My Three Wishes....

Remember when you watched Aladdin when you were younger? (Yes, I was actually a kid when that came out. I'm not too old!) Well I always think about my 3 wishes. Even as an adult. What would I wish for? Then it occured to me.... I actually have the 3 things I wanted out of my adult life!



Wish #1:   I wanted to marry a UPS man.

Everybody has dreamed about being with their UPS man, even if they won't admit it! They are right up there with firemen and policemen! How can you not love those little brown shorts?

Well, I married my UPS man almost 2 years ago! (That's right, I'm kinda a newly-wed still!)



Wish #2:  I wanted to be a housewife / stay-at-home mom.

I was layed off on Christmas Eve of 2008. Not the best way to achieve the goal of housewife. It was actually devastating. But, it has all worked out. I get to play in the creek with my daughter on hot days. We get to dress up in my old hats and dresses. we have tea parties... It's so much fun!

Also, last year I was able to homeschool my daughter since I wasn't working! I LOVE homeschool! And for the icing on the cake- guess who delivers the school books we order? That's right- my UPS man! It just doesn't get any better than that!



Wish #3:  I wanted to adopt children.

Ever since I saw the orphan chior at my Aunt Verna's church when I was little. Ever since those 'Feed the Children' commercials started coming on TV. Ever since the missionaries started showing those slide shows at my church. I wanted to adopt. Children. Not babies. Not one child. I wanted to adopt children. And here we are. Adopting a little brother and sister for my first daughter.


Sometimes I feel bad having my dream life when so many people are so unfulfilled. But not today. Today I just feel thankful.

I Spoke Too Soon.....

The other day I said I was glad my I600A was being handled at my local office in Charleston. Shortly thereafter, I got an email that said 'I600As are no longer being processed in Charleston'. So, all the files there are being shipped to the office in MO where they will be handled. Back to the bottom of the pile, I guess!

Immunizations

Forgot to mention- I got my immunizations on Monday! I am so glad it's over with! I felt kinda like a pin cushion! And I got it ALL!  (Hep A, Tetnus, MMR, Typhoid Fever, Yellow Fever and Polio!) Ouch!

Al (the hubby) couldn't get off of work this week. So his appointment is next week. I'm sure he can't wait!

Where O Where Is My 171H?

Who knew it would take so long? My homestudy was done on March the 4th. That was the last thing needed for my I600A. I know my social worker got it to DSS that very same week. (DSS has to review the completed homestudy before they forward it to USCIS to be added with the rest of the I600A application.) I recently received an email back from USCIS. They received my homestudy on May 18th. Why it took DSS over 2 months to send my dossier to USCIS I will never know. But either way, it's there now & being "reviewed". Hopefully that part will go pretty quickly. Everything is being handled at my local office in Charleston. Which makes me feel a little better.

As far as the dossier- you guessed it. Still not in Ghana. I have been assured (again) that it is going very soon. I hope and pray that it will actually happen. SOON!

New Pictures...

I am so thankful to be in touch with a couple of great ladies who got these pictures to me! The children are a year older than the last picture I had! They have grown a little since then. And they are absolutely beautiful!! I wish they were already here with me. My boy just looks so SAD. His eyes. It's a different kind of sad than I have seen in my daughter (Malorie's) eyes. A deeper kind. Hopefully we will get moving soon so we can bring them home.

Can I Just Say This.....

I am so tired of hearing advice to 'really re-think the whole adoption thing before you go through with it'.


I DO understand that adoption is not for everyone. Some people could not ever love another child the way that they love their biological children. And that is Okay. Those people are not selfish or wrong. They know themselves. It would be unfair to themselves and the child if they were to adopt.


I also understand why people caution me. Yes, I already have a child in my home that I have to think about. I know adding more children will rock her world. I know she will no longer receive 100% of my time. I know I will not be able to buy her as many physical things when she is no longer the only child. It will be rough on her. Of that I am sure.


But, for just a minute- can we step outside of our perfect little world? Stop looking at it in a sense of "my child" and the "orphaned children". Are they not all God's children? I know that God put adoption in my heart.


Should I have told him 'Sorry God. My child deserves ALL of her mother's time, even if it means Your other children have no family to love them.'


'My child deserves to be able to afford McDonalds and Dunkin' Doughnuts whenever she wants. Even if it means Your other children do not get even 3 healthy meals a day.'


'My child deserves to have her parents put her through the best college possible. Even if it means Your other children may never get a good education or a chance to make life better for themselves.'


Does that not seem just a little bit selfish? Don't get me wrong. I love my daughter with all my heart. However, she is no more important in God's eyes than the children we are adopting.

It would be much easier (and we'd be alot richer) if we just looked after the best interest of our bio child. But our children in Ghana do not have the luxury. Who will look after their best interest?

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:8-9

Happy Birthday....

Today is my little girl's birthday. She turned 8 years old. I wish I could be there wih her. I wonder if they celebrated. I wonder if anyone at the orphanage even knew it was her birthday. I hope so. I hope something happened today to make her birthday extra special. I hated to miss out on it. I wish I had spent all week shopping for presents and baking cake. But I didn't. Hopefully I will be able to make up for it on her next one. Happy birthday, little girl.....