Ready

This was S and V's room 2 days ago.....and you don't even want to see what 2.0's looked like! (OK the truth is I didn't take a picture)

NOW......Rooms officially ready

Plethora of clothes
Toiletries bought
Snacks ready
Water guns-check
Extra nerf gun-check


-Just missing 3 important parts of the puzzle. :-D

Getting Close!

Welcome Home Gifts Ready!

Dossier submitted!

Just a quick post to say that our dossier was successfully submitted today!!

So now we wait. We should hopefully receive a travel date sometime in the next 30-40 days. Now that REALLY puts the pressure on to come up with some good fundraising ideas!

Car News

Woohoo! We sold my car! After all my whining and worrying over the weekend I said goodbye to my beloved Honda Civic today. :) It was just not a practical car for our quickly growing family.

I didn't want to post previously because I didn't want to look like the crazy people that put the "cart before the horse" but we had already bought a bigger vehicle last week. It's a Durango (with a 3rd row) and feels very much like I am driving a truck again-which I love. I think the boys are going to be super excited when they see it next week as well!

The really nice thing was we were able to sell the car for a little more than we bought the Durango for....so we had (almost) enough to cover the taxes on the new car and "break even."

It was a MAJOR load off my mind. One more thing to cross off the list and one less thing to worry about while the boys are here! I feel very blessed that God was able to move so quickly and listen to my whining prayers about a quick sale-before the kids arrive!

Fear and Waiting

You know when you have a day like "that"? A day where it seems like the world is against you? Well I have had a few of those days lately! It has been a stressful week, in particular financially. It started with a little ticket ($100!) for running a red light (turning right on red), progressed with another (unexpected) car expense, and culminated on July 4th with finding out about a very expensive and unexpected (and not budgeted for) adoption expense ($1200-$1400). Not to mention it had been a very stressful few weeks waiting for the hosting specifics to be confirmed and dealing with some other stressors.

Not to mention we are trying to sell my car and we need to do so in the next several weeks!

Before all this- for a few days prior (or longer) I had already been struggling with fear and lack of faith regarding money and the knowledge of the HUGE amount of money we will need in cash before we can travel for our first adoption trip in less than 2 months. It's actually a funny reversal as my husband does not seem too worried but it's me for once doing all the worrying! It seems that God's providence and perfect timing regarding our hosting and adoption payments for the past few months have really really made an impact on him and for that I am truly grateful.

I am not going to lie though-I am still struggling with those doubts and fears. I know that means I need to refocus back on God and His perfect timing for providing for our needs. It's not about me or about how much money I can raise or how creative I can be with coming up with ideas to raise money, it's all about Him and how He will choose to show His providence!

Meditating again on Isaiah 40:31-But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.


And hopefully I won't have any more "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days!" 

Sweet boy still in need of a host family!

There's a little boy coming to the US through a different hosting program, named Vova, who I wanted to tell you about. The same mission team that sent us "R" and "K" reached out to me as they are desperate to get a little boy hosted with their host program. They added him to their host list in faith that a family would step forward and with less than 3 weeks till he arrives no one has yet! They currently have a $500 scholarship for his hosting and are confident that they could help the host family fund raise the money before his arrival if necessary. He also came to the US last summer and was great in his host family. However, while he was here the family found out they were pregnant with their second child and they were not able to adopt him. He's 11 years old and is very sweet. He was gentle and kind to his host family last summer, that included a toddler with downs syndrome.

Feel free to send me an e-mail if you would like to get in contact with the host group about him 

or contact at the contact information listed above! The previous host family is more than happy to speak with any families interested in him and they also have a DVD of him that they can mail out!