Finger Printed!!

Another check off in our adoption process! Yipee!!

DH and I headed off to SFalls and found the USCIS office in plenty of time! Lucky for us, Auntie Julie came and watched B4 for us while we got our fingers digitally printed! Amazing how that all works. The ladies that work there were so nice and kind! After words we headed to Perkin's for some breakfast!!

Now we just wait and pray to see what happens!

This afternoon I email our SW, some questions for the Man (Trokon) working on our case in Liberia. Tons of ?'s flood our minds. What Marcus's schedule is like?, what is his personality?, does he sleep in a crib, mat or a bed?, what are his likes and dislikes? When you have a baby, you learn a lot gradually, and now when we do go, it will happen just like that. I feel so bad for him, to think we are taking him to a foreign place, with all new things.

We are also hoping to take items to Liberia for the orphanage when we go. I picked up some soccer balls on the clearance rack at wal-mart. I read how an orphanage can go through 1 a week, wear it out completely! So we will deflate them and take a pumper along.

Thanks for checking in!

Blessing's to You All!

The Mail Man Made My Day!!

I sent off our I600A's off on July 21, 2008!

I have sent, resent and resent!

Made a few phone calls made last week, and emails,

( our SW said sometimes that does not work!?!)

but today it came hand delivered,

(I had pictures too, that is why he came to the door!)

We have an appointment for our finger prints in Sioux Falls!!

It seems to me DH and I have a date at 9:00am!

Praise the Lord! We just jumped over another huge hurdle! Man it was quite a jump, and took several tries, but God is good and we thank Him for another step!!!!

I ordered a CD from Insight for Living, Chuck spoke about Esther, DH listened to it yesterday, and we plan on listening to it together! DH said it was just amazing how God is talking and showing us the direction He wants us to go!

I have heard a lot on the politics lately, yeah a lot of rude comments, and jokes. These Politician's serve the same God. Sunday, I heard a joke about one of the candidates, it hurts when family members, blurp out remarks without realizing what they said was rude! Ooh, our family is going to have to make some vocabulary changes, soon!

Thanks for checking in, and continue to pray for us on this journey!!

WE are all getting way to antsy to get our little guy home!

So Long Yankee Stadium

Most of you all know how much Our Family are Yankee Fans.

Last night it was the final baseball game at Yankee Stadium!

I was so fortunate to go in 2006 and 2007!

In 2006 my Dear Dad turned 60, so us girls planned a vacation with my parents!

On Dad's 60th Birthday we sat behind home plate and watch the Yankees! What a blast!

Since we all were little, church, family, Yankees and The Bears were part of our lives. Now us girls carry on the tradition! All though my brother in law, Chad, is trying to brain wash his boys into being Boston Red Sox fans! :(

Last night that was part of the special before the game. Tradition...it was so fun seeing the players we all grew up watching, taking the field, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry (?), Yogi Berra was so cute, The Goose Gossage and so many more!Here is a picture from 2006

Last year DH and I took the boys to New York for 3 games! So I thought it is only fitting to "show" off some pictures! Next time we go we will take B4 and Marcus!

In the Dug Out!!!

Right Field, by the Bleacher Creatures!

Derek Jeter!
We are so glad we took the time to go! Over the years we have watched games in Kansas City, Minnesota and now New York! Mariano Riveria and Andy Petite are the nicest guy's ever, not to mention a strong Christians. The boys have gotten their autographs along with Johnny Damon and Joe Torre. What a lot of great memories!

I did get an email Friday, regarding our I600A's from our state office, saying they are now in the mail, with our app't for finger printing for the I171's! Finally, another answered prayer!

This week we are hoping to hear if Marcus got out little package?

Look at what B4 did while I took at nap!

Have a terrific Week and maybe we will have to blog some fun informations soon!

Waiting is so Hard to do!

God has a reason for all things, and I know that in my heart and soul. :)

This week I contacted the Senator's in Iowa to find out how the homeland security office could loose our pressed original Birth Certificates and Marriage Licence? I have since than got new ones and photo copied those and resent the copied ones. The Agency had to resend our Home Study also, so where are the first round of paper work? I also talked to the Harkin's and Grassley's office about trying to find out what or where we are at as we wait to get approval to get finger printed for our I171's? As I understand it they Homeland Security office sends paper work down to Monrovia, to start Marcus' paper work to come to the United States! But I could be way off. I was told I should receive a phone call back from both offices today (Friday), but I know how this all goes....it could possibly be next week! I re-emailed the office in Des Moines again for the 3rd time within a week also.

Our family just is getting used to "just wait and see". It is starting to get harder on DH and myself, but I think how hard it has to be on a 5, 10, 12 and even the 15 year old to understand all this.

On a brighter note, our Agency sent Marcus' photo book, book about blankies, and a blankie! I am so thankful and pray that it arrives there! I also pray that this gives comfort to the "family" at the orphanage to know where he will someday come home too! We took pictures of the outside of the house, all the kids separately, they're likes, and some of the yard! I can't imagine what a culture shock this little guy will have!

This week has been homecoming at school. Tonight is the game, and a tailgate BBQ! A bit windy, but the temps are in the 80's!

Tomorrow I am going to a hair show in Omaha with some friends. It will be so nice to get out with a over due trip with a friend! :)

Have a terrific weekend!

What do you all do?

Through out this whole journey, you have read, researched and prayed about how, what and not to do while on this journey!
Patience- you need SO much of this, I wish you could get some at WalMart, shucks I'd drive to Target to get some. Of course I know patience is prayer!
Paper work- does this ever stop? I thought I could be so organized, have everything photo copied- arranged in order so I could go back, pull it up and whammo there it is. I know this is hard to complete when you have 4 kids, well all of us are a bit dis-organized! Maybe when school starts I can power organize!?
Not get attached to a picture! Yeah right! You just look into those brown sad eyes, yup hooked! I do remember looking in someones eyes, oh lets say 19 years ago and getting hooked also!:)
Guard your heart! Wow, it is so hard not to try to hurry along this process and not get your heart involved! I know I get to involved with those who need help! I see people hurt, and my heart breaks for them! I pray for them, send a card, maybe a pizza ranch coupon, just to make their day!
Mail Service- What the world, at the beginning of our journey for our Adam Walsh's, we needed to send fingerprints for the state of Iowa. DH and I had them done before the end of the year, so while on vacation, they would be processed and we wouldn't think about them. In the end our oldest(14 and older) had to be fingerprinted, go back the local department, priority mail them back to our Agency and it got stuck on the bottom of the crate! Eventually it did make it.
Yesterday we received our I600A papers back again, (*You need to have cashier checks, did that the 2nd time)WOOHOOO, finally I thought we had it right, but they did not receive our birth certificate, marriage license? Hmmm, how does that happen? They received the money, but not documents? Also they wanted our home study, which our Agency sent July 20. So what do we do? Run to Orange City, pay to get another copy of our marriage license, birth certificates?
DR./Passports-yesterday our Oldest Son needed to see Dr. Looby for a knee injury. Yes, surgery next Friday! I thought lets get this passport done for him since I was driving all over, oh yeah, you need both parents present to get that done! So, now we need to find a time that DH can take off and get that done. Oldest son is thinking and praying whether to go along to Liberia, if that happens!??
Family- not all family is so "intuned" with what is going on. I just pray that when/if this all happens, they can find it in their heart to love this child of God! I praise God for my family that is so supportive of us! God Bless YOU :)!

I know in my heart God is along the side of us, doing His will at all times. I know of 2 couples who have waited and waited to go to Guatemala, and Russia to travel to pick up their precious boys. Congratulations!! Prayers are answered in God's time!

So as we wait....we ask for prayers:
*we still are praying that the medical report suddenly shows up!
*School starts next Tuesday. I guess it is time, when every double A battery is disappearing from all working devices!
*Oldest Son's knee repair surgery next Friday, we pray it is just a scope and that the Dr. does not have to drill in his bone to promote new growth!
*DH's uncle is back in Iowa City b/c of bladder cancer!
*Our Pastor is back! Yeah!
*A gal from our area is in the hospital with ecoli! Pray for kidneys to start working!
*Those traveling to get their babies/boys!
*We have so much to be thankful for! Great weather, the crops look awesome, and most of all our Loving God who loves us unconditionally!
*I just love this spell check!:)
God Bless you all as you ready our crazy journal!
I'm not sure if this is real entertainment or you could all be laughing at how strange we are?

Boys will be Boys!

Son #1 just got back from Rocky Mountain High a bit ago. Home feels so much better when you have all under 1 roof. He had a wonderful experience, and saw many lives change because of God's great love for us, most of all Jesus taking away all our sins!
Sunday night we had DH's cousin lead our church service. Dave & Jody are leading a conference in Okoboji coming up. Son #2 and #3 had great fun with their son Sunday after the church service. Monday night we met at a Pizza Ranch and took "R" home with us. Wow, can boys have fun! "R" is so much like our 2 it is scary! I think Dave and Jody better come more often to Iowa to see the "wild life" we have in our cattle yards down the road from us.
Of course our 2 decided they better get their beds from upstairs to downstairs, learning if you stack the mattresses carefully on the stairs you get a great slide! (with a lot of pillows at the bottom of the steps!) Whew, no broken bones, few carpet burns and a dolphin deflated with tons of giggles!
Monday we heard from the Liberia that they were processing some medical stuff. We are waiting for our I600A's to get our finger prints taken. God is guiding us while we pray for that little guy. Our arms are starting to ache to hold him in our arms! Let's pray for earth moving great news soon!!!!
Have a great weekend!

Hot Summer Days!

There are many things you learn when you adopt! I know there is tons of paper work, your past dumb things you did in high school does catch up to you, your reference letters are very important, people are funny when they say "your adopting?", "Why"?. Now I am finding all different web sites that help you along the way. Yesterday I did receive my I600A's back. I now know you can only get a cashiers or money order from your bank, not the bank that is in your little town. But we got it done! We have not heard anything this week. I did pick up some boys clothes at Kohl's for the orphanage. I was going to send them, but the SW said just to bring them.
Just got a phone call from the SW and I quickly gathered the paper work for our dossier for Ethiopia(we thought we were going that route when the Liberia presented itself!) so I sent those off to Blue Earth! Another inch forward!! Yipee! So hopefully & prayerfully that is a good sign!
It has been a hot and humid week. We could use some rain. It is something to see how the corn and beans are growing in our back yard!
We are totally done with baseball. The 2 boys had Father Son Baseball Games:

DH had a very hot day pouring concrete and than 2 games of baseball! It is so much fun watching the boys play against the dads. The dads usually bat left handed in the 4th Grade level. The 6th Grade dads tried to have a bit more competition.

Yesterday we again remember why we put a pool in the back yard! Wow how refreshing on a hot day! Mowing under the tramp provided some entertainment with bunnies.

Our Pastor and his Family are heading home this weekend from their Sabbatical. They are know touring the Netherlands! We are excited to have them back home!

Busy Weekend!

First of all Happy 4oth Birthday to DH!

I always try to put a bit of surprise for DH when it is a special day, so I ordered donuts and put some juice in the cooler for his employees and brought it to the shop at 6:30am. It really is amazing how many people are walking, and how bright it is at the time of the morning!

When DH came home from work we went out to eat, little did he know DH Family was waiting for us. It all made sense when he seen the "Over the Hill" sign, and a reserved parking for "Old Man". His sister's made the night very special for him. Of course I had to order a cake for him.
DH had a great day, he saw all the guys that stood up for us, through out the day!

I sent off our I600A's the other day, as I was looking up through the Immigration records I noticed I sent $10.00 to much, this morning I ran into a friend who has gone this route and I found out the check has to be a money order. So it should be in the mail at the beginning of the week! I seen our youngest nieces in the last to days and it really reminds me of how different it is going to be when/if M comes home. What a different home this will be!
Here is a picture of our niece's boyfriend and Son#3! Needless to say..Our son looks so much better!!
Go Yankees!
This weekend we could of / should of done a lot of things:
I have my 20 class reunion? Yikes!
Soap Box racing?
Picnic at Albert Lea with Adoption Agency?
Go visit the shut In's that go to our Church..2 new babies this week, Praise God! Keep your foot up U.Kenny!
I think we just might go to SCity and go out for a nice dinner and maybe some shopping.
With all the heat and humidity makes me really thankful for air conditioning! Whew!
Now that baseball is done, we can take time to reflect how wonderful we have it! I see and read about Liberia and all of Africa and what they all endure over there makes you realize that God has a plan for all of us! We had a Katelyn's fund lunch at the Bakery Thursday. It was awesome to sit and visit with the other ladies who have been there or are there now. I want those 2 "Young Ladies" too know God has picked all of our children out for all of us! We will continue to lift you up in prayer that God provides us all with gentle hugs and peace knowing this is all in His time and to provide LOTS of patience as we wait upon the Lord.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!" Jeremiah 29:11