Jumping the hurdles

I am going to be getting the corrected paperwork, and updated photos that were requested in order for J. to be able to submit our dossier to the Adoption Officials, today.

We are praying that everything will go smoothly from here on out - and that we won't hit any more bumps on the road.

We did get word of an additional fee that's been added to our costs.

Nothing huge, but about 250 additional euros for travel costs to Olive's home town and back while were there.

But, we're completely trusting God for all of it - so 1 or 1000 additional euros, we are hanging on to our faith, it will be provided.

Talking with another mom who has adopted from Olive's orphanage, and has seen Olive, makes me even more hopeful to still travel this year.

Her daughter had many more health issues than previously thought by the orphanage and adoption staff once they got home. And the doctors wanted to operate on another mothers child for heart issues that simply wasn't warranted when they got home...

Given Olive's pale coloring and seemingly lethargic/distant look in all her pictures, I wouldn't be surprised at all if we were in the same boat, and could be facing a lot more health issues than we're being told.

It's not the orphanage staff, doctors, or facilitators fault - it's simply the lack of up-to-date and precise medical information and technology.

Either way, I'm praying she doesn't have to spend another freezing February in that cold crib.

A few more bumps

I got an email this morning that I'd prefered to not recieve.

We have a few more small bumps along the way.

And surprisingly I'm not freaking out at all - and have total peace that God is working, and all will be done in HIS timing!

We have some birth-date errors in our home study and biography (that we didn't notice yet! bummer) that have to be fixed, and need to re-send some pictures.

I'm praying that Char (our social worker) Will be able to fix those errors and reprint our homestudy VERY QUICKLY.

Once these things are fixed, we will be able to submit our dossier for approval from the adoption officials!

Getting attacked again...

We are under attack over here... again.

My computer (which my business depends on) is going wonky.

I need to at least replace the screen, which will cost roughly $100.

Our Van has decided not to run anymore... We've already spent $125 on what we thought would be a sure fix... didn't work. Not sure what's going to happen there.

So, we are selling our truck, to try and make ends meet, and put the extra money towards our adoption.

But we have to fix the windshield, wipers, tailpipe, and muffler to be able to sell it.

I am suffering from either a congestion-free flu, or mono...

I'm near positive it's mono -- which has put me greatly behind on my "to-do" list.

Which in turn is stressing me out more.

Unfortunately rest is hard to come by with a 2.5 year old and 1.5 year old during the day.

And also unfortunately, money is not easily come by either, considering we have already cleaned out our savings, all our extra money in the budget has gone to go to Olive, so we're living paycheck-to-paycheck right now.

Life if not fun right now.

It is there!

Our dossier is in the hands of our facilitator!

She is giving it to the translator to translate!

We are waiting to hear from Olive's social worker, to see how far along her paperwork is.

Once we know that, we will have a better estimate as to when we might travel.

Praise God!

Now only if we can come up with that 6k :)

I think we'll be selling our second car here soon, and be back to our 1-car life-style again...

All for our girl!

Our Paper Baby is on it's Way!

We sent over our dossier in it's completion today!

I am SOOOO excited.

We are having the accounting department at the bank look over the wire transfer to make sure that everything is going to go through okay for our translation fee tomorrow morning.

I am so happy to have all that paperwork over!

Hallelujah!

Pseudo Update

We are planning on sending our dossier over to Eastern Europe this Thursday!

Eek! It's so exciting just typing that.

I asked for a rough idea of "what's next" and this how I understand it:

We will wire over a translation fee and our dossier Thursday.

In the next couple weeks, a lovely woman will be translating our documents for us.

Once that's done, she will submit our documents to the adoption officials.

Then the facilitator will get in touch with Olive's social worker - and see how long it will take her to get all of Olive's paperwork ready to be adopted.

At that point we will have a better idea of when we'll be able to travel.

The estimate at this point puts us traveling the end of November or Beginning of December according to our wonderful state-side coordinator.

The way I understood it was that they wouldn't allow people to travel late November or later...

So, I've emailed back asking for clarification.

But, the idea that we could be 7 to 10 weeks out from seeing our daughter just tickles me pink!

And it gets better yet - another mom is traveling to adopt her little boy in the same orphanage that Olive's in and she got to see her!

I wasn't expecting it - but she might be able to get me a photo of Olive tomorrow!

I love knowing any little bit of information I can get about our little doll face, and a picture is like heaven.

I asked Tammy how Olive looked, because she always seems so pale and frail in her pictures.. and she said that she didn't look pale, and she was just laying there in her crib looking at her talk to the facilitator in the doorway.

It just dawned on me that if we travel in that time-frame, our process would have taken 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 months - the same as a pregnancy! Strange, considering I've always said that (albiet cliche) were pregnant on paper & compared our process to a pregnancy.

Biting my nails

I've been biting my proverbial nails (I'm not a biter) waiting to see how everything is going to unfold.

I've been hesitant to finish up our dossier and send it over, because most likely we aren't going to travel until February, and don't want anything to change between now and then, that would require me to re-submit it.

But, this week, my goal is to get those last few pieces together - and just send it over, in that very small, unlikely chance that everything falls together for us to travel this fall still.

We're submitting an application for a matching grant, and possible no-interest loan to help ensure those last few thousand dollars will be there should we need them.

We're praying that everything will come together just as God would have it, and should Olive need to stay in the orphanage for another 6-8 weeks, or 5 months - that God will protect her, and that He'll help us to trust in His plan...

I am so stressed about leaving our 'other' kids at home while traveling.

We have only gone 1 weekend with out the kids, and missed them every minute - I'm starting to have anxiety about 3 weeks!!!

Garage sale...

We're having a last-ditch effort on selling garage sale items before the winter.

We are going to be holding a garage sale Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-5, Sunday 1-5, Monday 10-4

We're praying for a good turn out.

We haven't had much luck with fundraisers so far.

USCIS fingerprints

We got our date for USCIS fingerprinting.

We aren't scheduled until the 18th.

I was really hoping for earlier.

But, all in God's timing.

Not Much New

There's not much new news on the adoption front.

We received a receipt for our application to USCIS and will hopefully receive finger printing appointments soon.

That's the next step.

I've recently joined up with Kentwood Community Church and Families of Promise's effort to bring awareness to the plight of children who are parentless, in helping them to plan a Women's Event that focuses on Orphan, Adoption, and Foster Care issues.

I'm excited.

I obviously have a passion for these issues, and am glad to be putting my experience and knowledge to work.

I really hope that this event will have an impact on the hearts of the women of KCC and Grand Rapids (area), and in turn make the lives for children better.

I'm also going to be going with Families of Promise to "Your Church and the Orphan" Workshop, September 19, at Grace Community Church in Hudsonville. This workshop is designed for church teams to spend the day working on developing an orphan ministry or to strengthen an existing one.

And I'm also going to be coming along side Greater Hopes Family Services, helping to re-build their website and also help be part of a team that's going to focus on developing an alternative foster care program.

So, that's a lot of volunteering to keep me busy!

USCIS Cashed

So, because our home study took so long to get, combined USCIS processing times, we may not get to travel this fall like we hoped.

I'm not sure what God's timing in all this is for - but I sure hope to understand at some point.

I wish it were more simple, and our hearts will could be carried out with any financial or paperwork hurdles.

If it were possible I'd be on a plane tonight.

So, we've already sent in our USCIS application, and are hoping to hear back that they received our application, and get an idea of how long this is going to take.

I'm not sure exactly how it all goes.

But, they cashed our check a few days ago.

That said, Karl forgot to get the mail today...

So, once I realized this... excited that maybe we got something from USCIS, I ran outside at 11 o'clock at night, in the pouring rain to the end of the drive to check the mail.

I was sadly disappointed...

But I am glad to know that it at least has gotten there, because they couldn't cash our check had it not.

So, our prayers right now are for financial blessing, and timely paperwork.

One with out the other doesn't work, so we need them both at the right times.

We Have IT!!

I'm so thrilled to be able to change that title!

We have our home-study!

And we've sent off for USCIS approval.

I'm praying for a quick approval - because we have limited time before Olive's country closes down for Holidays, and would really like to get her home this year.

Still waiting...

I wonder when I'll get to stop saying 'still waiting...'

We're still waiting.

But, we did get word that we should have our home study finalized and notarized by the end of the week!

Please be true!

Although I'm very anxious to move on to the next stage - we're coming close to having all our paperwork done, and it's actually making me nervous.

We're suppose to be leaving (according to my mental goal) in about 8 weeks, and we are lacking a good chunk of our funds.

I am doing everything I can to earn the money - knitting custom orders, weddings, photo-jobs...

I guess if I need to pray for anything right now - it's that God will provide, and that I'll have a more faith-full trust in God.

Still Waiting...

We were suppose to have our final home study this week, and well we're coming on to Friday tomorrow, and I have a feeling we're not going to get it.

I'm bummed about it.

I'm ready to move on to the next stage.

The home study update has taken quite a bit longer than I had originally anticipated.

I did get my passport in the mail though - I'm so very excited about that!

We have had a couple weddings in the last few weeks, and a few photo shoots, plus another wedding tomorrow.

I've also been building a website for Olive, and a website for a local adoption and family services agency.

I've also got about 5 or 6 pairs of longies and shorties that I'm trying to work on too.

It's been pretty busy.

I also had my birthday a couple days ago.

It went by with out much fuss.

I can't believe it's already going in to August.

I really want to travel in October to get Olive.

But, if fundraising keeps going this slow, and our paperwork keeps moving like molasses - we're not going to make it.

I pray to God that we do.

(Please?)

Bumming

Tonight's one of those nights that I'm keenly aware that our family is one member short...

We have family in town, and so we're all up really late.

Karl and I, along with the kids, are about to cozy down together in our bed to watch a late night movie and I really wish Olive could be here.

I can literally envision her laying in-between all of us giggling with excitement of the rare treat that is sleeping in mom and dad's bed (for the first part of the night anyway)...

I know that instead of being snuggled with us she's laying alone in a crib that's probably not very comfy, and certainly not filled with people who love her.

I really wish (well, pray really) that God will do something really big and awesome (something GODish) to bring her home quickly.

I do not want to wait one more second that I don't have to.

I'm praying for comfort and content-ness in the process of waiting.

And for finances, and very speedy paperwork processing.

I really don't like knowing that all that stands between my daughter and I is money and bureaucracy, but that's how it is...

It's here!

We have the rough draft :)

Soooo excited!

We have to fill in some blanks, and change a few tid-bits here and there - but I should have that done tomorrow!

Then it's off to our facilitator for review, and USCIS here we come!

We also got our first donation in a while today,

I wish that there was some way for me to explain how much we REALLY appreciate it.

I wish that there was a way to explain how we are touched, and how we are seeing and experiencing God through those of you who sacrifice and give...

I just have to keep saying Thank you over and over again.

I can't believe that we only have $6k to go!

That's about 6 weddings

or about 50 family pictures

or 197 pairs of shorties (wool diaper covers I make)

or 23 garage sales (at the average we've made)

When you put it that way - it sounds pretty scary! lol.

But, I am so amazed that we've gotten this far - I have total faith in God to help us provide the rest.

Whew! Getting things done!

So, I'm looking at our savings account for Olive, and our budget, and what we need to get done. And I'm pleasantly surprised!

We are going to have the funds to send in our USCIS paperwork, ship our Dossier, and pay for our Dossier translation by this coming Monday!

We are going to be sending in our USCIS application with out our homestudy, but it should be following shortly after. 

And we'll send our Dossier with out our USCIS approval - but it's my understanding that we can just bring that with us when we travel. 

A few requirements we still need for our Dossier (all of which are near attained or easily attained):

1. formal letter stating reasons behind adopting a child - written, waiting for proof reading, and printing

2. Written biography - written, waiting for proof reading, and printing

3. Our Home Study - being written right now

4. State Clearance - waiting to hear if our USCIS fingerprints covers this, or if we need additional (3rd set!) fingerprinting

5. A bank statement - can be printed anytime

6. Deed to our home - looking for it

7. Photographs of our family and home - need printed

Once we get our Home Study, USCIS approval, and Dossier shipped/translated that's it for paperwork until we leave!

Very precise Cardiology Report

Here is the information about Olive's heart:

Olive has Atrial Septal Defect with moderately significant LD shunt.

No medications were suggested.

No heart surgery was planned.

The next exam is scheduled for 11/13/2009.

That's all the information we've received.

I'm not sure what it means yet - but I'll be researching today :)

A little update about our progress:

We applied for my passport - it should arrive in 3-6 weeks.

We are waiting on our home study report for revision, and finalization.

We are sending in our USCIS paperwork next week.

We're finishing up the last few pieces of paperwork for our Dossier.

We have weddings we're shooting this weekend that are going to keep us very busy.

But we're thankful for them because all profits from them are going towards Olive's adoption.

We are going to be having another garage sale next weekend too.

We are going to be pulling the stuff out every weekend we don't have other obligations in hopes to sell it ALL and make as much money for Olive as we can.

We'd really like to raise all our funds this summer to be able to travel to get her as soon as her country will allow.

God Math

Don't you just love God Math?

If you're not familiar what I'm talking about, it's when your budget, and brain say "this is not possible - we will not make it. We can not afford it"

And then God does his "God Math" and all the sudden it is possible, you will make it, and you can afford it... not because of something you've done - but by some mind-boggling way God has afforded it to you.

Well, we've had some serious God Math over here.

Just days after my last post, lamenting about why He wasn't blessing us with finances - He was just about to!

Some how when we had our foster kids, and life was impossibly busy, I (crazy budgeter, check book always balanced, bills always paid, me - some how paid our mortgage two times, on two different months!

I know - how do you not notice that!?

How did I of all people not notice that!?

Well, some how I didn't, and God did his God Math - and we don't have a mortgage due until August, because I already paid it!

HALLELUJAH!

That leaves us with about $7,552 to fundraise.

We'd love to travel in October - so that's about 13-14 weeks from now.

Its such a scary number, but I just have to believe that God will work it out.

If He can do this with out me being aware - He can do anything!

Later:

Well we got slammed with some unexpected bills that ate up this month's mortgage. So, that makes me sad. But, still - God knew it was coming - and he provided. Wether it goes to Olive or keeping us current on unexpected bills - it's all in His hands.

Still Waiting

We're still doing a lot of waiting around here.

We're waiting for paperwork,

Waiting for appointments,

Waiting for Olive's cardiology notes to be translated...

We've had a lot of "duds" for fundraisers.

Our Garage sale this past week didn't do well.

And this week we were suppose to have a "Parent's Night Out" and no one signed up...

I'm not sure what God's plan is in this - you'd think that He'd reach out His Mighty Hand and bless us in our efforts.

But, He is not.

Sometimes I get discouraged because of it - but I'm trying to believe that He has a purpose for this that will bless us more than finances in this minute would.

But, Cara and Doug have blessed us yet again with another picture of our little girl.

Isn't she just so beautiful.

I wish with every part of my being that I could go over there right now and get her.

It literally hurts my heart that I can't.

I wish that God would just have mercy on us, and spare us all of this process, and make some wonderful, amazing way that we could just go get her NOW!

But, He wont - and we'll wait. And she'll wait. And We'll continue to have faith that He's working, and it's the best for everyone - even though bringing her home tomorrow sounds better to me.