it has been ever in my short little homeschooling life. But it has been blissfully ignored and walked over for, just, ages. I was beginning to feel some conviction, some gentle, loving conviction, that perhaps the time may have come to begin, just begin, dealing with a few of those piles.
As I contemplated all my new free time, I realized as well that somehow, over the last month, we have really ignored our budget/receipts. We are just in love with Quicken and how it keeps track of all that stuff for us with such ease. But it is only a beautiful, helpful tool if you enter in the receipts, not if you leave your receipts in the biggest, most unmanageable pile of receipts you've ever seen on anyone's desk in your whole life. Of course, I could just wait until the bank downloads it into Quicken for us, but then it wouldn't know how to categorize it for us. Was $20 spent on groceries at WalMart, for example, or $20 spent on miscellaneous items? And if you really don't care if it was groceries or miscellaneous (my personal favorite category), then you really don't need to bother with Quicken.
Anyhoo, can you sense the dilemma? Where to start? What to do? As I discussed these things with my husband, my wonderful, precious husband, we came up with a never-before-tried plan where he would take the entire gang to his parents' house, and give me time to work, alone!
Joel has given me lots of time to myself over the years, without the blessings, just to kinda, you know, recharge. He has reserved hotel rooms, just for me, while he stayed home with the kids and sent me on my way with magazines and chocolate, which is very important. I so recommend this to anyone reading.
But this time, I was going to be alone, in my very own house. This is a new twist. I started to think about all the things I could secretly put in our give away box while the kids were gone. I started to think about all that could be accomplished in that school room. On that desk.
I packed the kids up real quick.
I have a few hours left of quiet and they will return today in time for lunch. Then violin. Then school. And within moments, we will be back to the loudness and craziness that is so normal around here.
As I think about it, I realize that the trick will be to find ways to get these big tasks done even when my blessings are here, underfoot and needing me every few minutes. I remember the Lord giving me a sweet "trick" when I was first married and learning how to do all the things that wives do, and not doing it so well. One morning in desperation, as I read my Bible, I read:
Exodus 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
and later again in Deuteronomy 7:22
| The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. |
And while eliminating my work load all at once sounds really good to me, it is not reality, it is not the nature of my work load (my current work load tends to really repeat itself, like several times a day), and in this case, and the cases of those quoted above, it is not what God deems best. He says "we're gonna do this little by little."
So, the plan when my blessings return is to do a little each day. And then I will do a little bit tomorrow.
But for now, I am enjoying the quiet, the insane productivity you can achieve when all alone.
And I am lovin' it.
Friday, September 4, 2009
What now?
Just for those of you who love details:
Now that all my paperwork is at AWAA, it will go to the US State Department, and then to the Rwandan Embassy for translation and authentication.
This process takes 10-14 business days, which means that the week of September 21, we should hear something!
I'll keep you posted!
Now that all my paperwork is at AWAA, it will go to the US State Department, and then to the Rwandan Embassy for translation and authentication.
This process takes 10-14 business days, which means that the week of September 21, we should hear something!
I'll keep you posted!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Outta Here, Baby
It is finished!
While those are some of the best words Jesus ever said, they also describe where we are in the paper chasing process!
D-O-N-E!
Marriage license certified/authenticated...check!
Sent to Terra...check!
Arrived on her desk...check!
Washington DC birth certificate ARRIVED...check!
Overnighted to Terra...check!
On Terra's desk...check!
There is not one thing left for me to do!
Except, of course, to go watch college football with my husband and three oldest cherubs. We've only been waiting for, like, EVER for football season to start.
Except, of course, to clean off this desk. And to wash the dishes that are in the sink. And to fold that HUGE pile of laundry waiting for me.
But, for now, I am reveling in this DONEness.
While those are some of the best words Jesus ever said, they also describe where we are in the paper chasing process!
D-O-N-E!
Marriage license certified/authenticated...check!
Sent to Terra...check!
Arrived on her desk...check!
Washington DC birth certificate ARRIVED...check!
Overnighted to Terra...check!
On Terra's desk...check!
There is not one thing left for me to do!
Except, of course, to go watch college football with my husband and three oldest cherubs. We've only been waiting for, like, EVER for football season to start.
Except, of course, to clean off this desk. And to wash the dishes that are in the sink. And to fold that HUGE pile of laundry waiting for me.
But, for now, I am reveling in this DONEness.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
On the Way!
So there was a part 2 to the story I posted yesterday after we got all the documents certified.
On the way home, I was so relieved that we had the certifying done. I was thinking I was so done for the day, and that we would finish it up the next day, ya know, after some rest, after some encouragement that I AM a good parent, and after some serious caffeine. Ya know, tomorrow would be the day we tidy up all those loose ends.
Tomorrow.
But then I got a phone call from Joel, who had just arrived home from work, and found in our mailbox document #2 that we were waiting for. For some reason, this news energized me.
I mean, really energized me. It energized me so much that we decided to meet at FedEx Kinko's, make all the copies, and send it all that very night.
Let me repeat: we met at Kinko's, with four children, after a very long day in the car, at dinner time, with some serious work to do, work that had to be completed all before 7pm, when the last FedEx guy leaves that site.
What were we thinking?
I guess we were thinking of a precious little boy or girl in Rwanda who is waiting for us to come and make them a part of our family, and of the fact that that little jewel shouldn't have to wait one extra day, especially if it is within my power to get my work done one day sooner!
Or something like that.
So, we worked. And we worked and we worked and we worked. We copied furiously, sorted, ordered, and stacked. If it weren't for my little worker bee, Marie, we never would have gotten it done in time. She worked so hard, all for her new brother or sister, that none of us know, but all of us love.
As we stood in line at 6:58pm to send this thing, we could see the FedEx guy loading up his cart with all kinds of packages, and getting it ready to take it out to his truck. As he passed us, I said, just as kindly as I could, "Don't you leave without this envelope!"
He was not amused.
He had to come back anyway for a whole other LOAD, which I didn't know, but there was just no way he was going to leave without my precious envelope.
And, off it went! Just like that! It is gone. We have two documents outstanding, my DC birth certificate (surprise surprise) and the actual certification of my marriage license. I will have those sent directly to AWAA.
And as a side note and total bonus, my husband loves all things technological, and made a video of us doing the dossier thing. He lovingly put this together for me to remember our labor of love.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Certification and Milk Shakes
What a day.
The short version: we have certified documents!
The long version: After a beautiful morning of home schooling my cherubs, we hit the road to our state capital. I had promised the gang lunch at McDonald's on the way there AND milkshakes on the way home after we did what we needed to do. This is NOT bribery, this is *goal incentive*.
We arrived around 2pm, and were informed that the lady who does certifications would not be back until 2:30pm. The guy at the front desk kindly suggested that we come back at that time. What this young man didn't know, was that there was simply no chance that I was leaving that room.
What he didn't know was that my oldest daughter was wearing her brand new shoes that were rubbing her feet, and making her bleed. I had struggled to find parking, parallel parking at that, 103 miles away. Precious Kate had been skipping along and fell on the sidewalk, skinning her knee and producing real blood that dripped down her little leg. I did not have any band aids or tissues or anything. Documents I had, but band aids? No. As we approached the building we needed to be in, there were absolutely no ramps for Desperate Moms with Strollers anywhere in sight. Hauling this stroller up SEVERAL stairs with 31 pound Ezra had left me, umm, tired.
So, leaving and coming back in just 30 minutes when this lady returned?
Not a chance.
In fact, sitting down in a waiting room for 30 minutes sounded great to me.
Besides, I thought, the kids could just play quietly with the small toys they brought while I read the magazines that were on the table, right?
Not exactly. Twenty month old Ezra decided that he was DONE with sitting, and proceeded to really just scream. The waiting room was not full, but there were enough people around to really start looking at me like, "Aren't you going to do something?"
Of course, what they didn't realize is that if I DO something, like get him out of the stroller and give him the FREEDOM he so desperately wants, the trouble will really begin. Believe me, I wanted to say to those around me, listening to him screaming is just the easiest choice of the unpleasant choices I have at the moment.
But, no. I gave in to mounting pressure and let the boy out.
Big mistake. Huge.
While still not recovered fully enough to go down that road and explain it all to you, suffice it to say that the lady did come back at 2:30, she did certify my 19 documents, and I left that office with my documents in tow and lots of threats to the kids to not go near Mommy's special bag.
Then, we made t
he long trek back to the car with 8 minutes to spare on the meter, we drove a really long way out of the way to get the kids their promised milkshakes, and then two of the four crashed hard into nap land on the very rainy drive home.
The End
The short version: we have certified documents!
The long version: After a beautiful morning of home schooling my cherubs, we hit the road to our state capital. I had promised the gang lunch at McDonald's on the way there AND milkshakes on the way home after we did what we needed to do. This is NOT bribery, this is *goal incentive*.
We arrived around 2pm, and were informed that the lady who does certifications would not be back until 2:30pm. The guy at the front desk kindly suggested that we come back at that time. What this young man didn't know, was that there was simply no chance that I was leaving that room.
What he didn't know was that my oldest daughter was wearing her brand new shoes that were rubbing her feet, and making her bleed. I had struggled to find parking, parallel parking at that, 103 miles away. Precious Kate had been skipping along and fell on the sidewalk, skinning her knee and producing real blood that dripped down her little leg. I did not have any band aids or tissues or anything. Documents I had, but band aids? No. As we approached the building we needed to be in, there were absolutely no ramps for Desperate Moms with Strollers anywhere in sight. Hauling this stroller up SEVERAL stairs with 31 pound Ezra had left me, umm, tired.
So, leaving and coming back in just 30 minutes when this lady returned?
Not a chance.
In fact, sitting down in a waiting room for 30 minutes sounded great to me.
Besides, I thought, the kids could just play quietly with the small toys they brought while I read the magazines that were on the table, right?
Not exactly. Twenty month old Ezra decided that he was DONE with sitting, and proceeded to really just scream. The waiting room was not full, but there were enough people around to really start looking at me like, "Aren't you going to do something?"
Of course, what they didn't realize is that if I DO something, like get him out of the stroller and give him the FREEDOM he so desperately wants, the trouble will really begin. Believe me, I wanted to say to those around me, listening to him screaming is just the easiest choice of the unpleasant choices I have at the moment.
But, no. I gave in to mounting pressure and let the boy out.
Big mistake. Huge.
While still not recovered fully enough to go down that road and explain it all to you, suffice it to say that the lady did come back at 2:30, she did certify my 19 documents, and I left that office with my documents in tow and lots of threats to the kids to not go near Mommy's special bag.
Then, we made t
he long trek back to the car with 8 minutes to spare on the meter, we drove a really long way out of the way to get the kids their promised milkshakes, and then two of the four crashed hard into nap land on the very rainy drive home.The End
Saturday, August 29, 2009
One Down
We received Joel's birth certificate today, certified and all, in an unbelievable four days! Wahoo! One certified document down, three to go.
One side note: we knew the marriage certificate thing would take some time since we need TWO things done to it rather than just one, so we did not overnight our birth certificates. Our reasoning was that the birth certificates would not be what we would be waiting for, it would be the marriage certificate holding us up, so why rush the birth certificates. In fact, not only did we not overnight them, we just used the post office. We did, however, buy "delivery confirmation" so we knew that the offices in our birth states at the very least received our request (something I wish I had for my still-not-sent-to-us birth certificate request that I sent to DC in MAY).
Well, I have confessed before my love affair with all things tracking. It is really just a beautiful thing. Of course, what we bought was not really tracking, just delivery confirmation. But in buying that, I was given a real live number and a web address, so I was happy and free to check as many times a day as I wanted until I saw what I wanted: the magic word, DELIVERED. The post office told us that it would take 2-3 days to get it there. Well, DAYS passed and NOTHING on the delivery confirmation. I started to panic that BOTH requests were lost in the mail. Then, lo and behold, I check the mail today, and there is the birth certificate! But, according to our delivery confirmation number, the request form hadn't even been delivered!
Not only had it been delivered, but also processed, printed out, and sent back to us!
My advice: don't buy delivery confirmation. Just don't use the post office for this kind of thing.
FedEx, I am now committed.
One side note: we knew the marriage certificate thing would take some time since we need TWO things done to it rather than just one, so we did not overnight our birth certificates. Our reasoning was that the birth certificates would not be what we would be waiting for, it would be the marriage certificate holding us up, so why rush the birth certificates. In fact, not only did we not overnight them, we just used the post office. We did, however, buy "delivery confirmation" so we knew that the offices in our birth states at the very least received our request (something I wish I had for my still-not-sent-to-us birth certificate request that I sent to DC in MAY).
Well, I have confessed before my love affair with all things tracking. It is really just a beautiful thing. Of course, what we bought was not really tracking, just delivery confirmation. But in buying that, I was given a real live number and a web address, so I was happy and free to check as many times a day as I wanted until I saw what I wanted: the magic word, DELIVERED. The post office told us that it would take 2-3 days to get it there. Well, DAYS passed and NOTHING on the delivery confirmation. I started to panic that BOTH requests were lost in the mail. Then, lo and behold, I check the mail today, and there is the birth certificate! But, according to our delivery confirmation number, the request form hadn't even been delivered!
Not only had it been delivered, but also processed, printed out, and sent back to us!
My advice: don't buy delivery confirmation. Just don't use the post office for this kind of thing.
FedEx, I am now committed.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Documents and Details
So, as I explained in my last post, even though we received the I171-h in record time, we have four documents that need to be completed before the dossier is complete. Hang with me as I explain.
We need:
--Joel's birth certificate, certified from his state, plain and simple (for all of you gathering documents, when you order the certificate, have them send the certificate to the place in that state that does the certifying/authenticating (each state uses different terminology...very confusing)...this will save you a step and a teeny bit of postage and the angst I am currently feeling as I try to do this ALL RIGHT NOW)
--my birth certificate, certified from Washington, DC, which is scary, because the birth certificate request that I mailed on May 6th still hasn't been fulfilled, which is why I eventually used VitalChek in desperation, which I recommend for all dealings with any public office in Washington, DC, except they don't CERTIFY documents, which is the next level up from notarizing, so I have to send it to the Office of the Secretary of the District. No one else does this certifying/authenticating except this office. So, back to the government office I go. Yikes!
--our marriage certificate. This is complicated. We have a notarized copy of our marriage license, which we got in the first few weeks of starting this whole adoption paper chasing process. Ya know, before I realized that I needed to do MORE with this document than just receive it and put it in a folder! But I digress. I ordered this marriage certificate from the county in which I got married, simply because it was $2.50, instead of the $12.00 that our state capital was charging. Now, I know that during this process, we are going to spend lots of money. But if I can get the same sheet of paper for $2.50 that I can get for $12, wouldn't you get it for $2.50? Me too.
The problem with the $2.50 version, which I obviously didn't know would be a problem until this past Tuesday when the good, the bad, and the ugly all came into plain view, is that it is only notarized by someone on the county level, not the state level (state registrar is the magic person apparently, the magic person who DID NOT notarize my copy of my marriage license!) I either need to send the $2.50 version back to the county from which I received it, and have them attach ANOTHER sheet of paper to it entitled the "Triple Seal", in order to make it ready to be certified/authenticated!
OR
just start over, pay the $12.00 I should have paid back in May, order another copy of the marriage license from the Vital Records office of the state, this time signed by the magic State Registrar.
Then, once I get THIS special marriage license, I can send it to the Secretary of the State for certification/authentication.
Does this make sense?
You should see my desk. It completely reflects the state of my mind.
We need:
--Joel's birth certificate, certified from his state, plain and simple (for all of you gathering documents, when you order the certificate, have them send the certificate to the place in that state that does the certifying/authenticating (each state uses different terminology...very confusing)...this will save you a step and a teeny bit of postage and the angst I am currently feeling as I try to do this ALL RIGHT NOW)
--my birth certificate, certified from Washington, DC, which is scary, because the birth certificate request that I mailed on May 6th still hasn't been fulfilled, which is why I eventually used VitalChek in desperation, which I recommend for all dealings with any public office in Washington, DC, except they don't CERTIFY documents, which is the next level up from notarizing, so I have to send it to the Office of the Secretary of the District. No one else does this certifying/authenticating except this office. So, back to the government office I go. Yikes!
--our marriage certificate. This is complicated. We have a notarized copy of our marriage license, which we got in the first few weeks of starting this whole adoption paper chasing process. Ya know, before I realized that I needed to do MORE with this document than just receive it and put it in a folder! But I digress. I ordered this marriage certificate from the county in which I got married, simply because it was $2.50, instead of the $12.00 that our state capital was charging. Now, I know that during this process, we are going to spend lots of money. But if I can get the same sheet of paper for $2.50 that I can get for $12, wouldn't you get it for $2.50? Me too.
The problem with the $2.50 version, which I obviously didn't know would be a problem until this past Tuesday when the good, the bad, and the ugly all came into plain view, is that it is only notarized by someone on the county level, not the state level (state registrar is the magic person apparently, the magic person who DID NOT notarize my copy of my marriage license!) I either need to send the $2.50 version back to the county from which I received it, and have them attach ANOTHER sheet of paper to it entitled the "Triple Seal", in order to make it ready to be certified/authenticated!
OR
just start over, pay the $12.00 I should have paid back in May, order another copy of the marriage license from the Vital Records office of the state, this time signed by the magic State Registrar.
Then, once I get THIS special marriage license, I can send it to the Secretary of the State for certification/authentication.
Does this make sense?
You should see my desk. It completely reflects the state of my mind.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: I think that the USCIS tells you that the approval of your I600-a application can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks after fingerprinting. So, let's say we were fingerprinted on August 19th at 10:00am, that would mean we would receive approval somewhere between September 30-November 11. The USCIS website even says that the field office in my area is waaay behind this "target time frame" for approval of this document, and I should expect more like a 4-6 month wait. (when I found this out in May, it was not a happy day. sheer panic, I emailed everyone I knew and so wanted them to tell me it wasn't so. but there it was on the official website, so I had to believe it, right?)
But we received our approval *today*, just six days after our fingerprinting!
Contrary to my firm belief when I left the office last week, my fingerprints were not rejected and I do not have to redo them! Unbelievable, and so good!
The Bad: The whole reason I got our approval today is because we were able to pick it up in person. How did we know it was ready, you ask? Well, because our precious USCIS District Officer (and yes, I did say precious, she was so sweet and helpful and went out of her way to make things right...bet you won't hear THAT very often about people who work at USCIS) called us that morning. My beloved caller id said Deparment of Homeland Security in abbreviated form, with enough letters that I got the hint not to ignore this call, but to hurry up and drop everything I was doing and answer it this minute. Our precious field officer gently informed me that my husband and I didn’t sign the application (DUH!). She said she would mail it to me, and then we could sign it, and mail it back to her, and then she would mail us the approval. As I sat there digesting this simple hold up that would now add ANOTHER week to this process, I realized that she was calling on a day that my husband had off from work, and this USCIS office is ridiculously close to our house. With boldness or in desperation or maybe both, I asked her if we could just come by that VERY MOMENT and sign it. She said “Sure, come on by, and I’ll just hand you your approval!”
The Ugly: I quickly called Terra, my family coordinator at AWAA, told her the good news about our I171-h being in our hands within the hour (which is typically the very last piece of paper that anyone needs to complete their dossier, simply because it takes so long to get the approval) and said that I was just double checking that I had everything in before I mailed the whole she-bang to her THAT VERY AFTERNOON. She was reviewing some things with me, specifically about certification of documents, when I realized what I had done. Or HADN’T done. My birth certificate, my husband’s birth certificate, and our marriage license are all from other states. In my mind, I was just thinking I would certify them all at the same time at my state capital. Not so! They have to be certified from the state from which they came! (and yes, this is CLEARLY stated in our dossier guidelines, I guess I just didn’t think it applied to me!)
I haven’t touched paper work for the dossier since July 7, the day I mailed my I-600a application. All this time I’m just sitting here doing nothing, when I could have been getting these things certified!
So, in sum, I now have the 171H, (thank you Jesus!) but I don’t have certified certificates. Instead of heading to our state capital before heading to a copy store before overnighting it all to AWAA, I am back to checking the mail each day for birth certificates and marriage certificates! There was a serious panic (how could I be so dumb?) and then there was a serious flurry of activity, getting things in envelopes, writing checks and cover letters, and getting them out the door. We are now at least a week out from receiving all of these documents back, which as my precious friend Heidi who is also adopting from Rwanda and my sister who has already adopted internationally reminded me, isn’t the end of the world. Thankfully, I find my hope and joy in God’s sovereignty, and in who I am in Jesus, and not in my being perfect.
But even though I am tempted to pretend it didn't really happen, I had to share it, the whole thing, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
But we received our approval *today*, just six days after our fingerprinting!
Contrary to my firm belief when I left the office last week, my fingerprints were not rejected and I do not have to redo them! Unbelievable, and so good!
The Bad: The whole reason I got our approval today is because we were able to pick it up in person. How did we know it was ready, you ask? Well, because our precious USCIS District Officer (and yes, I did say precious, she was so sweet and helpful and went out of her way to make things right...bet you won't hear THAT very often about people who work at USCIS) called us that morning. My beloved caller id said Deparment of Homeland Security in abbreviated form, with enough letters that I got the hint not to ignore this call, but to hurry up and drop everything I was doing and answer it this minute. Our precious field officer gently informed me that my husband and I didn’t sign the application (DUH!). She said she would mail it to me, and then we could sign it, and mail it back to her, and then she would mail us the approval. As I sat there digesting this simple hold up that would now add ANOTHER week to this process, I realized that she was calling on a day that my husband had off from work, and this USCIS office is ridiculously close to our house. With boldness or in desperation or maybe both, I asked her if we could just come by that VERY MOMENT and sign it. She said “Sure, come on by, and I’ll just hand you your approval!”
The Ugly: I quickly called Terra, my family coordinator at AWAA, told her the good news about our I171-h being in our hands within the hour (which is typically the very last piece of paper that anyone needs to complete their dossier, simply because it takes so long to get the approval) and said that I was just double checking that I had everything in before I mailed the whole she-bang to her THAT VERY AFTERNOON. She was reviewing some things with me, specifically about certification of documents, when I realized what I had done. Or HADN’T done. My birth certificate, my husband’s birth certificate, and our marriage license are all from other states. In my mind, I was just thinking I would certify them all at the same time at my state capital. Not so! They have to be certified from the state from which they came! (and yes, this is CLEARLY stated in our dossier guidelines, I guess I just didn’t think it applied to me!)
I haven’t touched paper work for the dossier since July 7, the day I mailed my I-600a application. All this time I’m just sitting here doing nothing, when I could have been getting these things certified!
So, in sum, I now have the 171H, (thank you Jesus!) but I don’t have certified certificates. Instead of heading to our state capital before heading to a copy store before overnighting it all to AWAA, I am back to checking the mail each day for birth certificates and marriage certificates! There was a serious panic (how could I be so dumb?) and then there was a serious flurry of activity, getting things in envelopes, writing checks and cover letters, and getting them out the door. We are now at least a week out from receiving all of these documents back, which as my precious friend Heidi who is also adopting from Rwanda and my sister who has already adopted internationally reminded me, isn’t the end of the world. Thankfully, I find my hope and joy in God’s sovereignty, and in who I am in Jesus, and not in my being perfect.
But even though I am tempted to pretend it didn't really happen, I had to share it, the whole thing, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Fingerprints...Check!!!
They are done! Our appointment at USCIS was at 10:00am this morning. They were punctual, and the whole appointment went quickly. My husband was fingerprinted by one man, and I was fingerprinted by another. Joel went back before me, and yet I finished first. Hmmm. Either the man who did my fingerprints is just seriously experienced and didn't need any "do-overs", or I am going to get a big REJECT on my fingerprints being able to be read. The man who did Joel's fingerprints was very cautious, had him rub his fingers with this spray stuff several times, deleted several prints due to poor quality. Not my guy. He just did the fingerprint, ignored the flashing red light that said, "Match warning!", and went on his merry way. Each print had a score of some sort, and mine were all between 58-64. Joel's were in the 70s and 80s. What does that mean?! Has anybody out there had their fingerprints rejected? Have you had to go back? Does anybody know what the scores mean?
As we were leaving, I asked about how long it would take to get our 171-H. The man said if I had questions, to go around the corner and talk to this other lady. Hmmm. Does anybody out there know about how long one waits for a 171H? I'm sure I could look it up on the internet, but you all are much more resourceful.
Now what is on the to-do list:
--finish up photo pages for our dossier
--obsess over the mail like a mad woman from tomorrow on until I receive that 171-H
--go to our state capital and "certify" everything
--go to a copy store and make 3 copies of everything
--send to AWAA!
Does that sound right? You all may know better than me if I am missing something.
As we were leaving, I asked about how long it would take to get our 171-H. The man said if I had questions, to go around the corner and talk to this other lady. Hmmm. Does anybody out there know about how long one waits for a 171H? I'm sure I could look it up on the internet, but you all are much more resourceful.
Now what is on the to-do list:
--finish up photo pages for our dossier
--obsess over the mail like a mad woman from tomorrow on until I receive that 171-H
--go to our state capital and "certify" everything
--go to a copy store and make 3 copies of everything
--send to AWAA!
Does that sound right? You all may know better than me if I am missing something.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
In transit
In transit. Aren't they such beautiful words?
After checking for the 487th time, the ups tracking info had good news for me. My state DSS person has FINALLY approved our home study (one day shy of 5 weeks) and it is somewhere on a UPS truck RIGHT THIS MINUTE, just waiting to be delivered to CIS! WooHoo! Can somebody say, it's about time!!! I mean, just how many international home studies can there be at one time in our state? I kinda want to say, just what in the world do you DO all day, lady? But that would sound kinda impatient, wouldn't it? That would sound kinda ungrateful, wouldn't it? That would sound like I think getting my home study approved is the most important thing in the world, wouldn't it?
And just so others of you don't have a cow when you don't even need to about your own home study (how about we save our cows for when they are truly necessary), not every state requires their Department of Social Services to approve home studies. Just certain ones. Like mine.
But, in all honesty, if I have to add 5 weeks to this process, I have to admit, I absolutely love this whole tracking thing. I love the precision of it all, knowing that at 4:14 this morning, some guy in brown picked up an envelope with my home study in it, and is now driving all over the place, and at any moment, he will stop at CIS and drop it off. While that means the beginning of yet another stage of waiting (come on, 171H!), it also means one stage of waiting has been COMPLETED!
With that news and a seriously cold Vanilla Coke Zero, I am ready to start my day!
After checking for the 487th time, the ups tracking info had good news for me. My state DSS person has FINALLY approved our home study (one day shy of 5 weeks) and it is somewhere on a UPS truck RIGHT THIS MINUTE, just waiting to be delivered to CIS! WooHoo! Can somebody say, it's about time!!! I mean, just how many international home studies can there be at one time in our state? I kinda want to say, just what in the world do you DO all day, lady? But that would sound kinda impatient, wouldn't it? That would sound kinda ungrateful, wouldn't it? That would sound like I think getting my home study approved is the most important thing in the world, wouldn't it?
And just so others of you don't have a cow when you don't even need to about your own home study (how about we save our cows for when they are truly necessary), not every state requires their Department of Social Services to approve home studies. Just certain ones. Like mine.
But, in all honesty, if I have to add 5 weeks to this process, I have to admit, I absolutely love this whole tracking thing. I love the precision of it all, knowing that at 4:14 this morning, some guy in brown picked up an envelope with my home study in it, and is now driving all over the place, and at any moment, he will stop at CIS and drop it off. While that means the beginning of yet another stage of waiting (come on, 171H!), it also means one stage of waiting has been COMPLETED!
With that news and a seriously cold Vanilla Coke Zero, I am ready to start my day!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Prayer of Resurrection
With absolutely no adoption news of my own to report, I just had to share with you the great, great news of families in our same program (which is AWAA Rwanda, don'tchaknow) I know that those of you interested in this blog are interested in other families adopting from Rwanda, and therefore you probably already know this news, but I'm going to share it anyway!
Remember when I told you about the family adopting a little boy named Moses? How their daughter has been calling their new baby brother Moses from the beginning of the adoption process and then they get their referral and he REALLY IS Moses? Well, he is officially Moses Limmer as of yesterday! (still working on the insert link thing...HERE would be nice..www.limmerfamilyadventure.blogspot.com I just can't get it to work. Sigh.)
I just get chills! AND, another family in our group, the Higgins, also passed court and now are the proud parents of two precious boys! Their blog is www.higginsadoption.blogspot.com It is so good to get good news!
As far as non-adoption related news goes, last week my family went away for "staff training". The ministry we work with reaches out to students, and once a year, those of us on staff go away for training. We all bring our kids (there are zillions of them) and we have fun, and plan what God wants us to be doing in the upcoming year, and we discuss.
The topic this year was the Power of the Resurrection. It was so good to be reminded about something so central to my faith. Do I believe in the power of the resurrection? Do I believe God can make something dead, alive again? I think I believe it, but I was challenged with whether my belief impacts my life.
God can take dead marriages and make them alive again.
God can take dead relationships and make them alive again.
God can take dead habits and make them alive again.
God can take dead homeschools and make them alive again.
God can take dead dreams and make them alive again.
What do you need God to make alive? Changes you would love for him to make? I was reading a part of the book "Prayer" by Richard Foster yesterday and I read this: "learn the prayer of resurrection. 'Lord,' you may pray, 'bring back to life what will please you and advance your kingdom. Let it come in whatever form you desire. Let it be in your time and your way. Thank you, Lord, for resurrection.' Some things will remain dead--it is better for you that they do. (unless, of course, it is your marriage you are praying about!) Others will burst forth into new life in such a way that you will hardly recognize them. In either case, rest in the confidence that God is better than you are at resurrection."
Remember when I told you about the family adopting a little boy named Moses? How their daughter has been calling their new baby brother Moses from the beginning of the adoption process and then they get their referral and he REALLY IS Moses? Well, he is officially Moses Limmer as of yesterday! (still working on the insert link thing...HERE would be nice..www.limmerfamilyadventure.blogspot.com I just can't get it to work. Sigh.)
I just get chills! AND, another family in our group, the Higgins, also passed court and now are the proud parents of two precious boys! Their blog is www.higginsadoption.blogspot.com It is so good to get good news!
As far as non-adoption related news goes, last week my family went away for "staff training". The ministry we work with reaches out to students, and once a year, those of us on staff go away for training. We all bring our kids (there are zillions of them) and we have fun, and plan what God wants us to be doing in the upcoming year, and we discuss.
The topic this year was the Power of the Resurrection. It was so good to be reminded about something so central to my faith. Do I believe in the power of the resurrection? Do I believe God can make something dead, alive again? I think I believe it, but I was challenged with whether my belief impacts my life.
God can take dead marriages and make them alive again.
God can take dead relationships and make them alive again.
God can take dead habits and make them alive again.
God can take dead homeschools and make them alive again.
God can take dead dreams and make them alive again.
What do you need God to make alive? Changes you would love for him to make? I was reading a part of the book "Prayer" by Richard Foster yesterday and I read this: "learn the prayer of resurrection. 'Lord,' you may pray, 'bring back to life what will please you and advance your kingdom. Let it come in whatever form you desire. Let it be in your time and your way. Thank you, Lord, for resurrection.' Some things will remain dead--it is better for you that they do. (unless, of course, it is your marriage you are praying about!) Others will burst forth into new life in such a way that you will hardly recognize them. In either case, rest in the confidence that God is better than you are at resurrection."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Like sands through the hourglass...
I know you know how to complete that sentence! I'm not the only one who wasted hours and hours in high school watching that show!
I have spent most of the day getting ready for our brand new school year, set to begin this Monday, August 3! While this probably does not sound very exciting to you, it is very exciting to me. Why is this so exciting, you may ask?
Because being prepared brings peace to my soul.
This is the start of our 3rd year of homeschooling. It has been such a joy, such a learning experience! I have learned so much about myself and about my weaknesses. One of my biggest weaknesses is planning. I didn't realize how much I love to fly by the seat of my pants.
Also, I have an intense dislike of spending money.
So, when you combine those two things, you get a mom who is generally not prepared for lessons on a daily basis. Yet, I was responsible for their learning, and wanted to do it with excellence. But how?
This year I am trying lesson plans from easyclassical.com. Her lesson plans are affordable, based on the book The Well Trained Mind, AND from a Christian perspective! What a winning combination!
But even after purchasing the lesson plans, I had to actually buy the books she recommends to teach! Ouch. That came today. Did I tell you I hate to spend money? I was on every conceivable website that sells such books, comparing prices and shipping rates. Can you relate at all?
But, that painful part is over, and now I just wait to receive all the goodies! Thank you, UPS.
What is next on the adoption front? I have seen other blogs with a "to do" list side bar, and I think that is an excellent idea! I may just have to copy it. What is next for us is:
---having our state DSS approve our home study (I continue to check the tracking number like a mad woman)
---having DSS send the newly approved home study to CIS
---our fingerprint appointment on August 19
---waiting for 171 H approval!
---certifying everything at our state capital
---sending dossier to AWAA
---waiting!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Have you heard this song?
Last year when I was making a video for my sister about her adoption from Kazakhstan, I came upon this song on the internet. It is called Waiting, The Adoption Song. The guy who wrote this song was selling it for $1.50, as a fundraiser to get his daughter home! It worked, and she has been home since January 2009. This link will let you listen to a preview of the song. Once I heard it, I couldn't get it out of my head. This link will also let you read the lyrics. I highly recommend you get this song! It is the heart cry of every parent who is adopting.
www.adoptionsong.com/theSong
If you want to read my sister's blog about her adoption from Kazakhstan with AWAA, go here: hornadoption.blogspot.com
Little Maia has been home since April 2, 2008. You can see the video (which also has the Waiting song in its entirety) on my sister's blog, as I have no idea how to add a video here. I'm slow like that. This video gives a ten minute walk down memory lane, about Maia's bonding time with my sister and my mom in Kazakhstan, and her homecoming at the airport. I still cry every time. Maia is a gift! (I would love to add a picture of Maia here to go with this little paragraph, but again, I have no idea how to do that. I can add a picture with no problem, but it always ends up at the beginning of the post, instead of exactly where I want it. Any suggestions?)
PS--also no clue how to add a link! I am using the "insert link" thing, but it is not showing up! This is all so above my head. Help!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Fingerprint Appointment
After checking the mail faithfully for two weeks, our fingerprint appointment came in the mail!
Well, in all honesty, it is the second fingerprint appointment we received. The first one was scheduled at a time when we will be out of town. I forgot to include in my cover letter with my I-600a application the ONE day that we couldn't come! And that is the day our fingerprints were scheduled. So, even though I didn't WANT to do it at all, I mailed back in the "reschedule this appointment" paper! Yuck!
And today we received the new appointment time! It is for Wednesday, August 19th at 10am. Of course, I wish it were sooner, but I will take what I can get!
Our home study is still at our state Department of Social Services, waiting for approval. After that, it is on to CIS, where we will wait for another approval!
"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." Deuteronomy 32:4
Well, in all honesty, it is the second fingerprint appointment we received. The first one was scheduled at a time when we will be out of town. I forgot to include in my cover letter with my I-600a application the ONE day that we couldn't come! And that is the day our fingerprints were scheduled. So, even though I didn't WANT to do it at all, I mailed back in the "reschedule this appointment" paper! Yuck!
And today we received the new appointment time! It is for Wednesday, August 19th at 10am. Of course, I wish it were sooner, but I will take what I can get!
Our home study is still at our state Department of Social Services, waiting for approval. After that, it is on to CIS, where we will wait for another approval!
"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." Deuteronomy 32:4
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Calling All Prayer Warriors
Hi friends,
I know most of the people who read this blog are interested in all things adoption, but I want to give you the blessing of praying for a couple of families that need it.
I found out about Kate McRae through another blog, who, at age 5, was diagnosed with a brain tumor last month. Please read her story here. www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate
Also, another young friend, Forester, with a brain tumor. His family blog is
thebradburns.blogspot.com Please pray for them!
On my side bar, you will see a link to mycharmingkids.net MckMama's fourth baby, Stellan, has a serious heart condition, and he is currently in the hospital in need of our prayers!
Thank you for praying with me!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Not OUR Referral...
...but a referral nonetheless!
We rejoice with the Limmer family for their brand new referral! They are also with AWAA and adopting from Rwanda. Yesterday, they got news of a referral of a 13 month old boy. What a sweet story God has begun to write for them. This family has a daughter, age 4, who has been calling her new baby brother from Rwanda "Moses" since the beginning of the adoption process. When they received "the call" yesterday about their new son, they learned that his name is...can you guess? Moses! Is that God or what?!
Read their blog and be encouraged!
www.limmerfamilyadventure.blogspot.com
We rejoice with the Limmer family for their brand new referral! They are also with AWAA and adopting from Rwanda. Yesterday, they got news of a referral of a 13 month old boy. What a sweet story God has begun to write for them. This family has a daughter, age 4, who has been calling her new baby brother from Rwanda "Moses" since the beginning of the adoption process. When they received "the call" yesterday about their new son, they learned that his name is...can you guess? Moses! Is that God or what?!
Read their blog and be encouraged!
www.limmerfamilyadventure.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Calm My Anxious Heart
No adoption news. Just so you know!
I am reading this great book entitled Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. I am reading it with a bunch of girls and we discuss it each Tuesday night. It has been refreshing to my soul. The Lord is gently convicting me of how I need to spend some time this summer planning my life. The author quotes another author, Dr. Richard Swenson, from his marvelous book Margin:
"Americans are notoriously shortsighted. We live in a state of myopic mania that blurs the future. The horizon is never visible in the middle of a dust storm. But we must have a vision that extends beyond tomorrow. Living only from week to week is like a dot-to-dot life."
She writes a little later in the chapter about how we spend more time planning a summer vacation than we do planning our lives. This is so true in my life. Any suggestions for how to live day to day with the big picture in mind? My goal is to do something akin to a purpose statement, that I can review each morning during my quiet time. I feel like I need daily reminders of what my life is all about.
Friday, July 10, 2009
An Actual Tracking Number
As promised, I received a tracking number today so I can track the whereabouts of my newly approved Home Study. How exciting! I received 3 copies of the study. I received two tracking numbers actually. One is to track the progress of the study from my home study agency to our state agency, DSS. Then the second number is to track the progress from DSS to CIS. So, of course, I immediately put in the first tracking number, and to my surprise, it has already been delivered! WAHOO! So, my home study is officially in the hands of my state. Step by step! I think I wait 4-6 weeks until it is sent to CIS.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I-600a application
Yesterday (besides watching the Michael Jackson funeral) I mailed my I-600a application. I got the go-ahead to do that from my home study agency since my home study has now been approved by AWAA. While we are waiting to get approval from our state (our state must read and approve all international home studies), I can go ahead and submit the I-600a application. It has been filled out, check written, ready to go for almost two months now, so it was such fun going to the mailbox!
The mailbox has never meant so much. And I'm not even waiting for my I-171h yet!
The mailbox has never meant so much. And I'm not even waiting for my I-171h yet!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Happy Birthday, Caleb!
Today, my sweet Caleb is 6 years old. I am so thankful for my precious boy, his sweet ways, his gentle demeanor. He is so careful to do a job correctly, and he genuinely wants to please people. He is a wonderful big brother, and is so good at including others. Caleb is such a fantastic reader, and he loves to devour books about pirates, knights, and even presidents! He loves sports of all kinds. To this day, he helps his Daddy mow the grass with his very own mower. Thank you, Lord, for the gift you have given me in Caleb.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Home Study Moving On!
Our home study has been approved by AWAA and is now in the process of being sent to our state for approval!! (AWAA doesn't have anyone to do home studies in our state, so I had to find a different agency to do the home study) I have been told this can take a month. Of course we are praying it will take less time than this, but we are also realistic. We should be receiving a tracking number to know when it gets to the state and when the state sends it on to USCIS, so you just know I will be checking that tracking number like crazy.
I will now send our application for our I-600a! We will hopefully get a fingerprint appointment this month.
Once our state approves our home study, it will be forwarded to USCIS, to join the rest of the application and fingerprints. Once it is all together, we wait for our I-171H! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel of paperwork. Then begins the tunnel of waiting for approval/referral. That is the hard part. At least now I have something to DO!
I will now send our application for our I-600a! We will hopefully get a fingerprint appointment this month.
Once our state approves our home study, it will be forwarded to USCIS, to join the rest of the application and fingerprints. Once it is all together, we wait for our I-171H! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel of paperwork. Then begins the tunnel of waiting for approval/referral. That is the hard part. At least now I have something to DO!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Happy 4th of July!
We are visiting my parents at the beach, and even my siblings are here! We have had lots of fun swimming, playing in the sand, and eating ice cream.
My kids love to see their cousin, Maia, who was born in Kazakhstan and was adopted by my sister last year. She is precious! We went to the beach for a fantastic fire works show, and we were able to see several different shows going on up and down the beach. It was beautiful! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a wonderful week!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Love of My Life
Ten years ago today, I married the man of my dreams. I married my best friend. I married a man who loves the Lord, and who desires to please Him in all that he does. I never knew marriage could be so sweet. Thank you, God, for this gift!
As a surprise (and Joel knows that I LOVE surprises), my amazing husband made some amazing plans so we could celebrate. He told me to save the night so I wouldn't make other plans, but little did I know he had some wonderful things up his sleeve.
First of all, and any woman with children knows what a blessing this is, he made plans for a babysitter! Not just for a romantic dinner, but for a whole night and day! Thanks to our precious friends, Scott and Jennifer, who handle our crew and their own with grace and confidence! What a gift to have friends who celebrate with you, and in such a practical way!
With the kids in safe keeping, Joel whisked me away, downtown, and took a circuitous route so that I wouldn't know immediately we were heading to the most beautiful bed and breakfast you have ever seen. We have admired this bed and breakfast for 10 years, and we kept saying, "We have got to stay there!" As we were shown to our room, I was greeted by gorgeous flowers and chilled champagne. This is so over the top, so not what we do, and so much fun! I felt so thought for, so planned for, so loved!
We walked to an amazing restaurant where he had made reservations. After I picked up my jaw from looking at the prices, I turned to him to protest such extravagance, and he said, "Regan, we have been married for ten years. We never do this type of thing. We are going to celebrate!" With that loving admonition, I ordered the lobster...as an appetizer! I learn quick.
This morning we sat on the most amazing porch, reading the paper and drinking coffee, two of our very favorite things to do, for a ridiculous amount of time. It was bliss.
God is so good. I do not deserve the love of this man. Joel, there is no one I admire or respect more than I do you. Being your wife is blessing upon blessing. The words on our wedding program are even more beautiful than they were then: "O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Isaiah 25:1
I love you!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Home Study Sent for Approval
It is always so good to get news of movement when you are adopting! Can I hear an amen to that?
Today our home study rough draft was sent to our agency, AWAA, for approval. I don't know how long that will take, but it is good to see it moving on. I'll keep you posted!
We are spending this week recuperating from our overseas trip to England and Scotland. It was an amazing trip with lots of memories made as a family. We saw God move in powerful ways and I am so thankful for what we saw there.
Today our home study rough draft was sent to our agency, AWAA, for approval. I don't know how long that will take, but it is good to see it moving on. I'll keep you posted!
We are spending this week recuperating from our overseas trip to England and Scotland. It was an amazing trip with lots of memories made as a family. We saw God move in powerful ways and I am so thankful for what we saw there.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Home!
After an amazing trip to England and Scotland, we are home.
We are home, safe and sound, and we thank the Lord for the trip that we had.
It was such a sweet reunion between our younger two and us, and with their siblings. They genuinely missed each other! Our little Kate was beside herself with elation. She was jumping up and down, and then crying! She didn't know quite what to do!
Kate and Ezra were extremely well spoiled, and are now back in the real world with having to do chores and use manners.
Caleb and Marie were unbelievable during the travel…they hauled their own luggage and kept up with buses, trains, subways, and planes! They were amazing. They adjusted to the time difference, the food differences, the pillow differences (those Brits sure don’t have thick pillows) and all the other differences overseas travel can bring. Joel and I were THOROUGHLY impressed with them! We are so proud to be their parents!
I have lots of pictures, but wanted to send a few of the highlights. In both countries, England and Scotland, we saw the Lord’s hand guiding us, guarding us, and taking care of us every step of the way. We met some amazing people, and we are so encouraged.
One story of many that we could share shows God’s sweet tender care. We had purchased a “family pass” at the Stirling castle in Scotland on Wednesday, knowing that we would see other castles in Edinburgh and St. Andrews, and it was a discounted rate to buy all 3 at once. SO we did. We enjoyed the Stirling castle, but the next day when we went to Edinburgh, we forgot the pass and left it at the hotel (over an hour a way by train). So, knowing it was a long shot, Joel went to the “visitors center” at the castle and showed them our receipt for the pass (not itemized), explaining that we had purchased the pass but forgotten it, and the guy just said, “Sorry, we can’t help you.” So we waited in a long line for normal tickets for 30 minutes, just praying the whole time with the kids that the Lord would provide for us, even though we had already been told there was nothing they could do for the forgotten pass. It is finally our turn in line, and we told the cashier our story and showed him our non-itemized receipt (which just showed that we spent money at the Stirling castle, but not what we spent that money on). He said, “I’m sorry you have waited in this line, you could just go to the Visitors Center and they will let you in.” We explained that we already had gone to the center, and they wouldn’t help us. This cashier got on his walkie-talkie, walked away from the window while he gently “explained” to someone how things work, and then came back with apologies, and free tickets to get in! Of course, we had already paid for tickets to get in on the pass, but we thought we were going to have to pay for another set of tickets since we left them at the hotel.
God is so good! I walked away from the window with tears in my eyes, so thankful for God’s goodness, but especially thankful that my children were there to see what God did for us. As we got out of the crowded window area, Joel pulled us aside as a family and we thanked the Lord then and there for His provision and His care for us!
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