Travel dates!!!

We finally got travel dates this morning!!! I've been "patiently" awaiting them!!! I'm leaving Saturday and I'll be in Berkeleys town by Thursday to meet her!!! Exciting huh?!?? 

I'm so anxious it's making my lack of an attention span even worse! I'm trying to get a list together of everything I need to do in the next week but I'm having issues with concentration :) 

This has been a very long journey and it's not over yet, so hang on it's about to get exciting!!!

One year home!

One year ago today I landed back in the US after spending 8.5 weeks in Ukraine to adopt the boys. So much has happened since then and the boys have both changed so much. That trip and this process has changed our lives in so many ways. We went from a family of 5 to a family of 7 and there have been bumps but I'm happy to say it's been worth it. 

There is so much I want to say about this past year and my time in Ukraine but today I'm to tired to put my thoughts into words:) so enjoy a few pics of the boys instead! 

Here's the boys today 

Callen eating watermelon

Grayson (he had an accident in his chair)

My 3 sons:) 

Submitted

Our dossier was submitted on Wednesday to Berkeley's country. So now we just wait for travel dates, it could be 2 weeks up to 12 weeks before we even hear anything. So we will be extremely busy from now on getting everything done and ready for me to be out of the country for several weeks. 

We are heartbroken that we won't be able to bring home the second girl we had hoped to adopt. There was lots of political turmoil in the area she lives and adoption is no longer allowed by Americans. We all are very saddened by this but have hopes and dreams of still bringing her to the US in a few years when she is an adult and can leave on her own free will.

In the meantime we are getting Berkeley's side of the room ready, we decided to have her and Ashlyn share. We thought it was better that way and this allowed us to let Pasha have his own room, as he gets older and has more adaptive equipment he needs more space. 

We were blessed several months ago with a monetary gift for Berkeley's adoption so we only need about $500-$750 that will be my "emergency" money to use while I'm there. You never know with this country how long exactly you'll be there and how much it's going to cost and since I'll be traveling during the summer airline tickets are higher too. I'm having a yard sale next weekend and the rest of the money we are hoping to save from pay checks every week until I leave. 

I can't wait to go and start this part if the journey to bring Berkeley home finally! 

Ashlyn's side of the room

Berkeley's side, we are buying a new mattress for her and she has bedding to match Ashlyn

No news update!!!!

I got our approval extension today!!!! So it's been emailed to the powers that be!!!! Now just waiting to be submitted!!!

I have nothing new to report, I'm waiting on our USCIS extension approval to arrive in the mail, anyday now. The delays in our paperwork have been beyond frustrating. Our entire dossier has been overseas for over a month waiting to be submitted but because of USCIS' rule about not being able to apply for an extension until 90 days before yours expires we had to wait until April to even apply for the extension. 

Sooo hopefully by next week it will be safely overseas carried by another family. Then we can finally be submitted and start the countdown for travel dates. I'm praying super hard for early July but it might be late July :( 

So in the meantime here's my cute other kids:) 

Here's me and Ashlyn headed to see Casting Crowns in concert.

Callen passed out, reading is hard work!

Pasha asleep in his chair and Kaeden just chillin

Savannah banana being a diva! 

More waiting....

We are still waiting for our dossier to be submitted. We thought we had everything we needed over there but nope we need one more thing. Since our original USCIS approval expires in July we had to wait until April the file for an extension of it sooo we are waiting on it now. I'm sooo sick and tired of paperwork. Really and truly it's one of the worst things EVER. So no new news on the adoption front. 

The other kiddos are all doing well, they're enjoying the nicer weather and are getting to play outside almost everyday now! 

A story to tell.....

For those who know me in real life and on FB they know we have had quite the adventure adopting these past few years. 

Our story is still being written so I can't really tell it yet but I will. It's full of twists and turns and tests of our faith. Crazy coincidences that are so much more than that, they're hints from God that we are on the right path he's laid for us. 

Until then though I press on where he's leading me.....to my kids. 

I can't even describe to you the way our trip last year changed me. Not only opening my eyes fully to the plight of orphans but also to a whole new culture I came to love. I will never stop advocating for adoption and orphan care....never. 

Random pics of the kids

Kaeden giving me flowers

Callen and Savannah "reading"

Pasha asleep at the Spina Bifida clinic

Messy boys

Four of my kiddos watching a movie 

Pasha with his new AFO's