Here We Go Again...

When we began our adoption journey, they told us a timeline to expect. They had said that once we submitted our dossier (the big stack of papers about us), & we were approved by ICBF we would wait for a referral. They told us to expect to wait 24-30 months. I was ready for the dossier to be done (the paper work is not fun). In fact~the paper work is BLAH! :) I was ready to be done w/the paperwork & "just waiting." It took us 10 months to complete our dossier. We submitted our dossier to a private orphanage before I C B F, because we were told the wait for private orphanages was "much shorter." I had also researched & found out that Chiquitines is a really nice orphanage & they have a great program & take really great care of the kids. I was excited, but the agency also told us not to get too excited, because they only accepted a limited # of families. Two weeks later, we got a phone call late one Friday evening. Chiquitines wanted to work w/us!! We were ecstatic, to say the least! They gave us a totally new timeline, and told us we could possibly have GloriaGrace home in 2009. ~~Obviously, we did not receive our referral & did not travel in 2009.

We really really really hope to have a referral & travel by summer. God's timing is 100% perfect & I rest in that truth daily!

Since we have not gotten our referral & will not travel & be home by May 2010~~we must re-file our US CIS form. This includes updating our home study & some of our other paper work :( Sometimes I dislike the paperwork more than I dislike waiting. I started working on some of it @ the beginning of the year, because I knew we would have to update our home study even if our US CIS form stayed current. I am actually close to being done w/getting everything together. :) I just have my employment letter, which I will request when I am @ St. Thomas on the 29th to renew my CPR. We also need updated letters from our doctor's. Both Me, Tim & each of the boys. This is the part that I get anxious about. When we did the home study/dossier the 1st time, the doctor's office staff have not been able to read directions. I should say, that our pediatrician's office was able to read directions & correctly fill out the paperwork the 1st time :)

I had to make multiple trips to Tim & My doctors office. They looked @ me like I had 5 eyeballs, when I told them they had not done it the way the agency asked for it. The form must 1st be copied onto doctor's letterhead, then filled out & signed by the doctor. Notary dates have to match the doctor's signature date. Does that sound so hard? Doesn't sound so hard to me either, but apparently it is. We'll see if they can do it right the 1st time this time ;) Oh & we'll have to have the medical forms filled out one more time, when we get our referral. . .

I can't wait to have to do it again :)

Mommy ♥'s You GloriaGrace

The Karate Squirrel Fan, by Seth Watson

Seth has a wonderful 1st grade teacher. Mrs. Hilderbrand has such a great heart for the kids in her class, and they love her back. She has helped them in publishing their first books. Each book is complete with an "about the author" page. You can go here, to see & hear the kids reading their books. Seth is @ the bottom of the page. It is very cute. (turn your volume up, because this is the only time he is using a soft voice.)

Better Post Before February is Over

I just realized I haven't written since the last day of January. We only have 2 more days in February, and we're on into March. Time is flying by around here!! This month has been mostly same old stuff different day. A few snow days. A lot of really cold days. I'm not trying to wish away time, but I am ready for some warmer weather.

Last Saturday it got up to 60° ☼ It was fabulous. I painted my toenails red & broke out the flip flops. On Sunday, we had snow flurries :~P

The boys have been playing basketball. Coy's team played their tournament game on Wednesday night & it went into overtime. They did not win the game, so they are done for the season :( :)
Seth's 1st tournament game is today. We'll see how many more games, if any they get to play.

We are gearing up for the beginning of being busy. Lourdes sent me a message that she has dates picked out to visit us in a few weeks. :) :) :) Words can not fully explain how excited I am to see & hug that girl!!! I miss her, A LOT!!

The end of April I am either going on the mission trip to Mexico, or running in the Country Music ½ Marathon in Nashville. I am running, training as if I am going to run the ½, but praying that God works everything out for me to go to Mexico. I am hoping that we get a phone call from Gladney soon. I will go on the mission trip & freshen up on my Spanish, and return from Mexico to take off to Colombia :) That would be super duper cool.

Well, that is the skinny of what's going on around here.

What We've Been Doing While We Wait

January has been quite a busy month. That's a good thing. It helps the time pass quickly, until we bring GG home. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her being here & doing these things with us. I can't wait until we are sharing life with her. While we wait, this is how we roll :)

Seth @ his 7th birthday skate party:

Coy showing how cool he is:
Some of our friends helping us celebrate:

Seth on the 100th day of school, dressed as if he were 100 years old :)

Daddy had a birthday, too:

The last time Tennessee got a good snow was the year Seth was born. The day before his birthday it had snowed 6 inches. I was 9 months pregnant outside making a snowman w/Coy. What fun memories :) It snowed 2 more inches the day he was born! Snow doesn't happen like that in TN very often. This past Friday, we got between 3 & 6 inches depending where you live. Here in Smyrna we got closer to 3 inches, with some freezing rain to top it off. It made a really fun time sledding.

Seth:

Coy:

All of us :)

Hopeful To Bring GG Home in 2010

It is looking very hopeful that we will be bringing GloriaGrace home in 2010 =) We are very near our fund raising goal for our final adoption fees & travel. We will be in Colombia for 4-8 weeks. We are prepared for 4 weeks. Most of the time it is closer to 4 weeks than 8, but we would like to save a little more just in case. If you would like, here are a couple of ways you can help.

We have a Pay-pal donation button on the side bar of our blog.

We still have our adoption t-shirts for sale. We are wearing them in the picture on our sidebar. You can use the pay-pal button to order, or leave me a comment w/your order.

We also have signed up for a coffee fundraiser through Just Love Coffee. Just Love is a fair trade coffee co. based in Murfreesboro. The coffee ships directly to you, and we get $5.00 per bag sold. You can go here to see the selection of coffee & place an order.

I know that these are financially difficult times for some. Please don't feel guilty if you can not purchase, or give @ this time. God has been so good in pre-paring the way, & I know that He will provide to the finish.

We would love for you all to pray with us as we wait.

Thanks for journeying with us,
Tim, Kelly, Coy, Seth, & GG

Praying for I C B F

We had an update phone call w/our caseworker today. It has renewed my spirit. Usually the phone call goes something like "well I really have no new news, do you have any questions?"
It can be a little discouraging. In fact I really wasn't even looking forward to talking to her today, because I didn't want to hear "there's no new news." :(

Today's phone call was a little different. She told me that they had talked to the orphanage director & was told that we are "taken." She is assuming this means we have been matched & our paperwork has been sent on to I C B F. I C B F is like the department of children services. They have to look over & approve the adoption, before anything else can happen. This can take up to 6 months. :( We will not be told anything about our daughter until they have approved & translated the paperwork.

God chose GloriaGrace long before we even dreamed of adoption. He knows the date of our referral & the date of her homecoming. Would you pray w/us for the I C B F to move quickly in approving our paperwork.

Happy Birthday BIG Seth

We went to order Seth's birthday cake the other day. The lady @ the bakery asked me what I wanted written on the cake. Seth pipes up & says "Happy Birthday Big Seth!" Seth will always be my "baby boy," but today he turns 7 & he thinks that makes him "Big." =~)

Our Traditional Birthday Pancakes:

Seth loves song cards. I found this "big" one :)Birthday Lunch:
We're off to pick up the cake & go to the Skate Center for his party. This is his second year in a row to choose a skating party. Last year he nearly closed the skate center down. Seth man loves to skate :) Will post more birthday party pics. later.