Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monika received her first package
I received an e-mail stating that Monika received her first package. I know it seems like a small thing but to me it is big. Each thing is a positive step in the right direction. It had a talking toy that said each letter of the alphabet and sound it makes when pressed, a button that had music, and a little game button. It is a small V-tech toy sort of like a large cell phone. She loved our cell phones while we were there, so it just seemed like the perfect thing for her. I also included one outfit and enough bubble gum to share with all her friends.
Monday, April 29, 2013
A call from the FBI
Life is full of surprises and little blessings! I got a call from the FBI today. I called them last week and ask that they expedite my file so that the Clearance letter on original FBI letterhead would make it in time for court. They called me today to let me know they located my prints and are processing them now. They will be in the mail within the next couple of days so will be done in time for court! Praise God! So relieved and excited to hear this and so thankful for the FBI worker that took the time out of their busy day to put this mother's heart at ease :)
Friday, April 12, 2013
A new court date has been set
The adoption did not finalize on the last court date. The judge decided that since the FBI fingerprints were more than 6 months old, she wanted them done again and set a new court date of May13th. There is some confusion over exactly what is needed. I sent new FBI prints ordered from state of TN for this court hearing but apparently the judge is rejecting these because they are computer generated results from the state. Now VESTA the Bulgarian agency in charge of representing me is saying that I can get fingerprints from an FBI Channeler (that normally takes 2 weeks) ...... problem with this is that it will still be a computer generated report and cannot be apostilled. This is the report I sent to MOJ before my first visit and they rejected it because it was not on original FBI letterhead and could not be apostilled. After much research and discussion from other parents that have done this before me, it is very unlikely it will be accepted by court. I am going to do it anyway since that is what I have been asked to do and it is fast. As a back up plan, I went yesterday and had my ink prints made and overnighted them to the FBI. I spoke with a lady at the FBI that was very nice and told me that she will expedite these prints for me to try to make the court date (it normally takes from minimum of 4 weeks up to 3 months depending on the backlog). I decided to take my chances and order them anyway. Hopefully they will be here by the May 13th date and if not and the other prints are rejected again, at least this process will be well under way.
This whole process is frustrating. I am only the 2nd family to adopt from Bulgaria through my agency. The agency is great and up front about everything, but their experience is not in Bulgaria, so they are still in the learning process. There seems to be a break down in communication between my American and Bulgarian agency. This latest delay is totally caused by incorrect communication of what was needed for court and I still do not have clear answers for what is needed for court in May. I have had the wonderful privilege of being able to communicate with many other families that are in process or have completed their Bulgarian adoptions. I am depending heavily on what they are telling me, which is why I am going ahead and ordering the prints directly from the FBI.
I know all this is technical but I am blogging it mainly because this is my way of keeping a diary for myself.
Good news this week is I asked for and received permission and address information to send packages or letters to Monika. I fully intend to make good use of this. I found a stuffed rabbit from Hallmark that lets me record a 1 minute message in my voice and a book that lets me record myself reading the story to her. I will do this to keep in touch with her. I already love her so much and really want her to know that I am still coming for her.
Thank you so much for all the prayers. I would love it if you share my blog/ prayer requests with others. Adoption is not for the faint of heart, there are many ups and downs. I can go for excitement to the pits all in on day depending on the news (or lack of it) that comes in.
This whole process is frustrating. I am only the 2nd family to adopt from Bulgaria through my agency. The agency is great and up front about everything, but their experience is not in Bulgaria, so they are still in the learning process. There seems to be a break down in communication between my American and Bulgarian agency. This latest delay is totally caused by incorrect communication of what was needed for court and I still do not have clear answers for what is needed for court in May. I have had the wonderful privilege of being able to communicate with many other families that are in process or have completed their Bulgarian adoptions. I am depending heavily on what they are telling me, which is why I am going ahead and ordering the prints directly from the FBI.
I know all this is technical but I am blogging it mainly because this is my way of keeping a diary for myself.
Good news this week is I asked for and received permission and address information to send packages or letters to Monika. I fully intend to make good use of this. I found a stuffed rabbit from Hallmark that lets me record a 1 minute message in my voice and a book that lets me record myself reading the story to her. I will do this to keep in touch with her. I already love her so much and really want her to know that I am still coming for her.
Thank you so much for all the prayers. I would love it if you share my blog/ prayer requests with others. Adoption is not for the faint of heart, there are many ups and downs. I can go for excitement to the pits all in on day depending on the news (or lack of it) that comes in.
This picture was taken the last day of our visit. We had just been playing balloons just batting them around and she was so excited to be up and moving. In her exuberance, she raced over to this balloon sculpture with full intention of pouncing on it. Dave grabbed her last minute saving the sculpture. She thought that was hilarious. I snapped the picture right after the grab where she was still laughing. So glad I got this shot, it just makes me smile every time I see it.
Friday, March 29, 2013
We have a court date!
Finally we have our court date. It has been so long in coming. Normally a court date is assigned within 2 weeks of your MOJ signature. My paperwork was signed and approved on February 20th giving approval from Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria for the adoption to go through. At that point it went into waiting for a court date to make everything official. Well, I finally found out yesterday that
the court date will be April 8th. SO, excited because this means I will soon be traveling for pick up. Hopefully 2 or 3 weeks following the court date I will be able to go over and complete the paperwork to bring her home. It has been long haul, harder and more emotional than I could ever have imagined. Once you have decided a child is yours, it is incredibly hard to wait while the paperwork is shuffled from desk to desk for final approval.
Monika will be spending her last Easter in the orphanage! There will be so many firsts in the year coming up and I can't wait to experience them with her. Easter is one of the biggest holidays in Bulgaria, mainly rooted in Eastern Orthodox traditions. Good Friday begins the week of celebration. Eggs are colored with red being the main color used but other colors are also used and traditional sweet breads are made. Many take the red eggs and sweet bread to the church to be blessed by the priests then give gifts of the eggs and bread to family and significant friends. Easter is called the "Great Day". Many greet others by saying "Christ is Risen!" and the other person replies "Christ has risen indeed!"
the court date will be April 8th. SO, excited because this means I will soon be traveling for pick up. Hopefully 2 or 3 weeks following the court date I will be able to go over and complete the paperwork to bring her home. It has been long haul, harder and more emotional than I could ever have imagined. Once you have decided a child is yours, it is incredibly hard to wait while the paperwork is shuffled from desk to desk for final approval.
Monika will be spending her last Easter in the orphanage! There will be so many firsts in the year coming up and I can't wait to experience them with her. Easter is one of the biggest holidays in Bulgaria, mainly rooted in Eastern Orthodox traditions. Good Friday begins the week of celebration. Eggs are colored with red being the main color used but other colors are also used and traditional sweet breads are made. Many take the red eggs and sweet bread to the church to be blessed by the priests then give gifts of the eggs and bread to family and significant friends. Easter is called the "Great Day". Many greet others by saying "Christ is Risen!" and the other person replies "Christ has risen indeed!"
Here are a couple of pictures of traditionally decorated eggs and sweet bread. After the eggs are blessed, over the next several days each person bumps their egg against the eggs of others, cracking them. The person whose egg stays uncracked for the longest amount of time is thought to have good luck in the year to come. Of course, Bulgarian being a mix of different ethnic groups and beliefs, these traditions do vary by family and region, but this is the most common. I look forward to incorporating some of these traditions and recipes into our own family celebrations to make unique experiences that will celebrate both cultures. I am excited that in both cultures, Easter is of great importance and in both Christ's sacrifice and resurrection is the reason for the celebration.
Please continue to pray as we go through the final stages, that there will be no more delays. Due to the delay in getting my court date, some of my finger prints and doctors recommendation have expired so I will need to get that redone before court. I just cannot even tell you how ready I am to walk out of those doors with a precious new daughter. I am also thankful to my kids, family and friends for welcoming this little one into their hearts!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
New pictures for Baba Marta Day!
Baba Marta is a holiday celebrated March 1st in Bulgaria. It is first day of spring. Red & white bracelets and dolls are given as gifts to friends and family as wishes of good health & fortune. Baba is grandma in Bulgaria and she comes looking for a spring day the gifts are worn until the first sign of spring arrives then tied to a tree to bring good fortune. I left a little money when I took my first trip to see Monika and asked that she be given little gifts from me at different times while she awaits my return. So, in celebration of the holiday they gave her some treats from her new mama :) and sent me pictures to show her receiving them. In the 2nd picture you can see the Martenitsa tree to celebrate the holiday. I am so hoping to be home with Monika in another 3-4 weeks. Please pray things go quickly and smoothly so this can happen.
I also want to thank you to the ladies who gave me a shower for Monika. It is so great to know she will be surrounded by loving family at home and church! I can't wait to have her wear the cute clothes and play with the toys.......it is especially going to be fun watching/ helping her ride her pretty new bicycle. You all are the greatest!! Thanks for being such an important part of our journey to become a family.
I also want to thank you to the ladies who gave me a shower for Monika. It is so great to know she will be surrounded by loving family at home and church! I can't wait to have her wear the cute clothes and play with the toys.......it is especially going to be fun watching/ helping her ride her pretty new bicycle. You all are the greatest!! Thanks for being such an important part of our journey to become a family.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
A couple of videos worth watching
These videos really touched my heart. I hope you will take the time to listen. This is what family is all about.
http://vimeo.com/54807069
https://www.youtube.com/
http://vimeo.com/54807069
https://www.youtube.com/
Fundraising to bring Monika home
I am waiting (not so patiently) to hear our court date. With all the uncertainty happening in the world of international adoption, I just cannot wait for her to be here with me in our home. Russia was a big issue and it really did make me realize that nothing is final until she is here. Governments change, laws change, there are good and bad judges that can affect the whole process. I am trying to be patient, but have to admit that I am feeling rather anxious at this point in the process. I have heard from enough other adoptive parents to know that others go through these same feelings, but it really does not make it easier. I DO know that God is in this and controls the governments, judges, etc. I DO know that I am following His call in this adoption and I even feel confident that she will be here. I just want it to be over!
I have started 3 fundraisers to try to cover some of the adoption costs. I have approximately $5000 in outstanding costs remaining. I have also financed a portion of the adoption costs I have paid at this point. I was comfortable financing these costs because their was a tax return in the amount of $13,000 that would have paid off all of these costs. Unfortunately the present administration renewed this tax as a refund rather than return. Difference between the two is that if my adoption had completed in 2012 the entire $13,000 would be given back to me to reimburse adoption expenses. The way the law reads now, I will not receive any of this money back. Sorry to divulge all the gory details, but, I wanted you to understand the real issue. I will be trying to earn not only the $5000 but pay off some of the adoption debt and have enough to pay for a full dental and medical check up on her arrival at a clinic that specializes in international adoptions.
Monika is only one orphan in a world of millions. I dream of the day she will realize that she is truly loved. There are so many orphans out there that will never be given that opportunity. The Bible clearly tells us to take care of the orphans and widows. This is an area of the church that is failing. We don't have time to even make ourselves aware of the need and when we do become aware, we are afraid to take action or convinced that the little action we take will not make a big enough difference. I recently read the blog of a family that was trying to earn money to rescue an orphan by trying to get 2000 people to give $5. How many of us cannot afford $5. But that act would give this family $10,000 needed to bring home an orphaned child. I have read and talked to families that have taken in children that had enormous physical and mental needs. It is such a scary step of faith. These families do not "need" another child. They are not trying to expand their families out of need, they are simply trying to follow the calling on their hearts to help the orphans brought to their attention. When Monika comes home, my heart will still be breaking for all the children left behind. It is true that once you see the faces, it is impossible to forget them and their circumstances. It is also impossible to not feel your heart burst as you read the stories of the lives changed through the love of a family. I hope that I can continue to advocate on behalf of those still waiting. If you want to read some of these families stories of life and faith, check out some of the blogs listed on my site. You will never be the same after you open your eyes and heart to this issue. If christians would get behind this problem, we could easily provide homes to every orphan in the world. Not all of us can or even should consider adoption. But all of us can help in some way, by giving money, donating items, giving words of encouragement, providing respite care (babysitting) for tired families that are taking on the exhausting task of raising these hurting children and most of all by praying not only for the families, but for God's leading in what part you should play in this problem.
Well I will stop and get off the pedestal. Sorry, sometimes I just need to let loose of all these thoughts, and now that it is past midnight, it is now my birthday. So maybe you can forgive my birthday diatribe.
Really I need nothing for my birthday. What I really want is for my little girl to be here ASAP.
If you do want to help out, there are three links on the side of this blog that you can click on. One link is to buy a T-shirt, a percentage of each purchase will go directly to my adoption costs. The amazon link is for any purchase you make on Amazon. If you click my link to go into Amazon when you buy, I will get 10% of the purchase towards adoption costs. The last link is an organization called Adopt Together. You can make cash donations into my adoption account. The donations are tax deductible and will be given to me in the form of a grant. The grant will allow me to pay both future adoption costs and reimburse those that I have already paid out of my own funds.
God's richest blessings to all of you reading this tonight. I truly hope that you will feel as richly blessed as I do right now. I do know that not everyone reading my blog believes the same as I do, I love you anyway, and I have to say what my heart is telling me to say right now. The biggest story here, is not Monika, but the story of redemption through adoption. You see, I was orphaned. Not in a physical sense, I have parents, but spiritually I was dead. Jesus paid the price on the cross for my adoption and I belong to His family now. It is the best thing that ever happened to me. If any of you reading this blog have not accepted Jesus, I hope through these true life stories your heart will be touched and you will realize that you are missing out on the most important thing in this life and in the life to come. If you want to message me privately, I would be so blessed to talk to you in more depth.
I have started 3 fundraisers to try to cover some of the adoption costs. I have approximately $5000 in outstanding costs remaining. I have also financed a portion of the adoption costs I have paid at this point. I was comfortable financing these costs because their was a tax return in the amount of $13,000 that would have paid off all of these costs. Unfortunately the present administration renewed this tax as a refund rather than return. Difference between the two is that if my adoption had completed in 2012 the entire $13,000 would be given back to me to reimburse adoption expenses. The way the law reads now, I will not receive any of this money back. Sorry to divulge all the gory details, but, I wanted you to understand the real issue. I will be trying to earn not only the $5000 but pay off some of the adoption debt and have enough to pay for a full dental and medical check up on her arrival at a clinic that specializes in international adoptions.
Monika is only one orphan in a world of millions. I dream of the day she will realize that she is truly loved. There are so many orphans out there that will never be given that opportunity. The Bible clearly tells us to take care of the orphans and widows. This is an area of the church that is failing. We don't have time to even make ourselves aware of the need and when we do become aware, we are afraid to take action or convinced that the little action we take will not make a big enough difference. I recently read the blog of a family that was trying to earn money to rescue an orphan by trying to get 2000 people to give $5. How many of us cannot afford $5. But that act would give this family $10,000 needed to bring home an orphaned child. I have read and talked to families that have taken in children that had enormous physical and mental needs. It is such a scary step of faith. These families do not "need" another child. They are not trying to expand their families out of need, they are simply trying to follow the calling on their hearts to help the orphans brought to their attention. When Monika comes home, my heart will still be breaking for all the children left behind. It is true that once you see the faces, it is impossible to forget them and their circumstances. It is also impossible to not feel your heart burst as you read the stories of the lives changed through the love of a family. I hope that I can continue to advocate on behalf of those still waiting. If you want to read some of these families stories of life and faith, check out some of the blogs listed on my site. You will never be the same after you open your eyes and heart to this issue. If christians would get behind this problem, we could easily provide homes to every orphan in the world. Not all of us can or even should consider adoption. But all of us can help in some way, by giving money, donating items, giving words of encouragement, providing respite care (babysitting) for tired families that are taking on the exhausting task of raising these hurting children and most of all by praying not only for the families, but for God's leading in what part you should play in this problem.
Well I will stop and get off the pedestal. Sorry, sometimes I just need to let loose of all these thoughts, and now that it is past midnight, it is now my birthday. So maybe you can forgive my birthday diatribe.
Really I need nothing for my birthday. What I really want is for my little girl to be here ASAP.
If you do want to help out, there are three links on the side of this blog that you can click on. One link is to buy a T-shirt, a percentage of each purchase will go directly to my adoption costs. The amazon link is for any purchase you make on Amazon. If you click my link to go into Amazon when you buy, I will get 10% of the purchase towards adoption costs. The last link is an organization called Adopt Together. You can make cash donations into my adoption account. The donations are tax deductible and will be given to me in the form of a grant. The grant will allow me to pay both future adoption costs and reimburse those that I have already paid out of my own funds.
God's richest blessings to all of you reading this tonight. I truly hope that you will feel as richly blessed as I do right now. I do know that not everyone reading my blog believes the same as I do, I love you anyway, and I have to say what my heart is telling me to say right now. The biggest story here, is not Monika, but the story of redemption through adoption. You see, I was orphaned. Not in a physical sense, I have parents, but spiritually I was dead. Jesus paid the price on the cross for my adoption and I belong to His family now. It is the best thing that ever happened to me. If any of you reading this blog have not accepted Jesus, I hope through these true life stories your heart will be touched and you will realize that you are missing out on the most important thing in this life and in the life to come. If you want to message me privately, I would be so blessed to talk to you in more depth.
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