We received our last document in the mail yesterday and even better than that, today we received confirmation from our facilitator that it is approved. YIPPEE!
Jeromy rushed our last 4 documents to the Post Office to get them to our State Capital to get certified. (to apostille)
(Does anyone know what the past tense of the word Apostille is? I found that Apostilled is not an English word. )
So we wait for them to return and then we mail our Dossier to Her Country.
The dossier will get translated and then submitted to the Government.
Once the Government gets the documents and reviews them they will give us an appointment date. It seems these appointment dates are often only a few weeks out.
We will travel to Eastern Europe and go to the Government office for the official referral. Please pray that this goes smoothly.
We will then travel to her orphanage and spend time with her and get to know her. Then we will go to court.
After court we have a mandatory 10 day waiting period (please pray that this gets waived. Some Judges will waive it, I am praying since she is a teenager that they will waive it. )
After the 10 days we can bring her HOME!
We have a long ways to go but we are getting close to the best part...Meeting her and getting to bring her HOME!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT
For checking on us and listening to our excitement and disappointments. So excited to have so many loving friends and family to share this with.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Fabulous Fundraisers
In an effort to keep our debt as low as possible we have been and are doing some fundraisers to help bring "Our Girl" home. We want to thank all of you that have supported us through sponsoring a fundraiser and or participating in a fundraiser. So far we have had a Quilt by Misty, A Scentsy "Party" by Katie and a Portrait Raffle by Crystal. Thank you so much to all of you for your hard work and generous hearts.
If you still want to participate in The Raffle or get your Name on The Quilt the time is now. We are Wrapping these up this week.
The Quilt Fundraiser works like this: A donation of any amount gets your name on a quilt square. Once "Our Girl" gets home we will give her the quilt and she will know that she is loved by you. Click on the PayPal button on the right hand side of our blog where it says "Quilt for our girl".
The Raffle for the FREE Portrait Session by crystalbeckphotography.com is also coming to an end. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. These can be purchased by sending a check to the above address. Please make sure we have your phone number so we know how to get a hold of you if you win.
We have also been collecting cans, cans and more cans as well as scrap copper. So if you are in the area and have cans or copper to donate, please give us a call and we will grab them when we are near you.
Lastly we are doing an INDOOR Garage Sale on Feb. 11th in our old house. We are simplifying and hoping to generate a few bucks. If you have any items you would like to donate just let me know. And if you like to go "garage sale-ing" and can't wait til summer this is your chance.
All funds raised go toward our Adoption Fees.
I think that about wraps it up. We are so close I can "feel it"!
Thank You ALL so much for your support!
PLEASE keep praying for us as we prepare to travel.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Input Please!
Please let me know what you think!
I am not usually concerned about comments
I know everyone is busy and it is time consuming to comment on lots of blogs.
But Please comment this time it will really help.
I would love to know if any of you have or do use Ad Sense
Would you recommend it?
If we used it would you be less likely to read our blog?
I would love to use it as a little way to raise funds to help bring our girl home.
Just a thought but it could help and be of no cost to our friends and family.
I would also love to know
how many of you read through Google Reader and how many actually go to our blog.
Thank You for your input!!!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Laughing / Crying
This morning I woke up burdened to get this adoption finalized. Like really burdened.
I committed to the Lord to fast and pray. My fast was undetermined. I couldn't really put a definite on how long or what I would fast. Usually I like to have a specific commitment before the Lord. I just kept saying every time I wanted something to eat, "I want Our Girl more".
I was up early and posted this :
We are still waiting for one VERY IMPORTANT document.
The I 171 H from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. (AKA USCIS )
We NEED this to move forward with our adoption.
PLEASE PRAY with us that it comes soon. LIKE TODAY.
God continues to make a way.
When we get discouraged, God lifts us up with a drop of HOPE.
Our girl is anxious to be HOME.
We are anxious to have her with us.
Thank You for Journeying with us.
I shared on the blog, email and on Facebook our prayer request and headed off to therapy.
As we got home I checked the mail convinced the form would be there. It wasn't.
A bit disappointed I began to get our docs. together to call USCIS.
As I searched for the info. I needed, I started re-reading one of the forms we have had since the beginning of Dec.
I was thinking "this says everything we need the I 171H to say".
Then as I scoured over it I noticed at the bottom in little tiny writing it says, "I 171H form". I assumed it would have I 171H on the top in big letters and be on shiny, colorful paper, like the other documents we had received.
OH MY! I was sick ~ happy ~amazed at God ~ and amazed at my stupidity. :(
(kicking myself-beating myself up-won't change a thing-so why do I do it?)
I am so happy we have the document, but so sick that we have had it for over a month.
We know God has perfect timing. It all is so obvious in that as of now Ukraine is closed to new Dossiers until the beginning of Feb. We just got the money last night to pay for the all the up coming expenses. We just received via email today a new form we have to fill out for the dossier.
It probably wouldn't have gotten us there much sooner anyway, but I do not want to be the one holding up the process!
We received a message from our girl last night. It translates, How are you doing? When you come?
I believe she is as anxious as we are to get her home.
I emailed our I 171 H to our facilitator and promptly received her response. There are 2 errors on the document. It must be fixed. I left a message with our officer and we are now again waiting.
So again I ask, please pray we get our new and PERFECT I-171H very soon, and this time I promise I will not mistake it for an update notice.
Please pray for Our sweet girl, and that God will move mountains so we can go get her soon.
I am claiming this verse:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
I committed to the Lord to fast and pray. My fast was undetermined. I couldn't really put a definite on how long or what I would fast. Usually I like to have a specific commitment before the Lord. I just kept saying every time I wanted something to eat, "I want Our Girl more".
I was up early and posted this :
We are still waiting for one VERY IMPORTANT document.
The I 171 H from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. (AKA USCIS )
We NEED this to move forward with our adoption.
PLEASE PRAY with us that it comes soon. LIKE TODAY.
God continues to make a way.
When we get discouraged, God lifts us up with a drop of HOPE.
Our girl is anxious to be HOME.
We are anxious to have her with us.
Thank You for Journeying with us.
I shared on the blog, email and on Facebook our prayer request and headed off to therapy.
As we got home I checked the mail convinced the form would be there. It wasn't.
A bit disappointed I began to get our docs. together to call USCIS.
As I searched for the info. I needed, I started re-reading one of the forms we have had since the beginning of Dec.
I was thinking "this says everything we need the I 171H to say".
Then as I scoured over it I noticed at the bottom in little tiny writing it says, "I 171H form". I assumed it would have I 171H on the top in big letters and be on shiny, colorful paper, like the other documents we had received.
OH MY! I was sick ~ happy ~amazed at God ~ and amazed at my stupidity. :(
(kicking myself-beating myself up-won't change a thing-so why do I do it?)
I am so happy we have the document, but so sick that we have had it for over a month.
We know God has perfect timing. It all is so obvious in that as of now Ukraine is closed to new Dossiers until the beginning of Feb. We just got the money last night to pay for the all the up coming expenses. We just received via email today a new form we have to fill out for the dossier.
It probably wouldn't have gotten us there much sooner anyway, but I do not want to be the one holding up the process!
We received a message from our girl last night. It translates, How are you doing? When you come?
I believe she is as anxious as we are to get her home.
I emailed our I 171 H to our facilitator and promptly received her response. There are 2 errors on the document. It must be fixed. I left a message with our officer and we are now again waiting.
So again I ask, please pray we get our new and PERFECT I-171H very soon, and this time I promise I will not mistake it for an update notice.
Please pray for Our sweet girl, and that God will move mountains so we can go get her soon.
I am claiming this verse:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Friday, January 6, 2012
Color Party!
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| Kaly Surprised Ayla with this Color Pary! |
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| Many of the ideas she got from the American Girls Magazine. |
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| She worked for days ~ every spare minute :) |
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| Party complete with mix and match accessories game. |
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| A perfect quote from our stamp collection. |
 | |
| What better way to use the loft. |
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| This little treat is a milkshake in a glass with sliced gum drops stuck to the inside. |
 | |
| I love my girls! |
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| Little Bro made it in for 3.5 Minutes. |
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| Pictures used for a coloring project. |
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| No color party is complete without a hair time. |
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Roller Coaster Ride
I feel like we are at the amusement park and today we are almost to
the end of the long wait to get on the giant Roller-Coaster. Though we are thrilled and
excited to get on this ride we know we will scream and hold tight and
yell at the top of our lungs.
On July 5th we jumped in line to get on this ride called International Adoption and we have been slowly working our way through that LONG line. We have done all of our paperwork no fewer than a million times. We have had appointments and home visits and sent a million emails back and forth to Ukraine. We have prayed and cried. We have jumped up and down with excitement and slumped in feelings of despair. Some days we wonder if this is ever going to really happen and then God does what he always does and encourages us.
We still have a ways to go. Please pray that the final bits of paperwork get finished. We know it is all in God's timing and we trust that, but we know He desires us to pray. So we ask you to pray with us.
We are so close to getting buckled into this roller-coaster, so close to no turning back, so close to "keep your hands and feet in the car at all times". My stomach gets butterflies of anticipation and I get so excited I feel like I just might throw up. I can't believe we are so close and I still can't believe we are doing this. I know this is just the beginning of the ride and we have many hills and bumps and drops and curves to maneuver through. God continues to guide us and direct our paths. He continues to be our strength when we get tired and frustrated. He is our hope, we know He has a plan for our girl and we trust and pray that His Will will be done.
Thank you for your encouragement through this long line of paperwork. Thank you to all of you that are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our girl. We appreciate so much everyone's excitement and support.
I can't wait to hear that click, click, click of the wheels. To begin that climb up that steep hill ahead. The hill of the travel and the paperwork in Ukraine. I can't wait because I know once we get to the top we will begin to fly. We will fly around the curves and up and over the hills. What a thrill it is and when we finally land at the bottomif we haven't peed our pants I will probably yell "let's do it again".
On July 5th we jumped in line to get on this ride called International Adoption and we have been slowly working our way through that LONG line. We have done all of our paperwork no fewer than a million times. We have had appointments and home visits and sent a million emails back and forth to Ukraine. We have prayed and cried. We have jumped up and down with excitement and slumped in feelings of despair. Some days we wonder if this is ever going to really happen and then God does what he always does and encourages us.
We still have a ways to go. Please pray that the final bits of paperwork get finished. We know it is all in God's timing and we trust that, but we know He desires us to pray. So we ask you to pray with us.
We are so close to getting buckled into this roller-coaster, so close to no turning back, so close to "keep your hands and feet in the car at all times". My stomach gets butterflies of anticipation and I get so excited I feel like I just might throw up. I can't believe we are so close and I still can't believe we are doing this. I know this is just the beginning of the ride and we have many hills and bumps and drops and curves to maneuver through. God continues to guide us and direct our paths. He continues to be our strength when we get tired and frustrated. He is our hope, we know He has a plan for our girl and we trust and pray that His Will will be done.
Thank you for your encouragement through this long line of paperwork. Thank you to all of you that are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our girl. We appreciate so much everyone's excitement and support.
I can't wait to hear that click, click, click of the wheels. To begin that climb up that steep hill ahead. The hill of the travel and the paperwork in Ukraine. I can't wait because I know once we get to the top we will begin to fly. We will fly around the curves and up and over the hills. What a thrill it is and when we finally land at the bottom
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Learning to say "?"
For many years I have been learning to say "No"
Many years ago after God worked on my heart, a lot, I finally learned to say "no".
I have always been a people-pleaser and somewhat adventurous, so saying "yes" was easy for me, actually almost impossible not to say "yes".
Well after some time of learning to have boundaries and learning that if I say "yes" to one thing then it may limit me from doing other things, I finally started to get the point that I sometimes needed to say "no".
For example, at church a LONG time ago, Jeromy and I were asked to teach a teens Sunday School class.
We prayed about it together and discussed it and neither of us felt it was what we should do.
Well, normally I would have said "yes" and made a way to fulfill the commitment.
This time we said "no". We took some flack and the person that asked "jokingly" said to me, "oh so you go on a mission trip and think you've done enough for God".
I was hurt and upset, but we held our ground and did not say "yes".
Later, I was asked to teach the 5th and 6th grade class. This time I said "yes". I felt very much like this was were God wanted me. Jeromy was asked to take the college age group and he said "yes" as well.
As time went on and we settled into our Sunday School classes we both felt a sense of contentment. We truly loved teaching our classes.
I enjoyed preparing for mine though it was very challenging.
I had a kid in there that knew everything there was to know when it came to facts. Living it though was a totally different story. He challenged me to always be WELL PREPARED.
I loved all of the kids in there, but there was this one sweet kid that was extremely quiet. He sat and soaked in every word. I often thought he thought I was nuts. Sometime during the time I was teaching the class he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He totally committed his life to the Lord.
He was a boy that came from a home with a Christian mom and a dad that wasn't interested.
He became passionate about sharing his faith with his dad.
Eventually we moved to a new church and I said my sad goodbyes to the kids that were embarking on their teen years.
Later as we have kept in touch with our former church family I have seen the kids from my old class.
The boy that asked Jesus into his heart is one of the most on fire youth I have ever met. He is going to Moody Bible Institute. He has done international missions and ministers to those around him.
He is passionate about sharing the GOOD NEWS and has a huge heart for children around the world that are in desperate need.
He has big dreams and big plans and is willing to do whatever God calls him to.
(Don't worry I wont tell your secret :)
I am so thrilled that God gave me a front row seat into the life of this dear friend.
It would not have happened if I had said "Yes" for the wrong reasons. If I said "yes" to the youth class, I would have never had the chance to be his teacher and I would have never gotten to be part of this wonderful story if I had said "no" when God was nudging me.
I finally learned to say "no" and in so doing I was able to say "YES" to the very thing God had for me.
Now once again I feel like God is working in my heart. This time he is teaching me to say "Yes".
I have been reading a wonderful book called Kisses From Katie.
While in Uganda our group of 18 women went to her house for dinner.
I wish we had gone to minister to her and her neighbors instead of just eat dinner, but I know that had we not gone there I would not have known about her book or been so determined to read it. God used that visit to open my eyes to new things and I pray someday that God will spout the seeds that were planted that night at her home.
While we were there I had a brief visit with her.
She was just about ready for her book to get released, but they had not yet decided on a title.
She wanted the title "Saying Yes". I think it would have been very appropriate.
She has learned and continues to learn to say "Yes" to God, "yes" to helping those in need around her. She says "yes" to loving babies and sick people and she says "yes" to getting in the muck and mire and lending a hand even when she doesn't feel like it or even when it doesn't make sense.
Through reading this and through what I feel God has been laying on my heart I am learning I need to say "Yes".
Not "yes" to stuff and programs and busyness. Those things I am still practicing my "no's" on, but "yes" to people. "Yes" to relationships, "yes" to time with my kids, "yes" to whatever God has for us and "yes" to whomever he puts in our lives.
I want to quit putting limits on God, I want to quit trying to figure it out.
I want to, as the pastor preached on today, learn to deny ourselves and be willing to say "no" to the things of this world and "yes" to the things of God.
I have no idea what this is going to look like and I have no idea what God is doing, but I feel He is preparing our hearts to start saying "Yes"!
Many years ago after God worked on my heart, a lot, I finally learned to say "no".
I have always been a people-pleaser and somewhat adventurous, so saying "yes" was easy for me, actually almost impossible not to say "yes".
Well after some time of learning to have boundaries and learning that if I say "yes" to one thing then it may limit me from doing other things, I finally started to get the point that I sometimes needed to say "no".
For example, at church a LONG time ago, Jeromy and I were asked to teach a teens Sunday School class.
We prayed about it together and discussed it and neither of us felt it was what we should do.
Well, normally I would have said "yes" and made a way to fulfill the commitment.
This time we said "no". We took some flack and the person that asked "jokingly" said to me, "oh so you go on a mission trip and think you've done enough for God".
I was hurt and upset, but we held our ground and did not say "yes".
Later, I was asked to teach the 5th and 6th grade class. This time I said "yes". I felt very much like this was were God wanted me. Jeromy was asked to take the college age group and he said "yes" as well.
As time went on and we settled into our Sunday School classes we both felt a sense of contentment. We truly loved teaching our classes.
I enjoyed preparing for mine though it was very challenging.
I had a kid in there that knew everything there was to know when it came to facts. Living it though was a totally different story. He challenged me to always be WELL PREPARED.
I loved all of the kids in there, but there was this one sweet kid that was extremely quiet. He sat and soaked in every word. I often thought he thought I was nuts. Sometime during the time I was teaching the class he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He totally committed his life to the Lord.
He was a boy that came from a home with a Christian mom and a dad that wasn't interested.
He became passionate about sharing his faith with his dad.
Eventually we moved to a new church and I said my sad goodbyes to the kids that were embarking on their teen years.
Later as we have kept in touch with our former church family I have seen the kids from my old class.
The boy that asked Jesus into his heart is one of the most on fire youth I have ever met. He is going to Moody Bible Institute. He has done international missions and ministers to those around him.
He is passionate about sharing the GOOD NEWS and has a huge heart for children around the world that are in desperate need.
He has big dreams and big plans and is willing to do whatever God calls him to.
(Don't worry I wont tell your secret :)
I am so thrilled that God gave me a front row seat into the life of this dear friend.
It would not have happened if I had said "Yes" for the wrong reasons. If I said "yes" to the youth class, I would have never had the chance to be his teacher and I would have never gotten to be part of this wonderful story if I had said "no" when God was nudging me.
I finally learned to say "no" and in so doing I was able to say "YES" to the very thing God had for me.
Now once again I feel like God is working in my heart. This time he is teaching me to say "Yes".
I have been reading a wonderful book called Kisses From Katie.
While in Uganda our group of 18 women went to her house for dinner.
I wish we had gone to minister to her and her neighbors instead of just eat dinner, but I know that had we not gone there I would not have known about her book or been so determined to read it. God used that visit to open my eyes to new things and I pray someday that God will spout the seeds that were planted that night at her home.
While we were there I had a brief visit with her.
She was just about ready for her book to get released, but they had not yet decided on a title.
She wanted the title "Saying Yes". I think it would have been very appropriate.
She has learned and continues to learn to say "Yes" to God, "yes" to helping those in need around her. She says "yes" to loving babies and sick people and she says "yes" to getting in the muck and mire and lending a hand even when she doesn't feel like it or even when it doesn't make sense.
Through reading this and through what I feel God has been laying on my heart I am learning I need to say "Yes".
Not "yes" to stuff and programs and busyness. Those things I am still practicing my "no's" on, but "yes" to people. "Yes" to relationships, "yes" to time with my kids, "yes" to whatever God has for us and "yes" to whomever he puts in our lives.
I want to quit putting limits on God, I want to quit trying to figure it out.
I want to, as the pastor preached on today, learn to deny ourselves and be willing to say "no" to the things of this world and "yes" to the things of God.
I have no idea what this is going to look like and I have no idea what God is doing, but I feel He is preparing our hearts to start saying "Yes"!
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