Please pray....because I'm panicking (and changing the date of the Give Away).

I've run into my first real hurdle in the adoption process.

I got a call today from my adoption agency. The director of the adoption agency has given his official ok. I have my physical tomorrow and training on the 23rd and 24th. After those two steps, my home study will be done. It will then go to the state to get approved. After that, it will be official and I can send my paperwork (called the Dossier) to Immigration and the country for approval. Sounds great and it's moving quickly, right? Here's the catch.....

Before I can submit the dossier to the adoption agency, I need to pay the $7,500 country fee. I have some money in my Reece's Rainbow account and some left in my savings but I'm still about $4,000 short. Unfortunately, I can't apply for any no-interest loans or grants until the home study is finished. So, if I wait until the home study is official and then apply for loans or grants, it could be several months before I can send the Dossier. This will keep Sara in an orphanage longer and delay my travel plans into the new school year.

I know that it will all work out in God's timing but I'm a planner and I don't like all this not-knowing stuff.

In light of all this, I'm moving the Give-Away up a few weeks. I'm going to start it on Sunday. Please let me know if you'd like to donate something. I will post all the rules and regulations later.

Thanks for all your support!

The latest

Things just keep rolling along.

Last night, my class was cancelled and I was thrilled to have some extra time. I was even more excited when I realized I didn't have ANY adoption paperwork to do. I got to spend a night knitting and catching up on some tv shows. Don't worry, though. I won't be bored for long. I got another packet of paperwork from the home study agency today.

Here's the latest things to be crossed off the to-do list:
1. Set up my appointment today for my physical. The first available appointment isn't for another 2 weeks. Frustrating but not much I can do about it.

2. I found out that the person handling my home study will be the same woman that I met with for the intake. This is a HUGE blessing for me since I really don't enjoy meeting new people. It stresses me out and this process is stressful enough.

3. My home visit is next Wednesday. I wish they would give me a list of what they are looking for but they just keep telling me to be myself and everything will be fine.

4. I registered for my the 10 hours of training that I need to finish my home study.

5. I told my students. They were really precious about it and asked some great questions. One of them asks me every other day if I've picked up my little girl yet. I don't think they quite get it.

6. I picked out bedding, and therefore, a color scheme for Sara's bedroom. Anna is coming during her spring break to help me with creative ideas and to do some of the work.

7. This weekend, I put together a photo album of my life to send to the orphanage. I'm excited to think that Sara can now see a picture of me!

Things to do tonight or tomorrow:
1. Contact the school district. I feel like I need to give them a little warning about what's coming their way and I want plenty of time to look at options and ideas. I'm hoping to be able to use one of my spring break days to visit potential programs. My plan, at this point, is not to tell them that I'm a special ed teacher. I want to see what they have to offer. Don't worry, though, I have absolutely no problem playing that card and advocating for what I think is best for my daughter.

2. Finish this pile of paperwork that came in the mail today.

3. Work on all those little fix-it projects that I've been meaning to do around the house. Gotta make a good impression!


Thank you so much to all of you for all your support and encouragement. I'm amazed every time I log into Blogger how many people look at this page daily. It means so much to me that so many people--a lot of who I don't even know---are excited about Sara finding a family.

Lots of Details

I keep thinking that I'm really organized in this process but then I spend one night a week re-organizing all the paperwork. I'm determined to keep this process moving from my end as much as I can.

Tomorrow, it's a short day at work. This NEVER happens. The timing is amazing, though, because I need to get my fingerprints done. For some weird reason, it's more expensive for me to get the paperwork reprinted than it is to get the fingerprints redone. So, off I go to get my fingerprints, even though I'm a teacher with all kinds of background checks and clearance.

I knew that adoption was very expensive. I didn't know that it would come in $50 increments. So far, I've written checks for 2 applications, 2 official birth certificates and finger prints. Maybe I should have ordered some checks before all this process started.

I'm still waiting for all the pieces to come together for Reece's Rainbow. I can't wait to see my daughter posted under "New Commitments" on their website. All in good time.... Paperwork break is over. Back to the grind.

Let the paper trail begin....

I'm spending tonight on paperwork. I have two applications in front of me. One is for the social service agency in Illinois that will be completing my home study. The other is for the adoption agency in California that will be facilitating the adoption. I'm determined to complete every form and piece of paper soon as I get it. I don't want anything to delay this process. I know there will be enough things that I can't control. This, I can.

I'm very overwhelmed by the response of all the great people in my life. I've had offers of a "Toddler Shower," financial support, prayer support, gifts, visits while I'm in the other country, free babysitting, help decorating her room--so many things from so many people. I love that everyone around me is as excited about my daughter as I am. I knew that people would love her once she got here but I'm honored that people are so excited about someone they haven't even seen a picture of. I've gotten a little more information about my daughter. I can't wait until some of this paperwork is done so I can "officially commit" to her and start sharing information and a picture with all of you.

Please continue to keep my daughter and I in your prayers. Pray that the paperwork will fly through the system quickly and smoothly. Pray for her health and safety as she is so far away.