It Arrived!

Our dossier arrived safely today! Thank you, Lord! Now the wait as our facilitator translates and checks that every document will meet the requirements. Please pray it is all done correctly! Okay, back to nesting....

Nesting...

As all mamas know, as their "due date" approaches, the "nesting" begins! I am in complete nesting mode. This week we picked up all the wonderful things that God has provided FREE-a toddler bed (which I just put together tonight), 2 toddler car seats, 2 high chairs, a double stroller, a dresser and several child gates. I am also working on stocking the freezer with 3 weeks worth of meals for the kids at home while we are traveling. We have been shopping thrift and used clothing sales for clothes (we are guessing sizes since we won't know for sure till we see the kids in person).

We are praying about getting a larger family vehicle. Our current vehicle will seat everyone, but its going to be tight with 3 car seats, and we have no storage room. I don't think we can even fit the double stroller with everyone in the car. If anyone knows someone who is selling a used 12 passenger van or a dodge sprinter, let us know! We are praying for the Lord to present us with the right vehicle at just the right price, so waiting and praying.

OH, I have to mention...our dossier is still enroute to its destination, and right now it is in Paris, France! Go baby, go!

Our Dossier is on its way!!

Now please pray for its safe arrival in EE. It should arrive on Wednesday, and I will be nail biting and checking its progress until then. It has taken over 5 months and lots of hard work and some tears to compile all those documents, and it was actually a little hard to hand it over. I want it to arrive at its destination, but it is a little scary trusting anyone with something so important. So, now we wait again...

We got our 171H!!!! Woohoo!!

It came! It came! No more stalking the mail man:) Praise the Lord! It is already notarized and on its way for a state seal. We should have it by the end of the week I would think as we overnighted it there and back and paid for the expedited service. Then, we will send our entire dossier to EE. I can't believe it. There were days it felt like we would never get here. Our facilitator asked us to scan/email our home study so she can start translating. Gulp! It all feels so real all of a sudden. Please pray that everything is found in perfect order for acceptance once it is submitted. Now off to stalk the Fed Ex man or woman as we wait for it to return with that apostille!

WE ARE APPROVED!!

Praise the Lord!! I could cry I am so happy right now. After a challenging week of phone calls/emails/faxes and earnest prayers, we got a call this afternoon from our Congressman's office that we have our immigration approval! This is a huge praise!! Our file has been sent to the National Visa Center and that wonderful, glorious, beautiful document known as a 171H is on it's way to us! What a wonderful way to start the weekend. As soon as that precious document is in my hands, we will be zipping to the notary and then off for state seals and then it will join all the rest of our dossier papers and be on its way to Eastern Europe! Woohoo!! We are inching closer and closer to the day we will finally meet our new son and daughter!

I am stalking my mail carrier

It's true...only not for the reasons he may fear! I am still waiting for that immigration approval. I wish it would get here. It's all we are waiting for so that our dossier will be complete and we can send it on its way. My mail carrier is really hoping it comes soon too, before he goes and gets a restraining order that keeps me in the house until his truck has left our mail box! Pray it comes soon!!

I have such great friends!

Look how cute! A few of us get together for a "girls night" every so often...not often enough! They surprised me with these adorable backpacks for Luke and Irina filled with toys to help entertain them on the long flight home. They also blessed us with a Walmart gift card! Thanks so much! You guys are the BEST!

Almost Done!!

We are really in the home stretch of this paperchase now! Our one set of documents arrived with their state seals today! Yippee! We got the last document we need for our home study agency, and our previous home study agency is overnighting the last thing we need from them. The plan is to send all our other documents for their apostilles on Monday! Once they come back, our dossier will be complete and we will just be waiting on immigration approval. Praying it comes SOON! I can't wait to Fed Ex all of this priceless paperwork to EE...and then it will be nail biting while our facilitator looks it over, translates it, and then if everything is in order gets a date for submission! Pray for smooth sailing for these last steps. My heart is aching to meet my precious Luke and Irina! We are coming, little ones! We love you and pray for you everyday!

Thank you, Anonymous!

Anonymous sounds so impersonal, especially because the family I am going to share about is not unknown to us, and in fact we know them well and love them dearly! However, I'm going to share some personal things and I thought out of respect for them I would not reveal their identity. If they are okay with me "outing" them, then I will be happy to do so in another post. Okay, so why the thank you?
Last week, Mr. A found out that he was no longer employed. This was a surprising blow because Mr. A has been a loyal and dedicated employee for many years, and has won awards and recognition for being a top performer at his job. We know the Lord has a plan in all this, but it is sometimes hard to see that in the midst of a storm. It is devastating and very stressful, especially when you have 5 young kids under your roof. A couple days after this occurred, Mrs. A calls to tell me that she and Mr. A were talking and he had an idea. Since he is currently unemployed, he is able to be at home with their 5 children so that Mrs. A can come stay with our kids for part of the time we are traveling for our adoption. WHAT?! I am amazed and humbled that this family is facing a crisis and yet they are inspired to think of how they can help US. I was brought to tears at this offer, and thrilled because my kids love Mrs.A and she loves them! Today Mrs. A calls me again. Mr.A had an account at his employer for charitable contributions. They weren't even sure there was anything in it, but when they checked there was a sizable sum. They have donated all of this money to our adoption fund! I could only respond by crying like a baby on the phone. Wow! Thank you just isn't adequate. Please pray God's blessings rain down on this amazing family and that they are blessed many times over for their generosity and love. We love you, "Anonymous Family"!!

Almost There!!

We are so close I can barely stand it! We sent off some of our documents for their apostilles on Tuesday (we got married, work, and have a Dr. in another state). I am hoping, hoping, hoping to have the last 3 things we need and be able to mail them off this week for their apostilles. Then we will just be waiting for our immigration approval, which I will expedite for an apostille when it arrives. It is $15 per document extra to expedite for the apostille, so unfortunately we have to go the slow route for the bulk of the documents. I will be doing a happy dance once we get these things mailed off!! Oh this paperwork has been so trying I can't wait to be done. Pray it all arrives and returns safely and done correctly. I am still hopeful that there is a chance we will travel in April. I can't wait to get my babies HOME!!