We have been evaluated.
We met with a certified psychologist today because Honduras requires evaluations for prospective adoptive parents. Dr. Naiper talked to us both. Then he handed Jonathan two little booklets of questions and sent him to another room to circle his answers while he asked me some questions one on one. Then we switched. I got to filled out the questionnaire while Jonathan talked to him. Just for the record: 1). I finished the questionnaire quicker. And 2). It didn't take Jonathan as long to answer the doc's questions face to face. So basically...I'm fast. He's not. :) But that wasn't why I married him to begin with.
Anyway, he said he will have the rough draft by next week, which is great. Thanks to our super special friend who entertained the kids so we could do this!
Now, we get to sit back this weekend and enjoy the Empowered to Connect Conference that we are signed up for this weekend. My sweet in-laws are watching the kids Friday and Saturday. My mother in law took tomorrow off and is going to bake yummy treats and make super fun crafts with the kids. Emma brought her own recipe book and Grandma promised a grocery shopping trip with her to get the appropriate supplies. Fun times.
We should learn a lot this weekend. I'm looking forward to being stuck in adoption mode for a couple of days and getting to discuss it all with Jonathan.
I don't really feel closer to getting this done but I know baby steps will get us there. I like big steps. Giant steps, really. But, we keep putting one foot in front of the other and I know we will get there. Sooner, I hope, rather than later.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
P, P, and F
I have to say that when I started this blog, I was a little judgmental of other women with adoption blogs because I wanted them to post more often. It's not that hard, right? Just tell us what's going on! Come on.
Well, now I am one of those women. I think of posting often, probably at least once a day. But, then I have to come up with something worthy of your time to write about.
We are just in a small holding pattern right now. I've gotten most of the ground work done for our Dossier and we are waiting for a few things to happen. Our psychological evaluations are being done on Thursday...which, by the way, someone asked me recently if I was nervous about this evaluation. Should I be? I don't feel nervous. Should I feel nervous? I love my life. Past, present, and future. And I love talking, so what is there to be nervous about?
After we get our evaluation, we will need to send off our TX documents off to the Secretary of State (I feel like I've posted about this before). The kid's and Jonathan's birth certificates, our marriage license, and the evaluation have to be apostilled in Texas. That shouldn't take too long.
We are waiting on one more reference letter to come in and then we can take all of our documents to the New Mexico Secretary of State and have them apostilled. They recommend that we do this before our Immigration approval comes in so that we can just have everything ready and go back in for that one document.
I've been reading mixed information about Honduras lately. Things are moving there. A member of Congress introduced a bill to help speed up the process of orphans finding a home. And a new director was appointed to the Instituto Hondureño del Niño y la Familia, also known as "IHNFA", which is a social welfare agency charged by the Honduran government with overseeing local and international adoptions. The last one was fired January 2011. So, hopefully this will get the process moving too. I don't know if the bill in Congress was passed or if it was passed, how long it will take to implement quicker adoptions but it feels like movement in the right direction.
But some people are always the Debbie Downers. (Some people might call them realists.) I am a part of a Honduran Adoption Yahoo Group and there is someone who posts that doesn't see the Honduran world through rose colored glasses. Which really is good. But, I want to believe the best. The best, not necessarily for me, but for all of those kids. The kids sitting in orphanages for up to SIX YEARS waiting to be adopted out. Gosh, there are families that want them. I hope and pray that someone will be put in charge that can work for them.
Anyway, just because I'm not posting a lot doesn't mean we don't need your prayers. Keep 'em coming.
Well, now I am one of those women. I think of posting often, probably at least once a day. But, then I have to come up with something worthy of your time to write about.
We are just in a small holding pattern right now. I've gotten most of the ground work done for our Dossier and we are waiting for a few things to happen. Our psychological evaluations are being done on Thursday...which, by the way, someone asked me recently if I was nervous about this evaluation. Should I be? I don't feel nervous. Should I feel nervous? I love my life. Past, present, and future. And I love talking, so what is there to be nervous about?
After we get our evaluation, we will need to send off our TX documents off to the Secretary of State (I feel like I've posted about this before). The kid's and Jonathan's birth certificates, our marriage license, and the evaluation have to be apostilled in Texas. That shouldn't take too long.
We are waiting on one more reference letter to come in and then we can take all of our documents to the New Mexico Secretary of State and have them apostilled. They recommend that we do this before our Immigration approval comes in so that we can just have everything ready and go back in for that one document.
I've been reading mixed information about Honduras lately. Things are moving there. A member of Congress introduced a bill to help speed up the process of orphans finding a home. And a new director was appointed to the Instituto Hondureño del Niño y la Familia, also known as "IHNFA", which is a social welfare agency charged by the Honduran government with overseeing local and international adoptions. The last one was fired January 2011. So, hopefully this will get the process moving too. I don't know if the bill in Congress was passed or if it was passed, how long it will take to implement quicker adoptions but it feels like movement in the right direction.
But some people are always the Debbie Downers. (Some people might call them realists.) I am a part of a Honduran Adoption Yahoo Group and there is someone who posts that doesn't see the Honduran world through rose colored glasses. Which really is good. But, I want to believe the best. The best, not necessarily for me, but for all of those kids. The kids sitting in orphanages for up to SIX YEARS waiting to be adopted out. Gosh, there are families that want them. I hope and pray that someone will be put in charge that can work for them.
Anyway, just because I'm not posting a lot doesn't mean we don't need your prayers. Keep 'em coming.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Home Study...Check
We received our home study in them mail today. February 4. It's been kind of miraculous to work with our social worker, Heather. She has been a gift from God wrapped up in a social worker package.
Now on to USCIS or the The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (under the Department of Homeland Security). As soon as we got our home study in the mail, I wanted to drop everything and drive to town and fedex our application to the USCIS. But, after checking on it, there are no FedEx pick ups today so it wouldn't get there any faster. Tomorrow when we are in town for church, we will stop by the FedEx store and ship this baby.
The application we are turning in is called the I-600a, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. When approved, it will give our future children permission to be brought into the US. The form is one of the most important documents that adoption families receive. The document of approval is called the I-171H. That is the ultimate goal of the application we are sending on tomorrow. The first thing will receive, though, is notification that they received it. Then we will be mailed an appointment time and location for our fingerprinting. (We were fingerprinted last month for our home study, but we have to do it again.) Then, we should see the I-171H in our mailbox. All of this should take between 1.5 to 3 months. You all might assume that I am hoping we get this sooner rather than later. And that assumption would be correct.
My goal initially was to have our dossier ready at the beginning of May. We will hopefully have everything else ready when we receive this, but we have to take the original I-171H with us to Honduras so we will have to get a "notarized copy of original." Then we have to get that apostilled with the SOS in NM. I've been told that since we live hear the capital, we might be able to make an appointment with the Secretary of State and they will apostille it while we wait. Wow, that would be great.
I'm reading a lot on adoption lately and I am really looking forward to an adoption conference Jonathan and I are going to mid-February. So, we continue on.
Now on to USCIS or the The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (under the Department of Homeland Security). As soon as we got our home study in the mail, I wanted to drop everything and drive to town and fedex our application to the USCIS. But, after checking on it, there are no FedEx pick ups today so it wouldn't get there any faster. Tomorrow when we are in town for church, we will stop by the FedEx store and ship this baby.
The application we are turning in is called the I-600a, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. When approved, it will give our future children permission to be brought into the US. The form is one of the most important documents that adoption families receive. The document of approval is called the I-171H. That is the ultimate goal of the application we are sending on tomorrow. The first thing will receive, though, is notification that they received it. Then we will be mailed an appointment time and location for our fingerprinting. (We were fingerprinted last month for our home study, but we have to do it again.) Then, we should see the I-171H in our mailbox. All of this should take between 1.5 to 3 months. You all might assume that I am hoping we get this sooner rather than later. And that assumption would be correct.
My goal initially was to have our dossier ready at the beginning of May. We will hopefully have everything else ready when we receive this, but we have to take the original I-171H with us to Honduras so we will have to get a "notarized copy of original." Then we have to get that apostilled with the SOS in NM. I've been told that since we live hear the capital, we might be able to make an appointment with the Secretary of State and they will apostille it while we wait. Wow, that would be great.
I'm reading a lot on adoption lately and I am really looking forward to an adoption conference Jonathan and I are going to mid-February. So, we continue on.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Why Not Ask?
I've been feeling a bit emotional lately and that really isn't my norm. I was telling Jonathan that I'm kind of bummed that I am starting to really want to meet our children already. I was hoping I could hold off that feeling for as long as possible. I guess that sounds cold, but several years is a long time to know your children are, at best, not in a great situation and at worst, in a really bad situation. I guess it is part of the growth of adoption.
Jonathan and I went to an adoption training last night in Albuquerque. On the way home we were talking and he said he is trying to prepare himself for a 3 year wait. What? 2015? I'm sure that is really responsible of him but wow, that isn't where my heart it. So in the end we decided to prepare mentally for 2 years (he might still say 3) but pray for a miraculous 2013 adoption. We very well know that God has picked our children already and as we talked about last night, they might not even be born yet. And we are willing to wait, knowing that He knows best. But, we also know that we serve an amazing God who can do amazing things in amazing time. Why not ask?
I love how Jonathan and I even each other out. Playing board games and keeping a clean room are pretty much the only two things that we as a couple tip the scales on. We are both crazy competitive and sore losers and neither of us know how to just put our clothes away when we are done with them...like our mothers taught us. But, I'll take those two things if it means that we are a great team with most other things. Things that matter.
Jonathan and I went to an adoption training last night in Albuquerque. On the way home we were talking and he said he is trying to prepare himself for a 3 year wait. What? 2015? I'm sure that is really responsible of him but wow, that isn't where my heart it. So in the end we decided to prepare mentally for 2 years (he might still say 3) but pray for a miraculous 2013 adoption. We very well know that God has picked our children already and as we talked about last night, they might not even be born yet. And we are willing to wait, knowing that He knows best. But, we also know that we serve an amazing God who can do amazing things in amazing time. Why not ask?
I love how Jonathan and I even each other out. Playing board games and keeping a clean room are pretty much the only two things that we as a couple tip the scales on. We are both crazy competitive and sore losers and neither of us know how to just put our clothes away when we are done with them...like our mothers taught us. But, I'll take those two things if it means that we are a great team with most other things. Things that matter.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Rambling
I feel like I should have something to say today. So, I'm going to start writing and then see if it is post worthy.
I feel like I got a lot done this week. Well, I didn't get it done, but others got it done for me. Our doc handed me all the medical forms that we need yesterday. It was a stack. He was so gracious about it.
I received my Maryland birth certificate back from the Secretary of State's office. It is apostilled now. I received our Texas marriage license too this week. I am still waiting for our older two kids' and my husband's birth certificates from the Lone Star State so I can send those off to be apostilled. I have scanned all of that in and emailed it to AWAA to make sure it all looks good.
We meet with our social worker, Heather, again on Monday. She is coming back to the house. She will talk to both of us separately and then spend some time with the kids, just her and them. I love that I am not worried a bit about that visit. Then we head to Albuquerque on Tuesday night for a training Heather's agency is putting on. That will be our final "face-to-face" visit. She said she will have our home study done by the next day. When she finishes it, she has to email it to our AWAA contact, Johnna. Then when Johnna approves it, we can send it off to the USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services). USCIS says that it takes up to 3 months for approval but I am hoping it won't take that long. Of coarse that is my hope. Don't all people hope for a short wait time?
Anyway, my goal is to have all of our paperwork ready so that when we get notice back from the USCIS we will be able to send it off to AWAA. Then AWAA will make sure everything is spot on. And when it is perfect, we send it to Honduras.
I've been having trouble getting to sleep at night. When I lay down I make a point to pray specifically for the adoption and our children there. My mind starts swirling and it keeps me up. Oh well.
Our "here" kids are doing great. Anderson keeps asking me when we are going to get our other children. The girls are hoping for girls and the boys are hoping for boys. :) Only God knows.
I feel like I got a lot done this week. Well, I didn't get it done, but others got it done for me. Our doc handed me all the medical forms that we need yesterday. It was a stack. He was so gracious about it.
I received my Maryland birth certificate back from the Secretary of State's office. It is apostilled now. I received our Texas marriage license too this week. I am still waiting for our older two kids' and my husband's birth certificates from the Lone Star State so I can send those off to be apostilled. I have scanned all of that in and emailed it to AWAA to make sure it all looks good.
We meet with our social worker, Heather, again on Monday. She is coming back to the house. She will talk to both of us separately and then spend some time with the kids, just her and them. I love that I am not worried a bit about that visit. Then we head to Albuquerque on Tuesday night for a training Heather's agency is putting on. That will be our final "face-to-face" visit. She said she will have our home study done by the next day. When she finishes it, she has to email it to our AWAA contact, Johnna. Then when Johnna approves it, we can send it off to the USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services). USCIS says that it takes up to 3 months for approval but I am hoping it won't take that long. Of coarse that is my hope. Don't all people hope for a short wait time?
Anyway, my goal is to have all of our paperwork ready so that when we get notice back from the USCIS we will be able to send it off to AWAA. Then AWAA will make sure everything is spot on. And when it is perfect, we send it to Honduras.
I've been having trouble getting to sleep at night. When I lay down I make a point to pray specifically for the adoption and our children there. My mind starts swirling and it keeps me up. Oh well.
Our "here" kids are doing great. Anderson keeps asking me when we are going to get our other children. The girls are hoping for girls and the boys are hoping for boys. :) Only God knows.
Monday, January 23, 2012
He Calls us to Him
There is a difference in knowing something is going to happen and actually experiencing it happening.
I know God has asked us to do this. I know He is going to provide the strength, the finished paperwork, the emotional support and the funds. I know this because of verses in the Bible that tell me so.
Isaiah 40: 31 "..yet those who hope in the Lord will gain new strength; he will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." He promises not to leave us. In Proverbs He promises if we trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding (even when His plan doesn't make sense...like a family of four young children having more) He will make our paths straight. I know these things because by the grace of God, I've been shown His Word and I trust it.
But back to actually experiencing it. Today as I was leaving for town to get the kids TB tests checked, I stopped to check the mail. There were two small envelopes in the box. Two small envelopes that contained God's blessing. I knew that God was going to provide, but when it happens it continues to blow me away. It is a humbling experience for others to want to be apart of what God is doing in our little family. Tears came to my eyes and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops. I wanted to just hold the envelopes to my chest and smile. I wanted to cry. And I wanted to sing. I wanted to say thank you to the Lord. I wanted to say thank you to the senders. My mind was whirling. It was another confirmation of God's direction for us.
As I drove, I was listening to my iPod. When I Survey The Wonderful Cross came on, actually it was the new version The Wonderous Cross I guess. I was kind of listening and kind of thinking. But the song had my full attention when it got to this verse:
Each time God provides another piece, whether a good home study visit, or a doctor willing and smiling through 6 physicals, blood tests, and forms, or funds coming in, or a Pyschologist (that my mother-in-law called for me) calling to confirm a quickly coming date for an appointment...any of these pieces that are just falling together so perfectly, I want to celebrate. I think "we should go out to dinner!" But, gosh, they are happening too often to celebrate like that. So, instead of dining out, we pray. We pray as a family and thank God for His provisions. We marvel at His goodness and honestly, sometimes we question His willingness to use us in this way. But we trust Him through those doubts and will continue to seek Him.
I know God has asked us to do this. I know He is going to provide the strength, the finished paperwork, the emotional support and the funds. I know this because of verses in the Bible that tell me so.
Isaiah 40: 31 "..yet those who hope in the Lord will gain new strength; he will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." He promises not to leave us. In Proverbs He promises if we trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding (even when His plan doesn't make sense...like a family of four young children having more) He will make our paths straight. I know these things because by the grace of God, I've been shown His Word and I trust it.
But back to actually experiencing it. Today as I was leaving for town to get the kids TB tests checked, I stopped to check the mail. There were two small envelopes in the box. Two small envelopes that contained God's blessing. I knew that God was going to provide, but when it happens it continues to blow me away. It is a humbling experience for others to want to be apart of what God is doing in our little family. Tears came to my eyes and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops. I wanted to just hold the envelopes to my chest and smile. I wanted to cry. And I wanted to sing. I wanted to say thank you to the Lord. I wanted to say thank you to the senders. My mind was whirling. It was another confirmation of God's direction for us.
As I drove, I was listening to my iPod. When I Survey The Wonderful Cross came on, actually it was the new version The Wonderous Cross I guess. I was kind of listening and kind of thinking. But the song had my full attention when it got to this verse:
Were the whole realm of nature mineAnd then the first part of the Chorus:
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful crossAfter Jonathan told me that it was time to start this I was excited. But I'd be lying if didn't admit to doubts. The thought "Why are we going to chance messing up a good thing? We have a good thing going." But Jonathan's wise reply was that God didn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to Him. I don't have that doubt near as much, but I don't know if on this side of this adoption if it will go away completely. This song though, erased the doubt for today. Issac Watts (the writer of the verse above) expressed that if we could give back all of the world to God, that it would not even begin to be enough of a thanks offering to God. I can't offer the whole realm of nature, but I can offer my life. My comfortable, lovely, amazing life to Him who gave it to me. His love, His divine love demands my soul, my life. All of it. The cross of Jesus is asking me to come and die so that I may live. Live the full, abundant life. It is a risk I have taken in the past and a risk I will take again. And He never stops amazing me.
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Each time God provides another piece, whether a good home study visit, or a doctor willing and smiling through 6 physicals, blood tests, and forms, or funds coming in, or a Pyschologist (that my mother-in-law called for me) calling to confirm a quickly coming date for an appointment...any of these pieces that are just falling together so perfectly, I want to celebrate. I think "we should go out to dinner!" But, gosh, they are happening too often to celebrate like that. So, instead of dining out, we pray. We pray as a family and thank God for His provisions. We marvel at His goodness and honestly, sometimes we question His willingness to use us in this way. But we trust Him through those doubts and will continue to seek Him.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Bring It
Well, in the past 14 days each of our six existing family members has been to the doctor for a physical for the adoption. We had our hearing and vision checked. Our heart and lungs and lymph nodes checked. And we have all together filled 14 viles of blood. Jonathan and I have had our TB tests and the kids are getting inoculated with it today. Jonathan just told me he has been to Dr. Press's office 5 times in the past 2 weeks. And I think I have too. Honduras requires that everyone living in the house has to have an HIV test and Heb B test along with everything else I've mentioned. And we are almost done. The kids TB test will be looked at on Monday and then the doc will give us all six forms with his medical license stapled to the back of each, a letter describing the drugs I take and his opinion stating that I will be a great adoptive parent, and 6 lab reports....all notarized and filled out in black ink. Whew.
Plus, this week I have been working on another background check for us, one that is notarized. A bank letter that states we are in good standing with the bank that has to be signed by the branch manager, not a personal banker. Because I got a letter from the bank last week that was signed by a personal banker. :) And, I'm trying to schedule psychological evaluations with a guy that my mother-in-law so graciously found for us. I sent off my newly issued MD birth certificate that I received last week back to MD to the secretary of state to be apostilled. I've registered for an adoption conference that is in February which I am looking forward to. And I have reviewed one of the reference letters that was written for us.
We are trucking. I am so glad that I love lists and paperwork and checking things off.
Bring it.
Plus, this week I have been working on another background check for us, one that is notarized. A bank letter that states we are in good standing with the bank that has to be signed by the branch manager, not a personal banker. Because I got a letter from the bank last week that was signed by a personal banker. :) And, I'm trying to schedule psychological evaluations with a guy that my mother-in-law so graciously found for us. I sent off my newly issued MD birth certificate that I received last week back to MD to the secretary of state to be apostilled. I've registered for an adoption conference that is in February which I am looking forward to. And I have reviewed one of the reference letters that was written for us.
We are trucking. I am so glad that I love lists and paperwork and checking things off.
Bring it.
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