Christmas

Christmas was a great weekend - spent in 3 towns, with 3 different parts of our families, in two different states, under 30 hours. With kids nearly 3 and 20 months - it's a long weekend.
It was fun - and we got a ton of wonderful gifts (and the usual few odd gifts that make you go hmmm) and were really blessed.
It was a lot easier and a lot harder to not have Olive around than I expected.
It was in one way easier, because had she been home - this might have just been too much for her.
So, in some way - it was probably better that she wasn't put through so much chaos just days after getting home to her new family and life.

But, in others ways, it was harder for me than I expected.
I found my mind wondering off frequently wishing she was here with us, thinking about how she might have been reacting, and wishing she was opening gifts beside our two other kids.
I kept thinking about how she has missed so much in her little life already - and how I really wanted her there to meet her aunts and uncles from out of town. And how she won't meet any of her great grandparents or extended family until the spring now.

I kept wondering about how she looked as a baby, and thinking about if her (birth) momma did anything special for Christmas or holidays before she gave her to the orphanage...

It makes me sad she's missed out on so much.
But, I am so happy that we are just 4 weeks from bringing her home.
I am praying that it is a very fast, and very productive four weeks for us.
I am praying that the 3 weeks we're in Serbia are very pleasant and that our children will do fine with out us...
I am thanking God in advance for the day that "this" is all over, and we can get to being a family.

One of the most special gifts we got this Christmas was a picture of Olive from our facilitator :)
It was SO thoughtful for her to send us one, and I am so thankful.
Olive is getting SO big. I can actually see her growing in every picture, getting a little chubbier and showing more life in every subsequent one...
Especially this one

I've said it before - but it's bittersweet.
Bitter - because we're missing it, and every new picture I get means that she's still not here with us. But, sweet because we can see that she is doing okay. And she is growing, and she is 'in there'. I can't wait to love on her.

Derek Loux - Redemption (excerpt)

A fellow adoptive dad, Derek died due to a car accident this week.
What he wrote during the adoption of his sons was too beautiful not to share...

"Renee' and I are sitting in the office of a telephone company in Novograd Valenski, Ukraine, using wireless internet. We are in the middle of adopting three special needs boys from an orphanage here. Two of the boys have Down Syndrome. Roman is high functioning, energetic and happy. Dimitri has serious mental retardation, failure to thrive, and though he is five years old, he is the size of a 1 year old. He has sores on his face, a distinct smell of death on him, and yells out if we try to do anything with him other than hold him...
Two days ago we drove for hours into the Ukrainian countryside to the village where Dimitri was born. We met with officials there and signed papers and answered their questions. We also went and saw Dimitri's house. The day had been long...
...I was thinking, "Man, adopting this little boy has been so much work. This is exhausting, expensive, uncomfortable,… and it doesn't feel very rewarding right now." What am I doing in some little Soviet car in the dark, in the middle of rural Ukraine in frozen December, as the driver dodges cats and potholes? What if Dimitri doesn't improve at all? What if we get "nothing" out of this?
Ahhh, there it was; that dark, fallen, unreedemed, selfish human love, rooted in the tree of the knowledge of "good and evil". The love the Greeks called "erao" love. The love where we treat someone as precious and treasured for what we can get out of it. This is unlike "agapeo" love, the God kind of love that treats someone as treasured and precious for their good, not for my good. It's when I love a person in order to meet their needs, having no expectation of them meeting any of my needs. At a whole new level, God is working His kind of love into my weak heart, and He's using little Dimitri to do it.
On the drive home that night, the Lord whispered in my ear, "This is Redemption. Derek, do you know how far I travelled to get you and bring you back? I had to be separated from my Son, in order to get you, just like you are separated from your children in order to get these boys. Do you know how expensive it was for Me to purchase you? It cost me everything. Do you know how broken, sick, damaged, twisted, dirty, smelly, and hopeless you were? And at the end of it all, you had nothing to give me or add to me. I did it for you. I emptied myself and became nothing so that you could have it all. This is redemption. My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him. And when He redeems us, we can't even really appreciate or comprehend it, just like Dimitri will never comprehend or fully appreciate what is about to happen to him,… but … he will live in the fruit of it. As his Daddy, I will never expect him to understand all of this or even to thank me. I just want to watch him live in the benefits of my love and experience the joys of being an heir in my family. This is how our heavenly "Papa" feels towards us. Today, settle your busy heart down and rest in the benefits of redemption. Enjoy the fruits of His goodness, and stop trying to "pay Him back". You'll never get close you goofy little kid."

The list never ends ;)

It seems like no matter how many hurdles we jump - they just keep comin'!
I am so thrilled that we are fully funded.
But, now I'm wondering how do we go about getting those funds released...
Our matching grant though Lifesong for Orphans releases funds for qualified adoption expenses, and I believe that we have to give them a receipt first.
Problems is that we have $4,400 in grant money with them, and I don't believe we have that many receipts! Eek.
It seems that the majority of our expenses don't occur until we're in country.
And the expenses we do have before we travel are for things like gifts.... hmm...

And I know it seems like the budget for gifts is exuberant.
But they're not optional.
We did receive an updated list of what to make sure we bring from our facilitator - and there are a TON of gifts for different people on there...

WE ARE FUNDED!!!!

We have had a WONDERFUL day in the way of adoption progress!
We are booking our flights tomorrow to leave the 22nd of January!
We will hopefully be meeting Olive the 25th!
And we are fully funded!
I am SOOOOO ecstatic!

We have been so blessed!

We were SO blessed the past couple of weeks.
Sarah, adopting Nadja, has spoiled us with little updates about Olive and pictures a couple times!

We have gotten new pictures again today! And she is SO beautiful!

I didn't know that I could fall so in love with a child with out ever meeting them.

To bring, or not to bring?

I am in a serious internal debate on wether or not we should bring our kids with us...


Later...

Our facilitator seems to strongly suggest that we leave the kids at home.
I obviously greatly respect her input - and we are taking her opinion under serious consideration.
It's looking like we are going to try and make arrangements to leave them at home.
It is a stressful process according to our facilitator for both her, and us - and we want to make things as easy and smooth as possible for all of us.

Later...

We have been able to make arrangements for the kids to stay back with my parents.
I am very sad to not bring them with - but with so many people advising against it - and our facilitator strongly suggesting that we not bring them due to H1N1 - we are going to opt to leave them home.

First sledding adventure...

My parents have a pretty good size hill on the side of their house (which happens to be next door to us)...
And so we decided the kids were big enough to try and sled for the first time.
It went pretty well.
Ethan went two times, and then was too scared afterwards.
And Evelyn went quite a few times... until she fell in the snow on her face..
She then proceeded to warm up at grandma's house, and eat... her favorite thing to do!

Some days are up and some are down..

I am having sort of a down day.
Probably because I'm exhausted from painting a dining room table, sealing it, and painting our dining room all by myself in 24 hours!
Talk about nesting. LOL.
And not to mention we're just shy of hitting the 9 month mark - and I'm feeling that 'ready to be done' feeling I felt with both my pregnancies.

But, I'm going to combat my longing with gratitude.

I am SO thankful people who have chosen to support the Kingdom and our daughter with their finances and prayers.
We are SO thankful for the people who have given us encouragement.
We are SO especially thankful to Shelley, our coordinator, and Jasmina, our facilitator - who put in many, many hours and a lot of patience and work to make our adoption happen.
And thankful to God for his provision for our lives.

OH and for Sarah and Jon who have so gracefully included us in their adoption trip by thinking of us and giving us little tid-bits about Olive through out the week. It means SO much to know little bits about her day while we're waiting.

Funding Progress :)

We now have a good amount of our funding done due to the wonderful matching grant with Life Song for Orphans and Families of Promise Orphan and Adoption Ministry!

We have less than $2,000 to go! and with the matching grant - that's only $900!!!

(of course this is all an estimate as we won't be sure on the costs until we get a date, and confirm apartments, and flights, etc.)

HER PAPERWORK IS DONE!!!!

I admit I have been a total spaz about checking my email every hour or so starting around 2AM our time (8AM Olives time) for the last few weeks - praying that I would wake up to a miracle.

Well this morning I got a very good email!

Olive's paperwork is done - and she's free and clear for adoption!

All we have left is to wait for a date!

Thank you LORD!

This made me laugh today

Olive had a friend in her crib with her this morning. Little M and Olive were together. Of course they weren't interacting but they were together. In fact, M's feet were on Olive's head and Olive looked at me like "get me outta here"

From Sarah, adopting Nadja

She is soooo her mother's child. I HATE feet, and am not too much a 'touchy' person. I would be thinking the same thing... LOL.

7-8 Weeks is just too long!

Time is strange.
The 8 weeks before when we were hoping to travel (which would have been this week) went by so fast...
I remember feeling like every day was slipping by too quickly, and there was no way I'd be able to get everything I wanted to get done, done.
But, this past week has been going by like molasses...
I can't imagine 7 or 8 more weeks of this waiting!
Especially since this week has been better than most - getting little tid bits about Olive this week from Sarah...
7-8 weeks back to not knowing how she's doing, or what she's doing, or when we're leaving is going to be very hard...

Many thanks to Sarah! New pictures!

We got the most precious picture we've ever received of Olive from Sarah (adopting Nadja) this morning.
Olive is actually showing emotion! And a smile at that!

It's so bitter sweet - because I want to be there.
I want to be the one snuggling my girl.
I wanted to be there to see her sit up for the first time.
But, I am so over joyed that she was snuggled today.
I am so blessed to know that she is "in there" and she does smile!
I am so thrilled that she is growing, and starting to achieve mile-stones.

My Growing Girl.

I'm sad for Olive that it's been one year between the first pictures we got that were taken of her (around this time last year) and the newest ones we were blessed with recently.
You have to have "mama's eyes" to see all the differences I see, I'm sure.
But when I put the pictures side-by-side, you can really see she's losing some of that baby-look and she's put on a 1/2" and a couple pounds.
She still has a pretty distant look, which we've been praying over... I pray that when we get her home she'll light up like a christmas tree!

Feeling a little better today...

Feeling a little better now that's I've vomited all that raw emotion out for over 24 hours. It was hard to put Olive's Christmas outfit on my other daughter for Thanksgiving. I bought it before I knew her measurements, and it would have been nearly too small should we have brought her home even now - so in 2-3 months time it surely wouldn't fit. I would have loved to preserve it as the first outfit bought for her - but I'm just too practical for that, and couldn't spend $15 for a dress to hang in a closet. Besides, it'll allow for me to buy her a new first special outfit later.

Anyhow, many of you might have perceived me of over-reacting, considering we WILL still be bringing her home - and at some point I'm sure I'll say "it was better this way" (or maybe I wont).... But the real reason I was knocked so far off my rocker was because I had such total and complete peace about traveling this year. I felt that God had reassured me over and over that if I would just believe in Him fully - she would be home before the holidays. Part of me is still praying for a miracle.

But, I felt like Joshua asking God to stop the sun from moving so they could have victory - and I felt total peace and confidence that He would. But, He didn't.

This was the first time that I really felt God had given me Word on something, and completely believed in Him to provide what I was asking for - and had confirmation in my spirit from other people affirming they felt the same. And it did not happen.

That has been hard for me to work through. Especially because we're not talking about praying in faith for a new minivan or for a job promotion. We're talking about my baby - who is half a world away from me - who I would do ANYTHING to bring home even just ONE SECOND earlier because I love her that much.

Exposing my inner wrestling

Nothing like sharing your raw emotions with the 'world' and probably people you don't even know, right ;)
I wanted to share some stories friends have shared with me to try and be an encouragement.

"When I was in the hospital pregnant with my daughter (who I was told was going to die), the doctors came in and decided to induce me 5 weeks early (against my wishes) and I prayed to God, why was he letting this happen... she was too early, too small... needed to stay in and grow more. But then after they delivered her they found that her umbilical cord had wasted away and had she not been induced within the hour, she would have died! (They induced me trying to kill her... God had other plans... he allowed them to induce her trying to kill her, so that He could let her live and be known as a miracle in that hospital to all the doctors who thought she would die.) I saw this again when her heart surgery was scheduled for a certain day and then they called us on our way to the hospital and told us that it was canceled... I was so mad because it was going to be hard for us to re-plan for a later date and I felt like she needed the surgery right then. God had a plan... I later found out that the baby who was bumped into her place for surgery died during surgery (had the same heart defect as my daughter)... if she had been in surgery at her scheduled time, that would have been her.
I know none of this makes you feel better... just want to reassure you that He does have a plan!! "

"When I was in living in Israel I spoke with a friend of mine who had a newborn and a 3 year old. The three year old kept begging to be alone with the baby. The mom was nervous but let him be alone (with the monitor left on so She could listen) The three year old closed the door and she heard him say "Tell me about Jesus and the Angels...Im starting to forget" Olive is not alone..she has the hand of God on her right now. She is being entertained by angels. Im going to pray that she dreams about you while she sleeps so she will know your face."

"When I was living in Romania working in the childrens hospital on the Russian Border I met a family. The Vishki family. The father was a pastor who was arrested and thrown in Jail for ministering the Gospel. That left his wife alone with I think 5 children..Communist Romania post WW2. Long story short..for a long winter wolves would drop food off at her door. Gods provision!"

I'm not saying I'm rosey cheeked and grinning ear to ear now, but hearing testimonies of God's goodness is comforting and helps keep the tears at bay if only for a few minutes.

My prayin' baby

Ethan just prayed privately before his meal (he's the only one eating an early dinner at the table by himself bc he's leaving for an over-night with my parents) and what I could understand was something about baby Olive and wren with down syndrome... too cute.

We will not travel this year :(

I am a bit of a wreck today.
We have gotten word that the adoption officials will not be able (or willing?) to get everything done by the date needed to allow us to travel this year.
This means that we will not be able to travel until the end of January or February.
Normally even when my circumstances aren't what I like them to be - I can hold on to the truth that God sees the big picture and that His plan is much better than we could imagine.
But today, my faith is failing me.
I can't pull it together because I can't stop thinking...
She's going to spend 2.5-3 months sitting in her crib waiting for us.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 months exposed to deadly flu viruses.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 months exposed to the cold that comes with a harsh winter.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 months growing and all the special outfits we bought her will likely not fit.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 months learning new things that her momma and daddy won't be able to enjoy with her.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 months missing all the wonderful holiday traditions we were so excited to share with her.
She is going to spend 2.5-3 more months wondering if there is something better than 20 hours a day in a crib wasting away.
We are going to spend 2.5-3 more months pining for our daughter
We are going to spend 2.5-3 more months wondering what she is doing, if she is okay, and if someone is showing her any love and attention.
I am going to spend 2.5-3 more months missing part of my heart and wondering why God wouldn't have shown off and brought our daughter home.

I pray that God will graciously allow me to have a glimpse in to His ways so I can understand why we all have to suffer through the next 2.5-3 months, and that the Glory brought to him will be worth it in the end.

God, I know you're good. I know that your plan is better. I know that you see the big picture. But I can't see it right now, and I'm not feeling very confident that your plan is better. All I can think is of my daughter, and how she's going to have to wait what will feel like an eternity to her. I struggle knowing that you can do anything if it's your wish - and you're choosing to not make this happen. I feel like screaming and yelling at you in disgust that you would allow this, angry that you would make her wait... isn't 3.5 years enough!!! and I feel like falling at your feet exhausted and balling, begging for your mercy - and asking again for a miracle - because I just can't believe that this is your will. It was much easier to swallow knowing that we were going to be getting her soon. And thinking I understood your bigger picture, because our process would be faster, she's be home in the nick of time, and you would have shown off your Glory with another amazing miracle. And I truly believed that we would. But now I just sit here in disbelief and frustration weeping for my little girl. I don't understand....

Matching Grant Update

We have been given $1,300 of our needed $2,500 towards our matching grant!
We have a need of $1,200 to be fully funded!!
(or at least in theory as our costs are estimates)


If you would like to come along side us and support our adoption please send a tax deductible check to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford St. 
Gridley, IL 61744
IN THE MEMO SECTION of the check: please include Malefyt #1021adoption
In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. 
This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor's suggested use. 


Or via the 'donate' button on this blog.
Or our Family Sponsorship profile at http://reecesrainbow.com/familysponsorshipalmostthere.htm - we are near the bottomw :)


Thank you for investing in the Kingdom through prayer and finances — it will be an investment with an eternal return! 
(Matt 6:20)

Possible progress

Our facilitator is doing everything she can to get us to travel before the end of the year.
She's asking a lot of the adoption officials by asking them to finish approving our dossier, clearing Olive for International Adoption, and allowing us to be given a travel date.
We need some Divine intervention!

Praying this is the week.

I'm praying that this is the week that we're told the day to be in Olive's country.
If it's not - my heart just might break.
Every morning we have a chance of hearing traveling news, it feels like a first time mom going to the ER with pains - not sure if it's going to be 'the day' or not. It's nerve wrecking sitting on the monitors and waiting for the nurse to tell you if it's your lucky day - or if you're to go home and wait again.
When it's day after day, it gets maddening.
But, I am learning a lesson.
And apparently I haven't learned it well before - because God continues to test me and refine me in it.
That lesson is believing in His goodness, and that He's going to take care of me in the best possible way, even when my circumstances aren't what I want them to be.
I am not doing perfectly this round, but my response time of 'giving it to God' and turning my thinking around is getting quicker.
And for this I am thankful.

We're praying that Olive's social worker will answer her phone - or give our facilitator a call back.
This is the only thing that stands between our little girl meeting her family or continuing to wait.

Not today

We were told that our facilitator was not able to work today due to a death.
She plans on calling Olive's social worker tomorrow morning (around 2-4AM Michigan time!)
We're praying that Olive's social worker is at work - that she answers her phone - that she tells J that Olive's paperwork is ready to go - and that it's done correctly.
We're praying that Jasmina can push to get us a travel date soon (preferably tomorrow!) that will allow us to travel before the end of the year.

If this happens, H1N1 is a threat in Olive's region - and there will have to be accommodations to protect the children and workers.

This may mean very limited supervised visits, possibly at an off-campus location.

It may cut down on the time of our adoption process, or it may delay it all together.
We're praying that H1N1 will not impact our adoption in any negative manner, that the children and workers will be protected, and that we will have a wonderful experience while we're there, limited initial visits or not.

Not what I hoped to hear...

We found out today that Olive's social worker has been out of the office, and won't be back to work until this Thursday.
So, until Thursday - there is nothing our facilitator can do to move us forward and get us a travel date.
We're praying she'll call bright and early Thursday morning, and that Olive's worker will relay that her paperwork is all done and ready to go. And that J will request a travel date for us Thursday or Friday.
Of course this is an unlikely scenario (when you're talking international adoption) - but God is big! And He's done a whole lot of these unlikely things for us so far.
We are praying that we will still travel in November, and at worst the first days of December.
Lord, please hear our prayers and give us our desires!


Olive had a cardiologist appointment scheduled for this past Friday.
I've asked if we might be able to know the results.

So, hopefully we'll hear some great news at the end of this week.

We got a little clarification :)

We did hear today that our dossier was received, translated, and submitted successfully to the Ministry Officials in Olive's country.
Jasmina is going to be calling Olive's Center of Social Work to see if Olive's paperwork is ready for her to request a travel date for us.
I so wish that she could have called today.
But, tomorrow it is.
And I will try my best to sit here patiently and wait to see.

Still waiting for clarification..

We're still waiting for clarification on wether or not we were submitted.
I'm feeling good about it.
But that doesn't always amount to much.
I did get my last wedding of the season edited, and I'm not taking on any more outside work other than the hats/scarves which I'll be going full blast on now.
My nesting urge is strong - so I'm excited to pull out our boxes of little girl clothes, and start packing some away for her. I'm going to start tomorrow.
I hope that we get a travel date so it's not in vain!

Olive's Measurements

We were given Olive's measurements today!

She is VERY disproportionate.

She is the average weight of a 7-8 month old, and the length of a 14 month old.

17.75lbs and 30 inches

Getting clothing to fit should be interesting...

We got new pictures of Olive!!!!

I am so excited... I could just cry.

We were told

"We're still waiting on information from Olive's social worker. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything!"

I asked for clarification and this is what she said

"I think that the "waiting on information" part means that she's waiting to hear that everything is complete (and together....your paper work and Olive's), so that a travel date can be issued. She's trying to stay on top of everything so that she can get you a travel date as soon as possible. I did ask her to clarify that for me though!"

Here comes the anxiety and nesting!!!! I'm so excited!

Update!

We were told that our dossier is going to be submitted Monday!!!!

We were also told that our facilitator was told that the social worker appears to have everything done, and just is waiting on our dossier to finish!!!!

Generally the dossier is approved, sent to the social worker, she combines the paperwork, sends it back to the officials, and then they give final approval and A TRAVEL DATE!!!!

No pee pants here!

Ethan has been dry all day! Even in public!

Hat's & Scarves

We've gotten over 50% of our goal in just about 2 short weeks!

I am so thankful!

I am working on them every free second I have.

I will try and keep up a good pace, but there's a lot of kitting and crocheting to do!

WE GOT IT! WE GOT IT!!!

We got a $2,500 matching grant from LifeSong for Orphans through Families of Promise, our church's adoption ministry!

All we have to do is raise $2,500 to get the matching money, and we'll be nearly funded!

HALLELUJAH!

Thank you Lord!

We are so blessed!

BUSY!

Things are (nearly) out-of-control busy around here!

Whew - it's been a really fast going past few months.

In that respect, I am looking forward to traveling over seas with Karl.

It will force us to have quite a few days of "us" time.

I'll be really grateful for it.

(But, I will be missing my kids terribly though)

Tomorrow we hope to hear about our matching grant request.

I am also praying again that we will hear something from our facilitator about Olive tomorrow too.

I'm really missing my girl.
Everyday that we get closer to a possible travel date, it gets harder..
Especially because we may not even travel this year yet.
It's like knowing that you are going to have a baby soon, but just aren't sure when you're due - even though you look and feel like you could pop any day.
I was watching Joyce meyer today and she described how God can change your life in just one day.
How you could be struggling with something day after day with no real idea when or if it will ever stop..
And then all of the sudden God answers or moves and that problem or struggle is just no longer there.
You can go to bed trying to deal with that issue on your heart - day after day.
And then just all if the sudden it's over, it's not a problem any longer, your relieved and you never even saw such joy coming your way.
Lord I pray that that day will be coming for is shortly. We miss our little girl, and pray that you will give us the relief of going to get her this month. Amen.

Thanks Gramma!

I wanted to take a minute to say thanks to my Grandma who is the one responsible for teaching me how to crochet when I was a little girl.

With out her, I couldn't have made these hats - which is going to raise us a couple hundred dollars for Olive!

Thanks Gramma!

Mini Update

I got an email from our family coordinator and this is what was said:

"I wanted to let you know that J checked with Olive's social worker on Friday. She's still working on getting everything completed on her end. I told J to make sure and let the social worker know that you have your USCIS approval...and that everyone is just waiting on her!

I'll let you know as I hear more."

As she said it - EVERYONE is waiting on Olive's Social Worker.

We're praying that this woman will understand the weight of her timing! Please God, light a fire under her butt, and give her a huge sense of urgency to get everything done CORRECTLY.

Also we have broken the $5,000 threshold! We now only need $4968.40!

Halloween

Fundraiser Update...

We have about 5K to go!

And we are so impressed with all of the support so far.

God is GOOD!

We've had about 40 hat orders so far!

Blessed

We were blessed today by Karl's parents.

It is our 4th anniversary, and they took us out to dinner.

Our plan this year was to spend our anniversary trip in Europe adopting our daughter, but we instead spent it here in the states.

BUT hopefully soon!

I can't wait to kiss these cheeks.

Praying!

We are praying that we are given the opportunity for a matching grant and possible no-interest loan to cover what ever remaining costs we have from The Sam & Ellie Adoption Fund through KCC and LifeSong for Orphans.

We are also praying that we can get the house in a better order to bring Olive home (still have to get her space set up, etc.).

We are also praying that we can sell our truck to cover some expenses we have (replacing my computer monitor which is on the fritz and most likely fixing the transmission in our family van) and to drastically cut the amount of funds that we still needed.

And last, we are praying that Olive's social worker will get her paperwork done quickly, that we will be approved quickly, and given a travel date for the end of November.

If all of this happens - it will have to be GOD!

No...

I just had to say 'no' to adopting a newborn boy with DS because it's not a good time with Olive's adoption being soon.... ohhhh boy, did that hurt.

WE HAVE IT!!!

We have our I600-A approval!

We have it! We have it!

WE HAVE IT!

I am so stinking excited!

God, is SOOOOO good.

Sooooooo sooo good.

I don't know why I doubt so much.

Perhaps to protect myself from disappointment.

But, God is BIG and he is GOOD.

And I am so grateful to be in his favor!

The meeting went well

The meeting between our facilitator and Olive's social worker went well.

I was told "everything is back on track with Olive's paper work."

For this, I am glad!

We also got a call from LifeSong for Oprhans this week.

We applied for a $1,000 matching grant and a no-interest loan for the rest of our funds incase we're unable to raise them. (Better to be safe than sorry!)

They have preliminarily approved our application, and it is going for Official Approval now.

We should hear not this coming Thursday, but NEXT Thursday on what they've decided.

We're cutting it pretty close there if we're able to travel this year still - but I have faith in God and His timing.

The hat fundraiser is going well - and we are thankful!

We only have $5,187 to go, even with that last minute additional fee!

Another mom owned business donates!

The owner of lil' outlaws, Jacklen, has decided to partner with us in our attempt to fundraise to bring Olive home.

She has created 2 scents specifically for Olive!

The two scents are Capri Olivo and Olive Leaves - and $2.00 from each product in those scents goes to Saving Olive!!

Sick babygirl..

Evelyn has had a upper respitory issue for about 10 days now. She has to take breathing treatments every 4 hours, which results in a VERY ticked off baby. Add that to 5 shots today, and you have one cranky child.

Kiddo Update...

Evelyn had her 18 month appointment today.
I can't believe how quickly time has been flying by.
I feel like an awful mother for not journaling more of my little one's lives this far.
Life has been far too busy.
I can't wait for Olive to be home so that way we can chill out on all of our commitments and all of this paperwork/etc. will be over.
I'm looking forward to, and hope that life will slow down a little bit then.

Evelyn weighted 20 pounds, and had to get 5 shots today.
She has had a respiratory issue for the last 10 days or so, and we had to get a script for breathing treatments.
This is the first time she's ever had to have any type of medicine, except for motrin/tylenol.
She was very freaked out and unhappy about her shots, and later, her breathing treatment.

She just started walking a couple weeks ago.
She walks like a little T-rex, toddling about with her arms crinkled up close to her body, and waddling back and forth.
She isn't quite steady on her feet yet, but she is walking 100% of the time now.
Doc Hoffman said she is slightly behind developmentally, but given her prematurity - he's going to give her some time to catch up.

Should she not be on target in 6 months, we'll start talking more.
We all agree that she was probably trying to put all of her brain power in mastering how to walk, and that language and receptive language should develop soon.
She does have a few words.
She'll say "I want", mine, ball, doggy, kitty, mama, and no.
We think she might have said bubbles, and pillow - but aren't sure.

She got her first hair cut about a month ago too.
Her hair was so fine and dry that it would get knotted up super easy, and just kind of float about her head.
We trimmed about 1.5 inches off the back, and it lays much nicer now.
We gave her little baby-doll bangs, and they look darling both forward and swept to the side.

She loves any and all babies/stuffed animals. Most of them are called "Bobbi".
She imitates me when caring for them, and rocks, kisses, and pats them.
It's quite cute.

She also has a love for hair clips, hair bands, and shoes.
She's all girl.
She wears little necklaces, and loves to change her clothes.

She has the most beautiful long lashes, and shows all her emotion through her eyes.
She likes to be cuddled like a baby, and still prefers a bottle over a cup.
She's a tiny little peanut, but has sass and attitude enough for us all.
She's going to give us a run for our money.

Ethan is 2 and 3/4ths.
You never thought you'd start describing age in quarters, until you've had kids.
Ethan is our little man. He talks a mile a minute, and loves to socialize.
His favorite movie is Bolt, PowerRangers, and a compilation of old cartoons.
He is boycotting food, and doesn't eat much unless it involves carbs or chocolate.
He likes all things boys - fighting, basketball, baseball, Spider-Man, Batman, and playing drums.
He is very much a daddy's boy, and loves to do anything his Bumpa, Daddy, or Daniel does.
He's in a bit of a 'chicken' phase right now, and gets anxious about new things, people, bugs, or anything potentially dangerous.
He's wearing 2T clothes, and size 8 shoes.
He is sleeping in his "big boy bear bed" and just starting to show interest in using the potty.
He's a great big brother, and really loves and protects his little sister.
He is a great talker, has many, many words - and understands concepts far beyond what I'd expect.
He is anxious to go to school - and really enjoys seeing his 'friends' any chance he can get.
He says "I love you" in the cutest way - I luff hew.
I love him.

We have about FIVE THOUSAND!!! dollars left to raise - and we are hoping to sell approximately 75 Hat and Scarf sets to raise $1,000 of that.

Here are some of the sets that I've made: