Tap, Tap, Tap

Jeremy receives "Daily Gems" in his e-mail inbox every day at work.  They are little spiritual quotes.  Sometimes he forwards them to me if he thinks it something I might like.  Today he sent me one and wrote at the top,  "I really like this one.  It seems to have happened to us with Anna!"

“We must know and realize that, just as Winston Churchill said in a critical hour during World War II, ‘to every man [and woman] there comes . . . that special moment when [they are] figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to [them].’ ”

Elaine S. Dalton

Tap, tap tap.  That's what I felt for months last year.  Actually, at the time I thought of it as more of a nag, nag, nag because I wanted so badly to ignore it.  I had my hands so full with a new baby and four other kiddos.  But it wasn't going away.  I have learned now that those nudges were coming from someone who knows much more than I do.  Someone who knows ME and my family better than I do. Someone who knows that I have gifts yet to develop. Someone who has children all over His world whom He loves, and who chooses people to act as His hands in bringing love to the ones who would otherwise be all but forgotten about until they die.

So that was what my tap, tap was all about.  This I know more and more every day as I witness miracles unfolding to make it all possible financially, emotionally and spiritually.  We have come a long way in the past few months.

Is the Lord tapping you on the shoulder?  What special thing unique to you, are you being offered the chance to do?  You'll never know unless you move forward.  We shouldn't let *fear* keep us from doing the things that will ultimately bring us the most joy! There's my thought for the week. :)

USCIS Appointment

Today was the long-awaited USCIS fingerprinting appointment.  This was an important appointment!  It's the last step in our petition to the US Government to adopt a foreign child (besides getting Anna's Visa before we come home with her.)  Once we receive our approval and they send us the "Golden Ticket" otherwise known as the I-700H, and we get our FBI clearance (required by Anna's country,) then we will have everything required for our dossier.  We are supposed to have the dossier done around the time we travel the first time, which should be in September.

The fingerprinting was done in a little office in Taylorsville, near SLC.  After all these weeks waiting for this appointment, it sure was quick and anticlimactic!  If we would have known how quiet it is there at 9:00 am, we would have gone a few weeks ago at that time, and I'll bet they would have taken us!  There were only a couple of people--no lines! 

They use a computer to record your fingerprints.  A few of mine were too worn and it said "rejected" on the computer.  The technician tried several times and it never accepted my poor worn-out fingerprints. So it's likely that they will have me come in a 2nd time to have them redone.  Oooo...I sure hope not...it could delay our approval by a few weeks.  Please, please USCIS people, accept my worn-out fingerprints!!  You know, it's only because I'm a mama, right? That's how they got that way. ;)

Humbled and Grateful

A few months ago, I joined an e-mail group that is for LDS families who have, or are currently in the process of adopting internationally.  I checked it a few times, then forgot about it for a while. One day I was inspired to jump on the site and post a question on it about adopting from the country where Anna is from.  While  I was on the site, I found an entry from a woman named Sharon:

Hello everyone,
Just a quick update on Golden Dawn Adoption Assistance. We have given
5 grants so far. We have just sold 7 puppies and have funds for at
least 2 grants. If you are adopting a child with special needs or
know of a family adopting a child with special needs who need some
financial assistance check out our web site www.goldendawnaa.org
All the best to each of you,
Sharon

I decided I'd give it a try.  I filled out the paperwork, got the letters I needed from our bishop and adoption agency, and sent it in with a prayer. 

I have to tell you the story of Golden Dawn. Sharon's family adopted a little girl named Kari Dawn from Vietnam in 1999.  She was diagnosed with Autism.  At the age of four, little Kari died tragically in an accident.  Sharon said on the e-mail group that  ever since her daughters could talk, they have prayed for all the children in the world who need homes.When Kari died they knew they wanted to do something in her memory.

One night, Sharon was watching a TV show with Golden Retrievers and she had a feeling they should get one. So they did, and soon after, it came to her that they could sell puppies and give the money to families who are adopting children with special needs. That's when Golden Dawn was born, in 2008. She said that they ask God to help them find families who can use help funding their adoptions and that they believe that families have been led to them. She said that their dog, Tilli's last batch of puppies were recently sold at a good price and that she had a feeling that Heavenly Father had a family (or families) for them to help..

She was right.

One of those families was us.  And last night, her board voted, deciding that our family would receive the $2000 grant that we applied for.  As soon as our USCIS approval comes and we get ready to travel, they will pay our agency the money, making our financial obligation to them $2000 less.  What a blessing!

What touches me most is the kindness of this family, who could easily buy some nice living room furniture, go on a fun vacation or build up a college fund with this money.  But they want to make a difference, and this is their way of doing it.  They have approved 5 or 6 grants now, totaling around $10,000.

Thank you, Sharon, Golden Dawn and of course, thank you, Tilli.  I would love it if our next adoption is of one of your gorgeous little puppies, so that we will have a living reminder of what you have given to help us bring Anna home.  (Just gotta talk the husband into it and install an invisible fence in the back yard..  No biggie, right?)  I've inherited my mother's love of dogs.  Now I have one more reason to love them!

Thanks, Doc!

Our health insurance requires us to pay a whopping $35 co-pay for office visits, so it cost us $245 for all of us to have our physicals that were required for the dossier. After we all went in, I found out that we should have waited until right before we send in the court dossier (probably end of August or so) because the kids' physicals have to be less than 3 months old when we go to court.  (Like they are going to get a major communicable disease in that amount of time, people.  I mean, come on!)  Anyway, I was a bit dismayed to think about paying all that money out again. 

Luckily, our doctor graciously offered to have us bring everyone in free of charge to do update physicals when the time comes.  That is so nice of her. 

Incidentally, Jeremy and I don't have to update our physicals here because we "get" to have another physical and blood draw while we are in country, with THEIR doctors.  Apparently they don't trust ours or something.  It's only $600.  No biggie.

Thank you, doctor Farley-Jones! May you be blessed for your generosity. Not that she'll ever read this. But I have to say thanks anyway!

Keeping it Real

This adoption is surreal.  I have to pinch myself many days because it feels like I'm in a dream.  Are we really going to travel half way around the world in a few months and scoop up this little girl and bring her home?  Are we really going to be responsible for her forever and ever? Really?  I know. It's so "out there."  I mean, how often does a couple with five biological children adopt?  Not very often.

If it weren't for the incredible peace that the Lord sends us every time we pray about Anna and look at her pictures, it would seem just as crazy to us as it does to most people, I'm sure.

I'll tell you what, though. Our eleven year old daughter doesn't need to pray to know that Anna is her sister. She has known from day one. Not only does she know that she's her sister, but she knows what Anna is going to mean in her life because of her Down Syndrome.  

Sadie now has a radar that finds people with Down Syndrome wherever we go.  At the pool: "MOM! Did you see that little boy with DS in the locker room?  Wasn't he SOO cute?  Did you talk to his mom?" 

When we're shopping, she wants me to tell the store clerk about Anna.  When I'm chatting with people in the neighborhood, she nudges me because she wants me to  make sure that they know that we are adopting.  There's nothing scary or out-of-the ordinary about  adopting a child with special needs, if you ask Sadie.  It's as normal as a bowl of Cheerios before school.  And she's not a little five-year-old.  She's eleven!

She knows how I struggle with this all being "real."  The other day, I came home after being gone for a few hours and found this.  She had pulled up Anna's picture on the computer and printed two copies and hung them up.

One by my desk

and one on the fridge.

Thanks, Sadie. What would I do without you?  You help to make this more real for me.  I need this right now while we wait to meet Anna and hold her in our arms.  You know what's so cool?  If God is willing, Anna is going to soon experience the love of a real sister.  Can you imagine that?  Incredible.

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

For all of us mothers that have been stretched every which way today, here is a short video message from one of our church's apostles. This will boost your spirits and remind you how much God loves you for what you do.

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Beginning of a Journey

My talented photographer sister, Jen took this picture of us a few weeks ago at a family reunion.  When she posted it on our family website, she titled it "Beginning of a Journey."  It made me smile. Here's my little metaphore to go with this photo. Right now, we are paddling with all our strength, gliding on top of the water that brings us to a place we've never been. Sometimes we're relaxed and at peace, and other times we're stressed, uncertain of the unknown challenges that lie ahead.  It's the beginning of a journey, indeed.