Good bye 2008!

Good-bye to this year. The year that we decided to pursue adoption and had no idea the wild ride we'd be on. The year we learned that we would have a little boy someday. The year that God opened our hearts to children with special needs and showed us the beauty of all children and all people.

Although there have been a lot of tears this year over the daughter we'd never have, biological or adoptive, there have been tears of joy over of our new son. I know God has really been opening my eyes to people with all types of special needs, and I am learning to see the beauty in all people. This is spilling over into my teaching career, my dealings with the public, and the way I view life in general. We are all created to be unique and beautiful in our own way.

In 2009, I am looking forward to so many things. My little Kacie will be 8 in June--how did that happen? We hope to get our Tyson in June too, sooner God willing, but in His perfect time. I also plan to stop working as a National Board Facilitator so that I can focus more on my family and my school. Have I mentioned that I love my school? Well, I love my school. God blessed me with a great place to work. Working as a National Board Certification Facilitator has been a great opportunity, but I want to make more of a difference in my school building rather than on a district/state level. Time is one thing I don't have, so when something else goes on the plate, something else comes off!

With that, keep Tyson in your prayers! Thank you, and Happy New Year!

Package Received on Christmas Eve

I just returned from a nice Christmas Eve with Dan's family. They really are very loving people, and we talked about how this would be my last "sit down" Christmas for awhile! Tyson will be A 2 year old next year running wild, I'm sure.

I came home to an email from red thread, and Tyson has received his package. I hope they take pictures so I can pick up the camera when we get him and have 18 month photos. I wish I could get photos now! But, I'll take knowing he got the package. I hope he knows that there is a family waiting to love him and give him a great home. Merry Christmas everyone!

Referral Picture! Meet Tyson

Here's the picture we fell in love with! We think he's about 11 months in this photo, as it is post lip surgery. His DOB is 6/22/07. We think he's adorable and we can't wait to get him home!

Snowed in 12/23

I am snowed in, again. My neighbor couldn't even get her van from her driveway to our road without really spinning her wheels. I was so worried, as it is a BIG van, and I surely couldn't push it by myself. Am I done Christmas shopping? That's a big NEGATIVE! We have Kacie's gifts. Nephews are done. Others, not so much. This kind of weather just doesn't hit our area like this for weeks at a time....it just doesn't! This is so bizarre. At least there is no school this week, and we only have 2 days to make up from last week. Hopefully I'll be in China and not have to worry about it in June. I know several of you are praying for us, and for that we are eternally grateful. As I prayed the other day, God revealed clearly to me that He will be caring for Tyson while we wait for him. It was so reassuring! Please help us cover Tyson, his orphanage, and caretakers all in prayers. Thank you!

Picture of the package

Snow day and update!

Snow day! We missed school Monday and today (Friday). We had late starts Tuesday and Thursday. We might get a day or two of this weather once in a while, but this cold for this long is very rare, and we are just not equipped to fully deal with this much snow and cold weather where we live. It's not worth the cities and counties having snow plows for the 2x in a lifetime they would get used. I hope to get some pics up soon.

As for Tyson, he has grown a little more, not a lot more, but a little. I'm worried about him not getting enough to eat, he is soooooo tiny! He is now 18 months. He is in the 3rd percentile for height and below the chart for height. The orphanage will not release any pictures to Ann at Red Thread (she is so nice by the way and I highly recommend her; Adele at Blessedkids is good too, but my orphanage wouldn't give her anything at all; Ann got measurements). We know he has 7 teeth. He's just tiny, all the way around. But, if there's one thing that 's not a shortage in my house, it's food! He'll gain weight like crazy between getting home and surgery. This process is way too long.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Finally ordered the Care Package!

Finally! Did you know that when you use paypal for the first time, you have to wait for a 4 digit code on your cc statement before you can use it? Or maybe it was just me, but I couldn't order it until I had the code. So finally today the code showed up, and I made the order! I am using redthread, and it's a lady named Ann who puts together the package and sends it from inside China. I doubt our little guy will get it before Christmas, but at least he will get it. Since this is the first of many packages, I sent: a book, a stuffed animal, a disposable camera that we will get when we get to China, a blanket, and then tea and cookies for the staff. I am so happy he will get some stuff. I plan to do another package next month for Chinese New Year, and I will include a family picture for him so he recognizes us when we get there.

We faxed the I-800A approval yesterday, and I had to drive in compact snow and ice to do it. School was cancelled, which was plan A for faxing, and I wasn't driving into town to fax it, so I asked my wonderful friend if I could use her fax machine, and she of course said yes! (It's amazing...not one person has turned us down for help in our journey to adopt little Tyson. Everyone has been incredible!) So I was driving to her house down one of the little side roads in our neighborhood, and as I turned a corner to go up a hill, I made it half way up the hill, and my tires spun and spun, yet we went no where! So I safely backed my car to the side of the road and Kacie and I walked to our friends' house, paperwork in hand as we stepped carefully to not slip and fall. Oh the stories we'll have to tell Tyson!

I-800A Approval

Yes yes yes!!! 12/8/08 officially. Still a few hurdles, but we are hopefully traveling in June!
Jolene

Still no news

I am so sad today. What was supposed to be "in the next few days" has now been a week without an I-800A approval. My little boy is in an institution, and I can't do anything about it, and no one seems to care. My dossier will not be in China before the end of December without a miracle. I know it's in God's perfect timing, but I don't understand why my little Tyson has to stay in an orphanage so long when all we want is to get him home and help him thrive and live a good life. I just don't get it.

We've been assigned an officer!

One step closer...I called NBC this morning (National Benefits Center of USCIS) and our I800A paper work is now on someone's desk! Yay! We have an officer assigned to our case. I'm praying that we'll hear something by Friday.

Package

I am waiting to see if my agency was able to get more information about little Tyson. As soon as I get that information, no matter what, I will be sending him a Christmas package. For those who don't know, there are these ladies with who usually have US and Chinese connections, and they do care packages, letters, and phone calls to orphanages. You order the care package, then they are mailed within China. It saves so much on postage. You can order snacks/tea for the orphanage workers, and then send things to your child. For now, Tyson will get a blanket, a stuffed animal, and a book. The orphanage nannies are getting snacks and tea, and I am also writing a letter with a return envelope, hoping some of my questions will be answered. Then in January we'll send him another package for Chinese New Year. I am planning to send about 1 package every month to month and a half. They are not cheap, but if you were in an orphanage waiting for your parents, wouldn't you want some presents and to know you are loved? We cannot wait for Tyson to be home with us. I can't wait to show you all his cute picture. You will agree, he is beautiful, and I know he's going to just fit in with us great. I am hoping to see him pester his big sister A LOT! It will be joy to my eyes and ears. God is so good!

Frustrated!

The National Benefits Center has now had my I-800A form for three months. THREE MONTHS! It hasn't even made it off of the shelf. We had to do some extra paperwork, so that was sent 1-2 weeks ago. I called Tuesday to see if it made it....NOPE! I'm calling Monday. They also said my paperwork probably wouldn't be reviewed until AFTER Thanksgiving. No, that is not OK. This whole process is hurry up and wait. It's not like they are going to read my homestudy and approve it all at once. Oh no. It can't be that easy. I'm sure I will get a letter or phone call saying they still need x, y, and z information. I am frustrated beyond words!

Pray for us

To anyone who reads this: please cover our family in prayer. We need it. Things are getting better, but your prayers really help. Thank you!

New info!

I don't think anyone is reading this...yet...but I'm still posting knowing that someday I'll be glad I did and that it will help someone out there.

We got our update. Long story short, from what I can see, he's still small but growing! He has his own little growth curve going. He's 16 months now, and he is walking when holding onto things. In China, for kids in orphanages, walking happens between 15-18 months, so he's right on target. We also know he is playing with his peers his age, which is great news. God is putting all reservations to rest. We know it will not be an easy road, but it will be worth it. God has matched us with this little boy. We know he will need speech therapy, surgeries, etc... We will be using sign language to communicate because remember, he has to learn English too!

Next week we will talk to an international adoption doctor to see what her take is on the updated information. Hopefully it will be positive and we can get this ball (and this house!) rolling!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

In 2003 we started the family tradition of going to the pumpkin patch to get our fall pumpkins. We ride out in a covered wagon pulled by a tractor, and we go out and find the perfect pumpkin for each of us. Kacie's rule is that she has to get a pumpkin that she can carry! Each year her pumpkins are a little bigger. Then we go back to the main area and wash our pumpkins, and then Kacie likes to go through the hay maze.

Hopefully next year we'll have a new little one in the family to continue our tradition with! I mentioned that to Kacie, and she just smiled!

The Longest Week

Well, I've been keeping it in for too long...I'm going crazy!

What started out as a journey for a "healthy" baby girl from China has taken a turn. If you've read my date list, you know that we have changed to adopting a boy with special needs. We currently are reviewing a file for a little boy right now! If he does turn out to be our son, we will share more info as we can. We had to wait longer because it was a holiday in China last week. Talk about the longest week ever!

It is amazing when you "Let go" and "Let God" direct your path. God's timing is perfect, and we know everything will work out. God will not give us what we can't handle, but at the same time, the road will not be an easy one. God has a plan, and we are letting it unfold as we take this giant leap of faith.

The more we think about having a boy, the more excited we are! At first Kacie was a little disappointed, as she had always assumed she would have a baby sister. But now, she is so happy to have a brother. It is so hard to not get ahead of ourselves, but with every passing day, we just know that all will work out.

I wish I could share more, but at this time, that's all I'm comfortable posting publicly until we know if we will be accepting this referral.

More Dates

April 08: Decided to look into special needs adoptions.

May 08: Found out we needed clearances from when Dan was in the Military. Huh? What?

Summer 08....waited for clearances and just became numb to the whole process, thinking it would never happen. Had a girls weekend in Tahoe/Sacramento; Family trip to Disneyland; Flew to Anchorage AK and drove back with my sister. I stayed busy!

Mid Aug. 08: Call from Home Study social worker. We may be at the end of this clearance stuff!

Mid Aug. 08: Home Study Complete! The ball is officially rolling again.

Aug. 27 08: I-8o0A received at NBC/USCIS (paperwork for immigration, requesting to bring our child into the US based on our citizenship)

Sept 6 08: Sent final pictures and paperwork

Sept 11 08: Officially decided to adopt a child with special needs, and it will most likely be a boy!

Sept 18th: Fingerprint appointment at Dept. Homeland Security; possible referral?

Significant Dates

3/21/08: Met with Adoption Agency and met our home study service provider. Began the "paper chase"

3/26/08: Ordered Passports; First Home Study Visit

4/1/08: Blood Work
4/2/08: Medical Appointments

4/12/08: Passports arrived (wow!)

4/21/08: Finished International Adoption Classes (a new Hague requirement)

4/24/08: In the process of scheduling the next home study visit.

The First Blog!

I decided to start this blog because the adoption process is so long, confusing, and exciting! It's hard to communicate all that we are going through and have done. I will say that I believe it will be at least three years until we have our baby, but we are putting our faith in God, and He will direct our path.

So how did we end up here? Well, long story short, we are most likely not able to have any more children biologically without medical intervention. We found that out at the end of February 2008, so we had some serious thinking to do. Would Kacie be our only child? Would we try in-vitro? Would we adopt, and if so, domestically (US) or internationally, and if internationally, from where?

I believe that God put China on my heart back in 1994. In college I was in an Anthro of the Non-Western World Class, and China was one of our topics. It was there I learned so much, and I have always dreamed of adopting a girl from China. So now, 14 years later, we have begun to make our dream a reality. Feel free to check back on the blog to see how the process is going. I hope you will join us on our journey to China to bring home our daughter, and pray for us as we go through the hoops and emotions of this ride known as adoption.