Prayers at work

This is the sign along the street outside the gate to the orphanage.

This is a picture of the grape arbor pointing away from the orphanage.

This is the first picture we got to take of our new son which at this point we had not named.

I want to tell everyone thank you so much for your prayers. We have been praying that God would go before us and we certainly saw evidence of Him doing that today. Alexi and Nastya picked us up (I told them hi for you, Mandy) and we went off in search of the inspector. We finally found her office building and then the correct hall, correct door, etc. This was her first day back at the office from holiday--can you believe it! She seemed very pleasant and again our photo album was a blessing, I believe, as is the fact that we have already adopted Caleb (with Syndrome Down, as they call it here) from nearby Vorzel. This is her first experience with international adoption. She and Nastya got some paperwork put together, then she put on her coat and jumped in the car with us to go visit the director of the orphanage.

I was totally unsure what to expect. Nastya said that when she called the director he said this is "highly irregular" as no one has adopted from his facility. The orphanage grounds seemed quite pleasant with a grape arbor walkway, some kind of hothouse that has numerous plants inside, corridors lined with plants, no bad odors. We met with the director--whom we hear the children refer to as 'PAPA'--and with the medical doctor of R's area. I was expecting to be grilled about our desire to adopt but no one asked us any questions at all.

Within about 15 or so minutes we were walking toward the room where R was. We walked into a large room where about 7 little boys were seated quietly around a table. One of the workers called out a little blond-headed boy dressed in a green and white striped sweater, shirt with green and white plaid shirt underneath, green pants, sandals. He was very soft-spoken, repeated Mama and Papa when asked, sat in a chair and of course seemed very uncertain of exactly what was going on. I showed him pictures of our family, touched his hand, touched his sweater, made some funny sounds, but he mostly just looked at me. That's OK, I am a total stranger to him at this point--but not for long :) I asked if I could take a picture and was told that as soon as we had made a firm decision to adopt him then a picture would be allowed. We let them know we had already made that decision. So I did get one picture. Though I think he is about the same height as Caleb, he is definitely less husky. He does seem very sweet, Kris--thanks so much for letting us know about him. He is precious.

Then back to the director's office to hammer out more paperwork. Then drove the inspector back to her office. Nastya told us that they are trying to get all necessary paperwork so the inspector can present our case at the guardianship council tomorrow, which I believe Nastya said is the LAST time they meet this year. My goodness, I have been marveling at God's timing all day.

Then off we went in search for a notary whose office was open. Of course, there are kazillions of notaries but Nastya wanted to use one they were familiar with. Strike one, strike two. The third wasn't feeling well but was willing to do the notary work from her home office. We left papers there, went for a quick lunch and came back to sign the papers. Would you believe this notary already had our names in her computer because she notarized things for us--in her office clear across the city-- when we were in Kiev last time. That just boggles my mind.

It was a long day but we accomplished way more than I dreamed possible. Thank you so much.

Lights, Camera, but no action

OK, OK, I admit it! These are actually hanging clothes from another date but you still get the picture.

Boy, I guess the most exciting news of the day is that we got our official referral for R from the SDA at about 5:30. Good grief! That place was packed with people waiting for referrals, I guess. We're supposed to be ready at 9:00 am to go meet the region inspector and hopefully then we'll get to see the orphanage director. Timing of everything is very up in the air since adoptions from this place are unknown, as far as we know.

Other than that I spent the day running our cute little washing machine and hanging wet clothes all over the place. The two pair of jeans I hung on the radiator are destined for slow drying, I'm afraid, since there is very little heat from that source. However, the space heater is doing its cheery best and does a great job keeping our piggies warm while we are in bed.

We just passed up the photo shoot opportunity of the century. We were walking around in Independence Square when this big kid approaches me with this poofy-feathery hawk on his arm. He transfers the bird to my arm and then proceeds to have his buddy take several shots of Kevin, me and the bird. Then the bird is transferred to Kevin's shoulder for my photos. Of course then comes the purpose of the whole exercise: 200 grievnas please. I am sorry to report that we did not take him up on his great offer.

A message to our kids: Daddy sent you guys a message at our ukraine08 address. Let us know if you got it. We could not open our mail from the apartment laptop. We heard on the news that there's a big problem with Internet Explorer--some security issue. We love you so much and hope you are doing well with school, with home work (!), and at home with Brandi. Jesus is with you even when we are not.

Kristy Newbold

Kristy, I hope you see this. For some reason I can't access my email this morning. Our phone in our apartment is 279-7434, our address is Gorodetskogo 4, apartment 11 (I've also seen it written Horodetskogo) We can see the top of the tall statue at Independence Square and the New Year's tree from our window. We are using Oleg's group. We don't have an appointment to go anywhere until 4:30 pm.

SDA Appointment

The results of our grocery shopping: I don't know why I get such a kick out of seeing the names of foods written in another language. I think it's fun.

Our bathroom with it's own water heater. Two good things in this room are the heated towel rack (which you can't see) and the heated floor tiles (which you can't see either!) Smile.

Kevin took along two of his ministerial training courses. We also watched tons and tons of News on TV (which I jokingly called "Olds" after hearing it re-run so many times) Occasionally there were sports programs and even Christian programs in English as well.

Here are a couple views of Independence Square, the top one actually taken from our apartment window.

Here's the sign outside the entry to the SDA. There were lots of other people in there waiting on the stairway and right inside the doorway. This is where we got the official referral for Steven and permission to go visit him.


Exhausted me.

It has taken me at least 5 of my allotted 30 minutes to figure out how to get on here but we did it! It is tricky to try to follow directions written in another language.

Today was our SDA appointment. The SDA is only about 5 minutes by car, probably 15 minutes on foot. Our translator Nastya and Oleg met us at Mister Snack (looks like Mictep Chek). The lady who interviewed us was named Maria and she seemed very sweet and like she truly cares about children. I just 'happened' to take along a photo album with pictures of all of our kids and copies of Caleb's recent and handsome school pictures. I was asked if he has had surgery--I guess the one that is supposed to erase visible signs of DS.
Anyway, we got to read over R's file, found out his birthday and place of birth, weight, length at birth, etc. I asked if I could take a picture of the photo on the file and was told that I can actually have it in exchange for a newer one, once we are actually his parents.
The current plan is that we will pick up the official referral tomorrow about 5 pm as the SDA no longer gives it the same day as the appointment.

Sorry this sounds so choppy. Usually when I post I spend a lot of time thinking about my wording--now I am just trying to get done before my time is up.

Last night after posting we found a place called The Potato House. It was set up in kind of a cowboy style with the waitresses wearing cowboy hats, a thick wooden ledge for our table, wooden stools and thankfully an English menu. Kevin ordered the BBQ ribs, I ordered a baked potato with cheesy brocolli sauce and some kind of meat (veal I think), and we shared a 'salt' pancake--a very thin pancake rolled up with cheese, raw tomatoes and raw red peppers. Kevin ended up ordering a potato for himself as well. We are actually thinking of taking our on-line friends there tonight for dinner.

On our way to the grocery store we passed what we think was a street service. There was a man who would talk for awhile and then the group would sing and then he would talk again. We both think we heard the name Jesus Christ being mentioned.

This shopping expedition was much less 'interesting' than our original trip in January. Here in the minimarket all the chicken was placidly cut up, lying on styrofoam, wrapped in saran wrap; the pepper was already ground; we had a shopping cart and we paid for everything at once. I must admit I didn't mind the convenience at all. We each had two pretty hefty bags to tote home and up the stairs.

Today I have just been a sleepy-head. We have dark blue curtains and the weather has been very foggy which all just adds to my desire to close my eyes.

We are here

Kevin doing last-minute paperwork on the way to the airport in Boise right after Joy completed hers.

Kevin and his sister, Pauline, visiting at a restaurant at the Boise airport. Thanks, Pauline, for taking care of our van while we were gone.

This school orchestra was playing beautiful Christmas music at the Boise airport.

Above, Joy has a bag and will travel. Below, Kevin is looking bright and chipper on this end of the journey.

The above airplanes were seen in the Minneapolis airport hanging from the ceiling.

The above 4 pictures were taken in the Amsterdam Airport. I don't know why I was so amazed that there really were blue and white china, windmills, wooden shoes and tulips in Holland! And I thought the Christmas decorations were very unique.

I just wanted to let everyone know that our flights went very well, we arrived in Kiev on time and were taken to our apartment by Alexi. I guess his wife Anastasia will be our interpretor. The guy who met us at our apartment is also Alexi. Our apartment is small but seems to have everything we need. There is apparently some kind of problem with heat in this part of the city (we were told the Ukrainian govt failed to pay the gas bill to the Russians so the Russians turned off the heat!) but we have an electric space heater that is working to the best of its ability. Our ceiling is about 16 feet tall. We do have a jacuzzi tub that we haven't tried yet. We are thankful also for the two blankets that Kevin brought with him.

Sorry for not writing yesterday. We don't have internet in our apt yet and though we hunted around we could not find an internet cafe. However, now that we know what to look for, there are several close by. It is costing us 6 grievnas for 1/2 hour! (That's just a little over a dollar!)

I had hoped to go to church this morning but my only contact with the missionary was over the internet. Also with my on-line friend Bev.

We ate last night in the food court of the underground mall at Independence Square (McDonalds!) I absolutely cannot believe we are here again. We also found the grocery store which is very near us. There is a Mister Snack situated on the bottom floor of our building. We are about a block from Independence Square and tonight they were putting the star on top of a huge tree-they call it the New Years Tree--and just got it lighted up.

Our SDA appointment is scheduled for tomorrow--we don't have the time yet. Thank you everyone for your love and prayers.

And a special hug and kiss to all of our kids. We love you lots.

One hour and 17 minutes

We are supposed to be leaving at 8 a.m. to head for the airport. I guess at this point, it is something like "ready or not, here we come!"

What's Up Here

Dec. 2 was one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right, mainly I think because I wasn't feeling well at all. We'd had some kind of intestinal 'bug' buzzing through our household and I'd had a different child home sick on 2 different days. Now it was my turn and I just didn't have time to be sick. I was feeling the tremendous pressure of a rapidly approaching departure date, my cute little son was acting "active":), the furnace quit working, the computer was moving at the speed of sludge moving uphill in the arctic winter and I couldn't respond to the guy who was trying to set up our flights, I had to tell my bro-in-law, Richard, I couldn't take him to his eye appointment, I still had to take my oldest son to his medication follow-up, my husband was working major over time (yes, I know the money will be a huge blessing) and I really just wanted to go bury my head under my pillow. AND because I was sick I couldn't attend our annual women's ministry's Christmas party which is the silliest, craziest and generally "funnest" party of the year. Thanks to all of you who prayed for me that day in the midst of all my gloom and doom. Praise the Lord, I felt quite a bit better the next day.

Thursday morning, Dec 4 I got on the computer early in the morning and found a message from our facilitator that there had been a mix-up and our SDA appointment is on Dec 15 rather than Dec 12. Oh my goodness! That threw me into a tailspin because we had just-I think the day before-- got our airline tickets all finalized and because the reason I'd got on the computer so early was to finalize apartment plans (Kiev is 9 hours ahead of us so contacting people during business hours requires purposeful effort) So I emailed all the appropriate people, got kids off to school, picked up my Mom and my bro-in-law, drove to Twin and took him to his first appointment while Mom and I got Christmas cards, family letters and school pictures stamped and on their way. Took him to his eye appointment while Mom and I and Caleb went to Shopko. We nabbed Richard and all headed homeward for Caleb's OT appointment. Then back to Twin for Richard's next appointment, then home a little late--three of my kids were already home from school. By this time I was starting to feel kind of puny again.

Friday I felt much better and I did not have to go anywhere all day long.

Saturday was another FULL day. Around 10 a.m. S. and J. went with Carol N. from church to pass out fliers all around town for Good News Club which is starting up again on Thursday. About 10:15 they were back to use the restroom and get warmer clothes and gloves :) 10:30-12:00 Kevin and I had mandatory rehearsal for "Hope Has Hands"--an arrangement of Christmas songs that our community choir is doing this year. Then we had to run back home, pick up J and S, grab Richard and head to Twin. We left J, S, and T off at Skateland for a young friend's birthday party; we took Richard to his friend's; stopped at the store for Christmas cookies and finger foods, then scooted over to our Special Needs Support Group Christmas party with only B and Caleb in tow. Then I did a couple hours of Christmas shopping at Kmart while Kevin and the kids got good deals at Grocery Outlet. Once home Kevin cooked supper while I went to Mom's to sort through Christmas presents. (We keep them at her house to keep spying eyes away) We had decided to let each of our children open one present from Mommy and Daddy so they ate their spaghetti supper in a flash. We read the Bible story of baby Jesus, sang a few Christmas carols and then opened gifts from youngest to oldest. I was so pleased that each of the kids seemed delighted with what was inside.

Sunday, of course, was Sunday school and church. I was pretty emotional knowing that this was our last Sunday home for awhile and that our children would be celebrating Christmas without us. I was reminded that God's gifts are hope, peace, joy and that He has everything under control. I was so pleased that Richard and our neighbor boy accompanied us to the evening Christmas concert--Hope Has Hands. The choir director, Pastor Mike from Kimberly Nazarene, opened with prayer followed by several traditional Christmas songs and hymns. Then he read the Bible passages concerning Simeon and Anna who had been waiting and waiting and waiting for God to send our Savior as He had promised hundreds of years earlier while the choir, made up of people from several of our local churches--Assembly of God, Nazarene, Christian, Methodist -- assembled on the risers. We sang the title song, as well as All the World Has Joy, Joy to the World, The Word Became Flesh, The Lord Has Been Kind, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, Mary Rocks the Rock, Hope Has Hands, Mary, Did you Know?, Come, Go Tell It On the Mountain. Then we all stood around, chatted, and munched on cookies.

And all the while there's a little boy in a Ukrainian orphanage who has no idea the special surprise that God has planned for him: a mommy and daddy, 3 brothers and two sisters. We are coming soon!

Our Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends, November 29, 2008
Merry Christmas! I just love this time of year though I’m sure you are totally shocked to be getting a letter from us already. Yesterday morning, my mom and I were standing in line outside Kings Department Store at 6:30 a.m. for Christmas shopping, last night our family went to the Annual “Christmas in the Nighttime Sky” fireworks display, we have our tree decorated, at least six nativities in place, and artwork from the kids’ “Christmases Past” displayed on the walls. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas—except our fairly-heavy snow from October is long gone.

We are kind of rushing the season a bit because Kevin and I just found out on November 25 that we have a 2nd adoption appointment in Kiev, Ukraine on December 12 so we are hoping to be in the air on December 9 (as in 10 days from now!) This time we are going there to try to adopt a little 5 year old boy with Down syndrome who has already been transferred to a mental institution. We haven’t totally settled on a name for him yet. I would so appreciate your prayers for safety, for a smooth process, for bonding with our new son, and for our other children while we are gone.

We basically started this year the same way that we are ending it: Kevin spent 3 weeks in Kiev and I (Joy) stayed for a total of 5 weeks in January/February 2008 to adopt our youngest son, Caleb Alexander who was 3 at the time. (All 3 of our boys have birthdays in June!) His Ukrainian name, Sasha, is a nickname for Alexander. Caleb has been such a joy to our family with his adorable smile, easy-going attitude and his exuberance. He has blond hair, sparkly blue eyes and Down syndrome. He is having a great time in preschool and is picking up English surprisingly well. Our kids have thanked us repeatedly for adopting him. If you would like to read about either adoption journey, please visit our blog at www.considertheadoptionoption.blogspot.com and leave a comment for us. We would be absolutely delighted to see you there. If you’d like to make a tax-deductible charitable donation to our adoption (or someone else’s adoption) you can visit www.reecesrainbow.com/familysponsorshipalmostthere.htm and scroll down to McClain. All money goes directly for adoption expenses, NOT to us personally.

Let me update you a bit on each of us: Kevin is still working full-time for UPS Freight out of the Jerome terminal and working part-time at Murtaugh as their water/waste water supervisor. He continues to serve on the board for Hansen Assembly of God as well as being Sunday School superintendant, Royal Ranger leader, member of the worship team, Men’s Ministries leader and occasionally he gets a chance to golf or to work on his ministerial correspondence courses.
I am a stay-at-home Mommy to our 5.9 (!) children and chief taxi driver to doctor’s and other appointments. I am not home-schooling anyone this year but I do refer to myself as The Homework Nazi. I teach the preschool/kindergarten Sunday School class, have the PRIMs (1st and 2nd grade girls) on Sunday nights and am head of our local church’s food pantry. Kevin and I are both singing this year in the annual community Christmas choir—“Hope Has Hands”--at the old Kimberly high school gym on Dec. 7. That song, Mary Did You Know, makes me cry every time I sing it. Can you truly imagine the reality of the line “when you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God”? That truth boggles my mind.

We have two in Junior High, two in elementary and soon will have two in preschool. B, 14, is in 8th grade, just completed a model of Saturn and did a presentation on the Revolutionary War, and wants you all to know about the pretty lights on our Christmas tree. S, 12, is in 7th grade and wants me to mention that her basketball team won against Murtaugh 50-4, that she can’t wait until her new brother gets home, that she loves you all and wishes you a Merry Christmas. T is 12 and in 6th grade, attended Little Cheerleaders Camp this year, ran one cross country race, just completed an edible cell model and asks that I tell you that she loves animals and little boys. J, 10, is in 5th grade, played on the football team, and asked me to share that he is cute, pleasant, and that he found a skull on the Royal Ranger hike to Star Falls this afternoon. (Hey, I don’t make the news, I just report it!J) Our dog, cat, turtle, and fish are also alive and well but have no comments at this time.

This summer we went on a great vacation to the Washington coast and on to Seattle. We visited a Star Wars store, an interpretive center, the beach, the Russ M family, the Woodland Park Zoo, the Aquarium, and Pike Market. We went up in the Space Needle, rode the monorail and took a cruise around the harbor. A highlight for me was walking around the Northwest University campus in Kirkland—a well-loved place I hadn’t seen since my graduation in 1984.
I really hope this wonderful season finds you closer to Jesus, the Reason for the Season.

Joy for the Crew

Great Opportunity to Help Bring a Child Home

My friend Amanda and her husband are working to adopt a cute little guy from Eastern Europe. She has this to say:

Only 2 days left to enter! We are so thankful and incredibly grateful for everything we've received. 2 days left to enter the drawing for the two gift cards we are giving away. We will be drawing winners on December 1st! This is just in time for Christmas. Up for grabs is a $100 Toys-R-Us gift card and a $200 Visa gift card - every $5 donation gets you entered into BOTH drawings. The Toys-R-Us gift card can be used online or in stores and the Visa gift card can be used ANYWHERE Visa is accepted.Please see the chip-in to enter.Want MORE entries? In addition to the entry per $5 donation, everyone who mentions this fundraiser on their blogs will get 2 ADDITIONAL ENTRIES (Your name will be entered twice into each drawing). Please leave a comment and let me know you've mentioned the fundraiser and I will add two entries in your name.Comment here: http://joneseeadoption.blogspot.com/2008/11/2-days-remaining.html

Let's see if we can help out with this worthy cause.

Are You Sitting Down?

That's the question I asked my friends on Reece's Rainbow yesterday. About mid-morning I signed onto my email as usual and unexpectedly found a note from our facilitator stating we have an appointment on December 12. Oh my goodness!! I felt so shaky all over and like I was flying or something!! Talk about a happy shock!

We have been scrambling for flight and apartment information. I have met with our main babysitter. I have started a very long to-do list and have even thrown a few things into my suitcase that I was afraid I would forget. I would appreciate all of your prayers as we try to prepare for an international trip of unknown length in two weeks. And please pray that we would be able to make the next two weeks very special for our children. Tomorrow we plan to eat our Thanksgiving turkey at my aunt's house and then start celebrating Christmas as soon as possible.

We Are Blessed

My friend Meredith so kindly highlighted our family at www.reecesrainbow.blogspot.com on Nov. 19. She has been featuring a different family every day this month in honor of Adoption Awareness. There are some great stories there and I warmly recommend that you check them out.

Dossier submitted

Our facilitator let us know early yesterday morning that he had indeed submitted our dossier to the SDA! If I remember correctly, they officially have 20 business days to look it over before giving a travel date. But you know me, I'd love to know much sooner than that. :)

I so appreciate everyone's prayers and encouragement. I would like to request prayer concerning our first travel date that God would work it out as it relates to Christmas. Thanks so much.

Focus On The Family

In this month of Adoption Awareness I have been inspired and challenged by statistics, articles, resources, etc. put out by Focus on the Family. It excites me that an organization with such wide-spread influence has become a strong advocate for orphan care and adoption. See www.icareaboutorphans.org/Default.aspx?Menu=1 and www.cryoftheorphan.org for more information.

I'm disappointed

Our facilitator said that today he got permission from the SDA to submit our dossier NEXT Monday. Yes I know that is still not as long as some people have had to wait but I had really hoped for LAST week. I am the world's worst waiter, I'm pretty sure.

Joy

Uncomfortable, Inconvenient Christianity--Part 3

So what can we do for the orphans of our world--the fatherless, the abandoned, the neglected, the abused? PLEASE don't let the overwhelming magnitude of the problem cause you to do nothing. No, you alone can't do it all but you can do something--and all together we as believers can do something remarkable. At www.reecesrainbow.com/church_sponsorships.htm there is a quote that got my attention: "In the U.S. alone, 137 million people claim to be Christians of some denomination. If only 1% of the Christians in this country adopted just one child, 1.37 million children from abroad would have loving, Christian families to grow up in." (According to this site, these statistics are from Families of Promise, 2000)

So (1) I boldly, shamelessly challenge you to prayerfully consider the Adoption Option whether you're wealthy or financially-challenged, whether you have biological children or a clean house :) Adopt an adorable African-American newborn from the U.S. Adopt a child from China or Guatemala or Haiti or Ethiopia or Ukraine or Russia or . . . . There are grants and loans available to help with the expenses and a sizable tax credit as well. Adopt a child of color, a child with special needs, a sibling group, an older child (even a teenager), or a child who has been abused or neglected from the U.S. foster care system. In our case, adoption subsidies and state assistance with medical expenses have been extremely helpful.

Steven Curtis Chapman (in Shaohannah's Hope Today, Spring 2007, page 8) describes adoption as "the transformation that mirrors what God has done for each of us." Ephesians 1:4,5 says: "God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. So he decided long ago to adopt us as his children. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it."

(2) Support an adoption. If you know someone who's adopting, support them with your prayers, encouragement, finances, etc. Many countries require adoptive parents to spend an extensive amount of time overseas processing their adoption. They would probably greatly appreciate offers to baby-sit their other children, cook meals, do laundry, feed pets or provide lawn care while they are away.

(3) Be a foster parent full of the love of Jesus, maybe showing a child for the only time in his/her life what a Christian home looks like.

(4) Volunteer at an orphanage for a week, month, year or lifetime.

(5) Sponsor a child or group of children through Assembly of God programs like Hillcrest, Highlands, Children's Relief Network, Asia's Little Ones and Eurasia's Future or through other reputable organizations such as Compassion International and Samaritan's Purse.

(6) Be a role model to fatherless children in your own community.

(7) No matter what else you do, please pray.

And what can we do about abortion? Here are some ideas to get you actively thinking about your part in the overall solution.

(1) Write the President and your congressmen with your concerns on life issues.

(2) Support ministries that work tirelessly to support life in our "pro-choice" culture. I think of Focus on the Family, Coral Ridge Ministries, and ACLJ and I'm sure you know of others. Of course they sincerely need our financial gifts, but our prayers are even more urgently, desperately essential. These ministries stand against the forces of the devil himself who comes only to "steal and kill and destroy" in direct opposition to Jesus who came "so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way." (John 10:10)

(3) Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center.

(4) Pray for girls, guys, ladies, men and families experiencing a crisis pregnancy, Christian and non-Christian alike. The pressure to abort can be huge due to age, peer pressure, future plans, family and boyfriend, mother's or baby's health. All too often when an ultrasound shows some kind of physical anomaly, the obstetrician immediately assumes the mother will want an abortion. I've read of some doctors who actually refused to give further care to the pregnant mom because she refused his plan for termination (see http://www.benotafraid.net/ for encouraging stories of people who chose to continue their pregnancies in spite of an adverse prenatal diagnosis)

(5) Guide the expectant mom to people who will support her as she parents a special needs child or will even adopt the baby if she feels unable to cope with parenting. CHASK (Christian Homes and Special Kids, http://www.chask.org/) is an example of a ministry that endeavors to provide both types of assistance.

(6) Pray for and love any person you know (male or female) who has been victimized by abortion. Their broken hearts can find healing and wholeness through the outstretched, loving arms of Jesus on the cross. Their baby is already cradled safely in the nail-pierced hands. Show them there is love, forgiveness, peace, hope and a future in Jesus.

(7) Please do not choose to do nothing.

The Bible warns us strongly in Proverbs 24:11, 12: "Save those who are being led away to death. Hold back those who are about to be killed. Don't say 'But we didn't know anything about this.' The One who knows what you are thinking sees it. The One who guards your life knows it. He will pay each person back for what he has done."

Deuteronomy 30: 15, 16, 19 reads: "Today I'm giving you a choice. You can have life and success. Or you can have death and harm. I'm commanding you to live exactly as he wants you to live. You must obey his commands, rules, and laws. Then you will live. Your numbers will increase. The LORD your God will bless you in the land . . . . I'm calling for heaven and earth to give witness against you this very day. I'm offering you the choice of life or death. You can choose either blessings or curses. But I want you to choose life. Then you and your children will live."

I strongly believe that the plight of the unborn and the distress of the orphan are dear to the heart of Abba Father's "Daddy" heart and I'm crazy enough to think that he wants to use us--his children--as his arms and legs to do something about them. It may not be convenient to get involved. It may stretch us immensely and take us out of our comfort zone. But as we seek God's heart and follow his example, we get the extreme privilege of partnering with him in saving and changing lives--one precious child at a time.
___________________________________________________
Based on a talk I presented at Hansen Assembly of God on March 18, 2007.

Uncomfortable, Inconvenient Christianity--Part 2

Secondly, I'd like to read some Bible verses that clearly show God's love for the orphan. Again all references are taken from the New International Reader's Version.

1. Psalm 27:10 My father and mother may desert me, but the LORD will accept me.

2. Isaiah 49:15, 16 The LORD answers, "Can a mother forget the baby who is nursing at her breast? Can she stop showing her tender love to the child who was born to her? She might forget her child. But I will not forget you. I have written your name on the palms of my hands . . . ."

3. Psalm 10:14B You {God} help children whose fathers have died.

4. Psalm 68:5 God is in his holy temple. He is a father to those whose fathers have died. He takes care of women whose husbands have died.

5. Deuteronomy 10:17, 18 The LORD you God is the greatest God of all . . . . He stands up for widows and for children whose fathers have died . . . .

6. James 1:27 Here are the kinds of beliefs that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows and children who have no parents are in trouble, take care of them. And keep yourselves from being polluted by the world.

7. Psalm 113:9 He gives children to the woman who doesn't have any children. He makes her a happy mother in her own home.

8. Proverbs 31:8, 9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless and see that they get justice.

9. Here is an extensive list of further references that deal with God's heart towards the fatherless and/or his expectation for his people to care for and be concerned for them: Exodus 22:22, 24; Deuteronomy 10:18; 14:29; 24:17, 19, 20, 21; 26:12, 13; 27:19; Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21; Psalm 10:14, 18; 68:5; 82:3; 94:6; 109:9, 12; 146:9; Proverbs 23:10; Isaiah 1:17, 23; 9:17; 10:2; Jeremiah 5:28; 7:6; 22:3; 49:11; Ezekiel 22:7; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5. The term 'orphan' can refer, of course, to a child whose parents are both dead or to a child whose father or mother is dead. In adoption, however, it can also denote a child who has been abandoned by his parents (due to physical deformity, parents' poverty, one-child rule as in ****, etc.) or whose parents' rights have been terminated due to abuse or neglect. As God's children we are not to mistreat, take advantage of or take the property of the orphan. Instead we are to treat them fairly, provide conscientiously for their needs, and care for them in their distress.

My passion for the unborn and the orphan has driven me to tears . . . To prayer . . . To books, newsletters, magazines and the Internet where I find out way more than I want to know:

* According to Focus on the Family, there are over 143 million orphans in the world today.

* In his World Challenge Missions Update, Gary Wilkerson cites these statistics: 57,000,000 died in 2006; 10,500,000 of these were children less than five years old; 14,000,000 children were orphaned because of HIV/AIDS; 2,000,000 children have died as a direct result of armed conflict during the last ten years.

* According to Heartlines, (Newsletter of the Adoption Exchange, Fall 2006, page 1) there are 513,000 children in U.S. foster care; 114,000 of these children are awaiting adoption. Each year approximately 19,000 of these children age out of the system without ever having been placed in permanent, loving families.

* According to a 2007 Focus on the Family leaflet, there are 2,750 babies aborted every day.

* It is estimated that 80-90% of children with Downs syndrome are aborted before they're ever born. Here in Christian America "termination" of pregnancy is the standard "treatment" offered by doctors to expectant parents of a baby with Downs. (From Impact, "Down Syndrome Children Bring Blessing, 'Depth of Love,'" Coral Ridge Ministries, January 2007, page 5)

* Officials in one *** country were quoted as surmising that the only reason a family would want to adopt a child with Downs syndrome would be for "spare body parts." Handicapped children in some **** countries are sent to mental institutions at age 4. In one such institution, 30 individuals are reported to die every month.

*Earlier this year both Focus on the Family and Coral Ridge Ministries reported there are children born alive in abortion clinics in the U.S. and left to die with the dirty instruments. One story told of a baby born in such a situation that was still alive four hours later. A nurse decided that the warmth of the blanket was keeping it alive so laid its naked little body on a steel shelf. The baby died 15 minutes later.

* In the January 7, 2007 edition of Impact, Coral Ridge Ministries reports: "After the birth of their son in a hotel room, a couple of high school sweethearts took the infant, crushed his head and threw his lifeless body into a dumpster. The couple received 2 years jail time and got out early for good behavior. In stark contrast a Wisconsin man received 12 years hard time for killing 10 cats."

* On March 15, 2007 John Kemp (an accomplished attorney born without arms or legs) spoke at the Idaho Parents Unlimited conference which I attended in Boise, Idaho. He cited a **** official as saying that ***** doesn't have any people with disabilities. The reason? Babies with physical disabilities are killed almost at birth.

Further research would likely show additional startling statistics and horrific tales. These mentioned, however, sufficiently substantiate the facts that there are many hurting children on Planet Earth and that many earthlings do not perceive that human life--in whatever condition in which it is expressed--is sacred from conception to the grave.

(To be continued)

It's National Adoption Awareness Month--Part 1

Have I ever mentioned how much I love adoption!! I earnestly urge every Christian who reads this blog to carefully, prayerfully consider the adoption option. But this request comes with a WARNING! Adoption is addictive. It is kind of like eating potato chips--no one can adopt just one :) I should know, we are working on our 6th.

Last year, March 18, 2007, I had the privilege of speaking at our local church to promote life and adoption. I have since made some slight changes to put it in its present form. I realize some of the data and stats are a little old but they are still compelling so over the next few days, I'd like to type it out here on my blog.

Uncomfortable, Inconvenient Christianity

If you know me, you know I like to be comfortable. I much prefer loose T-shirts, fleecy sweatshirts and cushy athletic shoes to frilly blouses, flouncy dresses and high heels, I'm not into gnats, mosquitoes, flies, 100-degree weather, negative-degree weather, oozing mud or billowing dust.

And I really don't mind convenience either. ATM machines, e-mail, Hamburger Helper (TM), wrinkle-resistant pants and Scrub Free Soap Scum Remover (TM) are each a much-appreciated part of my world.

I could go on and on with examples but I think you get the point: I enjoy comfort and convenience.

But this morning I have asked to talk to you about a subject that is not comfortable, and a situation whose solutions are not convenient. Those of you who know me well, know God has given me a passion for the unborn and for the orphan.

My passion for the orphan began at least by Junior High and was greatly influenced by a book I read called The Family Nobody Wanted about a Methodist pastor and his wife who adopted twelve children of varying racial backgrounds. My deep concern for the unborn, on the other hand, did not start until I was in college. I don't think I'd ever thought about the ethics of abortion very seriously. I guess until then my opinion was pretty much "I'd never get an abortion myself, but it's a free country--you make your own decision." But as I began a more in-depth study of fetal development in the CSI RN program, an important fact became apparent: human life begins at conception. Once convinced of that truth, the next step was obvious: nobody but God has the right to terminate that life.

I went on to volunteer for a year as live-in Staff Assistant at New Life Center in Vienna, Ohio. (New Life was a residential program which could house about 12 young ladies--mostly between 12 and 25 years old--experiencing a crisis pregnancy.) I worked as a nurse for two years on the postpartum (after delivery) floor at Magic Valley Regional in Twin Falls. My husband and I were foster parents for about 6 1/2 years and we have adopted four beautiful children with a variety of very mild to moderate special needs. As I look back I can see that these experiences, along with others, have led me to this platform today.

The Pentecostal Evangel quotes the Assemblies of God statement concerning the sanctity of life as follows: "We believe that human life is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions, including the unborn, the aged, the widowed, the mentally handicapped, the unattractive, the physically challenged and every other condition in which humanness is expressed from conception to the grave."

I'd like to share with you what God's Word says about the sacredness of human life. I'm reading from the New International Reader's Version, written for kids 6-10.

Human life is valuable because:

1. God created mankind in his own image

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our likeness. Let them rule over the fish in the waters and the birds of the air. Let them rule over the livestock and over the whole earth. Let them rule over all of the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own likeness. He created them in the likeness of God. He created them as male and female.

And God's creative work did not end in Genesis:

Psalm 139:13-16 You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother's body. How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well. None of my bones was hidden from you when you made me inside my mother's body. That place was as dark as the deepest parts of the earth. When you were putting me together there, your eyes saw my body even before it was formed. You planned how many days I would live. You wrote down the number of them in your book before I had lived through even one of them.

2. God loves every human being

John 3:16 God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.

3. Jesus died for every human being

I Timothy 2:5,6 There is only one God. And there is only one go-between for God and human beings. He is the man Christ Jesus. He gave himself to pay for the sins of everyone . . .

4. God has a good plan for every human being

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you," announces the LORD. "I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come."

Scriptures show that God had a special, specific plan for the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah even in the womb:

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in your mother's body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.

Isaiah 49: 1, 5 People who live on the islands, listen to me. Pay attention, you nations far away. Before I was born the LORD chose me to serve him. He appointed me by name . . . . The LORD formed me in my mother's body to be his servant. He wanted me to bring the family of Jacob back to him. He wanted me to gather the people of Israel to himself . . .

(more to come)

Check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdf5atB-jC0

I was touched by this Chistmas video at the link above highlighting the ministry of Reece's Rainbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzqxghwbcNI
This is an older Reeces Rainbow video but again very touching. It actually shows Caleb before he joined our family. (He's 3 minutes and 21 seconds into the video)

Joy

I've been tagged!!

UH-OH. I was tagged by my on-line friend, Lou http://www.puderbaughfamily.blogspot.com/ She is also in the process of adopting a little sweetie from Ukraine. She is hoping to travel in November--as in THIS month--and I happen to know her family could still use some donations towards their adoption. Please follow the links on her blog to see how you can help her bring home her precious daughter who is especially cute and has some special needs as well.

Here are the rules of the TAG game: (1) Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog; (2) Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself; (3) Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs; (4) Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Let's see, 7 facts about me?

1. I'm a preacher's kid. My Daddy has been a minister with the Assemblies of God in Southern Idaho for close to 50 years. Even though he is now 72 (and supposedly retired) he and my Mom are serving as interim pastors in a church which they originally pastored back when I was a pre-schooler. Our family is planning on attending that church's 50th anniversary this next Sunday.

2. The first memory verse I remember from Sunday School was "Here I am, send me" from Isaiah 6:8.

3. I have an Associate of Science degree in Registered Nursing from the College of Southern Idaho (but my nursing license is lapsed) and my Bachelor's degree is in Missions from Northwest College (now University) in Kirkland, Washington.

4. Before I was married I got to participate in 3 short-term missions projects: a summer as an RN at an American Indian Nursing Home in Laveen, Arizona; a year as a resident assistant at a home for unwed mothers in Vienno, OH; and a year as a bookkeeper for long-term missionaries in Kingston, Jamaica

5. My heroes are people like Mark Buntain, missionary to Calcutta, India, and Lillian Trasher, single missionary to Egypt who started a children's home.

6. I love to do Cross Sums and Kakuro (sp?) puzzles

7. I never iron if I can help it

OK, now to tag 7 of my on-line friends

Kelly B. at http://www.ourukrainianjourney.blogspot.com/ who has 3 handsome boys from Ukraine at her house

Karen at http://www.findinghiddentreasures.blogspot.com/ who just came home with 2 little girlies from Ukraine

Bethany at http://www.dreamingonanangel.blogspot.com/ who is getting reading to travel this week

Kathy at http://johnsonsadoption.blogspot.com/ We met at the embassy the day we got our visas for our kiddos and ended up traveling to the US on the same plane!

June at http://www.ajourneyofgrowth.blogspot.com/ , a lady with lots of experience who is working on another adoption

Linda at http://www.gathermychildren.blogspot.com/, a single lady with a big heart who is just about to add two lovely daughters to her household

Lots of my friends at http://www.reecesrainbow.blogspot.com/ a site where you can read some very interesting adoption stories. I know this is kind of cheating but I didn't want to re-tag my friends like Kris, Meredith, Shelley, Charissa and Sheila whom I'm sure have already been tagged.

More Angels Available

Oh guys! You MUST head over to www.reecesrainbow.com and check out the Christmas Angel Tree Project. There are 91 little sweeties there now--all of whom need sponsors and all of whom need a family of their very own.

Angel Tree Project

It's finally time for the annual Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree Project. Go to http://www.reecesrainbow.com/ and click on Christmas Angel Tree Project; on the next page click on the Waiting Angels Gallery. There you will see pictures of 84 children from 24 countries of the world ages 4 months to 5 years. All of these children have Down syndrome and NONE of them yet has a family committed to adopting him or her. You have the opportunity to help save their lives by making a tax-deductible donation of any amount to a child's personal adoption grant. For a donation of at least $35 you will receive a personalized photo ornament of your sponsored child to hang on your Christmas tree. Because international adoption is quite a costly adventure, children who have large grants often have a better chance of being selected by a family. This year their ornament will be on your tree; next year the child himself could be beside a Christmas tree being hugged by his new mommy and daddy, brothers and sisters--because you and other people like you cared enough to pray and to give.

Important!! Please look into these children's faces with eyes of compassion. You might be looking into the face of your own future son or daughter!!

Little Adoption Update

I got word from our facilitator yesterday that he received permission from the SDA to submit our dossier on November 10.

Adoption (and Parenting) Require Persistence and Stamina

Anyone who says adopting is the 'easy' way to have a child has obviously never tried it. (And no, I'm not trying to start a discussion on the relative difficulties of pregnancy versus adoption. Smile) Take the seemingly simple task of wiring money internationally. Wednesday morning I went to the bank and requested a print-out of our account activity since the last statement. I wanted to make absolutely sure there were sufficient funds to cover a rather large withdrawal. So I was sitting there in the parking lot adding and subtracting away when I realized it was almost 11:00 am-time for Caleb to be out of preschool. Thankfully, we only live 3 or 4 miles away.

At 11:30 I had an appointment with Stephanie, the new director of the company that provides developmental therapy for our oldest son who is 14 with an autistic spectrum disorder. It was time to re-do a questionnaire that seems like it has about 20 categories with a couple zillion questions in each one that must individually be rated with a 3 (my child does this all the time), 2 (my child does this about 75% of the time), 1 (my child does this about 25% of the time) or 0 (my child never/almost never does this.) And for those of you who have never had the opportunity to fill out this glorious form, the questions cover everything from whether your child gazes at objects to whether he can fill out a job application and keep a budget. Then in each section you identify what you child's strengths are and what areas need to be worked on. Well, about 2-2 1/2 hours later, both Stephanie and I looked at each other with glazed eyes and decided we were too fried to do the individual plan at that moment. We scheduled again for Tuesday morning.

After everyone got home from school I loaded them up in the car and we headed back over to the bank to withdraw the funds to be wired. And we scurried off toward Twin Falls only to discover we didn't have time to make it to Kmart which has a Western Union office so went to Ridley's in Kimberly instead. We went to the desk and found out the fee to SEND the funds has to be in cash as well. So I drove to the ATM to withdraw that money.

Then hurried to the elementary (and was a bit late) for J's parent-teacher conference at 4:40, T's at 5:00, Caleb's at 5:20. By the time I got everyone rounded up from the gym and down the hall and outside it was nearly 6:00 p.m., the time that conferences began at the Junior High for S and B. Their conferences are not at set times; instead, you pick up the report cards in the school office and then just wander around from classroom to classroom to find a teacher who isn't talking to someone else already and chat about how your kiddo is performing in whatever subject. It was enlightening but exhausting. We stumbled out of there at nearly 8:00 p.m. Needless to say, we missed Bible study and ate at Arctic Circle.

Right here I really want to put in a public plug for our school system and the FANTASTIC way they have worked with B. Last year he had around 5 of his subjects in the resource room and 2 in the regular classroom. This year they were trying to almost reverse that. So in one subject he goes to the regular classroom but has a one-on-one aid. In Social Studies he works in the resource room preparing presentations on subjects such as US presidents, the judicial system and the Revolutionary War. Then he goes to the regular classroom and presents in front of everyone as a way of introducing them to their new chapter. His teacher said the students are very supportive of him and that he does quality research. And you could tell B was very excited about the posters he had made for these presentations.

Early Thursday I drove J to Gooding to the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind to have an auditory processing test. The test took a little over 2 hours followed by showing me the results, though not the actual scoring. Oh, that is a 'mean' test!! In one sub test you listen to a series of numbers and have to repeat it back in REVERSE order. And of course, the number of digits increases each time you do it correctly. I really hope that all this testing will result in a plan to make school much less of a struggle for J. I got him back to school at 2:00 p.m.

Then--back to the persistence story-- zipped back over to Ridley's, filled out the necessary paperwork for wiring money and the gentleman behind the desk asked if I had TWO pieces of ID. Well, I had my driver's license--which was good--and at least 30 other cards--but none of them would suffice. Back home, get passport, back in car, back to Ridley's, back to Western Union counter, back to paperwork, and finally, finally, FINALLY got to hand the man the 2 pieces of ID, the cash money, the fee money and get a receipt!! Just one piece of the adoption puzzle.

Congratulations

Congratulations to my 2 friends on Reece's Rainbow who had their dossiers submitted to the SDA in Ukraine today. I am so excited for them. (You girls know who you are :) :) :) Here's hoping you get to travel soon to bring those daughters HOME.

Now I don't have to feel guilty for earnestly and sincerely hoping and praying that ours can be submitted next Monday or Tuesday. Did I mention our stateside facilitator thinks we might be able to travel in December?

What's Up With Our Dossier?

I just got word from our translator that he hopes to pick up our dossier from the translator on Wednesday (29th) and plans to TRY to submit it the first Monday or Tuesday (3rd or 4th) of November to the SDA. I have other friends who have waited weeks for their dossiers to be submitted so I hope theirs are submitted Monday the 27th. I would love it if we could meet there in Kiev.

Kiev

Well, our dossier is in Kiev, Ukraine and has cleared customs. I wonder how in the world it could have ended up there??!! LOL. I'm sure most of you have already guessed that Ukraine is the country in Eastern Europe that we are hoping to visit again SOON. (How is it that we in the adoption world want everything to happen 'soon'?)

THANK YOU, GOD for hearing our earnest prayers for our paper baby's safe arrival. Now Lord, please oversee its translation and its submission to the SDA. You know so many people have dossiers awaiting submission. So many children are waiting for a mommy and daddy of their very own. Some of these children are sick. Some are at risk of aging out. You who are the father of the fatherless, the defender of orphans, the one who said, "Let the little children come to me and forbid them not"--YOU be Lord and Master of this situation.

A Trip to Paris/Caleb is just too cute

It is so fun to see that our dossier is in Paris already. It is actually moving faster than I was expecting which is such a wonderful change.

At preschool Caleb's teacher remarked again just yesterday how well he is doing with language. (He doesn't cry anymore when we leave him at school, by the way) Today Caleb was looking at a book and actually pointed at the kitty and said "kitty" and signed it all on his own--without me saying it first. He has been mimicking this word a long time and calling our cat 'kitty' on his own once in a while, but this was the first time I remember him identifying the picture from a book. And tonight he saw yogurt in the fridge and asked for some by name (his own version of the name) and for the first time ever said and signed please without being prompted. Also this evening when I asked him whether he'd rather wear a diaper or a pull-up he actually pointed to the pull-up. Usually when presented with a choice he just says 'yeah.' I am so pleased with his progress.

Today I finally upgraded my camera phone. The one I had was mysteriously broken without being touched by human hand or foot (?????) on August 25, the first day of school. I am looking forward to taking some pictures of our kiddos--once I read the 10,000 page manual.

This and That

Our paper baby has made it to Salt Lake City. I'm excited to see the progress.

Every now and then I like to stick my stomach WWAAYY out and joke that I'm pregnant with a 5-year-old. My kids are horrified at the sight and say, "Mom, don't do that."

Little R's country took a break from accepting dossiers for a couple weeks but seem to be back in business as of yesterday.

Some of you are probably wondering why I always call our new son Little R and have tried really hard not to specify his country of origin. The fact is we haven't decided on a new name yet and I'm just trying to be extra careful to protect his identity so I don't offend anyone there in Eastern Europe.

Baby Moses in the Ark

That last necessary apostilled paper from the Commonwealth of Virginia was delivered by the man in the brown truck at about 3:15 this afternoon!!! I'm feeling a little like Jochebed must have felt when she laid her precious bundle in the treacherous Nile. After all the kids got home from school we drove over to Twin Falls. There I carefully, nervously, excitedly slid about 57 sheets of paper accumulated over the last 4 1/2 months into a stiff -cardboard Fed Ex envelope and addressed it to a certain far away city in Eastern Europe!! Our dossier--the paper baby--is totally in God's hands now and is supposed to reach its destination in 3-5 days. The count-down doesn't actually start until 3:45 p.m. tomorrow which is the time of the next Fed-Ex pickup.

Let me tell you, the kids and I seriously prayed over that stack of paperwork that God will hold it in his hands and get it safely to its destination. My concern is even greater than the last time around because earlier this year the shipping company accidentally lost an extremely important adoption-related original document--namely Caleb's birth certificate. I know they are human and I'm sure their overall percentage of completed deliveries is great--but I will be so relieved to hear that our precious package has not fallen prey to any crocodiles and is safe in our facilitator's hands.

En route

I just checked UPS tracking and that sweet letter from Virginia is in transit on its way back to us. I cannot believe we are actually almost done with the dossier paperwork. The interesting thing is that we sent the paperwork for Caleb overseas October twenty-something of 2007, got our travel date on Dec 26 and had SDA appointment on Jan 25. Of course, this time I'm hoping for travel to Eastern Europe in November or December :) One can always dream!

Jesus, please keep little R. safe. You know my concern about whether he's getting enough to eat, what negative behaviors he could be learning in order to survive, whether he's healthy. Jesus, please help at least one worker to have a particular interest in his well-being. Please keep his heart open to affection and his mind open to learning. And help the other kids there as well.

And Lord, thank you that our pastor mentioned in his sermon this morning that every child with Down syndrome has value. Absolutely. I so appreciated that validation.

Ruslan

I am advocating for the adoption of a little boy named Ruslan. Ruslan is very cute, has Down syndrome and was described to me by the SDA of Ukraine as 'a very good boy.' I know their description had nothing to do with behavior but I think with his level of functioning. He is only 5 years of age just like little R whom we are in the process of adopting.

In addition to DS, Ruslan has the diagnosis of Hepatitis B. When we were told about him at the SDA (which is something like Ukraine's State Dept of Adoption), I did not want to accept his referral partially because I was afraid this disease would put my other very impulsive children at risk (since they might not always remember to use universal precautions.) I had totally forgotten they have all been immunized for Hep B. (And truthfully, we didn't feel able to adopt two at once anyway) Now Ruslan has been transferred to an institution but adoption is still possible. Interestingly enough, it does not seem that he has been segregated from other children as I understand is usually the case with children with infectious diseases. Some have even questioned whether he just tested positive for Hep B because his birth mother had it.

If you'd like to see a picture of him please follow this link http://www.reecesrainbow.com/olderboys.htm and scroll down until you get to his name.

I am in the process of learning more about hepatitis B. There is good information at a website listed at the link above as well as another site specific to adoption and Hep B which urges parents not to let Hep B keep them from adopting a particular child. I have an online friend who has a child with this diagnosis and she has assured us that the disease is very manageable.

Please pray with me that this little boy has a forever family soon.

Wrong AGAIN but God is at work

No, the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia does NOT process requests for authentication the same day they receive them. I'm sure they would if I was a walk-in but it's a rather long walk :) I just checked the return tracking number (we supplied the return postage) and the package with that last piece of paper we need for our dossier has not yet been sent on its merry way toward our household.

And wouldn't you know it, when we finally got that verification of employment from Kevin's job last Friday, I noticed the notary's commission expires Feb 2009. For those not familiar with adoption from Eastern Europe, all the dates on every form are supposed to be valid for at least 8 or 9 months when you submit the dossier. So . . . unless there's a miracle and we get a travel date in November or EARLY December I am going to have to do this lovely letter all over yet again.

But the exciting news is that when we submit the dossier we are also supposed to wire $2000. At the start of this week that was not exciting news--it was rather terrifying because at this second of our lives we just don't have that much cash lying around and the only solution I could come up with was going further into debt on our credit card. I finally got up the nerve to tell Kevin about the $2000 on Tuesday because I was afraid he'd freak out. But he absolutely did not. He began telling me about a Christian radio program he'd heard that day of a person needing a large amount of money for some ministry and how people just began supplying the need. (Let me say here how wonderful it is to have Kevin so absolutely on board with this adoption.) Then Kevin started remembering how we have money coming from several different things. For instance, his part time job in a nearby town pays $65 for each time he mows their city park and they pay it in one lump sum. Their fiscal year just 'happened' to end the last of September and they owe him for 20 mowing. The same town reimburses him for money paid to get the various licenses he needs to manage their water/waste water systems. That's 4 X $45. We picked up a copy machine for the church and never got around to turning in the receipt: that's over $300! I don't know about you but I think I'm seeing God at work here.

So please, to any reader who might possibly be considering the adoption of a child with Down syndrome--or any child, for that matter--please know that if GOD is calling you to do it, He will make it possible.

A Day at the Zoo

I hope no one will be offended by that title. I not refering at all to furry creatures such as lions or tigers or bears (oh my!) It's just that life at my house is sometimes rather crazy. We have five children because I have very seriously considered the adoption option and I love it! I love children. I love being a Mommy. Without adoption I would be childless.

Mostly our kids are just kids but you get a few diagnoses like 4 kids with ADHD, 1 of those with PDD as well, some sensory integration difficulties and auditory processing challenges and attachment concerns and fetal alcohol exposure and mild cerebral palsy and most recently Down syndrome tossed into the mixture and things are rarely dull. Don't get excited--it's not NEARLY as bad as all those words sound--but it's not boring either :) Oh, there ARE actually two furry creatures who reside here-a dog and a cat and I really think the dog has ADHD, too.

Last night I took the kids with me to Bible study as usual. Kevin had a City Council meeting so could not be there. Of course I gave everyone a stern "Now I don't have to remind you how we are supposed to act here, right?" before they streamed out of the car. In Bible study our crew sits on the back two benches with children spaced widely apart to try to minimize how distracting we are to everyone else. Also everyone else sits in the middle of the auditorium while we sit in the section to the pastor's right. My oldest who is 14 bought time-out within a few minutes (his misbehavior was already well in motion before we ever got to church) so I put him in a side room that has a big window to the auditorium and told him to stay there. I went back into the service and sat down. The daughter beside me was scribbling all over her notepaper, flipping it loudly back and forth, laying on the bench, patting me, reaching behind me to Caleb, etc. The daughter in front of me and to the left was gesturing rather wildly that she had some kind of problem. Unbeknownst to me she had a DEAD KITTEN wrapped up in the pocket of her sweatshirt and it was stinking. (please roll your eyes here!) My middle son James arrived from football practice and sat down directly in front of me with pads and cleats still in place. About that time the oldest son showed up beside me and told me he wanted to try again. I told him that I'd told him to stay there. He didn't budge so I again got up to escort him back to his bench in the side room. Back to Bible study. Not too long later I notice the lights going off and on in said side room. Back to side room. Correct son. Back to Bible study. And where is Caleb all this time? the one with Down Syndrome whom we were warned about that would be such a wild horror of a child? He was quietly sitting in his place on the pew looking at his Bible story book, and writing on some paper even with me getting up and down so many times.

Thankfully God gave everyone at the zoo a good night's sleep and I woke up this morning feeling much less stressed. OK, so I did find an open can of peaches sitting neatly on the cupboard shelf in front of my Total Raisin Bran this morning. Thankfully, they were freshly opened and still tasty and thankfully they were IN the can and not decoratively, stickily poured on anything. Wow! I had 3 servings of fruit in one meal--peaches, raisins in cereal and apple juice. Not bad for a new day at the zoo.

A Tale of Three Moms

Within the last week I have had the privilege of meeting two other moms of boys with Down syndrome in Twin Falls. The first was a mom I have known for quite some time. She and her husband have an adorable son with DS who is now in kindergarten (and other sweet children as well.) She had heard of our adoption plans but we hadn't seen each other since our trip to Ukraine. She was absolutely delighted to meet Caleb and I reminded her that her family was an inspiration to me as we were facing so many negative reactions to our plans to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Her comment that "every family should have one" rings in my heart.

The second encounter came just 2 days ago as Caleb and I were meeting my parents for lunch at Burger King. A young lady was helping several small children out of a car and asked me how old Caleb was. She told me that she also had a son with DS who is just 6 months old and mentioned what a surprise he was since she is only 21. She and the children with her sat right next to us though the restaurant was certainly not crowded. I got the feeling she was observing Caleb. Of course, he was hungrily scooping mac and cheese into his mouth, chatting happily with Papa and Grandma who just dote on him, and overall just being his cheery little self. I kind of purposely talked about the form I have been trying to fill out for Caleb's speech therapist (trying to identify words Caleb seems to understand as well as those he says totally on his own) and the special needs support group we attend monthly. And I very warmly and wholeheartedly congratulated her on her son and remarked how cute he is. No pity. No 'bless his little heart' I'm HAPPY for her. As she was preparing to leave, she came over and told Caleb good-bye. I hope we were as much a blessing to her as my friend and her family were to us earlier in our DS journey.

Virginia Paper

As many of you already know, one particular piece of paper mailed from Richmond,VA was in our mailbox on Friday!! I turned around and UPS'd it back to Virginia to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. It is supposed to arrive there on Tuesday morning and be back to us by Thursday or Friday with an apostille in place. This is the spot where the letter came up missing last time around so I am praying history does not repeat itself. I so hope to mail out the dossier by Friday evening.

October, by the way, is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I feel like such a newcomer to the world of DS but I would love to invite any of the readers of this blog to www.reecesrainbow.com where you can learn valuable information, read mind-boggling statistics and have your eyes opened to the needs of orphans around the world who just happen to have an extra chromosome.

Idaho documents are DONE

Wow, I did indeed get the apostilled copies of the last two letters back from the Secretary of State of Idaho today. Do you think R's home country would settle for 98% of a dossier :) Surely in the midst of these 50-some pages, they wouldn't miss one little letter would they. :)

Isn't it funny how the item that hangs you up in one adoption may not be a problem at all another time. I remember with Caleb we must have re-done Kevin's medical letter at least 6 times. This time we got it right the first time (well, I guess we'll know that for sure when our friends in yon Eastern European country say it's right--but it passed our stateside facilitator's approval anyway) Last time it took forever to get scheduled for USCIS fingerprints--this time it was almost immediate.

We all know the holdup this time around. But, please God, hopefully I'll soon be saying "Virginia document is done!"

Emotional roller coaster part 2

Thank you so much for your sweet comments regarding the emotional roller coaster. To know that other people have experienced the same thing, helps so much-- and to know that people are praying . . . that just makes me teary-eyed.

I do know (hope) that one day the last necessary paper will be in our hands-completely correct and apostilled-and that we will ship our paper baby to a far away land.

The funny thing is that when I check my mailbox today I am sure I will carefully look for the needed document in spite of the fact that when Kevin called Human Resources at the main office of his place of employment clear across the US just yesterday, the lady hadn't even typed it yet --though she assured him she has all the information. And I'm sure I'll feel disappointed that it isn't there!!

The emotional roller coaster

I imagine that many who read this blog have personal acquaintance with the emotional roller coaster of infertility. Though it is been 5 1/2 years since my hysterectomy I still get a knot in my stomach and a sick feeling in my chest when I recall the monthly rise of breath-holding hope and building excitement followed by the monthly plunge of crushing disappointment and even anger when it became evident that once again pregnancy had not been achieved. Maybe next month!

Yesterday it occurred to me that adoption also has its roller coasters. Right now mine is centered around a certain document from Virginia. Each day sometime after 11 am (when mail is put into our postal boxes) hope begins to build in my heart and mind that perhaps that letter is awaiting the turn of my key in the mail box lock. Excitedly yet fearfully I drive down, open the box, eagerly thumb through the letters, more slowly sort through them again, and then with hurt and even anger in my heart, I get back in the car knowing that once again that piece of paper has not arrived. Maybe tomorrow!

I know many of you know what I mean--whether you're desiring pregnancy or an item for your adoption dossier or notice of your adoption travel date or whatever it is. May God ride the roller coaster with us and give us peace in the midst of it all.

Called for a purpose

OK, two letters of employment are on their way to Boise for apostille via UPS. They are to arrive on Monday. I also enclosed prepaid postage for overnight back to me. (Interestingly enough, paying both ways from this particular UPS office was cheaper than one-way from the office I used last week.) The third letter seems to be taking up residence in Virginia. Kevin called and left a message at the Human Resources Specialist's office--so far no phone call in reply.

An exciting thought occurred to me today: this adoption could actually happen!! We are getting so close to having paperwork completed.

I've missed sending dossier by end of August, I'm missing end of September--could it possibly happen by end of next week. Please God!!

On a totally non-adoption note, all 7 of us went to see Kung Fu Panda tonight. I thought the turtle-guy said something quite profound: the past is history, the future in mystery, now is a gift--that's why they call it 'present'. Also I liked the idea of needing to fulfill our God-given destiny (yes, I'm interpreting this from a Christian, rather than eastern mystical standpoint). God has made each and every one of us on purpose, for a purpose. I honestly believe that there is a unique individual 'something' that God puts in each of us that we can do better than anyone else on the planet. Like Kung Fu Panda, we may not feel like the Dragon Warrior, but if GOD has called us to do something, then we know we can fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives, with His help. . . . So maybe it DOES has something to do with adoption after all. :)

Is this even a step?

No big news today. I got one of the employment letters fixed (I hope) and the other one underway. I really hope the second will be done tomorrow so I can get them sent to Boise for apostille.

Boise-bound

Today Caleb (he was playing hooky) and I and my Mom made the two-hour trek to Boise. I was so proud of myself for thinking to print off maps/directions on Yahoo to get from one stop to the next. First,we picked up the corrected and notarized home study and the letter of social worker's employment from our adoption agency and enjoyed showing off Caleb to the workers there. Next, we took all the Idaho-originated documents over to the Secretary of State for apostilles. Unfortunately, I was told the letters of employment from H and M couldn't be apostilled at this time because the notaries only signed, dated and notarized but didn't have the proper notarial wording (on such and such a day, so and so personally appeared before me, __ a notary public, blah, blah, blah) She said if the notaries could squeeze that wording in on the current letters, that would be fine. Apparently this has not been such a big deal in the past--I know we got by with it just a year ago-- but they are being more strict about it now so . . . so. . . so I am not quite done with the Idaho portion of the dossier. RATS! I hope I can get these two letters rectified tomorrow or Friday and get them on their way for apostilles. And I am excited that we DID get 23 documents apostilled at $10 a pop.

Still waiting on letter from UPS in Virginia.

Though it was a 'business trip' we had a lot of fun today. While waiting on apostilles we got to spend about 1 1/2 hours at the Discovery Center--not even close to enough time. For those not familiar with this place, it is a fantastic hands-on, very kid-friendly science center and even rather ancient children such as I have a wonderful time there--especially when we had a free ticket for immediate family. Both to and from Boise Mom and I were talking so hard that the trip just flew by. In fact on the way home we were busily discussing Christmas dinner plans and I actually drove right on by our exit! It was hilarious.

The Dossier Puzzle

Just a couple more pieces to the dossier puzzle. Yesterday our social worker made the necessary changes in our home study (added one word and changed two numbers), I picked up the copies over in Rupert and overnighted them to Boise. According to tracking they were signed for at 9:11 this morning.

I photocopied the I-171H and got it notarized at our local City Hall.

I have asked our Boise office whether they'd rather I pick up the home studies and letter of social worker's employment tomorrow or Thursday morning. Since these are the last of the Idaho documents, I can then get everything apostilled while in our capital city. I am just not brave enough to risk mailing them all to Boise though I do realize I will have to take the chance on mailing them to Europe since that is slightly out of the range of our van and I'm not that great at paddling a canoe.