The Blog is Back

So we have been MIA from the blog world.  We have decided to recommit to the blog and updating a little more frequently.  Being in a pilot process has really challenged our resolve and our faith.  We are still committed to the DRC and our agency.  We really feel as we have been led to this place and that we are in the right place and in the right time.  We are planning a series of posts about what led us to Congo and adoption in general.  Talking things out really helps to process about what is going on.  So for today just an update on the process thus far.  We finished our home study in January and submitted our dossier to our agency.  We filed our I-600a to USCIS and got our fingerprints done.  We received our I797-c approval on March 23.  Since then we have been waiting.  We are now on month 7 waiting for a referral.  More to come, but that is where we are.

This picture is one of our favorite family photos.  Our friend Ellen, of Ellen Joy Photography, took it.  If you live near Indianapolis you should check her out.  She does fabulous work.

Till next time, Renee

There's Something Wrong Here

It has been going on for a couple of years now and I just don't know what to do about it.  I have tried bribery and every method I can think of but Sean will not eat ice cream.

Recently however we thought that there was hope.  He wanted us all to have desert together so we jumped in the truck and headed straight to get ice cream.

       

This looks great and I think that we have finally turned a corner until the dreaded my tummy is all full.

Sorry kid I just don't believe you and I have the picture to prove it.  The picture below (approximately 2 years ago) shows a typical breakfast except that he almost always asks for more.  Because he is always hungry!!!

 

He was however willing to let me scrape off the ice cream and try to eat the cone part because that just seemed cool.  

As you can see that this did not work out well either.  I will just have to keep trying.  Oh and thank you mom for the curse of having a child just like me.

(only my food issues are much less than everyone else except in the area of deserts, but I love ice cream)

  It keeps getting better every day.

On the adoption home front:  Our home study has been approved by our agency and we have sent in our application to the government.  It will take approximately 3 months for the government to approve us.  In the mean time our attorney in the Congo will  be working on matching us with our children.  This process will take about 6 months.  So after this brief flurry of activity we now begin waiting.

Happy New Year (at least it's still January)

We have been very busy over the holiday season.  We had a great Christmas and decided that what was one more thing? 

So we scheduled our home study over the Christmas break.  We have now finished up our meetings and are just waiting on the final draft.  We will then send the draft on to get our government approval. 

There is nothing quite like inviting a perfect stranger into your house to evaluate your home and your parenting abilities.  Our house has not been that clean in quite a while.  Glen used it as great excuse to really straighten up since we haven't had any visitors in a while.  (Derby season is around the corner and we are ready for visitors)  We survived and I think that since this is the first thing that Sean was able to participate in, he was very excited.

The next steps for us are to get our approval to adopt a child and wait for a referral. So after a flurry of activity we will now start our waiting.  We continue to read and prepare. 

Merry CHRISTmas

If you haven't heard.  Renee entered my Christmas lights into a local radio contest sponsored by an electric repairman.  Top prize is a $1000.

Renee convinced me its more about networking and marketing and we rallied all of our friends, daily pestering on facebook and me getting everyone at work voting everyday.  We ended up winning and have already it the adoption fund!!!  Thanks to everyone who helped vote and spread the word!

We're really excited about Christmas and getting going in our journey.  We have our first home study interview next week.  Finally have all the paperwork in.  Feel like I'm being vetted to get into the FBI or CIA or something, but well worth the process.

For me, its been a huge transition lately.  God has been with us this whole time and we've felt him leading us in the adoption. We've been praying together and with Sean for God to be with us through the adoption process and with any brother or sister for Sean.  Lately though, I've really changed to praying specifically for MY children that are already out there.  It's hard to explain, but its a change to praying for our referral to knowing that my children are waiting for us.  I can't wait to hold them for the first time and hope they somehow know that they're always on my mind.

We want to wish everyone an amazing Christmas with their families!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

May Jesus remain in your minds and hearts!

Glen

Welcome!!!

I assume that if you are here you have heard about our big announcement.  We have begun an adoption from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  We are very excited that you want to follow along on this journey with us.  I will try to update as much as possible with posts on where we are in the process and what we are doing too.

Right now we have been gathering paperwork for our home-study.  There is a lot to do and we are hoping that we can finish in the next couple of weeks.