November 23rd!

This year on Thanksgiving, I will have an extra thing to be thankful for. The liaison in Ukraine got us a court date for our dossier submission on November 23rd, the day before Thanksgiving! Our social worker here thinks that he is trying to have us approved in Ukraine by the end of the year. While we still have a long way to go, I have felt so blessed in recent days by the people I have "run into" and by our church. This has happened so much faster than we thought it would given that it took about 6 months to complete the home study portion of our process.

Prayers that we need:

1) That the Lord would prepare the hearts and minds of the children He has waiting for us.
2) That the Lord would prepare our hearts (Dave, the kids, and I) to be open and loving to our children.
3) That God's will would ultimately be done. That the glory would be His.
4) That God will provide the finances needed to see this adoption to completion.
5) That we would make the right decision regarding what to do with Zoë and Addie during our time in Ukraine. Given how fast this is moving, we may travel before the summer, and they will still be in school. We want to do what is right by them, whether we un-enroll and home school them for a month or have them stay here for at least a portion of the time.

Thanks so much for your prayers during this time!

Operation Christmas Child!

My family has been so blessed and the kids wanted to share their joy and blessings with other children around the world. Each year, Samaritan's Purse sends out thousands of shoe boxes filled with gifts and the message of hope to children in impoverished countries. I don't know that these boxes will find their way to Ukraine where our future children are, and I won't be able to see the look on these kids faces when they get their box where ever they might be, but I know that Jesus loves the little children. A lot. Here are some pictures of the girls preparing the boxes. They spent a lot of time picking out just the right things for each one.

Here's Zoë;s finished product.

Here she is putting it together.

Addie's finished box.

Addie's preparing her box.

Madly wrapping and writing. Addie included her memory verse, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13. Of course they'll probably need a translator to figure that one out.

FINALLY!

Our home study is being finalized and we're starting the process of immigration! We had our first home study interview in March of this year and it's just now being finalized. I guess I thought this would be the easy part... little did I know :). The Lord has provided the money we need to finish the home study and begin the immigration paperwork, but we're now out of the money we've raised so far. Does anyone have any good ideas for a fundraiser? We still need to raise about $35,000! But God is faithful. This is HIS adoption, and if it's His will I know He will provide.

The Lonely Road

I was talking to someone last week about how lonely this adoption journey has seemed to me. Even though I talk openly with people about our adoption, why we're doing it, and what's happening, it's very difficult to not feel like you're on your own. Dave sort of knows what I mean when I talk to him, but I think he and I are experiencing this in very different ways. When I see the months turn on the calendar I can't help but notice that time is going by so fast, but then I think about all we have yet to do, and I wonder how we will ever get it done. My heart aches, and I think about the children the Lord has for us. I wonder what will happen, what they'll be like, and how our family will change. I commit this process to the Lord, and know that He knows the plans he has for us. It's just so scary to not know how things will happen, when they will happen, etc. I look at my girls and think, how will the effect them? What changes will happen in their lives? I have peace that I am where I need to be, and that knowing I don't know is OK. Maybe this is time for our family to grow with God, without the input of the outside world. Maybe we're learning more about ourselves in the process.

T-Shirts

I meant to post this on here a while ago, but here is a picture of the t-shirts we are selling for $20. If you would like to purchase one, let us know!

Just a hangin' out!

In my mind I am constantly wondering if this is the last summer of our life with 2 kids. Everything we do, I wonder, "what will this be like after the adoption?"... I have a feeling I have no idea! The length of time it takes to finalize an adoption is a little discouraging to me right now, but I am trying to persevere and have courage. It's all exciting at first, then slowly people stop asking you about it and then a day or two goes by and no one has said anything and I wonder if it's even real. Then I do some reading or fill out yet another page of questions or another form, and I know in my heart that it is. We're still trying to raise money, but that's slowed quite a bit too. I'm just trying to be like Joshua. Strong and courageous and trusting in the Lord each step of the way. We have had some encouragement along the way. We were lacking a reference letter that one of Addie's teachers had promised to write, and one of Zoe's emailed me and said he'd do it! He has adopted 3 times, and really has a heart for the Lord and a heart for orphans. It's been so amazing to notice the people God's placed in our lives over the past few months who can be of encouragement!

It's been a while!

There's not too much to report here... We seem to be in a holding pattern, waiting for the home study to be official. We thought we had completed everything, but as usual there is always another document we have to sign or something else to fill out. I took a health form yesterday to the girls' pediatrician for him to sign basically stating they didn't have any communicable diseases. Dave and I are finishing up our National Council for Adoption training, which is an 8 hour course we have to take online. It's very informative, but like the book reading we did, it can be overwhelming. I think I am going to be re-reading and learning when it gets a little closer to travel. Just to refresh! I think that above all, this journey is trying to teach me patience. I have such a hard time with waiting or delays, and that's just part and parcel of adoption! I am really wanting to meet with some other adoptive parents who have also adopted from Ukraine, just to talk with them, and maybe get some insight and support.