Adoption Update

Pam ~ It's been a busy past week, so I missed updating you all on a MAJOR milestone in our adoption journey.

OUR I-171H CAME IN THE MAIL!!!

Last Wednesday I had a half-day at school {because of Thanksgiving being the next day} so I got home before Nathan.  I never get the mail, but since it was cold and dreary weather, I decided to go ahead and get it so that Nathan wouldn't have to when he got home.  And there was the envelope from USCIS!!!!

I am so thankful for having heard from fellow adopting moms that the I-171H isn't a very obvious document.  It's "official" title is "Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition."  Can you see why we all call it the I-171H form?????

Anyways......
The only place on the form that I-171H is written is the very bottom right corner in very tiny letters!!!!!!

I texted Nathan right away to tell him that it came in the mail.  Just NINE days after our biometrics apt.!!!  Praise the Lord!!!

The last "paperwork" item for our dossier is putting together our photo pages.  I don't know why this has been a stress to me, but it has.  I finally made myself sit down tonight and go through our photos.  We have to have 2 "formal" photos of Nathan and I {facing the camera, smiling, etc.}, 1 photo of the outside of our house, 1 photo of the main living area inside our house, and 4 "casual" photos of Nathan and I {with family/friends, "hanging" out, etc.}.

Would you like to see what I have come up with????  {minus the photo of our main living area ~ it's still on my camera}

I'm really hoping that these will be okay.  Now all I have to do is get them printed, and put them together with some journaling on card stock.  I'm open to suggestions from any adoptive moms who've BTDT!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Pam ~ We were very blessed to have my family with us for Thanksgiving.  My parents were visiting from AZ, my older sister and her family came over, my younger sister came from college, my brother and his wife drove through the night to be with us, and my grandparents came down for the day.  We also had a college student who couldn't be with her family for the day spend the holiday with us.  Because my house won't hold that many people around a table, we borrowed tables and chairs from our church and set up in our garage.  It actually works really well!!!  We are all able to sit down together and talk and laugh and simply enjoy being together.

Thankful for Family

This is my grandparents, parents, siblings + spouses, and nephews.  It was such a blessing to have my entire family together for the second Thanksgiving in a row.  I am so thankful for my family!!!

Fund-Raising Friday

Christmas Ornaments ~ This is your last chance to order some of these adorable personalized cross-stitched ornaments.  Click here for pictures.  My mom has been making these for us to sell {$10 each} and they can be personalized with names, dates, etc.  If you are interested, please send me an e-mail at hearts1982@gmail.com.  This is the last week to order any personalized ornaments.  Next week we will simply be selling any pre-made ornaments that are left.  Order yours NOW!!!

Faith and Grace Quilts ~ Check out this fundraiser my friend Karen is doing @ 27 Penguin Place.  Sponsor a quilt block for $10 and help us wrap our babies in quilts made with love!!!

Just Love Coffee ~ I posted on my Facebook yesterday about the Black Friday contest JLC is having.  Whoever sells the most coffee/products from their store will win 20 bags of FREE coffee!!!  Since Nathan and I aren't coffee drinkers, if we win we will gift those bags of coffee to anyone who helped by ordering coffee.  Today is the last day of this contest, so please go ORDER NOW!!!

Home-made Cards  ~ We still have several packets of cards to sell.  We are asking for a $10 donation for a packet of 4 unique and beautiful cards.  Please contact me at hearts1982@gmail.com or pay via our PayPal donate button.  Just specify if you would like a packet of Bday cards or All-Occasion cards.

Soda Cans ~ How many cans do you think we have deposited since July 12th {that was our first deposit run}?????  Post a comment with your best guess!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ We received a check in the mail this past week with some money from God!!!  We chose to use that money towards puzzle piece sponsorships.  Someday when our children ask us why God's name is on so many puzzle pieces, we can tell them about the many wonderful ways God worked to bring them home to us!!!  What a lesson in the faithfulness of our amazing God!!!

Thermometer ~ We are only $1387 away from being able to mail our dossier!!!  Thank you for all your prayers and please DON'T STOP PRAYING!!!

An Adopted Son

Nate ~ It's funny.  Yesterday I got pulled over.  In my distraction while driving, I hesitated and instead of braking, I went through a red light.  The fine was about double what I was expecting it to be.  My first thought was that I was glad the man who pulled me over was doing his job to keep people like me driving safer.  The second thought was the one where my heart started breaking because I realized I just set our adoption back.  What kind of future adoptive parent am I to leave my child in an orphanage longer than necessary because I was distracted?  Would God really still let me become the father of two children from Ethiopia?  Maybe He only provides the money for responsible people.

Okay, I know that's not true, but it still hurt that I was careless.  However, I started thinking about the fact that God adopted me.  However, He did all the "paperwork" before the creation of the world and completed the last payment almost 2,000 years before I was even born to need to be adopted.  Not THAT is amazing love.  I also remembered Psalm 103:14 that reminds us that God knows our frame and that we are dust.  God, as a loving adoptive parent, doesn't expect perfection from me.  He expects my best effort and He expects me to do everything I can, in His power, towards our adoption, but He doesn't expect me to be perfect.

I only hope that once we have brought our children home, I can love them in such a way that they too, may know that I want them to do their best at the things they do, but that I don't expect perfection from them any more than my adoptive Parent expects it from me.  I also hope and pray that they can know the same love from God that I do and can have the same peace that I have come to know through His love.

Fund-Raising Friday

Christmas Ornaments ~ Please click here to see pictures of these adorable cross-stitched Christmas ornaments.  My mom is making these personalized ornaments for us to sell.  We are asking for $10 each and many of them can be personalized with names or dates.  Just send me an e-mail {hearts1982@gmail.com} with your order and we will get them to you ASAP.  They would make great little Christmas presents for family and friends!!!

Tupperware ~ THIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED until Tuesday, November 23rd!!!!!!!!  If you were intending to order and time simply got away from you, the deadline has been extended!!!!  Simply click here to be taken to our Tupperware fund-raising page.  We will receive 50% profit from every sale!!!

Faith and Grace Quilts ~ My friend from college, Karen, is organizing this fund-raiser so please head on over to her blog, 27 Penguin Place, and read all about it.  She is having people sponsor a quilt block for $10 each and will be making each one of our children an adorable quilt!!!

Just Love Coffee ~ They have some new coffee flavors they just put on their site.  Including "Fa La La La La {Holiday Blend}" coffee.  This is another GREAT Christmas present idea for the coffee lover on your list.  Either click here or the button on our sidebar to be taken to our personalized coffee page.

Home-made Cards ~ Please e-mail me if you are interested in purchasing any of our packets of unique home-made cards.  We are asking for $10 per pkg of 4 cards.

Soda Cans ~ Keep them coming!!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ Would you be interested in sponsoring a puzzle piece for $10?

Donate Button ~ If you are interested in helping with our adoption expenses either via one of the listed fund-raisers OR simply making a donation, you may use the PayPal Donate button located on our right sidebar.  Or send us an e-mail {hearts1982@gmail.com} for our mailing address.

CHRISTMAS SHOP HOP ~ One of the adoption blogs I have been following is doing this really cool thing for Christmas.  If you are interested in purchasing Christmas gifts that will not only make your friends and family members smile, but also help bring a child home to their new family, please go check out this link.  She has begun what she is calling a Christmas Shop Hop where adoptive families can post links to what they are selling as adoption fund-raisers.  I am posting my blog there, so please go check it out NOW :-).

Productive

WARNING: This is a loooooooooooong post!!!!

Pam ~ We were soooooooo productive yesterday!!!!  It felt GOOD!!!!  Both Nathan and I had taken the day off work because we had our biometrics appointment in the morning.  At first, I was just going to take the morning off and then go into school for the afternoon, but I decided to make it an "adoption day" and took the whole day off.  I'm glad I did!!!

7:00 - Wake up {Hooray for sleeping in!!!}

8:20 - Leave for Des Moines

8:35 - Arrive in Des Moines and try to find a parking spot

8:45 - Walk into Federal Building

8:55 - Fingerprinted

9:10 - Leave USCIS office

9:20 - Arrive at Capital Square and try to find the right building

9:35 - Walk into the Secretary of State's office

9:40 - Talk to a nice lady about getting our two papers notarized and state certified

9:45 - Talk some more, sign, and wait

9:50 - She tells us her fee is $575!!!!!

9:50 - Laughter!!!!  It's just $10.

9:55 - Leave with certified papers!!!!

10:10 - Arrive at Walgreens

10:15 - Photos taken

10:25 - Purchase M&M's along with photos :-)

10:30 - Heading home!!!!!!!

It was such a blessing that everything went so smoothly.  We really didn't have any sort of a wait to speak of at any of the places and we got everything accomplished by 10:30 a.m.  The only part I am worried about is two of my fingerprints.  Apparently my right hand ring finger, and my left hand pinky don't make good prints.  the lady said that she "hoped" they would accept them, but if they didn't I would get a letter in the mail.  I am praying that I never get that letter!!!!  Will you pray with me that they accept ALL my fingerprints?????

The majority of the rest of our afternoon was spent working on grant paperwork.  We finished all the paperwork to submit our application to God's Grace Adoption Ministries, Inc. and it should be in the mail by tonight {Nathan is taking it to be weighed and mailed after work today}!!!!  We have our application for Show Hope all done except for a letter from our agency that we are waiting for and we are hoping to be able to mail that application by the end of this week.  And then we started the application for Lifesong.  The hard part of that one is done and now we just have to gather the other needed documents.

We made soooooooooooo much progress and it was so much fun to just be able to spend the day together.  The dossier paperwork is almost done!!!!!!  I keep intending to post a list of the documents we have been working on, but since I often type these posts at school during my students' nap time, I never have the list in front of me.  Maybe I'll get that done tonight????

Please continue to pray along with us that God will bring in the rest of the money we need to be able to submit our dossier.  I am fairly confident that we will have all the paperwork {minus our I-171H form, unless it comes quickly} done by the end of November, and we are praying that we will be able to mail it before the end of the year.  We still need $2700 in order to do that. 

PLEASE PRAY!!!

Biometrics Appointment TODAY

Pam ~ Our biometrics appointment is TODAY!!!!  We are getting ready to head out the door to our apt. and are excited to have the whole day off work to get LOTS more paperwork done.  We have our biometrics apt. at 9 a.m., and then are heading to the Secretary of State's office to hopefully get two papers certified.  Then we are getting passport sized photos taken, and then it's home to continue working on grant paperwork!!!

Fund-Raising Friday

Tupperware ~ Tomorrow is the last day you can order!!!  To be completely honest, we have not had very many orders and we would REALLY like just a few more!!!  Remember, we get 50% of all sales, and that 50% will go straight into our adoption fund.  Tupperware is such a GREAT product, so please go check out this link.  {It seems like the link doesn't always work the first time you try it, so please try at least 2 times before you give up!!!}

Christmas Ornaments ~ My mom has extended the deadline for ordering these personalized ornaments, so please head to last week's post and check out photos of all the different options.  She can personalize most of them with names, dates, etc. so just send me an e-mail with what you would like {hearts1982@gmail.com}.  Merry Christmas tree decorating!!!

Faith and Grace Quilts ~ My friend Karen is excited to start making these quilts for our little ones.  If you are interested in sponsoring a quilt block for $10 and helping us raise the money we need to bring our children home, please head over to Karen's blog ~ 27 Penguin Place ~ and check out the information.  Please contact Karen if you are interested.

Just Love Coffee ~ It's COLD outside!!!  How would you feel about settling down under a warm blanket, next to a crackling fire, drinking a nice hot cup of coffee?  How would you feel about knowing that your cup of coffee helped us grow our family?  Click here to go to our "Just Love Coffee" web page and order a variety of delicious international coffees.  Reminder: Christmas is coming!!!

Home-made Cards ~ We still have several packets of cards available.  Just $10 per packet for 4 adorable cards.  Choose from an All-Occasion pkg. or a Birthday pkg.

Soda Cans ~ My parents just stopped by yesterday and delivered several LARGE bags of soda cans that they have been collecting for us out in AZ {there is no money redemption in AZ}.  We are heading to deposit them tonight.  These cans will push us well over the $300 mark in soda can donations!!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ Our puzzle is continuing to develop.  I have sorted out the next several {60 or so} pieces to add, but now we have to wait until they are sponsored.  Will you sponsor a puzzle piece for $10?????

Thermometer ~ We are now at 63% of the money we need to submit our dossier!!!  Praise the Lord!!!  We still need to raise $2807, but we are working hard to trust in the Lord's provision.  Would you continue to pray with us that we would be able to raise that amount by Christmas????

Fasting Update

Pam ~ We serve such a wonderful and loving God.  You may remember earlier this week when I shared with you about my "fast."  Would you like to know how my loving God worked?

I resisted looking at the order "status" pages all through Wednesday.  Nathan and I looked together on Thursday morning {there was nothing new}, and then I resisted again all day on Thursday.  Each time I had the urge to look, I would pray that God would provide the money we need in His time and in His way, and that I would patiently be learning to trust in His provision.

Thursday was parent/teacher conferences at my school, so I didn't get home until around 9:30 p.m.  When I did, there was a letter sitting on my kitchen table.  The return address label was from a couple that my husband went to church with when he was in high school.  The family  has since moved to another state and we really haven't had any contact with them recently.  Well, there was a sweet card that told us they were praying for us and our adoption, and that this check was to help with some of our adoption expenses!!!!

My loving God asked me to "fast" from something for two days and then provided a little reminder that He WILL provide!!!  That monetary gift was not something that I had specifically asked for and it came from a source that I wasn't expecting, but God had a plan.  Isn't our God simply incredible?!?!?!

Quilts & Christmas Ornaments

We have two new fund-raisers!!!

Faith and Grace Quilts ~ I have a good friend from my college days {we worked with the babies at a local daycare ~ good memories!!} who wants to help us bring our babies home!!!  She has planned out an adorable fund-raiser and tells all about it on her blog ~ "27 Penguin Place."  Please take a minute to go read the info.  Karen is going to orchestrate the entire thing {Thank You, Karen!!}, collect the money, send out thank you cards with pictures, and make our babies some warm and loving quilts.  I can't wait to wrap my babies in their special quilts and tell them all about the wonderful people who worked so hard to help us bring them home!!!  {My eyes are filling with tears as I type this!!!}

Christmas Ornaments ~ It's almost time to put up your Christmas trees and start decorating them.  Growing up, decorating the Christmas tree was a family tradition and I have wonderful memories of spending time with my family.  I can't wait until we have our children with us to decorate our family tree {maybe next Christmas????}.

My mom loves to cross-stitch and she does some amazing work.  She called me recently and asked if she could make some cross-stitched Christmas ornaments for us to sell as a fund-raiser.  Here are some examples of the types of ornaments she can make {many of them can be personalized to what you would like}.

#1                                  #2

#3                                     #4

                     #5                                   #6 {specify color}

#7                                #8

#9                                 #10

                   #11                              #12 {specify names}

#13                                  #14

                               #15                           #16 {no longer available}

If you are interested in purchasing one of these ornaments, please e-mail me {hearts1982@gmail.com} with the number {listed below the pictures} of the ornament(s) you would like.  My mom can add a name, date, "Baby's first Christmas," "First Christmas Together," etc. to most of the ornaments.  We are asking for a minimum donation of $10 per ornament.

Happy Tree Decorating!!!

Fund-Raising Friday

Tupperware ~ We have one more week {from tomorrow} for our Tupperware fun-raiser!!!  Would you please take a minute to look at the site here?  We get 50% of all sales!!! so even if you just purchase one item, it will add up quickly.  And, don't forget to think about the many Christmas presents you need to start buying.  Maybe someone on your list would like a nice new Tupperware _______ {you fill in the blank}!!!

Just Love Coffee ~ We are still looking for our first November customer.  This is another GREAT Christmas present idea for the people on your list who love coffee.  Please go here and check it out.  We get proceeds from any items sold from our page!!!

Home-made Cards ~ Would you like to help with our adoption AND get some adorable home-made Bday or All-Occasion cards????  Well, do I have something for you :-).  Each pkg has 4 unique cards for $10 each!!  E-mail me and let me know what you might be interested in {hearts1982@gmail.com}.

Soda Cans ~ We love soda cans!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ We would love to add some more pieces to our puzzle {hint, hint}!!!!

"Together for Good" Photo Shoot ~ I want to thank Erin for all her hard work doing photo shoots and editing as a fund-raiser for us!!!  Seven people/families took her up on this offer, and I want to thank all of them to for their donations toward our adoption.  Erin will no longer be available for photo shoots, so this fund-raiser is officially closed.  Thanks everyone!!!!

Fasting

Pam ~ Do you know what the definition of "fasting" is?  I think the most commonly known definition is ~ "The act or practice of abstaining from or eating very little food."  But another definition would be ~ "A period of abstention or self-denial."  This is the definition I am using this time.

I had such a day today.  As I was driving to work this morning and praying through each part of my upcoming day, I also prayed for our adoption and our current adoption fundraisers.  The two fund-raisers most on my mind were Just Love Coffee and Tupperware.  I can look on-line and see the order status for each of these fundraisers, and I have been checking them multiple times a day.  I have been worrying a lot about having the money raised to submit our dossier by Christmas because it's something that I REALLY want!!!

As I was praying this, it struck me that once again I was not relying fully on God to bring in the money we need.  Every time I check the order status on-line I am allowing myself to believe that God HAS to bring the money in via OUR fund-raisers.  I am not putting my faith FULLY in my All-Powerful God.  Who am I to take control of this?  Who am I to think that my plans {i.e. fundraisers} are better than any plan God has?

I committed myself to not checking our order status' today.  I told God that every time I had the urge to check, I would pray over our adoption finances instead.

Believe me.  I prayed about them A LOT this afternoon.  I couldn't believe how incredibly HARD it was to not check.  Even as I am typing this, I want to click a few buttons and just "see" if any orders came in today.  Wow!!!

God has definitely been teaching me many lessons today.  How about you?  Have any of you "fasted" from something recently?  What lessons did God teach you?