Sunday, July 27, 2014

Start where you are. . . .

When deciding to finally update ones horribly outdated blog, it is hard to know where to begin.

So much has happened in the past few days, weeks, months and years.

So many challenges, experiences, triumphs, hardships, blessings and life's-lessons-learned left neglected and unshared.

I am sure I could come up with a million and one justifications for my silence, but in the end, I always feel selfish and ungrateful for choosing to keep these things to myself when I could be lifting, encouraging, supporting and helping others.

I do not think that the Lord ever intended that I keep this journey to myself.

A journey is meant to be shared.

And so I will take the advice of legendary tennis star, Arthur Ashe, and "start where I am, use what I have and do what I can" and, hopefully, between my efforts and the efforts of my husband, we might just be able to bring you up to speed on where we have been, where we are, and where we are going!

So, where are we exactly?

Let's begin with an adoption update:

Last October I announced that we had committed to adopt three more boys from Bulgaria. That adoption is still in progress, but the process has been tortuously slow (I will elaborate more on why at a later time). After nine months of jumping through hoops, paper-chasing and waiting, we received word about two weeks ago that the Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria had reviewed our dossier and granted us verbal referral (this means that all paperwork is complete and that permission to visit the boys and to formally accept their referrals has been granted). Richard will be making the first trip alone and travel dates are tentatively scheduled for August 9-23 (tentative because we must receive written referrals prior to scheduling visits and we are still waiting on those). Needless to say, after nine, very long months, we are overjoyed to finally be at this point in the process and are anxious to spend some time with the boys and to finally share with them that they have a family!

This will be the first time that Richard has traveled alone on an adoption trip. It will also be the first time that I have stayed behind. I have traveled alone, we have traveled together, but this arrangement is a first for us. He cannot wait to spend some quality time getting to know the boys and enjoying Bulgaria. I am already moping. The good news for all of our faithful followers is that he will likely do a much better job than I have recently of documenting the trip, visits and experiences!

Once the first trip is complete, we will resume the paper-chase as we file for preliminary visa approval with USCIS (immigration), update background checks and medicals, wait for important signatures from government officials, receive a court date and have court. I will then make the return trip to Bulgaria to complete the process and brings the boys home. The average time between trips is 4-6 months. The optimistic realist in me projects a mid-late January homecoming. 

Unfortunately, after seven months of silence, that is all that I have in the way of an adoption update, but the next few weeks should bring some exciting news and adventures from the trenches of this adoption.

In the meantime, with a commitment to make sharing our life's journey more of a priority, I would like to ask those of you who follow us, what is it that you would most like to know? 

10 comments:

Lee Gated said...

That's a broad question... How are the children handling the process? The wait?
What have been the highlights of your summer with your ten little ones?
What are you most excited to share with your three new ones when they arrive? What challenges do you expect? (Remember: 'Hope for the best, plan for the worse'). ...etc.

erinannie said...

Maybe this isn't something you are too keen to share, but I know as a hopeful future adoptive parent- how on earth do you afford so many adoptions? I know you've done fundraisers, but I also know that can't possibly be enough.
And how well do the kids handle the integration of new siblings? (I don't want to know specifics or names of which kids have which issues. That's private and personal!) But just in general, how do you handle R.A.D., etc?
Are you homeschooling all of the kids? How will you handle the new issues coming in with the new boys?

sageluv said...

I still believe you need a film crew out on the farm... your story and experance should be shared. You are a gift to so many.... and I feel blessed to have heard and learned from you!

Courtney said...

I'd love to know where you guys are at with everyone's medical issues. We are also a medical needs family so I love to get updates on everyone's progress (and pray when there isn't much!).

MoonDog said...

How do you stay in your calm place when a certain rad child pushes your buttons? Im always in awe of how in control you are

Hevel said...

This might not be that interesting to others, but as an ex-Mormon, I'm curious about how your kids fit in with your church family, in Primary, and Young Women's and how you introduce your new children to your faith. How does your ward work with you as your family grows?

lisa said...

I loved following the girls' adoption and just hearing how your family is doing as a whole, so I would love to hear how they are all currently doing!

Mamapierce said...

My big question is WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO VISIT ME?!?! I am missing you already. ::sniff sniff::

thanida said...

Love it! Thank you so much for sharing this one really well defined all peaceful info,
คาสิโน

dokdok said...

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มีทั้งพลาสเซนต้าและคอลลาเจนโดนสารทั้งหมดจะต้องผ่านขบวนการเตรียมสูตรยาแบบ(Homeopathy)
เป็นศาสตร์การบำบัดที่มีต้นกำเนิดมาจาก ประเทศเยอรมัน โดยกานค้นพบของนายแพทย์ ซามุเอลฮาเนมัน มีอายุมากกว่า 200ปีโดยมีหลักการบำบัดว่า (ใช้สิ่งที่คล้ายกันมารักษาสิ่งที่คล้ายกัน) หรือการนำเอาสารที่เป็นสาเหตุของอาการนั้นๆ
มารักษาอาการนั้นๆโดยการทำให้สารนั้นๆ เจือจางลงสูตรยาก่อน
จึงทำให้ได้ผลการรักษาที่ดีและไม่มีผลข้างเคียงซึ่งก็เป็นหลักการที่คล้ายกับการฉีดวัคซีนนั่นเอง มาเด้และ คอลลาเจน
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