There has been a little movement on the wait list in the past couple of weeks. Amy and Clint have accepted the referral of a beautiful baby boy named Simeon!! Congrats guys!! That moves us to #8!! Things will be slowing down for awhile as the courts in India close for pretty much the whole month of October. Most of the families that recieved referrals in July have already recieved NOC (No Objection Certificate). This was unusually quick!! Please pray for these families as they proceed through the courts. This can be a very lengthy process for them. God Bless!!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A little movement again...
There has been a little movement on the wait list in the past couple of weeks. Amy and Clint have accepted the referral of a beautiful baby boy named Simeon!! Congrats guys!! That moves us to #8!! Things will be slowing down for awhile as the courts in India close for pretty much the whole month of October. Most of the families that recieved referrals in July have already recieved NOC (No Objection Certificate). This was unusually quick!! Please pray for these families as they proceed through the courts. This can be a very lengthy process for them. God Bless!!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Where have you been?!
Sorry, more like where have I been, right?! This summer has been really busy for us and not having a computer has made it difficult to keep things updated. Where do I start?!
Every year, our town has The Great Wellsville Balloon Rally (3rd weekend in July). I used to be on the committee and met a lot of the pilots. The boys and I love to chase the balloons and help the crews tear them down. I've always wanted my own hot air balloon but I was told by my husband I had to choose between a balloon or a little girl. I chose my daughter.
Then we visited a local windmill farm. At first I thought they would be so intrusive looking but they are actually quite neat looking.
The boys spent 3 weekends "traveling the world". Through a grant, our local library and art center put on a literature and cultural event. Each Saturday they learned about a different country and its culture. They started at the library for the literature portion and then off to the Wellsville Creative Art Center for lunch and a hands on art class. Above, Cooper learned to paint like Monet in France after they made french bread sandwiches for lunch.
While in Africa, Treyton made an African mask. They made shishkabobs for lunch
China was the last stop on our tour. They cooked stir fry and made bowls on the pottery wheel. If you have never used the pottery wheel, it's a lot harder than it looks. I thought it would be a piece of cake. Boy did I get a rude awakening. I'll post pics of our work after it's been glazed and fired. Mine isn't so pretty. :)
Cooper and Treyton have been playing soccer. On different teams of course, ha ha!!!
Treyton even got to take a shot at goalie. (No pun intended!) He did a pretty good job!
And... Austin has started football!! (#24)
Shad's company had their annual family picnic. The kids are all waiting for their ducks to cross the finish line at the "Duck Derby". His company is wonderful! They are very family oriented and have been a great help to us through the adoption process.
So... that's what we've been up to!
(and our camper is still not back yet... it's been in the shop since July 10th)
3 weeks w/out a computer...
So... I'm temporarily back on line. My computer was "sick" and being pampered for the past few weeks. OMG... I am such a Cyber-Junkie!! I felt lost without it!! No e-mailing, no blog stalking, no IMing! AWG!!!! My hubby said I needed to get a life!! :) It's a good thing I have 3 rambunctious boys to keep me busy!!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Moving up again!!!!
Another child has been blessed with a home!!! That moves us to #9! Awesome news today!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Movement on the list...
In the excitement of referrals, I've decided to do a little shopping! I'm not sure exactly where on the list we stand right now but I know that we've moved 4-5 spots. I found this adorable hat at Walmart and couldn't resist. Shad loves to hunt and I know that he is going to melt when he see's it! I hid it in his underwear drawer so he'll find it by surprise! :) Now I need to find a little pink camo outfit to go with it! HA! It's too soon to buy clothes for her. I've already been lecturing myself in the stores!! I've ordered a few books through Amazon.com so hopefully they will be here today!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A day at my house...
There has been drama galore around here lately! On Tuesday, Treyton decided to goof off in BJ's Wholesale Club and sliced his leg open on a metal shelf and had to have stitches! He is the clumsiest kid lately. I was 45 mins from home but stubborn me insisted on seeing our own PED. Dr. Kassas is the greatest! I stopped to get gas and was calling his office while I was pumping gas. A big NO NO! The attendant politely came over and pointed to a sign (No electronic devices while pumping!). I was OK with that until a lady on the other side of the pump started running her mouth. Before I thought, I poked my head over and gave her my 2 cents. OK, maybe it was more like 50 cents worth! HA! At any rate it wasn't any of her business and she didn't know what had happened to Treyton. We got back to see Dr. Kassas and he of course sent us to the ER for stitches! After all that, Treyton looked at the clock and realized he still had just enough time to make it to soccer practice! Go figure, he's a boy!! Austin broke his finger at a friends house that same night! and Cooper caught that nasty virus that resembles strep throat and didn't sleep a wink! When it rains it pours with these guys! I'm told the drama will get worse once we have our little girl with us! NOT POSSIBLE!! HA!HA! Did I mention our camper saga?!.... Another story for another day!Monday, July 14, 2008
Article to share...
I wanted to share an article that my sister-in-law sent me the other day. Granted it is from a year ago but it still holds true. It's sad to know this is going on.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1627008.ece
From The Sunday TimesApril 8, 2007
India pleads: adopt our orphan girls
British couples urged to aid ‘lost’ 11 million
Dean Nelson, Delhi
INDIA is to urge couples in Britain and other western countries to adopt thousands of unwanted children languishing in orphanages throughout the subcontinent and save them from a life of poverty and emotional destitution.
There are more than 11m abandoned children in India, where a growing number of newborn babies are being dumped anonymously in cots placed outside orphanages in an initiative to deter infanticide.
About 90% of those abandoned are girls whose poor young mothers cannot afford to keep them. They face a bleak future as beggars, prostitutes or menial labourers if families cannot be found for them.
Last year only 4,000 children escaped that grim fate through adoption. Of those, about 1,000 were placed with families overseas and fewer than 100 came to Britain. Now, in a revolutionary change of policy, the Indian government has decided to increase the number of children available for adoption and to place thousands more with families in Britain, Europe and the United States.
Last week it announced plans to speed up bureaucratic procedures and make it easier for foreign families to adopt.
Under current rules the process usually drags on for more than a year. The new proposals call for a maximum waiting time of just 45 days. Ministers say the process must be accelerated so that loving homes can be found for the babies before they become institutionalised.
The change will be welcomed by childless British couples seeking to adopt abroad and finding their prospects restricted in countries from Romania and Russia to Vietnam, where curbs have recently been introduced, fuel-led in part by fears that adoption was being used as a cover for child trafficking. The British government warns prospective “inter-country adopters” that the process can take three years.
UK campaigners said this weekend that the changes in India were good news for its orphans and for western families who want to adopt them, but emphasised that there were still many British-born children in need of loving families.
David Holmes, chief executive of the British Association for Adoption & Fostering, a charity that helps to find families for hundreds of children every year, said: “It’s important to remember that even if India relaxes the rules these couples will still have to go through the same process that couples adopting within England go through.”
But he added: “Foreign adoption in India might be a little girl’s only chance and so we can see why getting a child into an adoptive family quickly is immensely important.”
At the Cradle orphanage in Delhi, five newborn girls are dumped in a “street crib” outside the security gate every week. A bell attached to the crib rings in a doctor’s room as soon as a child is left and the babies are rushed into one of two crisis wards where they are assessed, dressed, fed and treated.
Last week there were 10 girls and one boy in carrycots on the floor of one crisis ward, happily gurgling, sucking their thumbs and sleeping. Half of them will be adopted by families overseas who pay the orphanage £250, but the remaining babies will face sometimes insurmountable problems in being matched with an Indian family.
According to staff at the home, the darker-skinned babies suffer from a common prejudice in favour of fairer skin. Many will want the baby’s complexion to match their own, so that they can deceive relatives and pretend the child is their natural offspring.
An especially pretty two-year-old girl called Devika has been at the home since she was left in the street crib shortly after she was born and no Indian family has come forward to adopt her.
“She has dark skin,” explained one of the orphanage “ayahs”, or nurses. But she has now found a foreign family and will be leaving the orphanage in the next few weeks.
Devika and 130 others at this sprawling, spotless bungalow are among India’s luckiest abandoned children. Almost nine in 10 will find new families, and those placed overseas will live lives of comfort that could never have been envisaged had they been raised by their natural parents.
Many more orphans are living in poorly funded homes with dilapidated dormitories little better than prison cells and have hardly any prospect of escaping to a better life.
J K Mittal, chairman of India’s Central Adoption Resource Agency which oversees all the adoptions, admitted: “Our procedures are too cumbersome. It takes more than a year to adopt an Indian child from overseas. But it should be done within a couple of months.”
To adopt an Indian child, couples must be financially secure and must have been together for more than five years. They must be between 30 and 55, with a combined age of less than 90. Single people are eligible but not same-sex couples.
“Parents should educate the child about its own background and culture because when they’re older they will want to know about India,” Mittal said. “But the basic requirement is love — they must be able to love and care for the child.”
_____________________________________
I really feel this is partly why India has approved new guidelines through CARA (their adoption governing body). All opf us in the adoption process are caught in the middle right now. Guidelines were approved earlier this year but not implemented yet. This should cut the court process in half for families already with referrals and bring children home sooner. After talking with Sheba, I have learned that a number of the orphanages are NOT registered with CARA and the children can NOT be legally adopted unless they go through a registered agency. Some of these children are abandoned, not relinquished, and there is a legal process to go through in order for these children to be adopted. Just like with anything, I'm sure there are ways around it but, then again, it could be considered "blackmarketing" and that is one of the reasons why CARA was established. It's so sad to see what's going on and not be able to do anything about it. I am in no way an expert and can only share what I have learned so far through the process.
As with many of you, my heart and prayers are in India!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1627008.ece
From The Sunday TimesApril 8, 2007
India pleads: adopt our orphan girls
British couples urged to aid ‘lost’ 11 million
Dean Nelson, Delhi
INDIA is to urge couples in Britain and other western countries to adopt thousands of unwanted children languishing in orphanages throughout the subcontinent and save them from a life of poverty and emotional destitution.
There are more than 11m abandoned children in India, where a growing number of newborn babies are being dumped anonymously in cots placed outside orphanages in an initiative to deter infanticide.
About 90% of those abandoned are girls whose poor young mothers cannot afford to keep them. They face a bleak future as beggars, prostitutes or menial labourers if families cannot be found for them.
Last year only 4,000 children escaped that grim fate through adoption. Of those, about 1,000 were placed with families overseas and fewer than 100 came to Britain. Now, in a revolutionary change of policy, the Indian government has decided to increase the number of children available for adoption and to place thousands more with families in Britain, Europe and the United States.
Last week it announced plans to speed up bureaucratic procedures and make it easier for foreign families to adopt.
Under current rules the process usually drags on for more than a year. The new proposals call for a maximum waiting time of just 45 days. Ministers say the process must be accelerated so that loving homes can be found for the babies before they become institutionalised.
The change will be welcomed by childless British couples seeking to adopt abroad and finding their prospects restricted in countries from Romania and Russia to Vietnam, where curbs have recently been introduced, fuel-led in part by fears that adoption was being used as a cover for child trafficking. The British government warns prospective “inter-country adopters” that the process can take three years.
UK campaigners said this weekend that the changes in India were good news for its orphans and for western families who want to adopt them, but emphasised that there were still many British-born children in need of loving families.
David Holmes, chief executive of the British Association for Adoption & Fostering, a charity that helps to find families for hundreds of children every year, said: “It’s important to remember that even if India relaxes the rules these couples will still have to go through the same process that couples adopting within England go through.”
But he added: “Foreign adoption in India might be a little girl’s only chance and so we can see why getting a child into an adoptive family quickly is immensely important.”
At the Cradle orphanage in Delhi, five newborn girls are dumped in a “street crib” outside the security gate every week. A bell attached to the crib rings in a doctor’s room as soon as a child is left and the babies are rushed into one of two crisis wards where they are assessed, dressed, fed and treated.
Last week there were 10 girls and one boy in carrycots on the floor of one crisis ward, happily gurgling, sucking their thumbs and sleeping. Half of them will be adopted by families overseas who pay the orphanage £250, but the remaining babies will face sometimes insurmountable problems in being matched with an Indian family.
According to staff at the home, the darker-skinned babies suffer from a common prejudice in favour of fairer skin. Many will want the baby’s complexion to match their own, so that they can deceive relatives and pretend the child is their natural offspring.
An especially pretty two-year-old girl called Devika has been at the home since she was left in the street crib shortly after she was born and no Indian family has come forward to adopt her.
“She has dark skin,” explained one of the orphanage “ayahs”, or nurses. But she has now found a foreign family and will be leaving the orphanage in the next few weeks.
Devika and 130 others at this sprawling, spotless bungalow are among India’s luckiest abandoned children. Almost nine in 10 will find new families, and those placed overseas will live lives of comfort that could never have been envisaged had they been raised by their natural parents.
Many more orphans are living in poorly funded homes with dilapidated dormitories little better than prison cells and have hardly any prospect of escaping to a better life.
J K Mittal, chairman of India’s Central Adoption Resource Agency which oversees all the adoptions, admitted: “Our procedures are too cumbersome. It takes more than a year to adopt an Indian child from overseas. But it should be done within a couple of months.”
To adopt an Indian child, couples must be financially secure and must have been together for more than five years. They must be between 30 and 55, with a combined age of less than 90. Single people are eligible but not same-sex couples.
“Parents should educate the child about its own background and culture because when they’re older they will want to know about India,” Mittal said. “But the basic requirement is love — they must be able to love and care for the child.”
_____________________________________
I really feel this is partly why India has approved new guidelines through CARA (their adoption governing body). All opf us in the adoption process are caught in the middle right now. Guidelines were approved earlier this year but not implemented yet. This should cut the court process in half for families already with referrals and bring children home sooner. After talking with Sheba, I have learned that a number of the orphanages are NOT registered with CARA and the children can NOT be legally adopted unless they go through a registered agency. Some of these children are abandoned, not relinquished, and there is a legal process to go through in order for these children to be adopted. Just like with anything, I'm sure there are ways around it but, then again, it could be considered "blackmarketing" and that is one of the reasons why CARA was established. It's so sad to see what's going on and not be able to do anything about it. I am in no way an expert and can only share what I have learned so far through the process.
As with many of you, my heart and prayers are in India!
"Show me the money!!!" (or at least help me find it)...
This weeks RLC Blog Buzz question is...
“How do I do this, moneywise? I want to adopt, but it seems so overwhelming. We don’t really have $20,000 in the bank, ya know!” Please blog about your experience, ideas, insight, fundraisers and other ideas that worked for you while raising your adoption money.
This is a question that most of us struggle with when God opens our hearts to adoption. Sometimes it seems as if God plants his seed at the most inopportune times! And you think to yourself... what in the world are you thinking? Now?! Yes, NOW! There is a reason for everything! God will lead you and provide for you! You just need to open your eyes and have faith. Sometimes the answers can be plain as day and other times you may need to dig a little deeper. In reality... most are lucky to have $100 in the bank let alone $20,000. We felt compelled to start with Foster Care. Adopting children through the foster care system is very inexpensive and sometimes even free. The children are usually covered under your states medicaid program until they are at least 18 for those who do not have good medical insurance. We have been fortunate to have medical insurance but this can sometimes be another financial issue for families struggling with adoption. Most adoption agencies have a fee schedule so your not paying everything in one lump sum. This can give families a chance to maybe save the funds or come up with more creative ways to earn the money. It may mean getting a second job temporarily. Some families have had garage sales and bake sales to help with the expenses. I've even seen PayPal links for donations to their adoption. There are other fundraising options out there, but my husband didn't want to fundraise. There are low interest loans and grants available if you take the time to look. And although you can't claim it until your adoption is finalized, there is the Federal Adoption Tax Credit. For us, we first sat down and restructured our budget. Many families feel they cannot adopt because they simply can't afford it. We were one of these families!! But in the end, we didn't give up. We found ways to "trim" our budget and took out a home equity line of credit. That ment some obvious things like not getting a new car this year and not taking a big family vacation or going on a cruise for our anniversary! Hmmm... having a little girl of my own to raise or that little convertible Mini Cooper I've always wanted. I was just dreaming about the cute-lil-impractical-non-family-mobile! (Please don't tell me if you have one!) :) I drive an 02 Explorer with 107,000 miles and am due, but still, given the option, that was a no brainer for me! My heart ached for a little girl of my own. The line of credit worked for us because it's flexible. You pay interest only on what to take out. Sort of like a credit card but with a lower interest rate and the interest is tax deductable. Everyone has a different situation, but I will tell you that when you are called to adopt, don't ignore it. If you do, you may always be left with a "what if". The internet is a valuable resource. Talk to families who have been through it. Join an adoption forum. Don't give up because of money! If you are a loving and nurturing family who would be blessed by a child, whether it be your first or your 4th, like us, follow your hearts. Remember... it's not money that makes you the man or woman you are!
May God bless you through your journey.
“How do I do this, moneywise? I want to adopt, but it seems so overwhelming. We don’t really have $20,000 in the bank, ya know!” Please blog about your experience, ideas, insight, fundraisers and other ideas that worked for you while raising your adoption money.
This is a question that most of us struggle with when God opens our hearts to adoption. Sometimes it seems as if God plants his seed at the most inopportune times! And you think to yourself... what in the world are you thinking? Now?! Yes, NOW! There is a reason for everything! God will lead you and provide for you! You just need to open your eyes and have faith. Sometimes the answers can be plain as day and other times you may need to dig a little deeper. In reality... most are lucky to have $100 in the bank let alone $20,000. We felt compelled to start with Foster Care. Adopting children through the foster care system is very inexpensive and sometimes even free. The children are usually covered under your states medicaid program until they are at least 18 for those who do not have good medical insurance. We have been fortunate to have medical insurance but this can sometimes be another financial issue for families struggling with adoption. Most adoption agencies have a fee schedule so your not paying everything in one lump sum. This can give families a chance to maybe save the funds or come up with more creative ways to earn the money. It may mean getting a second job temporarily. Some families have had garage sales and bake sales to help with the expenses. I've even seen PayPal links for donations to their adoption. There are other fundraising options out there, but my husband didn't want to fundraise. There are low interest loans and grants available if you take the time to look. And although you can't claim it until your adoption is finalized, there is the Federal Adoption Tax Credit. For us, we first sat down and restructured our budget. Many families feel they cannot adopt because they simply can't afford it. We were one of these families!! But in the end, we didn't give up. We found ways to "trim" our budget and took out a home equity line of credit. That ment some obvious things like not getting a new car this year and not taking a big family vacation or going on a cruise for our anniversary! Hmmm... having a little girl of my own to raise or that little convertible Mini Cooper I've always wanted. I was just dreaming about the cute-lil-impractical-non-family-mobile! (Please don't tell me if you have one!) :) I drive an 02 Explorer with 107,000 miles and am due, but still, given the option, that was a no brainer for me! My heart ached for a little girl of my own. The line of credit worked for us because it's flexible. You pay interest only on what to take out. Sort of like a credit card but with a lower interest rate and the interest is tax deductable. Everyone has a different situation, but I will tell you that when you are called to adopt, don't ignore it. If you do, you may always be left with a "what if". The internet is a valuable resource. Talk to families who have been through it. Join an adoption forum. Don't give up because of money! If you are a loving and nurturing family who would be blessed by a child, whether it be your first or your 4th, like us, follow your hearts. Remember... it's not money that makes you the man or woman you are!
May God bless you through your journey.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Fun at Camp!!
All the kids at Mark and Sharon's camp having a "Noodle War"
My sister Annie, her hubby Sean, and "Lu-Lu" at our camper doing a little fishing.
Our God son, Davey, taking a ride on the paddle boat.We decided to get a seasonal camp lot at Breezy Point Campgrounds this year when the gas prices went through the roof. My mom and dad, and Aunt Shirley and Uncle Dan both have seasonals there so we decided to join them. I'm so glad we did because the kids have so much fun!! They fish and swim from sun up to sun down (and some how they managed to find time to have a lemonade stand?!). We went up the day after school got out (June 27) and have only come back to civilization a couple of times to check email and snail mail. We have wonderful neighbors up there. Mark and Sharon (and their 3 kids) are to our left and Jeff and Jill (and their 2 kids)are to our right. Both couples are real easy going and jump right in when the kids are having a water balloon fight. What a hoot we had this past weekend! Shad is a master on the fire pit. We hosted a chicken BBQ and corn roast for our friends and family and everyone brought a dish to pass. Boy were we ever stuffed!! It's nice to spend quality time as a family. Camp is really convenient for us. The boys and I can stay through the week and Shad just goes to work from there. We are home for a couple of days so that Cooper can attend his friends B-Day party and I can get caught up on laundry, then on Thursday, it's back to camp. :) Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far!!!
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