Saturday, July 31, 2010
I'm a Mommy Again!!!
I'm just the worst at posting anymore! Just wanted to share that we had our court date July 7. The adoption was made official on July 19, and we just brought our sweet Charlie home yesterday!!! He is beautiful, wonderful and precious, and he's perfect for our family. I plan to post more details soon about our crazy journey to Charlie, but in the meantime, here are some pics of our little sweetheart!
Monday, February 15, 2010
WE'RE GOING TO RUSSIA...FINALLY!!!!!!!
Oh, dear friends (and you wonderful people I don't know but wish I did!),
This is the day we've waited to experience for three long years, and now we have no idea what to do with ourselves!!!!!! We got the phone call today (at 11:11, which is another story I'll mention in a minute), telling us that the Adoption Committee has extended a formal invitation to us to travel to Russia and meet our little boy!!!!!
There are not enough exclamation points in the world to portray my excitement!
A couple of years ago, we began seeing 11:11 twice a day, almost everyday on the clock. It wasn't as if we were watching for it, it just kept happening. It became almost creepy, and I told several close friends and family members that something big was going to happen for us either at 11:11, on November 11 or in November of 2011. I was half-joking, but this was such a cool thing today when I took the call, got the news, looked at the clock and....Whoa!
We have been given a few weeks notice (more than a lot of people receive), and even though we want to jump on a plane NOW, this preparation time is wonderful. We will be able to get cheaper flights and visas, make arrangements for my parents to come stay with the boys and get everything together that we want to take to our little sweetheart and to the other Russian children we've come to love along the way in this process.
We have been putting one foot in front of the other, plodding along, through so many setbacks because we didn't feel like God had given us permission to give up yet. I realize today that I must have lost hope somewhere along the way, though. I was shocked by the wonderful news this morning!
Anyway, I could go on and on, but I need to start brushing up on my Russian and buying presents for my little guy and....and....and....
:D
This is the day we've waited to experience for three long years, and now we have no idea what to do with ourselves!!!!!! We got the phone call today (at 11:11, which is another story I'll mention in a minute), telling us that the Adoption Committee has extended a formal invitation to us to travel to Russia and meet our little boy!!!!!
There are not enough exclamation points in the world to portray my excitement!
A couple of years ago, we began seeing 11:11 twice a day, almost everyday on the clock. It wasn't as if we were watching for it, it just kept happening. It became almost creepy, and I told several close friends and family members that something big was going to happen for us either at 11:11, on November 11 or in November of 2011. I was half-joking, but this was such a cool thing today when I took the call, got the news, looked at the clock and....Whoa!
We have been given a few weeks notice (more than a lot of people receive), and even though we want to jump on a plane NOW, this preparation time is wonderful. We will be able to get cheaper flights and visas, make arrangements for my parents to come stay with the boys and get everything together that we want to take to our little sweetheart and to the other Russian children we've come to love along the way in this process.
We have been putting one foot in front of the other, plodding along, through so many setbacks because we didn't feel like God had given us permission to give up yet. I realize today that I must have lost hope somewhere along the way, though. I was shocked by the wonderful news this morning!
Anyway, I could go on and on, but I need to start brushing up on my Russian and buying presents for my little guy and....and....and....
:D
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Delays & Red Tape
As I look at my last post, I realize that it's been two months since we expected travel dates any day. In keeping with the routine of Russian adoption, the Committee requested additional paperwork and a slight change to our home study. We sent everything in just before Christmas, but as some of you know, Russia basically shuts down for the first two weeks in January as they celebrate Orthodox Christmas on January 7. Our amended paperwork was submitted two days ago, and yet another document has been requested. It is, thankfully, a very simple one to provide. We have it notarized, and I will be making the two-hour drive to our state capitol to have it apostilled and overnighted to our agency. The Committee promised to issue travel dates as soon as they receive it, so (at least in theory, but we know how that goes already) we should have travel dates in the next few weeks. I'll believe it when I see it. We remain hopeful but skeptical after three years on this journey. We'll get there eventually!
Garin is in now in afternoon preschool with our district, receiving occupational and speech therapy. He's in a classroom with two other children who have mild ASD, and he LOVES it! We've only had a couple of adjustment issues: 1) He has to walk through a noisy cafeteria to get to his classroom, and 2) he really was unhappy to see me waiting for him at the end of school because he wanted to ride the yellow bus! We have taught him to prepare himself and cover his ears to prevent overstimulation during the cafeteria walk-through, and he's done fine with that. And as for the bus, he is riding it home after school, and everyday he steps off with a look on his face that says, "I am so big, and I am so cool!" He loves it! We continue to see great progress in him, and his therapists are very pleased, as are we.
Matt continues to work hard as he finishes up his senior year (sniff) and has almost decided on a college. I'll wait to reveal that choice until he's sure, but he is starting to get excited about the adventures on which his new life will take him.
Karl has been working crazy hours since this Haiti earthquake. He's on a crisis team that is responsible for getting the relief missions scheduled to deliver troops and supplies. I know he's proud to be contributing, but he's exhausted.
I'm just plugging away on the homefront, trying to keep up with the house and kids and plan worship for our wonderful church!
I'll let you know when we get those travel dates!
Garin is in now in afternoon preschool with our district, receiving occupational and speech therapy. He's in a classroom with two other children who have mild ASD, and he LOVES it! We've only had a couple of adjustment issues: 1) He has to walk through a noisy cafeteria to get to his classroom, and 2) he really was unhappy to see me waiting for him at the end of school because he wanted to ride the yellow bus! We have taught him to prepare himself and cover his ears to prevent overstimulation during the cafeteria walk-through, and he's done fine with that. And as for the bus, he is riding it home after school, and everyday he steps off with a look on his face that says, "I am so big, and I am so cool!" He loves it! We continue to see great progress in him, and his therapists are very pleased, as are we.
Matt continues to work hard as he finishes up his senior year (sniff) and has almost decided on a college. I'll wait to reveal that choice until he's sure, but he is starting to get excited about the adventures on which his new life will take him.
Karl has been working crazy hours since this Haiti earthquake. He's on a crisis team that is responsible for getting the relief missions scheduled to deliver troops and supplies. I know he's proud to be contributing, but he's exhausted.
I'm just plugging away on the homefront, trying to keep up with the house and kids and plan worship for our wonderful church!
I'll let you know when we get those travel dates!
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