Our latest decision....

As many of you know, the door to adopt from Rwanda was shut.  It is not that the door will not reopen, it will one day, but for now it is shut.  When I heard the news I felt like the Lord really came over me with a sense of calmness and peace.  I knew He was in control and I needed to seek His will not mine.  My husband and I along with many people who love and care for us so deeply got into prayer about what to do.  Within 2 days it was crystal clear to both Kevin and I what our next step would be.

It's so strange to me why God will put you on one road and then take you to a dead end.  Sometimes I think we choose that road and God puts the dead end there to get us on the right road.  Other times I think your flexibility and faith is being tested.  Not knowing what God's actions were with this, we are nevertheless, on a new road.

As Kevin and I got into prayer, we reflect a lot on why we choose Rwanda in the first place.  We talked about it and both agreed it was because we wanted an African American girl and we wanted to go where the need was the most. 

We were naive to the fact there that was such a need right here in our own backyard.  We ignorantly thought that the children here may be without a mother or father but they were ok in foster homes.  We soon found out that there is a HUGE need for African-American, bi-racial and hispanic kids to be adopted here.  We also found out that families tend to go over seas to adopt black children but do not like to adopt them directly from the US.  Not sure if people are afraid of the health or lifestyles of the birth mother here or if there is part of the "status" to say you went overseas OR that God is just truly leading someone to go there.  We felt we were being lead to go there.  We know we want to be involved with missionary work there in the future and it seemed like a good fit.  The agency told us the adoption with Rwanda was a pretty fast and inexpensive adoption (relatively speaking).  They told us it would be 1 year to 1.5 years. Since this news of the hold on adoptions, time frame will be very different and as many of you know our family is structured with kids all 2 years apart.  One serious concern for us was messing with that and I am truly looking forward to going back to work, which I will not do until my youngest is 2. 

As we prayed so many things were getting revealed that pointed us to stay here and adopt.  So that is what we have decided to do.  We have decided to go with our old adoption agency and start the process with them.

For those of you that would like to adopt, they are a wonderful agency that has told me less than a year to wait for Nevaeh.  And knowing the agency from working with them before I trust them to be truthful and up front about everything.  If you would like information about them just email or call me!

Yesterday was tough!

May 13, 2010. I wonder if this date will have any significance in Nevaeh's story.  Yesterday I woke up with such a heavy heart for her.  I started my day by reading adoption quotes and praying for her.  Then about 3 hours later Elizabeth Styffe posted a video on facebook that showed a families journey to get their son from Rwanda.  I was a balling idiot, but the heaviness and the realness of Nevaeh was so present within me.  I was very anxious yesterday, and up until then I have not been.  We have our last 2 home study visits on Tuesday and Saturday of next week then we can proceed with getting our 1-600 application in.  Please pray for Nevaeh, not sure if she is born yet, but just pray for her.  Thanks!!

Progress!

Good Morning!  We seem to be chipping away at everything, but I know we must be missing something (this seems to easy)  so........

Heres where we are at

We have done: (none have been notarized.... waiting to do all at the same time)

Power of Attorney
Copies of Passports
Application Letter
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Physical Exams
Proof of Medical Insurance
W-2
Financial Statement
Declaration of Intent Letters
Family Composition Letter
Agency Post Placement Agreement
Guardianship Letter
Hague Training Certs

We :
are waiting for the police reports to come back (sent request 3/20/10)
sent in the I-600 Application on 4/6/2010 still have to send home study
waiting for my husband to complete his autobiography for the home study to begin
waiting to get all of our pictures done (should have done 2nd week of May)




If any of you know of something we are missing please let me know....

Paper Pregnancy...

This part of the process reminds of my pregnancy after we told everyone I was pregnant and the excitement was wearing off.  I was starting to grow in the belly area but not big enough where people knew I was pregnant, most thought I was just gaining a few pounds.....

This is the waiting stage for everyone else to do their jobs quickly and get me the things I need.  I had to order new birth certs, new passports, a new marriage license and a background check on each of us.  Once I get my birth certificate I can send in the I-600 and then wait again for their approval.  We are also waiting for the home study people to contact us.  It is now in the stage of "waiting" and for those that know me, patience is not one of my string qualities, but the end result is worth the wait!  Have a blessed day!

Did alot today!

Today we were assigned our family coordinator!  She sent me a bunch of paperwork that we need to get started on.  We need original copies of our birth certificates and marriage license (I ordered those today) and Kevin needs to get his passport BUT he needs a drivers license in order to get a passport so tomorrow he gets to goto the DMV before work (fun fun) and then Saturday he is going to the post office to get his passport! I made the appointment to get our physicals in April and tonight Kevin and I will get started on our letters.  I already completed the 8 hours of training needed, but Kevin has not so he will have to do that soon. 

We also found out that our adoption agency can now do our home study so I am looking forward to getting that started too!

I hope you are having a good day, mine is BUSY!!

Paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork!

Holy Cow!  There is so much paperwork!  I see why it takes so long.  So just for the next step we need:

-10 hours of training for both Kevin and I
- Pictures of family and home
- Letter from us to ministry stating why we want to adopt
- Have a home study done
- Get a state level background check on both Kevin and I
- Provide a financial statement
- Proof of medical insurance
- Physical/Medical Exam
- Provide W-2
- Each parent to write a letter of intent (huh?)
- Family composition letter (one for whole family)
- Color copy of passport (oh yeah both mine and Kevin's have expired!!)
- Marriage license
- Birth Certificates for Kevin and I
- I-171H (or I-797C)You get this after you fill out and send in form I-600A
- Power of Attorney Form
- Guardianship Letter

We are still waiting to be given a family coordinator at AWAA and then I will be able to ask her questions about all these items!  So, you all know what I will be doing in my spare time (what spare time!?!?!) God will have to provide! Goodnight, I am tired just looking at this list!!

Hill 2 was EASY!

I just spoke with Lynn at Saddleback Church who informed me about legislation that required insurance companies to cover adopted children without exclusions!  She was RIGHT!  I called my insurance back, they looked up the information and they will be sending me another letter that states as long as I put the child under my insurance within 31 days of having her with us, there is no pre-existing clause!  Praise God, for laws, Lynn and the gut feeling to not accept NO for an answer!!