One at a Time

Today we had our first homestudy visit, and we both feel that it went well. It was mostly talking about ourselves and how we felt pertaining to certain topics. One of the topics we discussed was our desire to be a part of the special focus program, which allows you to adopt 2 unrelated children on the same trip or on seperate trips. Because of our family size and the ages of our children, our social worker feels that it would be best to bring in one child at a time. This doesn't mean that we can't adopt 2 children, because we still plan on adopting 2 children. But what it does mean is that this trip, we will only be picking up one child (unless we are referred twins, which is rare). After we come home with Wu, we will have a year, I believe, to reuse our paperwork to adopt another child.

I would like to state, for the record, that I feel we can handle bringing 2 children into our home at one time. But I do see where our social worker is coming from, and Joey and I have decided that we will follow her suggestion. She wasn't unreasonable at all, and we don't want to be either. We can always go back. The financing of it, I am not so sure about, but I am confident that God will lead us through it.

So Wu, we are getting closer to the time when we will learn who you are and the excitement is building. Momma and Baba can't wait to be on the plane BACK with you. Loving you always... Momma

To be 30...

Growing up, I had always been mortified of turning 30. God, in His infinite wisdom, gave me a reason to look forward to turning 30. Turning 30 means that I have met the final requirement to adopt our precious baby/babies. And now we wait for 7 more weeks until my hubby is finally 30 as well.

Between the 2 cheesecakes, breakfast made by my sweet Emma with her father,surprise birthday party, the vacation Bible school singing "happy birthday" to me because my Silas kept reminding the MC that it was my birthday, my husband informing our waiter at the restaurant that it was the big 3-0 for me.... well, I think you get the picture. Lucy told me that she was going to make me a card and "fill it with love." Joseph was extra sweet to his momma and gave her plenty of hugs and kisses. Turning 30 was oh-so-sweet. I am BLESSED, and I am excited to have met this milestone so we can meet the next... Joey's big 3-0 and then our referrals! My heart is so full of love and excitement right now. God is AWESOME and He had blessed me with such an AWESOME family :)

We Can Go Anywhere!

Today we applied for our passports. All of the children came with us. Lucy asked us what it meant to have a passport, and Joey's response was, "We can go anywhere in the world!" And once they come in, we can pretty much go anywhere in the world. But there is only one place in the world that I want to be right now.

Change of Plans

You know what they say about the best layed plans, right? Well, it looks as if we are going to be steered off course a bit. Our homestudy is taking longer than we anticipated, because it hasn't even begun yet!!! We were thinking that the homestudy began as soon as we turned in our application, and turns out we were wrong. All of the references needed to return their forms first, and the meetings don't start immediately after that either. And we won't be one of the lucky ones who finish the homestudy in a couple of weeks. Looks as if it will be one meeting per week for 4-5 weeks beginning the week of July 18th.

Our goal of having LID in early September, is now looking impossible. Question is when will our LID be? And it looks as if we are subject to the new rules the CCCWA implemented this year (more references, more visits after adoption, more training hours). Not a biggy, but taking longer to reach our little ones plays a sad tune in my heart.

Two months

Two months... that's all that's inbetween us and finding out who our child/children are. I have always dreaded turning 30, but next month can't come quite fast enough. Better yet, is when Joey turns 30 in September. Then we can finally be old enough for China.

Our homestudy should begin soon. We are just waiting for our references to return their forms, then our first appointment will be scheduled. Today we are mailing off forms to have a background check with the FBI (new requirement for our homestudy agency). Then we will work on getting our passports, and rounding up the remaining birth certificates. I believe we have all of the other forms.

Then we will need to hire a CPA to write up an income letter. Hopefully all of this is done before the homestudy is completed, and we can apply to USCIS. Then starts the process of sealing things. I am still not sure how it all works, but I believe it involves me driving around and getting things stamped (sealed) to prove that the previous seal/stamp was accurate. That should be interesting. But all 4 of the children and I will be hustling to get it done in time to turn it all in for Joey's birthday. Then we can celebrate and maybe get to a few of those words with the intials next to them in the top left corner! :)

Until next time,
Tasha

Doin' Alright

So last post, I'll admit, I was a bit besides myself. I would like to think we all get that way somehow. But I prayed for God's peace, and so He granted it to me. I am a calm cucumber right now. ;)

If you haven't guessed it yet, we are high and dry. The gates were opened, which gave our levees a break. Tomorrow our flood insurance goes into effect. So we are praising God for keeping us safe, and praying for those who are effected in turn.

Update on adoption (what this site is really for, right?! lol):

We are about to submit the paperwork to begin our homestudy!! Whoop! Whoop! We had a little setback on our timing due to searching for a new vehicle, but now we are back on track and fierce as ever. We are just waiting on some paperwork to come in from Joey's employer, then we write a check to pay the social worker to do the homestudy and wait for her next available appointment.

While the homestudy is going on, we will be gathering the necessary documentation needed for our dossier, and getting our passports!! I seriously cannot wait to be on the plane heading BACK from China with our baby/babies in tow!!!

Did you catch that subtle hint? Yes, we are hoping to adopt two children from China! We meet financial requirements and we are more than willing, but I believe we need the stamp of approval from our social worker. Hopefully this is as much of a non-issue to her as it is to us. I am home ALL of the time with the children, and I believe our home would be spectacular with two more sets of little feet running through the halls! Joey, well he is as much game as I am. So let the fun begin! We are ready to smother those sweet babies in hugs and kisses :)

Until next time,

Tasha

Wǔ & Liù(six), Mommy and Daddy are hoping you are both okay and we send our love! May God share this love that we, and He has for you through your caretakers! Love you bunches~ Your parents

Preparing for Floods, and Thinking of Wu

Alot of things are going on right now. On the top of the list is the projected flooding to our area IF the Morganza Spillway is not opened and IF there isn't a breach in the levee systems. Our home could face a possible 5-15 feet of water in it IF one of those 2 scenarios play out. We have no flood insurance. At least not until June 2nd. We will be on flood watch well into June, so our hope is that if anything happens to our home, that it happens June 2nd or later.

Right now, in our area, sand boils are popping up all along the levee and the roads are cracking from the pressure. A reporter had the road crack under the feet of the videographer yesterday as they were filming. This is a scary situation. The river still has another 5.5 feet left until it crests. If the Morganza Spillway is opened, the river level will decrease by only 1.5 feet. It seems to me that the levees are under a tremendous amount of pressure already, and aren't withstanding them very well on our end.

As usual, I worry. I really could care less about losing our home, as long as it is after our insurance kicks in. We are not in a flood zone. I would like to point that out, and all this time I believed that we had flood insurance. As soon as I had learned that we did not have flood insurance, we added it.

Losing our home prior to the flood insurance kicking in, could be detrimental to the adoption. I can't help but panic inside when I think of this. So I am asking you all to pray for peace for not only us, but for all of the people who are concerned about this oncoming flood. We need peace that only God can provide.

Thank you and May God bless you,
Tasha


Wu, Momma and Daddy are still paperchasing amidst all of this craziness. We will be getting physicals done soon, and turning in our application to begin our homestudy. We think and talk about you every single day- ALL of us do. We cannot wait until you join our family physically. Love you- Momma