Moving Forward and it Feels so Good

The last three months have been kind of blah. The homestudy phase of all three of our adoptions has been really rough. It's the part where you process all of the emotions of this decision you have made, and at the same time, you feel like you have this enormous mountain to climb and things seem to be moving at a snail's pace. Our homestudy would have been finished a month ago, but we had to send in our fingerprints a 2nd time, plus Sadie ended up having to get fingerprinted and send hers in because she'll be turning 18 within a year of the homestudy. So that took another 3 weeks.

But...it's in the mail right now, coming hopefully tomorrow! YESSSS for progress. As soon as that comes, we'll send off our I-800a paperwork, which is the petition to the US Government to adopt a foreign child (or children in our case.) Right now, it's looking like that clearance will take around 45 days. One.step.at.a.time. I try not to think about how much further we have to go because it makes me feel really anxious. Patience is so important in this process...just turning it all over to the Savior. Knowing that He has the reigns helps tremendously.

I'll tell you what I'm excited about. In exactly three weeks, I'll be meeting our big boy, Louie for the first time! I'm still so in awe that this is going to happen. This is such a blessing, that I'm going to get to go and bond with him for 5 days. I'm very hopeful that I can also form a relationship with his foster mom so that we can Skype with him on a regular basis between now and when we go to get him. This would help prepare him so much. This is all in my head right now...don't know how it will all play out, but we shall see! If his foster mom feels like it's too early to tell him, I'll respect that.

At any rate, I spent the last week working on a book that I'm going to give him, or leave for him. It  explains adoption...what to expect, what our family, our home and America is like, how much we are going to love having him in our family...all that good stuff. I had it translated into Chinese so that his foster mom can read it to him. He's only at a kindergarten level right now, so I don't think he can read yet. But I know he'll love looking through the pictures.

And as for little Liam...I don't have the words to explain how I feel about meeting him. then leaving him for 5-6 months. He's not in a foster home like Louie. He sleeps in this room.

He has caregivers who take care of him and give him as much love as they can. 

But there are just so many of them.

Another mom who was there to get her baby met him two weeks ago. She said they wouldn't let her into the room and he wouldn't go to her (which is a good sign...he's attached to his caregiver.) So all she could do is take a quick video of him. It's only a few seconds, but oh how it makes my mama arms want to scoop him up. 

He's the one sucking his thumb in the red sweatshirt. 

This trip is going to be emotional...but I'm ready. And feeling so very blessed to be on this journey again. When we adopted from Russia, we were required to go spend 5 days with our girls, then wait several months before we could bring them home. China doesn't require this, which is good because it makes it more affordable. But it's so traumatic for the kids to go straight from everything they have ever known, to a couple of strangers! This way, our boys (especially Louie, since we'll be spending so much time together) will be more prepared, and we will be, too. We're amazed at how the spirit is slowly preparing us for this addition. We can see the Lord's hand in all of this, and know that He will help make us equal to the calling. It's humbling.

And it's going to be so special spending time with all of the kids who are coming to the camp! Here's a video that our agency made about the kids who will be at the camp. The purpose of the camp is to get to know these kids so that we can find families for them! We're so lucky that one of those kids is going to be ours!





Right now, we're in fundraising mode, which is actually kind of nice because it makes me feel like I'm doing something during this painful wait! I've been making lots of fresh salsa for local friends, and we sold our camper, which will help with our next chunk that's due this week.

We still have about $6,000 to come up with in the next 5-6 weeks, before we send off our dossier, though! We have an auction happening on Facebook right now. So many friends have donated goods and services. We are soooo grateful! There are still some adorable baby quilts and headbands, some great home decor and a SportzCam (think Go-Pro) that are all waiting for bids! (You may have to click JOIN to join the public group  before you see the auction items. They are in an album.

Check out the auction here

Feel free to share the link to the auction and leave comments on the pictures to place bids.

Or if you feel so inclined, our Reece's Rainbow grant could use a bump. It's been lonely. :)

Thank you, friends and family for your love and support. It means the world to us!