"Dream a little dream, dream a little while, dream with me of how you think it might be....." (words from a song by Avalon)
Sometimes I like to think about what might be going on in Peru.
Because somewhere, a million miles away, there is a little boy or girl who will be coming to be apart of our family in a few months! I get excited when I think about it. There are a million possibilities of what that child could be doing. Running around and chasing another child, eating with the hopes of being done before the food is taken away, maybe they have been stapped in a chair or left in their crib for hours and hours, maybe someone is holding them and singing to them or perhaps they are laughing at toy. Maybe there will be two! Who knows!?! God does! He's getting everyone ready for transition time! Even it takes months and months.
Keep praying everyone!
It takes a villiage to adopt a child. Thanks for being apart of it!
Lilypie Waiting to Adopt tickers
6.30.2010
6.27.2010
P.S.
Oh, I forgot to mention. We thought that the lady who conducted our psychological evaluation may have been Buddist. We cannot be for sure. Maybe she just collected little Budda statues and put them in her office. But it was really interesting to watch her as we shared stories about what our God had done and is doing. We even got to share with her a little bit about God sending Christ to come adopt us by His death on the cross. Had she been a Christian, we think that her responses to some answers we gave would have been different, even if she did need to word our respondes in a certain way for the auhorties in Peru. The only way to explain our whole adoption experience is God.
Today in Sunday School our teacher asked if God ever asked us to do something "big" for Him. Big is relative term depending on you. It could be cooking supper every night for you family, resigning your church and not know where God is taking you such as Francis Chan and his family did, to anything in between.
Sometimes I think I know what type of life God might have for me and Brent. It comes in fleeting thoughts. I'm pretty sure I would like it. I know I am not ready for it.
Maybe this is preparation stage. I don't know if I am preparing well.
Okay, church is out....going to lunch.
Today in Sunday School our teacher asked if God ever asked us to do something "big" for Him. Big is relative term depending on you. It could be cooking supper every night for you family, resigning your church and not know where God is taking you such as Francis Chan and his family did, to anything in between.
Sometimes I think I know what type of life God might have for me and Brent. It comes in fleeting thoughts. I'm pretty sure I would like it. I know I am not ready for it.
Maybe this is preparation stage. I don't know if I am preparing well.
Okay, church is out....going to lunch.
Switching Cabinets!
Well. We switched cabinets! We are now in the dossier cabinet at our agency!
Pretty soon we will switch cabinets again.
The psych test went very well. I am pretty sure we are not crazy! Hooray! We had an hour interview and then 2 one page tests about depression and our marriage. Then a personality test that was 567 questions. These tests took about an hour and half to complete. The personality tests was really interesting. And it was all true or false! I kept second guessing myself. I thought well if I put true here does that mean you think I also think that way, so should I put false, but in the end you just have to be honest. I think I should have been a psychology major. I find all this stuff interesting. They never should have let me pick a major at the age of 20! And I thought I was all grown up then! HAHA!! Well hindsight is 20/20 or 20/15!
The fingerprints were well fingerprints. Nothing new to report there.
We have almost completed all paperwork for the dossier. We have some to notarize, our phsycials to take, our approval from USCIS to arrive, our agency will have them legalized. Send a letter to the consulate in GA for legalization, then it goes to PERU! Hopefully all of this will be complete by the end of July!
In order to help raise a few more dollars, esp. for travel, Brent and I decided that I could sell Premier Designs jewelry. I know there is at least on of you with her jaw on the floor or perhaps laughing. I did the same thing myself. Who would have thought!! I know I can't believe it myself sometimes. :) Tomorrow is my second show. I hope it goes well. Someday I might post some pictures. Maybe I will get some this week.
P.S. if you want to host a show....post a comment! :)
Pretty soon we will switch cabinets again.
The psych test went very well. I am pretty sure we are not crazy! Hooray! We had an hour interview and then 2 one page tests about depression and our marriage. Then a personality test that was 567 questions. These tests took about an hour and half to complete. The personality tests was really interesting. And it was all true or false! I kept second guessing myself. I thought well if I put true here does that mean you think I also think that way, so should I put false, but in the end you just have to be honest. I think I should have been a psychology major. I find all this stuff interesting. They never should have let me pick a major at the age of 20! And I thought I was all grown up then! HAHA!! Well hindsight is 20/20 or 20/15!
The fingerprints were well fingerprints. Nothing new to report there.
We have almost completed all paperwork for the dossier. We have some to notarize, our phsycials to take, our approval from USCIS to arrive, our agency will have them legalized. Send a letter to the consulate in GA for legalization, then it goes to PERU! Hopefully all of this will be complete by the end of July!
In order to help raise a few more dollars, esp. for travel, Brent and I decided that I could sell Premier Designs jewelry. I know there is at least on of you with her jaw on the floor or perhaps laughing. I did the same thing myself. Who would have thought!! I know I can't believe it myself sometimes. :) Tomorrow is my second show. I hope it goes well. Someday I might post some pictures. Maybe I will get some this week.
P.S. if you want to host a show....post a comment! :)
6.18.2010
Dossier Prep
So next week 2 big items happen for us in our dossier prep.
1. We have a psychological exam! AHH! I'm actually not looking forward to this.
But at least we will know which of is us is the crazy one! haha! 4 hours of tests.
I am not kidding.
2. We head out to get our biometrics completed!
Or as Fancy Nancy would say, "that's just a fancy word for fingerprints!"
I love the Fancy Nancy books and if our child is a girl, she will have them.
What is interesting about these two items is that they are one day apart. This is very excellent considering that all our documents are time-sensitive! Note: we did not plan the biometrics date, just the psych exam.
I talked with a friend the other night and we were talking about God's timing. I know that our adoption is in His timing. I love it. So far. I told her to ask me again in about 2 months! But His ways are perfect and higher than we could ever imagine. He always has the bigger picture in mind that is perfect with every little detail.
1. We have a psychological exam! AHH! I'm actually not looking forward to this.
But at least we will know which of is us is the crazy one! haha! 4 hours of tests.
I am not kidding.
2. We head out to get our biometrics completed!
Or as Fancy Nancy would say, "that's just a fancy word for fingerprints!"
I love the Fancy Nancy books and if our child is a girl, she will have them.
What is interesting about these two items is that they are one day apart. This is very excellent considering that all our documents are time-sensitive! Note: we did not plan the biometrics date, just the psych exam.
I talked with a friend the other night and we were talking about God's timing. I know that our adoption is in His timing. I love it. So far. I told her to ask me again in about 2 months! But His ways are perfect and higher than we could ever imagine. He always has the bigger picture in mind that is perfect with every little detail.
6.13.2010
6.03.2010
Check List
Home study arrived at USCIS? CHECK!
*Hooray! We are awaiting instructions for our biometrics.
Psych tests set for June 23? CHECK!
*Who is the crazy one? That is the question!
Paper work being gathered? CHECK!
*again!
Receive first "big" bill from agency? CHECK!
All funds in place to pay bill? CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!
Praising the Lord? DOUBLE CHECK! DOUBLE CHECK! TRIPLE CHECK!
I love that we are adopting from Peru. It's just right!
God has really just made all of this happen.
*Hooray! We are awaiting instructions for our biometrics.
Psych tests set for June 23? CHECK!
*Who is the crazy one? That is the question!
Paper work being gathered? CHECK!
*again!
Receive first "big" bill from agency? CHECK!
All funds in place to pay bill? CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!
Praising the Lord? DOUBLE CHECK! DOUBLE CHECK! TRIPLE CHECK!
I love that we are adopting from Peru. It's just right!
God has really just made all of this happen.
5.23.2010
I finally decided what I would like to name this blog, RAW.
I would love to be able to layout all the details of our life and what's going on...really going on the inside of us. My friend Angela always asks, "how are you doing...really?" I love that. She wants to get the very heart of a person. None of us are doing fine, really. But we say we are because maybe we don't want everyone to know what is really going on or how we feel or maybe that we failed in some way. It's a mask. As my personality test told me - i was wearing a mask when I took the test. I am a firm beliver that people were meant to share lives with each other. We learned that so well in seminary. Life can be horrible and wonderful. If we don't share it, we are never going to know that maybe someone else has the same stuggles or joys. We connect so deeply on some levels with people only when we share our lives.
Now being careful of who you share life with is essential, but not sharing it with anyone and not being honest is another.
I will most likely not name this blog RAW. Somethings are not meant to be written for the world to see.
But I will tell you that I learned a few things about myself this week (again with personality test! AND....it's not first one I taken!) haha! Okay - back to what I was saying! On Wednesday I got to take a half day off. I had a few errands to run and during all this running around, I realized something about myself, that Brent had been telling me for a long time, was true! Only I guess I didn't want to believe it. I am not even sure what to do with this realization. Thursday that realization became even more true! We realized a few things that are a result of our adoption. Not bad....just reality. And I never knew how much I wanted to change some things until I couldn't. I can't do anything about it. God has it all in place, so we at least take comfort in the fact that we are in God's will because we can't change anything. And I know that God is not going to change it, but He will change us.
You may wonder how I know He won't change, we know this because of the way of adoption. I know - it's all vague - but it makes sense to me.
That same night, Brent spoke at the high school baccalaureate. When he spoke, he was talking to himself and me. Kinda of ironic. I don't know if the anyone else need to hear that, but we did. We thought it was great that God gave Brent all these words that was intended for graduating seniors and we were the ones that needed to hear the most. That's how God likes to work. He's so creative.
I kept up the week with new realiztions about myself and ended the week being grateful for my friends and family. If you truely knew me, you would not want to be my friend. I don't know if I would be my friend!!
Thank you Jesus for Your ever abundant grace, mercy, and love and that You are changing me daily to be like You!
My sister-in-law went out on Friday to eat and get a pedicure. We never made it to the pedicure (that is for another post!) But she said in her times with Lord is has been a lot of trials. She was wondering what is coming. I remember before we left Texas that was the same for me. We heard Tammy Trent speak and then Steven Curtis Chapman's family lost Maria that May and he did a concert at the church we attended later that July. All these things I kept learning were about trails and bad things.
The hing I remember most from Tammy Trent and SCC was that they were able to praise the Lord. Simply because He is YAHWEH, JEHOVAH. He is God and He does not change. It matters not our struggles on earth....we can still praise Him for He is GOD.
"YAHWEH" - by Tal and Acacia
Gaze
I want to Gaze at you
Soak
Soak in all you do
Sit
so simply at your feet
Listen
To your voice so sweet
And Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
As I simply Praise
Yahweh
My Lord I cry
Jehovah Elohim
The Lord Most High
and When my hands are raised
My Knees they fall
As I simply Praise
Jehovah
Cry
As I see your blood stains
Overwhelmed
As I see your pain
And I'll dance, dance, dance
Because I am set free
You are my conqueror
Jehovah Nissi
And Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
So Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
My Daddy, My Abba, My Best Friend
YAHWEH
I would love to be able to layout all the details of our life and what's going on...really going on the inside of us. My friend Angela always asks, "how are you doing...really?" I love that. She wants to get the very heart of a person. None of us are doing fine, really. But we say we are because maybe we don't want everyone to know what is really going on or how we feel or maybe that we failed in some way. It's a mask. As my personality test told me - i was wearing a mask when I took the test. I am a firm beliver that people were meant to share lives with each other. We learned that so well in seminary. Life can be horrible and wonderful. If we don't share it, we are never going to know that maybe someone else has the same stuggles or joys. We connect so deeply on some levels with people only when we share our lives.
Now being careful of who you share life with is essential, but not sharing it with anyone and not being honest is another.
I will most likely not name this blog RAW. Somethings are not meant to be written for the world to see.
But I will tell you that I learned a few things about myself this week (again with personality test! AND....it's not first one I taken!) haha! Okay - back to what I was saying! On Wednesday I got to take a half day off. I had a few errands to run and during all this running around, I realized something about myself, that Brent had been telling me for a long time, was true! Only I guess I didn't want to believe it. I am not even sure what to do with this realization. Thursday that realization became even more true! We realized a few things that are a result of our adoption. Not bad....just reality. And I never knew how much I wanted to change some things until I couldn't. I can't do anything about it. God has it all in place, so we at least take comfort in the fact that we are in God's will because we can't change anything. And I know that God is not going to change it, but He will change us.
You may wonder how I know He won't change, we know this because of the way of adoption. I know - it's all vague - but it makes sense to me.
That same night, Brent spoke at the high school baccalaureate. When he spoke, he was talking to himself and me. Kinda of ironic. I don't know if the anyone else need to hear that, but we did. We thought it was great that God gave Brent all these words that was intended for graduating seniors and we were the ones that needed to hear the most. That's how God likes to work. He's so creative.
I kept up the week with new realiztions about myself and ended the week being grateful for my friends and family. If you truely knew me, you would not want to be my friend. I don't know if I would be my friend!!
Thank you Jesus for Your ever abundant grace, mercy, and love and that You are changing me daily to be like You!
My sister-in-law went out on Friday to eat and get a pedicure. We never made it to the pedicure (that is for another post!) But she said in her times with Lord is has been a lot of trials. She was wondering what is coming. I remember before we left Texas that was the same for me. We heard Tammy Trent speak and then Steven Curtis Chapman's family lost Maria that May and he did a concert at the church we attended later that July. All these things I kept learning were about trails and bad things.
The hing I remember most from Tammy Trent and SCC was that they were able to praise the Lord. Simply because He is YAHWEH, JEHOVAH. He is God and He does not change. It matters not our struggles on earth....we can still praise Him for He is GOD.
"YAHWEH" - by Tal and Acacia
Gaze
I want to Gaze at you
Soak
Soak in all you do
Sit
so simply at your feet
Listen
To your voice so sweet
And Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
As I simply Praise
Yahweh
My Lord I cry
Jehovah Elohim
The Lord Most High
and When my hands are raised
My Knees they fall
As I simply Praise
Jehovah
Cry
As I see your blood stains
Overwhelmed
As I see your pain
And I'll dance, dance, dance
Because I am set free
You are my conqueror
Jehovah Nissi
And Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
So Let time Pass Away
(Chorus)
My Daddy, My Abba, My Best Friend
YAHWEH
I don't really know where to begin. It's been a really thoughtful week. It all started last Sunday when we took personality tests in our class....and I failed. Did you even know you can fail a personality test? Well you can. According to the test we took, the 2 personalities that were highest for me are unnatural, meaning that I have a mask. So apparently I cannot tell the difference between who I really am and who I have learned to be. Brent took it for me and so I kinda know who I am now.
We did however send our home study to USCIS!! Now we wait for 2 weeks or 60 days (90 at the most - our friends waited 4 months!) for our approval. We are praying for a fast review and approval. We do have a Father who parted the Red Sea and can bring the dead to life, so controlling the government is not a big deal. But if we wait 90 days then God is in control of this adoption and there is a reason. But I know that this timing is right. I just know it. We feel as if we have been on the road since 2008, but technically we decided on Peru in October of 2009.
I have been reading "Adopted for Life" by Russell Moore. This book is amazing. I told Brent the first 2 chapters are completely about Christ and our spiritual adoption! I wanted to put a few quotes in here for you to get a taste, but then I realized I would have to re-type the entire book on here and I figured you would rather read it for yourself - whether you are adopting or not!
We always knew adoption is the gospel. However I did not know it so throughly until I read this book.
Russell and his wife adopted 2 boys from Russia and along the chapters he shares
different experiences about their adoption. It's so nice for him to write about the things that we have felt and spoken about and have had people say to us! Just the other day a lady told me that most people who adopt cannot have kids. I almost laughed in her face. I know it would have been rude, so I controlled my tongue and did not laugh nor did I respond to her.
We have also been asked "are you going to have your own children?" and "most people get pregnant after they adopt". All of these are spoken in kind sincerity. I know it. It doesn't even bother me. Why? Because this child or the children that we are adopting are our children. It's okay if other people do not understand this, maybe one day they will and maybe we will be apart of that process. Adoption is also not a manipulation towards God to get Him to give a pregnancy. The adopted child is not second best or an after thought any more than a birth child is.
Russell once asked a couple who was infertile if they wanted to parent a child or just carry on their genetic line? Then his wife scolded him for being so harsh. He realized that it did sound harsh and apoligized, but also knew it was true - he had just come to terms with parenting and raising children to love and serve the Lord is the goal....not just carrying on your genetics.
Okay, enought of that.....just go read the book. :)
We cannot wait for the day when we land in the US with our child/children! Brent will be getting to visit Peru in a few months with a mission trip. And God just keeps providing financially (we have $15,000 more to raise), emotionally, and spiritually! We believe this is the journey God has called us to, we know He is faithful to finish what He started.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1
We did however send our home study to USCIS!! Now we wait for 2 weeks or 60 days (90 at the most - our friends waited 4 months!) for our approval. We are praying for a fast review and approval. We do have a Father who parted the Red Sea and can bring the dead to life, so controlling the government is not a big deal. But if we wait 90 days then God is in control of this adoption and there is a reason. But I know that this timing is right. I just know it. We feel as if we have been on the road since 2008, but technically we decided on Peru in October of 2009.
I have been reading "Adopted for Life" by Russell Moore. This book is amazing. I told Brent the first 2 chapters are completely about Christ and our spiritual adoption! I wanted to put a few quotes in here for you to get a taste, but then I realized I would have to re-type the entire book on here and I figured you would rather read it for yourself - whether you are adopting or not!
We always knew adoption is the gospel. However I did not know it so throughly until I read this book.
Russell and his wife adopted 2 boys from Russia and along the chapters he shares
different experiences about their adoption. It's so nice for him to write about the things that we have felt and spoken about and have had people say to us! Just the other day a lady told me that most people who adopt cannot have kids. I almost laughed in her face. I know it would have been rude, so I controlled my tongue and did not laugh nor did I respond to her.
We have also been asked "are you going to have your own children?" and "most people get pregnant after they adopt". All of these are spoken in kind sincerity. I know it. It doesn't even bother me. Why? Because this child or the children that we are adopting are our children. It's okay if other people do not understand this, maybe one day they will and maybe we will be apart of that process. Adoption is also not a manipulation towards God to get Him to give a pregnancy. The adopted child is not second best or an after thought any more than a birth child is.
Russell once asked a couple who was infertile if they wanted to parent a child or just carry on their genetic line? Then his wife scolded him for being so harsh. He realized that it did sound harsh and apoligized, but also knew it was true - he had just come to terms with parenting and raising children to love and serve the Lord is the goal....not just carrying on your genetics.
Okay, enought of that.....just go read the book. :)
We cannot wait for the day when we land in the US with our child/children! Brent will be getting to visit Peru in a few months with a mission trip. And God just keeps providing financially (we have $15,000 more to raise), emotionally, and spiritually! We believe this is the journey God has called us to, we know He is faithful to finish what He started.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1
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