About last night...

It is great that I stayed up all night...sometime before my shift was over we had a comment on our blog regarding the legitimacy of adopting from Rwanda. It said something like "don't you know that you can only adopt privately in Rwanda?" Luckily, I think I removed the comment before naysayers (sp?) had a chance to spread rumors. I cleared the air with our awesome social worker, Ryan, later today. He reassured me that America World has succeeeded in adoptions (We know who you all are!!) from Rwanda. April is a month of mourning for the genocide of 1994, so government offices tend to move a little slower. This picture is the road to Kibuye, now a memorial walk.

We also know that there is another America World family also requesting 2 kids from Rwanda and they are at the same stage of waiting as we are. This is exciting to know they are with us along the journey.

Thank you, thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers. We are so grateful and blessed.

To all the others waiting

I am sitting at work in the middle of the night and there aren't any patients. This gives me time to do a lot of praying and thinking. (I should be studying too!) I am so comforted to read the blogs of the other families waiting for their babies to come home. Can you imagine what this journey would be like without the internet?!? I am thinking and praying for the other mamas and daddies waiting for their children and giving thanks to them for sharing their stories with us. Today God placed this scripture to me: "For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land."Psa 37:9 Lately I have been a pity party. No referral, broken cars, running out of money, worrying about jobs and selling our house. But in the big picture of life, that doesn't matter! Someone reminded me that worry is just allowing the Satan to wiggle his way inbetween my Creator and me. God's plan and timing are perfect. My prayer request remains that the 4 of us here in Basehor can remember and feel that daily! My other request is that we get our referrral. ASAP! God is bigger then time and waiting and money and any obstacle that is between our children coming home to us!

Me in My Minivan

Yes, it is happened. I am officially driving a Honda Odessey- for those of you who don't know- that is a minivan. It doesn't come in lime green or burnt orange (believe me, I tried). Now you may ask how does an automobile have to do with an adoption. When people ask me where I am going to put all my kids, now I have the room. As Ryan just informed me, techniqually we could adopt four kids and they'd all be in a safety belt.

Positive PR

We are always amazed and encouraged by the support and kindness of strangers. A parent of one of Ryan's students wrote a great article about our adoption journey for the Johnson County Sun, a local newspaper. You can find it at http://www.sunpublications.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1872:open-arms-couple-hopes-to-add-to-family-through-international-adoption&catid=44:community&Itemid=112 These little God things-unexpected blesssings- are encouragement and a reminder that we are blessed to live in a place where the kindness and support of others. I know that this season of uncertainty will soon by behind us. I just wish it would go a little faster!!!!

Peace Of Mind

"You will keep in perfect peace the mind that is dependent on God, for it is trusting in Him" -Isaiah 26:3 No news, no news. I am trying to update this weekly because I am aware that we have many people thinking and supporting us. Easter was actually more emotional than we anticipated it would be and now I have more appreciation for all adoptive families who are out there waiting for word. I kept thinking about if our other children we having Easter whereever they were- Ryan reminded me that they were probably getting to eat more candy then Molly and Blake because I wasn't there. :) We have some amazing Christian friends that daily bring us encouragement and laughter. One said this week, "Not long from now you and Ryan will look back and see that you lost your car because you needed a bigger vehicle for all those kids sooner then you thought; you didn't sell your house quickly because you had time before your new job and you couldn't be homeless!" Peace of mind is easy to talk about and read about but really, truly having it takes a lot more work & prayer. This is a crazy time for us with a lot going on, so peace of mind that His Timing is perfect is a big deal!

We have put our hope in the living God- 1Timothy 4:10

We've had some disapointments this week. A little from God's Grace Adoption Ministry declined us for receiving any kind grant from their organization. My initial reaction was "wow, that means there are families adopting who are in even more debt then us," my second reaction was that I know God will provide the means to adopting and I can't wait to see how He does it. Secondly, on my last day of integration, driving home from Topeka, my Trooper quit in the middle of the highway. Literally and I am not exaggerating. After getting it towed, we were informed that the engine is totally burnt out and to replace it would be $3500-$4000. Ouch! Ryan and I are reminded that God wants us that understand that we don't need anything except our relationship with Him. So we are counting our blessings!

More FAQ- Domestic vs International

Someone posted a question about getting state funding. Everyone, regardless of whether they adopt locally, nationally or internationally, gets a $10K tax refund when the adoption is finalized. It is true that if you adopt through foster care or handicapped kids, the costs may be less. There are also additional grants for children with disabilities. However, if you want a healthy, white newborn domestically, these costs are soaring and often cost more then internationally adopting. Also, private adoptions may sometimes be cheaper; if you are interested in private adoptions these are often an open adoption. Open adoptions mean that the birth mother or family is a part of your child's life too. For many families this is a perfect for them. For us, we felt strongly that we did not want an open adoption- that is just a personal preference. Since we have biological children, we studied up on how to make the transition of new siblings easier. Sticking with birth order is very important as well, so that meant no older kids for us. I will try to keep up on our FAQ stuff since we don't have our referral day yet!