Monday, July 2, 2012

Reaching the Final Destination!



I am happy to report that we are, Lord Willing, closer to reaching the end of this very long Journey of adoption of Esmeralda and Jada:) When you pray for something for so long and have several obstacles to overcome and very little positive feedback from those in charge (here on earth that is...) I have occasionally gone into auto pilot...still trusting God's provision....but moving on, not trying to dwell not the "what if's". So here we are today...2 years down the road since we submitted the first set of papers to start the adoption process. God has taught us a lot about perseverance, patience, trust, and that we truly are not in control of any part of our lives...LOL!! That last part of lessons learned has just been quite humorous! We can have things all planned out of what WE think will work best and in my mind...I think God just sits back lets us think that for a few minutes we are in control, then he inserts His Plan ever so subtle. God has to get tickled when He can see all that is ahead and we can see only the minute we are in, as He watches us make plans "AS IF" we have any clue what is ahead. I'm laughing as I am writing this! Most days this how I survive...Laugh to keep from Crying!!! Hehehe

So here are the details as we know today:) The girls' birth certificates were finally approved May 9. We are waiting for the actual paper copies to arrive to Conani, the government adoption agency. Sarah is the Point Person on our case. She is second in command of the adoption agency in the DR. We have developed quite a close relationship with her, or should I say Tommy has. He has called diligently every month to get an update on our case and she has been so cooperative and supportive to help us in any way she can. We had yet another hiccup after we got the good news of the birth certificates being approved. We had to file an extension for our US immigration approval because they are only good for up to 14 months once you file. Our expiration date was April 18. Soo I got all of the documents updated they required...sent them off (called our adoption agency in Michigan to double check the address) and they arrived at the "Wrong Department" in time....Yes... the lady in Michigan gave me the WRONG address!! Soo, 2 weeks after I sent the extension request in.... the papers came back to me in the mail with a note that said you sent this to the wrong department. I then Re-sent the papers to the right address, with the note & arrival date of original send attached. The day after we find out about the birth certificates were approved we get the news that our extension as had been denied because they received it late and we had to start over with our immigration approval which could take up to 90 days to get approved and we had to pay 1000.00 more dollars to make this happen. Oh Satan is so crafty sometimes. So needless to say Tommy had some very difficult conversations with our Adoption Agency lady in Michigan. Tommy has also gotten to know very well, James, the officer at US Immigration, who said he would do all he could to push our 2nd approval through as quickly as possible. Officer James was good on his word and we got our approval 2 weeks ago! So...now if all goes well... as soon as the birth certificate papers are in hand Sarah will begin her process of a DR home study on the girls (which will include interviewing the girls to get their consent that they want to be adopted and a couple of visits to the orphanage),  she will put together our file and submit it to the governing committee to make a final approval of the adoption. She has told us that she believes we will be able to travel in November or December to get the girls!! Whoo Hoo & Oh My!!! I do believe this is going to happen! Remember my auto pilot mode?1? Well I haven't known whether I need to laugh or cry!! I am a bit overwhelmed and here is why....

For those of you who do not know, a little angel named Aubree Mae, came into my life the beginning of November and into my family's lives the beginning of December. God put Aubree's mom in my life and allowed us to develop a relationship that would lead to us helping her with her with Aubree.  We agreed to take Aubree in full time as a foster situation. She was 10 months old at the time:) So needless to say God subtly but quickly changed our circumstances in a big way and we have been blessed beyond our imagination with this little doll baby! She has just fit right into the Kyle chaos and rolled with every minute. She can sleep anywhere at anytime, makes everyone smile who crosses her path and has brought so much joy and love into our home, more than I could have imagined! My kids adore her with every ounce of their being and fight over who gets to sit by her in the car, lay beside her, hold her, stroll her, feed her, etc..... I have had more joy watching the 3 of them love her!! I will have to say daddy Tommy has fallen a bit head over heels himself and she has for him. If he is in the room none of us get a chance with her. He has done a very good job of spoiling her as he has done with my other 3:)) I am quite taken with Aubree as well!! We don't know for sure what the future holds for us in this situation but I do believe God is with us and we are giving her all of the love we can in the moments we have been given!! 

Soo... here are the facts....we could possibly have 6 children in our home by January of 2013! All I can say is I do think sometimes God might have a bit more faith in me than I have in myself as a wife and mother:) I am in constant prayer..."God raise these children in spite of me and my failures concerning them". I am nothing but a willing vessel, crazy enough to believe God can do what seems IMPOSSIBLE to me! I have always loved children and always wanted to be a mother since I can remember:) God has truly given me the desires of my heart and even in the overwhelming moments of all it involves, I wouldn't have it any other way!! In my Jesus Calling Devotion book it says...Jesus speaking to me and you..."Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way. Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done. Relax in My Sovereignty, and remembering that I go before you, as well as with you, into each day. Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will encounter. (Genesis 50:20; Psalm 23:4). 

We will get more details along the way concerning our travel to the DR to get the girls. We have been told to plan on being there for 5 weeks. We are in process of working out the details of where we will be staying exactly and what that will look like as far as all of the children going with us. 

So here are our Prayer Requests:

*NO more roadblocks from Satan!!
*That the process will move in God's perfect time!
*Prayer for the girls that God will continue to comfort them and protect them until time and make their transition as easy as possible.
*Financial- that God will continue to give us wisdom and provide for us in the remaining expenses. It is looking like we will need around 15,000.00 to cover the remainder of the process. 
*That God will be with my children and prepare them for the changes that are ahead.


                                                                             Aubree..


                                          The kids together when we went to the DR last August:)


* Most of all that we will give God the glory in all things, big and small,  and not take anything for granted! 

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for our family and Esmeralda and Jada! Your prayers have sustained us in this situation and given us strength to press on! I will update you as things progress! Much Love to all of you!!

Heather