Quick Update

First let me say "Happy National Adoption Month!"  This is a great time to celebrate all of the families that God has completed through adoption!  Every child deserves a family.  Please take a little time to pray for, support, and encourage those you know whose lives have been touched by adoption.

In our own adoption journey, we are waiting for news of when we can go back to Poland to bring our boys home.  Our Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration clearance is expiring this month, so I sent off paperwork to renew our clearance. This is just a formality and keeps our form-filling-out skills up to date. We are hoping to return to Poland within the next few months. Please pray that this happens soon!


    Although it is worth every cent to get our boys home, adoption is an expensive process.  Also, I plan on staying home with the boys when they get here so that I can take care of them. To help supplement our income, I have become a Plexus Independent Ambassador!  I started drinking Plexus Slim to help me lose weight and get healthy for my boys.  It worked so well at controlling my cravings and making me feel better that I decided to sell it so that I can help my friends and family get healthy too! 

It’s so simple. No shakes or special food needed. Just one packet of Plexus Slim {kind of like a crystal light single serving packet} mixed with water. Drink it in the morning and go on about your day. Super easy!
No matter how much you're looking to lose, or just maybe you want to maintain, Plexus Slim is for you. There are many customers who take Slim just for the energy and health benefits. Plexus Slim helps keep blood sugar, cholesterol & lipids at healthy levels. It also reduces your appetite and decreases your cravings for carbs, sugar and junk food. Plexus Slim has no caffeine, no stimulants, and is natural & gluten free.

If you would like to help support our adoption and feel better too, you can check out the products on my website http://www.plexusslim.com/sandrabeach. 

 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

                                                                       Ephesians 1:5     New Living Translation (NLT)

Meeting the Boys

      I am so glad we were finally able to make this trip!  We've been waiting for too long to get our hands on our boys and kiss them and hug them!  It was a quick trip, but a good one.  Everything went really well and we had a great time.
     We got to meet the boys on Monday.  We first had to meet with the orphanage director, the doctor, psychologist, and a few other orphanage workers.  They asked us questions about ourselves and gave us information on the boys.  We had a liaison from the adoption agency with us that helped us through the process there in Wroclaw and translated for us.  Some of the Polish people speak some English, but not much.  After the meeting, we were able to meet with the boys in their room and play with them.  We brought a small toy for each one.  They were shy at first, but soon became the active boys that we had heard about.  We spent a few hours playing with them before it was time for them to go to lunch.  We were able to spend time with them again Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  On Wednesday we took them out to the playground. It was great to run around and have fun with them.  They are very busy little boys! 
       The oldest boy is very smart.  We taught him 3 English words before we left.  He enjoys going to school, singing, and laughs easily.  The middle one loves having books read to him, pretend cooking, and digging in the dirt.  The youngest loves dumping all of the toys on the ground and imitating his brothers.  He doesn't talk much, so speaking English will be his first language.  The other two speak only Polish. 
      I was able to get their height and weight and clothing and shoe sizes.  I can now go through and sort the clothes that have been donated to us. They wear the sizes we expected so we should be able to use most of the clothes we have.  I just need to figure out if we have enough shirts and pants in each size.   I also traced their feet so we can get the correct shoes for them.  The oldest two boys asked for shoes that light up!  The little one's shoes kept falling off.  I can't wait to get him some shoes that fit.  They are also in need of hats and gloves.  For those of you that have asked, I will be registering at Target in the next few weeks.  If you would like to help out, we would really appreciate it!
      I really wish I could show you all the pictures that I took of the boys because they are so cute!  Since I can't post those, here are so pictures of us around the town in Wroclaw, Poland.  It is a beautiful town!

Eating Polish Perogies

Kevin and a Wroclaw Gnome

Me and some Gnomes

Fountain in the Market Square

 

Town Hall in the Market Square

 

 

     It was really hard to leave the boys, knowing that we wouldn't be seeing them again for a few months.  As hard as that was, it was even harder seeing the little boys and girls that didn't have mommies and daddies coming back for them. The orphanage has soft beds, warm food, and nice caregivers but that doesn't replace a loving home with parents that love them.  I'm so glad that three little boys will no longer be orphans soon.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for their lives.

 

 

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11

 



 

 

God Sized Opportunity

Since we received the call, we have been busy as bees!  I just want to start out by saying thanks so much to everyone for the well wishes, support, clothing, and offers of boy's stuff!  We have such great friends and family!  We couldn't do this without you.

In the past few weeks we have updated our fingerprints, homestudy, and child abuse clearances.  It seems like we had just finished doing all of that, but it had been a year and some things needed to be resubmitted. 

We are still finishing some of these things, so we do not have our first travel dates yet.  We are hoping to go as soon as possible, but it is all in God's timing.   We can't wait to meet our sons!

As we are preparing for the trip, I am working on applying for grants.  I was just going over the costs we have paid so far, the upcoming costs, and our current savings amount.   We are very, very short of what we will need to bring three boys home.  This is where God comes in.  If I were only relying on what Kevin and I could do, I would be having a small panic attack right now.  But we know that we cannot do this on our own.  These are God's children and if He wants us to care for them, then He will supply all our needs.  This is by far the biggest God opportunity that I have ever experienced.

Here is where you can help us.  Will you pray with us that God meets our needs?   I know that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, so this is nothing to Him!  Please pray that the funds I apply for are granted.  Please pray that God uses this opportunity to show that He still moves in ways we could never imagine.  Please pray that these little boys will be able to come home soon.

I can't wait to see what God is going to do! Thank you!


Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.    Ephesians 3:20-21

Wesołych Świąt

Christmas in Warsaw

Wesołych Świąt is how you say "Merry Christmas" in Polish.   Well, that's how you spell it anyway... don't ask me to pronounce it for you....

I'll keep this post short and sweet since everyone is busy and there isn't much to tell.  We are just waiting for the phone call. We won't know anything until we receive a call that says we have been matched with our children.  So we are spending this Christmas season praying for them and asking God to let them know they are loved and we are coming for them soon. 

 

 

Until then, here are some Polish Christmas decorations and traditions.

 

 

 

This is a Polish Christmas star. Isn't it pretty?  They are made in all sorts of colors and hung on the tree or in windows.  I've seen instructions on how to make them, but have not been brave enough to try it yet.

 

 

Another Polish Tradition is the Star Supper on Christmas Eve:

After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. This is why the wigilia dinner is also known as the Star Supper. Only then are the candles on the table lit and the dinner begun. But not a morsel is eaten before the "breaking of the oplatki."

The eldest family member takes the oplatek wafer, breaks it and shares it with the next eldest with wishes for good health and prosperity, and a kiss on each cheek. Each person then exchanges oplatek with everyone else at the table. It can be a very emotional time as grudges are forgotten and deceased family members are remembered.

Some Poles share a pink-colored oplatki with the household (and barnyard) animals because they were the first to greet the Baby Jesus at midnight. The animals also receive a taste of every course of the meal mixed in with their feed.

Instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family not present, Poles send oplatki, first tearing off a small corner to show that the donor has broken it with them as a token of affection.

The full story can be found here http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/christmaseve/a/Polishxmas.htm

 

 

 

Wesołych Świąt from the Beach Family!

 

 

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Steps and Puzzling Info!

     This is the culmination of 11 months of hard work! Doesn't it all look very official?? All of our paperwork now has pretty gold seals on it which means our dossier is complete and has been sent to our adoption agency for their review.  Please pray that I did everything correctly!  I would hate to have any more setbacks at this point!   We are grateful to everyone who helped us get all these documents together. It was truly a joint effort.

     Our agency will go through everything and make sure that all the documents are in order just the way Poland likes it.  Unless you've made a dossier like this, you cannot understand the many many details that make up this packet.  I was tempted to give up along the way, I was frustrated by the bureaucracy, I was defeated by the tediousness.  But Kevin and I knew that at the end every paper cut would be worth it.  I also felt a little sad because I knew that others along this same path had given up before they reached the goal, due to cost, or being overwhelmed, or many other factors.  There are so many orphans that need mommies and daddies to give them a home.  Kevin and I are honored, with God's help, to be able to say at the end of this process that there are two less orphans in the world.

   Will you help us reach that goal? I have purchased a 1000 piece puzzle of a beautiful lake in Poland.  It looks like this:

 

This is Morskie Oko Lake, in Tatras, Poland.  The name "Morskie Oko" translates to "Eye of the Sea". According to an old legend, the lake was connected to the sea via an underground passage.  The puzzle itself is made by Castorland Puzzles which is located in Cracow Poland.   

    We are giving you an opportunity to join us and help an orphan by buying a puzzle piece for $5.00!  We will then write your name on the back of the puzzle. When all the pieces are sold we will assemble the puzzle, frame it, and hang it in our daughters' room.  You may buy as many pieces as you like.   We are using a site called youcaring.com to run the fundraiser.  This is the link here.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  Romans 8:15

 

 

 



 

Fingerprints and more

     This week's part of our adventure involved going to Indianapolis to visit the Department of Immigration and have our Biometric Fingerprints taken.  It sounds very James Bond-ish but in fact was pretty unspectacular.  You may be wondering why we haven't had this done yet, but in the world of adoption, there are certain steps that have to be followed in order.  The biometric fingerprints are part of getting an Immigration clearance document.  We can't apply for that document until our Home Study is done.  We had to send them a copy and then they send us an appointment to get our fingerprints taken.  The immigration office in Indy was smaller than I expected, but the process didn't take very long once we got there.  They put your fingers on a piece of glass, kind of like a copier, and then scan them.   Very simple, no ink involved! The Department of Homeland Security then decides that we are okay to adopt and in a few weeks we should get the final form for our dossier.

Our dossier is almost done now!  This is very exciting because this is what we have been working on all year.  Collecting documents and documents and more documents.  Then getting all of these documents notarized, and then all authenticated in Indy.  I have most of our documents authenticated and I am just waiting on a few more to finish it up.  The immigration document that comes in a few weeks will be the last piece.   We will then send our completed dossier to our adoption agency and from there it goes to Poland.

A few tips for anyone who is thinking of adopting internationally:  
1.  Get your passport now.  You will need it right away.  You will need your passport number and a copy of your passport for the paperwork.
2.  Get about 4 copies of your State issued birth certificate.  It must be state issued, not from the county (at least in Indiana).
3. Get at lease 5 copies of your marriage license.

You will use these documents in a lot of places.  It seemed like every time I turned around someone was asking for these documents!

A lot of people have been asking how long it takes once our information is in Poland.  I'm really not sure how long it will be.  It takes a few months to translate our dossier and then find a match for us.  It could take a few months or longer.  We have been praying that the right children are available to us in God's timing.  Please join us in praying that our daughters will come home soon!

In the meantime, Kevin and I have had a great summer!  We were very busy and it flew by fast!  We visited the Indy Zoo, Mounds State Park, and spent some time with my family on the west coast of Michigan.  It was great to have a break from the normal routine!

Home Study, Classes, and more

  

   I can finally say that spring has come to Indiana!  I know it has been a while since I posted, but there has been a lot going on and I have been outside enjoying the sunshine!    We had our home study visit a few weeks ago.  If you are not familiar with the process, part of the home study consists of collecting paperwork and writing an autobiography, and the other part is having a social worker come to your home for a visit.  We prepared for the visit by cleaning the house from top to bottom.  We needed to do some spring cleaning anyway. I wish my house could stay that nice all the time! 
     When the social worker came, she interviewed Kevin and I together. She asked questions about our families, why we are adopting, our history together, our views on child rearing, etc.  She then interviewed us separately about our personal histories.  After we passed that (whew!), we showed her around the house.  Our daughters' room is still a guest room for now.  It didn't need to be set up as a child's room for the home study, they just need to see the room to make sure it is a safe environment. She requested a few more documents that we just needed to make copies of and that was it.  The whole thing didn't take very long and we were happy with how it turned out.  The social worker writes up a report then and sends it to our home study agency and our placing agency.  I haven't heard yet if they have received it, but I'm sure I will hear something soon.
   As part of the adoption process, each country requires so much training for adoptive parents.  Adopted children, especially those that have been in orphanages, may require different parenting techniques.  These classes help equip parents to deal with any challenges they may face.  Poland only requires 10 hours of training and although Kevin and I had already met that requirement we wanted to attend the 4th and last class of the series that our first agency teaches. We are always glad to attend these classes and meet other adoptive parents because we share advice and valuable support.  Part of this class was about whether or not you should rename your child which has its pros and cons because your child is probably already responding to their name.  Kevin and I talked about how we are hoping to Americanize our child's Polish name so that it will be similar, but not the same. We are not sure how close we will get since the Polish language has so many different characters than our American alphabet.
    

Once we get a copy of our home study, I can start working on applying for grants.  Until then, our Ebay/Craigslist fundraiser is going really well!  I cannot thank enough all of our friends who have donated items for me to sell.  We have been so blessed by your support!  As you are spring cleaning this year, we are always taking donations.  I am continually putting things on Ebay and larger items on Craigslist.  We will also be having a rummage sale this summer for any extra items.  Items that sell well on Ebay include electronics, cell phones, video consoles and games, and kids items. Thanks for thinking of us!
    
We have also had a very generous offer from our friend Beth Kresja, a hairstylist at The Salon and Spa here in Muncie. She is donating $5 for every service to our adoption fund.  So if you need a new hairdo, call Beth at 744-8788!
  








 God is still moving and we are feeling His blessing. Thanks again to all of our family and friends. We couldn't do this without your support!
    

Learn to do good.

Seek justice.

Help the oppressed.

Defend the cause of orphans.

Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:17

 

 

Easy Opportunity to Help!

     I've recently caught the ebay bug.  I know it's been going around for quite some time, but I never thought I would get it.  I was cleaning out our spare room the other day and came across some items that I didn't use anymore but didn't want to just throw away.  So I listed them on ebay and they sold!  I couldn't believe it!  So now I'm looking around and trying to figure out what else we can get rid of that might be worth something to someone else.  My husband even sacrificed his old Xbox to the cause. But I'm running out of things to sell.
     Here's where you come in. Have you wanted to help support our international adoption but not sure how you can help?  Ebay can be a great fundraising tool!  All you have to do is find items in your house that you are no longer using, but might be useful to someone else.  Items that sell well include:  digital cameras, camcorders, ipods or mp3 players, game consoles, small kitchen appliances, hand tools, e-readers, and electronic toys.  While you are spring cleaning this year, will you please put some of these things aside?  I will pick them up and sell them on ebay and all the money will go towards bringing our daughters home.  Just let Kevin or I know or you can contact us at beachadoption at gmail dot com.  Thanks for your help!

Please be praying for us this week because our home study is Saturday!  We are very excited to finally get this part done.  A lot of things can't be finished until the home study is completed, so this will move us farther along.  Please pray that everything goes smoothly.  Thanks!

Home Study and Dossier

     We are finally ready to have our home study!  When we switched agencies there were some details that needed to be worked out before we could complete this part of the process.  But now everything is sorted out and we are ready to move on.  The home study consists partly of collecting documents (which we have already done) and partly of a home visit from a social worker.  We are hoping to get this scheduled with her soon.  As with everything in this process, this is an important step that needs to be completed before we can move on.
     I also received instructions on filling out our dossier.  This is a formal presentation of our documents that will be given to the judge in Poland when we go there to adopt our daughters.  It is a lengthy processes of authenticating all of the documents we have collected.  There are some things I have been able to compile but everything else has to wait until the home study is complete.  I was a little overwhelmed when I received this latest round of work.  I have some times when I don't feel like doing this at all, and other times when I wish I could just finish it all at once.  I am working through it and Kevin is helping where he can.
     In between all of this, we are working on some fundraising ideas.  I had some luck selling a musical instrument on eBay so I have scoured the house for other items to sell.  I think I will try a few small items and see how it goes.  My husband is currently cleaning up his Xbox to sacrifice to the cause.  He even volunteered to play it to make sure it works properly...We have also considered hosting a 5k among other things.  Although it is hard to think about a 5k when there is currently up to a foot of snow headed our way.  What happened to spring?
     I have also tried to buy some things off of eBay but have not had any success.  One of the things I was bidding on was a Rosetta Stone Polish language course.  The Polish language is not something that will be easy to master so I thought I would get a head start and at least learn enough to help us get around when we are there.  I was hoping to save some money by finding it used, but I will just have to keep looking,  I have some time before I will need it.
     I know this will all be worth it someday!   I keep reminding myself that we are getting closer with each document!

Please pray that the home study goes smoothly, that the papers won't overwhelm me, and that our children will be safe in our arms soon.

Thank you!

Spring Forward

     I love this time of year!  I am so excited that the sun will be shining longer in the evening.  I am so much more motivated to get moving after work when it is still light out.  I have been running on the treadmill more these past few months but I am looking forward to being able to run outside. 
      I have been spending my time after work either exercising or working on paperwork.  With the switch to a new agency, there has been some additional paperwork to do.  Each agency has their own forms and procedures based on what the adoptive country requires.  This has been a little frustrating for me since I had hoped that part was behind us.  Every time I think we are moving forward to a new part of the journey, it seems we have to back track and start over.   But I am relying on God's timing and am trying to take this one day at a time. 
     So one of the things Kevin and I did this week was go down to City Hall and get fingerprinted.  We have never been fingerprinted before so that was a new experience.  We then sent our fingerprints off to the FBI and they will send us an "all clear" letter to prove that we are not criminals!  We also had to get more copies of our birth certificates and new medical forms.  St Mary's Adoptions has been very helpful and willing to keep in touch and answer any questions that we have.  They are currently working to get our home study ready to be scheduled. 





      Our new T-shirt store is up and running! We removed the Russian t-shirts and replaced them with different colors of the other t-shirts.  Adoption Bug doesn't have shirts for Poland yet. You can visit our new store here.    
    
We are also selling delicious coffee products at Just Love Coffee.


If you are thinking about adopting or know someone who is, here are some resources online that can help with the process and with funding:

www.resources4adoption.com/

http://showhope.org/

http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/

http://www.jeremiah29-11project.com/
 
     http://helpusadopt.org/
 

Don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight

 or you will be late for church tomorrow! 

 

Spring Is Coming

      It always makes my heart happy to flip the calendar from February to March.  I have nothing against the month of February with all of its hearts and flowers and talk of love, but I so look forward to the end of the short month.  March means the loosening of winter's hold and the beginning of warmth and greenery in Indiana.  I already have early spring plants like daffodils and tulips poking up through the cold dirt trying to find some rays of sunshine.  When I saw this, my thoughts turned to what spring in Poland would be like.  So I googled images of spring in Poland, and this is what I got

Not quite what I had in mind....

 

 

 

 

 I wanted something more like this picture of a public garden in Warsaw.

 

Or this picture of a nice Polish man riding his bicycle past some tulips.

 

 

     Anyway, I wish we were going to be there soon.  But we don't know yet what season we will be able to travel to meet our daughter(s).  We sent off the agreement to St Mary's this week.  This is just an official legal form between us and them clarifying our rights and responsibilities as well as the agency's responsibilities.  We are also working on getting new medical forms filled out.  Poland's form is much more extensive than the Russian form. We should be able to send those off this week.  Then we will schedule our home study with the social worker.  This is a major part of the process and we are ready to get his part done.

     Once the home study is done, we can really move forward with getting our grant applications in.  There are many agencies out there that will award grants to couples adopting internationally.  There are many more people applying than money available, so we are hoping to apply to many places. We are looking to apply to agencies such as Show Hope, Life Song for Orphans, and Gift of Adoption Fund.  We are glad that these organizations exist to help couples like us, but all of these places require a lot of paperwork.   Thankfully I am getting so good at filling these forms out I think I could do it in my sleep.

    Kevin and I are hoping to adopt two little girls from Poland.  While it costs a little more money, we would love to be blessed with at least two children and we think the transition would be easier for a child if she had a buddy.  In Poland, you can adopt two children as long as they are siblings.  So please pray that if it is God's will, that siblings are available to us when the time is right.  Please also pray that our grant applications will be accepted.

    We are holding on to the promise that God is already moving in this situation, even when we cannot see it or feel it.  

 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.   Isaiah 43:19

 

 

 



Multi Cultural Family

    Kevin and I attended a training class on international adoption issues last Saturday.  Anyone wanting to adopt internationally is required to take so many hours of classes.  The topic for this class was how to celebrate your child's birth culture once she is home with you.  We will be a Polish American family!
We got tips on buying souvenirs to put in your child's room. Buying traditional clothing to celebrate holidays.  Maybe even getting presents to give to our child every year on her birthday from her birth country.  Each couple at the class studied some books about the country from which they are adopting.  We want to know as much about the culture as we can when we go over there and would like to bring items home that might have some importance to our daughter as she grows up.  We also learned tips on how to address questions our child might have about why she was in an orphanage and why her birth parents couldn't take care of her.
    Kevin and I really enjoy getting together with other couples that are adopting internationally. We learn from each other and support each other.  We even met some people who know a Polish woman that might be able to help us out and would like to come visit our daughter when we bring her home! Maybe she will help me fix a traditional Polish meal.  I've included some pictures on this post of Poland and some Polish kids in traditional garb.  We will try to get our daughter an outfit like this when we are there.

    On the paperwork front, out previous agency is sending our documents to our new agency.  Our new agency has accepted our application and is sending us an agreement to fill out and return. Hopefully we will be able to have our home study in mid-March.  This is the part of the process where we start to spend a large chunk of money.  I will be applying for grants from various agencies and relying on God to fulfill our needs. Most of the grants require your home study to be completed before you apply.  I am going to go ahead and collect what I can so that we can be ready when the home study is complete.       

    I want to thank those of you who have sent cards and well-wishes.  Thank you for praying for us during this process. We appreciate it more than you know.

And the winner is.....

 

    I know it has been a while since I have updated you on the latest development, but I really didn't have much to say.  This process had been moving along at a good pace when suddenly we were stopped in our tracks and it was a little jarring.  The ban on adoptions from Russia really took the wind out of our sails, so we didn't want to jump into a big change without stopping to catch our breath.  We had a lot of praying and researching to do.  Since this is such a big decision, we decided to stop and wait a while. 
     We have spent the last few weeks just praying and waiting.  And in that time we decided that unless God closes another door,  Poland is the country that we are going to find our daughter!   I still mourn for the orphans in Russia, but we are adjusting to this new idea and we are looking forward to the adventures we will find there.  
   We will be staying with our current agency to do our home study this month, but we are in the process of filling out an application for our new agency.  We will be using St. Mary International Adoption agency from North Carolina. One fourth of all children adopted from Poland for the past 3 years (2011, 2010, and 2009) were adopted through Saint Mary’s, so I know they have a lot of experience here.  I have been in touch with them a few times in the past few weeks and they have been very helpful.  I'm confident that they will help make this a smooth transition. Poland is a much smaller country so the wait will probably be longer than we had anticipated, but we are clinging to the hope that God has a child waiting for us. 
     Our next steps are getting in touch with our current agency and transferring our documents to the new agency.  Hopefully most of our paperwork will work for Poland. I am in the process of filling out the new application and will be sending that off this week.  We are also working on scheduling our home study with the social worker from Hand in Hand. 

Hold On.  Never Let Go.  Keep Climbing.

    So we now are climbing a new mountain in this journey.
You can help us by praying for us as we make this transition and praying that we will have peace with God's timing. 

This song has meant a lot to me in the past few weeks and I find myself singing it often.

Be My Everything  by Tim Hughes

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything

If you want to see the you tube video of this song you can go here.

Uncertainty

     We still have not come to a conclusion about where we go from here.  Our adoption agency has indicated that they will be starting a new program in Bulgaria.  So we can stay with them and see if we can be part of that program, join another agency that I have already talked to about Poland, or do something completely different.   A lot of agencies have had an influx of people inquiring about different programs now that Russia is closed. This means wait times may become longer as less children are available. 
     There has been some news coming out of Russia that the children that were already matched with families may get to have their adoptions completed.  That is great news for them!  It does not help our situation because we had not gotten to that point in the process.  We still mourn for those orphans that will never find homes now. 
     Please pray for us as we still need clear direction.  It is very discouraging that we seem to be running into walls at every turn. We still plan on having our home study in February. Maybe we will have a country by then!

He's got the whole world in His hands

     I bought a globe.  I've wanted one for a while, and I figured now was an appropriate time to get one.  And it seems that every time I hold a globe the words to the song run through my head  (He's got the whole world in His hands...).   It's a good thing to remember at a time like this.
     Although we are still planning on adopting internationally, we are currently without country.  Since the Russian adoption ban went into effect and once the shock wore off, we started researching other countries.  This is where the globe came in.  We decided to stay with Eastern European countries since that is where our hearts are.  We had never heard of  some of the countries we started researching.  So we have spent some time pondering the places on the globe and looking for where our daughter might be.  I think we have narrowed it down to Poland, Bulgaria, Moldova, or the Ukraine.  There are not big programs, so we are having to research adoption agencies all over again. 

      This was the hardest part of the process in the beginning.  I was so relieved when we had an agency that we really felt comfortable with. The thought of having to find and choose a new agency at this point just makes me tired. We are going to stay with our current agency for now.  Our paperwork is being processed and we will be ready to have our home study next month.  These things have to be done no matter what agency we use.
   We cannot thank everyone enough for all of the support and prayers and kind notes.  I'm sorry if I haven't been able to tell you each individually how much your encouragement means to us, but this current bump in the road has been very overwhelming.  We are relying on our faith that God has a plan for us and He is not surprised by the latest events.  We continue to put our hope in the One who adopted us into His family and are looking forward the day when we can share His love with our own little one.  Thanks for sticking with us.
Please pray for God's guidance as we have a lot of decisions to make in the next few weeks.


 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.   John 14:27

Change of Plans

     The Russian government has passed into law the bill to ban all US adoptions from Russia.  This news was devastating to us.  I had heard horror stories of countries closing their orphanges to international adoptions but I never imagined it would happen in Russia.  Americans have been adopting beautiful children from there for decades. 

We had our hearts set on Russia.  We thought this was were God was leading us.  But our clear path has now become very foggy.  We are not sure where we go from here.  We are still planning to adopt internationally, but now we are not sure if we are staying with our current agency or will have to find a different one.  There are lots of questions and not many answers at this point. 
I wish I had more of my husband's simple faith.  He keeps telling me that God will take care of us and everything will work out just fine.  He has even started talking to people about other countries that might be available to us that we had not even considered.  He keeps me smiling and trying to look at the bright side of things.  I hope one day we will be able to look back and this time and see how God was moving in our lives, but for now,  I can only see a few feet in front of me. 
     Thanks for sticking with us and I will keep you updated as the journey continues.  We wish you a very Happy New Year and we look forward to what God has in store for us in 2013.

 

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.     Jeremiah 29:11

 

Bump In The Road

This is Kevin and I (use your imagination...)

When we started this adoption process, I knew there would be bumps in the road, obstacles to overcome, even mountains to climb.  That's why I am calling this an adventure.  This isn't an adoption cruise or a day at the beach.  This is hills and valleys and never knowing what's around the next bend.  A trip down the Amazon River maybe, in a canoe, with one paddle.... I knew there would be issues that only Jesus could overcome.  I told Him at the beginning of this process that I was opening my hands to Him and to His will. If this was what he wanted us to do, then He would take care of us.
  I was reminded of this yesterday when I read on Fox News that the Russian government wants to ban all US adoptions of Russian children.  Instantly my heart dropped.  The US thinks that this is in retaliation for humanitarian sanctions levied by the US against Russia.  There are officials in Russia that are against this saying that it only punishes the orphans, but the lower house of Parliment passed the bill today.  The President has not said if he will sign it or not.  
  We had our hearts set on Russia.  Maybe this will be worked out and it won't affect us at all. I am praying that God will soften their hearts and let the orphans find their forever homes here in the states where they will be loved.  If this is God's will for us and hundreds of other families that want to love their children, then He will make a way.   Please pray with me that this is worked out for God's glory.
 If you want to read the story, you can find it here.

The good news for this week is that our passports came! They came faster than I expected!  Kevin and I can officially leave the country, we just don't know for sure now which country it will be.
I also obtained our local background checks.  I just need to send those copies and copies of our passports to the agency.  The only thing left is the psych evaluation in January. (I hope we pass!)  Then we move on to the home study.

Please join me in praying that the Russian government does not put a ban on US adoptions. 

 

Have a very Merry Christmas!

T-Shirt Store!

Faith Hope & Love in Russian

Do you know someone who adopted? Have you adopted?  Are you adopted?  Do you like to support people who want to adopt?   Then please check out our T-Shirt Store!    We get a portion of the proceeds to help us fund our adoption!

 

 

 

 

 

All you have to do is go to this link



The "heart" is the Russian Flag



Beach Adoption 
and order a T-Shirt or two.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you enjoy a good cup of coffee? 

We also have a coffee store set up at  http://www.justlovecoffee.com/beachadoption

 

 

Adoption rocks

Today is a good day to be inside snuggled on the couch.  I am thankful to have this quiet time as this has been a busy week.  My husband is the athletic trainer at the local high school, so this time of year is pretty hectic with basketball games and other sports.  I usually try to go to the basketball games because sometimes that is the only way I will be able to see him that day!  I stayed home last night while our team was playing because I had some Christmas shopping to do and the paperwork is still waiting for me!
 There are only a few things left on my list to do.  Kevin and I both worked on our autobiographies this week.  Mine is done, I just need to proof read it.  Kevin's is not quite done yet, but he has promised to work on it today.   The autobiographies give the adoption agency a sense of who you are as an individual and who you are as a couple.  They use this information to match you with the child that will best be suited for you.
 I will get my medical release form signed today and then I will send what is completed to our agency.  Thankfully we don't have to wait until all the papers are completed and we can send the forms in as we get them done. 
I also worked on starting a T-Shirt fundraiser with a company called Adoption Bug (www.adoptionbug.com).  This company will let you set up a fundraising site and get a portion of the proceeds to help fund your adoption. I sent in my application last night and will let you know when it is up and running!  The "adoption rocks" graphic came from one of the shirts they sell on this site. 
Thanks for joining me this morning. I wish I could stay longer, but a woman's work is never done!  I have a house to clean and errands to run before I head out to an away basketball game this afternoon. 

Welcome to our Adoption Adventure

Even though this is the first blog entry, this is really the middle of our journey. We have been chasing the elusive dream of becoming parents for a while now. After many months and many doctor visits, we came to the conclusion that we would not be able to have a child in the conventional way. So our journey took a different direction. Instead of heading to the hospital delivery room, we are headed to Russia. We spent many months selecting an adoption agency and then selecting the country from which to adopt. Choosing Russia ending up being an easy choice for us since a few of Kevin’s relatives have been adopted from Russia. Even though adoption was not our first choice for expanding our family, we feel a strong sense that this is God’s will for our lives and we are looking forward to seeing God work throughout this experience.
We are now in the paperwork and more paperwork stage of our journey. If you are thinking of adopting, feel free to follow along with me. The paperwork, though, is going to have to be put on hold for a few days so that we can enjoys some turkey and stuffing and lots of family togetherness.