Random Thoughts and Observations

Big Boy
When Jackson and Ken are playing hide-and-seek, and Ken is the one hiding, Jack stalks around the house saying, "Where is that Big Boy?" He pretends he doesn't see his daddy, even when it's obvious there's a large man under the kitchen table. In order to extend the game, of course. Cracks me up every time. Especially when he comes to me with a goofy grin on his face and says, "Mom! I can't find Dad. Where *IS* that BIG BOY?"


Re-do
I'm in the process of redecorating Jack's room, transforming it from a Nursery to a Little Boy room...that will someday become a Big Boy room. Our generous friend Patti gave us a loft bed, so thanks to Pinterest and Disney Junior, I'm making the under-bed area a clubhouse. ("Mickey Mouse, Clubhouse! Come inside; it's fun inside!") I chose red and white polka dot material for the "stage" curtains, and after measuring, cutting, sewing, measuring again, and hanging, Ken's reaction was, "It reminds me of Minnie Mouse." Oh dear!

I realized that he's right. It does look Minnie-ish! And while Jack has a bit of a thing for Minnie, I'm not sure I want his room to resemble her polka dot dress. I am going to attempt a masculinization of the decor, and then I'll post some pictures.


Oh Dear!
Speaking of "Oh Dear," my almost three year old says, "Oh Dear!" on a regular basis. He also says, "Oh My!" I'm glad he's not using less savory expressions, but sometimes he sounds like a 75-year-old grandma when he speaks. Not that there's anything wrong with 75-year-old grandmas.


Three Good Words
Ken and I try to pray with Jack several times throughout the day. Before meals, before bed, etc. We usually pray a simple prayer, thanking God for all He's provided and asking for His intervention in any situations that come to mind.

Occasionally I ask Jack if he'd like to say the prayer. He has never turned me down. When he was younger, he would bow his head, scrunch up his eyes, and mumble some incomprehensible words. Now that he's almost three, his prayers have become much more mature. Unless we prompt him, they are always three words long:

"Dear Jesus ...[sigh] ... Amen."

To tell you the truth, I am fascinated with this prayer. In three short words, he covers all the bases.

dear

     adj. beloved, loved, adored, cherished, precious, precious treasure

     adv. at a high cost 

Jesus

     noun. from the Greek, meaning, "God is salvation."

amen

     exclamation: uttered at the end of a prayer or hymn, meaning "so be it." Used to express agreement or assent.

     noun: from Hebrew, meaning, "truth or certainty."

From the mouths of babes...

Frozen

I heard last night on the news that last year at this time Chicagoland had gotten about 3 inches of snow, total. This year? 48 inches. Plus all the sub-zero temps. I feel like we live in Antarctica. Fittingly, we're going to see FROZEN this afternoon. It will be Jack's first movie theatre experience. I wonder how it will go. To be continued...

Adventure

I like to be adventurous. I have an insatiable curiosity to see and do everything. When I was younger, my adventures were usually tied to traveling. I liked going to out-of-the-way destinations...some of them known for recruiting and harboring terrorists. 

Now that I'm in my forties and have a husband, child, dog, and mother-in-law to take into consideration, my adventures are somewhat different. Today's outing was going to pick up bagels in the middle of a snowstorm. As I pulled our baby blue minivan out of the garage and traversed the snowy streets, I thought about how much my life has changed. I wouldn't trade my past adventures for anything, but I wouldn't trade the present for anything either.

Blue Mini

Speaking of blue minivans...and my son's affection for Minnie Mouse... 

After Ken's New Year's Eve accident, which totaled his pick-up truck, we decided to invest in a family vehicle. It was nice to have a truck for moving and hauling stuff, but it wasn't very practical. It was a manual transmission, so I couldn't drive it. It only had one row of seating, so it wasn't conducive to a carseat for Jack. And with the hopes of adopting a little one in the next year, we decided the car I drove, a PT Cruiser (which is deceptively small), would not meet our needs. So we "upgraded" to a minivan.

A minivan.

People. I drive a minivan. I live in the Midwest. I make casseroles. I attend potluck dinners at my church. And I recently bought a pair of mom jeans.

But anyway...back to the blue Minivan. When we explained to Jack that we had a new blue MINIvan, he thought we were referring to Minnie Mouse. So our new Honda Odyssey is affectionately known as Blue Minnie. Thanks, Disney Junior. 

Full Circle

Now I must return to my sewing machine. Wish me luck as I attempt to masculinize my son's Minnie Mouse-inspired bedroom decor.

Happy Saturday!

Luann 

CUDDL DUDS, ETC.

faux fur slippers.

insulated windows.

down comforters.

hot coffee.

and tea. 

and cocoa.

cuddl duds. 

thermals.

long johns.

wool socks.

mittens.

scarves.

hats.

heated car seats.

no reason to use heated car seats because nowhere to go.

WAHM.

(work at home mom)

oatmeal with blueberries. prepared by sweet husband.

lazy monday with my snuggly toddler.

warm hearts.

. . .

negative two right now.

feels like negative twenty-two.

going down to negative eighteen.

[sigh]

uber-blessed.

thank you God.

. . .

what are you thankful for today?

Positive News

Just a quick update to thank you for your prayers and let you know we heard some GREAT news from our adoption agency. It looks like the officials in Ethiopia will develop a task force to make better laws pertaining to adoption--and enforce existing laws--but there is no immediate plans to end adoption. That may be their end goal, but it would take quite a while to put that into place. In the meantime, agencies and orphanages will be stepping it up to better protect vulnerable children.

God is so good to us.


Tonight Ken, Jack and I will be going out for a late dinner at one of our favorite pizza restaurants. Then we'll come home to have some chocolate fondue and spend some time playing a riveting game of Chutes and Ladders.

I don't know if we'll make it till midnight; if I fall asleep before, it will be the first time I remember doing that. But I wouldn't be surprised. I guess this is what 42 looks like for me. 

We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. We pray that your beliefs about yourself, your family, your situation, and your future will conform to the truth of God's goodness and amazing love for you.

Hugs to you all,

Luann

PS: What are your plans for this evening? Please do share so I can live vicariously. <3

Dependence

It's an interesting thing, this adoption journey. As one friend said, it's not for the faint of heart. It's also not for anyone who is an independent, get-it-done-kind-of-
person.

I realized something profound (at least to me) last night. Up until now, everything has been in our power. There was a lot of busy work. Doctors' appointments, fingerprinting, forms to fill out, bills to pay, references to obtain, etc. But it was all doable using our own strength, intellect, and resources.

Although we have surely prayed for this adoption and this child countless times, we haven't been totally dependent on God. We made To-Do lists, checked off the items one by one, submitted the papers, and recruited friends to pray.

Done, done, and done.

But now we find ourselves in a situation that was completely unforeseen and beyond our control. We don't know the key players. We can't just call up Ethiopia and ask to speak to the decision makers. "Hello, this is Luann calling from the USA. You don't know me, but I heard you might discontinue foreign adoptions and was wondering if you would please allow us to adopt one of your orphans."

It's an interesting spot to be in. From the beginning of this process, we've simply trusted God one step at a time. He never promised us an Ethiopian child. He just made it clear that we were to apply to the agency. And then we were to proceed with the homestudy. And then the dossier. And then the next step, And the next.

Now it's in His hands. So we wait. We rely on the One who is able to speak to those in authority. He put them in authority, and He controls their hearts.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities.  

For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority 

have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1

The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;  

he guides it wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21:1

So if and when a child is placed in our home, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it had nothing to do with us. All glory will go to God. 

Fitting, since He is the author of adoption.

 

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5

Thanks for all your prayers and kind words. 

Please continue to pray for the children in Ethiopia who don't have moms and dads...yet.

We appreciate each and every one of you.

Luann 

Disappointing News

Today we learned that some Ethiopian officials are attempting to shut down all foreign adoptions of Ethiopian children.

According to this article, the House of People's Representatives and the Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth are urging the public and Ethiopian stakeholders to work closely to end foreign adoption. They want to work with local NGOs to care for the orphaned children and protect them from abuse, rather than "giving them away to foreign families."

To be sure, corrupt adoptions have taken place in Ethiopia. Agencies such as Bethany, the one we are working with, closely investigate each case to ensure the children being adopted are truly orphans and truly don't have any family to care for them.

And we agree with the Ethiopian officials, that whenever possible, children should be raised and cared for in their country of origin.

However, with SIX MILLION orphans in Ethiopia, it's going to be tough for an already impoverished country to care for all these children.

It's also tough for families like us who have devoted countless hour and emotional energy preparing for and loving an Ethiopian child we don't yet know.

If you would, please pray for the children of Ethiopia. I understand that the officials there have the children's best interests in mind.

As do we.

We are awaiting word from our agency as to what our next steps should be, if any. They are trying to analyze the situation and the validity of the comments made, and will give us more information early next week.

We are disappointed, but we're trusting in the God who has led us on this journey~

Luann

The Cost of Adoption

A few people have asked about the cost of international adoption. And while every country, agency, and situation is a little different, I can say with confidence that it's a lot.

First there are the costs that your adoption agency outlines for you:

• Application Fee
• Homestudy Fee
• USCIS Filing of Orphan Petition
• Authentication of Dossier and shipping fees
• Fingerprinting
• Third-party investigation and verification of child's eligibility/orphan status
• Child's medical and lab tests
• Psychosocial assessment 
• Care of the child 
• Child's passport
• Child's VISA
• Immigration fees
• Legal, court, and administrative fees for Ethiopia
• Airline tickets to Ethiopia (2 round-trip for each parent, 1 one-way for child)

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you. Those are the known fees. But then there are a whole lot of expenses that are not mentioned.

For example, we had to take our dossier documents to an office in Chicago (conveniently located on State Street next to Macy's) to get state-sealed. The cost? $44. Not that bad. But add to that the $38 for parking, the $12 for getting a few items re-notarized, gas money, lunch money, and you've got yourself well over a hundred bucks.

Then I had to make four sets of copies of the 22 dossier documents, each one anywhere from 2-20 pages long. They had to be collated, stapled, etc. All in all, there were nearly 400 pages. Now, I could've spent 27 hours using my home photocopier that takes about 45 seconds per copy, but I opted to take them to a printer. The price for copying, collating and stapling that mess of papers? $90.

This is the actual stack of papers just for dossier!

But here's the cool thing, and I feel a little like the MasterCard commercial as I write this:

Today we got an unexpected check from a doctor's office in the amount of $220. Apparently we had overpaid at some point. That more than covered the jaunt downtown and the photocopies. God provided. And more than we needed.

Learning about God's faithful provision? Priceless.

When I went to Chicago with the papers, two of my best friends came with me. Stephanie took a day off work to tag along. Heather coordinated babysitting not just for her kids but also for mine. We joked and laughed all the way downtown. They sat and waited with me while my papers were reviewed. When I was told some had to be re-done, they insisted we skip lunch and go re-do them right then. So we traipsed around the city on foot, got lost a couple times, got papers re-notarized, Steph had to loan me cash b/c they were gonna charge extra for a debit card, traipsed back to the first office (all this in 20 degree weather), waited while the papers we re-reviewed, and finally got some lunch. Which, of course, they refused to let me pay for.

Learning about on-earth angels who disguise themselves as friends? Priceless.

Ken read a quote on an adoption blog about a year ago, when we were first investigating the costs. It read, "What God approves, God funds."

Amen to that.

Is international adoption costly? Yes. Are we worried about the expenses? No. Have we thought through how much it's really going to cost? Yes. It's a lot. But God called us to adopt. Of this we are confident. And He who has called us is faithful.

...

Now our dossier papers get FedExed to our adoption agency in Grand Rapids. From there they will go to D.C. to be further authenticated, then on to Ethiopia. And then we wait.

Because there's a little girl out there who needs a home. And our home needs a little girl. And God's timing is perfect.

Thanks for your ongoing prayers, support, and interest. Please pray that all our paperwork is accepted and gets to the right people at the right time.

And please keep praying for our daughter, who no doubt is facing tragedies few of us can comprehend.

DIY Duct Tape Stocking

I love this time of year. It's been a little too busy the past week, but our days and nights have been filled with such enjoyable things that I really can't complain.

Last Friday night we went to a Christmas party with our adoption agency. The guests were all families that have been touched by adoption from Africa--whether their kids are already home or like us, they are in process. There were about six or seven families who attended...and lots of kids of many colors. I can't explain how much it affected me to see all the children playing and laughing and running and shrieking. Black skin, brown skin, tan skin, and lilly white skin. I can't speak for the other children, but our little Jack-Jack wasn't fazed one bit by all the cultures and ethnicities represented. All he knew was that there were kids, there were cookies, and there was fun. When the evening came to an end, he didn't want to leave.

A little glimpse of heaven right here on earth.

Yesterday it started snowing while we were in church, and it didn't end until after I went to bed. Thankfully it was a light snow, so total accumulation was just a few inches. Enough to cover the grass and to give Ken a snow-blower induced workout. So thankful for Ken. I threw out my back a week ago, and it still isn't 100 percent.

So, on to the DIY Duct Tape Stockings. So many people, like my husband, have found the joy of using duct tape for all sorts of little projects. You can buy duct tape in just about any color and pattern, and I think Ken has most of them.

Last year I decided to get new Christmas stockings for all of us that reflect something about our personality. I found a stocking for Jackson online that features his beloved Winnie the Pooh. (Thankfully he is even more in love with Pooh this year than he was last year!)

For myself, I bought a stocking with a cardinal. I've become so taken with these lovely birds, and I think they are a perfect decoration for Christmas with their bright red coloring.

I wanted to get a duct tape stocking for Ken, but I couldn't find anything to my liking. That's when I decided to do it myself. Sadly, I was not on Pinterest at the time, so I didn't take any pictures to document the process, but let me tell you about it. It was easy-peasy.

Supplies

• An old, ugly, cheap, or unused stocking, preferably with fold-down fur trim at the top. You can buy these super cheap at most stores.
• Duct tape for main part of stocking.
• Accent duct tape, if desired.

The great thing about working with duct tape is that you don't need any other adhesive such as a  gun or super glue or even a sewing machine.

1. Flip the fur collar up. You will use this to cover the rough edges at the top.
2. Start wrapping the stocking in strips of duct tape, slightly overlapping each strip. You may need to angle some pieces as you get to the bottom, curved area.
3. Make your "seams" or stopping points on the backside, which is hidden from view.
4. When the whole stocking is covered, fold the fur collar down.
5. Add any accent tape. I used a Dallas Cowboy star for my Texas-born husband. I love that it also seems Christmasy.
6. Add the person's name with glitter glue on the collar. I wish I had done it in chalk first because it came out a little lopsided, but I don't think he noticed. :)

 

 

If you make one, please share a picture with me!

Happy Stockings!

Luann