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.....

Airline discount

I just spoke to Delta, and they said adoption travel is 65% off! I had heard that, but thought it only applied to the children's trip home! I am so excited about it! That's less that half the original price! Woo-hoo! Thank you Lord!

Back on Track...

Well, after my recent meltdown/panic attack, I am back on track. I know God will take care of the expense and all the bumps in the road. He always has, so why would He stop now?


And honestly, the expense part over all is far less stressful than the time line. I want my kids home as soon as possible!

So this week (instead of panicking), I'm just going to pray twice as hard.

On May the 9th, it will have been 2 months since I sent my dossier to my adoption agency. I am praying that they will send it to Ghana by May the 9th.
 
I just can't wait for them to be home, running around in the yard, climbing trees, riding bikes.... It's going to be so much fun!