Step by Step

Some very good news to share for this week. I (Kris) didn't think there was anything to write about this week. Boy was I mistaken. First of all, Peter and I started our online training through a company called Hague Treaty on Intercountry Adoption. We started it on Saturday and finished it on Wednesday. (Well, Pete is still going through it - it's harder for him to find the time to work on it. Thanks kids for nap time.) It's 10 hours long and very detailed about all the different parts and processes with adopting internationally. Just for those who are interested in wanting to know what this course deals with here is a little summary :

1) The Intercountry Adoption Process, possible delays and impediments to the finalization of an adoption;
2) General characteristics and needs of children awaiting adoption including information on attachment disorders and other emotional problems that may result in children with multiple caregivers;
3) The impact of institutionalization on a child's physical and emotional growth;
4) The effects of malnutrition, substance abuse, and other known genetic health, emotional and development factors;
5) The laws and adoption processes of the anticipated country of adoption;
6) The impact on a child when leaving familiar ties and surrounds, and the long-term implications for a family when introducing a child from another culture;
7)Reporting requirements associated with Hague Treaty signatory countries, including post-placement and post-adoption reports required by the country of origin;
8) Roles and responsibilities of the adoption agency;
9) Resources;
10)Content mastery check testing that covers the specified topics listed.
------(taken from the certificate that was given to us at the end of the program) ------

Believe me - That was a lot to handle! After completing #6 I had a migraine that lasted the whole day. It really was good and very hard at the same time. It brought up issues that I never thought of before. I had a hard time thinking about how children have to relearn how to live because they are in an institution or orphanage.
I wanted to write all the steps out because I know there are some of you that are thinking or that are planning to adopt. There is so much to learn.
NOW - to some more exciting news... we have our tax money in the bank as of today. Today, today - can you believe it? Here I didn't think I had anything to write about but tonight we are signing our agreement papers and sending our check in the mail. So tomorrow Pete will have the honor of mailing off our next step.
Next we wait to hear from the agency and have a Family Coordinator assigned to us. That means ~ we will be starting our Homestudy. As of today we are two steps closer to meeting Hannah.

Are you as excited as we are? 

He has a plan

This week we were blown away with God's provision. It's funny how when we started out on this journey, I (this is Peter) planned out in my mind how God was going to provide for us. My first thought went to an opportunity I knew about at work, and that one of the ways God would provide would be through me getting that promotion. Well that didn't work, and I was a little down and confused as to how is this all going to work. Well, this week out of the blue, a check came in the mail from someone who felt led to send us the money to help us get Hannah home. It was such a beautiful reminder that God has ways of providing for us that we can not even imagine. It reminded me of a time when I was back in MT with YWAM when God showed just how awesome His provision is.
 I was driving a Discipleship training school team to the airport for an outreach, and passed through a town where the speed limit dropped from 65 to 30. Its was 3am, a town of maybe 2,000, so you know no-one was around... except the local cop, who caught me going 46 in the 30 zone. I was broke, and just didn't know how I was going to pay the fine. Luckily this is MT, and so the fine was only $125 for doing 16 miles over the speed limit, but never the less, I did not have $125.

 When I got home, I checked my mailbox, and actually found a letter (I got one maybe every 4 weeks, but checked it every day. I can't complain, I never wrote to anyone myself). In it was a check for $330 and a note saying "I was just praying to God asking what I should do with this money and felt led to send it to you". It was from a former student. What a perfect picture of God's provision and grace for us. Firstly, this came in the mail the same day I got the fine, so God had prompted someone to give, before I even had the need. Secondly, my need was $125, the check was almost 3 times that. What a perfect example of how God's grace is more than enough!
 Anyway, to make a long story even longer, the provision this week was a perfect reminder to me that God has a way of making things happen that are way beyond what I can think of as possible. I might have it all planned out in my head, but if things don't go the way I have mapped out, it doesn't matter, because God has a way planned, and I need to just trust Him in that. This weeks gift was a perfect reminder that God is watching over us, and He will help us bring Hannah home, in His timing and in His miraculous way. I can't wait to bring you home Hannah, and I can't wait to see how God is going to do it!

Tax time

I'm starting to think this is no longer our story but what we are seeing what God is doing around and in us. Every time that we look at all the details and the sacrifices we have to make in order for the adoption to even begin - well, lets just say it gets overwhelming.
For example, it's tax time and that usually means refunds for us because of our kids. Peter did a rough look over things and wasn't very impressed with what he thought was coming back. That's when a little panic started to set in for us. Peter usually does our taxes but because of the adoption and having to record everything we wanted to make sure we did everything right.
This past Monday we had our taxes done by a wonderful Accountant in town. To our surprise the money coming back to us and the money from my work is the exact amount we need to send off our first bunch of papers and to start our second phase. So many times I get all worked up inside just to see that God had already figured everything out.
So for now - we wait until the tax money comes into our bank account and then we send off our agreement papers, start our online training and wait to hear from the agency for the next "to do list". I wish I could post a picture of us sending off the files but that will come in time. (just like everything else)

 

This is our winter fun while we wait for ...

everything.

A strange feeling

This may be a little difficult to describe, as I  (Peter) don't even really understand it for now, but here goes. Ever since we have decided to adopt, it has felt as though we already have Hannah as a member of our family. Right now she is just in my imagination, and represents some hurdles (paper work and expenses), and blessings, (children are truly a blessing), and yet she seems so real, and already having an impact on our family.
 Coming into Christmas I asked Eli, if he can have anything he wanted, what would it be. He said "Hannah" and my heart just melted. I don't know where it came from as we hadn't been talking about Hannah that day, but it showed the purity of a child, and helped me put into perspective my priorities during the Christmas period.
 Another time I had to take out the car seats of the car, and couldn't help but notice we have one spot, right next to Sam that is looking for another car seat to fill. I can almost see Hannah at these times and yet, I could not describe it to you, apart from letting you know she is very beautiful.

                                            3 car seats with one spot left just asking to be filled!

 I have heard this experience called the "paper pregnancy". I used to think that was lame, but I am starting to understand. Its like God is preparing us (and our kids) for our family to expand. The hard thing for me is fighting the attachment. I have nothing to cling to in terms of an actual child, and yet I find myself wondering, is she born yet? Is her Mom pregnant with her? I rest in the knowledge that God has it all in His plan and that Hannah will come to us in His timing. I can't wait.... but I have to, so right now I will dream of my Hannah, and think of the time I will actually get to hold her. What a great day that will be.