Sunday, June 30, 2013

To do list...

This weekend, we were able to secure an apartment by placing a down-payment on it, which is a huge relief to us!

So here's how our to-do list is looking as we get closer to traveling:
  • load iPods and Kindles,
  • make plans for the dog's vacation from us, 
  • get airfare and apartment set up, 
  • visit the bank, 
  • clean the house from top to bottom, 
  • get a surgeon to remove the embedded piece of glass from Seth's foot that won't work its way out
  • finalize adoption paperwork for Trip 1,
  • buy some new tennis shoes, because we'll be doing lots of walking
  • make up to 7 Warrior Necklaces as gifts for the orphan court people, orphanage director and our agent
  • pack our bags

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Getting Closer!

Last night Sarah lost her 2nd tooth in less than a week. With her other big teeth still coming in, I've never seen such large gaping holes in a child's mouth!

I've been communicating with several people about apartments.  I think I'm getting close to locking one down for our trip.  Pray that this will be a good living situation, a quiet location and a smooth transaction.

As we're watching all of the summer hosting kids arrive with New Horizons, I'm reminded of our time hosting Warrior six months ago.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Planning Trip #1

So now begins the mad-dash to the finish-line that so many people told us would happen the moment we received our travel dates.  After getting our referral last Friday, we knew that travel dates would be coming soon.  This past Thursday evening, we had a call with our agent to discuss details about Trip #1.  I was in New York, and Kristie was at home battling bed-time with strong-willed kids.  We were still able to talk with our agent for about 45 minutes. I had a list of questions prepared ahead of time (those that know me are probably not really surprised!).  So we had the call with her not knowing our exact travel dates yet.

As I was leaving NYC yesterday and the flight attendant was preparing to close the boarding door, I received a call from our agent who knew I was travelling home.  She said she had travel dates for us!  I told her to give them to me quick, because I had to turn my phone off!   

So, we know our travel is late July - into August.  We won't post specific travel dates and times on this blog, however, until after we complete the trips.  

Yesterday, we also found out another piece of good news:  A dear friend of the family donated $500 directly to our agency on our behalf!  Thank you so much!  We will use this donation to pay for Trip #2 agency fees in a couple of months!

As we gear  up for Trip #1, we have much to do, many of which are listed below in no particular order:
  • load iPods and Kindles,
  • make plans for the dog's vacation from us, 
  • get airfare and apartment set up, 
  • visit the bank, 
  • clean the house from top to bottom, 
  • get a surgeon to remove the embedded piece of glass from Seth's foot that won't work its way out
  • finalize adoption paperwork for Trip 1,
  • buy some new tennis shoes, because we'll be doing lots of walking
  • make up to 7 Warrior Necklaces as gifts for the orphan court people, orphanage director and our agent
Please pray for us that we will be able to get the best rates for an apartment and airfare for 7 people.  So begins the mad-dash to the finish line!   

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Referral!!

Friends and Family, it's with great joy that I write this post tonight.  Yesterday morning, we received our 'referral' from the Lat^ian Ministry.  It came in the form of an email to our adoption agency, An Open Door.  Our agency promptly forwarded it to me and followed up with a phone call.

We had been waiting for two weeks for this email.  For the entire week, I was in a software training class in Madison, Wisconsin. I had been checking my email literally every few minutes the entire week.  It finally came Friday morning.  I wanted to jump up and down and shout for joy, but I thought the instructor may not appreciate it.

In the referral, we learned that Warrior's mother, at 18 years old, abandoned him at a hospital or medical center.  The Ministry has no information about his father or any siblings.  We are so thankful that his mother chose to give him up rather than the alternative.  The folks at the medical center gave him his name.

Next up is travel dates.  We should hear very soon what our travel dates will be.  Based on other families that are slightly ahead of us in the process, I really feel we could have our first court date on July 8th at the earliest!

Please continue to pray for the Wrights who will be returning from Lat^ia soon, the Bischoff's who are still in Lat^via with the two sweet girls they are adopting, and the Henrys in Illinois who are gearing up to host their child again for the second time.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Anticipation

Tonight I sit in a hotel room many many states away, missing my family.  I'm also missing my son that's in Europe.  It's been five months since we had to say "see you later" at the Atlanta airport.  I am encouraged, however, that we could literally hear any hour now from the Lat^ian Ministry.  I am checking my email constantly!  We know of others families getting their referrals this week and last week.  I am anxious to travel.  But, I have to be mindful of those that have waited much longer than we have.  Many times, families wait years to bring their adopted children home.

Please pray for the Wright family (Lawrenceville, GA) and the Bischoff family (Tyler, TX) who are in Lat^ia for the next two weeks getting their children.
"When we help orphans of another race or ethnicity just to boost our own ego, we miss the mark.  Trying to earn God's favor or be recognized by others for our generosity turns the focus back on us and what we can do, rather than joining God in the work of healing, and hope HE longs to bring to these kids' lives out of His abundant grace.  Even in their desperate need, each of these children is just as valuable to the Lord as you and I, yet often we can be tempted to see them as "less than."  Blinded by prejudice, we cannot truly care for the fatherless and orphan as God commands us to.  We need a heart shift in order to grasp that not one of us is better or more deserving than any other person on this earth - regardless of skin color, [medical problems,] socioeconomic level or culture."    ~Orphan Justice~ by Johnny Carr & Laura Captari


Sunday, June 9, 2013

New Blog Added

I've added a new blog to our Blog List below:  Kisses from Katie.  This is Katie Davis from Tennessee who started a child sponsoring organization in Uganda in 2007.  Many of you may have read or heard of her book also called "Kisses from Katie".  It doesn't take but a couple of blog-post reads before you get a sense of what an incredible ministry she has to orphans in Uganda.


Saturday, June 8, 2013

New Necklaces Designs...

Here are a couple of new Warrior Necklace designs.  We have many new patterns that the girls are working on, but these two are their favorites...  Email us your order!

Necklace #17 - Large Washer
Necklace #16 - Large Washer

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

"Snapshots From Our Journey": Blog Of The Day

Our blog was the feature blog on Monday at "Snapshots From Our Journey"!   You can find a link to this family's blog on our blog roll below.  I've enjoyed reading about the Blackwell's recent completed adoption from Ukraine...

Snapshots From Our Journey: Blog Of The Day

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Great News Received Tonight!

We received some great news tonight from our Lat^ian lawyer...  Our Dossier has been fully translated and will be submitted to the Lat^ian Children's Ministry on Monday, June 3rd!  Hopefully we will get our referral in 1 or 2 weeks which means we should be able to travel in July!