Chasing different papers...

When I look at the list that sent me into such discouragement just a little over a week ago, and what we have managed to get accomplished in that week I am amazed!  So many of these things that looked really complicated, ok let's be real - WERE REALLY complicated - are done.  Our document folder is looking  pretty good.  Our Hague required classes are done.  We are still working on a required class for WACAP that is a doozy.  It claims 4 hours of credit, but is going to take so much more time than that to complete it.  There are 20+ homework assignments, videos to watch, activities to complete, yeah it won't be finished in the next day or two.

We worked like crazy and made so much progress, but alas, I don't feel ready for the fire safety inspection today.   There are still a few things that need to be accomplished, so we won't be calling for it until tomorrow or Wednesday. 

Want to hear a funny story about what happens when one gets busy and preoccupied? My big project over the weekend was to clean and reorganize the basement.  I have a work out room down there, and noticed that one of the big physio balls had kitty hair on it.  I decided the ball would benefit from a shower.  So, I hauled it up two flights of stairs, turned the water on hot, then went back to the basement with the intention of going back to retrieve the ball in a few minutes.  You see it coming, don't you?  Several HOURS later, Ethan asked me, "How long as the ball been in the shower?"  Oh boy.  It is clean, anyway.

Today I really must turn my attention to a different paper chase.  We are scheduled for our first ever homeschool portfolio review on Wednesday.  In Indiana these were not required.  In Ohio, you must file papers stating what you plan to accomplish, do it, then file papers proving you accomplished what you said you'd do.  I feel like we had a decent school year, but keeping a paper trail of these things is not one of my strong points.  Today I will be going back over the lesson plans from last year, documenting, printing reports and maybe some photos from field trips.  My friends here tell me it isn't really that big of a deal.  They usually know what they are talking about, so I'm not freaking out too badly.  It just needs to be done.

When the portfolio is put together it is time to write up the plan for the next school year. How can it be that school starts again in just a few weeks?  (And how can Tikvah possibly be going into the fifth grade??)  I know what we are doing, and have all but one of the books, so filing with the state shouldn't be as time consuming this time as it was last year.

So today, I'll be working on government papers for Tikvah until Ethan gets home from work.  Then its back to what should probably be called the "Monster Class" to go along with that "Monster Document" we turned in a few weeks ago. 

Several of you have asked how you can pray for us.  Here are our most pressing needs right now:

1. God's grace to keep it all in perspective.

2. Physicals for Ethan and Ruth.  This is complicated for Ethan because the physician's signature needs to be notarized for the China form.  We would prefer to not have to do the (no notary required) county check up at an Urgent Care (any docs out there who do FAST check up appointments?) and then turn around and have to do it all over again in Indiana for the China papers.  Our family physician there will work with us to document the way we need it.  BUT, we need the county check up done THIS WEEK, so we can't wait for our appointments in Indiana which aren't until the end of the month.  We'll do it twice  if we have to, but it takes a lot of extra time and funds to do the checkups twice.

3. Ethan's birth certificate to be sent quickly from the Dept. of State in Washington, D.C.  They tell me it usually takes several months.  We have a little girl growing up in an orphanage and don't have several months to wait on it!  God can make it happen, I know He can!

Thanks, friends!

Filling the File with Documents

The documents keep coming in and the file is getting large!  The mail brought my birth certificate and our marriage license.  I got the kitties to the vet and their papers are filed.  My autobiography is done, and Ethan's is getting there.  We have been getting a couple of our online classes completed each day, and those certificates are being added also.  Today we've gotten one class done already, and hope to pop off the three remaining Hague class requirements this evening.

If you aren't familiar with the Hague Convention, in a nutshell, "The process for adopting a child from another country (intercountry adoption) changed in some significant ways with the U.S. ratification of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention). The Convention went into effect in the United States on April 1, 2008. The Convention is designed to protect the best interests of children and prevent the abduction, sale, and trafficking of children. In this country, the U.S. Department of State has overall responsibility for implementing the Hague Convention, although the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security also plays a significant role."  ( see: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/hague.cfm)

One big need we have right now is for Ethan and Ruth to get a physical.  We are having trouble finding a doctor who can get them in quickly. To further complicate matters, the physician's signature has to be notarized on Ethan's form for China.  We do have a plan to accomplish this in Lafayette (if we have to) at the end of the month, but that delays things.  If anyone knows of a notary that we could hire to go to - Urgent Care perhaps? - for physicals, let me know.

In our "free time" today we are getting ready for the fire safety inspection that will hopefully happen on Monday.  One question... does anyone know where we put the fire safety ladder when we moved to Ohio???

We have our pre-approval from China!!!

We just got a phone call!  We have our pre-approval from China and are OFFICIAL!  Happy Anniversary to us!

We spent the morning in a CPR class, then getting BCI and FBI fingerprinting and clearances.  But now, we are assured that we are doing all of this FOR something and not just to amuse ourselves.  So thankful for this news today.

Paper chase and first official class

I continue to do the paper chase today.  The amount of paper work required is unbelievable.  Much of it needs to be notarized, of course.  Ethan has the next two days off work, so I'm also researching where to go to get things like background checks and FBI fingerprinting, clearances, etc.  He actually took the time off for our anniversary, but this seems to be a much better use of his "business hours" time off.

This evening we are scheduled to take our first required class, "Coming Home: Adopting the Older Child."  Here is where working with an agency on the west coast complicates life a little.  Our webinar is from 8:30 - 10:15 at night.  I guess it doesn't conflict with any other commitments, anyway!  LOL!

Paper chase day

Today was a paper chase day.  I spent about eight hours either filling in papers, researching answers to fill in said papers, or on the phone to make the appointments to fill in the papers.  Our biggest accomplishment of the day was coming up with the street addresses of every place that Ethan and I have lived since we turned eighteen years of age.  These were for criminal background checks for every state that we've lived in.  Whew.  One step closer...

A refreshing day

I spent most of Saturday attempting to reorganize the basement.  It is a great space, but we don't make very good use it.  I made a LOT of progress and hope to finish up tonight . 

Sunday evening was spent at the picnic for our homeschool co-op.  These ladies were totally my lifeline when we moved here a year ago.  I honestly don't know how our lives would have been had we not connected with this group.  For sure the adjustment would have been longer and harder.  It was delightful to be with these friends again, and to meet the new families who are coming into the co-op this fall.  Patt and Mark did a terrific job with mixers to help us get acquainted.  Oh, and Sarah's family is in the co-op this year, so it'll be a first for me to have my grandchildren and Tikvah together in this setting.  Its going to be fun!

My friend Maren came (at last!) for a coffee date this morning.  She brought along some AMAZING books she created from the blogs about her family's two international adoptions.  It was fascinating to see the photos and hear of her experiences, both in India and also in China. One of these adoptions was from the same province in China where we will need to go for Abigail.  I enjoyed hearing about specific places we'll likely visit while there, and what to expect.  That seems to make it a little easier to get through.

This afternoon I went to Ann's house, and how fun to bump into Amanda there too!  God must have known I needed to take a breather today, cause the day was full of socializing. I'm truly grateful for the encouragement and refreshment.  Have I told you yet how much I love my friends???

 I shared this quote on Facebook last week, but it is still speaking to me.  I read this on someone else's blog, so I claim no credit to it.  "We are very goal oriented.  We think that the goal is the purpose, when actually it is sometimes the JOURNEY that is the purpose.  The things we learn on the journey are the things He wants to teach us."  I have very, very little control over this journey.  Two different adoption agencies, the state of Ohio, and the officials of China are seemingly calling the shots.  They say, "jump" and we just do it. Thankfully I know the One who is REALLY in charge of this journey.  I allowed myself a brief time to be overwhelmed, but I really don't have time to dwell on that.  This is NOT about me.  Our goal is VERY important, and we are working hard towards it - getting Abigail home.  But I am also reminding myself to take a deep breath, take one step at a time, and learn what I'm supposed to on this unfamiliar and sometimes strange journey. 

So, did we make any progress on our list today?  Yes.  It seems even our CATS need health papers, so I bought them collars and made an appointment with a veternarian.  Ethan came home armed with several smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher as just a couple of elements needed for our inspection by the fire department.  He is currently watching "Wild China" on Netflix to count towards our 40 educational credits that we are each required to have.  I watched it last week, and it was really good!  


Tomorrow, I begin writing and chasing documents again. 

Feeling a little overwhelmed...

We just got our packet from Adoption Star that outlines 40 credits of educational requirements, basically the writing of ANOTHER book (remember that Monster Document with the other agency?) and all the safety checkpoints that have to be done before the social worker visits our home. Then there are the physicals and documents that involve asking OTHER people to do stuff.  It seems that one of the bad sides of needing to work with two agencies is that they both have requirements, and we end up having to jump through even more hoops!  I'm hoping that I can maybe print out the Monster Document and use it as part of our credits with Adoption Star.  There was a LOT of research that went into that thing.

 At this point all I can think about is Abigail sitting in the orphanage WAITING for us to get our act together and get this stuff done.  Wow.  Any prayer warriors out there?  We are going to need much wisdom and stamina to get this accomplished - and somehow accomplished quickly. The documents with WACAP that take the longest cannot be started until the homestudy is done.  Nothing like a little pressure, right?  Anyway, this momma is a little overwhelmed today and would appreciate your prayers!