To catch you up, we did get my FBI letter and a few other documents all made official and sent off. Because they dragged in late, our dossier is still in the registration process. But, any day now...
I recently had to have wrist surgery (ganglion cyst), so I've not really been up to blogging. I also think our yard sale season is going to have to close for the year. I thought we would make it to a grand total of 25 (for the entire adoption process), but it looks like we have stalled at 23. I'm sure there will be more next year. (Yay?) Now I have to find a place to store everything until next year. We really want our garage back!
School is going well...okay, most days are good days. I recently instituted my own Sonic Rewards Fridays. Eli was being so slow about getting ready in the morning, and Colton was having trouble getting finished in a reasonable amount of time. It was like pulling teeth--first one in the morning, and the other at the end of our day. So, I set up 2 small white boards on the fridge, listed the days down the left, and made two columns labeled "Start" and "Finish". Here's the deal. If they are ready for school before the alarm on my phone, they get a star. If they finish everything before we quit for lunch, they get another star. Ten possible stars in a week. If they earn 6, 7, or 8 stars, I take them to Sonic on Friday during Happy Hour for a slush. If they earn 9 or 10 stars, they can upgrade to an ice cream cone or cream slush (while those are half price). So far, we are doing WAY better.
HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER
In a push to raise money before we get a referral, I'm reinstituting the "Party Contest" fundraiser. If anyone is interested in participating, it's really very simple. You host a party: watch a movie, play games, do something specific...or not. Each guest brings $10. You can either ask guests to bring a snack or pay for the snacks out of the money collected. The money can then be sent to us. There are details on our website from the last time we did this. Prizes were involved for the most sent in as well as for everyone sending in $150 or more. Please check it out. (Link to our website here.) I've not yet updated the pdfs, but the info on the page should be up to date.
VACATION FUNDRAISER
Here's a new one. We are using our vacation club membership as a fundraiser. You can link to a page on our website for some current specials. The details are there, but basically you get a great deal on your accommodations. For the price we charge you, we pay for the condo and the fee for booking a trip for a non-member. Anything left over goes toward our adoption.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Correction and Update
Okay, I must have been very tired last night. I completely lied about Eli's being born at 33 weeks. As I recall, he was born 3 weeks early, not AT 33 weeks. It sounded good last night to compare the FBI to that, but I realized today that it was an accidental exaggeration. On a more ironic note, though, I saw that Tim's FBI letter will be expiring very soon. Oh boy. Here we go again.
While I have you here reading, I'll give a bit more update. I got all of my papers apostilled today. They are ready to go in the mail tomorrow to our agency. From there, on to Bulgaria they go.
I have been so focused on finishing the applications, finishing the home study, finishing the dossier, waiting for the FBI, and fundraising. Now that the waiting (and, of course, fundraising) is imminent, I feel myself getting nervous. What will the girls be like? Will we all get along? Will it take a long time to feel like a family? What if they don't like us? What if they are scared of us or where we live? Can I really handle this? Will I ever have the house in order enough to make room for two more kids? How will I homeschool four? I don't know if I am prepared for travelling. I've never been on a plane or out of the country (except to drive into Canada for 5 minutes back before passports were needed). Can my boys handle our being out of the country for a week...twice? I sometimes still can't get Eli to go into his Sunday School class and stay.
Anyway, the alternative (not adopting) just isn't an option. The boys are anxious for the girls to get here. I want them here (and I want the yard sales to stop). Most of all I want to be obedient to God, and I really feel that He is the one who has led us to this place. I don't know what all He has in store for our family, but I do know that if we don't follow His lead, we will miss out on the blessings He had planned for us. The ride has been especially bumpy this year, but it just makes me hold on tighter to the One who knows where we are going.
While I have you here reading, I'll give a bit more update. I got all of my papers apostilled today. They are ready to go in the mail tomorrow to our agency. From there, on to Bulgaria they go.
I have been so focused on finishing the applications, finishing the home study, finishing the dossier, waiting for the FBI, and fundraising. Now that the waiting (and, of course, fundraising) is imminent, I feel myself getting nervous. What will the girls be like? Will we all get along? Will it take a long time to feel like a family? What if they don't like us? What if they are scared of us or where we live? Can I really handle this? Will I ever have the house in order enough to make room for two more kids? How will I homeschool four? I don't know if I am prepared for travelling. I've never been on a plane or out of the country (except to drive into Canada for 5 minutes back before passports were needed). Can my boys handle our being out of the country for a week...twice? I sometimes still can't get Eli to go into his Sunday School class and stay.
Anyway, the alternative (not adopting) just isn't an option. The boys are anxious for the girls to get here. I want them here (and I want the yard sales to stop). Most of all I want to be obedient to God, and I really feel that He is the one who has led us to this place. I don't know what all He has in store for our family, but I do know that if we don't follow His lead, we will miss out on the blessings He had planned for us. The ride has been especially bumpy this year, but it just makes me hold on tighter to the One who knows where we are going.
Monday, September 20, 2010
FINALLY
Well it "only" took 32 weeks to get my FBI clearance letter! (Funny, it only took 33 weeks for my second child to be conceived, developed, and born!!) It arrived on Saturday during Yard Sale #22. Today I took this letter along with 3 other documents that have expired while we waited and had them notarized and certified. Tomorrow I make the trip to Nashville to have them apostilled. Next they are off to Bulgaria as quickly as possible so we can be officially registered.
Next we wait and try to raise BIG BUCKS!
Next we wait and try to raise BIG BUCKS!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Yard Sale #21
That's right. We completed yard sale #21 today. This is the 10th this year, but the 21st since we started raising money for this adoption. We have now raised over $4000 just on yard sales items. Today was our biggest one-day sale ever! We even did better than some of our 2-day sales have been.
I haven't heard yet if we are officially registered in Bulgaria. We were told that we should have been by the end of August. I will probably email the agency on Monday just to see if it is official yet. I'm both excited and nervous at the thought of being registered. I'm anxious to have the girls here as soon as possible, but I know we don't have the money yet. I would so hate to delay bringing the girls home just because the money wasn't ready.
I haven't heard yet if we are officially registered in Bulgaria. We were told that we should have been by the end of August. I will probably email the agency on Monday just to see if it is official yet. I'm both excited and nervous at the thought of being registered. I'm anxious to have the girls here as soon as possible, but I know we don't have the money yet. I would so hate to delay bringing the girls home just because the money wasn't ready.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Photo Op
Yesterday I was finally able to talk to a friend who has just been home a couple of weeks with her 3 1/2 year-old daughter from China. When I got off the phone, I was explaining to the boys (who are just dying to meet her) that they are still adjusting. I could tell from the blank looks on their faces that they weren't quite understanding. So, I elaborated by telling them that for one thing, she was waking up at night and probably wondering "Where am I? Where did the lady go that usually takes care of me? Who are these people who talk funny?"
We left it at that and went on to their piano lessons. After we got home, Eli saw his camera on a shelf, asked for it, and started taking pictures everywhere. When Tim came in from school, he asked Eli what he was doing. Eli said he was taking pictures of the house for Keely and Mattie. Apparently he planned to send these pictures to Bulgaria for Keely and Mattie so that when they come home, they won't feel like they are in a strange place. What a sweetie! He even opened the fridge and took pictures of the inside.
Both boys seem to have the girls on their minds more lately. Makes me proud of them.
We left it at that and went on to their piano lessons. After we got home, Eli saw his camera on a shelf, asked for it, and started taking pictures everywhere. When Tim came in from school, he asked Eli what he was doing. Eli said he was taking pictures of the house for Keely and Mattie. Apparently he planned to send these pictures to Bulgaria for Keely and Mattie so that when they come home, they won't feel like they are in a strange place. What a sweetie! He even opened the fridge and took pictures of the inside.
Both boys seem to have the girls on their minds more lately. Makes me proud of them.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Another Small Step; Another Big Plan
Our dossier is out of translation and should be registered by the end of the month. Because of various summer complications and temperatures over 100, we have not had the kamikaze yard sale season we thought we would have. Perhaps we will be able to have Saturday sales until Thanksgiving or something like that.
We are working on our application with Both Hands for a major fundraiser this fall. If I haven't told you how it works, here's the condensed version. We put together a team who sends out letters asking people to sponsor them. BUT, instead of sponsoring them in a race or walk or something like that, they will be spending one Saturday working on a widow's house. That's why it is called Both Hands. In one project, one hand helps the widow while the other helps the orphan. Our first problem is that we don't know a widow that needs this help. If you know of one in our area who would be willing to help us by letting us help her, PLEASE let us know.
The second issue is that we are supposed to have a foreman to oversee all of the projects. We don't have this either. So, if you can help or recommend someone...... you get the picture.
School is now underway. Tim has finished his first full week with students. The boys and I have finished two weeks. So far, so good.
To those of you who have asked about our adoption progress, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You don't know what an encouragement it is for you to simply ask how it is going...and then stand there politely while I give you an update that is a little too long. Thanks for letting me vent.
We are working on our application with Both Hands for a major fundraiser this fall. If I haven't told you how it works, here's the condensed version. We put together a team who sends out letters asking people to sponsor them. BUT, instead of sponsoring them in a race or walk or something like that, they will be spending one Saturday working on a widow's house. That's why it is called Both Hands. In one project, one hand helps the widow while the other helps the orphan. Our first problem is that we don't know a widow that needs this help. If you know of one in our area who would be willing to help us by letting us help her, PLEASE let us know.
The second issue is that we are supposed to have a foreman to oversee all of the projects. We don't have this either. So, if you can help or recommend someone...... you get the picture.
School is now underway. Tim has finished his first full week with students. The boys and I have finished two weeks. So far, so good.
To those of you who have asked about our adoption progress, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You don't know what an encouragement it is for you to simply ask how it is going...and then stand there politely while I give you an update that is a little too long. Thanks for letting me vent.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Dossier News
I can't believe almost a month has passed since my last post. I had just sent our dossier to our placing agency. I found out a few days later that they had already sent it on to Bulgaria. They spoke with people in Bulgaria and got "permission" to go ahead and send it WHILE updating Tim's med letter and still trying to get my FBI clearance letter. So, it is being translated now. Then we wait for the match...
Of course, our wait will be a busy one. When we accept a referral (and soon thereafter) we will need to spend approximately another $10,000. Traveling twice and final fees will result in roughly another $10,000. Can you say "yard sale"? Now trying saying it a LOT...REALLY FAST. I guess that's about how many we will do.
In non-adoption news, we will be starting our school year next week. Colton will be in 3rd grade, and Eli will actually be starting kindergarten. I haven't yet finished writing everything in the plan books, but I hope to be finished soon. Also, Tim had knee surgery on Monday. He seems to be recovering very well.
Of course, our wait will be a busy one. When we accept a referral (and soon thereafter) we will need to spend approximately another $10,000. Traveling twice and final fees will result in roughly another $10,000. Can you say "yard sale"? Now trying saying it a LOT...REALLY FAST. I guess that's about how many we will do.
In non-adoption news, we will be starting our school year next week. Colton will be in 3rd grade, and Eli will actually be starting kindergarten. I haven't yet finished writing everything in the plan books, but I hope to be finished soon. Also, Tim had knee surgery on Monday. He seems to be recovering very well.
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