Today, as we still wait (pray, pray, pray, pray!) I was going to work and I was praying in the car, like I often do. Praying for God to give me patience. And BOOM, it hit me, God does not give us patience, He teaches us patience. What He does give is peace.
It is hard, Readers.
Here is the true confession: I feel like I can't express any hopes or dreams, doubts or concerns because there are so many unknowns. I feel like if I show a chink in my armor people will think that we are not committed. If I cry, that I am not excited.
So I smile and give chipper answers to the "When?" questions when I am asking the same thing myself.
"When, God?"
"How many more nights will my son sleep in an orphanage?
"When will I hold him?"
My mother heart aches for him.
Then I remember that all my kids have been overdue and I remember that all true Sponsellers are later than expected. :D
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Check Out Our Last Fundraising Push!
Hey! Here is the video that I promised! This is to promote our last big fundraising drive through Chrome Buffalo. Check it out and buy a t-shirt. I overlooked something when I was signing up and so it says that the goal is $250. Don't let that stop you because we still have about $6,500 to go! We are really trusting that God will provide that last bit of funding so that we will be fully funded when it comes time to travel, which could be anytime from the end of May to first/mid of June.
Also, please share this link on your Facebook and anywhere else so that we can get a lot of support. I love the t-shirts and I know that you will too!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Ok, No More Crying, "Wolf!"
We actually did get some news today...and while it wasn't the news that we were hoping for it was the news that we were kind of expecting.
Crystal,
Unfortunately it looks like your Home Ownership letter not having a return address is going to get your dossier rejected. (i.e. it has not been rejected yet) S said that I can use all the other apostilled docs that I have the second set of to replace the ones that need replacing so we just need to redo the home ownership letter. She wants it as soon as possible - I am sending everything else in a fedex today.
Make sure it's on letterhead WITH A RETURN ADDRESS
So this is what we got today from our facilitator...
Don't worry, Loyal Readers, here is where it gets good...
The document that threw this into a tizzy was a letter from our bank which verified that we own our home. It made it though my checking and our facilitator checking it. All the way to Ukraine before anyone noticed that it didn't have a return address on the letterhead. BAH!!!!
Remember that "missing dossier" that turned up? That is the "other apostilled documents" that our facilitator referred to. Thanks to having a second dossier up our sleeves this doesn't set us back but a couple of weeks. No biggie. Because if we traveled when we had first planned it would be twice the cost of tickets the following week.
Interesting little side note: today when I was getting the new letter picked up at the bank the only reason that they could figure that a piece of letterhead didn't have the return address is that the printer must have made an error when they were manufacturing the paper. They missed only one sheet. Which just happened to be our sheet.
What this all means is that when the SDA pushes back our dossier through the window and says that we need to make corrections, our facilitator will pull our "missing dossier" out of her bag and say "Done and done!"
And you know what? Our dossier still hasn't been rejected. It is like 99% positive that it will be, but I believe in a Big God. A God who knew where our missing dossier was all along. A God who blinded countless eyes to the wrong piece of paper. A God that has been putting this story together from the beginning.
And I am in awe.
p.s. Stay tuned for a new video announcing our last fundraising venture...Coming SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! (To be read with a monster truck announcer voice)
Crystal,
Unfortunately it looks like your Home Ownership letter not having a return address is going to get your dossier rejected. (i.e. it has not been rejected yet) S said that I can use all the other apostilled docs that I have the second set of to replace the ones that need replacing so we just need to redo the home ownership letter. She wants it as soon as possible - I am sending everything else in a fedex today.
Make sure it's on letterhead WITH A RETURN ADDRESS
So this is what we got today from our facilitator...
Don't worry, Loyal Readers, here is where it gets good...
The document that threw this into a tizzy was a letter from our bank which verified that we own our home. It made it though my checking and our facilitator checking it. All the way to Ukraine before anyone noticed that it didn't have a return address on the letterhead. BAH!!!!
Remember that "missing dossier" that turned up? That is the "other apostilled documents" that our facilitator referred to. Thanks to having a second dossier up our sleeves this doesn't set us back but a couple of weeks. No biggie. Because if we traveled when we had first planned it would be twice the cost of tickets the following week.
Interesting little side note: today when I was getting the new letter picked up at the bank the only reason that they could figure that a piece of letterhead didn't have the return address is that the printer must have made an error when they were manufacturing the paper. They missed only one sheet. Which just happened to be our sheet.
What this all means is that when the SDA pushes back our dossier through the window and says that we need to make corrections, our facilitator will pull our "missing dossier" out of her bag and say "Done and done!"
And you know what? Our dossier still hasn't been rejected. It is like 99% positive that it will be, but I believe in a Big God. A God who knew where our missing dossier was all along. A God who blinded countless eyes to the wrong piece of paper. A God that has been putting this story together from the beginning.
And I am in awe.
p.s. Stay tuned for a new video announcing our last fundraising venture...Coming SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! (To be read with a monster truck announcer voice)
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Just Keep Dancing
Another week has passed.
No news yet.
Still waiting to hear if our papers are right and when/if we are going to travel or if we will need to do any kind of redo.
My grandma gave my each of my kids one of those little solar powered dancing flowers. They dance and dance. Even when it is overcast. I guess that is kind of what faith is.
Even when I can't see the sun, the rays are still breaking through and powering those little plastic bits of cheer.
In case you have not yet picked up on the fact, I am horrible at waiting. I mean, I am fine...and then I think about it.
Things I am doing to keep my mind off of waiting:
No news yet.
Still waiting to hear if our papers are right and when/if we are going to travel or if we will need to do any kind of redo.
My grandma gave my each of my kids one of those little solar powered dancing flowers. They dance and dance. Even when it is overcast. I guess that is kind of what faith is.
Even when I can't see the sun, the rays are still breaking through and powering those little plastic bits of cheer.
In case you have not yet picked up on the fact, I am horrible at waiting. I mean, I am fine...and then I think about it.
Things I am doing to keep my mind off of waiting:
- Reading books. I think I have like 3 I am working on right now. I keep having my mind wander.
- Stalking Facebook. I hate Facebook.
- Walking my dog.
- Watching the dancing flowers in my kitchen window.
- Chatting with friends.
- Craving sweets.
- Still not getting stretch marks. Win!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
And The Big News Is.....
There is no news.
I feel like I am eight and a half months pregnant and people keep asking me when I am due, when my baby is going to be here.
Has it only been one week, today, since our papers were submitted? It feels like a lifetime.
I have decided to nest...
As you can see, that hasn't necessarily translated into anything actually being done, but I feel like I am being more productive just by saying I am nesting. And really, look at a birds nest, doesn't it kind of look like a mash of needing to be folded laundry?
In all seriousness, waiting is so hard for me!
I have decided that my project will be to make a ton of freezer meals using the book Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer. It is my goal to have 30 meals in the freezer by the time that I leave so that Garth and my other kids won't starve and so that I will be a little ahead of the game once I am home.
Look at that...am I not awesome at procrastinating when it comes to laundry?!
Now to start...
I feel like I am eight and a half months pregnant and people keep asking me when I am due, when my baby is going to be here.
Has it only been one week, today, since our papers were submitted? It feels like a lifetime.
I have decided to nest...
As you can see, that hasn't necessarily translated into anything actually being done, but I feel like I am being more productive just by saying I am nesting. And really, look at a birds nest, doesn't it kind of look like a mash of needing to be folded laundry?
In all seriousness, waiting is so hard for me!
I have decided that my project will be to make a ton of freezer meals using the book Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer. It is my goal to have 30 meals in the freezer by the time that I leave so that Garth and my other kids won't starve and so that I will be a little ahead of the game once I am home.
Look at that...am I not awesome at procrastinating when it comes to laundry?!
Now to start...
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Watch me!
Today Wyatt learned to ride his bike. I am proud to say that I helped him!
I have always been pretty laid back regarding my kids. I let them play outside without watching them every second. *gasp*
The thing is, they think that they are free as anything but we live in what amounts to a fishbowl. We have windows everywhere. So while they are outside, playing and playing, I am in the house, by the window folding laundry or eating bon bons. (I wish)
Normally the kids revel in their freedom, but today Wyatt kept calling me to watch him. He would say, "Someone needs to watch me, Mom." so I played outside with him and trailed along behind him for quite awhile. (Hence the bike riding accomplishment).
The fact is, I watch him all the time. He just doesn't always see me.
Today our papers got submitted in Ukraine and I am so nervous about them being right and everything being ok. I just want affirmation. Right now.
Sometimes I feel like I am crying out to God, "See me! See what I am struggling with! See what I am doing!"
The awesome thing is that He always sees us. Whether He is letting us experiment with our freedom or whether He lets us feel Him right behind us, holding us steady, He is always watching.
He is always delighting.
He is always loving.
And He couldn't love us more. It doesn't matter if we are really good at something or if we really blow it. He doesn't love us any more or any less. His love is perfect.
And now that I think about it that way, I think that is all the affirmation that I need.
I have always been pretty laid back regarding my kids. I let them play outside without watching them every second. *gasp*
The thing is, they think that they are free as anything but we live in what amounts to a fishbowl. We have windows everywhere. So while they are outside, playing and playing, I am in the house, by the window folding laundry or eating bon bons. (I wish)
Normally the kids revel in their freedom, but today Wyatt kept calling me to watch him. He would say, "Someone needs to watch me, Mom." so I played outside with him and trailed along behind him for quite awhile. (Hence the bike riding accomplishment).
The fact is, I watch him all the time. He just doesn't always see me.
Today our papers got submitted in Ukraine and I am so nervous about them being right and everything being ok. I just want affirmation. Right now.
Sometimes I feel like I am crying out to God, "See me! See what I am struggling with! See what I am doing!"
The awesome thing is that He always sees us. Whether He is letting us experiment with our freedom or whether He lets us feel Him right behind us, holding us steady, He is always watching.
He is always delighting.
He is always loving.
And He couldn't love us more. It doesn't matter if we are really good at something or if we really blow it. He doesn't love us any more or any less. His love is perfect.
And now that I think about it that way, I think that is all the affirmation that I need.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Tug of War
Today was a beautiful day.
My kids spent the night with my sister and so I sat in church, kid-less. I won't lie that normally this would be a welcome occurrence, but today, while I was sitting in church, it made me feel lonely. I know that the time is approaching for our travel and I will be apart from them for around four weeks by the time all is said and done.
Our papers will be submitted this Wednesday, and providing that all is fine with them, we should hear in 3-4 weeks that we will be traveling in 3 weeks. Maybe more, maybe less (someone last month had their papers submitted and then heard a week later that they needed to be there in 3 days). Garth and I will go for a week(ish) and then come home for 2-3 weeks until court. Garth and I will go back for court, which is one day following which, Garth will go home and I will stay for 3 weeks (by myself!) and then bring home our boy!
I love my kids. All my kids. And what struck me today is that I am torn right now. I will not be with all of my children until we bring home our son. Until then there will be that tension.
My kids spent the night with my sister and so I sat in church, kid-less. I won't lie that normally this would be a welcome occurrence, but today, while I was sitting in church, it made me feel lonely. I know that the time is approaching for our travel and I will be apart from them for around four weeks by the time all is said and done.
Our papers will be submitted this Wednesday, and providing that all is fine with them, we should hear in 3-4 weeks that we will be traveling in 3 weeks. Maybe more, maybe less (someone last month had their papers submitted and then heard a week later that they needed to be there in 3 days). Garth and I will go for a week(ish) and then come home for 2-3 weeks until court. Garth and I will go back for court, which is one day following which, Garth will go home and I will stay for 3 weeks (by myself!) and then bring home our boy!
I love my kids. All my kids. And what struck me today is that I am torn right now. I will not be with all of my children until we bring home our son. Until then there will be that tension.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Approved!
Today we got USCIS approval!
This is a big deal.
This means that our dossier is now complete and will be submitted on April 10, 2013 in Ukraine.
I am so excited!!!!
Pray that everything goes smoothly and that things will go off without a hitch.
Pray that God provides the rest of our funding.
We are going to begin collecting things to take with us. These things include clothes sizes 4T-8, shoes sizes 9-1, happy meal toys and jelly type candy. If you would like to send any of these things to the kids, let us know!
God bless you all for supporting our great adventure!
This is a big deal.
This means that our dossier is now complete and will be submitted on April 10, 2013 in Ukraine.
I am so excited!!!!
Pray that everything goes smoothly and that things will go off without a hitch.
Pray that God provides the rest of our funding.
We are going to begin collecting things to take with us. These things include clothes sizes 4T-8, shoes sizes 9-1, happy meal toys and jelly type candy. If you would like to send any of these things to the kids, let us know!
God bless you all for supporting our great adventure!
Monday, April 1, 2013
The Missing Dossier: Conclusion
So, Mystery Lovers, the missing dossier showed up today.
It arrived nearly one month after it was "supposedly" sent from the state. (March 5)
It was postmarked March 27.
Am I the only one who sees a discrepancy?
Curious indeed.
I am just really happy that it has shown up so now I know our information isn't just floating out there somewhere.
It arrived nearly one month after it was "supposedly" sent from the state. (March 5)
It was postmarked March 27.
Am I the only one who sees a discrepancy?
Curious indeed.
I am just really happy that it has shown up so now I know our information isn't just floating out there somewhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)