A Little Retail Therapy :)

My day started at 6 am.  I got ready and took Unique to a follow up for some allergic skin reaction that she had.  She is doing well and it should be all clear soon.  I then went to Walmart and picked up a few things.  By 8 am I was already fed up with all the waiting that I am doing with waiting for a date to hold my little boy.  I've determined that I should NOT get up so early, because it just causes me to be fed up earlier.  lol

I decided to do all my contacting of those who are driving me crazy early.  I've sent an email to Cody's worker BEGGING her to help us get him home quickly.  I've called the IRS taxpayer advocate and spoke with him.  I've called USCIS and found out we still have no officer for our international adoption.  I emailed one of the Senators that I sent a request to help for to once again request help. 

I received some cute pictures of Cody.  His therapists took him out to Build A Bear and the Nestle shop as a going away thing.  So sweet!  Now we just need a date for him to 'go away'!  He also received his package from us and his foster mother took a picture of him enjoying his sticker book.  I love pictures because they give me hope.  At the same time - HE IS SO CUTE, so I only want to hold him more.  I'm very thankful for the pictures though. 

I decided as "retail therapy" I would try and find matching outfits for he and Julianne.  I wanted something they could both wear to his first church service.  I found what I wanted and I'm so excited.  :)

Cody's Outfit  :)

Julianne's Outfit :)

Here is a link to Zulily if you'd like to find some really cool stuff.  I just recently found the site via a friend and I'm pretty impressed with their ever changing stock and large variety of styles and brands.  There are new brands every day and each sale only lasts for 3 days.  http://www.zulily.com/invite/aunroe517

It's almost time to get this crew ready and head for my Aunt's house for a cookout and fun.  I am already tired! 



So Tired of Waiting

I am so tired of waiting to hear about when I can hold my little boy.  We really thought he'd be home in June, but June is almost over.  We've heard nothing.  I've still never spoke to or received an email from his adoption worker.  Maybe she always handles her cases this way, but I have never ever had an adoption with no contact with the child's worker.  I really need to have information.  I can wait so much better if I know what is going on.  As things are I really might be going to lose my mind.  Each day I wake up and check email off and on all day.  I wait for a phone call.  I pray that whoever is the hold up will do whatever it is that needs done.  I pray that they will imagine how they would feel if they were on this side.  I mean good grief, if I didn't love him and want to spend "forever" with him then we wouldn't be a good "forever family". 

Please pray that we will have him here with us soon.  Pray for his adjustment period.  Pray for the foster parents who have been taking care of him since before he even stole my heart.  Pray for his worker and anyone else involved with his case.  Pray for me as I wait.

June?

Cody's worker told our worker a week or two ago that we'd hear something soon.  I am trying to wait patient. . . . They said he would almost certainly be home in "June".  Each day that ticks by without travel news makes me so nervous.  I don't guess I can believe "June" is the month until I hold him in my arms. 

We sent his hat and I got a picture of him wearing his "Ohio" hat today.  His bright red curls make me smile.  His smile is huge and his eyes are so mischievous.  :)  I really hope to hold my little guy soon. 

I'd really appreciate lots of prayers to go up for a travel date.  I'm so ready to have him in "New Hio" with us. 

I'm Excited about what I Found for Cody

Some days I just have to revel in the little things.  Today I found a hat for Cody that said "Ohio" on the front.  Its just a simple ball cap.  I am just excited because he talks about coming to "Hio", so I thought it would be something to send him.  :) 

I'm hoping that Brent can make it to the post office for me tomorrow.  This week has been extra busy.  We went to get our fingerprints done for the international adoption on Monday and then drove extra to go to the zoo.  Brent normally goes to the post office for me on Tuesdays, but I had to go to a different doctor in hopes of getting a doctor to sign off on my medical stuff for our dossier.  (Still ticks me off that I can't have our medical provider do it.  Anita is the best and who cares if her signature says CNP instead of MD!)  Today I had to make a trip to the eye doctor, so Brent came home to sit with the kids.  My eyes are so dry that it feels like my eye lids are sticking to my eye balls.  (I know YUCK!)  I can't figure out if they are worse because of all the antihistamines it takes to survive allergy season or if it is because of all the tears I've cried over our adoption processes and wanting to hold my babies. 

Oh, I just remembered that I have stuff to send him from the zoo too.  lol  I guess the Ohio hat will probably wait until the next time.  Maybe I can send it when we have a DATE for him to come to Ohio.  :) 

Dayton also picked him up something from the AWANA store.  Dayton wasn't going to get anything at all until I told him that he could pick out something for Cody.  I may wait until next week on it too though.  I think he was wanting to write something to send with it. 

I need to fall into bed.  It would be so much easier to go to bed, if I could go check on all 5 of my children who only live in my heart and not my house right now.  I'm sure Cody is fine, though I'm not sure about the 4 in Eastern Europe.  Still, it is so much more peaceful when the children are within reach.

Worse than Having 12 Kids in a Tornado Warning

We had a tornado warning here a few weeks ago.  We also had a tornado warning to wait through on our way home from the zoo on Monday.  They were a little unnerving.  The kids always do good, but I hate to think they are even a little scared.  I really just don't like tornado warnings.

Tonight I was reminded that there is something worse than keeping 12 kids corralled during a tornado warning.

What is worse is having my little boy so far away and know that he has a tornado warning.  So really worse than having to go through a tornado warning WITH 12 kids, is having a tornado warning where my child is WITHOUT me.  There was no way to know what the situation was there.  There was no way to know when it was officially over.  I couldn't look outside to see what the conditions were.

So I did what I could.  I stayed glued to the weather channel.  I watched it while my heart beat out of my chest.  I watched while I prayed that God would keep him safe.  Then I prayed for his foster mother who wasn't home and the little one that she is staying in the hospital right now. 

When I got done praying about the tornado and storms, I resumed my constant prayer.  GOD, PLEASE LET MY LITTLE BOY COME HOME SOON.  PLEASE LET ME HOLD HIM.  PLEASE LET ME TUCK HIM IN.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE HE IS ALL THE TIME AND WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND HIM.  LORD JESUS, PLEASE BRING MY LITTLE GUY HOME INTO MY ARMS. 

This part of adoption is like if you gave birth and then they sent the child somewhere else for months.  You love the baby, but you don't know when you will get to express that to your child.  No one tells you anything about the "end" of waiting.  You just hold on knowing that God has a plan. 

So if you read this and you don't understand how I feel, just imagine if your child was in the situation and so were you.  Quit thinking about the child as if they aren't mine yet.  I know that is hard for parents who haven't adopted to understand.  It is just the truth.  In my heart he is just as mine as the child you gave birth to is your child.  You wouldn't love your child less if someone else got to pick their name or if they were in TX right now.  You would love them with your whole heart because that is what God made you to do.  God made me to love Cody (and the rest of my crew!) and I do love him so very much. 

My Sweet Cody

I was able to talk to Cody and his foster mother on Saturday.  Hearing his sweet voice always gets me teary, but in a good way.  You could tell that his foster mother is doing a good job getting him ready for the transition.  I had sent a bunch of pictures that she requested to her via email that day.  He had looked at them and was talking about the "toys" and the "climber".  He wants to climb on it, but wants us to make sure he won't fall.  When I told the kids later, they nearly fought over who would make sure he didn't fall.  lol  (I love this crew and how much they love their siblings before they ever arrive home!)

My favorite part of the conversation was when I told him that I loved him bunches.  It was the very first time that he said "I love you bunches too Mama".  :)  I'm sure he doesn't even half understand how much I love him yet.  I can't wait till he gets here and I can give him a little better idea though.  :) 

I also received mail from him today.  He had taken foam letters and made his name and new last name on a piece of paper.  He had colored on the paper a bit too.  To say that the mail made my day today would be an understatement.  I think I was like a little kid getting mail.  lol

I'm so thankful that ICPC is done and things are rolling again.  We appreciate all prayers that everything else continues to go well.  Also pray for Cody.  His foster parents have done a great job of preparing him so far.  Even at that, he is only 4 years old and can't possibly fully comprehend what is really about to take place in his little life.  He's been with these foster parents for a long time.  Most of our kids came from places where they weren't very well taken care of, had been moved around a lot, or just weren't that loved.  The fact he has been loved and cared for in the same foster home for so long is a wonderful thing.  It means he will be able to understand the workings of a family much easier, trust adults much better, and transfer his attachment to us.  On the other hand, it means that he will have a greater loss as well.  Pray that God prepares his little heart and helps his foster parents as they will miss him greatly too.   Also pray that however the social worker sets up the actual move is just right for him.  I don't want him to feel kidnapped or hurt by it. 

I'm waiting here to hold him and he'll adjust fine.  He'll come to know that we are his "forever" family.  He'll come to understand all the new family roles.  Most of all, he will come to know that we are all one great big family who adores him and thanks God daily for him.  :)  In the meantime, pray for everything to go smoothly. 

Well We got our ICPC Approval

We got it on Wednesday!  :)  (I would've posted sooner, but there were blog issues yesterday)

That means that Cody is going to make it home very soon.  I expect that he will arrive home in June.  June will actually make a full year of working on his adoption.  That is very frustrating and our government should do so much better than that.  I am going to be positive though, so I can't talk about it.  lol

I did find out that Cody has a whole routine for opening the packages we send him each week.  First, he checks for his name.  (A boy has to make sure it is HIS package!)  Then he looks on the inside of the card for his name.  Then he looks inside to see what we sent him in the package.  I have to say that it is rare to find a child who is interested in the card first! 

I also found out that he is extremely interested in reading.  This excites me lots!  I love teaching children to reading and watching the excitement on their faces when they  "get it".  He recognizes the names of the other 9 children in his classroom now.  He is so interested that his teacher (at a special needs preschool!) is going to start teaching him some sight words.  I am loving his smart little self pushing them to all see his brains instead of his cerebral palsy!

I went shopping today to get some educational fun stuff to send my little guy.  I got him some flash cards.  I am also sending some educational sticker books.  The foster mother specifically requested some pages for him to trace.  I decided on a whole book.  :)  I can't wait till he sees on the fun educational things that await him when he gets home.  I'll send those things now, but when he gets home he'll hit the jack pot.  I homeschool and my favorite part of our new addition to our home is the huge closet that I get to organize my learning supplies in.  Even with that I've had to spill over into some other places for my supplies.  :) 

Ok, so here is my happy post.  The very happy post will come soon about him coming home.  I'm just sure of it! 

Destiny also turned 8 today.  I hope to blog about that tomorrow, if the children allow me to have time.  :)

PRAISE THE LORD FOR THE BLESSING OF THE ICPC APPROVAL AND CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR A QUICK USCIS PROCESS FOR OUR EASTERN EUROPEAN LOVES!