One more step done!

Maybe the last one!

Well at least I thought it was. Or hope it is.

I got my homestudy update in the mail this morning and promptly mailed it off to Lincoln for apostille along with the required envelope for them to mail it to my agency in Minnesota. That's the good part!

You see, it seemed like there was nothing else that should be needed......

UNTIL......

I looked at the wording of the homestudy update.

It says, and I quote "Deana is recommended and approved to adopt a female child with Down syndrome between the ages of 36 months and 60 months" What's the big deal you ask. On April 4, 2011, Gracie turns 5 years old! 60 months! Any other time I would welcome that wonderful milestone especially when she's still in the baby house that is so good to her and not in an institution. Not this time though. Her turning 60 months old means that my homestudy has to be ammended again and most likely, so will my USCIS approval which frankly I am dreading because they usually take months to get anything done. All I can do is pray that this is all said and done by then. And that is what I'm asking you all to do with me.

When I got the first draft of my homestudy done, I never expected that it would take so long. Never expected to spend month after month waiting for word, watching international event after event happen, plane fares go up and then down and then start to go up again, and NEVER expected that my (then 3 year old) little girl would still be there at age 5.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need to celebrate that little girl's birthday at her own home.

IN NEBRASKA!

Thank you so much for any prayers you would say for Gracie and I. I appreciate it more than you know!

Hoping and praying

No news yet....Sort of

Well, I made my usual call to Silvia today. Silvia is a very nice lady who works for my agency in Minnesota. She stays in contact with the staff in Russia (mostly Moscow I think). She told me that she hasn't heard anything specific to my case. :(

What she has heard though is that the case for adoption that they've been handling went well and as of yesterday, there was one less orpan in the world. That means, if nothing else, that the judge is favorable to adoptions to Americans. I also found out that the adoption that was just granted was to a single woman. That makes it even better!

Maybe we'll hear something next week. Hoping and praying!

December 14th

December 14th

I had a dream last night. Normally, that would not be remarkable, but I very rarely remember my dreams. In fact the only times I can remember a dream vividly was when I was pregnant. Hold the presses!!!!! I have NO news like that to share although I have been known to say that I'm expecting. I am, only she's 4 1/2 and lives in Russia. I've been expecting for oh say around 15 1/2 months now. It's just a very odd coincidence I'm sure.

Anyway, back to my dream...

I got an envelope in the mail saying that my court date is set for......you guessed it,

DECEMBER 14TH

UGH!!!!!!

Please pray, pray and pray some more that December 14th holds no more significance than preparing my sweet love for her first Christmas. She can't be there that long. Simply can't!

Any DS mamas out there that have seen legs like Gracie's?

Is this common for DS or is she just a little knock kneed? It was very obvious that Gracie has low tone, but not so much that she couldn't walk fairly efficiently (although she fell several times over our 5 days). If anyone is familiar with this posture, is it something that might need treating? I do expect to take her to an orthopedist, but would like to know what I might expect.

This is from the medical report: "Sluggish posture. Valgus deformity of the tibia moderately. Flat valgus feet." I know in medical speak, it means that the top of her tibia is turned outward, but just wondering what experience anyone has had with this. Is it ignored, braced, therapied, operated on or what.......

Thanks! Oh, and if you want specifics, MARCH 14th would be great!!!!!:)

This Is The Stuff

In the midst of the last several months, I've found a lot of "Stuff" in my life. It seems that those road bumps have so often been attributed to evil. I heard this song played on the radio today. Take a listen......

Now, I have to ask....Why can't it be a force for good in my life. I know that this adoption is God's will. Couldn't all of these problems or road bumps just be God's plan to help me grow?

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

and

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

I'm learning and I'm growing. I'm so glad God is patient with me.

This is what happens when there's just too much time to shop

Or this post could be titled: My adventure into retail therapy

Lets face it, when you're pregnant for 9 months, you shop alot for your expected baby. Well, I've been expecting for somewhere around 15 months now. SO......one by one, trip after trip to Sams Club, a few trips to Kohls, a trip or two to Target and a few shopping trips by one favorite auntie (who shall remain nameless butshelivesinblaineminnesota), I finally broke down and did some little girl laundry (only the 18mos through 2T). Let me tell you, IT'S NOT PRETTY FOLKS!

But it will be :)

All untagged, unhung and waiting at the washer.

Yes, most of those hangers were in use. And that's a twin bed under there.

All washed up. Just waiting for me.

My favorite! The top half of Gracie's gotcha day outfit! Can't wait to see it on her! :)

Next, the darks and the dresser.

Gracie day 5 031.avi

I tried to put this with the last post, but I couldn't figure out how. Oh well.
This is a video that I hadn't watched much until Monday. About 20 seconds into it my heart soars. She is such a sweetie pie. Pretty free with hugs and so often has a beautiful smile on her face. She's going to love school! I can't wait!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Today I learned why

Today was a day that started out a lot like any other day.

As the day went on though, I began to see that today was a day God used to teach me to submit to His will. For so many reasons, I've been struggling lately. A BIG part of that struggle has been the wait. The long, drawn-out, frustrating, emotionally exhausting wait. Even though I had this voice in my head saying "You're not so important that this is going to happen in your own time" and the phrase that I've heard so many times "In God's perfect timing", I've found that it's a lot easier to hear those thoughts than it is to really surrender to them.
It's occurred to me that as time goes by the prices of plane tickets has gone down drastically (I mean who really wants to go to Siberia in the middle of winter), I've gotten a grant to help with my costs and I might even have the time to file my 2010 taxes before I go (which would help tremendously). The biggest and best provision God gave to me was revealed today though. I made a call to my adoption agency today to ask if there were any new developments. I already knew that if anything had been requested, I would have heard already, but had to call anyway. In talking to Silvia (she works as the liaison between the US and Russia to put her job simply), she told me that my dossier papers had been held back because the "good judge" was off of work for the month of December and there was no way they wanted my papers to go before the "bad judge" What a HUGE thing! It would be devastating if my case went before a judge that has bad feelings for Americans or adoptions of special needs children.
It's so hard for me to acknowledge that even after all that I've been through in this adoption process, the judge could still say no. Lately, I've been very compelled to ask God that the judge will find favor with me. So I guess that today I'm thanking God for His part in this adoption. He is in control and simply stated, He wants Gracie to be adopted. I've known that and I've seen that several times since starting this process.
So, while yes I want this to happen quickly and every day she is in an orphanage is a day without the love of a family, now I have to acknowledge that I need to stop asking for my will and start trusting in His will. To quote some unknown person wiser than myself,

"God is never late, and He's seldom early. He's always right on time."

And

"Give me patience God but please hurry!"

Please if your inclined, leave me a comment! I thrive on them and it's so nice to know I'm sharing this adventure with you.

Thanks much!

Deana