Moving forward

So after the last post, we discovered that the home study agency that we had found to help us out was not accredited, and we must use one that is accredited. So back to square one. Thanks to Renee and her super internet research skills, we found one more company. This company is accredited and has agreed to take us on...and get this...possibly cheaper than the original home study (praise God!). Yesterday we had our conference call with Kristen (our adoption coordinator). We were able to get a better feel of the process and estimated time frames. She told us that we are pretty far in and that if we really push it, we can be sending our dossier (paperwork) off to Russia within a month or so. So within the next two months or so (and yes this time frame is a slight stretch, but very possible) we can be waiting for our referral. We now have the green light on the home study issue, and we are moving forward. I've been excited, but after our conference call, the excitement level has been really boosted.
I know that it is really pushing it, but we are praying very hard to have our babi(es) home this year. It is more reasonable to think maybe this time next year, but we are praying very hard to that this all falls into place this year. With God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

Hopefully a solution has arrived

The past week has been very hectic. We found an agency willing to take over our case, then they found out where we live and it was just too far away for them to service us. We have talked to agency after agency, with no on willing or able to take us on. I really hate to admit it, but we were both to a point to where we didn't think that there was going to be a solution at all. We had talked to several agencies that were not able to pick up where our agency left off but they were unable to help us even start over. Several were on the "ban" list, some only did domestic adoptions, some were already out of business, and some just weren't able to work with us due to travel time to get to our house. I'd be lying if I said we weren't questioning God's calling. If this is what God was calling us to do then why was every door closing? Then yesterday we found one last shot. There was one more company left to try. We called as well as our current home study agency and they have agreed to take over where the other company left off. They will charge for their service, so we will be coming out of pocket a little more than expected but it's really not bad at all. It sure beats starting all over. Now everything is not set in stone just yet with the 2nd company, but they are trying to get on it and get it done fast. So yesterday, we went to the social security office because I have, after seven years, still failed to legally change my name. We were in and out of the social security office in five minutes. So now my name is legally changed. Next stop was the birth certificate office (we needed 2 copies of our birth certificates for our dossier), which I went to a few weeks ago but it was so packed that I left, but on this day there was no one else there. So we were in and out quick. A funny tid-bit: They lady at the vital records office asked why we needed our birth certificates. When we told her, she said and I quote "Maybe y'all will get twins". Then we went on for passport pictures, and we got a discount. This week sure has been better than last week. Things really seemed to just begin to fall into place yesterday...just when I was begining to second guess....shame on me.
I also want to note that my dear friend Ashley moved back home this week from Illinois. I personally think that God sent her back here to help me with the insanity of this process. She'll keep me laughing even when I want to cry.
And also, we want to thank Gayle. I have read the letter that you wrote three times already today and it has choked me up every time. Thank you for your donation and your part in helping us bring our baby home. You are so special to us, we love you and the girls like family.
So we have so much to be thankful for right now. God has really shown us just how much he is in this with us. Every night, when Benji and I pray, we ask God to hold our hand through this adoption. He as done just that. Even when things seem like they are falling apart, he's right there. Holding our hands tightly, telling us to hold on, another door will be opening soon.

I'm too blessed to be stressed

So we are still in limbo over the home study situation. We have one more chance and that is only if another company will agree to take over our case. I'll call that company tomorrow and hope for the best. However, given this week's craziness, I just do not feel bad about our situation. On Monday, my aunt found out she had a hemmorage in her eye. Tuesday, my mom's friend had to bury her mother. Wednesday, one of mama's 3 yr old patients died and mama's best friend (the one that buried her mother on Tuesday) found out that she had terminal cancer, then one of my very near and dear friend found out some very discouraging things about her teenage son. Thursday, my aunt had to have eye surgery to take care of the hemmorage. Now all this is what I call real problems....not my little adoption set back. All I'm looking at is losing money and a few weeks time. I'm not burying a child, having to deal with a loved one with a terminal illness, having to undergo surgery, I'm not homeless, I'm not lonely. I have a wonderful husband, a super duper family, some pretty amazing friends, a roof over my head, food in fridge, and clothes on my back. I have three jobs in a market where others are losing their jobs daily. All I can say is, I'm on heck of a blessed person. And even if this home study problem does not work out, I still serve an amazing God who has blessed me far beyond anything that I ever deserve. If God called me home tonight, I will go lacking nothing. I am just too blessed to grumble over a set back, when there are so many others out there with "real problems". As the song goes..."this isn't a stumbling block, it's just a stepping stone".

I never have liked rollercoasters

So the rollercoaster has begun. I posted a few hours ago that everything was seemingly resolved. Well, it's not. Our case worker just called and said that this was not as easy of a fix as she had previously thought. For now we have cancelled our meeting tomorrow. Her director is meeting with our agency this afternoon to discuss our case. We just pray that this matter gets resolved once and for all and that we can move forward without having to take 10 steps back. It's in the Lord's hands and he will work it out one way or another.

God is great...but he almost gave me a heart attack

Let me start by saying thank you God! He is always there to pull us through when we need him. Our adoption agency called this morning to tell us that there was nothing that they could do. Our homestudy agency would not be approved so we needed to stop now and find a new home study agency. Luckily Benji was here at the office when we got this call, because I was really beginning to have chest pains. So I had no choice but to call our case worker and tell her that we really appreciated everything but we were forced to go elsewhere. I go outside to call Donna on my cell, as I'm calling her she's calling me at the office. Donna said that they will get this issue resolved. We have a few options here but they said that they would make this happen even if they have to contract it out to an "approved" company. So that's where we stand right now. God is amazing and even though he tests us sometime, if we just trust in him, he will pull us through. Thank you to every one who has lifted us up in prayer. The family and friend's support is what gets us through these little bumps in the road. We love you all very much!

A major frustration/possible set back.

I recieved an email today from our adoption agency. She said she was processing our paperwork today and that our coordinater would be in touch soon. Yay! Exciting! Then she asks about our homestudy and who we were using because they just recieved a list last week of home study agencies that Russia is refusing to work with. Guess who's agency is on that list? Yep...ours! We have already completed all the paperwork and vistits, with the exception of my interview...which is scheduled for Wednesday (2 days away). Needless to say, our home study agency has already been paid...non-refundable (as it shouldn't be, they have already done their job). I realize that this journey is going to have it's ups and downs and I'm okay with that. I'm not happy about loosing a month's worth of work on the homestudy, tons of time time getting paperwork together and interviewing with the social worker, but I can deal with this. What I can't deal with is a total loss of $1300. I'm am beyond frustrated right now. The adoption agency is checking into this now and she is supposed to call us back before lunch tomorrow, but it sounds like there's not much that they can do. I have not for one second ever doubted that God was in this adoption, and I don't now either. We just really need him to show how much that he is in it right now in helping us get through this speed bump (even though it feels like a mountain). God can and will help us through this. This was a leap of faith from the very begining and we will hold to our faith that he will either help us get an exception or provide the funds to be able to start a new homestudy.

Home visit Complete!

Donna came to our house this morning to complete our home visit. I think that it went very well. She didn't point out any problems. She had to check every room to make sure that there were no saftey hazards, she had to make sure that all guns were properly locked away (which even with 2 giant gun safes, was a task in our house) and she had to pet our dogs to make sure that they were not vicious. There was really nothing to it at all. Now we can enjoy our weekend with our super clean house. I need to tell Donna to come by weekly. HA! Benji went ahead and did his individual interview today. So now all that we have left is my individual interview and a couple more papers to turn in and we will be done with our end of the homestudy.