changes...

The #1 lesson I am learning in this process of adoption is to expect the unexpected. We had hoped to have our paperwork in by June 15.  Our psychological evaluation is in Honduras being reviewed right now.  We are awaiting a favorable response on that along with the approval from USCIS (citizenship and immigration office) before we will be able to submit our dossier...hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

One of the reasons that we chose Honduras was that we did not want to have to travel more than once. 
1.  because I HATE to fly...as in I really have some issues.  My husband is threatening to drug me for the trip...and I can't say that I am really objecting!
2.  because we did not want to have to leave the boys twice in a short time period.
3.  because we did not want to have to meet our baby and then leave her only to return to pick her up several weeks later.

As you might have guessed from my gripping lead-in, it is looking quite likely that we will be traveling twice to Honduras.  Short trips...only 4-5 days long for each one.  But likely 6 weeks in between trips.  Five days of holding our precious daughter and then returning her to her crib for 6 very long weeks until we can make her forever ours.  I already feel angst about these 6 weeks.  Six weeks of knowing her smell, but not being able to smell it.  Six weeks of her missing our touch and our kisses and hugs.  But she has a Father her that knows her and loves her better than we ever could and we will entrust her to Him for those six weeks...and the rest of her life.  She is His before she is ours.

wow...just wow

We mailed in our application to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) exactly 2 weeks ago.  This notification came in the mail this week stating that they received our application...

Um, 1930 Salem Parkway does not exists.  Nor does Westloke, OH.  And 44148 is a non-existent zip code.   But most importantly...I am NOT 40 years old!!!!!  How this even made its way back to our hands is most miraculous!  My printing is fairly neat.  I was a school teacher.  I took a handwriting class in college.  And I passed.  With and A.  Clearly we have a God that is showing us just how much this baby girl is to be a part of our family.  We are praising God!

I have never felt more proud of the US Post Office!  Never.

And did you all notice the little thermometer on the side of the blog?  Go on.  Take a look.



Did you see?  $20,000.  $20,000!!!!!  A most generous loved one put up the remaining $3,000 that we needed to submit our paperwork.  We have huge hearts of gratitude!  Only $8,000 more to go.  We are still hoping and praying to have her in our arms by the end of the year!  Please pray that with us!

wonder

My friend, Ang, is adopting a baby girl from China...actually traveling in two weeks!  After she received her referral, she went back through her photos to see what she was doing the day her daughter was born halfway across the globe.  It was the day that the baby birds hatched in the nest in their tree.  Perfect.

We recently watched some baby birds hatch in our tree.  I wonder.  Was that the day our baby girl was born?

I realize that our story may not be the same as the Weldon's, but it made me think.  Will (or was) the day of her birth be just another ordinary day with a special little sign from God that we won't know about until we have that referral in hand?  I wonder.

garage sale recap *UPDATE*

*(UPDATE)* We made it.  Actually we surpassed it...totaling $2139.  Praise God!!!

I'm tired.  What an undertaking this was.  I will never have another garage sale....I think I said that last summer, though!  However, this sale I would do again in a heartbeat.  For an orphan.  Any orphan.  But today was for our orphan.  We ended the day with $1685 cash in hand.  We have a few things left that will sell on craigslist, I'm sure, putting us over the $2000 mark.  $2000.  $2000 from things that people were getting rid of.

Thank you to those of you who loaded your cars, vans, trucks, and trailers (yes trailers...thank you Smith's!) with items that we turned into cash for our baby girl!

Thank you to marvelous friends and family who came to sort, price, load and unload these items...even in the rain!  I was amazed at the hagglers some of you turn into when a baby girl is on the line! :)  The grunt work isn't fun or easy, so you all are rock stars in my book!

Thank you to my children who ate 6 consecutive meals of cookies and lemonade along with watching exorbitant amounts of netflix.  Oh, and thanks for trashing the house, too.  Lovely.

Thank you, God for this incredible journey of faith you have placed us on.  I am continually blown away...and a bit ashamed that my faith is so small.

So there's my speech.  Instead of an Oscar, I'll take my daughter! :)

garage sale

It is the night before the looming garage sale fundraiser for our adoption.  Our friends have been so generous with donations.  Our garage is packed TO THE GILLS with stuff to sell.  Everything from a beautiful dining room set to stuffed animals and a walker still with fresh tennis balls on the legs.  Anybody need a standard def. TV?  We have 6 to choose from.  6.

I'm pretty sure our neighbors think we're hoarders.  They don't know we're adopting and they haven't asked any questions, but you know they're just waiting for us to make an appearance on the show.

Shutters, windows.  We've got all ends of the spectrum.  This side of the house was all cleaned up on Friday only to be loaded with this on Saturday.

But by this Saturday it will all be gone one way or the other and we will be that much closer to getting our baby girl in our arms.  The weather forecast does not look favorable, which could make the day miserable.  I am hoping the front takes a sharp left turn to the north by 9am...and stays there til 5pm on Thursday. 

I'll have a weekend post with how it all went. 
I know you're all on the edge of your seats with anticipation...

memorial day

Some photos of a last.  Our dear friends, the Darge's are moving to Illinois.  The Parma Hts. Memorial Day parade has been a tradition the last few years.  Although, this year it had us wondering why.  It was so much less about a great parade and so much more about what we were celebrating.  Waiving our flags to memorialize the men and women who have served to keep us free.  So much more about the company...and the food.

Somehow the Darge girls missed the photo op.  I am not a professional, clearly.  Next year there will be another sweet girl in this mix of boys.  Our girl.  The Darge's must return for another parade.  The Westlake parade.

so close...

We are so close to submitting our dossier we can taste it!  Things are looking good in Honduras in that the adoptions are moving a bit quicker than the agency had originally anticipated.  So exciting.  The idea of holding our baby girl in our arms by Christmas is looking like it will become reality.  Please continue to pray with us for the funds to keep coming in.  Flower sales have been rather slow.  Our total need to complete the adoption is a tad under $15,000.  $6500 of that is needed in order to submit our dossier and keep things progressing.  Our goal is to have that money in hand by the end of the month so that the paperwork can be submitted.  The remaining $8500 is what we will need for travel and expenses in Honduras...including a humanitarian donation that the agency asks for which will go directly to the orphanage to help care for the other children.

We are having a garage sale on June 22nd and 23rd as a fundraiser.  We will begin taking donations the beginning of that week.  Consider what you may be able to donate...furniture, housewares, tools.  We are trying to stay away from clothes unless you have some really nice items that will sell.  We are excited to see how God is going to move mountains for us.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..."
                                                                                               ephesians 3:20