I feel that this baby girl is coming soon. My maternal instincts kick in as I prepare her room and get ready to travel. All of sudden I have these urges to finish everything up, prepare, get ready.............. Nesting!
So, I have been cleaning up the house and organizing. Gathering things around the house to set aside for the trip.
I have found some great used books for $.01 - yeah. Books on Adoption for Brian and I referred by many fellow adoptive parents and Children's books on adoption.
I always like to read the reviews of books before I buy. I like to see each persons perspective of the book before I choose a book. I learn something every time I read these views. I get another persons perspective on the book whether it be good or bad. Often times it is an adoptee reviewing the book from their personal perspective. I want to be sensitive to all of these things and I cant be sensitive if I am not aware. Thankful for reviews.
We are in the Last Trimester and patiently waiting for the next step.
Dear God - I thank you and praise you for all your many blessings and for this wonderful life. I would like to lift up our sweet girl to you. Please cover her with your love and keep her safe until her family comes to get her. Continue to prepare our hearts and minds for this journey. Thank you. In Jesus Name - Amen.
Love,
Traci
XOXO
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Text to Donate Day for Our Girl
Don't forget, Sunday, November 10th (all day long) is the Text to Donate day for Our Girl.
Text "Wish" to 80077 and confirm with "YES" for it to be sent. Thank you so very much!
Text "Wish" to 80077 and confirm with "YES" for it to be sent. Thank you so very much!
Friday, November 8, 2013
Our Girl's Birthday
Yes, today we celebrate Our Girl's 3rd birthday miles apart. I am so happy that God willing we will not miss another.
I wonder if her birth mother thinks of her each year around this time?
When I asked if I could have a birthday cake sent to her - they said that her orphanage did not allow it. Apparently some do. They choose to celebrate all the kids birthdays for the month at one time on one day. This is very understandable with so many kids.
Dear Lord,
I pray for this precious girl, that you will keep her safe and healthy until we get there. Please protect the people of China as this storm is about to make it's way to the area. We know only you know the plan. Amen.
Love,
Traci XOXO
I wonder if her birth mother thinks of her each year around this time?
When I asked if I could have a birthday cake sent to her - they said that her orphanage did not allow it. Apparently some do. They choose to celebrate all the kids birthdays for the month at one time on one day. This is very understandable with so many kids.
Dear Lord,
I pray for this precious girl, that you will keep her safe and healthy until we get there. Please protect the people of China as this storm is about to make it's way to the area. We know only you know the plan. Amen.
Love,
Traci XOXO
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The many hands it takes for One Adoption
I was reading some of our paper work that we received from our agency further explaining the remaining steps of our adoption process. I was wore out in thinking about the number of people and steps that it takes to facilitate one single adoption. No wonder it takes so long and it is so expensive.
First, there are people that approve and review your application and get you started in the process. Then you order all the appropriate documents and someone prepares your marriage and birth certificates for the states where you were born and married. You gather more documents, go to doctors appointments where you involve even more people (doctors, nurses etc.) in the process. A social worker comes to the home for the homestudy. All documents are sent away (you might have to have a courier person hand deliver these documents) to have someone certify and authenticate those documents (this is probably a few different people). Those documents go back to your agency for review. The reviewed documents go to China to be logged in their system. Hard telling how many hands the documents have to go through to finally get to the Letter of Acceptance of your matched child (many involved in the match of your child). Paperwork is sent off so that the child can come to the United States and become a US Citizen. Then China gives you travel approval and all of the travel arrangements (the agency, in China representatives, travel agency etc. are all involved in this process) are made flights, hotels etc.... Appointments for your newly adopted child are made and I am sure much coordinating from the orphanage as well to make sure that all documentation and appropriate records are made so that the child can be adopted. And the nannies and foster care family that has cared for the child in the waiting process....
I am sure I am missing many steps and hands that might be involved ..... but I can already see that there are several people involved...........Oh and I will not forget about the family and friends that I have involved and reached out to for support............
WOW! I can really see how many people will have at some point touched the process that we are going through and how many hands it takes to make this miraculous act happen. I am amazed and in aw.
Instead of being upset at the length and the expense of the process - I have a much clearer understanding of why the fees might be rather expensive. And why the wait so long.....Over the course of a year the number of people and acts that it has taken to achieve this process........ Imagine the many adoptions being conducted at this time. Our agency conducts 30 to 50 per month. This is a whole lot of papers and processing that I am simply amazed by.
I just simply wish that the process was more simple and that more children could be adopted and that more would not be afraid of this amazing process that is facilitated by so many.
I am so thankful for those that have chosen a career that in some way has an impact or lays hands on the adoption process. Oh what a feeling that must be.
Of course, I still want my daughter home as soon as possible in environment where she receives regular - Love, family, care, food, shelter, heat/air conditioning, clothed, medical needs met as well as education and extracurricular activities. A childhood with birthdays and holidays to celebrate... family trips......... and on and on.... But I have a whole New Appreciation Today! I am so very grateful for the many Hands. Those that are the Hands and Feet of Jesus!
Please continue to pray over our process. We are waiting for this Last Paper that will signal us that travel to get our girl will be with in 10-14 weeks.
Please pray for our girls health. She seems to have lost a couple of pounds as of the end of October and we were informed that there has been scabies out breaks. Breaks this mama's Heart. :(
NO one will care for Her and Love her the way we Will.
Amen!
Praise be to God!
Love,
Traci
XOXO
First, there are people that approve and review your application and get you started in the process. Then you order all the appropriate documents and someone prepares your marriage and birth certificates for the states where you were born and married. You gather more documents, go to doctors appointments where you involve even more people (doctors, nurses etc.) in the process. A social worker comes to the home for the homestudy. All documents are sent away (you might have to have a courier person hand deliver these documents) to have someone certify and authenticate those documents (this is probably a few different people). Those documents go back to your agency for review. The reviewed documents go to China to be logged in their system. Hard telling how many hands the documents have to go through to finally get to the Letter of Acceptance of your matched child (many involved in the match of your child). Paperwork is sent off so that the child can come to the United States and become a US Citizen. Then China gives you travel approval and all of the travel arrangements (the agency, in China representatives, travel agency etc. are all involved in this process) are made flights, hotels etc.... Appointments for your newly adopted child are made and I am sure much coordinating from the orphanage as well to make sure that all documentation and appropriate records are made so that the child can be adopted. And the nannies and foster care family that has cared for the child in the waiting process....
I am sure I am missing many steps and hands that might be involved ..... but I can already see that there are several people involved...........Oh and I will not forget about the family and friends that I have involved and reached out to for support............
WOW! I can really see how many people will have at some point touched the process that we are going through and how many hands it takes to make this miraculous act happen. I am amazed and in aw.
Instead of being upset at the length and the expense of the process - I have a much clearer understanding of why the fees might be rather expensive. And why the wait so long.....Over the course of a year the number of people and acts that it has taken to achieve this process........ Imagine the many adoptions being conducted at this time. Our agency conducts 30 to 50 per month. This is a whole lot of papers and processing that I am simply amazed by.
I just simply wish that the process was more simple and that more children could be adopted and that more would not be afraid of this amazing process that is facilitated by so many.
I am so thankful for those that have chosen a career that in some way has an impact or lays hands on the adoption process. Oh what a feeling that must be.
Of course, I still want my daughter home as soon as possible in environment where she receives regular - Love, family, care, food, shelter, heat/air conditioning, clothed, medical needs met as well as education and extracurricular activities. A childhood with birthdays and holidays to celebrate... family trips......... and on and on.... But I have a whole New Appreciation Today! I am so very grateful for the many Hands. Those that are the Hands and Feet of Jesus!
Please continue to pray over our process. We are waiting for this Last Paper that will signal us that travel to get our girl will be with in 10-14 weeks.
Please pray for our girls health. She seems to have lost a couple of pounds as of the end of October and we were informed that there has been scabies out breaks. Breaks this mama's Heart. :(
NO one will care for Her and Love her the way we Will.
Amen!
Praise be to God!
Love,
Traci
XOXO
Monday, October 28, 2013
Text to Donate Day to Bring Home Our Girl
The weekend of Nov. 8th we will be celebrating Alivia Grace's 3rd Birthday. We really thought we would have her in our Arms by now. But we are still patiently waiting as God prepares us and we know he has a plan.
In honor of Our Girls Birthday we were given the opportunity to raise funds via a "Text to Donate Day" on Sunday, Nov. 10th all day. Mark your calendar for this event. We will be trying to raise the Orphanage Fee of $5,000. This is the Best Birthday Gift we could give this little girl at this time. This money is given to the Orphanage to pay for what our daughter has used in their care up to this point as well as to help provide for those left behind with care, food, shelter, some medical care etc.
Here's how it works...
On
OUR Text-to-Donate day (November 10th), tell all your friends and family to text
"WISH" to 80077 to donate $5 to Bring Home Our Girl (see example below). The more people you tell and share this with the more we can raise. If a little over 300 people donate $15 (Text "Wish" 3 times - follow the rules and process below three times), We would meet our Goal. What a Blessing!
Technical
Information....
• Mobile donors will have a $5
charge from mGive, the provider of the service on their phone bill.
• A mobile donation will NOT be
processed if the mobile user does not confirm "YES" to the agreed $5
charge. A majority of the donors do not do this.
• If a mobile user has block extra
usage charges, the text response will return as "FAIL". Many parents
block their kids phones to stop unwanted charges.
• A maximum of 5 mobile donations
can be made per month.
• Pay-as-you-go mobile phones and
international phones will not work on the system.
• Donation period runs from 12am
(MST) to 11:59pm (MST). 24 hours are required for the donation system to
calculate the totals.
• Disclaimer: Charges will appear on
your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases
must be authorized by account holder. Must be 18 years of age or have parental
permission to participate. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 80077
to STOP. Text HELP to 80077 for HELP. Full Terms: mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy
MARK YOUR CALENDER FOR NOVEMBER 10TH
This is a Sample - Make sure you follow up with "Yes" to confirm
Thursday, October 24, 2013
LID
Yippy - Big Accomplishment -
LID
Wooohoooo
On to the Next Thing.......
We are to download our next assignment this evening........... (small celebration and moving on)
Thank you so much for all the prayers.... We greatly appreciate it!
Love,
Traci
and
Family
XOXO
LID
Wooohoooo
On to the Next Thing.......
We are to download our next assignment this evening........... (small celebration and moving on)
Thank you so much for all the prayers.... We greatly appreciate it!
Love,
Traci
and
Family
XOXO
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Bring Home Our Girl
Good news! Our Dossier is complete and will be off to China to become Logged in. Another big step about complete - Yeah - Seeing light......
On another note:
We are so excited that we have been given the opportunity to raise funds for our girl through Wish Upon a Hero. Our goal is to raise funds specifically for her orphanage fee. The orphanage fee is seperate from the adoption agency and travel expences as it is $5000 that goes towards her care in orphanage/foster care and for those left behind to continue running facilities, to provide food and shelter, clothing etc. as well as what she has used in the almost three years she has been in their care.
We need your help. We need 200 likes on our adoption fan page to be eligible for this fundraising opportunity through "Wish Upon A Hero" text to wish program. Please help us gain "Likes".
Giving us a "like" would be great and very helpful.
Like the page Bring Home Our Girl to help us get to our goal of 200 likes. Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Home-Our-Girl/414679215311708
We thank you so very much.
On another note -----
I am so proud of my husband:
Earlier this week Brian was in a business meeting getting to know colleagues. Someone asked Brian how many children he had and he replied two boys and their ages and we are adopting our little girl from China. The colleague replied wow, do you know the statistics about adoption. You should read XYZ book and learn about those statistics. Brian replied to the gentleman that his father (Brian's Father) was adopted as an eight year old boy and if someone did not step up and show him love and a family - I might not be here today. The gentleman colleague stumbled to find words and continuely apologized to Brian for what he said. Just goes to show you how unknowledgeable people are about adoption and they only want to hear or see the bad in it. Really??
The statements and reaction that we get about our adoption process are all different from very supportive to why China? With which we reply there are children all over the world that need adopting. This was God's calling for us. Or the why not just have one of your own or why now? With which I reply there is no good or perfect time to adopt or have a child and we can not wait till we are perfect parents with a perfect life --- it would never ever happen if that was the case. We are to be obedient to God's calling even when it might not be convenient for us. This is a difficult concept for many who do not understand the biblical teachings. As it comes from sacrifice to do for the good of God and Not just what's good for Yourself.
Many can not fathom How much I would fight for a child that is very much mine - that I have never met though or know. It is something I can not explain........
Please continue to pray over this process.
We thank you so very much -
Love and Hugs
On another note:
We are so excited that we have been given the opportunity to raise funds for our girl through Wish Upon a Hero. Our goal is to raise funds specifically for her orphanage fee. The orphanage fee is seperate from the adoption agency and travel expences as it is $5000 that goes towards her care in orphanage/foster care and for those left behind to continue running facilities, to provide food and shelter, clothing etc. as well as what she has used in the almost three years she has been in their care.
We need your help. We need 200 likes on our adoption fan page to be eligible for this fundraising opportunity through "Wish Upon A Hero" text to wish program. Please help us gain "Likes".
Giving us a "like" would be great and very helpful.
Like the page Bring Home Our Girl to help us get to our goal of 200 likes. Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Home-Our-Girl/414679215311708
We thank you so very much.
On another note -----
I am so proud of my husband:
Earlier this week Brian was in a business meeting getting to know colleagues. Someone asked Brian how many children he had and he replied two boys and their ages and we are adopting our little girl from China. The colleague replied wow, do you know the statistics about adoption. You should read XYZ book and learn about those statistics. Brian replied to the gentleman that his father (Brian's Father) was adopted as an eight year old boy and if someone did not step up and show him love and a family - I might not be here today. The gentleman colleague stumbled to find words and continuely apologized to Brian for what he said. Just goes to show you how unknowledgeable people are about adoption and they only want to hear or see the bad in it. Really??
The statements and reaction that we get about our adoption process are all different from very supportive to why China? With which we reply there are children all over the world that need adopting. This was God's calling for us. Or the why not just have one of your own or why now? With which I reply there is no good or perfect time to adopt or have a child and we can not wait till we are perfect parents with a perfect life --- it would never ever happen if that was the case. We are to be obedient to God's calling even when it might not be convenient for us. This is a difficult concept for many who do not understand the biblical teachings. As it comes from sacrifice to do for the good of God and Not just what's good for Yourself.
Many can not fathom How much I would fight for a child that is very much mine - that I have never met though or know. It is something I can not explain........
Please continue to pray over this process.
We thank you so very much -
Love and Hugs
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