Foster License Approved!

On November 25th, 2008, I received an email from our licensor, Mark, saying that our foster parent license was approved. :) Yay!!!

Taking life's curveballs...

Hmmm... this blog started with the intent to document our journey to adoption from Vietnam. I haven't updated information here in several months. Our current situation has changed. Vietnam adoption is experiencing difficulties. As a team, Jeff and I decided that adoption from Vietnam isn't going to work for us given the situation with Vietnam adoptions.

So, we started looking at alternatives. We decided to adopt locally through the State of Washington. To do this we learned we had to complete 30 hours of foster parenting training. As of June 20, 2008 we completed our training! YAY!

What's next? We have a CPR/First Aid/HIV/BBP/etc. class for foster parents this next week on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:30 - 8:30 pm. The training is through Keep the Beat. We then need proof that we are TB free. We have given all the application paperwork (Oh my, MORE paperwork!!!) to the agency and will be waiting to complete a home study.

We have children waiting out there somewhere... and are trying to be patient as we follow God's plan in building our family. Take care everyone! Hope you enjoyed reading an update on where we are in this crazy process of adoption!

Love ya!

Everyday life... my new quad!

Make a Smilebox photobook

attorneys... ugh!

Well, looks like we have some mailing to Olympia to do. Seems the certification by the State could have been done 2 months ago when we sent all our documents to our now-ex-attorney. ARGH! It is frustrating to have been stuck in that situation for sooo long, having faith in our attorney... and now that we are not working with said attorney, find that the process to certification is one that requires mailing, funds, and time... time we could have saved by completing this step months ago...

Okay, okay, okay... for everything there is a reason. I have to keep the faith and believe there has been a reason for the road blocks on this journey...

Mishy

where are our kids?

Well, the committee for the Phillipine sibling group did not select us. Our agency for Vietnam, IAAP, is busy with the many issues happening in Vietnam, so we haven't heard from them on what our next step is. Times like this, where it has been over a year since we started this process, have the two of us frustrated and questioning "where are our kids?" The whole adoption process takes a lot of patience and persistance. We are hoping to soon hear from IAAP.

It's hard being one of many families all waiting for the same news and to not know exactly where we are in the process. However, right now my faith is still in IAAP. I pray for them, the children waiting to be adopted, and all the families in the middle of this long waiting process.

Mishy

Philippines...?

on January 26th I filled out an application for HOLT to receive more information about a sibling group on their waiting children list. Some think I'm crazy for even thinking about it. :) Yet, the picture and the information on the site seemed to be calling to me...
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On January 30th I received 3 email attachments including medical reports, basic history, and a picture of each of the kids.
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In the month since, Jeff and I have talked about it, and decided to pursue this option. We are going "to committee" for this sibling group. On Monday 3/17/08 we will have a phone conference with the director of the waiting children program. She wanted to schedule our phone conference for tomorrow (EEK!) but we asked about the possibility of a different date and time. I carefully explained my need for using a videophone to participate in the conference therefore Jeff and I would both need to be here at home for the conference to happen. She felt we have a lot of experience that could benefit these children and really wants to interview us so is postponing the committee until next week.
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I'm really excited, yet at the same time trying not to overly involve my emotions in case we are not the family picked by the committee.

Hugs,

Mishy & Jeff

Vietnam... to be... or not to be...

Several things are happening right now regarding our journey towards adopting from Vietnam.
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The Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Vietnam will expire on September 1st which would close Vietnam to U.S. adoptions at that time.
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There is currently a discussion online about a letter to the DIA, apparently recommending that the *DIA* process only those adoptions connected with "Hague" accredited agencies. Our agency and many others are not Hague accredited. This could lead to our agency being unable to facilitate adoptions from Vietnam.
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I asked what if we already have USCIS approval (I-171H) and are ready to send
our Dossier? I was told to wait until the agency knows the intentions of the Vietnamese government. The current deadline they have heard is April 1st.

So, people are sending letters to congressmen and representatives to resolve this issue. Many families will face disappointment and possibility of starting over with a different agency or country.

Cry or laugh?

.... well, the secret to a do-it-yourself haircut mistake? Have the beautician fix it so it looks cute! GRIN Just imagine my consternation when I accidently cut my bangs too short. Look at the picture! For me, that is "too short". LOL I was sad and upset for a few moments and then climbed in my car to find the nearest hairdresser that might not be overcrowded, and who didn't know me, and...most important...HAD AN IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY.

How, you ask, did this happen? I mean, come on, I've been cutting my own bangs, like, forever! Well this is the second time I decided to try out our electric clippers. There is a nifty light blue guard that clips over the blades to ensure you canNOT go over an inch short. Last time, using the clippers worked great and noone was the wiser that I had cut my own hair. Well... this time... I don't know what happened. Just that I stared at myself in shock in the mirror to see a huge section of bangs clipped nearly to the hairline!

Well, at least my hair grows fast! Thank goodness! A month from now I'll be ready for another haircut. . . . from the beautician! Lessons learned? Don't use the clippers on your own hair! AND A good beautician is worth her weight in gold, because if you don't tell, they won't know... (I couldn't help but to fess up though...)

Letter...

Yesterday I received a letter from Indiana. The first sentence had me laughing.

"Congratulations on the birth of your child."

This letter informs me that I can request my child's birth certificate. I'm still weeping tears and rolling with laughter at the thought of "giving birth" to a 16 year old teenager! I mean.... OUCH! that's gotta hurt!

What an odd feeling to be able to request a birth certificate for my son that has me listed as mother. I'm not sure about this curious custom we follow of changing the birth certificate of an adopted child. I mean, yes, I want to be his legal mother, and that of my future children, but it feels odd to just erase the name of the birth mother and impose my own name.

The different paths that lead to being a mother. I didn't do the many hours of labor, and don't have the stretch marks either. However, I'm going through the full pain and misery of parenting a teenager. Oh, and the joys too. GRIN.

Well, I need to head to the post office and request a copy of my son's birth certificate!

Hugs to everyone... I state yet again... I'M A MOM!!!!

Hugs...