Dossier Sent To The Agency

Our second dossier has been sent to the agency. Monday we went to get everything apostilled and it was not an easy day. The copies of Ohio birth certificates didn't work. So, we had to go and get 4 birth certificates for our children born in Ohio, take them back and have them apostilled. It was a fixable problem...but nothing is ever painless. We are ok with that. God has given us the ways to fix the problems. Got to have labor pains somehow, right? So, now we are praying that none of the paperwork is wrong. Our visa apps have been sent. We are back to trying to figure out how to get the rest of the money we need for the adoption. God has shown me he is here many times through this adoption. I know he will work it out in his own due time. We thought we were down to needing $7,913...but I forgot to add the girls tickets home...so we are back to needing about $9,833. Asking people for help all the time is really humbling, but to get to my girls is what we have to do, so ask away we must. Please continue to pray and spread the word if you can. To get to where we need to be...the white box to the right should say $28,813. I know it can happen. I just know it can. Somehow, someway it will.

Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Getting Closer

Due to our last donation of $2,500 from the Buddy Walk of North Canton and the continued prayers/donations from our friends & family-we are now only $7,913 away from our goal for our court trip. We hope to have our documents completed and off to our agency on Monday or the latest on Tuesday. Thank you all so much! I am going to post a prayer to St. Anthony:

Wondrous Saint Anthony, glorious for the fame of your miracles, you had the happiness of receiving in your arms our blessed Lord as a little child. Obtain for me from His mercy this favor that I desire from the bottom of my heart: that we are able to complete our adoption of Phoebe and Isabella and bring them home safely all together as a family.

Since you were so gracious to poor sinners, do not regard the lack of merit on the part of him who calls upon you, but consider the glory of God, which will by exalted once more through you, by the salvation of my soul and the granting of the petition that I now earnestly present to you.

As a pledge of my gratitude, I beg you to accept my promise to live henceforth more faithfully according to the teaching of the Gospel and to be devoted to the service of the poor whom you ever loved and still love so much. Bless this my resolution and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to it till death. Amen.

In Exactly Two Months

In exactly two months, my Isabella Daria will be 3 years old. 3 years without a family. 3 years of no birthday cakes. 3 years of no presents. 3 years of it passing without a celebration. This year I hope and pray to God that the situation changes. I hope that either we are there with her on her birthday or we are on our way home. Right now we are $10,448 away from having what we need to travel. We hope and pray that somehow, someway it all is there when we need it. Phoebe's is in April. Two little girls who prayerfully will not have to spend another birthday without their family (US!!)

The Second Trip

WE DO NOT HAVE OVER 16K IN OUR FSP ANYMORE-A GREAT DEAL OF IT WAS USED IN THE FIRST TRIP. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR WHAT WE NEED FOR THE SECOND TRIP. THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!




We are chest deep in paperwork..trying to get it done. We want nothing more then to get there as soon as we can. I actually sat down and was able to figure out what we are looking at money wise for the second trip. For the second trip, Matthew is going to go home after the court date. Praying that it is in our favor, I will stay and visit with the girls daily as he goes home to be with the kids. After the 10 day wait is up, Matthew will return to help get the girls ready to come home. Now, I have done many things...but taking care of two 2 year olds, my suitcases and theirs, immigration and customs...etc etc Well, I don't think one person can manage it alone. So, he will return. This estimate may be on the low side or the high side. It helps to have been there before. If it goes down or up I will let you know. If we somehow find more money on our own, I will let you know that too. So, here it goes:

$4,200 AIRPLANE TICKETS (1400 for both of us round trip and a second trip for my husband)
$4,000 FOREIGN FEE
$2,000 ORPHANAGE DONATION
$2,000 FOR OUR MEDICAL EXAMS
$2,300 FOR TRANSPORTATION ($100 Each day for approx 23 days)
$808 FOR THE GIRLS VISAS
$300 FOR THE GIRLS MEDICAL EXAMS
$2,300 FOR MEALS (About $100 a day...but if my husband and I have to we can do with less)
$2,760 FOR LODGING (About $120 a day)
$600 FOR OUR VISAS
_____________________

$21,268 (GUESSTIMATE)
-10,450 (What we have in our fsp and grant money)
________

$10,818

So there you have it. God's will, God's bill right?

I just want them home. My family and friends know that. God knew that before I did. Prayers are deeply appreciated. Oh, and for those of you that feel the need to post something nasty..don't bother. It won't make it past the editing floor.

Since We've Came Home

It has been a really busy week. We got home at probably 2 a.m.Sunday morning. I had to work Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday afternoon I was wiped out. I was having trouble getting to sleep because of the time change. Finally we got a good nights sleep and were beginning to feel better. Wednesday the youngest boys had a field trip to the pumpkin patch. Wednesday night our oldest son had a football game. I stayed up that night to finish my daughters Senior Soccer Collage. Thursday I slept in and did some chores, then Thursday night was my daughters Senior night at her soccer game. Then I had to work again today. Needless to say it has been a busy week. It's good to be home. I missed my kids, but my heart is breaking for my little babies across the sea. I have emails for what paperwork is ahead of us. Boy does it feel overwhelming, but it can be done. After all, we have two faces to connect to every t crossed and i dotted. There is a absolute, real, concrete reason to do these papers. They are not fictional or a dream. There are two little girls living their lives out in an orphanage that need a family. That is the reason the paperwork has to be done.

Many people has asked what the country was like. It was different. The food was good, but different. The people didn't smile much in public, but the ones close to you do. They have Coke and Pepsi. They drive really fast...I mean really fast. Sometimes making up their own rules I think. They do dress in darker clothing, but they do wear colors. What I found fascinating was the huge heels a lot of the women wear. Also, they eat meat and cheese with every meal. Seriously, I could get used to that. That's one thing I don't get...how do a lot of the women stay so thin?? Please, give me the details. In the city it is really busy and fast paced, but when leaving the city you see farms and land. We even went by a farm where they were digging up potatoes by hand. We saw some really neat monuments of times present and past, but I cannot really say because I do not want to take any chances. Someday I will explain what I saw.

I have been thinking a lot about the girls. How I absolutely hate that they are in an orphanage. How I hate how they don't have their own things. How I hate that they have lived their lives without a family. How I hate that they don't get rocked to sleep at night and have to soothe themselves in whatever way they find soothing. How sometimes its survival of the fittest. How I hate that people can't see them for the God given gifts that they are. Then I remember that although I hate these things, I cannot really judge someone or another country for the way they do things. Do I think it's right? No. Do I like it? No. Do I wish it could be different? Yes.

We used a great deal of our fsp for our first trip. I am not sure what we need to finish our adoption money wise. I haven't had time to figure it out. I am going to try and sit down on Tuesday to figure it up. I will post it here for the ones that want to know. We love our little girls so much. I cannot imagine our lives without them. For the ones that question why we don't adopt here. We have. It's not about where a child is from for us. It's about the plain and simple fact that if they don't find a family to be adopted, they are transferred. They lose their chance as they get older to find a family. There are no second chances. Adoption into a family or no other choice. Children with special needs and adult with special needs have a place here. For me, that is all that matters. I want my girls to have a family and a place...just like they have found a place in our hearts.

Day Five...The Last Day

When we woke up this morning it was raining. Now all week it was sunny and nice outside, but today it was crappy outside. Kind of fit my mood. We were both pretty sad that this would be the last day for a few weeks. I cannot explain the feeling. The only real way to understand is if you have been here before.

We got to see Phoebe first. She was happy as usual. Laughing and playing with us like it was the best thing on Earth. This girl loves to be tickled and she loves to play like it's going out of style. Did I mention she loves her Daddy? After the visit was over today she did something she hasn't done before. The caregiver wanted to take her and Phoebe shook her head no. Be still my heart. Of course she eventually went with her, but it made us feel good to know she wanted to be with us.

After the visit was over we went to buy a couple gifts for the kids at home and went to the notary. We signed the papers saying we want to adopt the girls. Yes, I know it's not final until court.

After that we took our long trip to see Isabella. She was a whole different kiddo today. She played with both of us! Not just Mommy!! Isabella and Daddy had some play time today.This girl loves to pop bubbles. Isabella loves to play ball. She and Ethan will have a blast!!
All to soon her visit was over too. I hugged her tightly and told her I loved her. When they took her out of the room she waved goodbye. The assistant head doctor stopped and said last week she didn't smile, she didn't interact or show emotion. Now she is smiling, playing and even waving... I told you she was a work of art!!

We came back to the hotel after the 1 1/2 hour drive. We went out to eat. We met a couple that are missionaries in this city. He was from Australia and she was originally from Canada. They said a prayer for us. Thank you God for sending people just when we need them. Tomorrow we start our trek home to the states. Please pray for a safe return, that our girls will be safe while we are gone and that somehow the paperwork/money stuff gets done when it needs to be done. Thank you all for everything!!

Day Four

I am a little slow posting on here. Cannot figure out what to say really. I just want BOTH of my girls home. Like now. Our visit with Phoebe went well today, but when we knew it was coming to a close we both started crying. Matthew had tears rolling down his face dropping onto his shirt. It was tough. A person from the DOE sat in our visit today. She was pleased with our visit and said Phoebe reminded her of a typical child. Phoebe is just a rock star, that's all. A very super special rock star with an extra chromosome. We gave her this therapy tool and well, let's just say she isn't parting with it. This kid makes some simply hilarious faces. She is a true character. Phoebe loves to be tickled and she has this huge belly laugh. Can I just wrap her up and take her home?? Please?? All to soon it was over and they said for us to say Goodbye. How do you do that? My biggest fear is that she will think we are giving up and not coming back. I want this girl to know we will do everything we can to get back to her and her sister Isabella. They told us we were getting to visit with her again. We were so happy. Tour the city or see Phoebe??? Well, that is a no brainer for us. Of course we want extra time to see her. Now, I want all people to know that this doesn't mean that we love her more then Isabella, no way shape or form is that the truth. We love both of them equally. It just doesn't make sense to be here and not see her if we can. Understand??

We went out to eat at Mama Roma's for lunch. The facilitator said it is good luck for the families to eat there before court. Umm, well of course we will eat there. We need all the luck we can get. We went back to the hotel and off to visit with Isabella. She was much more receptive to her Daddy today. When she sees me she jumps right into my arms and smiles the biggest grin. This kid is going to be a work of art. She will blossom and get more beautiful with each stroke (step, growth, new skill, more kisses...etc.) Bella loved the balls. Especially if it included me being right beside her. Her Daddy played with her on this big ball and she loved it. Can you tell I love this kid?? She is a gem. I know it is going to take time for her to get used to life outside of here, but I can feel it. I can feel this radiant little girl inside of her. It is already showing itself in just the few short hours we have spent with her. Can you imagine what she will be like once she gets to explore the world??

Today is our last day here in the girls country. We have visits with both and will visit the notary to sign papers. It's not the official end, that will be court, but it's one step closer in making them U.S. citizens!!! Thanks for the continued prayers and love!! The sooner we get the paperwork done and the money raised...the sooner they will break free!!!!!