I received word today that Ukraine's government will not be voting on ending international adoption tomorrow!!! The vote has been taken off their schedule and is not on the schedule anywhere in the near future. This is such an answer to prayer.
Please continue to be in prayer for Ukraine's orphans though as their future still is not certain. There are many economical and political issues at work in Ukraine and things can change at any time. For now at least, things look good.
Thank you for your continued prayers!!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Happy Birthday Little Girl!!!
Today is our little girl's birthday. She is now 3 years old!
I wish she could know that someone in this world cares that she was born. I am so sad that we are not with her today, but I pray that this will be the last birthday she will have to spend with out her family.
Please say an extra prayer today for our little girl if you can.
I wish she could know that someone in this world cares that she was born. I am so sad that we are not with her today, but I pray that this will be the last birthday she will have to spend with out her family.
Please say an extra prayer today for our little girl if you can.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Vote on international adoption moratorium coming soon
You have heard me mention in my previous posts about the rumors of a moratorium on international adoptions in Ukraine. The rumor had been that there were talks of this happening in the fall. Well, the latest news is that the parliament in Ukraine will vote on this on June 2, a week from today.
No one is really sure what this will all mean. We will have more information after the vote. Until then, please pray that this vote does not pass. Please pray for all of the children and families that stand in limbo waiting to hear what the outcome will be. Pray for the hearts of the members of parliament to see that stopping international adoption does not benefit the children in the orphanages waiting for families.
No one is really sure what this will all mean. We will have more information after the vote. Until then, please pray that this vote does not pass. Please pray for all of the children and families that stand in limbo waiting to hear what the outcome will be. Pray for the hearts of the members of parliament to see that stopping international adoption does not benefit the children in the orphanages waiting for families.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Waiting
Well, it looks like we are not going to be able to submit our dossier until the fall. Our current submission date is Sept. 21, which would mean we should travel around the end of Oct./beginning of Nov.
Obviously this is not what we were hoping for, but it is what it is and we have to make the best of it. I am almost finished updating all of our paperwork for our dossier. I should have it finished in the next two weeks and then I will mail our second dossier to Ukraine. I figured I would get it over with so I didn't have to worry about it over the summer. I plan on enjoying my summer as much as possible. I want to try to do some special things with Morgan since it will be her last time with Mommy and Daddy all to herself.
The only thing that would negatively change this is if they put the moratorium on international adoption like they have been talking about. Please pray that this DOES NOT happen. The only thing that could positively change this is if a law that has been proposed is signed into effect before Sept. If by chance this law is signed before Sept. we would be able to submit right away. Please pray that this DOES happen. But most of all, please pray that our little girl will remain safe and healthy until we are able to get to her.
A fellow adoptive mom that is affected by the same circumstances we are posted this on her blog the other day and I felt it was appropriate to post here too. As an adoptive parent so much of this poem rings very true. We can't understand why we have to wait or more importantly why our children have to wait to come home. The only way to get through it is to give it to God and trust completely that He knows His plan and everything will happen in His time, not mine.
Wait
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried:
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
and the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."
"Wait? You say wait," my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By Faith, I have asked, and am claiming Your Word.
My future and all to which I can relate,
hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
An Lord, You promised that if we believe
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting.....for what?"
He seemed, then, to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine,
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.
All you seek I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want - But, you wouldn't know me."
"You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see."
"You'd never experience that fullness of love
as the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save...(for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
of an infinte God, who makes what you have LAST."
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that "My grace is sufficient for Thee."
"Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true.
But, Oh, the loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!
So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will see,
that the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me."
"And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT'."
Obviously this is not what we were hoping for, but it is what it is and we have to make the best of it. I am almost finished updating all of our paperwork for our dossier. I should have it finished in the next two weeks and then I will mail our second dossier to Ukraine. I figured I would get it over with so I didn't have to worry about it over the summer. I plan on enjoying my summer as much as possible. I want to try to do some special things with Morgan since it will be her last time with Mommy and Daddy all to herself.
The only thing that would negatively change this is if they put the moratorium on international adoption like they have been talking about. Please pray that this DOES NOT happen. The only thing that could positively change this is if a law that has been proposed is signed into effect before Sept. If by chance this law is signed before Sept. we would be able to submit right away. Please pray that this DOES happen. But most of all, please pray that our little girl will remain safe and healthy until we are able to get to her.
A fellow adoptive mom that is affected by the same circumstances we are posted this on her blog the other day and I felt it was appropriate to post here too. As an adoptive parent so much of this poem rings very true. We can't understand why we have to wait or more importantly why our children have to wait to come home. The only way to get through it is to give it to God and trust completely that He knows His plan and everything will happen in His time, not mine.
Wait
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried:
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
and the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."
"Wait? You say wait," my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By Faith, I have asked, and am claiming Your Word.
My future and all to which I can relate,
hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
An Lord, You promised that if we believe
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting.....for what?"
He seemed, then, to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine,
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.
All you seek I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want - But, you wouldn't know me."
"You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see."
"You'd never experience that fullness of love
as the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save...(for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
"The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
of an infinte God, who makes what you have LAST."
"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that "My grace is sufficient for Thee."
"Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true.
But, Oh, the loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!
So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will see,
that the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me."
"And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT'."
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Stressed!!!
I am stressed and need to vent.
Well, our dossier has been registered with the SDA and as of right now we have a submission date of September 21. Obviously this is not what we were hoping for. Apparently our little girl's diagnosis is not on the list of conditions that is guaranteed a quick submission. This is bad for many reasons. One is that we will have to redo most of our paperwork. Another is that there are talks that Ukraine is going to put a moratorium on international adoptions some time in the near future and fall has been thrown around as the time they will do this. They have done this in the past and this can last anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months to indefinitely. But, the worst thing of all is that this means that our little girl with have to sit in an orphanage for that much longer. My heart breaks for her and I long to hold her in my arms. Morgan wants her sister to come home now and so do I.
We do have a glimmer of hope though. Even though her diagnosis is not on the official list, there is a possibility that the SDA will still let us submit our dossier sooner than September. Our facilitator took our child specific petition to them on Monday and we are now waiting to hear back if they will accept our dossier sooner. We haven't heard anything yet and they have holidays coming up there next week, so I'm not sure how much longer we will have to wait to hear what they decided.
The waiting is killing me. Please pray for our little girl and that this all works out. I feel so strongly that this is what we are supposed to do, but it is very hard when all of these road blocks stand in our way. Whatever happens though we will see this through.
Well, our dossier has been registered with the SDA and as of right now we have a submission date of September 21. Obviously this is not what we were hoping for. Apparently our little girl's diagnosis is not on the list of conditions that is guaranteed a quick submission. This is bad for many reasons. One is that we will have to redo most of our paperwork. Another is that there are talks that Ukraine is going to put a moratorium on international adoptions some time in the near future and fall has been thrown around as the time they will do this. They have done this in the past and this can last anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months to indefinitely. But, the worst thing of all is that this means that our little girl with have to sit in an orphanage for that much longer. My heart breaks for her and I long to hold her in my arms. Morgan wants her sister to come home now and so do I.
We do have a glimmer of hope though. Even though her diagnosis is not on the official list, there is a possibility that the SDA will still let us submit our dossier sooner than September. Our facilitator took our child specific petition to them on Monday and we are now waiting to hear back if they will accept our dossier sooner. We haven't heard anything yet and they have holidays coming up there next week, so I'm not sure how much longer we will have to wait to hear what they decided.
The waiting is killing me. Please pray for our little girl and that this all works out. I feel so strongly that this is what we are supposed to do, but it is very hard when all of these road blocks stand in our way. Whatever happens though we will see this through.
Monday, April 20, 2009
World AIDS orphans day
World AIDS orphans day is May 7. It is to raise awareness of the many, many children in this world that are left orphans due to AIDS. Although I'm not sure yet of the details of how our little girl became an orphan (whether her birth mother is still alive or just could not care for her), she is still an orphan as a result of HIV/AIDS.
I wanted to bring awareness to a few great places that are trying to help these orphans find homes.
One is http://fromhivtohome.org/. You can go to their site to read about how they are helping these orphans and you can also make a tax deductible donation if you would like to help.
Another site that is great for people like me who are in the process of adopting a child with HIV is http://www.projecthopeful.org/. They have been such a wonderful resource to me during this process.
The organization I want to focus on though is Reece's Rainbow. They are a wonderful organization that I can not say enough about. They are an organization that is mainly focussed on helping to advocate for the international adoption of children with Down Syndrome. They also advocate for children with other special needs, HIV being one of them. They have a few wonderful children listed that are HIV positive. These children are all in Eastern Europe. They each have a grant fund sent up that people can make tax deductible donations to. Any money in the grant fund will go to the family that chooses to adopt that child to help offset the costs of the adoption. This money could be the thing that could help these children find their family. To donate please go to Paypal and send your donation to reecesrainbow@yahoo.com. Please put the name of the child you wish your donation to go to in the comments. If you can't donate, please spread the word about these children. You never know who you might tell that just might have an eye opening experience like we did. Adopting a child with HIV is not as overwhelming as it seems. Once you have the knowledge you need, it really doesn't seem all that hard. These children can go on to live long, happy lives if they are given the chance. In an orphanage they do not have that chance. They need the love of a family and the medical care that they can not get in an orphanage.
Avery
Boy, Born April 2005
Avery is a handsome little boy with brown hair and brown eyes. He is also HIV + positive, with an RNA of 400.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Shannon
Girl, Born October 2005
Shannon is much loved in her orphanage! Platinum blonde hair and striking blue eyes, she is an orphanage favorite. She is very active and healthy and doing well, but was born HIV+.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Kaylee
Girl, Born May 2006
Kaylee is a muffin of a little girl! Blonde hair and big brown eyes, she is ready to melt your heart. Regrettably, she was also born HIV+. She is doing very well and a-symptomatic at this time. She is a very normal 3 year old!
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Cathryn & Conner
Girl, Born Jan 2006 & Boy, Born May 2007
Cathryn is a gorgeous little girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She is described as healthy, smart and affectionate. She is also HIV + positive. She has some facial features of FAS, but this is not documented in her medical history, only a cautionary disclosure.
Conner is totally healthy and is not a carrier of HIV. The children are darling and will make wonderful additions to any family.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
We have $100in our grant fund towards the cost of our adoption!
I wanted to bring awareness to a few great places that are trying to help these orphans find homes.
One is http://fromhivtohome.org/. You can go to their site to read about how they are helping these orphans and you can also make a tax deductible donation if you would like to help.
Another site that is great for people like me who are in the process of adopting a child with HIV is http://www.projecthopeful.org/. They have been such a wonderful resource to me during this process.
The organization I want to focus on though is Reece's Rainbow. They are a wonderful organization that I can not say enough about. They are an organization that is mainly focussed on helping to advocate for the international adoption of children with Down Syndrome. They also advocate for children with other special needs, HIV being one of them. They have a few wonderful children listed that are HIV positive. These children are all in Eastern Europe. They each have a grant fund sent up that people can make tax deductible donations to. Any money in the grant fund will go to the family that chooses to adopt that child to help offset the costs of the adoption. This money could be the thing that could help these children find their family. To donate please go to Paypal and send your donation to reecesrainbow@yahoo.com. Please put the name of the child you wish your donation to go to in the comments. If you can't donate, please spread the word about these children. You never know who you might tell that just might have an eye opening experience like we did. Adopting a child with HIV is not as overwhelming as it seems. Once you have the knowledge you need, it really doesn't seem all that hard. These children can go on to live long, happy lives if they are given the chance. In an orphanage they do not have that chance. They need the love of a family and the medical care that they can not get in an orphanage.
Avery
Boy, Born April 2005
Avery is a handsome little boy with brown hair and brown eyes. He is also HIV + positive, with an RNA of 400.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Shannon
Girl, Born October 2005
Shannon is much loved in her orphanage! Platinum blonde hair and striking blue eyes, she is an orphanage favorite. She is very active and healthy and doing well, but was born HIV+.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Kaylee
Girl, Born May 2006
Kaylee is a muffin of a little girl! Blonde hair and big brown eyes, she is ready to melt your heart. Regrettably, she was also born HIV+. She is doing very well and a-symptomatic at this time. She is a very normal 3 year old!
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
I have $0 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
Cathryn & Conner
Girl, Born Jan 2006 & Boy, Born May 2007
Cathryn is a gorgeous little girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She is described as healthy, smart and affectionate. She is also HIV + positive. She has some facial features of FAS, but this is not documented in her medical history, only a cautionary disclosure.
Conner is totally healthy and is not a carrier of HIV. The children are darling and will make wonderful additions to any family.
For more info and parent support on adopting and raising a child with HIV, please visit http://www.projecthopeful.org/
2 trips
Both parents for 2 weeks
Wait 2-3 months for court
Both parents travel for 2nd trip, one can leave after 4 days, the other waits one week longer
No family size restrictions
Both parents must be younger than 60 years
Total program and travel fees under $25k
Fee includes a $500 orphanage donation
Married couples and single mothers may apply
Please contact Andrea directly for more information
We have $100in our grant fund towards the cost of our adoption!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
It's on the way to Ukraine!
We got our apostilles back this morning and I took the remaining documents for our dossier to be FedEx'd this afternoon. They should arrive in Ukraine in 3 business days, which would be Monday!
The next step is for our facilitator to finish translating everything and have it all notarized and then she will go to the SDA to get a submission date. They only allow dossiers for children under 6 to be submitted on Monday, so I'm praying it won't be too many Monday's before we are submitted.
Please pray that our documents arrive safely and that we are able to submit quickly!
The next step is for our facilitator to finish translating everything and have it all notarized and then she will go to the SDA to get a submission date. They only allow dossiers for children under 6 to be submitted on Monday, so I'm praying it won't be too many Monday's before we are submitted.
Please pray that our documents arrive safely and that we are able to submit quickly!
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