What?? My bad

Another stumbling block--I talked to an EAC rep last night about my dossier. It seems that my apostilled birth certificates from California were certified in Oct 2006 and Russia will not accept such "old" documents. I knew that all notarized documents needed a notary's commission to be valid for at least a year, but I failed to look at the certified date of my birth certificates. So.........I overnighted a request for two more birth certificates. Once they arrive here, I will overnight them to Sacramento to be apostilled. There goes another $100. Deep breath.....Will I look back and see God's clear hand? I believe so, but I am tired.....

Pray, breathe, and live....

I have good news to report! On Friday, my last apostilled (corrected) document returned from the secretary of state's office, I found out that I was approved for a home equity loan. Thank you for praying for those specific items. My dossier is now on its way to Russia and we're now in the wait mode--this adoption process has certainly taken much longer than Will's adoption. Since I initially started last September and in Ukraine, I feel that I have been waiting for a very long time. However, I believe that God has this adoption in His care. In yesterday's morning sermon, the pastor preached from Psalm 127--he particularly emphasized the practice of living out God's sovereignty--I was convicted and challenged. I am so guilty of trying to figure everything out on my own. So, I continue to ask for prayer for this child--and for the needed resources. I have applied to Shaohannah's Hope for an adoption grant--we'll see.

I was able to participate in a conference phone call with Robert, family members and different therapists regarding Robert's progress. He is progressing slowly, but progressing cognitively. He is still struggling with balance and dizziness and so is unable to walk without the aid of a walker. The neurologist reported that she thinks that he will never be able to return to full time ranching as before and that he needs to consider other options. We continue to pray that she will be proven wrong as God continues to work His mighty hand in Robert's life. I'm showing a picture that was taken in June that includes my sister and both brothers. We were all together at my parents' house celebrating father's day. Please pray for Robert and the entire family.

Faith.....

As the title of this blog suggests, this is my journey to family. While we are busily enjoying a lot of different activities, I am consistently praying about this current Russian adoption, the child who will join our family, and the resources needed. I visited with my bank loan officer and I believe that I can work out a home equity loan. I'm a little anxious because I no longer have the large equity that I had in our previous home. I will be taking the needed papers in to the bank tomorrow and will wait. If you're reading this, please pray specifically for the successful outcome of this loan. I'm also applying for two adoption grants--we'll see. FAITH.

Last Wednesday, Will and I had a great time at the Pittsburgh Zoo. He particularly loves the aquarium and polar bears. We came home to find that my apostilled documents from the state had arrived. I quickly called EAC to tell them that I would be forwarding my completed dossier to them. THEN.....I checked all of the documents and there was one mistake. The wrong notary's name had been placed on one of the copies of my deed. It's easy to ask God what He is trying to say with another delay. I quickly sent it back and hope to receive it soon. FAITH

Will and I have been enjoying the simple things of walking, playground, riding on a scooter, building Lincoln Log forts, and chatting. The boy LOVES to talk! I'm glad that my parents will be visiting here a couple days before we all head to the international church conference in Michigan. They will return with us and visit for about a week. Will will continue to be on cloud nine when his grandparents are here. I think that the visit will also be very good for mom and dad. They certainly need a change of scenery!

He is REALLY FOUR!!!

Will actually turned 4 on June 24, Tuesday. We celebrated his birthday with family in CA on June 12. Will said he turned 4 then because of the BIG 4 on the cake. We celebrated with Ash on Sunday after church with dinner and a cake. After evening church, Will got a great present--a car's patio set--from Ash and Ryan and we had more cake. Will and I made cupcakes on Monday evening and he took them to day care to celebrate with the kids there. On Wednesday evening, Bill McFarland came for dinner and we finished "Sunday's" cake. Will said that since the cake was all gone, his birthday was over.

I certainly am enjoying living life as a mom of an ever changing young boy. He loves life! We visited with his friend Lexi on Tuesday evening--only to discover that she had had her tonsils out earlier in the day. That evening as went to bed, Will wanted to pray for Lexi, our neighbor who has had surgery on his hand, and his Uncle Robert. I ask him every night what he wants to pray about--Tuesday, he commented that God makes people feel better and so he want to pray for his friends. How much I continue to learn about my own faith as I listen to Will express his faith in God. I am thankful to God for my four year old boy! Truly a gift!

I've been teaching a grad class all week. So, life has been pretty hectic.

We're back..........

We arrived from CA early this morning--1 am. I finally got to sleep sometime after 3:30. We had a great and extremely busy time in CA. My niece graduated high school--I attended my college room mate's wedding in southern CA (Beth Carlson to Craig White)--I also attended my cousin Amy's wedding--celebrated Will's 4th birthday--went to Disneyland with my parents and my niece Chloe, who is a couple months younger than Will--visited with my siblings including Robert, who is progressing slowly from a traumatic brain injury.

I am in the midst of finalizing the last of the documents that I need to apostille in order to have my dossier submitted in Russia. While we were gone, my apostilled birth certificates arrived as did an amended immigration approval. We're getting close to the wait period. After I finish the paper work, I need to figure out the money situation. For those of you following this journey, please pause and pray for the child that God is preparing for us as well as for the resources that we need. Thank you. I was thrilled to go to the annual Memorial Day EAC adoption picnic at the Cleveland Zoo--it was cool to walk in the parade of nations with others from Yaroslavl, Russia, the city where I first met Will.

I really enjoyed seeing Disneyland through the eyes of a child. I always enjoy Disneyland, but was thrilled to see Will's reaction to Mickey Mouse, Mark Twain's steamboat, flying Dumbo and the storybook canal ride.

To Russia, with love......

Sometimes, I am humbled by God's sovereignty and my weakness of faith. In my last post, I wrote that I still believed that God had a brother for Will and recognized that it would take a miracle of God to open any door for adoption. I'll make the story very short, but I do want to bear witness to God's perfect grace as I see this story unfolding. Last week, I was talking to the National Regional Director for European Adoption Consultants (EAC), the agency I used when adopting Will. I've talked to Pat numerous times since adopting Will and she always tries to convince me to adopt again. Russian requirements for adoption agencies have changed since 2004. EAC has been granted a non-expiring Russian accreditation. At any rate, I am able to adopt a Russian child younger than Will through EAC. Initially, I did not have that option. By God's grace, I am on a different journey than I had planned. I believe that God has been paving the way--I just wasn't always in tune with His perfect will. So......I have numerous documents to gather--Registration documents first and then 48 documents to apostille for the foreign dossier. If you are reading this, would you please pray for the child that God has created for our family? Would you also pray that God will provide the financial resources? I really don't know how this part will work. The financial issues are challenging for international adoption--because I have to "come up" the a lot of money up front.

Geneva's commencement was this weekend. My sister, Cheryl, was here for a little over two weeks--She returned with her daughters and me after being at her mother in law's funeral in Ohio. My niece, Ashley, has moved in with us for a few weeks until her rental house is available.

Will has had a lot of company and so heading back to daycare was difficult for him. We head to CA in two weeks, so he'll be able to visit a lot of family.

We're heading to the Cleveland Zoo on Saturday to attend the EAC annual picnic.

And a miracle will come?

I received another email from my American facilitator--He stated that unless a miracle occurs, the door for adopting from Ukraine has closed for me. Sadly, because the law specifically is directed at single people, I wonder about the "equity" for single people. Of course, that sends me in a lot of different directions that are probably not healthy for me. I confess that I feel at peace with the status of the Ukraine adoption--peace because I am confident that God answered my prayer. However, I grieve because I still think that God has a brother for Will. I'm saddened when Will speaks of what he will do when his brother comes. He consistently says that God is still making his brother. I have yet to hear from the "last" agency regarding any option for me in Russia--but that door is apparently closed.

On another note, my brother in law's mom passed away on thursday. The timing was unexpected. I've thought again about the distance between us and my family in CA--when will we face this situation? My brother in law, living in CA, was told that his mom (in Ohio) still had "time" and he and my sister had planned to go to Ohio on May 12. His sister called on Wed night to tell him that the end was near--before he could even make arrangements, she was gone. Our lives truly are like a vapor...what does the Psalmist say?