Just when it seems we take a step backwards God shows himself as who he is...OUR CREATOR!! I have been lamenting about the fact that our I800a has been dropped off for a week now and still don't have even an email it was received (although I know it was b/c of tracking:) In the meantime our agency calls me today and tells me that they found out they can send our I800 off to be processed while we wait for the I797. I didn't ask, but assume that since Titus already has I800 approval and was just waiting for Article 5 to be dropped off that we can sail through quicker with Adam's. This seems like it should save us a few weeks in the longrun. We should hear something about our I797 by next week and our I800 should be getting close to review at that point too.
I would love to travel in early April and be back long enough before I have to take off for Beijing in early May for a week, but if not, then we will just wait until mid to late May to go get the boys. I laugh at myself when I make all these plans, and I am not in charge -GOD IS! Thank you Lord because I would just mess it all up.
Anyhoo, we are excited to be being blessed by the double paperwork process!! And the many people that are supporting us by donating to Adam's orphange fee. It's possible we may need all the funds sooner than later -that would be great:)
February 28, 2011
God's Grace
God's grace is everywhere! Just the mere fact that he finds us worthy enough to parent His children is proof. We are blessed beyond measure and cannot even begin to describe it! A dear adoptive Mom has put a plea out on her blog to solicite funds for Adam's orphanage fee. Go here to see why she cares so much:) http://wwwourchinagirl.blogspot.com/ She is an amazing woman!
Thank you Vicki and thank your children!!
Thank you Vicki and thank your children!!
February 24, 2011
LOAs!!!!!!
Not only did it snow today, which doesn't happen that often in our part of the Pacific Northwest, but we got notice that our LOAs will come tomorrow via FEDEX! Two great events (of course LOA is way more exciting) We had already received our LOA for Titus before we knew we would be adopting Adam, but I guess they reissue it again anyway. So tomorrow we will get both Adams and Titus's LOAs!!
After a week long wait to get our I800a to immigrations for Adam (the USPS failed in their attempt to do their job...it happens:) I am hoping to hear that it has been sent on to where it will get approval and our I797 will be mailed out to us. I won't "worry" about it through next week:) But the following week it better come:) hahaah
Then it's I800 approval, NVC, Article 5 and then TA. Since Titus's paperwork is already at the Article 5 stage I am hoping they will hurry Adams along. We are still planning on our mini trip to Beijing in early May and will work around that should we have TA by then.
Just had to share! Now back to watching the kids play in the snow before it melts!
After a week long wait to get our I800a to immigrations for Adam (the USPS failed in their attempt to do their job...it happens:) I am hoping to hear that it has been sent on to where it will get approval and our I797 will be mailed out to us. I won't "worry" about it through next week:) But the following week it better come:) hahaah
Then it's I800 approval, NVC, Article 5 and then TA. Since Titus's paperwork is already at the Article 5 stage I am hoping they will hurry Adams along. We are still planning on our mini trip to Beijing in early May and will work around that should we have TA by then.
Just had to share! Now back to watching the kids play in the snow before it melts!
February 18, 2011
Always a snafu:)
Today was another adoption snafu day...seems that there are always times like these during the adoption process. I really believe that adoption is way more work than being pregnant for 9 months.
I USPS Express mailed out our supplement 3 for Adam on Tuesday to the lockbox, with guaranteed delivery on Thursday. Well today they said they couldn't find it. After many hours and me almost breaking down in tears on the phone to the Postmaster, our package was finally found somewhere in Texas. Which is good. Of course as of this writing it is still not delivered but at least they know where it is. Maybe on Tuesday it will finally get delivered. I would love for them to jump right on it and send us our I797:) hahahah wishful thinking.
I talked to our agency today to see "about" when we might travel for the boys. I mainly asked because I am planning a trip to Beijing with my daughter and a whole team of people to work at our 3 yr old sons Foster home that he lived in while still in China. That trip has been planned for a year and is in early May. Thankfully our agency didn't think we would travel before late May or early June. If it happens that both trips cross over each other I can just stay there myself and wait for hubby arrive and send my daughter home with my friend. Time will tell how that works out, but I did get my plane tickets for the foster home trip anyway:)
I sure wish we could have gone to China by April timeframe so the boys could get into school and learn English with their peers, but due to immigrations etc that we have to do to be able to get both boys at the same time, that won't be happening. I would love any ideas for helping them learn English over the summer. I am thinking about Rosetta stone.
We were going to go sledding in the mountain tomorrow but have decided against it since we are all tired, the little boys are just getting over being sick, and hubby having to work through the weekend. This is probably the last visit to the mountain before spring. Washington is great. You can live below the mountain and have nice weather all year long, and drive an hour to see snow when you want. We can also drive an hour to the ocean or a couple hours to the desert. Paradise is what I call this place:)
We are hoping to get some updated news on the boys after they receive our package signaling that we are adopting Adam. I hope they are excited! Guess that is it for now, nothing exciting to post.
I USPS Express mailed out our supplement 3 for Adam on Tuesday to the lockbox, with guaranteed delivery on Thursday. Well today they said they couldn't find it. After many hours and me almost breaking down in tears on the phone to the Postmaster, our package was finally found somewhere in Texas. Which is good. Of course as of this writing it is still not delivered but at least they know where it is. Maybe on Tuesday it will finally get delivered. I would love for them to jump right on it and send us our I797:) hahahah wishful thinking.
I talked to our agency today to see "about" when we might travel for the boys. I mainly asked because I am planning a trip to Beijing with my daughter and a whole team of people to work at our 3 yr old sons Foster home that he lived in while still in China. That trip has been planned for a year and is in early May. Thankfully our agency didn't think we would travel before late May or early June. If it happens that both trips cross over each other I can just stay there myself and wait for hubby arrive and send my daughter home with my friend. Time will tell how that works out, but I did get my plane tickets for the foster home trip anyway:)
I sure wish we could have gone to China by April timeframe so the boys could get into school and learn English with their peers, but due to immigrations etc that we have to do to be able to get both boys at the same time, that won't be happening. I would love any ideas for helping them learn English over the summer. I am thinking about Rosetta stone.
We were going to go sledding in the mountain tomorrow but have decided against it since we are all tired, the little boys are just getting over being sick, and hubby having to work through the weekend. This is probably the last visit to the mountain before spring. Washington is great. You can live below the mountain and have nice weather all year long, and drive an hour to see snow when you want. We can also drive an hour to the ocean or a couple hours to the desert. Paradise is what I call this place:)
We are hoping to get some updated news on the boys after they receive our package signaling that we are adopting Adam. I hope they are excited! Guess that is it for now, nothing exciting to post.
February 16, 2011
What a great pillow!
What a great idea! We just ordered a pillow, along with the forever family package for our new son Adam. This is the picture that will be inside of the pillow. You can see them at www.giftstochinawithlove.com . Both of the boys we are adopting (Titus and Adam) are in the photo and should learn this week that they are both coming to our family! Titus already knew, but when we decided to adopt Adam we weren't able to tell him (can't contact directly). But when Adam gets his pillow and letter they will both know!!
Now we just have to wait for immigrations to process our supplement 3, send us a corrected I797 and we wait a month or two to get them. I did read this morning that immigrations is backed up 90 days on giving fingerprint appts. We don't need that so I am praying this backlog isn't affecting all adoptions paperwork since it goes to the same office.
Would you be in prayer for us while we wait? Thanks. If I can figure out how to do a donation button I would love to be able to try to raise Adams orphanage fee at least. Does anyone know how to do that?
Now we just have to wait for immigrations to process our supplement 3, send us a corrected I797 and we wait a month or two to get them. I did read this morning that immigrations is backed up 90 days on giving fingerprint appts. We don't need that so I am praying this backlog isn't affecting all adoptions paperwork since it goes to the same office.
Would you be in prayer for us while we wait? Thanks. If I can figure out how to do a donation button I would love to be able to try to raise Adams orphanage fee at least. Does anyone know how to do that?
February 11, 2011
PA!!
Another praise!! Today we found out we got our pre approval on our son Adam! We are just waiting for our homestudy update which we should have early next week, then we can get moving on immigrations so we can get the two boys moving in the same direction.
I can't wait to send him a package letting him know he has a forever family! And a brother from the same orphanage!
YAYAYAYAYAYY!
I can't wait to send him a package letting him know he has a forever family! And a brother from the same orphanage!
YAYAYAYAYAYY!
February 5, 2011
Happenings
The new 10 year old!) All she wanted was a one person cake, but she kindly shared with everyone after she had her first, second and third piece:)
The new 7 year old, yes the candle says 8 but it's all we had, I know sad right?!" Thankfully she didn't seem to care:) She just wanted to eat that icecream cake!
Nicole happened to be over with Aeris, the most amazing Grandbaby anyone would ever want...so we snapped an almost total Theis kid photo....just missing Jacob (and the son and daughter in laws)...Can't wait for the two boys to get here to be part of this picture!!February 3, 2011
Another Son!
Yes that is the title, Another son!
Way back when we first decided to adopt Titus, Vicki - the Mins mom, sent me pictures she had of our son with this other little boy. The other boy captured my heart but I knew hubby would never say yes to two boys at the same time, plus we weren't in a position to be able to do two dossiers etc. Sooooooo I put him in the back of my mind and told myself that if he ever became available through the Special Focus program within our time limit, I would ask hubby.
One day while reading my Yahoo group posts someone posted about a boy named "Chris" by a missionary. She was advocating for his adoption. When I went to the link to read about the boy, lo and behold it was the same boy in the picture with Ty.
I prayed, asked for more information and presented it to hubby. He didn't say anything for a couple days (just like with Ty) but once we talked about it he said he knew we needed to adopt him. He even went so far as to tell the Peds eye dr that no matter what was wrong with him we would proceed to adopt him!
Day two our agency tells us we will have to make two trips to China because we are past the immigrations phase and waiting for our Travel Approval for Ty. We still wanted to move forward despite the expense involved with two trips essentially back to back.
Day three our agency calls back and told us that they couldnt get it out of their minds that we would have to go twice, so they made some calls and decided they might be able to swing us going only once. So today I rushed around to do LOI, finance papers, application, social worker calls etc. Now we just need to wait to see if CCAA will send us LOA very fast so we can make it before Ty turns 14 in July. If they cannot we will be back to stage one, leaving sooner than later and making another trip for our second son.
This is all exciting but nerve wracking because we know our son Ty knows we are coming soon, we don't have PA yet so we can't send either him or our other possible son a letter telling them we are coming but a little later....ugh....
Please pray for us as we wait, submit more paperwork, wait, wait wait etc...
Way back when we first decided to adopt Titus, Vicki - the Mins mom, sent me pictures she had of our son with this other little boy. The other boy captured my heart but I knew hubby would never say yes to two boys at the same time, plus we weren't in a position to be able to do two dossiers etc. Sooooooo I put him in the back of my mind and told myself that if he ever became available through the Special Focus program within our time limit, I would ask hubby.
One day while reading my Yahoo group posts someone posted about a boy named "Chris" by a missionary. She was advocating for his adoption. When I went to the link to read about the boy, lo and behold it was the same boy in the picture with Ty.
I prayed, asked for more information and presented it to hubby. He didn't say anything for a couple days (just like with Ty) but once we talked about it he said he knew we needed to adopt him. He even went so far as to tell the Peds eye dr that no matter what was wrong with him we would proceed to adopt him!
Day two our agency tells us we will have to make two trips to China because we are past the immigrations phase and waiting for our Travel Approval for Ty. We still wanted to move forward despite the expense involved with two trips essentially back to back.
Day three our agency calls back and told us that they couldnt get it out of their minds that we would have to go twice, so they made some calls and decided they might be able to swing us going only once. So today I rushed around to do LOI, finance papers, application, social worker calls etc. Now we just need to wait to see if CCAA will send us LOA very fast so we can make it before Ty turns 14 in July. If they cannot we will be back to stage one, leaving sooner than later and making another trip for our second son.
This is all exciting but nerve wracking because we know our son Ty knows we are coming soon, we don't have PA yet so we can't send either him or our other possible son a letter telling them we are coming but a little later....ugh....
Please pray for us as we wait, submit more paperwork, wait, wait wait etc...
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