i could scream...

because I am so excited!!!

Just kidding, I have been screaming. And squealing. And giggling. And definately crying!

This morning I received an email from our wonderful social worker stating that our fingerprints had been cleared! Yes, that's right. We are in the clear. Justin doesn't have to go back. Our homestudy is done!

Hip hip hooray!!!

For the first hour, all I could say between the tears and giggles was "Thank you, sweet Jesus!" This has definately been a struggle. I never would have imagined that we would work on paperwork for over one year! But the Lord is faithful and provides grace and mercy to all -- and has pulled me closer even still to his overflowing heart. God is good! Soo good!

I was on my way to lunch today (I was mostly done crying by then) and thought perhaps a song on the radio would help distract me. In case you were unaware, crying while driving is not the best option. Well, I turn on the radio and there's a song playing (of course) and I listen to the words and it went something like this...

"Because He is a loving and just and merciful God...

and all the children in Africa are His..."

I kid you not! So, there I am, pulling into Double Daves and blubbering all wet faced and sure to embarass my lunch companion. But I didn't care because it's true.

I'm saving my next post, which will be my 50th...for a great entry. Look for some great news sometime next week (I'm guessing).

Yay!!!

P.S. For those not in our blog community, we'll be sending out a letter of sorts to friends and family to let them know the good news. We need a great pic for that...so gimmie some ideas of how to let everyone know. My best idea is matching Tshirts that say "we've been waitlisted"...but I'm not thrilled with it. I need your help!!

one down!

Ok Gang, round one fingerprints: check!

Several of hubband's were rejected but they'll call and make him a new appointment and get that all taken care of --hopefully really soon. I am done.

In the morning I'll call and make new appointments for an updated doctor's visit for each of us for this week.

Our case manager said that I can go ahead and get our dossier mailed in and checked out so that the day our homestudy gets there everything is ready, set, go!

I'm pretty excited.

Also, it's 2:45am and I just got back from the hospital where I met Baby Sophia! She was born just after 1am after taking her sweet time. She is definately one of the pretties just-born babies I've ever seen. Lucky for me she lives right across the street. Lucky for them, I'm awake at middle of the night feedings. Yay for babies!!!

ten days are up!

(Thanks to the Furmans for reminding me to post!)

Ok, we had to reschedule (again) because of some computer malfunctions, but! Tomorrow we are doing fingerprints. Yay for that. I know that this is going to be a bit of a frustrating time for Justin so I'm praying that people are at least nice about it. I never realized it before, but it does kinda stink to have no fingerprints.

To review, our social worker said that this should take us around six weeks. We'll go in for prints tomorrow. Justin's will be denied and we'll have to make two more appointments for him. Apparently the state has to officially deny you twice before they will do a name check even if you've already been cleared by the FBI to be in state law enforcement.

We were also advised to schedule another set of health/doctor appointments because our others are from so early in the process. Our agency rep said it was best for things to be in "fresh ink" so that's one last thing. I figure we'll schedule those in the next few weeks also so that everything will be done at the same time.

The best news is that when we finally get those fingerprints...and we get the new dr. notes...we can turn in our dossier and homestudy and finally...

JOIN THE WAITING LIST!

(Can I get an amen?)

Some more good news is that our friends (and across-the-street-neighbors) went in tonight to start the baby drugs. That's right, even though they stole our baby name, we're thrilled because little Sophia Grace Elam should be here sometime tomorrow! Yay!

See, great news all around!!!

things around here

Tonight I sat with a friend in our nursery-hopeful. She and I talked about paint colors and how strange it will be for a baby to finally be there. It was a good time.

Hubband is currently working a stretch of night shifts (10pm-6am) and I am spliting the time between his schedule and a really late version of a normal schedule. You know, waking at lunch time? We've also been taking turns being sick. Or out of town. Good stuff. Anyway. If only we could get somewhat consistent or routine we could manage.

I really appreciate those of you who are still checking in on me. It's really encouraging and uplifting to hear from you. And I definately need it! I am making a pact, right now (at 3:21 am, and whenever you are reading this) to start the final two steps within 10 days. So please, if you read this, check in with me and keep me accountable to our little one who waits for us. I can't explain it, because for so long I have been so desperate, and yet lately I have felt almost cold towards our journey. I'm not sure if the Lord has been giving me a gracious vacation where other things occupy my mind or what, been it has been strangely far away. The rest has been good but I am ready to go on.

March on!

we're still here

Thanks to those of you who are constantly checking in on me/us. Hubband remains a calm and distracted man, unbothered by the state of our adoption. He's too busy loving his new job to deal with the downer of a crazy wife.

I, on the other hand, am taking my very last final ever this evening. Which means I'll have one fewer distraction to keep my mind off the state of our adoption.

I am feeling better though. I am encouraged to see some travel calls and some referrals. Those are always good news, great news.

I can feel it, we're about to move on.

halt on all progress

I've been in and out of town all this past week. It certainly did not help me feel any better and so I am still sick. When I returned back home, I had a visual stack of emails in my inbox from our new social worker. Let's just say that none of it was good news.

There are several things missing from the homestudy and we'll need to redo so many things. At this point, it's like we've lost the last four months. It's actually like we're starting completely over.

I know that we will have a baby.

It just seems so far away.
And to be honest, it's incredibly hard watching others continue to start after us and pass us, finish paperchasing, climb up waitlists, and accept referrals.
I may need to take a sabatical from the blog community for a while.

Learning to really lean on Him.

done and done

Our homestudy visit was great. She was on time! She was professional! She was personable!
It was great. She said the homestudy would be done hopefully by the end of next week.

In the meantime, our rep from AGCI said that we could send our dossier to be checked out. So yay.

Bummer is that I am miserably ill. So I have a dr appt in an hour. Then tomorrow I have to get another marriage certificate (luckily it's only ten minutes away and no lines!) and get another copy of J's physical health goodness.

I hate being sick.
But I love having progress on adoption!

good feelings

Ok, so referrals for a boy, a girl, and a sibling set.
This is awesome!
Since I found out about all this today, and since today is our new homestudy appointment, I am taking it as a good sign.

Now, if only I had enough time to clean my house like I did the first go around. Oh well. Since I've had a three year old around lately...I know there is no sense in cleaning it today (she is here) and that it really doesn't matter anyway.

But, I really am going to start cleaning now.
Think happy thoughts for us tonight!

resolution, part 1

We finally received some resolution today. Our homestudy cannot be accepted because one of the agencies refused to sign a cooperating agency agreement. The thing I don't understand is why it took a month to decide they wouldn't sign it. Sheesh.

Good news: Because AGCI is so great, they've already selected and contacted another Homestudy Agency to fix our problems. Luckily, I have all the documents needed for the HS from our dossier packet (which I still have all ready to go...minus the HS) so we only have to fill out new autobiographies. We're scheduled to meet next Wednesday. Our new social worker said they can have everything put together about a week after our meeting. I am excited about this because I'm pretty sure that means none of our forms are out of date yet.

I did realize today that we made our first contact with AGCI to get contracts 9 months ago. If you would have asked me then, I would have told you we'd at least have a referral by now, if not travel plans.

I'm trying to look on the bright side. And so far, instead of binge eating, I did some binge shopping. I was already out playing when we got the call from AGCI...and since there was no place to sit but a fitting room, well, I had to have some clothes to try on. The truly exceptional part of this story is that since the Lord already knew what was happening, he had me someplace really affordable. I was able to purchase this fabulous pair of shoes, as well as three (yes three) pairs of pants...all for $8.98 each.

I'm going to go and wear my shoes now because I truly believe they'll help me feel better.

Oh, and about the job. Well, they said I should hear "at the end of next week". Well, that week is now this week...and I think that Thursday should serve as the end...but it's not. Hopefully I'll have some news tomorrow. Pray hard though, because I am realizing just how much I want this job!

until 3p.m. to grow up (links fixed)

Courtesy Michelle's blog (www.mfamilyblog.blogspot.com)
"But these things I plan won't happen right away.
Slowly,
steadily,
surely,
the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow, be patient!
For it will surely take place.
It will not be late by a single day."
Habakkuk 2:3

While it's sometimes hard to agree with God's word, at least you know He's good for it. I'm choosing to take hold of these promises. I'm also trying to choose not to focus on adoption so much. There are plenty of talents I've been given and I need to do something with them.

Today at 3pm (central) I will be at a big girl job interview. That's right. A real, grown-up job*. I'm very excited about the prospects this job brings. You can check out the organization here (www.arrow.org).

Did I mention that I'm excited? Think happy thoughts, big girl thoughts, and send up a little prayer for me if you would please!

*This is such a big girl job that I had to go and get a business suit -- a fancy one -- just for the interview. No regular suits here. I even had it tailored. See. This is serious business. I'm still excited though. Yay!