And they're off....Count Down...4 days

In 4 days Jeff will rescue our boys from the orphanage!


Jeff, Holly and Jason are off to begin trip # 2.  Today is actually a very big day for Jason because he took his first plane ride.  All went well, no nerves and lots of excitement!  Today is also the day after Holly's 17th birthday....Happy Birthday, Holly!

The one thing our US and UA teams have stressed is to "Pack light."  We tried, we really, really did!  Yet, somehow, we still ended up with 3 carry-ons, 3 personal bags (backpacks) and one medium sized checked bag plus the umbrella stroller.  I don't know how people pack lighter, seriously!  We only packed the bare basics for 5 people and still ended up with all that luggage. 

I will finish preparing our home for Matthew and Michael this week while Jeff and the kids are gone.  We still need to get the new carpet installed and I'll try to schedule the installers to come do that this next week.  Can't have three littles crawling on cold cement floors!  Getting things done this week has been a bit challenging because some kind of 'bug' has been going from person to person in our house for the past week or so despite our being very vigilant about washing hands/sanitizing, etc.  Justin is having a fever for the very first time in his life.  Since his open-heart-surgery, since birth actually, we have focused on trying to keep him healthy.   This little first is somewhat challenging to not let fear take over.  He'll be fine, he'll be fine, he'll be fine.....  I'm praying this bug will be flushed out of our home well before the boys get here!

Count Down .....6 days

In 6 days, we will walk our boys out of the orphanage for the last time!


God certainly DID have a surprise for us this morning.  He opened up flights left and right for Jeff, Holly and Jason to be able to travel from Lubbock to Kiev..and they leave a day EARLIER then we had hoped for!  Of course, the God who built the universe can open up 3 rides to Eastern Europe and 5 rides back, and He did!


Jeff and the kids will board a plane and travel to Dallas on Friday, Dec. 17 where they will have about a 12 hour lay-over over night.  We have family in Dallas, so they will spend the night with my Aunt Kathy (who is actually more like a sister since we are so close in age :-)


They will then board another plane in Dallas and arrive in Kiev 18 hours later.  They will have a few hours in Kiev to grab a bite to eat, relax, and tour the city before hopping on the over-night train to The City for a 12 hour ride.  It will be an amazing adventure that is for sure. 

Prayer requests for this trip:


1. Safe, uneventful travels with good weather with no delays

2. To get ALL necessary documents and paperwork COMPLETED in The City on Dec. 21, go get the boys out of the orphanage, GOTCHA DAY!, and be able to travel back to Kiev the evening of Dec. 21.


3. To finish all documents/Visa's/medical check-up's at the US Embassy Dec. 22 &23

4. To be able to make their scheduled flight out of Kiev back to USA Dec. 24 and arrive HOME later Dec. 24.

Counting Down.....7 days

7 days until the actual day we free Matthew and Michael from the orphanage!  ONE WEEK!


4 days until we need to leave to began our trip.  We were supposed to finalize our travel arrangements for the second trip today but it has proven to be quite a challenge getting us to Kiev from Lubbock on such short notice and so close to the Christmas holidays.  We still have no tickets.  Please pray something opens up and we can get there in time to get the boys out on Dec. 21!  God knows we need to get there so we are asking Him to open up the way and make this happen. 

We are excited to see what God has for us in the morning and are continuing on with our packing and planning!

Counting down....8 days

8 days until we bust the boys out of the orphanage!


Jeff and the girls arrived home safely this morning.  They had a 24 hour layover in Houston but that actually worked out great because they got to go spend the night with my sister and her family and visit.  Everyone was extremely tired and a bit jet lagged but holding up very well.   Excitement and joy filled our house as Jeff, Kayla and Rachel unpacked and we all began to talk about their Ukrainian adventure.  What neat stories that have to tell!!


Now we start to gather things for the second trip.  And, cannot forget that the we are putting in new carpet Thursday!  We'll be pretty busy for the next 5 days while we wait out the rest of the 10-day wait, which is a good thing because the time will seem to pass faster.  It seems a little unreal that we will have our boys in 8 days!  Dec. 21 cannot get here fast enough!

We went to church this evening and they threw us the most precious diaper shower for Matthew and Michael.  I am floored at the generosity of the body of Christ!  The love they showed us through packs of diapers and money tree just overwhelmed us.  We received 13 bags of size 2 diapers and 21 packs of size 3 diapers, 6 boxes of baby wipes and several other sweet gifts in addition to the money tree.  We had the best punch and cupcakes I believe I have ever eaten!!  Thank you all so much for loving on us with this shower!  Everything was just perfect!!!

Counting down the days...9 days until we "Getcha"

In 9 days we will go pick up our boys and walk out of the orphanage for the very last time.  In the world of international adoption this is called "Gotcha Day"!  It's the day we get the boys, Gotcha!  Our Gotcha Day will happen Dec. 21.  I hope to be able to ask the orphanage workers about the boys' care, schedules and watch them being fed.  Ideally, it would be great to feed them ourselves before we leave the orphanage so they know it is okay to accept food from us.I would like to see their beds and how they were put down for naps and bedtime.  I would like to see how they were bathed and changed.  Not that I am going to do any of the things the way the orphanage workers did, but it would just be nice to know because it might explain some things that may come up once home. 




I wish we could somehow help our boys ahead of time understand just what leaving the orphanage with us means.  They have seen kids being taken away through the very doors we will walk through.  They have heard their cries and sensed the fear.  A few have been adopted by families but most have been transferred, taken away against their will, going to a place full of strangers with no hope.  I wish we could help our boys understand that this is not their fate, that they are safe in our arms and there is nothing to be afraid of when we go get them on Gotcha Day.  Your prayers for this day, that our boys will  feel comfort, have peace and no fear, are greatly appreciated.


We will fly back to Kiev around Dec. 19 and arrive the afternoon of the 20th and take the overnight train that night to The City arriving at 7:00am Dec. 21.  From what our facilitator is telling us, we will only be in The City for one day.  We will have a lot of running around to do this day with getting the court decree, birth certificates, tax ID's, closing bank accounts, getting passports for the boys and then the most important, Gotcha Day!


We'll then run catch the overnight train back up to Kiev for the US Embassy appointments Dec. 22 and 23 which entails medical exams for the boys and Visa processing.  We should fly out of Kiev and head back home early Dec. 24 and arrive in the US later in the afternoon of the 24th due to the time change.  What a wonderful Christmas present to have our boys home for Christmas!!!!!!

You are FREE!

Well, hello, our brand new sons!  Today is very special because it is the day you 'officially' became our sons!  You have actually been our sons in our hearts ever since we laid eyes on you but today it became official!  Today, you are part of a family....our family!


What does it mean to be part of our family:


It means you are FREE!


Free from being an orphan,
Free from your cribs, 
Free from the orphanage walls, 
Free from boredom, 
Free from hunger, 
Free from filth, 
Free from loneliness, 
Free from being too cold and not warmed, 
Free from being too hot and not cooled, 
Free from being wet and not dried,
Free from wearing the same clothes for months,
Free from eating the same food for years,
Free from cries and moans in the distance,
Free from fear of being transferred.
Free from death in the next crib,


It means you are FREE to:


Cry and be comforted,
Cry and be fed,
Cry and be changed,
Explore your world,
Play with toys,
Listen to music,
Try new foods,
Take a bath,
Walk barefoot outside,
Ride on horses,
Pet dogs and cats,
Learn to read,
Learn to write,
Learn about God,
Love and be loved.




Today, you have a family....forever! We love you Michael and Matthew! 


All our love,
Daddy, Mommy, Wesley, Kayla, Holly, Jason, Rachel and Justin

TWO LESS ORPHANS.....

Introducing: Michael Scott Hannon and Matthew Scott Hannon!

At 3:30pm Ukraine time two little orphans became two little Hannons. They also became sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, nephews, cousins, neighbors, friends....

Thank you all for your prayers! God is so wonderfully mighty! He flung open doors for this adoption to happen. And here we are with TWO LESS ORPHANS in this world!  Did you notice I said UKRAINE!   Yes, Matthew and Michael are orphans no more in Ukraine!   Now that we are legally their parents I can say where they are. 

Court was at 2:00pm Ukraine time and lasted about 45 minutes.  There were 9 people in the room: Jeff, Luda our facilitator, the judge, a prosecutor, a bailiff,a couple of jurors, the orphanage representative, and a reporter.  The judge and prosecutor asked many questions like: How big is your house?, How much money do you make?, Can you care for two more special needs orphans and why do you think you can?,  What does your wife do?.  

After the questions, Jeff was asked to wait in the hallway.  Luda stayed in the courtroom to wrap things up.  After a few minutes, she came out to the hallway and asked Jeff for the photo album we had put together of our family and place we live.  She took it back into the courtroom and showed all the people.  About 30 minutes later, Luda came out of the courtroom and congratulated Jeff and said they were done and that the boys were now ours!


Now begins the 10-day wait.  The court decree will be ready Dec. 21.  We will go back to The City our boys are in, to pick up the boys, get their new birth certificates, tax ID's,  passports and then travel back to Kiev to get their exit medicals and Visas.  We should be able to fly home Dec. 24 and be home for Christmas!!!


Thank you all for your continued prayers.   They have been felt and appreciated more than you could ever know!  To be a part of this process is such an honor and is very humbling to say the least.  I'll leave you with this verse,  John 4:18  "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you".   I pray you will let God use your hands and feet as His own.

We have a court date.....TOMORROW!

Our facilitator just called and said we will have court in 18 hours, Friday December 10, at 2:00pm the boys time or 6:00am our time!  

WOW!  Another answered prayer!  Thank you God!  Thank you prayer warriors for covering this in prayer.  Prayers that the judge will show favor and allow us to adopt Matthew and Michael are very much appreciated!

Traveling to the boys' City ~ day 5

Today was a VERY busy day for Jeff and the girls.  They woke up early, packed up their bags, cleaned the apartment, grabbed a bite to eat and then went and picked up a few things at the store since they are about to leave the Capital City.  They ran over to the SDA building to pick up the referral papers at 4:00pm their time.  At 7:00pm their time, they boarded an overnight train for a 12 hour trip to The City our boys are in.  Our facilitator, Luda, joined them on the trip and will help them once in The City.  I have had very little contact with them today since they are on the train but as soon as they get to The City, I will be able to Skype with them and tell you more about their adventures on the train.

~~~~~~~~~~~UPDATE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just text Jeff and he said they are just now pulling into The City!  Woo, hoo!  They are there safely!!  The day will be full of paperwork.  They will go meet the boys in about two hours....TWO HOURS!  In two hours my husband and daughters will be holding our sons for the very first time!  In two hours, our sons will be holding their daddy and sisters for the very first time!  

All I have to say is, "Thank you Father for this day!"  What a miraculous day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Keep them in your prayers that they can rest on the train.  They will have a FULL day ahead of them when they get to The City.


They should get to meet the boys tomorrow sometime!!!!  Please be in prayer that the orphanage director agrees to allow the adoption to continue and that the boys are not too overwhelmed by all the new people.


Thank you all who are praying for our family!  Your prayers mean so much to us and are felt across the ocean...

SDA Appointment ~ Day 4

Bright and early this morning Jeff and the girls were met at the apartment by our facilitator, Serge.  He drove them over to the SDA building where they would get the formal invitation to adopt Matthew and Michael.  The whole meeting literally took less than 5 minutes.  They showed them the boys official files and talked a little about each child.  They showed them a picture of each child.  Sometimes they will exchange the picture they have for one that we bring but this would not be the case for us but that is okay.  We are very grateful for the pictures we do have. 

They met in the SDA building below:

And, this is a beautiful cathedral next door to the SDA building:

Jeff said the temperature there was -10 * C this morning and that translates to 14* F.  Very cold!  Jeff and the girls will pick up the SDA paperwork tomorrow at 4:00pm their time and go hop on an overnight train and go to the region our boys are in.  They will get to go to the orphanage and meet the boys Friday!!!  Oh what a day that will be!!!  To be able to love on and hold our children for the very first time.....priceless, miraculous!  

In Country ~ Day 3

Today Jeff and the girls slept in most of the morning to catch up on much needed rest and to overcome jet lag.  Here are a couple of pictures of their apartment.  It is very modern and WARM!

They then ventured out to explore the city a little in the afternoon.  It was a terrible cold day but they bundled up and went anyway.  Things are starting to become a little more familiar and not look quite so foreign.  The country our boys are from is quite different than the States to say the least!  What an amazing opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ and to witness by example to those they come across.


During the evening, they met up with quite a few RR families for dinner at an Italian restaurant near their apartment.  They even got to meet baby Kullen, ORPHAN NO MORE, who was the picture of baby perfection!!  Jeff and Rachel had pizza and Kayla had a pasta dish with meat sauce.  It all sounded so good.  I'm just thrilled they have American support in this country and the opportunity to meet up with other families who are all adopting as well.  Amazing!

 Tomorrow will be a busy day of meetings and busy work.  God has designed this adventure so we believe all will go well and according to His plan.  We should be able to Skype and get all the details of the SDA meeting.  Have I mentioned how much I love Skype!

In Country ~ Day 2

Jeff and the girls slept in today and got some much needed rest.  They ventured out during the afternoon and went to the underground mall and back to the grocery store.  The underground mall is VERY fancy with lots of stores that sale big-time name brand things.  It has been raining so they will look for an umbrella there next time they go, which is funny because Jeff and I had talked about packing one just the day before they left....but we didn't actually pack it.  Go figure!


For supper, they met up with some other RR families and had a GREAT visit at a local buffet.  It still amazes me that people working with the same organization can meet up half way around the world and share supper!  Only GOD can bring people together like that!

We Skyped again today two different times which has been so fun.  Our youngest son really likes talking to his daddy and the girls and getting to see them 'face to face'.  We all enjoy this so much.


Tuesday will be another day to venture out, rest and prepare to head to the SDA appointment on Wednesday.  The SDA is the adoption authorities who will officially extend the invitation for us to adopt Matthew and Michael.  Please pray that this appointment goes as planned with no surprises.


The weather in the country our boys are from is starting to turn very cold.  It was snowing early on today and that turned to freezing rain and then just rain.  The high today was 26*F with a low of  10*F.   And it is still FALL!  We packed lots of warm clothes and heavy coats for everyone so all is well.

They arrived in the country our boys are from ~ Day 1

Jeff and the girls arrived safely in the country our boys are from Sunday afternoon.  All of their luggage arrived as well.  They were met at the airport by their driver, Niko, and he took them to exchange money and to go buy some groceries at the store. Jeff and the girls were able to buy milk, bread, ham, mayo, water, butter, cheese, ice cream and something else.  I just cannot remember what.  Mind you, I packed them two duffle bags FULL of food so they will not starve!   The grocery store is just down the street within walking distance which is great because they will not have to hire Niko to drive them every time they want to go shopping.  These are the groceries they bought at the local store...notice some American brands?

Niko drove them over to their apartment and they got settled in for the evening.  We even got to Skype for a little while before they headed off to bed.  What a neat time we live in to be able to talk live with each other from halfway around the world!

It took a little over 25 hours from the time they left Lubbock to the time they arrived in the country our boys are from......nope, still cannot publicaly say exactly which country they are from until we officially adopt them., so you are going to hear that phrase a lot, sorry!  It was just getting dark when they landed and cold but no snow on the ground.  The high temp was 37* with a low of 28*.  Not too bad if it is not windy. The picture below is from their apartment balcony.

Kayla said their was an underground shopping mall right around the corner!  Very neat.  I'll report on this after they get a chance to venture out and explore that mall and hopefully have some pictures to add as soon as they send them to me.

Rachel was busy washing dishes and getting ready to eat and go to bed.  She said the flight was L-O-N-G but okay.   She was also enjoying her favorite snack....icecream!  Very neat that she was able to buy this there!!

They will have all day Monday and Tuesday to rest before jumping in with both feet and starting the adoption process from that side of the world.  Please keep them in your prayers as they move through this adventure during the next three weeks.

Jason was originally going to travel this first trip, but he started getting sick Thanksgiving Day and had a 102 fever.  We felt it best if he stayed home and he agreed.  He was very disappointed but thankful that Rachel got to travel in his place!  He is starting to feel a little better but is still under the weather.  Prayers for his health to be restored are welcomed!

And they're off...

Jeff and the girls are off to the country our boys are from.  They left this morning at 7:40am and will arrive in 'the country' 25 hours later at 8:20am our time or 4:20pm their time on Sunday, Nov 28th.  Watching them drive off from the house was a little harder than I expected.  We'll all be just fine, just have to keep the objective in mind....we are following a calling directed by God to bring two precious little boys into our lives!


We were in such a rush to get them out the door, that I did not take any pictures of them leaving.  Rachel took a picture of some of the stuff they were packing so I'll post that one since it is the ONLY picture we have of packing day.  Thank you, Rachel, for taking this!

This is a true journey of faith.  NO doubt God led us to this place in our lives.  We are forever grateful for that calling and for the strength and courage to follow.  This journey is not without risk but as we walk in faith, we will have no fear.  NO FEAR!  No fear of the distance between us, no fear of the unknown and no fear of 'The Vote'.


Speaking of 'The Vote'.  Please continue to ask for God's favor concerning this matter.  The country our boys are from has decided to possibly change the process they currently use for international adoptions.  This would actually be a GOOD thing for the kids and the adoptive families.  It would streamline the process and do away with many of the 'unknowns'.  The problem is the wording of the bill does not allow for ANY adoptions to continue while the bilateral agreement is being worked out.  This means ALL ADOPTIONS WILL CEASE if the wording is not changed and the bill is passed.  'The Vote' is scheduled sometime during the week of Dec. 14-17 and that happens to be the very week we attend court to formally adopt the boys.  We are moving forward with this adoption even with all the unknowns.  

Here are some of the verses we stand firm on during this time:

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

John 14:18
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.


Matthew 18:5
And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me (God)

Isiah 43:5-6
5) Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

I will bring your children from the east

and gather you from the west.

6) I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring my sons from afar

and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers.  They are very, very much felt!!!

n anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming Me(God).Matthew 18:5

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving.  We actually celebrated on Monday because that was the day when all of us could get together.  We had a wonderful meal and lots of fun talking around the dinner table.  I am so thankful for Gods Grace, our family and the life God has blessed us with.  I'm thankful that this time next year we will have two more little blessings joining us at the dinner table!  We had a wonderful day, indeed!!!

Time for an update...so I've been told ;-)

My sweet sister informed me that I had not updated my blog in awhile.  How could that be??  I JUST wrote a post.   My sister was right.  I have not updated since the 16th.  Where has the week gone???  Thanks, Joann, for the gentle nudge to update!!


We have been going through all our paperwork making sure every 'I' was dotted and every 'T' was crossed.  We took about 20 documents to be notarized yesterday...thank you Douglas!  We *should* be finished with all the paperwork now!  It is amazing how much paperwork is involved with an international adoption. simply amazing.  But, oh, so worth it!   Yes, we would do it all over again....in a heart beat.


We have also been buying all the things needed to travel...clothes, luggage, toiletries, gifts, etc.  We have been making sure everything here on the home front is situated and taken care of.  Looks like we are almost ready to load up the carry-on's and sit everything by the door.


We received word today that "The Vote" is on the docket for the week of Dec. 14.  We did not get an exact date.  Please be in prayer that the wording in the bill will continue to allow the children to be adopted while the new bi-lateral agreement is being drafted.  

We received an update on Michael.....HE IS STARTING TO WALK!!  Enjoy the pic!  Way to go, Michael!  Mommy and daddy are so proud of you!!

So there you have it.  My weekly update. 

Flights are booked

Our flights are booked!  In 11 days, Jeff and two of our older children will board an airplane and go to the country our boys are from and in less than 24 hours from take-off, they will arrive.  (We are still not able to publicly say which country our boys are from, but we will be able to announce it to the world once we officially adopt them.)  In 17 days, Jeff will be holding our boys...17 days!  WOW!!!


We have much to do.  Thankfully, Jeff's last day at work is today and he will be taking all of his saved up vacation time for this adoption.  We are so blessed that he works for a company that will allow him to do this!!!  Thank you, God for this blessing!!

I'm off to plan, pack, make lists and lists of lists.....

Happy 2nd Birthday, Matthew

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Matthew,
Happy Birthday to you.


Today is your 2nd birthday.  It is your last birthday as an orphan.  You may not know it just yet, but you have a BIG family in Texas, USA, who loves you and cherishes you.  You are important.  You are loved.  You are wanted.   You are our son, brother, nephew, grandson, great-grandson, neighbor, friend, and child of the King!  


Ohhhh, when we get you home, how we will celebrate your 2nd birthday!  You are going to have cake and ice cream, presents, horse back rides, hugs and kisses galore!  This is your day, the day you were born, born to be ours before we even knew the miracle that is you.   We love you, Matthew!  Happy 2nd Birthday sweet boy!!!

WE HAVE OUR TRAVEL DATE!!!!!!!

I woke up this morning and checked my email first thing just like I have for the past three weeks.  This is what I found:


SDA Appointment: Dec. 1




Short and sweet.  Our SDA appointment is set for Dec. 1 at 9:00 am.  Jeff and two of our older children will leave this great nation Nov. 29 and travel for one full day and arrive in our boys country.  They will have the second day to acclimate and recover from traveling before attend the SDA (adoption authorities) appointment on Dec. 1 and receive the official referral to adopt Matthew and Michael.


Jeff should be HOLDING our boys Dec. 3rd.  That is 23 days from today.....23 days!!!  They will NEVER be alone again.  They will never not know the loving arms of their family.  They will never again have to wonder if they have been picked.  They will know.

23 days from now Matthew and Michael will meet their daddy, and their brother and sister.  They will learn that their fate will not be an institution, but instead a loving home filled with laughter, love, hugs and kisses.  They will learn what it is to be WANTED!  They will learn what it is to be LOVED!  They will learn what it is to be IMPORTANT!,  They will learn about JESUS!


There is lots of praising GOD in this house today!  He is so good!

ANOTHER vote.....PRAYER WARRIORS, we need you, AGAIN!

The country our boys are in has decided to, once again, take a vote concerning adoptions from their country. The date for the reading of the new adoption legislation and subsequent vote has been scheduled for November 24...from what I can gather *unofficially*.  If this vote passes and is signed by their President, all adoptions will cease during this transition.  There are 70 families from Reece's Rainbow in various stages of the adoption process who are adopting over 100 children who would be immediately affected.  ALL of these children have some kind of special need and many have urgent medical needs.  Our family is one of these families and we are so close to getting our boys out.

A moratorium would place these children in grave danger.  Please, join us in prayer that the vote will not pass!  If the vote passes and a moratorium is put in place, we pray that at least the adoptions that are in progress will be allowed to complete the adoption process and the children will receive the life-saving care they so desperately need.  Below is a statement released from the founder of Reece's Rainbow:

"IF they do indeed put a moratorium in place, we are advocating HARD with Congressional Leaders, the US State Dept, the US Embassy in (our boys country) and our facilitation teams on the ground there in  (our boys country) to make sure the voice of these children is heard, and that the parliament there understands the life-altering gravity of their decision to impose a closure, even for a short period of time. Even under the guise of improving the process or moving towards Hague compliance, this would be nothing short of a human rights violation, to prevent the adoption of those children with special needs."

Still waiting....

No SDA appointment date....yet!  It's coming.  Our paperwork has been at the SDA for 15 days and they are reviewing it.  Now, we wait for them to invite us to come to our boys country and meet with the SDA authorities and accept their official referral to adopt Michael and Matthew.  Waiting can be tough but we know God's timing is perfect!  So, here are some things we are doing while we wait for our travel date:

1. PRAY...A LOT!


2. Check email....A LOT!


3. Finish up paperwork that Jeff will hand carry to our boys country


4. Make lists of things we need to do


5. Make lists of the lists so we don't forget anything


6. PRAY some more


7. Check email...AGAIN!


8. Think about packing....have yet to actually pack...but I'm thinking about it


9. Read other people's blogs who have gone down this path ahead of us


10. PRAY

There you have it. That's what we do to pass the time...well some of the things.  Yes, we still do school, laundry, grocery shop, cook, clean, take care of the kids and animals, etc, but in the quiet moments at home when daily things settle down, these are the top 10 things we do to stay busy.

25 years and counting...

25 years ago today, I became Mrs. Debbie H.! I feel so blessed to have such a Christian, Godly husband and father to our children. 25 years! They have FLOWN by. God has blessed us with 6 beautiful children, soon to be 8, and I am sooooooooooo excited to see what He has in store for us these next 25 years, and the next, and the next and the next....


We had a nice lunch together, sharing a card and presents and then attended church in the evening.  Today was EXACTLY like it was 25 years ago; warm, breezy with clear blue skies. Today was a great day, indeed!

Happy Anniversary, Jeff!!!

Christmas Warrior

This is Darren.  He lives in Eastern Europe...in an orphanage waiting for his forever family to find him.  Starting Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, we will try to raise at least $1000 for his adoption grant. This money will help his forever family fund his adoption.  There are no shortage of families wanting to adopt, just the funds to do it.  International adoption is not cheap because of things like airfare, food/housing/transportation while in country, document prep, legal fees, passports, medical exams, police clearances, etc....I could go on and on.  Every penny we raise for Darren will be that much less that his forever family will have to raise. 

Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, for every $35 you donate, you will receive a picture ornament for your Christmas tree.  Please consider helping us to help Darren.






I'm a Christmas Warrior for DARREN

Now we wait....and some new pics!

Now we wait for our invitation to go to the SDA to formally accept our boys referral from EE.  The referral is basically the country our boys are in giving us permission to adopt them.  We will, of course, accept this referral!


We are praying for information on our travel date to come within the week.  The actual travel date could be as soon as in a couple of weeks to....well, who knows when.  We are praying for the quickest date!


These boys need us and we need them!  They need a family who will love them unconditionally.  They need to know the love of our Father.  Very soon, Matthew and Michael, very soon mommy and daddy will hold you and kiss you.  We're coming....

...for you, Matthew!

 

...and for you, Michael!

SUBMITTED

At 4:20 pm, I opened my email and discovered that we were submitted to the SDA, the EE adoption authorities.  That means all of our documents have been translated and sent to the powers-that-be in the country our boys are in and we will now wait about another week for an invitation to come visit the SDA and accept the boys formal referral from their country.


We could be TRAVELING to their country in as little as TWO WEEKS but most likely it will be three to four.  Either way, it is not very long.  Jeff will be holding and loving on our boys in less than a month.  They are sooooooooo worth the wait!


LOT's of praising GOD going on in our house today.  Thank you, Father, for this submission. Thank you for carrying us through this journey.

Anne Marie has gone to live with Jesus

It is with a very heavy heart that I must share with you the sad news that another of our precious babies from the orphanage has gone to live with Jesus.  We are loosing children so fast.  If only they had families and the proper medical care and good nutrition....  How VERY real this is.  PLEASE, consider bringing home one of these orphans!  If you are not called to adopt, PLEASE consider donating to an adoption fund so a waiting family can go get them sooner. 


Please visit Reece's Rainbow, a Christian Orphan Ministry, and see where God leads you.

  

http://www.reecesrainbow.org/eelittles.html 

Dance with Jesus, sweet Anne Marie, Dance with Jesus!

Blessings ~ In the form of a Triple Stroller and the $$ to pay for it!

Yes, I do believe blessings can come in the form of a Triple Baby Stroller and the money to pay for it!  I have been searching for a triple stroller ever since we knew we were going to be bringing home Michael and Matthew.  I've looked in Ebay and our local Craigslist for months.  I did find several I liked on Ebay so I knew what I was hoping for. I REALLY wanted to find one locally so I could see it and look it over before buying, so I never bought one from Ebay. 


Yesterday, I got the idea to place a 'Wanted to Buy' ad on Craigslist.  Less than ten minutes later I get this in my inbox:

It is the EXACT type of triple stroller I had been looking at on Ebay!  The family who has it lives a few hours away but their sister lives only 20 minutes from me and they will bring it next weekend or the next when they go visit their sister.  What a blessing!!!


THEN...

 I go to my mailbox today and there is a card from a dear friend I have known since childhood.  She sent me a check and a sweet note saying "Please use this money to buy a triple stroller."  I was floored and speechless! WOW!  I am humbled to be given such a blessing!  


Thank You, Father, for this blessing!  I will treasure it!  

And, thank you Dawna for such a thoughtful note and gift!

10-10-10

Today is 10-10-10! Pretty neat numbers. Our daughter, Rachel, is also 10! Very cool! We spent the day at home, working around our place fixing fences and heat lamps. Nothing too exciting. All is well.


I'm praying our boys in EE are well, and warm, and fed. I'm praying they somehow know we are coming and can feel the unconditional love of their family who are desperately trying to get to them. I'm praying that 10-10-10 was a nice day for them as well.

More alike than different

October is National Down syndrome Awareness month.  People living with Down syndrome are more alike than different than those not living with Ds.


People with Down syndrome have the EXACT SAME 46 chromosomes as those who do not have Ds!  They just have one extra, an extra 21st chromosome.


People with Ds can learn all the same things in school and life as people who do not have DS, just in their own time...like everyone else!


People with Ds can and do: graduate, drive, go to college, live alone, hold down a job, marry, have children, retire, and live to a ripe old age just like people who do not have Ds.


People with Ds can also have Autism, Leukemia, Alzheimers or anything else that people who do not have Ds can have. So, if you see someone with Down syndrome who has severe symptoms, they may have another medical diagnosis in addition to Down syndrome.


People with Ds are not always happy.  Nobody is!


People with Ds are regular people living with a medical diagnosis that has symptoms that may need to be cared for and worked through.


People with Ds hurt when they are made fun of.  Don't do it!


People with Ds can develop strong, life-long relationships.  I've been friends with Andrea for over 40 years.  She has Ds, I do not.


People with Ds can love our Heavenly Father and give their heart to Him!


People with Ds can do anything God leads them to do...just like those people who do not have Ds.


People with Ds can and do grow up and don't always believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny!


People with Ds may face mental or physical challenges in their lives, just like those who do not have Ds.


I could go on and on with example after example of how people living with Down syndrome are more alike than different than those who do not have Ds.  Basically, we are all human beings, made perfectly by our Father God.  We should all honor and accept that we are unique individuals with our own set of challenges and abilities.

People Magazine's 'Readers' Choice Here'...VOTE for Andrea of Reece's Rainbow

People Magazine is holding a "Readers' Choice Hero" contest. Please vote for Andrea R. founder of Reece's Rainbow International Down syndrome Adoption Ministry.  Andrea advocates for orphans around the world who have Down syndrome and other special needs.

You can vote until Oct. 8th as often as you like, there is no limit and it only takes a minute.  One minute of your time can give life to an orphan...now GO VOTE, please!

https://styleentertainment.timeinc.net/people/readerhero/

Feel free to visit Reece's Rainbow's website after you vote.  You never know where God will lead you...

http://www.reecesrainbow.org/eelittles.html

Dossier with apostilles

This is what a complete dossier with apostilles looks like.  It took just over 4 months to obtain all these documents.  The first set of 10 documents with apostilles has already been sent to EE.

The dossier consists of 41 different documents and each document is notarized and then apostilled by the Secretary of State of Texas.  Here is the SOS building in Austin, our State Capital, where we drove 7 hours and waited a mere 20 minutes while our dossier was apostilled.

We toured the State Capital after we got our dossier apostilled.

 

 After we toured the State Capital, we grabbed a bite to eat and drove the 7 hours back home.  We had a great time on the road trip.  Everyone traveled well and slept VERY well that night!

AF

Our Dossier is outta here!

 Yesterday at 12:40pm, I took our beloved dossier over to the Fed Ex place and handed it over to a complete stranger.  It was not easy, my voice cracked and I almost cried but I handed over the dossier because I trust that it is in God's hands now.  I snapped a picture of the Fed Ex lady taking our dossier and that was it.  We were done and off to the 
county fair.  Simple as that. 

 

 



















Now we wait for the 41 documents and the 41 apostilles to be translated and be submitted to the EE adoption authorities.  We'll then receive a travel date and go for our first trip.  It is during this first trip that we go accept a formal invitation from EE to adopt the boys.  We'll get to visit the boys and then have court for the formal adoption.  There will be a 10-day wait before everything is final, we will come home during this, and then we can bring the boys home!  This process sounds pretty quick, but it generally takes between 5-6 weeks once you travel.


We are praying we get the boys home by Thanksgiving and the adoption finalized here in the USA by Dec. 31.

October is Down syndrome awareness month

Today marks the first day of a 30 day challenge to blog about Down syndrome every day to bring awareness to this medical condition.  The Challenge is called "31 for 21".  The '21' stands for Trisomy 21 because Down syndrome is a condition where the person who has it has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two copies.

The name Down syndrome comes from the man who first described it, Dr. John Langdon Down.  There is no 'S' after Down in Down syndrome because Dr. Down does not own the syndrome, it is just named after his last name of Down.


There are three types of Down syndrome: Trisomy 21, Translocation Ds and Mosaic Ds.  

Trisomy 21 means the person diagnosed has three separate copies of chromosome 21 in every cell of their body.  

Translocation Ds means the person diagnosed has three copies of  chromosome 21 but the third copy of the 21st chromosome is attached to another chromosome instead of being separate.

Mosaic Down syndrome means there are three copies of the 21st chromosome is only some cell lines throughout the body and not in others.  Some people with Mosaic Ds have the third copy only in the blood line and not in the skin, marrow, brain, etc.,  while other people may have the extra copy in the brain and bone lines and not in the blood, muscle, etc. 

Down syndrome is nothing to be afraid of.  It is simply a medical diagnosis with symptoms that may need attention like any other medical diagnosis.  People who have been diagnosed with Down syndrome do not 'suffer' from it, they are just regular people living with a medical diagnosis and thriving through life with it.

Good news from the missions team

Today God answered another prayer.   I got to visit with a member of the RR missions team about my boys.  All is well.  The team got to go visit the orphanage my boys are staying in and got to love on them for a little while, hold them and play.  I am forever grateful for this information and update as it rarely happens for adopting families. 


Both boys are doing well.  They are learning how to sit and vocalize and are both very alert.  Both are in about 12-18 month clothes.  Both boys were not afraid of being with new people and loved, loved, loved all the attention,  which is a good thing, because with our crew, there will be LOT'S of attention once we get them home!


We were told we will need to take heavy winter clothes for them when we go as it is getting very cold there already and we still have several weeks until we go before our travel date.  I will be on the look-out for size 18 month winter snow suits, little boots, etc.They could not estimate what size shoes they might be wearing because their little feet were all bundled up. 


**The one thing the team mentioned that the orphanage NEEDS is CLOTH diapers.  The orphanage has NONE and the children were wrapped up in soiled blankets as their diapers.  I happen to be in the midst of making some so we will take these over when it is time to travel.  I'll also be on the look-out for good, used cloth diapers on Craigslist and garage sales.  We want to bless the orphanage with these so if anyone reading this has any you would like to donate, please contact me here ASAP and we will be honored to take them as well.

NEW Pictures makes a mommy's heart sing

Reece's Rainbow has a team in EE right now on a mission trip and guess what they did??  They visited the orphanage my boys are in and took some of the most precious pictures of Matthew and Michael I have ever seen.  They have grown so much.  We cannot get them home quick enough. Enjoy!

                                         

Matthew-age 22 months

              

Michael - age 4 years

 

      

PRAISE AND GLORY TO GOD!

We just received word that the government in Eastern Europe has decided to POST PONE the vote for an undetermined amount of time!  Adoptions WILL be allowed to continue during this time! PRAISE GOD, OUR FATHER!  He is in control!


Isaiah 49:25 But thus says the LORD:

"Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children."

Time of Vote is in 20 min...Calling all Prayer Warriors

I JUST found out that the vote in Eastern Europe that decides whether or not to continue to allow adoptions will be taken at 6:00pm their time which is 10:00am our time.  That is in less than 20 minutes!  Please join me all you prayer warriors in covering this vote in prayer for the next hour or so.  God has this!

We have the all clear...and now the vote...

That ONE piece of paper we have been waiting for.....came today!  We have the all clear to adopt BOTH boys!!!!!  I give thanks to God for once again moving mountains on our behalf.

The vote to continue allowing adoptions or stop them is tomorrow.  Technically, it happens tonight while we are all sleeping.  Please be in prayer that this vote is voted down and adoptions will be allowed to continue.

John 14:18

"I Will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" John 14:18

Two Urgent Prayer Requests

1. The country our boys are from has decided to hold a vote on Tuesday, September 21.  If this vote passes, there will be either a moratorium on adoptions or a complete halt to all adoptions in this country.  Please join us in prayer that this vote is voted down and adoptions will continue.

2. We received news that we need one specific document from the country our boys are from in order to adopt Matthew. Without it, he cannot be adopted by anyone.  Please be in prayer that this document will be provided so we can continue our quest to bring home BOTH Matthew and Michael. 


God knows both these situations, they are not surprises to Him.  We'll ask for His favor and follow where He leads.  We'll continue to do all that is humanly possible to bring home both Matthew and Michael and leave the rest in God's mighty hands.

Olga

Sweet Olga has gone to live with Jesus.  She was a precious little girl who lived in the same orphanage as Matthew and Michael.  She was transferred out of the baby house to an institution due to her age and lived only a few short weeks once there.  Please, please pray for the kids left behind and especially those who are fixing to be transferred.  Their lives depend on it.  Dance with Jesus sweet Olga, dance with Jesus!

Happy 4th Birthday, Michael

Today is Michael's 4th birthday.  We will celebrate this day in a BIG way when we get the boys home!  It will be a day filled with love, laughter, freedom and cake!!   How I long to celebrate this day with you, Michael!!  Hold on sweet boy.  Mommy and daddy are coming for you as fast as we can.  You are not alone any more...

Happy 4th birthday, Michael!

SaturdaySurprise in the Mailbox

My husband stopped by the mailbox after work yesterday and brought in a letter from  "The Department of Homeland Security".  Hummmmm, we just received notice via email on Thursday that our I600A had been approved so it is wayyyyy too early for our I-171H to arrive in the mail.....or is it???

This is what was in the envelope:

 The pink pages stopped me in my tracks because in the world of I-600A's, pink slips mean that the USCIS need more evidence in order to process your paperwork.  Well, evidently, in the world of I-171H's, pink paper means.....APPROVED!


God literally moved mountains for this one piece of paper, literally moved paper mountains!  I am humbled to be in the midst of such things. 


I called our social worker and now dear friend, Ashley, and shared the good news with her and we rejoiced and gave words of thanks in prayer over the phone together.  You have no idea what a trooper Ashley was during the process of our homestudy.   Her long hours of research, weeks of compiling our HS and dedication are awe inspiring. God led us directly to her and He began the process of this very moment several years ago.   We had no idea His works were already being laid out when He crossed our paths more than three years ago.  Very humbling!


SO, there you have it, our mailbox surprise.  The long-awaited, USCIS I-600A approval called the I-171H.  

WHATS NEXT:

This document will now go to the Texas Secretary of State to be Apostilled.  We'll then send it, along with all our other documents, to EE to be translated and submitted to their adoption entity called the SDA.  Then we wait for our travel date to go to the SDA appointment which will be the 'official referral' for adoption for Matthew and Michael.  After the SDA referral,  we get to go meet the boys at their orphanage, then receive a Ukrainian court date and go to court to legally adopt them.  There will be a 10 day wait period after court and on the 11th day, WE CAN GO GET THEM and bring them home!  There will be some legal paperwork once back in America but I am told this will be a breeze.

It's so nice to see the end in sight, still quite a ways off, but in sight.  I often wonder what, if anything, the boys have been told.  Do they know there is a family in America who are desperately trying to get them out of the orphanage?  Do they know how much we love them and what a big part of our family they already are?  My mind often races to them as they lay in their cribs day after day trying to offer comfort to them, trying to will my love to go to them, trying to tell them to hold on, we are coming!  Thank you, Father, for taking care of our boys in our absence.  Please continue to give the orphanage workers a soft heart, gentle hands and great patience as they carry out the day-to-day care taking of our boys.

Fall Family Photo with all 8 kids....sort of!

Our 12 year old son cropped in Matthew and Michael into our Fall Family Photo so they would be included.  This will be the LAST  Fall family picture without all 8 children.  Good job, Jason!  The picture turned out very sweet.

I-600A APPROVED!

We received a call from our US Rep. office and an email from our USCIS officer this morning saying that our I-600A was approved yesterday!  Now we wait for the I-171H to arrive in the mail, have it apostilled and then we can send our dossier to EE as soon as that one last pesky document is signed in EE.  Getting closer...

The boys and their new, forever names:

Here are a couple of pictures of the boys!  I cannot wait to get a hold of them and love on them.

Matthew

Michael

USCIS Fingerprints...DONE!

Yesterday, the four adults in our household went down to the local USCIS office, unannounced, and prayed that our fingerprints would be taken....they were!  We had NO problems even though our official appointment was for 9-1-10 for Jeff and I and for 9-20-10 for the kids!   God open the doors and hearts of the people in that office, they let us in and all went smooth.    

Please join us in prayer that the I-171H, the document saying our I-600A has been approved, comes quickly.  The I-600A is the petition to the USA government to allow us to adopt from another country.  The country our boys come from in Eastern Europe CLOSES  to all NEW adoptions from Nov. 1 through Feb. 1.  We need to get all our paperwork over to EE by Oct. 1 to allow for translation and processing time to make this cut-off date.  We cannot send over our paperwork without the I-171H.

We wrote a letter with pictures of both boys to our US Representitive, Congressman Randy Neugebauer with the hope that he will call USCIS on our behalf to expedite the processing of the I-600A.  We have faith that he will.   

One step closer...

Second CSP and POA's...DELIVERED!

Our second CSP and the new POA's were DELIVERED to EE on 8-20-10!  Just THREE days after we mailed them.  I cannot wait to go tell the FedEx angel that her tactic worked perfectly.  I'm sure she already knows because she told me she would be watching for the delivery from her FedEx computer as well.


This delivery means the world to one little orphan in EE.  It means he will not be transferred to an instidution in two weeks on his 4th birthday!  It means he gets to stay at the "baby house" and wait for his forever family to come for him.  Hold on, my sweet boy, hold on!