One more makes "Jack-Jack"

William loves "The Incredibles". We brought him back a "Dash" costume from the Disney Store in Gatlinburg last week. We can barely get it off of him to go to school or church. He puts it on as soon as we walk in the door. He even wears his mask in the car. We are the Incredible family. Joel is "Mr. Incredible", I am "Mrs. Incredible aka Elasti-girl", Kara is "Violet", and Will is "Dash". Well, we need a "Jack-Jack". He is the baby in the movie. Will said this morning "Mommy, we need our Thai baby so that he can be Jack-Jack.". He said this over and over. Then he said "Can I hold our Thai baby?". And of course we said "yes". He asked "how are we going to get our Thai baby"? I told him that mommy and daddy were going to fly in an airplane to get him. (I guess I have gotten used to the idea that more than likely we are going to get a boy).

When we got to church this morning Will told my parents and some friends that "he was going to hold, change, and feed his Thai baby". I hope that it is sooner than later! :)

We went to Wal-Mart last week and Will asked if we could pick up our Thai baby there. OK, bread, milk, frozen pizza, Thai Baby. Why not?

Dossier Completed!

Hooray! We are finished with all of our paperwork and it is safely in Oregon. I have not heard from Holt but I know that FedEx delivered my package Wed. morning. There might be some changes that we have to make but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Right now I am just relieved that my paper trail has ended.

We received our dossier back from Washington on Tuesday. Our paperwork had a fancy Thai cover letter with a gold ribbon binding the papers. Impressive.

We received an email from Holt last week with an update on the Thailand program. Because China has become more difficult to adopt from, more parents are looking into other countries. With that said they are seeing more families join the Thailand program. There will probably be more delays and time frames are going to expand. I wanted to beat the "rush" and get my paperwork in. We started with our initial application to Holt on Jan. 2ND - we completed it and had it approved by Holt on March 1st. That is pretty darn good. I feel like I have done my part and now I just have to wait for the next step.

Faith

As I read and re-read my adoption book I am a little overwhelmed. There is so much paper work not to mention the money. We will have to come up with $2795 in the next couple of weeks. In church today I really talked to God about it. I felt like I was a little girl with a flashlight looking down a dark hallway. I was about to step through a doorway and I turned around and asked God "are you sure this is the right way?". I am not questioning our adopting, it's more like I just need reassurance. I felt the holy spirit speak and say "would you have done this for Kara and Will?". Well, of course, I would go to the ends of the earth and back for my children. It is just hard thinking about all of this work being for one particular child. I feel like this scripture is for our family in 2007 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).” I am asking God to show up and show off. I know that this whole adoption thing is to give Him glory. Great is His faithfulness. All that I've needed his hand has provided. Great is His faithfulness Lord unto me.

I Hate Getting My Picture Made

I tried to wrap up some loose ends today on the dossier. I went to Walmart and made 6 passport photos. They were HORRIBLE pictures and they cost $32. Highway robbery. I made copies of our child opinion form. That's the form that you fill out saying what problems you can handle with your child. I didn't mark "yes" too much. We have stinky insurance and couldn't financially handle a lot of surgeries. Plus, I think because of where we live -in the South- it will be hard enough for this kid to fit in much less have a lot of medical issues. Now, I know what you are thinking. I thought that way too but when it comes right down to you and your family, your ideas change.

I talked to Mr. Taggart at Central Delivery Service in Washington. He is our courier. He did receive our package and will get started tomorrow. He is very nice and couldn't believe that Mississippi was so close to Graceland. He will take our dossier (paperwork) to the U.S. Department of State and the Royal Thai Embassy. He said it should take around 7 days. I want to have everything together so that I can turn it around and send it to Oregon on the same day. Thank you Uncle Glen for letting us use your FedEx number. Only $5 to ship. We paid our social worker $25 for two shipments and we paid Glen $25 for 5 shipments. It makes a huge difference.

Thank you Lord for giving us this opportunity. You can't believe how many people have told me that they would love to adopt. Most don't have the finances (I completely understand), some of them have a spouse that doesn't agree, and one woman that I met today has a husband with a felony. This is a wonderful opportunity for us and I am truly humbled.

Hooray! Almost there

Well, today I received our certification from the state of MS and FedEx'd our dossier to Washington. I went to Mom's office and made all of my copies and finished everything. It is such a relief. Now we wait approximately 7 days for the national certification and send it off to Holt. In the mean time we have to get passport photos made and put pictures together of our family. I am considering putting the kids in their Thai outfits and taking their picture. I am such a kiss up. Hey, whatever helps.
Monday, we received a letter that said we were officially on the list of parents waiting to be matched with a child. Hallelujah! I feel like I have found out that I am pregnant. Our time starts now. Hopefully in a few months we will be matched with a baby. Oh, I can't wait. The hardest part is going to be the 8 months or so waiting to travel. Holt's program is known for being the best. Our child will be in a foster home so that does give me a little relief. We are already praying for this child. That it will be healthy from head to toe. That there will be no problems that will become evident when we get home. I know that God is in this and things seem to be running smoothly.
Joel keeps wanting to talk about names. I am not even there yet. That makes it sound so real.