Dossier is off to our agency!!

Today I will be putting our dossier in the mail to our agency.  I can't believe it is finally complete.  All the copying, stapling, sorting, ordering, waiting, running from place to place to get authentications, etc... will be behind us!  It feels so good to have completed this step.  Now our next focus in the service plan, which we've been working on ...but it will take some time... and we have a deadline for that one - mid-May, so we'll be reading more, working on our strategies, and writing our plans. 

We're still waiting for word from our doctor on the medical review.  We're hoping to hear something on that very soon.... to close that loop and move to the next step on our referral. 

So as I sit in the office in the dark this morning and look out my window with a beautiful flowering pear tree in my view, I know God is a creator of all things lovely and good.  He loves us so very much....and knows all things.... He has a plan for us, and it is good...it may have struggles, but those are good too...because ultimately struggle leads us to His arms...and THAT is always good and beautiful. We are thanking God, for who He is.
~Renae. 

Referral Day

Yesterday (March 25, 2010) Lisa called us in a 3-way call with Brad and I to discuss our referral.  We were SOOO excited to hear about our potential little girl.  She is absolutely perfect for us....although we will have a doctor review her medical report, so we're trying to be a little "low key" until we officially accept this referral... but we do think she's amazing already...and we already love her.  I love reading about her and getting to know her likes and dislikes.  This orphanage does a very thorough child study report...so it's awesome to get to know her.  She likes to be held, and is very social - seems she's quite attached to her care givers, so that is a great sign that she will attach to us, which clearly is every parent's desire.  She's 18 months, with a birthday 4 days before Brad's - we can already see the birthday celebration together as a family.  At this point we're not sharing her picture or information with Joshua, because we don't think he would understand the idea of having a medical review, before we officially say "yes" and accept the referral.  Our agency really wants all that looked over by a doctor, which we understand and support....so for now, we're keeping it a secret and hoping to get the doctor's review asap.  But in our heart of hearts we feel she is a perfect match for us and we thank God for such a blessed child.   The only downer is that it is anticipated that we will travel in 10 months to get her....that's going to be a VERY LONG 10 months, although Brad has reminded me that this estimate is the orphanages, the judges, the agencies, and India's timeline...but might NOT necessarily be God's timeline.  Pray he's right and God makes a way for her to come home sooner....we turn it all to him and know that His plans are always better than ours and He has a purpose, so we fully submit to him and whatever it takes (even if it's longer for some reason...he's in control).  ~Renae 

About to burst

Well, our agency contact was out of the office yesterday...so we still don't know anything and we're about to burst.  We do have a call today with her, so short of some communication breakdown, we'll know more this afternoon.  I did make it to Woodford Co. Clerk's office with no problems.... so now I just have one more County Clerk hop over to Louisville....then Sec. of State....then dossier DONE!  Excited about that day drawing near.  I'm hoping that is next week.  Stayed tuned.... I imagine we'll post tonight or tomorrow :)

It's like Christmas and I can't sleep

I remember as a kid the night before Christmas not being able to sleep.  My mind racing on all the neat things I might be getting from my parents.  We didn't have a lot growing up, but Christmas was special and more than anything it was the surprise and the unknown that just kept me so excited the night before. 

Well, tonight after getting home late after a meeting, we had a message on our answering machine about an 18-month old girl.  The message was from our agency, and that's about all it said.  Well, our agency is in Oregon, so we have a 3 hour difference in time zones.  We called backing hoping to catch our agency contact, but had to leave a message.  So of course, I couldn't sleep when I went to bed....finally dozed a bit and now it's 3:30 am and I'm awake thinking of this little girl and the possibilities of her.... waiting with great anticipation, not knowing her name, or her medical history...nothing about her but her age.  So it's just like Christmas and I can't sleep :) 

I know God has something wonderful in store for us.  The gift of life is one of God's most amazing mysteries - and this little gift will be by far the most amazing Christmas gifts of all.

County Clerk's office hopping

Well, this paperwork thing is taking it's toll.... got all our documents notarized.. and now we have to get them certified at the county clerk's office where the notary took their oath...BEFORE we can go to the Sec. of State for the Apostilles. Isn't this crazy?  Well, of course thinking I could take one document to Franklin Co. Clerk..only to find the notary took their oath in Woodford County... it's just a hit or miss since the Sec. of State's office told me I had to get them certified in the county, "because they don't have a database"...but yet.. Franklin Co. tells me you can see which County a notary took their oath..."on the Sec. of State's website".... ARG!!  are you kidding me?  This process is really hard, and I'm getting discouraged....but then I focus on our little girl there waiting in India and I just want to bring her home and start caring for her, loving her, having her here with us as a family...... then I sleep and rise to another day of adoption paperwork with a smile.  Dear Jesus, keep me going.....she's worth it! 

Wait....oh, hurry!

As we work on our Dossier we find out that we believe the children being considered for our match are needing a pre-approval from India.  This means, they need Dossier documents.... oh, no...we've been working on them, but not a lightening speed, until now.  Once we found out our referral might come quicker if we have our Dossier done, well, that changes everything...so we've been going like crazy getting documents done.  We are still very excited and hopeful that she might be home before Christmas.  In looking at our timeline, it doesen't seem like we've been at this for very long, nothing compared to some families that wait for their children for 4+ years.  So we're patient and hopeful... and in a hurry to get this Dossier off our plate :) 

Brad's parents are visiting this weekend on their return trip from Florida.  It's great to see them and take our mind off of this a bit....although she's always on our mind, we want her home so badly.  But having visitors is always fun.... and also having our Kentucky Wildcats win is good too.... like today, going to sweet sixteen in the NCAA tournament.  We certainly have many distractions.... but our heart remains fixed upon Miss Lauren....who is likely waiting in India right now!

I800-A Approval!! We're on our way!

Tonight after a busy day at work, then picking up Joshua from after school - I casually went to the mailbox and RIGHT ON TOP.... was an envelope from Homeland Security!  I ripped it open as I walked up the driveway..... it was our I800-A Homeland Security approval to move to the next step in our adoption.  Then I had to wait 30 minutes until Brad got home, before I could tell anyone :) ..... bursting, I say...bursting!  We are so excited...the intensity is building and we can't wait!  With this letter, we are officially eligible to receive a referral from our adoption agency! (We just can't wait to see a picture and know more about our little girl...(or sibling set) if that's what God has in order for us). We are so thankful to God for our blessings... and our challenges.. they both remind us to rely more on Him and less on ourselves.  Signing off with patience knowing He has her (and us) right in the palm of His mighty hand.  :)

Counting the Days

Ok, so I've been VERY patient.  I haven't followed up on a calendar, haven't followed other blogs, haven't contacted Homeland Security, and haven't been emailing our agency every day saying, "when do we get our referral"...but I MUST admit, I am getting a little anxious these last few days and now I just want to see her little face and know all about her!  We are currently waiting for our I800-A pre-approval from Homeland Security... and also the agency to call us to discuss referrals.  We know we are not really "entitled" to the referral discussion just yet - until the I800-A letter comes back....but our agency contact suggested the referral person would be calling us last week....and I know she's really busy...and we didn't hear from her... so now the anticipation is starting to set in!  :)  It's like she's already a part of us and we don't even know her!  So we wait....... (I think putting the timeline together for the blog last night also was not the greatest idea)... out of sight out of mind... now seeing it on paper...puts into reality that we are nearing some really amazing milestones!  Up until this point, I've been too hesitant to focus on the waiting too much, because I knew we were just going to have to settle down into a long time of wait and didn't want to make myself too crazy...but I think the time is here... Crazy for you Miss Lauren, already. 

Walking through the journey

I nearly tear up when thinking about bringing Lauren home. We've researched and dismissed several countries, waded through mountains of paperwork, had enough background checks to be accepted by the CIA, and been on an emotional roller coaster. We're so close now. In only a few short weeks we'll know who God has matched us with, our newly beloved daughter. Many prayers have gone through on her behalf. Now we wait. And I can't wait to hold her in my arms. I dream of that often--what that moment will be like. It shall be more magnificient than anything I could imagine or conceive. Lauren, we're coming for you...