Dossier sent to KENYA!

OUR FILE IS ON ITS WAY TO KENYA!!!!!!!!!!!

We still do not have a time line but the NAC meetings take place once a month to review files and approve people to adopt. So we are hoping that our file will be submitted for the June meeting. It could take one month for us to be looked at and approved or it could take 5. We really have no idea but are hopeful and excited that a referral is in the near future!

Also, I thought I should write about how amazing my husband is. For a soon-to-be mothers day gift, he took me on a little trip to IKEA where we shopped for baby things and got the crib/toddler bed (depending on the age of our child once we are home.) After he took me out for a delicious supper and we had the best conversations about our future. Todays news made yesterdays activities feel even more necessary and exciting.

Its going to be a great week!

Second time is the charm

Last night, as I lay in bed thinking about pretty much everything (because thats what my mind does when it should be sleeping), but mainly our son and our adoption I began to think of our journey so far and I came to a conclusion about the adoption process in general. The SECOND time is the charm.

What I mean by this is that every step and every paper submitted there seems to be a step backward before we can move an inch forward. Let me show you…

• Home Study took way longer than expected
• Home Study was finally finished and sent to the Ministry…find out that it has to be amended and resubmitted
• We then get all of our paper work ready and sent to MOT…to then find out that Kenya is asking for additional documents
• We send our cheque to MOT to find out that it had to be in US currency
• MOT sent our dossier to be authenticated and returned… The people returning the files then forget ONE document, so we wait another week.

The pattern continues. Sure, we have definitely been frustrated throughout but we are starting to see things a bit differently. So from now on I will just expect the first time we do something to not be official until we are told differently.

These are the hoops that we have to jump through in order to meet the child that is meant to be our son. We couldn’t be happier or more excited to do the additional work because we know that the timing will be perfect and that everything happens for a reason. That reason being that there is a child out there that is supposed to be matched with US, not anyone else, but US. So we will continue to try and be patient and know that it will all be worth it in the end.

We are being productive while we wait …

Check out our awesome baby gate.

I am responsible…

Josh and I have experienced different reactions when it comes to telling people that we are adopting. Reactions have ranged from genuine excitement, to curious questions, to looks of pity, and all the way to completely rude and inappropriate. We appreciate the excitement and even the curious questions but the others…we would rather they be kept to themselves.

 

We understand that this is not the way most people invision starting their family but we do not questions or judge others choices (obviously) of having biological children. I have actually been quite passive when it comes to stating my opinion and how important it is to help children that do not have parents or anyone to care for them. I am not an opinionated person and I respect peoples choices but I recently finished reading Kisses From Katie and could not ignore this.

“The truth is that 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitues, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children. And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8 percent of the Christians would care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left.

This is the Truth. I have the freedom to believe it. The freedom, the opportunity to do something about it. The truth is that He loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible.”

 

I am responsible.

 

This is the reality. We know adoption is not for everyone but there are other ways to help these children. We encourage you to give as much as you can, love as much as you can and challenge other people to do the same.

First impressions

 

For our Dossier that we will be sending to Kenya, one of the things that they ask for are “3 pictures of you in and around your home.” This is not a very clear instruction and because we have no real idea of what they are looking for, we just tried our best.  It was a nerve racking task, based solely on the fact that these pictures are the only first impression that we get before they make a decision as to whether we can adopt from Kenya. Based on these pictures and the information provided, we will be best matched with a child. So, here are the three pictures that we sent. Did we make a good first impression?

 

 

 

 

 

We Can’t Wait To Meet You

 

Growing Our Family, Thru Growth Charts

The other day I had asked Josh if he would help me with a DIY growth chart project to have when our little one gets home. He agreed and we got to work. We then talked about the possibility of selling them to put towards the adoption.

So here you have it. These are the two different kinds of growth charts we will be making! We are asking $50 for them. If you are interested in buying one, awesome! Money will be supporting our journey.

Out of Our Hands

Today is the day. I am standing in line ready to mail our dossier package to MOT. Kirstin texted me specific instructions telling me I need to remember to keep the receipt. I guess she will be tracking the package.

Kirstin said this morning, “it’s now out of our hands”.

We laughed because she was honest in saying that she never knew this about herself until the adoption process, but she likes to be in control.

As we lose control, we are excited and will be anticipating every step left.