Follow the Road

We were reading the "dossier guide" and were disappointed to read, "Most families can expect to travel within 6-9 months after their log-in date." What?! That is sooo long to wait when we want him here now! We were so hoping to have him home by Christmas but that just may not be the case..

A lot of people show concern because we're adopting an "older" child. If the timeline is correct, he'll be about 2 1/2 years old when we get him. True, we would have loved to have had him home right after he was born, but that just isn't our reality, ours or his. So he'll be a little older; we won't love him any less! There are also lots of people asking me if anything is "wrong" with him. He has albinism. That doesn't make anything "wrong" with him, he just has that condition that he'll have to live with. It isn't anything major, it doesn't affect his character or mental capacity in any way. He'll just have to wear sunscreen more often than most of us do, that's all.

Long story short, this child has no family. None. We are honored to have the ability to bring a child into our home, whatever the age, and give him a family. I don't care what color his skin is or his hair, he'll be ours and we'll be his.

Ohana!

I Certify That It Is Finished

Went to Austin yesterday, got the documents

certified, and now we're back home! Just one final

step: authentication! If they can finish the

process in about 10 days, I will mail the

documents. If it takes months, we'll be making a

trip to Houston.
Counting down, counting down...

GOOD NEWS!

We were able to get some financial assistance! Pathways for Little Feet gave us a loan large enough to at least pay for the orphanage donation, which is a huge sum of money. We are so grateful for companies out there that offer help for families wishing to adopt! We have vowed to support their organization for life. Our financial support will help other families down the road.

We are heading to Austin tomorrow to get our dossier documents certified. The next step will be to get the very same documents authenticated. Then, it is finished! We are getting so close to bringing our little boy home. He'll be here before we can believe it.

I'm beginning the official countdown now. Gathering documents for the dossier is all the prep work, now the real work and waiting begins.

Hopefuls

We received an email from a man (Rocky) from a local church, that is over the Hope for 100 program the other day. The email contained a link to another company that might be able to help us financially. I spoke with a lady yesterday and got the pre-screening done so that we could apply. After chatting for a few minutes, we were both surprised to discover that her daughter, adopted from China, was at the very same orphanage that Chanz is at!
Rocky called this afternoon to check and see if we had any luck and to let him know if we needed anything. He said to check in with him and let him know our needs before we let this fall through. It felt so nice to have hope and understanding about this difficult process!

Waiting on You

We're still waiting for something to come through for us to help us proceed with this adoption. I get so frustrated with this whole process. The fees that we are required to pay are outrageous and I really feel adoptive parents get taken advantage of.
I've been praying everyday for a door to open for us. I feel like a stone has been dropped into my soul and it just weighs there, everyday. This little boy is already so much a part of our hearts and we desire nothing more than to welcome him into our home and show him a good life. I can't bear the thought of letting him down..he was already let down by his first parents.

I'm thanking God for making a way when there doesn't seem to be one. He's shown me that often enough throughout my own life, that's for sure.


I just heard a song with a message that applies to this whole process!
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Psalms 43:5  Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your
hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

I never expected adoption to have as many emotions mixed in with it as dealing with infertility. We are so excited, probably just as excited as any expectant parent would be. A little different, I'm sure, but I think a lot of the same concerns and stresses.
Unfortunately, adoption is quite expensive. We applied for financial assistance through the ABBA fund/Hope for 100 and have waited forever for a response. Well, I got a response alright: we were denied. "Of course!" I thought to myself. Why would it be easy? Nothing having to do with having children is easy for us!
I know, that sounds awful, but it's how I felt.
We have this precious little boy waiting for us (although he doesn't know it yet) and we face enormous expenses that with my human heart, mind and soul I CAN NOT foresee how we will EVER make it.
I'm just thankful I serve a God that's big enough to take care of this for us. I don't know how, I can't see how with the deadline we have to meet, but I'm just going to hold on to my faith that God will come through for us like he has so many other times in the past.
I'm not happy, I'm quite upset, actually. I was surprised by how upset I was! But all I could imagine was losing the opportunity to have that little boy. I can't bear the thought.
Prayers are welcomed and needed.
We only have one more piece of paper that we are waiting on to complete our dossier. We are sooo close to finishing the hard part of paperwork. I need God to show us how to afford it... quickly! Looks like another fast on the horizon