It has been another busy few weeks. I see why people say it should take six to eight months to adopt. And we are working to accomplish it in about four. We did not want to do a marathon. We went for a long sprint. Too bad this was not also a weight loss journey! I do believe I may have put on a few pounds, but I guess it is like having twins. LOL!

We had a mishap with our state clearance paperwork. When I first went and turned in the request I gave them the paperwork all signed. At least most of it, anyway. Tim's was done. Mine never got witnessed so it was sent back. I got that done, turned it back in, received them back. We thought we were done. We emailed it over to Ukraine to make sure it was what we needed, but we were informed it was not. The state had performed a "name only" check. We actually needed a fingerprint check. So, I went and picked up more finger print cards. We went to the Jackson Police Department to get our finger prints taken, again. I was not sure I would ever get all the ink off my skin! I went and turned them in, again. The nice lady there mailed them back to me. About a week later I still had not yet received them so I made a trip back out to her office. Of course she wasn't in, but she called me back to tell me she had mailed them just the day before; and we should receive them in a few days. OK, that is on a Thursday. She calls me on Monday morning and asks if I had gotten them over the weekend. No, they had not made it, but maybe they would there that day I say. She, oh so nicely, says, "I am not sure that is going to happen." "What do you mean" I ask. Well, somehow there had been a mishap in her office; and our paperwork was sent to Canada!! She had come in to work to a phone call from a lady in the Immigration Office wanting to know who we were and what she needed to do with our paperwork? She did send it back to us overnight, at no cost to us. I was glad for that as we had nothing to do with it, but in all of this they come to find out my fingerprints had not printed well enough. I had to fingerprint myself as the officer was sick and in a bad mood so he did not feel like touching me and possibly getting me sick. Once more with the ink, but praise the LORD, we are done.

As part of the home study process we had to take ten hours of classes on how to be a parent. I guess already raising two kids did not teach us anything. The classes were scheduled the same weekend we were going to be of town. Yes, my sweet husband took me to the beach for my birthday. After doing a little homework, though, we found out we could take the classes on line. So you know me, I was able to teach Catholic Charities something! They had not known classes were available that way. Online classes actually saved us some money, too; and we got to pick the classes that were more geared to the girls, than babies. We also decided to take an extra 2.5 hours because we saw another class we thought would be helpful.

On the way to the beach we received a call from Mrs. Betti. She had been to the office, dropped off her signed copy of the home study, and was hoping her boss would read it yet that week. Well, that did not happen. The boss did finally read it and approved several changes she needed us to make by the following Thursday. So Mrs. Betti called and left me a message, at home of all places, late on Thursday afternoon. She said I could go on Friday morning to pick up the home study so we would have the weekend to review it and make sure everything in it was correct. Then she said we would I would need to bring $500 for the rest of the home study and $200 for the liaison fees (Tim and I both went, What liaison fees?' but when we looked there it was in black and white. They just had not previously explained the fee to us). Well, I told someone at class, on Thursday night, that it seemed weird anytime I needed to write a check for an adoption expense God had just "dropped" the money into our lap. We really have not had to take anything from our own accounts up to now. Between extra cleaning jobs, to income tax money, to multiple gifts, He has always supplied, but this time it looked like we were just going to use some money from our adoption account. It didn't appear there would be a WOW moment, but it is God is GOD, right? On Friday I went to my first cleaning job. They ask how things are going with the girls; and I tell them. They are not really ready for me to clean right then, as I was a little early that morning, so I ran and cleaned another house real quick, then came back. When I got there. She had left a card. I thought maybe it was for my birthday so I had not thought much about it. I cleaned there house, then left. As I was heading into the bank to go withdraw the cash to pay for the home study I opened the card. Well, GOD did it to me again. It was nothing for me, but for the girls it was the $250 we were "short". I stood at the bank door thanking God!!! I know the people at the bank had to have thought I had lost my mind. I mean I was standing there just talking out loud in the lobby, thanking Him! I then turned around and left the bank. I no longer needed to withdraw any money, as I now had all I needed! I drove to Jackson thinking, "Hear I come, home study!" I get there, and no one is in the office. So, I head over to Tim's office to call. No answer. I call Mrs. Betti. She gives me the direct line, instead of the switchboard. I leave a message. Still no call back. I go back over to their office. Still no one. I call Mrs. Betti again. She has me come by her house and drop off the money, then call the emergency contact number to see if someone can possibly email us a copy. No one ever called me back. I am so glad it was not an actual emergency! We did not get the home study until the following Monday; and there were several mistakes. We got them fixed, then emailed a copy to Ukraine, where they discovered one other minor statement to change. After another week we now have a completed home study. YEAH! PRAISE the LORD! He is so good...

The home study has now supposedly been sent off to Citizenship & Immigration Services for the final stop in the U.S. side of the paper work. We have had some more money come in through donations; and we would like to thank everyone who is praying for us and donating to us. We could not do this on our own. It is the love and support of all of you that helps keep us going.

It is sad to see all the darkness in the world today. I was telling Tim the other day, the system would work faster and better if all of the people who worked in places of ministry, like Catholic Charities, would go and do mission work at least every other year, if not every year. Their hearts desire would be to work faster and harder to find these children a home... A family who would love them and support them. We are to show them mercy and grace. There have been times I have wanted to say, "If the girls are not here by Christmas, like God said they would be, it was the your (the administrators) fault. I have done all I can do. You dragged your feet. You are the reason the girls have to spend another Christmas in a place with no family and no love. How would you like it if we put you there and did that to you? I am pretty sure you would not"

My heart is so heavy for the 143 million orphans of the world. I can only help two of them, but I can pray for many. Please be in prayer for them, also. November 8, 2009 is Orphan Sunday. If only 7% of all Christians would adopt a child there would be no more children in orphanages. That seems mind boggling to me. When you think 7% that is really not that many. I am not saying adoption is for everyone, but I am saying to please be in prayer about it. If it is not right for you, then maybe you can help a family you know by assisting them as they help a child.

Until next time, please continue to pray for us...

Lynn