How To Prepare for Adoption Travel

For those who haven't adopted (or are beginning the process) here's a little sneak peek into what adoption travel prep looks like.  Granted, I don't have a whole heck of a lot of experience, but we have two trip preps under our belt now.  This is what it looks like in our family.

 Make a list.

 Rewrite your list.

Rewrite and color code your list.

(Be sure to add the little boxes to check off)

Clean your house

(Be sure to mop your floors and wipe down the baseboards.  This might be the last time these EVER get done.  If you have three kids developmentally under the age of 5, this IS probably the last time this will get done.)

Make some freezer meals

(In my freezer: lasagna, chicken enchiladas, breakfast casserole, breakfast sandwiches, homemade pancakes, baked ziti, cowboy casserole, pizza casserole, and honey chicken)

Pack your child's bag.  Her very first suitcase with things that are ALL HER OWN.  

(And then re-pack it.  At least twice for good measure.)

Take a little break to enjoy life.  This moment won't ever be the same again.

Life is about to get CA-RAY-ZEE.  Enjoy this season while it's here.

Then get back to your list.

Call the bank.  Arrange childcare.  Board the dog.  Book your hotel.  And your flights.  Pack.  Clean the house.  Again.  (Feel free to ignore the floors and baseboards this time.)  Spend quality time with your kids at home.  Roll around on the floor.  Play tag.  Paint fingernails.  

And don't forget to prepare the house for your newest addition!

(We assembled the pack and play, set up the crib, arranged the age-appropriate toys, and color coded the clothes in the closet.  Yes, I'm OCD. A little.)

Don't finish your list in time and you'll run around like a chicken without it's head.  (This happened our first trip when yours truly came down with the stomach bug two days before leaving.)  Finish your list early and you'll be sitting around trying to fill the time before you leave.  (Currently happening.)  Is there a balance?  If we adopt again maybe I'll find the balance.  ;)

And there you have it.  How adoption travel prep looks in our family.

Happy Fourth!

Four years ago yesterday I became a Mommy for the very first time.

Thanks to the amazing midwives at Charleston Birth Place we had the privilege of becoming parents to this healthy, perfect, chunk of a boy.  Never thought I could love someone that instantly.  

He has blessed our lives like we could never have imagined.  

His determined spirit is going to take him far in this life.  

We are so blessed to have been given the privilege to raise him up to be a great man of God.

We pray for you daily, big guy.  That God will bless your life immeasurably and that He will equip you to do more than we could ever ask or imagine for you.  Chase after God and He will give you everything you need.  And never forget that Mommy and Daddy love you always and forever.  Thank you for being the awesome boy you are.  We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what lies ahead for you!

This Man

That handsome man is my husband.

He is amazing.  

He loves us unconditionally

and works hard so I can stay home with the kids.

He didn't shun the orphan.

No, he embraced her as his own.

And he loves her deeply.

He takes out the trash and cleans the litter boxes.

He buys us pizza when I don't want to cook.

He mows the grass and makes late night milkshake runs.

He puts up with my moodiness

and my obsessive crafting.

He's my life partner.

And I definitely got the better end of this deal.

Love you Craig.  I'm blessed to live life with you.

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today we saw this face.

A year ago today I inquired about the sad little girl in the picture.

A year ago today this picture was sent back to me.

A year ago today I was told nobody was interested in her.  Nobody wanted her.

 

A year ago today I was told she had spent her ENTIRE 7 years of life without a family.

A year ago today our lives changed forever.

And so did hers.  Because a year ago today, halfway across the world, somebody WANTED her.  

And, in hopefully one month, she will come home forever. 

Allow Us To Introduce You To...

Maia Faith Moss

Born April 22, 2005

Found by her family on July 3, 2012

Met her family on March 4, 2013

Became part of a family on June 25, 2013!

Child of God

Justified and Redeemed

Holy

Chosen

Loved

Yep!  We passed court!

It's Crafting Season

For the last several weeks I've been busy

creating gifts that raise money


















for special needs adoption.

Money to help an incredible family bring home an incredible boy.

Thanks to you I will be giving Quinn's family

Over $200 at the end of the month!



















Thanks for being awesome and supporting adoption.  You do my heart good.  

Advent

It's no surprise to the people who know me that Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the lights, the tree, wreaths, nativities, cookies, candies, parties, and...well...I pretty much love all of it. I love the Christmas season so much that we set up the tree before Thanksgiving this year.  :)  I sit by it every night and crochet the evening away.

Our 2012 Christmas Tree

I am especially loving this year as I watch Nathan's excitement over the season. I watch him as he remembers traditions from last year and makes the connection that we are continuing this memories. I love watching Alex's face as she experiences Christmas as a toddler who is walking around and understanding things. I love watching them anticipate the season together.  Watching them laugh and sing and dance around.  Watching them listen to the Christmas story and make connections about Jesus.  Watching them take in the Christmas lights on our walk.  I love it all.

Sorting ornaments for "their" tree.

But along with the excitement and joy I feel watching them experience Christmas comes a great feeling of responsibility. Craig and I are directly responsible for how our kids view Christmas. We are directly responsible for whether they come out of childhood thinking Christmas is all about them or if they come out of childhood knowing Christmas is all about HIM.

The nativity I received from my in-laws.  My constant reminder of WHO the season is really about it.  

How do you find the balance? The balance of receiving gifts and giving gifts. The balance of fun and excitement and reverence for what this day means to us. The balance of the material side of Christmas and the spiritual side of Christmas. The balance of going and doing and just sitting and abiding. It's a big job we have as parents. How to "do Christmas".  Sometimes it overwhelms me.

Daddy and Alex, decorating the kids' tree.

For our family in this season, we're making Christmas about giving. Giving to Jesus through giving to others. We're also doing everything we can to point our kids to Jesus this season. For us this means minimizing Santa.  We're also not doing the Elf on the Shelf. (Pretty sure I'd stress out trying to keep up with that guy!). We're not doing a tree full of gifts or an advent activity full of chocolate and presents. While they are young we want to instill a spirit of giving in their hearts in a world that tells us we need to "get".

All dressed up and ready to deliver some cookies.  

So what are we doing? Well, this year we are doing an advent activity called Truth in the Tinsel. Every day the kids make an ornament that represents part of the Christmas story. (If you don't have an advent activity and are looking for one - I highly recommend this one.  WELL worth the 8 bucks.)  We are also doing random acts of kindness throughout December. (Check out this site for lots of ideas!) We've already taken the kids to carol and deliver cookies twice (practicing on our parents to see if the kids would really sing). By the way, they did.  And loved it! We are doing gifts, but are not going overboard with them like we have in the past.

Their first advent craft of 2012.

Does this mean we're cutting down on the excitement? I don't think so. Changing the focus of the excitement? Sure. But diminishing it? No. They are enjoying their crafts and look forward to moving the trinket on the advent calendar. They love delivering cookies and making other people smile. Nathan keeps telling me he likes to "help people". They love counting down to Jesus's birthday so they can celebrate it.

Jesus came to give light to a dark world.  Their candle ornaments are reminders of that.  

And that's what is working for us this year.

What does your family do to celebrate Christmas?

It's Growing!

Has it really been this long since I've updated?  I'm so sorry, friends!  It's been quite the week/weekend.  I have a lot to update you on - especially in regards to the Owls for Orphans.  Are you ready?!

First off, I linked up to No Greater Joy mom's Post about businesses that help with adoption fundraisers.  As a result I have three new owl orders!  I've raised more money for Miah through this little project that I ever thought I would!  What a blessing.  I also now have some open doors to raise money for other adopting families after we are fully funded.  Pay if forward, friends.

Second, a new friend found me on Ravelry this past week.  Her family is adopting domestically (they're in Canada!) and she is advocating for a boy on Reece's Rainbow.  She initially contacted me about helping me make owls to send to Eastern Europe but after getting to know her heart, I thought we could do better than that.  And so we did!

Courtenay and I are now teaming up to make Owls for Orphans even better!  She has all of my patterns and she has full permission to sell any and all owls she makes.  She is donating all of her profits to the little boy on Reece's Rainbow!!  She will also be sending owls to an orphanage in Mexico.  I'm also working hard to get the Owls for Orphans name trademarked.  There is talk about making in a non-profit after Miah comes home and we see how my time is managed.  We have a new page on Facebook where we will be posting pictures of the owls and stories that go along with them.  Have you "liked" us on there yet?  www.facebook.com/owlsfororphans

In more exciting Owls for Orphans news, these little boogers went out in the mail this past week:

They have arrived at my friend's house and will begin their journey to Eastern Europe on Thursday!  More orphans will be blessed because of your generosity.  Thanks to everyone who "sponsored" these little guys.  

I also have a new Owls for Orphans product being offered!  Meet the Itty Bitty Owl:

Isn't he cute?  (Sorry for the terrible picture.)  These little guys will work a little differently from the others.  They will not be offered as custom orders because of their size.  They will be sold on an as-is basis as I make them.  You will also have the option of ordering one when you buy a larger owl (since I will already have the extra yarn needed to make them).  They will be $5 will ALL $5 going to our adoption fund.  There is even an option of a crocheted loop at the top so that you can hang them on your Christmas tree.  :)

Wow.  Are you still with me?  I'm kind of all over the place this morning.  If you're still there, you will be excited to know we have more adoption news!

Last week we received our biometrics appointment for USCIS.  This is huge because it means that they have begun processing our application even thought they have still not received our home study.  We will walk in on Wednesdays and see if our prints can be taken early so that we can get this sucker done.  

In home study news, DSS finally looked it over this past week.  (This is after we were told it would be looked over ASAP.  My timing and other people's timing are totally different.)  Anyway.  They called our social worker and told her they needed an addendum.  But they wouldn't tell her what needed to be in it.  And of course they're closed today.  So first thing tomorrow morning we will know what needs to be in the addendum.  Hopefully that addendum will be completed Tuesday night and we can mail it off Wednesday.  Which *should* mean that our home study will be on it's way to USCIS on Friday.  But, you know, nobody seems to work on my timeline (or even the suggested timeline) so I'm not counting on it.  It'll happen one of these days.

We're just really hoping for an I800A approval before the end of December.  If not, we have to file an extension with Miah's country.  :(  

With that, I'm flat out of updates.  I'll write again when we have more news!