I am usually a really hard person to buy for...can't come up with anything that I really want (other than our approval from Rwanda!) but I LOVE this!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/64291564/burlap-tree-skirt
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Due Date
I usually don't look at the ticker on my blog when I open the page. I know I haven't added anything new lately, but that is only because there has been nothing new to add. At least in regards to our adoption. I usually just log on and scroll down quickly to see if there are any updates from families who's blogs I follow and then click there. Today, I have a little extra time, so I decide to let the page load completely and look at the little ticker. 8 months, 4 weeks, 1 day. In other words, had we been awaiting a birth, I would more than likely be in the hospital today. However, we remain in line, enduring the wait before us.
No, we have no idea how long this wait will be. I have been mentally preparing myself for the idea this could take years. As I have mentioned before, we have a sweet family in our church who just returned from China last month with the baby girl they waited 5 years for. It can be done, it has been done, it will be done again. GOD is in control. HE is Sovereign. HE knows the day and HE know my child and it will happen in HIS timing.
Right now I am focusing on the two precious gifts I have already been given. They are growing up before my eyes and I want to slow down and take it all in. Maybe we will wait 5 years. If that is HIS will, then HE will give me the endurance. His plan is perfect.
No, we have no idea how long this wait will be. I have been mentally preparing myself for the idea this could take years. As I have mentioned before, we have a sweet family in our church who just returned from China last month with the baby girl they waited 5 years for. It can be done, it has been done, it will be done again. GOD is in control. HE is Sovereign. HE knows the day and HE know my child and it will happen in HIS timing.
Right now I am focusing on the two precious gifts I have already been given. They are growing up before my eyes and I want to slow down and take it all in. Maybe we will wait 5 years. If that is HIS will, then HE will give me the endurance. His plan is perfect.
Friday, November 12, 2010
persistance
Just letting everyone who reads this know that there was no news this week. It's been a long week and I'm glad for the weekend.
One blessing we have received however, has been in the form of the community of adoptive families who pray for and support one another. One of these families, who are also adopting from Rwanda, and who happen to be very close to us in line, actually lives here in KY, about 2 hours away. We have been emailing, and are meeting for dinner tomorrow night about 1/2 between us.
I am so excited about this! Fellow believers who have also been called to adoption in Rwanda! They have requested two boys, so one day, all our little ones will get together and play. Maybe they are friends in the orphanage right now. Regardless, our kiddo will know other kiddos like him or her and be given the opportunity to bond with them. Matt and I will have other parents close, whom we may very well travel with one day, to share our joys and experiences along the way. God it good!
One blessing we have received however, has been in the form of the community of adoptive families who pray for and support one another. One of these families, who are also adopting from Rwanda, and who happen to be very close to us in line, actually lives here in KY, about 2 hours away. We have been emailing, and are meeting for dinner tomorrow night about 1/2 between us.
I am so excited about this! Fellow believers who have also been called to adoption in Rwanda! They have requested two boys, so one day, all our little ones will get together and play. Maybe they are friends in the orphanage right now. Regardless, our kiddo will know other kiddos like him or her and be given the opportunity to bond with them. Matt and I will have other parents close, whom we may very well travel with one day, to share our joys and experiences along the way. God it good!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Blessing
I had such a blessing just now. I have a facebook friend, a woman I have never met, on the other side of the world, living in Kagali, Rwanda. This is where my waiting little one is. This precious woman and group of other precious women, just went to visit my sweetie and all the other little sweeties waiting in the orphanage. They did infant message and some physical therapy with the babies and played with the toddlers.
I wonder if she saw or held my baby. I wonder if mine was one of the lucky ones to get some individual TLC today. I am so blessed to have this bit of insider info. To know that my baby is not tied to a crib or laying in the dark crying with no comfort. To know that the nuns and volunteers do the very best they can, that they LOVE my baby and my God and know how my heart aches to be there myself.
Thank you Lord for the gift of this knowledge. Please let the day come soon that I can be there myself to hold my little one in my arms and take them HOME.
I wonder if she saw or held my baby. I wonder if mine was one of the lucky ones to get some individual TLC today. I am so blessed to have this bit of insider info. To know that my baby is not tied to a crib or laying in the dark crying with no comfort. To know that the nuns and volunteers do the very best they can, that they LOVE my baby and my God and know how my heart aches to be there myself.
Thank you Lord for the gift of this knowledge. Please let the day come soon that I can be there myself to hold my little one in my arms and take them HOME.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Nothing new
Don't get excited, there is nothing new, just thought I'd let you all know that! I turned 31 on the 19th. fun. No really, my sweet hubby got a cake and a pair of shoes I wouldn't buy myself. When I woke Gracie up that morning she sleepily said "happy birthday Mommy!" That's really the best. The love from my family. My birthday wish was for some more movement in Rwanda, but didn't get it, yet. Hopefully soon.
Other than that, October is almost over. Yesterday was Gracie's last soccer game. She really enjoyed it this year. A new week ahead to pray for our kiddo in Rwanda, to love on the kiddos and my hubby I have here, to take each day as God gives and be thankful for it.
Other than that, October is almost over. Yesterday was Gracie's last soccer game. She really enjoyed it this year. A new week ahead to pray for our kiddo in Rwanda, to love on the kiddos and my hubby I have here, to take each day as God gives and be thankful for it.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
126!!!!!
Just got the email from our agency, our dossier is number 126! I know that sounds like a big number, but it's smaller than we thought! There are approx. 150 dossiers in Rwanda's Ministry of Gender and Family Promotions. Our dossier has been touched, looked at, and given number 126!!! YEAH GOD!!!!
Faithful
I was reading another adoptive family's blog just now and read of their non objection letter being sent out today, dated Oct 12. As I commented on her blog, the old Steve Green song came to me, in thinking about the families who have gone before us and the wait they have endured with no news for months at a time. In case you don't know what i'm talking about, here are the lyrics, so very appropriate!
We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
REPEAT CHORUS
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
REPEAT CHORUS
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Friday, October 8, 2010
I love him.
Have I told my husband lately that I love him? I need to call him tonight to tell him. You see, he's working AGAIN this weekend. This has been a blessing for us. We had prayed that the Lord would provide for us financially as we wait for our child from Rwanda. To be honest, the Lord had already blessed us. We are both very frugal, not the type to need designer clothes or the latest digital gadget. My kids love to go to consignment shops and get hand-me downs. I love a good clearance sale!
I work full time as a teacher. I love my job, and both my kids go to school, so what would I do at home all day anyway (stay at home mom's are supposed to laugh hysterically here, I know you do SSSSOOOO much!)
My husband Matt is an entomologist. He's "the bug boy" if you've ever sent us an email. He works full time for the Louisville Metro Health Dept. and really likes his job, though lots of people tell him he should be doing something "bigger" with his gift of teaching and love of research. He is where God would have him be right now.
To add to our income and fund our upcoming travel expenses, he has taken a 2nd job, part time, with an engineering group out of Indiana. This has occupied his weekends for the last couple of months. We miss him. He's such a great dad. He will be a great dad to Samuel Levi or Samara Hope. My kids are so lucky to have a daddy who works so hard for them. all three of them.
I work full time as a teacher. I love my job, and both my kids go to school, so what would I do at home all day anyway (stay at home mom's are supposed to laugh hysterically here, I know you do SSSSOOOO much!)
My husband Matt is an entomologist. He's "the bug boy" if you've ever sent us an email. He works full time for the Louisville Metro Health Dept. and really likes his job, though lots of people tell him he should be doing something "bigger" with his gift of teaching and love of research. He is where God would have him be right now.
To add to our income and fund our upcoming travel expenses, he has taken a 2nd job, part time, with an engineering group out of Indiana. This has occupied his weekends for the last couple of months. We miss him. He's such a great dad. He will be a great dad to Samuel Levi or Samara Hope. My kids are so lucky to have a daddy who works so hard for them. all three of them.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Movement
Well, there was more movement today. I guess you can compare this to feeling the baby kick :) We received news of some approvals sent out today! That's especially awesome as these are the first approvals since January. The way it works or has in the past, is that once the Ministry completes its review of the dossier and sends you an approval, then they send the dossier to the orphanage. It is run by Catholic nuns who we have heard do an amazing job with what little they have, taking care of so many little ones. They genuinely love and care about these child and want to see them in forever homes.
They match a child with the dossier they receive from the Ministry, and then send the dossier back with information on the child. The Ministry then sends it to the waiting family. SO, even after approval, there is a couple months wait for a referral. The families who got approval today will hopefully get referrals in the next couple of months, Lord willing.
The rest of us are waiting in line for a number. That is the rumor mill I am circulating in now, what number we are. I have heard families who are number 136 and 137 in line, and I know we were DTR about the same time as them, if not a bit earlier. So I would speculate that we will be somewhere between 120-135. We shall see. In the meantime, it's awesome to feel this baby kick as we watch movement take place on the other side of the world. Every bit of movement takes us one tiny step closer to our little one! Keep praying, the Lord is working in His perfect time!
They match a child with the dossier they receive from the Ministry, and then send the dossier back with information on the child. The Ministry then sends it to the waiting family. SO, even after approval, there is a couple months wait for a referral. The families who got approval today will hopefully get referrals in the next couple of months, Lord willing.
The rest of us are waiting in line for a number. That is the rumor mill I am circulating in now, what number we are. I have heard families who are number 136 and 137 in line, and I know we were DTR about the same time as them, if not a bit earlier. So I would speculate that we will be somewhere between 120-135. We shall see. In the meantime, it's awesome to feel this baby kick as we watch movement take place on the other side of the world. Every bit of movement takes us one tiny step closer to our little one! Keep praying, the Lord is working in His perfect time!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
More encouragement
Hey all! Got an email from the agency today with some good news! They have officially confirmed that the Ministry is actively working to review "multiple dossiers from our agency." This is great news, that movement is happening. I wish I knew what "multiple" meant. I am not kidding myself by thinking ours is one of them, as we are so far back in line, but I would be so thrilled for the families who have waited so long in line ahead of us if they were to get referrals soon. This week even!
God is amazing, and if He has in His plan for us to get our child soon, we will, however He might have a long wait in store for us, and most days I'm good with that too. Some days not so much, but I am only human :) Thank you Father for some encouraging news. Please work in the hearts and hands of the people at the Ministry to send out referrals soon. Most importantly, but with our waiting little ones. They have families, they are NOT orphans. "There are no orphans of God."
God is amazing, and if He has in His plan for us to get our child soon, we will, however He might have a long wait in store for us, and most days I'm good with that too. Some days not so much, but I am only human :) Thank you Father for some encouraging news. Please work in the hearts and hands of the people at the Ministry to send out referrals soon. Most importantly, but with our waiting little ones. They have families, they are NOT orphans. "There are no orphans of God."
Monday, September 20, 2010
Encouragement
I hope I'm not over stepping my bounds by posting this, it's not really my news to share, but I wanted to relay it in hopes that it brings the same encouragement to another family it just brought to me.
I just read on the yahoo group our agency has set up for Rwanda families that movement is happening! We have seen the evidence of this over the last couple of weeks as numbers have been assigned to families up to 70 something I believe. With an estimated 150 or more dossiers in Rwanda, we know ours is to be longer in coming, though we don't have any idea how long.
According the group posting, a special room has been set up just for the reviewing of dossiers, and they are in fact being reviewed. This is awesome news! The idea was also stated that we could see some approvals soon, perhaps even by the end of the month! COULD is the opporative word, but wouldn't that be great!!
Please be in special prayer for another family in our program. They have been waiting for over a year now. Their DTR date is almost exactly a year to the day ahead of ours. Please pray that we are not also still waiting a year from now, but that God will hasten the work of the wonderful people of the Ministry and that we will soon have Levi (or Samara Hope) in our arms!
"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." Samuel 1:27
I just read on the yahoo group our agency has set up for Rwanda families that movement is happening! We have seen the evidence of this over the last couple of weeks as numbers have been assigned to families up to 70 something I believe. With an estimated 150 or more dossiers in Rwanda, we know ours is to be longer in coming, though we don't have any idea how long.
According the group posting, a special room has been set up just for the reviewing of dossiers, and they are in fact being reviewed. This is awesome news! The idea was also stated that we could see some approvals soon, perhaps even by the end of the month! COULD is the opporative word, but wouldn't that be great!!
Please be in special prayer for another family in our program. They have been waiting for over a year now. Their DTR date is almost exactly a year to the day ahead of ours. Please pray that we are not also still waiting a year from now, but that God will hasten the work of the wonderful people of the Ministry and that we will soon have Levi (or Samara Hope) in our arms!
"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." Samuel 1:27
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Take a number....
It's very hard to answer the questions of very well-meaning people who ask things like "so, when do you get your baby?" I know they are being kind and know I want to, need to talk about it sometimes, but most don't understand when you say, "I have no idea." Rwanda has seen very little movement in the processing of adoptions this year. In fact, I have heard there have been no referrals at all in 2010, but this may not be entirely accurate, it's hard to get fast facts.
August was a hard month for all of the families adopting from Rwanda, as news spread that Rwanda was suspending all new applications for an unknown amount of time. A panic ensued, causing a rush of paperwork through the Rwanda embassy in order for families to make it DTR (dossier to Rwanda) by the new deadline of August 31. I want to thank everyone who prayed us through this time. I truly felt God's peace, that only He could have given. Our dossier made it in time and we have received word that it is in fact at the Ministry, somewhere near the end of the line.
Just how long is the line? Well, we have heard from several families in our agency group that have been DTR for months, that the Ministry has begun to hand out numbers to the people in line. They have also received word that the woman, and yes that was singular, who processes the paperwork, has spent more time on them lately. Adoption paperwork is only about 3% of her job. This news is great, that progress of some type is being made.
As for us, we were DTR September 1. Our paperwork got to the Ministry Sept 6. The people we know who were DTR in February are #46. We have NO idea when we will receive a number or what that number will be. I have heard maybe 120 or more dossiers are ahead of us.
But you know what? GOD IS IN CONTROL. HIS timing is perfect. I believe He has a child in Rwanda meant to be a part of our family and HE will bring about His plan.
In the mean time, keep asking, I do love to talk about it, and maybe soon I'll have an answer, "we're number--- in line!"
August was a hard month for all of the families adopting from Rwanda, as news spread that Rwanda was suspending all new applications for an unknown amount of time. A panic ensued, causing a rush of paperwork through the Rwanda embassy in order for families to make it DTR (dossier to Rwanda) by the new deadline of August 31. I want to thank everyone who prayed us through this time. I truly felt God's peace, that only He could have given. Our dossier made it in time and we have received word that it is in fact at the Ministry, somewhere near the end of the line.
Just how long is the line? Well, we have heard from several families in our agency group that have been DTR for months, that the Ministry has begun to hand out numbers to the people in line. They have also received word that the woman, and yes that was singular, who processes the paperwork, has spent more time on them lately. Adoption paperwork is only about 3% of her job. This news is great, that progress of some type is being made.
As for us, we were DTR September 1. Our paperwork got to the Ministry Sept 6. The people we know who were DTR in February are #46. We have NO idea when we will receive a number or what that number will be. I have heard maybe 120 or more dossiers are ahead of us.
But you know what? GOD IS IN CONTROL. HIS timing is perfect. I believe He has a child in Rwanda meant to be a part of our family and HE will bring about His plan.
In the mean time, keep asking, I do love to talk about it, and maybe soon I'll have an answer, "we're number--- in line!"
Monday, September 6, 2010
Dossier has landed!!!
I just checked the tracking and our dossier has made it to Rwanda!! Isn't God just awesome!! I was thinking this afternoon, it's been in Poyle, GB (wherever that is) since Sept. 3, it hung out for several days. I was wondering if they celebrate Labor Day in GB? Would Fedex work on Labor Day? The estimated date of delivery was Sept.6, wait that was today! Well, it was just an estimate...
Then I get home to the message! It's there! Our Power of Attorney will pick it up and take it to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion. Please pray that it is accepted (we have been told it will be) and added to the other dossiers they currently have.
Our specific prayer request now is that the Ministry will choose to process all the existing dossiers before they begin work on the Hague. That they will be done soon.
Please pray for our little one. Mommy and Daddy are one more step closer to you Levi!!
Every Blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise! Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
Then I get home to the message! It's there! Our Power of Attorney will pick it up and take it to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion. Please pray that it is accepted (we have been told it will be) and added to the other dossiers they currently have.
Our specific prayer request now is that the Ministry will choose to process all the existing dossiers before they begin work on the Hague. That they will be done soon.
Please pray for our little one. Mommy and Daddy are one more step closer to you Levi!!
Every Blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise! Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Got THE Call!!!!
We got the good news about 30 minutes ago! We are DTR!!!!! Our dossier has been picked up and is on it's way! Praise the Lord! He is so good! We will get an email with a fed ex tracking number this afternoon, but the call said it's signed, sealed and on it's way!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
lost check
Just real quick, I have to get Gracie to soccer practice. We are still not DTR. Our dossier is stamped, sealed, certified, and ready to go...and still at the embassy in DC. They lost our check and won't release the paperwork to our agency for shipping to Rwanda until they get another one. I love N at AWAA, she has spent so much time over there being our voice and our hands and feet as she works to get our dossier out of the USA and in it's way! Tomorrow, again, we hope to get our fed ex tracking number. God is Great, He is doing something here, and we might never know this side of Heaven what that is, but I have faith and a suprising level of peace. Please keep the prayers coming! I feel them :)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tomorrow....again...
Little news to report. Our agency went to the embassy this morning to be told our dossier was not ready yet, but to come back after 2pm and it should be done. I checked my email about 4pm to find a message that it could not be picked up today because they are so overwhelmed at the embassy with people and dossiers coming in, they haven't finished the one's they've had already. I am trying not to be frustrated. Ours has been there since August 4th. I know God has a plan and His timing is perfect, but it is frustrating. My human spirit is crying out in selfishness, "DO MINE FIRST!" but I must wait on the Lord. Please pray for my attitude and that TOMORROW will be the day!
"Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you, where ever you go. Have I not commanded you?"
"Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you, where ever you go. Have I not commanded you?"
Friday, August 27, 2010
I will trust in the Lord...
Well, so far so good. I am trying to remain positive and maintain an unflinching faith the god is in complete control, but there are moments of weakness and worry. I have never had to fully rely on God the way I am right now. It is very humbling and I am not so good at it :)
I was on cloud nine yesterday, as I spoke to our agency and was told that our dossier should be in the air this morning. I checked my email several times, expecting to see an email that had a fed ex tracking number for us to follow. E had said she expected a package sent Friday to make it by Monday, that gave us a day to spare!
Well, I have again had to give up complete control to God. Another call today stated that the dossier was one signature short as of this morning. This is third hand info, so forgive me for any inaccuracy, but I understod the message to say that a woman whose job it is to give the final signature, was out of the office today. Evidently signing dossiers is not her only, or main responsibility and she was not be back until Monday.
My heart sank at the news. i had expected to spend the weekend tracking our dossier across the ocean on it's way to Rwanda and recieve a confirmation of DTR on Monday. However, we still have hope. I had read on a yahoo group posting last night, and E confirmed, that the Ministry has agreed to accept all dossiers that the emabssy currantly has in its possession. Our's included! So, even if it does not make it by the 31st, since it has been in the embassy all this time, it should still be accepted and logged in.
PLEASE DON"T STOP PRAYING!!!!!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
I acknowledge His complete control.
I was on cloud nine yesterday, as I spoke to our agency and was told that our dossier should be in the air this morning. I checked my email several times, expecting to see an email that had a fed ex tracking number for us to follow. E had said she expected a package sent Friday to make it by Monday, that gave us a day to spare!
Well, I have again had to give up complete control to God. Another call today stated that the dossier was one signature short as of this morning. This is third hand info, so forgive me for any inaccuracy, but I understod the message to say that a woman whose job it is to give the final signature, was out of the office today. Evidently signing dossiers is not her only, or main responsibility and she was not be back until Monday.
My heart sank at the news. i had expected to spend the weekend tracking our dossier across the ocean on it's way to Rwanda and recieve a confirmation of DTR on Monday. However, we still have hope. I had read on a yahoo group posting last night, and E confirmed, that the Ministry has agreed to accept all dossiers that the emabssy currantly has in its possession. Our's included! So, even if it does not make it by the 31st, since it has been in the embassy all this time, it should still be accepted and logged in.
PLEASE DON"T STOP PRAYING!!!!!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
I acknowledge His complete control.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Another call!
This one had some promising news. Rwanda will definately be closed to new referrals as of August 31st, next Tuesday. At this point they will only be processing dossiers they already have logged in and will be re-opening only after they complete the Hague certification process.
Our good news is that we serve an Awesome God! Our dossier was logged in the Rwanda embassy in DC August 4. We were told it would take about 4 weeks to get processed (Sept 4) and then be sent to Rwanda. Our agency sent a sweet lady over to the embassy today to expedite the dossiers that where close to being finished, ours made it that far! I talked to her about 4:00, she had been on the phone with the embassy at 3:30 and they had been signing our as she spoke to them!!
She will go back in the morning, pick it up, and take it immidiately to Fed Ex to sent priority to Rwanda. She said that from past experience, papers sent Friday usually got there by Monday. Our deadline is Tuesday!
Please continue to pray! We are so close! Never before have a gotten to see God's hand at work so clearly! Of course, at any time He could close the door, if He so chooses, but please pray that it makes it in time!
I was listening to the radio on my way to work this morning and heard this, right at the time I needed it...
"Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
Our good news is that we serve an Awesome God! Our dossier was logged in the Rwanda embassy in DC August 4. We were told it would take about 4 weeks to get processed (Sept 4) and then be sent to Rwanda. Our agency sent a sweet lady over to the embassy today to expedite the dossiers that where close to being finished, ours made it that far! I talked to her about 4:00, she had been on the phone with the embassy at 3:30 and they had been signing our as she spoke to them!!
She will go back in the morning, pick it up, and take it immidiately to Fed Ex to sent priority to Rwanda. She said that from past experience, papers sent Friday usually got there by Monday. Our deadline is Tuesday!
Please continue to pray! We are so close! Never before have a gotten to see God's hand at work so clearly! Of course, at any time He could close the door, if He so chooses, but please pray that it makes it in time!
I was listening to the radio on my way to work this morning and heard this, right at the time I needed it...
"Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
I got a call...
Today has been an emotional roller coaster. As the last bell rang, I heard my cell phone ring. I could not answer it, so I let it go to voice mail, thinking it was Matt or something and I could call him back after dismissal. Once the kids were out the door, I checked my voicemail without looking at the number, hearing "This is E from AWAA, we're going to expedite your dossier, there have been some changes, call me back." My heart did a back flip! The agency called US in the middle of the day? EXPEDITE the dossier? What does that mean??
I called her back and of course, got her voice mail, don't you love phone tag? I left her a message to say I got her message and could be reached on my cell phone. I had a meeting after school, and just as I sat down, my phone rang! I ran out of the room thinking, ok, maybe there are all these children waiting for homes and they need families ASAP, so they are rushing dossiers over to match with them!
The sweet voice on the other end was so up beat and pleasant. She told me then that Rwanda is in the process of becoming Hague compliant. That means they want to set up their adoption system so that it follows all the international adoption guidelines.
This is great for the kids. It helps to prevent things like child trafficking and mandates that adoptive parents go through training and such. For us, it's nothing new, as our agency follows all the Hague rules already and we already had to do all that. but there are lots of people who adopt from Rwanda independently, without an agency's help. This lowers some costs, but is definately not for the faint of heart!
Anyway, while they are going through this certification process, they are going to stop accepting any new dossiers. E made it sound as though they are going to continue to process the dossiers they already have. Here is where we stand...on the EDGE. Our dossier has spent the last 3 weeks in DC being authenticated by the Rwanda embassy. This can take as long as 4 weeks. It may or may not be completely done at this point.
Our wonderful agency is sending someone tomorrow to go check on it. If it is not done, it will be expedited (still not sure what all that means.) Then she will send it via Fed Ex to Rwanda. They MIGHT accept it and add it to the pile.
PRAY!!! That tomorrow, when it is checked, it will be found complete! Then, that it will travel safely to Rwanda. That it will arrive in Rwanda to welcoming hands who will log it in and add it to the pile to be processed BEFORE they stop accepting any new dossiers.
I feel almost selfish. I have gotten to know some very wonderful families who are just behind us in the process, who will now have to wait until Rwanda re-opens, or make some hard decisions on what to do next. We might very well be among them. Only God knows the next step for any of us. HE is in complete control. HE knows the desire of our hearts and HE will do the work for our good and HIS glory. Praise be to MY GOD! My rock and my redeemer!
I called her back and of course, got her voice mail, don't you love phone tag? I left her a message to say I got her message and could be reached on my cell phone. I had a meeting after school, and just as I sat down, my phone rang! I ran out of the room thinking, ok, maybe there are all these children waiting for homes and they need families ASAP, so they are rushing dossiers over to match with them!
The sweet voice on the other end was so up beat and pleasant. She told me then that Rwanda is in the process of becoming Hague compliant. That means they want to set up their adoption system so that it follows all the international adoption guidelines.
This is great for the kids. It helps to prevent things like child trafficking and mandates that adoptive parents go through training and such. For us, it's nothing new, as our agency follows all the Hague rules already and we already had to do all that. but there are lots of people who adopt from Rwanda independently, without an agency's help. This lowers some costs, but is definately not for the faint of heart!
Anyway, while they are going through this certification process, they are going to stop accepting any new dossiers. E made it sound as though they are going to continue to process the dossiers they already have. Here is where we stand...on the EDGE. Our dossier has spent the last 3 weeks in DC being authenticated by the Rwanda embassy. This can take as long as 4 weeks. It may or may not be completely done at this point.
Our wonderful agency is sending someone tomorrow to go check on it. If it is not done, it will be expedited (still not sure what all that means.) Then she will send it via Fed Ex to Rwanda. They MIGHT accept it and add it to the pile.
PRAY!!! That tomorrow, when it is checked, it will be found complete! Then, that it will travel safely to Rwanda. That it will arrive in Rwanda to welcoming hands who will log it in and add it to the pile to be processed BEFORE they stop accepting any new dossiers.
I feel almost selfish. I have gotten to know some very wonderful families who are just behind us in the process, who will now have to wait until Rwanda re-opens, or make some hard decisions on what to do next. We might very well be among them. Only God knows the next step for any of us. HE is in complete control. HE knows the desire of our hearts and HE will do the work for our good and HIS glory. Praise be to MY GOD! My rock and my redeemer!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
I SO stole this!!
TOP THIRTEEN WAYS THAT PREPARING A DOSSIER IS LIKE BEING IN COLLEGE
1. The eternal, nagging feeling that there is some homework you should be doing right now
2. The first look at the syllabus causes a panic attack
3. The printer or computer will fail to cooperate when there is a deadline
4. Sometimes the stress just calls for a beer
5. One night, around 2am, you begin to question the meaning of it all
6. The constant feeling that some huge anonymous entity is determining the course of your life
7. You're constantly being asked questions you don't know the answer to
8. You keep wondering why this is so dang expensive
9. You pull several all-nighters working on papers
10. You begin to question if you really are Dossier Material
11. You work really hard on a paper just to be told you have to rewrite it
12. The final exam determines if you pass or fail
13. After you complete the course, time stands still as you await the results in the mail
School's out.
1. The eternal, nagging feeling that there is some homework you should be doing right now
2. The first look at the syllabus causes a panic attack
3. The printer or computer will fail to cooperate when there is a deadline
4. Sometimes the stress just calls for a beer
5. One night, around 2am, you begin to question the meaning of it all
6. The constant feeling that some huge anonymous entity is determining the course of your life
7. You're constantly being asked questions you don't know the answer to
8. You keep wondering why this is so dang expensive
9. You pull several all-nighters working on papers
10. You begin to question if you really are Dossier Material
11. You work really hard on a paper just to be told you have to rewrite it
12. The final exam determines if you pass or fail
13. After you complete the course, time stands still as you await the results in the mail
School's out.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Born again!
My sweet Gracie was baptized this morning at our wonderful church, Ninth and O Baptist, by our awesome Senior Pastor, Bill Cook. I know the church name is a bit weird, but many moons ago it was built on the corner of 9th street and O street, way back when streets just had letters and numbers in Louisville Ky, to give you an idea of just how old the church is!
Anyways, she was so excited, in her white dress with gold cross ear rings I had given her this morning. We had a total of 5 baptisms this morning, including two of Gracie's best friends. Our minister made the point that this is more than many churches will baptize in a year! We are so blessed!
Gracie was saved during Bible school this summer, and made it very clear that she understood that she was already a Christian, on her way to heaven, and that the baptism was just a symbol, but it was still a very special moment for us. Since before she was born my prayer has been that she would accept Christ at an early age and grow in Him. I was so blessed to see this prayer answered and we continue to pray the same for our little Isaac.
Our church has an outreach program called Roselyn's Hope, you can check out if you google the church's website. It's an orphan care ministry. We consider adoption to be part of the Great Commission, to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Evangelism begins in the home, with our children, what better way to bring a child to Christ, than to first adopt them into your family?
We love you Gracie and I thank the Lord for the ultimate gift of your salvation. I pray that your siblings, BOTH of them, follow in your example!
Anyways, she was so excited, in her white dress with gold cross ear rings I had given her this morning. We had a total of 5 baptisms this morning, including two of Gracie's best friends. Our minister made the point that this is more than many churches will baptize in a year! We are so blessed!
Gracie was saved during Bible school this summer, and made it very clear that she understood that she was already a Christian, on her way to heaven, and that the baptism was just a symbol, but it was still a very special moment for us. Since before she was born my prayer has been that she would accept Christ at an early age and grow in Him. I was so blessed to see this prayer answered and we continue to pray the same for our little Isaac.
Our church has an outreach program called Roselyn's Hope, you can check out if you google the church's website. It's an orphan care ministry. We consider adoption to be part of the Great Commission, to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Evangelism begins in the home, with our children, what better way to bring a child to Christ, than to first adopt them into your family?
We love you Gracie and I thank the Lord for the ultimate gift of your salvation. I pray that your siblings, BOTH of them, follow in your example!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Still waiting...
As of today, I say goodbye to summer break. Tomorrow I start back to my life as a 4th grade teacher, my little boy starts preschool, and next week, my big girl starts 1st grade. I have spent the last couple of days running. Gracie to cheer camp in the morning (just for fun) she had to have an eye exam for school and they both had dentist appointments. Then today I got their immunization records and took Gracie's school records to her new school. Isaac's preschool open house is tonight.
Life stays so busy, and I pray the busy schedule will make the waiting easier. We still are not DTR, our dossier is at the Rwandan embassy in DC getting translated I guess. is that what they do there? I know it gets translated at some point, cause we paid a pretty penny for a translation fee! It should be there another week before being sent to Rwanda via FedEx, then we'll get an email saying we are DTR- Dossier to Rwanda. Then the REAL waiting begins.
I continue to pray for my miracle. a sudden rush of approvals and referrals, moving the long line quickly ahead. I spoke to a friend last week who waited over 2 years for her daughter from China, and a couple just joined our Sunday school class who are getting a referral this month from China, after having waited 5 YEARS!! The sweet woman said she wept when she got the news of the referral, and the Lord told her, why are you so suprised? Isn't this what you have been praying for?
HIS timing is perfect! Maybe my sweet little one has yet to be born, or even conceived. My prayer is that he (or she) is loved, is spared any suffering, and God will give us peace until we have him (or her) in our arms.
Life stays so busy, and I pray the busy schedule will make the waiting easier. We still are not DTR, our dossier is at the Rwandan embassy in DC getting translated I guess. is that what they do there? I know it gets translated at some point, cause we paid a pretty penny for a translation fee! It should be there another week before being sent to Rwanda via FedEx, then we'll get an email saying we are DTR- Dossier to Rwanda. Then the REAL waiting begins.
I continue to pray for my miracle. a sudden rush of approvals and referrals, moving the long line quickly ahead. I spoke to a friend last week who waited over 2 years for her daughter from China, and a couple just joined our Sunday school class who are getting a referral this month from China, after having waited 5 YEARS!! The sweet woman said she wept when she got the news of the referral, and the Lord told her, why are you so suprised? Isn't this what you have been praying for?
HIS timing is perfect! Maybe my sweet little one has yet to be born, or even conceived. My prayer is that he (or she) is loved, is spared any suffering, and God will give us peace until we have him (or her) in our arms.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Waiting
Yesterday I sat under a very wise, godly woman in my church during a woman's Bible study class. We have been "reading" Fearless by Max Lucado this summer. I put in quotes because I have not been faithful to actually read the book much. It's just nice to get together with other women on Wednesday night and be taught from the Word and lead in discussion by Rose. She is such a blessing, a strong prayer worrier and gifted teacher.
Anyway, our discussion last night was doubt, very appropriate for me right now. Rose told that she had listened to two different sermons this week, from two different pastors, who spoke of the waiting of Simion and Anna, you know, in Luke, the elderly man and woman to whom God had promised to see the messiah before they died.
Rose reminded us that these dear, faithful people had waited, not days, or weeks, or months, even years, but DECADES to have this promise fullfilled.
What if, the day before Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simion and Anna had said to themselves, we're tired of waiting, God has not answered our prayers, we give up, we're not going to the temple tomorrow?
They would have missed God's promise fullfilled! In His perfect timing!
Rose also talked about praying for a miracle and praying specifically. She said the miracle might not be directed at you personally, but just to be able to see God's hand in action in a way that can only be described as miraculous.
So, here is my specific miracle that I am going to pray for: that God would move dossiers in Rwanda TODAY! Maybe his answer to this prayer will be no, or maybe He will answer wait some more, wait months, wait years, but each day, I will pray that it will be today, and in His perfect timing, He will answer, on the today that He has already chosen.
Anyway, our discussion last night was doubt, very appropriate for me right now. Rose told that she had listened to two different sermons this week, from two different pastors, who spoke of the waiting of Simion and Anna, you know, in Luke, the elderly man and woman to whom God had promised to see the messiah before they died.
Rose reminded us that these dear, faithful people had waited, not days, or weeks, or months, even years, but DECADES to have this promise fullfilled.
What if, the day before Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simion and Anna had said to themselves, we're tired of waiting, God has not answered our prayers, we give up, we're not going to the temple tomorrow?
They would have missed God's promise fullfilled! In His perfect timing!
Rose also talked about praying for a miracle and praying specifically. She said the miracle might not be directed at you personally, but just to be able to see God's hand in action in a way that can only be described as miraculous.
So, here is my specific miracle that I am going to pray for: that God would move dossiers in Rwanda TODAY! Maybe his answer to this prayer will be no, or maybe He will answer wait some more, wait months, wait years, but each day, I will pray that it will be today, and in His perfect timing, He will answer, on the today that He has already chosen.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Dossier to AWAA!
This morning I got up and headed to the computer to check email and track the status of our dossier. The estimated delivery date had been the 3rd, so how surprised was I to see that it had been delivered at 8:43am! I quickly sent our family coordinator an email to let her know the tracking said it was there.
About 10:45 am I checked email again to find a message saying that yes, it was received, and that she had already looked over it and quote "it looks great!" This was such a relief. Not only to have it arrive safely and intact, but that, at least at a first run through, it was complete and correct! I had carried a fear that I had done some paper incorrectly or had messed it up somewhere, but the Lord's providential hand was on this labor of love. He has guided us every step so far and He will continue to lead.
All we can do now is bathe our process in prayer, as we bathe our child in prayer. It's hard to pray, Lord, please let my baby have enough to eat today. Lord, please send someone special to love on my baby for me, until I can get there to do it myself. Lord, protect my baby from harm, from fear, from hurts that I can't even think about right now. Let my baby feel your arms of love until my little one can feel my arms of love.
About 10:45 am I checked email again to find a message saying that yes, it was received, and that she had already looked over it and quote "it looks great!" This was such a relief. Not only to have it arrive safely and intact, but that, at least at a first run through, it was complete and correct! I had carried a fear that I had done some paper incorrectly or had messed it up somewhere, but the Lord's providential hand was on this labor of love. He has guided us every step so far and He will continue to lead.
All we can do now is bathe our process in prayer, as we bathe our child in prayer. It's hard to pray, Lord, please let my baby have enough to eat today. Lord, please send someone special to love on my baby for me, until I can get there to do it myself. Lord, protect my baby from harm, from fear, from hurts that I can't even think about right now. Let my baby feel your arms of love until my little one can feel my arms of love.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Dossier to FedEx!
It has been a LONG day. We got up this morning, on our 9th wedding anniversary by the way! and drove to Staples to make copies. I hogged a copy machine for 3 hours, not exaggerating!! to make 4 complete copies of our dossier. Then I double checked them to be sure each was complete.
We went home for a bite to eat and Matt took the package to FedEx. Turns out FedEx does not like to sell insurance on papers. Matt brought it home when he found out he couldn't insure it for more than $100. He also brought home sushi from our favorite joint for our anniversary dinner. The kids ate pizza :)
After a long phone call to 1800FEDEX, I talked to a guy that said we could buy the insurance if we could prove the value of the paper work. I have receipts!! So Isaac and I went back to FedEx to send it out. By this time we had missed the last pick up of the day, but the box, you read right, no envelope, it took a box to hold the entire stack of dossier documents and 2 copies our agency needed got insured and the appropriate labels attached and is currently sitting on a shelf at FedEx.
It's completely in God's hands now. Lord, protect our precious papers. Get them safely to AWAA and then to Rwanda. Let the right people do the right things with them to bring our truly precious package home.
We went home for a bite to eat and Matt took the package to FedEx. Turns out FedEx does not like to sell insurance on papers. Matt brought it home when he found out he couldn't insure it for more than $100. He also brought home sushi from our favorite joint for our anniversary dinner. The kids ate pizza :)
After a long phone call to 1800FEDEX, I talked to a guy that said we could buy the insurance if we could prove the value of the paper work. I have receipts!! So Isaac and I went back to FedEx to send it out. By this time we had missed the last pick up of the day, but the box, you read right, no envelope, it took a box to hold the entire stack of dossier documents and 2 copies our agency needed got insured and the appropriate labels attached and is currently sitting on a shelf at FedEx.
It's completely in God's hands now. Lord, protect our precious papers. Get them safely to AWAA and then to Rwanda. Let the right people do the right things with them to bring our truly precious package home.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Field Trip!!
We are officially certified, verified, and authenticated!! I have had a very busy day. Thinking that the certification process might take awhile, I took the kids to my friend Jena's house and then went downtown. Thanks to a phone call and some FB messages last night I knew right where to go!
There was no line, I went right up to a very nice lady who looked up my notaries in a HUGE book (can we say dark ages) and then stamped some pgs with seals and stapled them to my precious papers! This took about 30 minutes, because, unlike a lot of programs, Rwanda program requires EVERY dossier pg to be notarized and authenticated. $90 to Jeff Co Clerk!
As I drove to get the kids I began to get brave...I could drive to Frankfort today too, it's only an hour...right?
So I picked up the kiddos an stopped and Mc-y-D's and off to Frankfort we went! I really loved Frankfort, beautiful little town. Good old google got me right to the Franklin Co clerk's office, where I had to have our police reports county certified. Then the sweet girl behind the counter gave me excellent directions to the capital building. $10 to Franklin Co Clerk!
These people must get a lot of kids! Each desk at the capital building had a sweet lady behind it, a canister of dumdums on it, and crayons and coloring pgs in the corner. While one lady staples more gold sealed papers to my precious documents, another showed my kids around. We took a quick tour and said high to the statues and gazed up at the dome. They even kept a scrap book full of photos of kids who have been adopted in Ky. I told them we'd send them a new picture soon! $110 to Secretary of State!
The kids had fun jumping down all the steps on our way out and we had an uneventful drive home. Not bad for a day's work. Thank you Lord for providing the time and money to get it done, for keeping us safe on the drive, and for my well behaved kiddos! Isn't God Great?!!
There was no line, I went right up to a very nice lady who looked up my notaries in a HUGE book (can we say dark ages) and then stamped some pgs with seals and stapled them to my precious papers! This took about 30 minutes, because, unlike a lot of programs, Rwanda program requires EVERY dossier pg to be notarized and authenticated. $90 to Jeff Co Clerk!
As I drove to get the kids I began to get brave...I could drive to Frankfort today too, it's only an hour...right?
So I picked up the kiddos an stopped and Mc-y-D's and off to Frankfort we went! I really loved Frankfort, beautiful little town. Good old google got me right to the Franklin Co clerk's office, where I had to have our police reports county certified. Then the sweet girl behind the counter gave me excellent directions to the capital building. $10 to Franklin Co Clerk!
These people must get a lot of kids! Each desk at the capital building had a sweet lady behind it, a canister of dumdums on it, and crayons and coloring pgs in the corner. While one lady staples more gold sealed papers to my precious documents, another showed my kids around. We took a quick tour and said high to the statues and gazed up at the dome. They even kept a scrap book full of photos of kids who have been adopted in Ky. I told them we'd send them a new picture soon! $110 to Secretary of State!
The kids had fun jumping down all the steps on our way out and we had an uneventful drive home. Not bad for a day's work. Thank you Lord for providing the time and money to get it done, for keeping us safe on the drive, and for my well behaved kiddos! Isn't God Great?!!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Can't Sleep
This is very unusual for me. I never have trouble sleeping. Maybe it's the 2 1/2 hr nap from this afternoon. Anyways, a good excuse to sit and reflect on the awesome God I serve! He has blessed us so abundantly and given us things over the last few days that we had been wanting, but not even praying for.
First, yesterday, I got a message on FB from a woman I go to church with, and honestly don't know that well. Anyway, she sent me a message and said that she had heard through the grape vine that Gracie was taking piano lessons and did we need a piano?
Well, my poor little girl has been taking lessons for about 5 months now (off and on thanks to summer schedules) and practicing on an old electric keyboard from MY teenage years. My mom has a piano in Ashland, but it has been impossible (ok, I know nothing is impossible with God, and we really hadn't put THAT much effort into it) to coordinate a plan to get it to Louisville, short of spending major bucks, which we have a more important place to spend our bucks at the moment.
This wonderful lady and her husband are going to the mission field and looking for a place to "store" the piano for the next 5 years or so, do we want it?!!! YEAH GOD!
Free piano!
Blessing #2- anyone who has been to our house and hung out in our family room has seen the sad shape of the furniture. We have a love seat that is now several shades of tan with very mis-shaped pillows and a chair that we drug out of the house of the deceased grandmother of a friend, years ago. Again, would love to have new furniture, but saving money to bring little Vanderpool home.
Sweet family in our Sunday School class announces this morning they are giving away their love seat and chair set to make room for their new furniture! Does anyone want it?!! Yeah!!
SO now, we have a piano, and a sofa and chair set, all free, all beautiful, all gifts from wonderfully generous brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our God is GREAT!
Oh, and last but MOST important, sweet little Monroe has a family! Somewhere, a family is waiting to take him home!! Isn't it just overwhelming how good God is?
First, yesterday, I got a message on FB from a woman I go to church with, and honestly don't know that well. Anyway, she sent me a message and said that she had heard through the grape vine that Gracie was taking piano lessons and did we need a piano?
Well, my poor little girl has been taking lessons for about 5 months now (off and on thanks to summer schedules) and practicing on an old electric keyboard from MY teenage years. My mom has a piano in Ashland, but it has been impossible (ok, I know nothing is impossible with God, and we really hadn't put THAT much effort into it) to coordinate a plan to get it to Louisville, short of spending major bucks, which we have a more important place to spend our bucks at the moment.
This wonderful lady and her husband are going to the mission field and looking for a place to "store" the piano for the next 5 years or so, do we want it?!!! YEAH GOD!
Free piano!
Blessing #2- anyone who has been to our house and hung out in our family room has seen the sad shape of the furniture. We have a love seat that is now several shades of tan with very mis-shaped pillows and a chair that we drug out of the house of the deceased grandmother of a friend, years ago. Again, would love to have new furniture, but saving money to bring little Vanderpool home.
Sweet family in our Sunday School class announces this morning they are giving away their love seat and chair set to make room for their new furniture! Does anyone want it?!! Yeah!!
SO now, we have a piano, and a sofa and chair set, all free, all beautiful, all gifts from wonderfully generous brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our God is GREAT!
Oh, and last but MOST important, sweet little Monroe has a family! Somewhere, a family is waiting to take him home!! Isn't it just overwhelming how good God is?
Friday, July 23, 2010
Someone out there...
I am copying this from another blog. Go to her blog to see his sweet face and read his story. There is someone out there God is calling to adopt this little boy.
"Monroe is five years old. He is so fortunate to still be in a baby house. For those of you unfamiliar with adoptions in country of the Ukraine, around a child's fifth birthday they are transferred to an insane asylum. All children with special needs go there. For most, it is a death sentence. They simply cannot survive the heinous conditions. Monroe WILL be transferred in just six months. That's how long a family has to get to him. The institution he will be moved to is known to be one of the worst in the country. There is no way sweet Monroe can survive there. Absolutely no way.
This adorable little boy deserves the love of a family and the medical intervention he so desperately needs. The fact that Monroe has CP should just be a big whatever. Just like every other child, he deserves a mommy and a daddy to help him become ALL that God has created him to be. There is nothing 'wrong' with Monroe, but everything RIGHT with him. He is created in the image of an Almighty Father--fearfully and wonderfully made just the way he is. Please will you pray with me? Please will you help me spread the word about Monroe?
All he needs is someone to say, "Here I am Lord, send me!" Everything else is already provided. Due to an incredibly generous benefactor, the adoption costs for Monroe are completely covered! Monroe has a $20 000.00 grant....
$20 000.00!"
From http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2010/07/im-pleading.html
"Monroe is five years old. He is so fortunate to still be in a baby house. For those of you unfamiliar with adoptions in country of the Ukraine, around a child's fifth birthday they are transferred to an insane asylum. All children with special needs go there. For most, it is a death sentence. They simply cannot survive the heinous conditions. Monroe WILL be transferred in just six months. That's how long a family has to get to him. The institution he will be moved to is known to be one of the worst in the country. There is no way sweet Monroe can survive there. Absolutely no way.
This adorable little boy deserves the love of a family and the medical intervention he so desperately needs. The fact that Monroe has CP should just be a big whatever. Just like every other child, he deserves a mommy and a daddy to help him become ALL that God has created him to be. There is nothing 'wrong' with Monroe, but everything RIGHT with him. He is created in the image of an Almighty Father--fearfully and wonderfully made just the way he is. Please will you pray with me? Please will you help me spread the word about Monroe?
All he needs is someone to say, "Here I am Lord, send me!" Everything else is already provided. Due to an incredibly generous benefactor, the adoption costs for Monroe are completely covered! Monroe has a $20 000.00 grant....
$20 000.00!"
From http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2010/07/im-pleading.html
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
More good mail!
Today I received the county authenticated documents from our home study. I love getting the mail every day! I know this is the rush time, as we get documents authenticated and photo pages put together. Soon, hopefully very soon, we will be in the long line of dossiers waiting in Rwanda.
I am prepared to wait. At least I tell myself that now. Give me 6 months, 9 months, and I might not be so willing to wait.
Right now I will do what I can and trust that the Lord's timing is perfect. He alone holds the future. He has already seen my child, He has already watched the moment that I hold my new little one in my arms. I must be content in that.
Monday, July 19, 2010
I 171 H!!!!!
We got our "advanced approval of an orphan petition" in the mail today!! That was SSOOOOOO fast!!! Praise God from whom all blessing flow!! Now to update physical forms, get photo sheets read, get copies and certifications! I'm so excited! Its going to be a busy week!!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
One More Thing Done!
Well, today we had our finger print appointments. Matt's was at 12 and mine at 1pm, but we both showed up at 12 and they took us right after the other. We took the kids with us and they were very well behaved.
The whole thing was quick and easy and the guy was very nice and asked about our adoption. I have to say that I have dealt with some very nice people through all this so far. Not everyone working for government agencies is rude and obnoxious. My husband being one!
SO now we wait for our approval letter. I700 something or other, I'm bad with the numbers on the forms. This will allow our child to become a US citizen as soon as they land at the airport and we won 't have to re-adopt. I just watched another family's "gotta" video, getting their baby girl. I can't for that to be me!
The whole thing was quick and easy and the guy was very nice and asked about our adoption. I have to say that I have dealt with some very nice people through all this so far. Not everyone working for government agencies is rude and obnoxious. My husband being one!
SO now we wait for our approval letter. I700 something or other, I'm bad with the numbers on the forms. This will allow our child to become a US citizen as soon as they land at the airport and we won 't have to re-adopt. I just watched another family's "gotta" video, getting their baby girl. I can't for that to be me!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Praise the Lord!
Well, I heard a statistic the other day, that 23% of Southern Baptist Baptisms are a direct result of Vacation Bible Schools. We are now a statistic! Gracie asked Jesus into her heart yesterday after talking to a sweet woman from our church who helps lead our VBS. She has been asking questions and showing interest for some time now, and I had prayed that the Lord would speak to her this week. She was so excited to tell people. She went around yesterday evening telling anyone who would listen! Now she says she wants to be a missionary when she grows up (it was a vet).
I am so thankful for her sweet spirit and open heart. We have been blessed with a precious daughter who loves the Lord and wants to serve Him! Not to mention she is extremely bright and precocious :) Please keep her in your prayers as she learns and grows in her faith and pray for Matt and I as we teach and lead her on that path. Yay God!
I am so thankful for her sweet spirit and open heart. We have been blessed with a precious daughter who loves the Lord and wants to serve Him! Not to mention she is extremely bright and precocious :) Please keep her in your prayers as she learns and grows in her faith and pray for Matt and I as we teach and lead her on that path. Yay God!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Love This!
You know you're an adoptive parent (or should be) if:
1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.
4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.
5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.
6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's "real" parents.
7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)
8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.
9. You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.
10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.
12. You know what the word "Dossier" means, and you can actually pronounce it!
13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.
14. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.
1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.
4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.
5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.
6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's "real" parents.
7. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)
8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.
9. You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.
10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.
12. You know what the word "Dossier" means, and you can actually pronounce it!
13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.
14. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
I Have a Very Important Appointment!
Well, we are home from a great week at the beach. I Highly recommend Topsail Island, NC to anyone who thinks a beach vaca should be laid back, lazy, and peaceful. The weather was gorgeous, the water was warm, the kids learned to swim!
I was a bit worried that I would be spending too much time stressing over adoption things yet to be done, but since all we could really do at this point is wait for USCIS approval, I relaxed and enjoyed myself and my wonderful family. Kept thinking that our "vacation" next year just could be Rwanda and Kenya! How amazing is that! oh, I pray that it comes that soon, or sooner. It has gotten to that point when you realize there is a missing family member who is not getting to experience family life with us right now.
To my delight, in the mail today I recieved my biometric appointment for the I600A! July 8, that's not horribly long to wait. I wonder why Matt's didn't come with mine, but I guess we'll see it soon too. One more small step in this awesome work the Lord so doing in our lives!
I was a bit worried that I would be spending too much time stressing over adoption things yet to be done, but since all we could really do at this point is wait for USCIS approval, I relaxed and enjoyed myself and my wonderful family. Kept thinking that our "vacation" next year just could be Rwanda and Kenya! How amazing is that! oh, I pray that it comes that soon, or sooner. It has gotten to that point when you realize there is a missing family member who is not getting to experience family life with us right now.
To my delight, in the mail today I recieved my biometric appointment for the I600A! July 8, that's not horribly long to wait. I wonder why Matt's didn't come with mine, but I guess we'll see it soon too. One more small step in this awesome work the Lord so doing in our lives!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
I600A to Dallas!
Well, the first official days of summer vacation has been productive! Started out slow, made cinnamon rolls for Gracie (Isaac will currently eat only gold fish crackers first thing in the morning, who knows?) Then the kids and I went on a field trip. First we visited the bank, where the nice lady gave them both suckers while Mommy withdrew a large amount of money. When she made the check out, she put U.S. Department Homeland Security. The form I had said to put U.S. Department OF Homeland Security. I'm sure they would have accepted it either way, but I have gotten quite paranoid about doing paper work incorrectly and having it rejected, so the sweet lady made me another check. I love the people at our bank. She said being involved in our adoption gave her goose bumps and made me promise to bring the new addition in to see her :)
Stop number two was the post office. I got one of those flat rate envelopes and addressed it to Dallas TX! I got the delivery confirmation for my own peace of mind! The gentleman said it should only take about two days to get there, which will be Saturday, so they should have it first thing Monday morning!
Please pray that we have included all necessary documentation and filled out everything correctly and the whole thing is processed quickly! It's in the Lord's hands now, as I know it has been all along :)
Stop number two was the post office. I got one of those flat rate envelopes and addressed it to Dallas TX! I got the delivery confirmation for my own peace of mind! The gentleman said it should only take about two days to get there, which will be Saturday, so they should have it first thing Monday morning!
Please pray that we have included all necessary documentation and filled out everything correctly and the whole thing is processed quickly! It's in the Lord's hands now, as I know it has been all along :)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day...
Well, it has been a productive, but frustrating day. Started off with a to do list that has gotten most crossed off. The car has been vacuumed and the grass has been cut. It sounds funny, but I kinda like cutting grass and Matt HATES it, so I ended up doing it.
Now for the frustrating part. Got an email from our social worker today stating he can't find our proof of payment for our home study and could we scan and email him our copy. Well, no biggy! right? I went through all of the papers in my precious purple folder....you heard of Lilly's purple plastic purse? well ALL of my documents and dossier in progress is in a purple plastic ocordian folder. I have everything in there organized just so...but could I find this paper? NO!
Now comes the painful part, letting Matt look through the folder...he actually put some papers in that needed to be there, so that was good, but he couldn't find it either! So, I email our social worker and say, sorry, can't find it, I do have a photo copy of the checks we wrote, but no proof of payment form! ARRGGHH!!
Love this guy. He is going to over night our home study to us tomorrow, at his expense, (I offered to pay!) so we can get our I600 in the mail THIS WEEK!! I have been waiting what seems like forever to get this part done.
Anyways, he's also going to contact the financial department to see if they have recieved our payments. Please pray that some form of proof of payment shows up!
Now for the frustrating part. Got an email from our social worker today stating he can't find our proof of payment for our home study and could we scan and email him our copy. Well, no biggy! right? I went through all of the papers in my precious purple folder....you heard of Lilly's purple plastic purse? well ALL of my documents and dossier in progress is in a purple plastic ocordian folder. I have everything in there organized just so...but could I find this paper? NO!
Now comes the painful part, letting Matt look through the folder...he actually put some papers in that needed to be there, so that was good, but he couldn't find it either! So, I email our social worker and say, sorry, can't find it, I do have a photo copy of the checks we wrote, but no proof of payment form! ARRGGHH!!
Love this guy. He is going to over night our home study to us tomorrow, at his expense, (I offered to pay!) so we can get our I600 in the mail THIS WEEK!! I have been waiting what seems like forever to get this part done.
Anyways, he's also going to contact the financial department to see if they have recieved our payments. Please pray that some form of proof of payment shows up!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
You Can Walk on the Water Too
Well, I've been trying unsuccessfully, to figure out how to attach a song to my blog. In the mean time, I must share this song. This has become my theme song over the past several weeks. It was playing on the radio after I dropped off my passport application and every time I hear it, I am encouraged in our journey to the unknown. I keep thinking I need to write to the artist and tell her how her song has lifted me up and reassured me that we are truly on the path that the Lord has set before us!
You look around and staring back at you
Another wave of doubt will pull you under
You wonder
What if I'm overtaken
What if I never make it
What if no one's there
Will you hear my prayer
When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that He won't let you go
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
So get out and let your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste, don't wait
And don't you turn around, and miss out on
Everything you were made for
Gotta be, I know you're not sure, more
So you play it safe, you try to run away
If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
Step out even when it's storming
Step out even when you're broken
Step out even when your heart is telling you, telling you to give up
Step out even when your hope is stolen
Step out you can't see where you're going
Don't have to be afraid
So what are you waiting what are you waiting for
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
You look around and staring back at you
Another wave of doubt will pull you under
You wonder
What if I'm overtaken
What if I never make it
What if no one's there
Will you hear my prayer
When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that He won't let you go
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
So get out and let your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste, don't wait
And don't you turn around, and miss out on
Everything you were made for
Gotta be, I know you're not sure, more
So you play it safe, you try to run away
If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
Step out even when it's storming
Step out even when you're broken
Step out even when your heart is telling you, telling you to give up
Step out even when your hope is stolen
Step out you can't see where you're going
Don't have to be afraid
So what are you waiting what are you waiting for
So what are you waiting for
What do you have to lose
Your insecurities
They try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes
And you can walk on the water too
Saturday, May 15, 2010
My Growing Gracie
Well, we had our first skinned knee due to a bike without training wheels today. No permanent injury, but it cut the lesson short. We have also made the decision to allow Gracie to get her ears pierced. It will be her Kindergarten graduation present from us. I bought her a pair of real ruby and gold studs awhile back at a big clearance discount, so she'll have real big girl ear rings once her ears heal. She's very excited!
She has also requested a sleep over for her July birthday. I have said ok, but yet to be determined how many little girls this will involve. I am thinking 3-5. Maybe I'm nuts!
In other news, we emailed our financial paperwork to our social worker Friday and the kids have their Dr appoint this Tuesday, so hopefully we'll be able to have our home study finalized this week! Keep praying!
She has also requested a sleep over for her July birthday. I have said ok, but yet to be determined how many little girls this will involve. I am thinking 3-5. Maybe I'm nuts!
In other news, we emailed our financial paperwork to our social worker Friday and the kids have their Dr appoint this Tuesday, so hopefully we'll be able to have our home study finalized this week! Keep praying!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Just another day in paradise!
Well, we officially have 13 days of school left! Gracie only has 10. She graduates from kindergarten two weeks from today :P She has gotten big so fast! We have decided to move her from CAL to Schaffner Elementary next year. This has been a difficult decision, but we feel that the Lord has opened this door for us. It's a top rated school in the traditional program, plus it's free! This will save us the $5000 we would otherwise have spent on tuition next year. Ultimately, she will receive a steller education, though it will be secular. We believe it's ultimately our responsibility to instill Christian values and educate our children in the Word, plus we have the awesome support of our church in raising our children in the way they should go.
CAL has been invaluable in providing a Christ-centered education and we will miss that tremendously, but we just can't afford to keep three kids there! And we have pledged to do as equal as possible for all three of our children. Yes, I do feel is though I already have three children, making long term plans and education goals!
CAL has been invaluable in providing a Christ-centered education and we will miss that tremendously, but we just can't afford to keep three kids there! And we have pledged to do as equal as possible for all three of our children. Yes, I do feel is though I already have three children, making long term plans and education goals!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Really on rge ball now!
OK, so I forgot my password and thought about ditching the blog idea, but I so enjoy reading other people's I thought it just wasn't fair! For those of you who are interested...we have applied to adopt a child from Rwanda between 6 moths and 3 years old. We are ALMOST finished with out home study (waiting to get the kiddos in the dr for physicals and be written up by our social worker). HOPEFULLY we have the I600A applied for in the next week or so. I would love to be at that point very soon.
There are 3 weeks of school left. Gracie will be graduating from Kindergarten(sniff) and Isaac will finish his first yr of pre-K. That's the only new news...I love seeing the end results of other people's adoption journeys! Figured I better share ours and hopefully encourage other families out their to prayerfully consider making adoption part of their "plan A" for their family. God is GOOD!
There are 3 weeks of school left. Gracie will be graduating from Kindergarten(sniff) and Isaac will finish his first yr of pre-K. That's the only new news...I love seeing the end results of other people's adoption journeys! Figured I better share ours and hopefully encourage other families out their to prayerfully consider making adoption part of their "plan A" for their family. God is GOOD!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Trying it out!
Well, so many of the families we have communicated with lately reguarding our new journey in life are blogging, I have decided to join the crowd. My name is Sarah Vanderpool. I am married to a wonderful man of God and father, Matt. We have two beautiful children who look just like their daddy. Gracie is a kindergartener and Isaac is in pre-k. We have felt God's call to add to our family by international adoption. After prayerful consideration, we have chosen to work with American World http://www.awaa.com to adopt a child from Rwanda.
We are very aware of the challanges we are about to undertake and are excitedly looking forward to watching the Lord work in our lives through this experience. We covet the prayers of family and friends. How exciting! This time next year we should know our child and be planning a trip to Rwanda to pick him or her up! I can't wait for you all to share in our joy!
We are very aware of the challanges we are about to undertake and are excitedly looking forward to watching the Lord work in our lives through this experience. We covet the prayers of family and friends. How exciting! This time next year we should know our child and be planning a trip to Rwanda to pick him or her up! I can't wait for you all to share in our joy!
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