Home Study & Much Much More

        I apologize for the delay of a new post.  I'm definitely not as good at keeping up with this blog as I would like to be.  I've decided that my goal for next year is to post once per month during the first week of each month.  That way you can know when to expect an update.
      Life here is BUSY.  Our home study was conducted Friday December 3rd.  It was a four hour interview of Daniel and I.  Daniel thought is was a lot of fun, I thought it was fine but had a hard time answering some of the questions on the spot.  I'm much more of an internal processor than he is.  Over all I think it went well.  The  questions ranged from our parents personalities, our style of discipline, our will, our dog, best and worst childhood memories and on and on.  As soon as the home study was over we left for Kansas City to celebrate "Thanksmas" with my family.  The five hour drive gave us time to process everything and we had fun asking the family some of the questions. 
           Another big event is that we turned in our "child preference profile".  This is the form where we are able to specify gender, age, what you consider to be acceptable health problems/concerns (anything from cleft lip-HIV).   We have requested a female 0-12 months.  This would be the age at time of referral (when we receive the child's information) so there is a chance our child will be older than 12 months when we get to pick her up.  This form was VERY emotional for me as I hate marking no to anything but unfortunately we just don't have the finances or ability to care for some of the issues that were presented.
      Next on my list of updates is finances!  We have been SO SO SO blessed by everyone's outpouring of support both in prayer and finances.  So far we have just over 1/3 of our expenses paid.  $10,000!!!  It has been so bizarre how every single time we have money due for something.  Within a couple days, that exact amount will come in the mail, or Daniel will get a side job to trim someones trees and be paid that amount, or in whatever way, the money comes in exactly as we need it.  Never more, never less.  It is so re-assuring that the Lord is guiding our journey in very obvious ways.
    So in finishing, what's next.  Well, our home study should be completed and mailed to us in 3-5 weeks.  Once that is received we will be able to send our petition to US immigration requesting permission to bring a foreign child to the US.  Once that is granted we go on the wait list for our child!!  Typically it takes about 8-10 months until we receive our referral.  Of course that is just an estimate of time-we've been told over and over that is by no means set in stone as every situation is different. 
       Thanks again to everyone for your support!  Every hug and smile is so encouraging.  Merry Christmas and I will update you again at New Years!
 

Full Speed Ahead!

Our homestudy is scheduled for December 3rd!!  For those of you who don't know, a homestudy is when a social worker comes to the home, interviews you as a couple, interviews you individually, and inspects the home.  They are the one who can deem you "unfit parents" and halt the entire process (very unlikely but can happen).  It's a major milestone in the adoption process.  Once we recieve an approved homestudy we can apply for immigration.  We'll also be able to apply for grants.  Last week we got our first set of fingerprints taken for our FBI profile.  I was told I have really poor fingerprints while Daniels of course were perfect.  Go figure. I knew I had married Mr. Perfect. :) We were both impressed with the fingerprint scanner instead of smudging ink all over our fingers.  I have my second round of bloodwork this week and Daniels are scheduled for next week.  This round tests for blood born diseases.  Our first round checked cholesterol, blood sugar, etc. which we both passed with flying colors.  Now I'm working on rounding up the final papers for our dossier so we can get them approved by the secretary of state.  Never a spare moment!!  Adoption is working out to be a full time job in itself! 

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord".

Amidst all the paperwork I sometimes loose site that we're actually going to get a baby!!  Everything is so focused on getting the next paper requested and sent and signed and notarized that I loose site of the final prize.  Today we were talking about trick or treating and one of my coworkers said "maybe you'll be shopping for a costume for your baby this time next year".  I almost fell over.  I really might!  Most likely we wont have our baby yet but it's possible!  It's so fun to be reminded that the paperwork really will end and not only will it end but it will end with our family becoming three.

With Every Step Hope

One small step forward!!  Group one and two of our paperwork got sent in last night!!!  WOOHOO!!  I felt such a sense of relief when I dropped it off at the Fedex office.  We still have 3 things that we need to add to the paperwork but it's all in motion.  We still need to save up some more money to pay our first major payment but then we'll be able to schedule our homestudy.  I'm getting anxious to have our homestudy completed so we can get CIS paperwork sent in and approved so we can get on the wait list for a baby!!!!!  Also, once our homestudy is completed we can begin applying for grants and such.  Slowly but surely we're moving forward!

Details of the Journey to Two

Well, I've been asked by many to explain our story so here it goes in brief.   Our "Journey to Two".  Daniel and I met in Maputo, Mozambique Africa.  We were on separate missions trips that happened to be at the same orphanage at the same time.  Daniel walked through the door into the back yard where I was hanging clothes on the clothes line and the rest is history.  We married a year later and just celebrated our two year wedding anniversary.  One of our very first conversations was about adoption and that has lead to where we are today!  Thus- Journey to Three has begun! 

Interesting statistics

I got this from Adoption Ark this morning and thought it was interesting info.

Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa

Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans

Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone)

143,000,000 Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years3 in an orphanage or foster home

Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…

Every YEAR 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system

Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT

Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no family to belong to and no place to call home

In Ukraine and Russia 10% -15% of children who age out of an orphanage commit suicide before age 18.

60% of the girls are lured into prostitution. 70% of the boys become hardened criminals.

Many of these children accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as slaves. Millions of girls

are sex slaves today, simply because they were unfortunate enough to grow up as orphans.

Is today my babys birthday???

Our process marches on.  I've completed 95% of our first group of paperwork which feels FANtastic.  The paperwork hasn't been difficult but is incredibly time consuming.  The one good thing about it is that it's pulled me out of my constant mourning for the birth mother.  August and part of September were extremely hard for me in the aspect of concern for the birth parents- particularly the birth mother.  In the near future she will be giving birth to our baby and then ...... the event that brings our baby to us.  It's the ...... that's really hard.  I'm desperately praying for her and feel like I could pray "better" if I knew the situation.  Of course that's impossible.  I dont know if she's going to die or if she makes a conscious decision to give up her baby due to lack of food or .......?  There are tons of things to fill in the .... with.   My major request is that everyone be praying for the birth mother. For her salvation and whatever the unknown situation is.  Please pray that God will grant her immense, unmeasurable peace.

Basics

IT'S TRUE!!! We're ADOPTING!!!!  We're so excited to begin this process!  So, to answer some questions...We're adopting from Ethiopia.  We don't know the sex of child we'll be getting.  Our child will be between the ages of 4 months and 18 months.  We should get to go to Ethiopia to pick up our child in roughly 15-20 months.  Now, for the most frequent question-Why are we adopting?  Well, number one, we love children.  Daniel and I met in an orphanage and got to witness the orphan crisis of Africa first hand.  There are millions of children who need food, shelter, and above all love.  Those are things Daniel and I can provide in abundance.   We have decided to adopt before having biological children because we want to have the opportunity to devote ourselves fully to our adopted childs needs.  We are aware that our child will have endured a tremendous amount before arriving in our arms and we want to give as much love and attention as possible right off the bat.  All in all... it just makes since to us and feels right in our hearts.  Thanks for joining us on our journey!!