That is our SDA appointment day! Yep, we finally received our date!!!!! What we once thought would be at least a three MONTH wait has graciously been turned into a three WEEK wait! Doesn't God just blow your mind some times?!?
The SDA appointment is the appointment where the government of the country our girls are in gives us the official referral to adopt them! That means Jeff will get to meet our sweet daughters Aug. 5! What a day that will be!!!!!!!!!!
Our baby girls don't know it yet, but they are about to be set free.
Free to have a mommy,
Free to have a daddy,
Free to have brothers, and sisters,
Grandma's and Grandpa's,
Great-Grandma's, aunts, uncles and cousins!
Our girls don't know it yet,
But they are loved unconditionally,
They are CHOSEN,
They are WORTHY,
They are DESERVING!
Soon they will know the love of their mommy,
And the safety of their daddy's arms,
Complete with tender hugs,
And sweet angel kisses,
They will know what LOVE is!!!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Week of many firsts...
Michael and Matthew have been home for 6 1/2 months. They are doing so well and are still experiencing many firsts:
The boys have looked out our dining room windows a million times while eating, but this was the first time they had all crawled over, stood up and looked out all on their very own.
We have purposely kept visitors very limited for this first 6 months while the boys were getting used to us and bonding. We are slowly letting more and more friends and family come over to meet Matthew and Michael and this was my grandmother and Aunt Kathy's first visit.
The boys have looked out our dining room windows a million times while eating, but this was the first time they had all crawled over, stood up and looked out all on their very own.
We have purposely kept visitors very limited for this first 6 months while the boys were getting used to us and bonding. We are slowly letting more and more friends and family come over to meet Matthew and Michael and this was my grandmother and Aunt Kathy's first visit.
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| Meemaw made Matthew and Michael their very own quilts like she has done for all the great-grandkids! They're gorgous, Meemaw!!! |
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| Meemaw and Matthew sitting on his quilt that she made especially for him. |
Justin started walking!
Swinging out back in their very own swing for the first time!
My mom and dad got to run down and meet Michael and Matthew for the first time.
First Christmas in July with my parents and niece and nephew, Brianne and Paul.
First kiss!!!
Justin has learned how to give kisses!
We cannot wait for our girls to get home and for them to experience their very own 'firsts' as well. Please continue to pray they are safe and cared for while they wait for us to come for them. It won't be long, baby girls. We're coming as soon as we can!
Friday, July 8, 2011
God is moving!
Concerning our adoption:
While we are praying...
God is LISTENING!
While we are waiting...
God is MOVING!
Mountains are literally being washed away as we wait...and pray.
God is so good!
ALWAYS!!!!
We just received the news that a vote taken today in the country our girls are from is going to allow travel dates to be given to those families who are already submitted.
That would be US!!!
They will also continue to allow the adoption of kids age 5 and over as well as children of any age with a diagnosis that is on their current 'special needs list' while they restructure their adoption program instead of completely shutting the program down during the change.
More info to come as it comes to me but it appears as if our '3-month-wait' will be made significantly shorter very soon!
Hang on baby girls. We're coming!
That would be US!!!
They will also continue to allow the adoption of kids age 5 and over as well as children of any age with a diagnosis that is on their current 'special needs list' while they restructure their adoption program instead of completely shutting the program down during the change.
Keep praising God and thanking Him for all He has, and is, and will continue to do.
Hang on baby girls. We're coming!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
20 years ago, on June 28th...
...our first baby girl was born!
We love you so much, more than words can ever say. We are so grateful God gave you to us and what an honor it is to be your mom and dad!
Happy Birthday Kayla!!
We love you so much, more than words can ever say. We are so grateful God gave you to us and what an honor it is to be your mom and dad!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sad day
We just received the 'final' word from Andrea, the director of Reece's Rainbow, that the country our girls are in will not issue new travel dates to families to adopt their children until after the closure. The last families allowed to travel are those families who had their paperwork submitted prior to June 1. Our paperwork was submitted June 2. We missed the cut-off by two days. Two days.
Our facilitator in country had been trying to negotiate travel dates, but evidently was not successful. It is estimated it could be about three months before we are allowed to go get our girls. It could be shorter...it could be longer.
We are devastated.
The thought of our girls having to lay alone in their cribs for who knows how long is enough to bring a grown man to his knees.
So, we wait.
Please keep our girls in your prayers, that their health holds up until we can get there. That their spirits remain strong. That they are fed, and changed, and bathed until we get there.
This closure and delay is not a surprise to God. He has known of it since before time and He knows the outcome. We will rest in that and will continue to praise Him in this storm...
From Casting Crowns:
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away
Chorus
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
Chorus
Our facilitator in country had been trying to negotiate travel dates, but evidently was not successful. It is estimated it could be about three months before we are allowed to go get our girls. It could be shorter...it could be longer.
We are devastated.
The thought of our girls having to lay alone in their cribs for who knows how long is enough to bring a grown man to his knees.
So, we wait.
Please keep our girls in your prayers, that their health holds up until we can get there. That their spirits remain strong. That they are fed, and changed, and bathed until we get there.
This closure and delay is not a surprise to God. He has known of it since before time and He knows the outcome. We will rest in that and will continue to praise Him in this storm...
From Casting Crowns:
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away
Chorus
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
Chorus
Monday, June 20, 2011
Fathers Day ~ 2011
We had a nice simple Fathers Day this year. This was Michael and Matthews very first Fathers Day and oh, what a joy it was to celebrate this day with them because now they have a daddy of their very own!! Jeff had to work all day so that gave Holly and Rachel a chance to run into town to pick up a gift and bake a cake for him. I called my daddy and talked to him and my mom for a little while and Jeff called his dad..had to leave a message...but wished him Happy Father's day just the same. There are no pictures of Justin with Jeff because he was soooooo tired and we went ahead and put that sweet baby in bed before we thought to grab the camera. After we got Justin settled, we celebrated:
Happy Fathers Day, Jeff!!!
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| Rachel made the cake ~ it says, Happy Fathers Day Dad! I love you! |
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Please PRAY!
The country our girls are in just announced that it will CLOSE their adoption department July 11 and will remain completely closed for at least three months while they switch to another department.
What does this mean for us?
It means that we MUST get our travel date, get an official referral from the Adoption department that is closing, meet our girls and then get permission from the Adoption Department to go to court....all before July 11.
PLEASE, PLEASE PRAY FOR US that we will be issued a travel date and complete all the necessary steps before the closure. Please pray for all the other families in this process.
Precious lives are on the line.
What does this mean for us?
It means that we MUST get our travel date, get an official referral from the Adoption department that is closing, meet our girls and then get permission from the Adoption Department to go to court....all before July 11.
PLEASE, PLEASE PRAY FOR US that we will be issued a travel date and complete all the necessary steps before the closure. Please pray for all the other families in this process.
Precious lives are on the line.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
25 years ago today...
...God blessed Jeff and I as we gave birth to our first child, Wesley. How can 25 years have already gone by?!? We are so proud God picked us to be your parents. You are an amazing young man. I look forward to see where He leads you on the rest of your life's journey.
Happy Birthday Wesley!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
SUBMITTED today!!!!!!
We just received the news that our dossier was submitted today to the adoption authorities in the country that our girls are in! WooHoo!!!
Now we wait for our appointment to go visit with the authorities and receive their official adoption referral for our girls. We expect to travel within the next 3-4 weeks...again, WooHoo!
Now we wait for our appointment to go visit with the authorities and receive their official adoption referral for our girls. We expect to travel within the next 3-4 weeks...again, WooHoo!
God is so incredibly good to move us along so quickly. Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Home 5 months
Matthew and Michael have been home five months. It really is incredible how far they both have come in just a short period of time.
Look whose WALKING!
Michael!
Look whose pulling up to STAND!
Matthew!
Look whose HAPPY!
Look whose LOVED!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
I-171H RECEIVED...The Golden Ticket!
We received our I-171H Friday, May 6. That is what we in the adoption community call The Golden Ticket. It is just a single piece of paper but it is priceless as it holds the lives of two little girls. Without this one piece of paper, we could not bring home our girls. I'm so thankful we have it now!!!
This has been a very busy couple of weeks. We took all of the dossier documents that we had completed to Austin May 4th to be apostilled. We had a nice trip, got to tour the capital again and arrived back home 19 hours later. Very long, yet quick, trip.
We sent in our I-600A application to USCIS on April 28. This is an Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition to our government. They receive it in Texas, process it, send it to MO for more processing, assign an officer to the case, process it some more, then either approve it, reject it or ask for more documentation. If it is approved, USCIS gives you an I-171H form that officially says your are approved to adopt. Seems easy enough...but the process is usually V.E.R.Y long taking many, many weeks to complete. We do not have time on our side for several reasons so I was determined to get through the process in record time and we asked God to show us favor...He did!
The process can be expedited for medical reasons so we went to our Dr. May 10th to see if he would write a letter for medical expedite for the girls...he did! We sent that letter to USCIS that very day and then ran over to Congressman Randy Neugebauer's office the next day, May 11th, and spoke to his assistant, Jay, and Jay then called USCIS on our behalf to recommend a medical expedite as well. Within 5 minutes of Mr. Neugebauer's office calling USCIS, we had an officer assigned to our case. By noon the next day our I-600A was approved and I had the I-171H in my hands ready to be apostilled. 15 days! God is good!
Now we just have to get the I-171H and one other document apostilled and we can send our entire dossier to the country our girls are in and wait for the travel date. Jeff could be traveling in 6-8 weeks if all goes quickly!!
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| I-171H, (personal info removed for the blog) |
This has been a very busy couple of weeks. We took all of the dossier documents that we had completed to Austin May 4th to be apostilled. We had a nice trip, got to tour the capital again and arrived back home 19 hours later. Very long, yet quick, trip.
 |
| Texas Secretary of State building where we get our paperwork apostilled |
 |
| Waiting inside the SOS building for apostilles to be finished |
 |
| In session! We got to watch a debate on the floor and how Texas laws are made! |
 |
| Matthew and Michael's first trip to THEIR state capital. Matthew is looking at the TEXAS sign on the floor of the rotunda in the center of the State Capital. |
 |
| Cute Kids!!! |
 |
| Peace officers' memorial just outside of the Capital |
 |
| Texas State Capital building |
 |
| 45 documents apostilled for our dossier....DONE! |
We sent in our I-600A application to USCIS on April 28. This is an Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition to our government. They receive it in Texas, process it, send it to MO for more processing, assign an officer to the case, process it some more, then either approve it, reject it or ask for more documentation. If it is approved, USCIS gives you an I-171H form that officially says your are approved to adopt. Seems easy enough...but the process is usually V.E.R.Y long taking many, many weeks to complete. We do not have time on our side for several reasons so I was determined to get through the process in record time and we asked God to show us favor...He did!
The process can be expedited for medical reasons so we went to our Dr. May 10th to see if he would write a letter for medical expedite for the girls...he did! We sent that letter to USCIS that very day and then ran over to Congressman Randy Neugebauer's office the next day, May 11th, and spoke to his assistant, Jay, and Jay then called USCIS on our behalf to recommend a medical expedite as well. Within 5 minutes of Mr. Neugebauer's office calling USCIS, we had an officer assigned to our case. By noon the next day our I-600A was approved and I had the I-171H in my hands ready to be apostilled. 15 days! God is good!
Now we just have to get the I-171H and one other document apostilled and we can send our entire dossier to the country our girls are in and wait for the travel date. Jeff could be traveling in 6-8 weeks if all goes quickly!!
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