No Time Like the Present

Ok, so I was planning on waiting until school was out and our dossier was complete to figure out how to grab "buttons" or "stuff" to add to our blog. But Wild Olive Tees,a really cool site with scripture verse tshirts, was having a contest and I had wanted to add it anyway! I think Kurt gets frustrated with me because I'm always asking him "how to" on the computer and he usually makes me figure it out on my own...No Time Like the Present! Didn't I say earlier that by the time we are done with this adoption that I would be computer savvy??? Anyhow, you've got to look at these great tees! The women that began this company have such a servant's heart and their relationship with Christ is evident in their testimonies! Enjoy the cool tees! AAAAHHHH MAN....I think I'm logged in under Kurt's name, AGAIN!!! Ok, I guess I'm also going to have to figure out how to be able to do all of the major stuff under my name, too!! LOL By the way, the button actually works!!!!

China Program Acceptance

We received notification today that our agency has officially accepted us into their China program! That means that our agency will send Jackson's referral information and more papers for us to sign that will officially hold him for our family, even though we have China's PA. I am hoping that we will receive more info than we already have on him.

The Paper Chase And More Ramblings

Just when you think you've got everything under control, someone needs another form sent. It's like a reoccuring nightmare. By the time we are done with this process, I should be proficient in my use of our computer, fax, scanner, and blog! The last post was actually posted by me and not Kurt...I never thought about it signing his name to the post. By this evening we should be complete with the homestudy part of the paper chase and official in the China program at WACAP and will be assigned a case manager. HURRAY! Is it reasonable to think that we could possible travel before December? I'm hoping once school is out to be able to add more to the blog.

I am daily learning about so many adoption/orphanage organizations that provide in many different ways for the orphans. Two of those are Half The Sky and Love Without Boundaries. I will try to get more of their information on here. I know that at Half the Sky, you can sponsor a child for $25 a month. This organization goes into specific orphanages in China and works with the nannies and children. One family that I follow their blog adopted a little girl that happened to be from an orphanage that was connected with Half the Sky and later received photos and videos from the time their child was brought into the orphanage. What a blessing that must have been.

If you are reading our blog, please let us know. I am by far NOT a writer, so it might help me to know that I actually have readers:) Kurt and I would love to hear from you as you follow us on this journey!
In Christ,
Stacy

Construction Zone

The construction has begun on Jackson's bedroom. When we built this house 4 years ago, we chose the house plan because it had a family room and a living room. Our thoughts were that if either of our parents ever needed to come and live with us, we would be able to easily make the family room into a bedroom. So, for 4 years we have gone 'round and 'round about what to do with this room. It's not quite big enough for our sofa and ottoman, tv, wii, computer desk and computer, the Pottery Barn Kids table and 4 chairs, Kurt's Lazy Boy and then the Great Dane sized dog crate for Maggie (our chocolate lab), and I was never quite ready to take the plunge and turn it into our "workout" room. Little did we know that God had already planned to bless us with another child and already had HIS plans for this room; HIS plans for this house; HIS plans for this family...Our sweet Jackson!

Kurt was able to get the permit and begin construction on Jackson's bedroom on Friday. The kids were such great helpers! As I was in the laundry room with yet another load of laundry, Kurt came in (a couple of times) and said, "there's no turning back"! "Are you ready?" I AM READY! We have FINALLY made a decision about this room!! If you know Kurt and I, then you know that neither one of us likes to make the final decision...but, no hesitation on this! The carpet has been pulled back, the wall has been framed in and the additional tile has been laid outside of the bedroom. We've decided to put beautiful french doors on the bedroom, to keep the open feeling. When you come in the front door, you will be able to look down our hallway and see beautiful french doors instead of a generic bedroom door. We also decided it would be best to do it this way in case at some point Jackson and Jadon decided they would like to share a room. We finally purchased Jadon's "Big Boy" furniture last August...BUNK BEDS! If you ask Jadon how old he has to be in order to sleep on the top bunk, he will undoubtedly tell you "15"! Mama is not ready for her baby to be on the top bunk...especially coming from the child you was injured twice falling out of his toddler bed...one time needed the chin superglued at "Twilight Pediatrics" and the other time was the torn frenulum and a trip to the ER! So needless to say, Jackson will have his own room! Now we're waiting for the first inspection and then the electrician will come to do his thing!

This weekend God has covered me with a greater understanding of how he chooses to bless us. I never could have dreamed for the husband that I have, nor our beautiful, bright, sensitive, and funny children that love the Lord. I love this life that God has given me! I am so greatful that His mercies are new each morning and so greatful that I am no longer what I was!

Today we received our first "Certified" document back from the Michigan Secretary of State (Kurt's birth certificate) and it is ready to be mailed to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago! Yahoooo!!

Please pray for our family as we finish out this school year. I am still recovering from a week with only indoor recess due to the rains last week. Only 8 school days left! Please pray that Jackson stays healthy and that God begins to prepare his heart for his FOREVER FAMILY!

Silent Dinner

Jadon decided tonight at dinner to make it a "silent dinner". I have been teaching Kurt and the kids signs for the foods we are eating at dinner time and also how to make a request for something. I love watching Jadon as he is thinking and processing in his little mind to come up with the correct signs for "May I please have ____?" Sydney would prefer to fingerspell everything, which drives me crazy! I try to tell her that there is an easier way...but what do parents know when you have an almost 8 year old??? Kurt was in and out of the house during dinner tending to the flooding in our backyard and side yard due to day 3 of ALL DAY rain, literally. We are hopeful for only 2 more days of rain.

A friend and colleague of mine sent me Baby Signs DVDs and board books and we have been researching Signing Times DVDs and books. I cannot believe how much is available for teaching children sign language since I last taught hearing impaired children. It's also hard to believe that it's been 8 years since I last taught hearing impaired. We are blessed to have a wonderful deaf education program in our school district. If all goes well, Jackson will be able to come to the school I teach at when he is 3 years old.

Homestudy Approval

Today WACAP approved our Homestudy!! HURRAY! Our immigration paperwork should be mailed soon and then we wait for our fingerprinting appointment. We are almost finished with collecting our Dossier documents and then we mail those to Tallahassee to be verified then the documents are off to the Chinese Consulate to be authenticated. Our prayer is that we will be able to have our dossier completed and sent to China by the end of July.



We have had rain for 2 days straight and it has been well needed. As I was taking Sydney and Jadon to the car this morning under the umbrella one at a time I began to think about Jackson. We were half laughing about the wind whipping and rain blowing sideways and then half complaining about the inconvenience, when I realized that Jackson has probably never felt even one rain drop! As the rain continued all day, again, I am reminded of all of God's promises to us, HIS children and HIS plan for our lives. So often we focus on what God has planned for us and not how God is going to use us in someone else's life and I am so humbled when I think about that God has chosen our family to be HIS plan for Jackson's life.

We are anxious to be able to post Jackson's pictures so that you can see his sweet smile. For those of you that don't know, Jackson is deaf. He has bilateral microtia. Technically he has anotia on the right side. His current medical report states that he is able to turn when his name is called from a close distance and that he can say Mama! He also enjoys playing with the toys that make music. We are hopeful that he has some hearing, but are preparing with sign language. Kurt and the kids are doing so well with learning sign language. I am really proud of them all.

To all family and friends

Please join us as we track the adoption process for our son Jackson. We thank you in advance for your prayers throughout the whole process. We will do our best to post frequent updates as the process unfolds for our family. Please feel free to add to our blog any advice, words of encouragement, or anything else you care to share with our family.