This could be the week we have a complete homestudy report!

Today we got word that our social worker received the clearance report from Illinois, which was the only missing part to our homestudy!  What all this means is that if our adoption agency can review and finalize our homestudy report this week, we maybe be able to get it certified and mailed off to the USCIS by the end of the week or early next week.  We then wait for approval to adopt internationally by the US government, which could take 6-8 weeks to process.  At that point our agency can then translate all our documents into French and finally get them sent off to Haiti (of course by finally I mean 3-4 months from now).

Thanks for those who have been praying that piece of the puzzle would come in quickly.  Please continue to be praying for Haiti and the political turmoil they are facing.

Oh so close

Well, February is here and still no completed homestudy; but we are oh so close!  Our social worker informed us she has completed the homestudy report, but that they are waiting on my background check from Illinois to come through so they can include in the report a date that my background check was cleared.

While we wait for this last piece of the puzzle, we'd like for you to specifically be praying for the nation of Haiti.  The current president has stepped down effective immediately even though a new president has not yet been elected.  The two previously scheduled elections were postponed due to concerns with election fraud.  Here is a brief news story on it :  http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/07/americas/haiti-president-no-successor/index.html

This is just another reminder of how volatile things are in Haiti and the effect of "third world" problems.  Please continue to pray for our children, and all the children and people of Haiti.

Quick Trip

Today, Abbie and I made a quick trip down to Helena and back in order to meet that additional requirement of face-to-face visits with our social worker.  We again are so thankful for her and her willingness to prioritize our homestudy.  It's a little strange unpacking your life with a complete stranger; however we were both reminded just how blessed we are each to have been raised in godly homes by loving parents who provided a safe and healthy (physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually) environment for us to grow up in.  It truly has shaped who we are today.  We certainly do not take for granted the privilege we have been afforded in that way, that many people do not get to say is true of their upbringing.  Thanks Steve, Janice, Dave, & Judy!!!

Please pray with us that this week Twila is able to keep her schedule open on Friday to complete the first draft of our homestudy for us to review. We can then hopefully send the report off to our adoption agency sometime next week for final approval.  At that point they will be able to begin the process of legalization, translation, and finalization of our dossier so it can be sent to Haiti.

A Big Day!

We all know that every day is precious, filled with God's plans and purposes for that day; but some days just seem like bigger days that others.  Today was a Big Day!  We finally were able to have Twila in our home this afternoon for our homestudy home visit.

This felt like a big hurdle we were finally able to get over and really the thing we were waiting for to set the adoption process in motion in a far greater way.  Up until now it has basically been collecting documents, notarizing documents, certifying documents, paying fees, and doing some learning through reading and online parent training classes.  Now certainly all those things are important and a big part of the process, but the home study is like the official now you are "approved" to adopt and get your information over to Haiti.

We were both nervous and excited leading up to today's home visit, and are so thankful for the social worker that has been assigned to us (Twila).  She has a wealth of experience, fits well with our personalities, understands our faith and values, and is going to work hard for us to help do what she can in her part of the adoption journey we are on!

The next step is that over the course of the next week or so she will be taking all of the written information we provided for her as well as the insights she gleaned from her time in our home with us today and put together the home study report that will accompany our dossier to Haiti.  We will also head down to Helena on Wednesday next week for follow up individual meetings with her.  As soon as the home study report is done, CCAI (our adoption agency) will review everything for correctness and to make sure it we are not missing anything.  Then they will legalize everything with the US and translate everything in to French and get it sent off to Haiti.

Its not easy

We watched the journey of family and friends who adopted, heard their stories, knew their struggles, and had heard time and time again "there is nothing easy about adopting".  We are still very early on in this process (likely 2-3 years before we have our kids home), and are already starting to see how difficult the waiting is, how difficult the not knowing is, how difficult the "its out of our control" is.  And yet we know, without out a doubt, this is what God has asked us to do here where we are and now in our lives.

Today, I read a post from a blog of some folks serving in Haiti that Abbie's grandma had posted on Facebook.  It's really really good, and thought I'd share it here on our blog.  Beware, this will give you some great insight into Haiti, but also be a great challenge to your own life.

http://mshaiti.blogspot.com/2015/12/dirty-is-why-we-are-here.html?m=1

We are also excited to share that we have a date for our home visit!  January 20th we'll be spending the afternoon with our social worker in our home, sharing about our life and family, so she can write the home study report we need to file our official application for adoption in Haiti.  Please pray for us these next 5 or so weeks leading up to our home visit as we finish up some "parent training" and "adoption preparation" classes.

Hope you are all able to enjoy this great Christmas season, and able to remember and reflect on the reality that God took on the mess and flesh of humanity to come into this broken place and our broken lives to show us His great love for us!

Merry Christmas!