waiting and waiting and waiting part 3

On February 1, 2013 we got USCIS approval to adopt 2 kids.

I was over joyed.

That very same day I got the document apostilled and mailed our final docs to our boys' Country.

Less than 2 weeks later we were submitted for a signature to be granted our first travel.

About a week later we received word that the government was resigning and that our adoption would be delayed. I prayed more fervently than I think I ever had!!! I prayed and prayed and prayed and asked others to do the same. If we did not have a signature by Feb 28, 2013, we would be stuck waiting.

On Feb 27, 2013 we received word that they had verbally approved us, but they had not signed yet. I had one day!! 

On Feb 28th I received word that I had a signature!!! I could finally breathe again.

Now all I could think about was when I would get to travel.

We fought to get the funding we needed to pay final fees and have enough for travel. 

Luckily we had saved enough for almost our entire trip except airfare and we had enough in our grant fund to cover that. Our grant fund increased and we were able to pay our final fees also!!

I was so relieved!!!

We received a travel date for March 22nd and I went back to being unable to sleep.

Every night I would stay awake thinking of what it would be like to finally hold my boys. Imagining the love I would show them. Fearing the travel there. Hoping I was packing everything I would need. Afraid of the unknown then imagining the fear my boys will have coming home (sadly months later).

The 2 weeks prior to travel seemed like 2 years!!

I had hoped that after meeting my boys the waiting would be easier..... Oh how wrong I was.

I imagine how much my girls will love holding Adam and listening to him laugh. I imagine him laying on the floor and the girls showing him toys and singing to him and playing him music. I imagine waking up in the middle of the night and seeing him sleeping in his crib next to my bed. I imagine rocking him to sleep for the very first time. I imagine him having the ability to see clearly, hold his own head up, crawl, walk and meeting all the milestones he should have achieved years ago.

I imagine Matthias running and playing. I imagine him trying to keep up with his sisters. I imagine the joy of him swinging in a swing for the first time. I imagine him speaking his first words. I imagine him wrestling with his daddy. I imagine him hugging on his sisters and loving being part of a family. I imagine him eating solid foods. I imagine him going to school and living life to it's fullest. He is so full of life!!!!

I truly thought I would at least know when my court date was at this point, but I was wrong. 

According to the time line of many others, I should have my signature any day now..... within 2 weeks at the latest. I sure hope that is true.

Please pray that we get a signature and court date soon!!!

Giveaway update

 My mom has donated this beautiful necklace 

I will draw for a winner when we have 25 entries (14 SPOTS LEFT)

Retails for over $100

$5 per entry

Plus we have the BIG giveaway going from my previous blog post!!

If you check out the right side of our blog, I have detailed all of our expenses, what we still owe, and how much we have raised.

We lack $4056 to be fully funded.... here is the breakdown of what our pickup trip expenses will look like..

Airfare for the boys $2000.00 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry .... When we have this goal met I will draw for a $25 gift cards or donation to a family of your choice..... GOAL MET WINNER REBECCA ADAMS

The boys' medicals will be $200 WE HAVE THIS

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or a donation to the family of your choice.... GOAL MET WINNERS ARE REBECCA ADAMS AND SABRINA CHIMIENTI

Food will be about $500 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice. WINNERS ARE KATY COLBRY AND MICHELLE JOHNSON

Transportation will be about $500 GOAL MET!!!!

$5 per entry... When we meet this goal, I will draw for 2 $50 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice.

WINNERS ARE CHRISTINA SCHYE AND CHELSEA CLAUS

Hotels will be about $1000 (FSP needs to read $15,415)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for $100 gift card or donation to family of your choice.

Airfare for me is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $17,015)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

Airfare for my hubby is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $18,715)

$5 per entry ..... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

That is $950 worth of prizes!!!

If anyone wants to help buy prizes, or donate additional prizes, please message me Grumpyjax@yahoo.com

Donations can be made via paypal to Grumpyjax@yahoo.com or through RR with the donate button above or at http://reecesrainbow.org/48978/sponsormitchell

We only need $4056 to be FULLY FUNDED YAY!!!!

As an added bonus, I will do a drawing for a $25 gift card or donation to a family of your choice.
You can earn entries just by sharing. 1 entry per person per day.
Please comment below for an entry :)

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU EMAIL YOUR RECEIPT TO GRUMPYJAX@YAHOO.COM TO GET CREDIT FOR YOUR DONATION :)

waiting and waiting and waiting part 2

Well let me start where I finished off..... I got some amazing pics and videos of Adam from before and after surgery which was an amazing blessing.

These are the before pics and 1 video

 These are the after pics and videos!!! The last video is awesome..... he smiles!!!

I got these in September of 2012 and I watched them over and over for about a month. 

Then watching them caused this ache to hold my baby that was so intense.

My heart broke that my 6 year old son was so tiny and needed me so much.

I worked like crazy to fundraise and get our dossier ready. 

In December, we thought we were fully funded and we sent in our Dossier.

Well apparently airfare and hotel were more than I realized and then on January 9, 2013, I posted "Alvin" from RR on my wall saying "IF" I could add another child to my adoption that he would be the one.

I begged for someone to see him and bring him home.

Alvin #64-3

DOB: 2007
Diagnosis: delays in development

Alvin lives in a family style group home. We are waiting on new information on his development. At the time of the previous report, he was not independently walking, but he could walk behind a support (such as a walker), could cruise around furniture and walk while holding someone’s hand. He was mimicking speech and his communication was starting to develop. He is reported to have a high palate and a tongue “drawn forth” with a notation that this could impact speech. He is shy around unfamiliar people, but engages with familiar adults. He makes eye contact and is eager to be hugged. He enjoys playing hide and seek.

Because we only have this child’s file for a short time, he will not be able to receive donations until a family is found for him.

Look at his precious little face!!!!

I could not stop thinking about him.

I kept wondering why my heart ached for him so much. 

That is when I started asking questions.....

I contacted my SW and asked if she would be willing to approve us for a 2nd child.

We had asked to be approved for 2 in the beginning and she had said no.

I was shocked when without hesitation, she said YES!!!!

On January 13th I hesitantly showed "Alvin" to Kevin and I was shocked again when he said YES too!!!

I then contacted my agency to find out if it was too late to add a 2nd child. It turns out my dossier was ready to be submitted, but they had not submitted it yet.

I asked them to wait and told them we were updating our HS and USCIS to add Alvin.

On January 16, 2013, we signed commitment docs to adopt "Alvin".

That very same day we got our docs notarized and apostilled, our SW got us our HS update and we were able to send in paperwork to USCIS.

On January 25, 2013 we were matched with "Alvin" who we decided to name Matthias.

On February 1 we received our USCIS approval and were able to send our final dossier docs to our sons' Country. We were submitted less than 2 weeks later.

Our adoption was delayed by a few weeks, but Matthias was totally worth it!!!!!

To be continued!!!!!

Waiting and waiting and waiting part 1

I never imagined how hard the wait would be.

The wait to meet my children felt like pure torture, but now I have no words to describe this feeling.

The emptiness, the longing to hold them again, the physical ache in my heart and arms, my empty arms.

I have other children at home and my 3 angels keep me busy, but with each activity we do, I think what would the boys be doing? What will it be like with 5 kids home? 

I will admit at times it feels overwhelming, but mostly I just feel excitement at the thought of having them all here at home.

I love telling people all about my boys, but then I get sad.

Why are they not here? Why does it take so long? Why does it cost so much? Why why why.....

How are you going to manage with 5 kids so close in age? How old are your girls? and How old are the boys?? How how how

The Whys are hard for me to answer....... Some of them I question myself.

The Hows .... Those I do better with. 

God has brought me this far and I know he will carry me through. I have an amazing support system and lots of amazing family and friends nearby. My parents are simply AMAZING and my kids all adore them. 

My girls are currently 4,6 and 8 and the boys are both 6. I love that my kids are all so close in age!

My girls are having some mixed emotions about having brothers the closer we get to bringing them home.

Some days they are beyond excited. Some days they are scared. (change is hard) Some days they get frustrated. (when mommy spend 6+ hours fundraising)

I do not think people understand the pain we go through being apart from our babies.

The love we have for them is as strong as the love of the children of our blood.

Try this for just a minute. Imagine someone taking your child at birth them putting them in a crib only to be taken out a few times a day to be fed an changed. Never loved on. Rarely or never held. Time goes by and your child's head starts to grow bigger and bigger and nobody seems to care. Time goes by and your child should have reached miles stones like holding his own head, sitting up, crawling, walking, running, going to preschool, going to kindergarten, graduating kindergarten, playing on his first sports team and many many more things. NONE of this ever happened. The hours turn into days and days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years..... Nothing changes for over 5 years he lays in his crib eating very little rarely or never held and unmoving. Finally, someone fought for him even before his mommy found him. They fought to help get him surgery for his large head that is filling with water. Then as someone fights to find his family, I saw his handsome tiny little face.

With the following words.....

You live in a place that made a five year old boy look like a tiny, skinny baby.

Meet Adam, who has endured severe physical, emotional, and medical neglect.  He lies in bed all the time with no baba and is suffering from the lack of shunt and cataract surgery.  I can’t look at him without tears, and cannot read his file without feeling angry.  Please, someone, allow God to move your heart, and email Nina Thompson about adopting this precious boy from Pl****.

I actually saw another child first and had sent a message inquiring about him, but then I saw Adam.

I knew right then that he was my son.

After we said we were going to commit to adopt Adam, we found out he was going to have shunt surgery. 

I was actually advised to not commit until AFTER his surgery to make sure he came out ok. Surgery was not for several more weeks and I could not wait. I signed the commitment papers telling them that he was my son, and I was going to bring him home!!

Hubby and I had agreed we would not adopt internationally again after we lost our boy Logan, but when he saw Adam he agreed that we needed to bring our son home.

I prayed every single day for God to sustain my son until I could get to him.

On September 4, 2012 Adam received his shunt. I was a wreck the entire day.

I finally got a message the following day....

"We are happy to inform you that child # 310 is feeling well after the
surgery. The neurosurgeon, who performed the surgery, checked the
child's condition today. The boy has no fever. He appears to be calm."

Minutes felt like days and I had to wait several more days, but I finally got an amazing update.

They not only sent me translated medical docs, but they also sent me pictures and videos!!

I was so excited to see more pics and especially videos of my son.

More to come.... this Mama needs to go to bed and dream of getting a court date :)

Matching grant and more!!!

Well since we did such an awesome job at meeting our first $100 match they have offered us another $100!!!!

WE ONLY NEED $4286 TO BE FULLY FUNDED!!!!!

So when our FSP reads $14,529 we will get another $100 donated toward our adoption

Plus we have several other giveaways going on!!!!

 My mom has donated this beautiful necklace 

I will draw for a winner when we have 25 entries (16 SPOTS LEFT)

Retails for over $100

$5 per entry

Plus we have the BIG giveaway going from my previous blog post!!

If you check out the right side of our blog, I have detailed all of our expenses, what we still owe, and how much we have raised.

We lack $4477 to be fully funded.... here is the breakdown of what our pickup trip expenses will look like..

Airfare for the boys $2000.00 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry .... When we have this goal met I will draw for a $25 gift cards or donation to a family of your choice..... GOAL MET WINNER REBECCA ADAMS

The boys' medicals will be $200 WE HAVE THIS

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or a donation to the family of your choice.... GOAL MET WINNERS ARE REBECCA ADAMS AND SABRINA CHIMIENTI

Food will be about $500 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice. WINNERS ARE KATY COLBRY AND MICHELLE JOHNSON

Transportation will be about $500 GOAL MET!!!!

$5 per entry... When we meet this goal, I will draw for 2 $50 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice.

WINNERS ARE CHRISTINA SCHYE AND CHELSEA CLAUS

Hotels will be about $1000 (FSP needs to read $15,415)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for $100 gift card or donation to family of your choice.

Airfare for me is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $17,015)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

Airfare for my hubby is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $18,715)

$5 per entry ..... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

That is $950 worth of prizes!!!

If anyone wants to help buy prizes, or donate additional prizes, please message me Grumpyjax@yahoo.com

Donations can be made via paypal to Grumpyjax@yahoo.com or through RR with the donate button above or at http://reecesrainbow.org/48978/sponsormitchell

We only need $4286 to be FULLY FUNDED YAY!!!!

As an added bonus, I will do a drawing for a $25 gift card or donation to a family of your choice.
You can earn entries just by sharing. 1 entry per person per day.
Please comment below for an entry :)

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU EMAIL YOUR RECEIPT TO GRUMPYJAX@YAHOO.COM TO GET CREDIT FOR YOUR DONATION :)

Prayer Request :)

“My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.”

– Derek Loux

Adoption is HARD. 

Adoption is EXPENSIVE.

Adoption is EXHAUSTING.

Adoption is DRAMATIC.

Adoption is WORTH IT.

These children are/were in the same place as my Adam.....

Want to guess how old she is????

She is 9 YEARS old!!!!

Look what love can do.... 1 year home on left and months home in other photos.

Would you like to guess how old this little man is?? 

He is 5 YEARS old!! Look at him now though... LESS than 1 year home!!!

 Celebrating his first birthday with a family and loving it!!!

 How old would you think this little one is???

 I could be wrong, but I think she is 9

Can you see a difference?? I can. I think this is only 1 month home!!

How old do you think this treasure is?? She is in a crib and these are smaller than normal cribs too.

She is 15 YEARS old!!!!

Look what love can do!!!

A Daddy of her very own!!

Help..... let me out of here.... Why are they left to suffer?? We can make a difference. If not us, then who?

 Does he look like he is in pain to you?? He probably is.... Hi legs are stuck in this position due to neglect and abuse :( He has a momma working hard to bring him home!!

 Why do they let them suffer? Their heads are so large that I cannot even imagine the pain they are in.

 What an angel :)

 I pray for these children each and every day and night.

I love them all.... Sadly, there are millions more in this bad of shape or worse.

These kids are treasures.

It is my opinion that God only chooses the strongest spirits to endure this life.

A weaker person would not survive as long as these children.

I ask you to join me in praying for these children. Pray whenever you can.... While waiting at a red light, while in line at the store, in the shower.... Whenever we can.

Prayer has been a HUGE support during our adoption.

Please pray that the families can be willing to work hard and that the funds come in.

Pray for our hearts and many of us hold our children then have to leave them for Months before we can bring them home.

Pray for all the families that have children stuck in Ru$$i@. Pray that the ban will be lifted and we can get these children home.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers.

Here are a few pics of my 6 YEAR old boys.

Thank you for all your love and support!!

Getting closer!!!!!

We are down to needing just $4486!!! to be FULLY FUNDED!!!!!

Plus we have a $100 MATCHING GRANT (for ever $1 you donate it will be doubled)

This will be met when our FSP reads $14,429

We have a LOT of giveaways going on!!

WINNER: KATRINA MORRISS

WINNER: KATRINA MORRISS

WINNER DEB W

WINNER KATRINA MORRISS

WINNER: JAMIE LENTZ

Jennifer Rush is doing a giveaway to benefit our family.

GIVE-A-WAY!!! Trying to think of something that hasn't been done yet! I saw Jaclyn Mitchell's post that they need over $5,000! So lets try to get her a lot closer today!!! I am going to start this now by giving away SPARK!!! It is so yummy and gives a lot of energy! So for every $250 in donations made to Jaclyn today (up to $1000) I will give away a box of Spark! That's a $22.95 value per box! And you can choose the flavor! ♥ Just comment here and forward your receipt to me, jennyh_97236@yahoo.com. For each $5 donated you will get one entry! Just donate to Jaclyn's FSP!http://reecesrainbow.org/48978/sponsormitchellhttps://www.advocare.com/120926288/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=A4912&id=E&flavor=l&size=P

FSP started at $13284.00

Plus My mom has donated this beautiful necklace 

I will draw for a winner when we have 25 entries (18 SPOTS LEFT)

Retails for over $100

$5 per entry

Plus we have the BIG giveaway going from my previous blog post!!

If you check out the right side of our blog, I have detailed all of our expenses, what we still owe, and how much we have raised.

We lack $4477 to be fully funded.... here is the breakdown of what our pickup trip expenses will look like..

Airfare for the boys $2000.00 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry .... When we have this goal met I will draw for a $25 gift cards or donation to a family of your choice..... GOAL MET WINNER REBECCA ADAMS

The boys' medicals will be $200 WE HAVE THIS

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or a donation to the family of your choice.... GOAL MET WINNERS ARE REBECCA ADAMS AND SABRINA CHIMIENTI

Food will be about $500 WE HAVE THIS!!

$5 per entry ...... When we have met this goal, I will draw for 2 more $25 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice. WINNERS ARE KATY COLBRY AND MICHELLE JOHNSON

Transportation will be about $500 (FSP needs to read $14,415) $86 NEEDED

$5 per entry... When we meet this goal, I will draw for 2 $50 gift cards or donation to the family of your choice.

Hotels will be about $1000 (FSP needs to read $15,415)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for $100 gift card or donation to family of your choice.

Airfare for me is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $17,115)

$5 per entry ...... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

Airfare for my hubby is going to be about $1700 (FSP needs to read $18,815)

$5 per entry ..... When we reach this goal, I will draw for an ipad mini or $300 donation to a family of your choice!!

That is $950 worth of prizes!!!

If anyone wants to help buy prizes, or donate additional prizes, please message me Grumpyjax@yahoo.com

Donations can be made via paypal to Grumpyjax@yahoo.com or through RR with the donate button above or at http://reecesrainbow.org/48978/sponsormitchell

We only need $4486 to be FULLY FUNDED YAY!!!!

As an added bonus, I will do a drawing for a $25 gift card or donation to a family of your choice.
You can earn entries just by sharing. 1 entry per person per day.
Please comment below for an entry :)

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU EMAIL YOUR RECEIPT TO GRUMPYJAX@YAHOO.COM TO GET CREDIT FOR YOUR DONATION :)