Can I Have a Do-Over?

We have managed to wait so long that we are having to redo our paperwork for the immigration service. Out I171H, which is our approval to bring an orphaned child into the states expires on 2/15/07 and it must be valid through travel. Quite frankly, I don't think that ours will be, so here we go again.

We must be refingerprinted (FBI), which we have already done, to the tune of $210.00 and then onward to more papers. We are required to have an update on our homestudy, new police clearance letters, new financial statements, new medical exams (all of us), and report of our taxes from last year. We are required to have a face to face meeting with our social worker, which Pat and I are doing Wednesday morning. We have to go downtown to Bethany's office, with paperwork in hand, give her our updated information, a check for $545.00 and when our updated paperwork returns from immigration, we're good for another 18 months. Lord, please don't let it take that long!!

Yes, I am awake again in the middle of the night, and tonight I am thinking of everything that has to be redone. Random, huh? Maybe one day I will sleep normally again, who knows? I guess I'll sleep better just in time to be awaken by a 1 year old.

help

See how weak that cry for help was, no capitalization even. I have absolutely no clue what is going to with referrals. There is no information and nothing on the horizon. All I know, is that I am going nuts. I am stumped by the CCAA as to what is going on. I don't know if this is a good sign or a terrible sign. What I am so afraid of is that we are going to wait and wait and wait and then the update will be only through August 12th or 15th or something absurd like that. I am clueless, speechless, and every other less that you can think of.

Pray that we will get good news. I am so discouraged and frustrated. It is a tough road and I know that you have all heard it before, all the time in fact, but it really sucks (I hate that word but that is the best one to describe it) and I can't help it. Oh well, there is not a whole lot that I can do, except continue to pray. Thanks and I will post when I have new info.

Whoda thunk it?

Well, here it is 3:32 in the morning (which of course begs the question "why are you not asleep?") and there is still no word on referrals. What is up with that? I cannot believe that we have heard nothing. There has been a REALLY good rumor floating around that said that a European agency has told someone with a 10/24 LID that they would have their referral by Christmas. I can't even let my emotions go there. I got a lump in my throat and choked up a little when Pat first read it to me, but then I had to get my emotions and my racing mind in check. Oh well, I guess we will see what this batch holds.

They are going to have to do some major speeding up and catching up for that to happen. But, stranger things have happened. Wouldn't it be amazing to have a picture of our sweet Jadyn's face for Christmas. Wow, it leaves me speechless.

Long time, no post!

Well, I would love to have something to update, but there is just nothing out there yet. The word on the street is that COP lists are in the states, but of course our agency don't know any thing about it. There is talk of some moving and shuffling of LID's, but again, our agency hasn't heard anything about it. Referrals are expected to hit the states sometime this week and there is no real idea about the cutoff except that it is going to be sometime between 8/23 and 8/28. So, there you have it, like I said, nothing real to report. I'll post as soon as I know something and begin hearing about referrals. We do feel, however, that we are getting closer and that we are on the down hill side of this now. Keep praying.

Time is ticking!

Well, time is passing and it seems to be passing a little quicker these days. We are very busy and this weekend was no exception. I directed a wedding on Friday night, left for Knoxville after the wedding and stayed with Amanda, Jeremy and Will in Knoxville. We went to Asheville on Saturday evening for my niece Stacy's wedding, went to Church Hill after that wedding, Pat preached at FBC Church Hill on Sunday morning, went to a birthday party for Will after church and came home (FINALLY!) to eat dinner and sleep in my own bed (WOOHOO!). It was a whilrwind weekend but it causes the days to go by quickly. Today, it's back to our regular routine. Check out the picture of the beautiful bag that my friend Terri Fleming made for Jadyn. She sent it to me a few weeks ago and I am thrilled beyond measure. I can't wait to carry it everywhere I go with Jadyn of course!

Have a great day all!
Amy

CCAA Update

Well, it's official. The CCAA has updated their website and the cut off date for this batch of referrals is August 9th. It is not as many days as I had hoped, but I guess that it could have been worse. I still think in the next month or so, we will start to see things pick up somewhat. Anyway, that is where we are. Looks like we still have a ways to go. Keep praying, it won't be as long as it has been.

After

Here is the "after" picture. Roseanne worked on mural on Tuesday afternoon. What do you think? I think it is pretty incredible. I am so excited about it. We've got a few more things planned. It's going to be really cool.

Before

Here is the before picture.

Click on the link to the right that says "Jadyn's Website". It has pictures under Jadyn's Room.

Never mind about the pictures.

I have no idea what is going on, but I can't get one single picture to upload to blogspot. I will try again later. Until then, just close your eyes and imagine a really great mural on the wall. :)

The painting on the wall.

Well, it is coming along. Roseanne worked several hours and I did a whole bunch of watching. I tried to pay close attention to everything that she was doing. It was just one big art lesson. It is beautiful already and she is not even finished. I can't wait. I have my quiet time in Jadyn's room in the morning and spend alot of time in there praying for her. I feel already like I can look at her mural and seem somehow a little closer to her. It really does look like China is just out the window. I can't help but think that things are about to pick up. Maybe just wishful thinking, maybe just a gut feeling. But, I am hopeful. Enjoy the pics.

Return of the Living Dead!

Hey, what do you know, I made it through the worst tooth issue that I have ever had in my life. Let me just say that I pray that I will never have to go through anything like that ever again. It was nuts. I am STILL taking antibiotics and they make me terribly sick, but only a couple more days of those.

I am SO excited about tomorrow (well, considering that it is 3:44am I guess you could say that I am excited about today). My friend, Roseanne is coming to work on the mural in Jadyn's room. Here is a picture of the wall where it is going to go. Stay tuned for the progress. It is going to be AMAZING!

The pain! The pain!

Wow, what a tough couple of days. A few weeks ago I started waking during the night with terrible jaw pain and my teeth hurting. I thought that I was clenching my teeth at night and this was making my jaw hurt. Well, 2 days ago I started having pain in my teeth on my upper right side. This was followed by marked swelling of my cheek and face. All of this was accompanied by the most excruciating pain ever! I went to the dentist and he was afraid to do anything with it. The tooth had an old root canal that was either failed or the root was fractured and on top of that, he said that the bone looked "funny" on x-ray. I went that same morning to an endodontist in Murfreesboro and she said that there was an abcess in my jaw bone and that the root canal had failed. No wonder I was in pain.

I had to go back on Thursday morning for a retreatment on the root canal and to try and get some relief. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but it was the worst thing that I have ever had. It wouldn't numb because of the infection (pretty huh?) and it was terrible. She did a great job and apologized everytime that a tear rolled from my eyes into my ears. Well, I am at home, with a still swollen face, a prescription for Percocet, Lortab, and two antibiotics and she said that I may have to go into the hospital for IV antibiotics. Yikes! I have gotten some relief but I am still taking the pain medicine and of course the antibiotics. Nothing is ever simple or cheap when it comes to my teeth. If I had all of the money that I have invested in my mouth, we could adopt 12 Jadyns, all with good teeth, of course.

When Love Takes You In - Steven Curtis Chapman

Get out you tissues!

Addie's Home!

Welcome to America Addie Mei Overby! Dick, Leslie, Sarah and Addie Mei made it home on Saturday evening. Praise the Lord for safe travels. They missed their connecting flight in Chicago but caught the next one and was only delayed about 30 minutes. Addie is doing wonderful. She is so precious and seems to be adjusting to her new life very quickly. I spoke with Leslie today and she said that she just looks at everything and is mesmerized by the television. Just look at the look on her face. It's amazing what a little love can do.

Happy Birthday Gege!

Today is Seth's 20th birthday. WOW! I really can't believe that I have a child that old. It don't seem like it's been that long ago that I was 20. I guess it has though. Gege is chinese for big brother. Happy 20th Seth, we love you!

Curtains, Rugs, and Ribbons, Oh My!

Finally, I found a rug to go in Jadyn's room. I ended up getting it at Pottery Barn Kids at the Green Hills Mall. I looked and looked and went back and got one of the first ones that I looked at. Even Pat said "it matches perfect". He was quite impressed. I am just glad to have that step behind me.

I am working on the curtains as you can see. I have one panel made, but I am not satisfied with the way they attach to the rod. I used wood rings with clips. I don't like the space between the wood rings and the top of the curtains. I think that the space is too big. I have some ribbon that I plan to use on the top of the curtains, but I have to figure out a cute way to attach the panel to the rod. Any suggestions???

Love Makes the Difference

Here is a new picture of Addie Mei. This is just a few days later. Look at the difference. It always amazes me how just a day or two can make such a difference in the look on their little faces. They have a look of "yeah, this is the way it's supposed to be". I am so happy for Dick, Leslie and Sarah, but especially for Addie. They will be home Saturday night, pray for safe travels for them.

It's Official

I just checked the CCAA website and it is now official. See post taken from the CCAA site itself. I really was telling myself that it wasn't true, but I guess when you see it in black and white, you know that it really is.

Here is the official post:

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before October 31, 2005.


The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before July 22, 2005.

Do you Hear What I Hear?

What we are hearing is that the cut off date for referrals is going to be July 22. Remember last month's cut off date was July 13. That is not very many days, but who is counting? (me, for one) It really stinks to be quite frank and that is probably all I should say at this point as it is 3:31 in the morning, I can't sleep, (so what else is new) and I am teetering on the edge of a meltdown. (3rd one today)

If you have not heard me say this before - ADOPTION IS NOT FOR SISSIES! I am thinking about making T-shirts with this printed on it. :)