Inching closer!

My Mom got a new computer that has a scanner that WORKS!!!! So we were able to get all our documents emailed over and everything was approved EXCEPT... Fred's DARN medical document! His DR is gonna hate us and we have to go back to him tomorrow morning and Fred will have to get a new physical and blood work done (please pray for him... and me!) which we will have to pay for I believe because insurance only covers one physical per year... yuck! But whatever it takes to get this done! We are closing in!!!

What a DAy, What a DAy!!!

So yesterday was Cole's (Everett) birthday, and I did something pretty amazing... I baked cupcakes for Bible Study! He must be pretty special for me to do something like! No I like to bake I just cant seem to find time for it anymore, I can't find time for doing much other than PAPERWORK! Every time I think "OK this is it we are done and going to be submitted" time runs out for one of our forms and has to be redone. You see at the beginning of all of this I was like a powerful locomotive ripping through paperwork like crazy, doing all that I could to get things done so I could get my babies. Then came the road blocks and Lord knows I did all that I could to get passed them but some things are out of my hands no matter how much I called or showed up, unfortunately this adoption was not important to every company/person I had to deal with. Now that those forms are rolling in the forms I worked so hard and fast to get done are expiring, I'm just so fearful that we are going to end up having to redo everything and not get it done within the allotted time. Grrrr! I don't know how people can go through life changing events in their life (like adopting two kids form the Ukraine)with out God to lean on. My only refuge is that I can give all of this to Him, it's not always easy but I am learning to. I really want other Moms and Dads that are in the adoption process to know that while working so hard for the dream of adopting a sweat baby you may get caught up in the hussle and bussle of gathering paperwork and making sure that everything is correct and redo those forms that are not. You may get so frustrated that it is EXTREMELY hard to see the end goal (and for a new parent it's hard to know whether all the frustration is worth it), sometimes along the way it feels like "is this real, are there really kid(s) half way around the world waiting for me?" These feelings I believe are normal feelings but beware of them and don't let them slow you down or get in your way. I am so blessed that when I have these feelings (which lately has been a lot) I can give it to God! I read a devotional yesterday that pictured your walk with Christ as a tandem bike ride, it said if we let God direct our path and sit in the front we are bound to see amazing things because all we have to do is "PEDDLE" but when we are in the front we are so busy trying to get where we are going we miss out on all the scenery along the way. So Fred and I are trying our best to give this to God and just "PEDDLE"!
This devotional was preparing Fred and I for the day God had in store, Fred and I thought we only had three forms to get redone and we would finally be ready to submit but as I went through the checklist that was provided for me I realized that we had more mistakes to correct than I thought. Our marriage certificate was obtained in March which is to old for us to send so we had to go back to the court house and get more copies, then our stinking doctor redid his form but this time didn't do it on letter head so I had to find a way to get his name and address typed on the top of the page, then we had a few last forms to get notarized and then off the Madison to get every thing apostilled! Only when we got to Madison (FINALLY) the lady told us "OK it should be back to you in about five days"... "WHAT" said a very hungry and tired third shifter who hadn't slept because his crazy wife had this great idea to drive out to Madison to get everything DONE once and for all! Fred was not very polite and asked if we could pay extra to get the papers expedited, she very kindly said "well we could but it will take at least 24hrs for that to happen"! The first thing our of Fred's mouth was "I wasted my whole day for this I could have been sleeping" but when we reached the bottom of the building and stepped off the elevator (that is to old for motion detectors and Fred got closed in the doors and pulled them apart like the incredible Hulk... it was so funny) his spirit was calm and he looked at me and said that he had a lot of fun and he enjoyed the senary! Despite the craziness and another day gone and still not submitted, we had a good day and I got home in time to bake Cole some cupcakes that we shared them with Bible Study!
I Love You Cole and I promise I am working as hard as I can to come and get you!

Answer to Prayer

The mail came today!!!!! We got our USCIS approval in the mail today!!!! I'm so thankful, Monday Fred and I will be driving to Madison to get our final three forms appistiled! Then we will send in the check list and last we will submit everything to Ukraine!!!! Then the last wait until we fly... I pray, I don't think I can handle anymore waiting on this side of things! Also for those of you that know Friday was my last day of camp, I hope to go back next year to volunteer but it's not the same! I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had in running the summer program for so many years and I hope that it has prepared me to be a great Mom. I'm very proud of myself I have cried as much as I thought I would!!! YET!!! On to the next chapter of my life!

Feeling Good Today!

After a very anxious week and a rough Saturday I am feeling good today! My Daddy came over today and helped set up the cribs! Next step painting the play room and their bedroom!
Other good new: A man that swims at the Holler Park pool where I run my summer program donated a $200.00 gift card to our site for new toys! I went out today and bought toys, games and play dough! I can't wait to go to work tomorrow and show the kids!!!
PRAISE God for all the little BLESSINGS!

Will we EVER get there???

I feel like with every step forward it's only an inch and I need to make it that full mile! I'm tying to keep busy and wait patiently but I just thought I would be so much further by now. Sweet babies I promise we are on our way! In good news we got the play room set up and we got the cribs/beds yesterday, all we need to do is paint! Like I said we are keeping busy until that stinkin' approval comes! We will be working on loan/grant application this weekend, we plan to use the money we raised as a down payment so pray all goes well there! Also I'm getting VERY anxious so pray for Fred and Tanya as they have to live with me and deal with my craziness!!!!