These two can't wait to be parents to two Chinese beauties!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
What happens when...
The past couple of days I've been pretty sick. I don't get sick very often, so I when I do I'm a pretty wimpy patient. I moan and complain and get whiny. Yesterday I couldn't get off the couch for more than 20 minutes without feeling like I needed to lie down again.
My husband is amazing through all of this. He regularly checks in on me and asks what he can do for me. Even though I probably could get off the couch and get myself a drink, he gladly does it for me. So I shouldn't be surprised when I asked him, "what happens when we have little ones and I have a day like yesterday?" His response was, "Daddy to the rescue. I'll do everything."
For this, and SO many more reasons, I married a wonderful man.
My husband is amazing through all of this. He regularly checks in on me and asks what he can do for me. Even though I probably could get off the couch and get myself a drink, he gladly does it for me. So I shouldn't be surprised when I asked him, "what happens when we have little ones and I have a day like yesterday?" His response was, "Daddy to the rescue. I'll do everything."
For this, and SO many more reasons, I married a wonderful man.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Good News and Not-so-good News
We've been in contact lately with our adoption agency to find out a few more specifics on our timeline. So, here's a bit of an update...
The Not-so-good News: Getting documents authenticated
What does this actually mean? Thankfully, Mark and I need to do nothing to get a document authenticated. Our agency does this part. It just involves a lot of mailings as I understand it. All documents included in the dossier need to be authenticated at county, state and then national levels before they can be sent to China. Our documents have been in the authentication process for months now. Apparently our criminal clearance documents from Ohio took a long time at county level, are currently at state level and then will be sent to DC. This is a bit disappointing as we were hoping all the documents were ready to go to China already. But this document should be the last one to reach the authentication finish line...so please pray him home quickly!
The Good News: Getting matched
This is the step where we are emailed a child's picture and medical information and we have 24 hours to check with doctors and say yes or no. It's overwhelming to think about, but it's a step we're SO ready for, to know who these little ones are. As we've heard from our agency it is feasible that both of our matches could come within the next month to month and a half. The first one could come any day. Yes, these days I check my email first thing every morning.
That's where we're at! Thanks for supporting us in this journey!
The Not-so-good News: Getting documents authenticated
What does this actually mean? Thankfully, Mark and I need to do nothing to get a document authenticated. Our agency does this part. It just involves a lot of mailings as I understand it. All documents included in the dossier need to be authenticated at county, state and then national levels before they can be sent to China. Our documents have been in the authentication process for months now. Apparently our criminal clearance documents from Ohio took a long time at county level, are currently at state level and then will be sent to DC. This is a bit disappointing as we were hoping all the documents were ready to go to China already. But this document should be the last one to reach the authentication finish line...so please pray him home quickly!
The Good News: Getting matched
This is the step where we are emailed a child's picture and medical information and we have 24 hours to check with doctors and say yes or no. It's overwhelming to think about, but it's a step we're SO ready for, to know who these little ones are. As we've heard from our agency it is feasible that both of our matches could come within the next month to month and a half. The first one could come any day. Yes, these days I check my email first thing every morning.
That's where we're at! Thanks for supporting us in this journey!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Still Waiting...
That should be the theme of the adoption process. There's just so much that we have to wait for... it's kind of a hurry-up-and-then-wait feeling. When there are forms to fill out, we try our best to do them as quickly as possible because that is something we can control. We know there will be lots of waiting that is out of our control after turning them in. Right now we're still waiting to hear that our dossier has been sent to China. Then more of the hurry-up fun should begin when we are matched with our future daughter!
In the meantime, I thought I should share with you how the Lord has blessed us in providing for this adoption. Even though we've saved for several years for this, it's not cheap. I spent many summer hours filling out grant applications, getting reference forms and troubling my mother to print it all out and put in the mail.
We've applied to six grants so far. We can apply for a couple more after we are matched. We've been awarded two! Lifesong for Orphans and Hand in Hand have awarded us matching grants totaling $6500, and both have been matched by generous family and friends. THANK YOU! That means the Lord has provided $13,000 towards our adoption. He is so faithful. We know He will continue to provide in every way...even in the waiting.
In the meantime, I thought I should share with you how the Lord has blessed us in providing for this adoption. Even though we've saved for several years for this, it's not cheap. I spent many summer hours filling out grant applications, getting reference forms and troubling my mother to print it all out and put in the mail.
We've applied to six grants so far. We can apply for a couple more after we are matched. We've been awarded two! Lifesong for Orphans and Hand in Hand have awarded us matching grants totaling $6500, and both have been matched by generous family and friends. THANK YOU! That means the Lord has provided $13,000 towards our adoption. He is so faithful. We know He will continue to provide in every way...even in the waiting.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Nesting
Our trip to get things notarized was a success! They were notarized, Fed Ex-ed and are now in the hands of our agency. Please pray that they get authenticated and prepared soon so that they can be on their way to China within a few weeks.
While we were away, we also spent great time with close friends, got to eat yummy western food (Papa John's, Burger King and Outback), and also shopped. Top of our buying list: things for the girls! It was so much fun. My favorite was the trip to the fabric market.
The middle fabric is for the curtains and the floral prints will be two sheet/pillow sets. I really like them.
We also bought bowls, kid silverware, baskets and a couple new frames from Ikea. And we were given a few gifts:
I can't wait to know who the little people are who will fit into this little dress and this little skirt!
While we were away, we also spent great time with close friends, got to eat yummy western food (Papa John's, Burger King and Outback), and also shopped. Top of our buying list: things for the girls! It was so much fun. My favorite was the trip to the fabric market.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
a little trip to the Embassy
In America, if you'd like to get something notarized, you just pop over to a local bank--likely a less than 5 minute trip that costs you nothing but the gas it takes to get there. When you live in East Asia, however, getting something notarized means you have to plan a trip to the American consulate or Embassy. This requires a couple hour plane ride. And documents are not free to notarize; they are $50 a document! Thankfully, because we have kind friends to put us up, at least we don't have to pay for hotels.
Most of the time, I love living here. I'm not trying to complain. It's just that in our adoption process, when things like this cost us lots of time and lots more money, I get a little annoyed/frustrated (what's the right emotion?) when I compare it to how simple it would be there.
So, on January 20th, we have an Embassy appointment to get the last of our documents notarized for our dossier. It'll feel like deja vu since we just did this in May. But that's what happens in this process...unexpected delays, unknown requirements, and all we can do is just go with the flow.
Most of the time, I love living here. I'm not trying to complain. It's just that in our adoption process, when things like this cost us lots of time and lots more money, I get a little annoyed/frustrated (what's the right emotion?) when I compare it to how simple it would be there.
So, on January 20th, we have an Embassy appointment to get the last of our documents notarized for our dossier. It'll feel like deja vu since we just did this in May. But that's what happens in this process...unexpected delays, unknown requirements, and all we can do is just go with the flow.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Welcome 2012!
I have hope, expectation and anticipation for big changes in this year. I am praying that this will be the year two little ones will be placed in my arms and become ours. Our lives will never be the same again. Please pray with us that this dream of ours will come true.
I'm not sure if I've explained the hows of adopting two girls at one time. One comes from the waiting child list and one comes from the special focus list. Waiting children are children with special needs or ones that are a little bit older. CCCWA found out that some children are on this list a long time and still aren't adopted. In order to better advocate for the adoption of these children, they began the special focus program in September 2010. Children who have been on the waiting child list for more than 60 days or who are somehow deemed "hard to adopt" are placed on this list. (More info can be found here.) If a couple is willing to adopt a child from the special focus list, they can use the same dossier from a previous adoption. These adoptions can take place simultaneously, which is what we're hoping for, or concurrently. However, we're beginning to understand that finding a girl under two with minor needs from the special focus list may prove to be more difficult than we realize.
So, things are getting ironed out for our dossier to be sent to China...hopefully sent by late January, and our match for our first girl from the waiting list will come sometime in February. However, we are contemplating what may need to happen for a match from the special focus list. We may need to change our home study to allow us to adopt an older child or a boy. We're not sure. For now just pray that we will continue to trust that God knows who these little ones are and that His timing is perfect.
I'm not sure if I've explained the hows of adopting two girls at one time. One comes from the waiting child list and one comes from the special focus list. Waiting children are children with special needs or ones that are a little bit older. CCCWA found out that some children are on this list a long time and still aren't adopted. In order to better advocate for the adoption of these children, they began the special focus program in September 2010. Children who have been on the waiting child list for more than 60 days or who are somehow deemed "hard to adopt" are placed on this list. (More info can be found here.) If a couple is willing to adopt a child from the special focus list, they can use the same dossier from a previous adoption. These adoptions can take place simultaneously, which is what we're hoping for, or concurrently. However, we're beginning to understand that finding a girl under two with minor needs from the special focus list may prove to be more difficult than we realize.
So, things are getting ironed out for our dossier to be sent to China...hopefully sent by late January, and our match for our first girl from the waiting list will come sometime in February. However, we are contemplating what may need to happen for a match from the special focus list. We may need to change our home study to allow us to adopt an older child or a boy. We're not sure. For now just pray that we will continue to trust that God knows who these little ones are and that His timing is perfect.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)