Roadblocks and Stumbles

I don't know where to start with this blogging stuff....I am so sad right now. I have a daily routine of checking other people's blog that have adopted from RR. One of the cutest little Serbian princesses died this morning. Her name was Chrissy and she was five years old. She came home to her forever family last October. When I read that she had passed, I just kind of froze and didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to pray for. I didn't know how to respond at all. Her story has been very inspirational and very important to me on a very deep personal note and her mother has no idea how profoundly her posts about God has affected me and I, am sure, others. While her child was lying there fighting for her life, her mother turned it over completely to God and knew that he was is in total control and that she would follow him no matter what the outcome. That is the best act of faith I have ever seen. There was no crying out to ask "Why" or "what if". It was just pure faith and love in Christ and she is a great testimony to God's work. I hope and pray that this family will find peace and I am sure they will.

On the adoption front for my two boys, I am still waiting on the social worker's license before starting the rush to get everything sent over to EE. It is kind of a good thing that I have this delay. I know that sounds awful, but I start school back on June 7th and it ends the last week of July or first week of August and I would LOVE to be done with all of that before making my trip there. That way I can totally focus on them and their transition.

I am just kind of blah today. No energy and no motivation. I read a lot of blogs today and it seems like there are so many roadblocks for everyone trying to bring these kids home. I just don't understand why things have to be so difficult. I see people with broken hearts because they need to redo one more paper and it is just crazy. I know it will work out in the end, but for now, it is very disturbing to see the mountains that everyone must climb to get to these kids that noone else wants.

I will update as soon as I have all of my papers done and ready to ship. I hope everyone has a productive week!

Look who went to a party today....

there was a party today at David's and Anton's orphanage in David's groupa and Mary Malone was kind enough to send me some pictures...Isn't he so cute? Mary has seen Anton a couple of times and says that we looks good, but she is unable to get pictures because he is in a different groupa. Mary is adopting the cutest little girl I have ever seen (Eliana/Ruslana) and she has been fabulous in sharing information and pictures with me. I cannot express how much I appreciate it.

On the dossier homefront, I have everything except the new proof of property form and the social worker's new license. Her current license expires May 31, and we need the new one. Olga (our facilitator in Ukraine) is looking over everything and making sure it is ok before I mail it to her. I hope she looks at it very well because it is so expensive to remail things. I would hate to do that twice.

So, for now I will wait patiently and try to get everything in the house ready for two little maniacs!

The Golden Ticket Has Arrived!!!!!

Believe it or not, I received the golden ticket in the mail today. I also received the updatted version of the homestudy. I think I have everything I need to submit my dossier to that certain little country. I should be happy, excited, etc. Right???? Well, I am, but now I am really scared to death. Now, we have been approved to adopt and bring these boys home. Now, it is really REAL! But the fear and doubt will not win this internal battle that I am having with myself. I know that this is exactly what we are suppose to do and this is part of something that is bigger than me, bigger than my fear and bigger than anything I know.

So, I will scan everything to my adoption agency, have her scan/fax/somehow get it electronically to the Ukraine for final approval before sending it on its way.

Thanks to everyone who has sent prayers up for our approval process.

Wish us luck on our fundraising yard sale tomorrow and Saturday!

New Pic of David

Now you tell me that this isn't the cutest thing that you have ever seen, girl clothes and all? This is a new picture of David that I received this morning. I very rarely check my email at work, but decided to this morning for some reason and this was on here! Can you believe that? I wish I had one of Anton/Cole, but only got this one, but boy was it a spirit lifter.

Still Waiting

Well, I finally got a response from USCIS....but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. They wanted more information to approve our application. I have never been so disappointed in my life. I thought for sure when I opened the email that it was telling us that we were approved and they would be sending our letter out. But that is okay. I got the information they requested and mailed it to them and hopefully that will give them everything they need for approval.

Secondly, I heard from our adoption agency that some of our homestudy would need to be reworded. I keep trying really hard not to get frustrated, but it is hard not to. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal and hopefully that will work itself out, too. Anyway, not really much to update on. Still playing the waiting game.

Not really needed...

I know another post is not really needed after those cute pics, but I thought I would comment a little bit.

First of all, I apologize for three separate posts; remember that I don't really know what I am doing, so it is taking me a while to get the hang of it.

The two new pics were taken at the end of Feb. or beginning of March. I am not totally convinced that is David, but everyone else thinks it is. Anton is too cute. I assure you that both of them will have BOY clothes when they come home.

I received an email from USCIS wanting more documents to finish our approval. That was disappointing because I thought we were just waiting on the letter and we would be good to go. I am working on what they want and will get it to them ASAP.

Things are moving much quicker than I thought they would with everything else, though. I have everything I need for the dossier, except of course, for the golden ticket. I have the room about 50% done, but both beds bought. I have lots of clothes and supplies. I have had a lot of things donated for our second yard sale and hopefully we will be having it in the next couple of weeks. We are still about 6 or 7thousand dollars short, but I think we will be able to come up with it somehow.

Anyway, no news yet on anything final. I will try to keep you updated.

New Pics