i800 Approval, Finally!!

We are moving again after 2 months of waiting on our i800 approval.

Her birth date was the main hold up. Hopefully we have that all settled now.

 

So what's next?

1. Her VISA application (DS260)...which leads to #2

2. Article 5 - when the US Embassy in India basically puts their seal of agreement on the fact that she's going to be our daughter

3. No Objection Certificate (NOC) - once we have Article 5 the orphanage applies for NOC...the governing agency that oversees adoptions in India (CARA) reviews our dossier and her file and agree we are fit to be her parents

4. Court - once we have NOC the orphanage will then register us in court

5. Once we pass court the orphanage will apply for her passport. When we have her passport in hand we will travel to get her!!

 

Please pray all the approvals come quickly, we pass court quickly, and for all the remaining paperwork to go smoothly!!

 

 

Just a few more little things to do, but mostly her room is finished...

 Mommy made the bow holder. I figure she can use it to attach pictures to when she is older.

 Daddy bought this in India for her room!

 

 

This is the bed she sleeps in at the orphanage...

Most likely she will sleep in our room for awhile after she gets home. She is use to sleeping in a room with about 2 adults and 8 babies. I'm so ready to get her home!!

 

 

A sweet friend passed this down to us! Perfect for our household, haha!

 

 One word in her paperwork stood out to us...Bold! So when I saw this on Etsy I had to get it for her and Matthew! They are 8 1/2 months apart. I'm sure they will keep us on our toes (although Matthew does that well all by himself!).

 

 

 I am definitely missing her! Thanksgiving, going to the tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree, the Hanging of the Greens service where we walk as a family to hang an ornament on the church tree...all these things get me emotional wishing she was with us.

This was to the side of Eli's Christmas list...

I mean talk about bringing on the tears!

Just in case you need translation, it says "Miracle Christmas List"!

 

 

I love music! God has always used music to speak to me and encourage me. He has definitely been doing that lately. I wanted to share some of those songs with you and hope it encourages you in whatever you are going through...

 

"Unstoppable God" - Unstoppable God let your glory go on and on, Impossible things in Your name they shall be done. (sung by Elevation Worship)

 

"God is Able" - God is able, He will never fail, He is almighty God. Greater than all we seek, greater than all we ask, He has done great things. God is with us, God is on our side, He will make a way. Far above all we know, far above all we hope, He has done great things. (sung by Hillsong)

 

"Miracles" - I believe in You, I believe in You. You're the God of miracles. (sung by Jesus Culture)

 

"Not For A Moment" - You were reaching through the storm, walking on the water, even would I could not see, in the middle of it all, when I thought You were a thousand miles away, not for a moment did You forsake me. After all, You are constant. After all, You are only good. After all, You are sovereign. (sung by Meredith Andrews)

 

"The Lion and the Lamb" - Our God is a Lion, the Lion of Judah. He is roaring in power and fighting our battles...who can stop the Lord Almighty. (sung by Big Daddy Weave)

 

 

 

And this has been so me this week..."The devil cannot stop God from answering your prayer, but he can stop you from praying those prayers; Don't let him!"...the devil definitely has me all kinds of distracted this week. I needed to be reminded to not let him.

 

 

Here is a video of Britt's trip to India! Enjoy!

 

 

Please continue to pray we get our baby girl home soon!

 

 





One Proud Daddy!!

#nationaladoptionmonth 

Britt's phone does not work in India if he is not on Wi-Fi, so I am incredibly thankful to the Indian pastor Britt is with for keeping me updated and sending me pictures early this morning!

 

I received the first text around midnight our time (it was 10:30 am there), that they were on the way to the orphanage! He sent me some "glimpses' of her city...

 

 

It was 37 minutes before I received the next text. That was the longest 37 minutes of. my. life!! I think I was surprised at my emotions during that time. I had been and was so excited for Britt to meet our precious daughter, but in those moments began to mourn the fact that we were not meeting her together.

 

Then I got this...

(I'm sorry we can not show her beautiful face on the world wide web yet!)

 

And the tears began...actually the sobs! I prayed and prayed that she would recognize her daddy and let him hold her and here she was in his arms!! The Indian pastor text me, "She is absolutely fine and happy to be carried by her father." And more tears!!

 

The very first picture we ever saw of her and then again one that was sent early this morning reminds me so much of her big brother Matthew! I love how God gives us things like that!

 

For the next 2 hours I sat crying and hoping more pictures or videos would be sent. I wanted to see more of her, I wanted to know more about her. It was SO hard not being able to talk to my husband during that time. I'm thankful my sweet momma was up and texting with me.  

 

I finally went to sleep around 3 am, but was right back up at 5 am. I needed a coffee I.V. today!! Finally at 6:42 a.m. Britt and I were able to talk. It was a choppy phone call with lags in it, but I got to talk to him! That did my heart so good!!

 

He said the first smile that came across her sweet face was when he gave her the baby doll I picked out!

 

He went though her book with her and showed her the video her big brothers and I made. He said she just sat and looked at it all. He got to spend about 20 minutes with her before God had a divine appointment in place for him. One day I will share that story, I just can't right now. But God is moving mountains in our adoption!!

 

When the boys got up I sat them down and showed them the pictures. I just love their faces in these pictures...

 Matthew was mad because he wanted to hold my phone, haha!

 Uncle Michael, look at the thumbs up Eli is giving!

 Be still my heart!!

 

I received a few more pictures as Britt and the other men rode a cab to catch their next flight...

Britt was able to call me after their flight and getting settled at the Indian pastor's home. We were able to talk for 26 whole minutes!! He was going to be able to get a shower and a full night's sleep for the first time since they left for India.

 

We got started on her room before Britt left so he could show this picture to the orphanage. I'm going to get more done while he is gone, including getting the puzzle hung up!

 

The back is starting to look full! Thank you to those who have given!

 

Continue to pray that God will get our baby girl home real soon! And pray Britt returns home safely to us! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!!

 

 



Happy National Adoption Month!!

 

I can not think of a better month for Britt to meet our daughter face to face! I am SO excited! As I am typing this he is in the air above India flying to our daughter's city. I know he has so many emotions going through him right now. I wish I could talk to him! I can't wait to see videos and pictures of our baby girl! Cue the tears!! She will not understand the magnitude of this yet, but she is meeting her daddy for the first time!

 

I love doing this blog to keep everyone updated, but also to have to print for her adoption book. I want her to see how God has been with her from the time she was conceived and how He has woven her story together!

 

My last blog was news we did not want to hear. We were hoping for a quick i800 approval, but USCIS is asking for more "evidence." That was on Friday, October 21. The following Monday I found out it is a form from the orphanage that is needed declaring her an orphan. We were so excited to see this e-mail from our agency on Friday, October 28...

 

 

But then about 12 hours later we get this e-mail...

 

 

 

The next day Eli and I had a booth at the Cotton Fest in Eclectic. He wanted to make something to sell to help raise money for baby sister (so sweet, right?!). We made candles and bracelets for him to sell.

 

Here is one of the bracelets...these sold out fast!

 

"And if not" comes from the book of Daniel. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before King Nebuchadnezzar they told him that their God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace. "And if not," God is still good! Things do not always go as we have planned, and bad things happen to good people, but our God is always good! He is worthy of our praise and our time. The bracelet is a great reminder of that.

 

 

I was e-mailing back and forth with Amanda all during the Cotton Fest. The new form has her birthdate as 5-14-14. So we need an updated Medical Exam Report (MER) and Child Study Report (CSR) with that date of birth on it. I was looking over the paperwork we have and I see 5-14-14 on one paper as the date she entered the orphanage. But the MER and CSR are quick and easy to fix. So if it means changing the birth date to a month later than so be it! We are just ready to get our girl home!

 

SO thankful when I saw this...

The orphanage has the paperwork re-done to give Britt while he is there! So praying for quick i800 approval once we get those papers to USCIS. Then pray we get quick approval for Article 5 and No Objection Certificate.

 

Britt and Lee left Eclectic at 1:00 pm yesterday (October 31) headed to Atlanta for their first flight to Qatar. I was able to track that flight...

They had 2 more flights to get them to our daughter's city around 11:00 pm (November 1) our time. So they have been traveling for 34 hours!!

 

I'm so anxious, and praying that technology will work well so I can get some pictures and videos tonight. I know I will not be able to sleep!

 

Hoping I will be able to update everyone on here at some point tomorrow or the next day about his visit with our baby girl! I will definitely have to get him to write a blog post about his trip when he gets home! Thank you to everyone that is praying for him and for those who have checked on me. It means a lot!

 

Ahhhh!!! I can't believe Britt is getting to meet our daughter tonight!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not what we wanted to see today...

 

USCIS (US Citizenship & Immigration Services) is requesting more evidence (paperwork) before they give us i800 approval. Our adoption agency is taking care of the evidence for us. This seems to be happening to more and more international adoptive parents. Please pray it is dealt with quickly and we can be approved for i800. This is the first of 3 approvals needed before we can be registered in court in India.

 

 

 

Our puzzle fundraiser is still going on...

Thank you so much to those who have given! We are so close to being fully funded for our adoption. I can't wait to show her all the names on the back of her puzzle! 

https://mystory.lifesongfororphans.org/stories/adopting-daughter-india/

 

 

 

These quotes have really stuck with me this week...

 

 

 Please pray with us that we will be approved for our i800 next week! We really appreciate the prayers!

 

 



Britt Meets our Girl in Person in 17 days!!

11:30 p.m. on November 1 in Alabama will be 10:00 a.m. on November 2 in India. So while we are sleeping (well not me!), Britt will be going to the orphanage to meet our daughter!!

 

 2 little gifts for our sweet girl that her daddy will take to her!

He is also taking bubbles, balls, and candy for the other children.

 

 

We have been anxiously waiting to hear back from our agency. They e-mailed the orphanage on October 7 to ask if Britt could stop by and meet our daughter while he is in India. I was SO excited to see this e-mail today...

 

 

 

Our puzzle fundraiser is underway...we are around $4,000 short of being fully funded for her adoption! 

You get a tax deductible letter for giving through Lifesong. You can donate online at https://mystory.lifesongfororphans.org/stories/adopting-daughter-india/ or mail a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Green 6422”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744.

 

Lifesong lets me know when checks have arrived so I can add names to our puzzle.

 

Her first monogram! :) 

You can read about her name here.

 

Thank you for all the prayer and support! Please pray specifically that we get the approvals we need quickly (i800, Article 5, No Objection Certificate). Once we have those approvals our case can move to court.

 

 

 

 

 

2 1/2 Years Old

I tried to post this yesterday, but time got away...

 

October 12, 2016

 

Our sweet girl is 2 1/2 years old today.

 

6 months until her 3rd birthday.

 

Only God knows what the next 6 months hold, but I'm praying we will be with our girl on her 3rd birthday. I hate we have already missed 2 birthdays with her.

 

We are so in love with this little girl that is 8,234 miles, across the ocean, on the other side of the world away from us.

 

Every time Matthew sees her picture he says, "I'm gonna protect baby sister!" When we ask if he wants to pray before we eat, his prayer is always the same, "I want to ask God to bring baby sister home. Thank you God for my food. Amen!" 

 

Eli asks EVERY. DAY. when baby sister is coming home. He says she is so cute he can't stand it! Haha!

 

Caleb is excited and ready for her to be home, but he is also old enough to understand all the things we are having to wait for.

 

I am SO thankful that her birth mother chose life for her. Another India adoptive mom put it so beautifully..."She wasn't given a name, but she was so LOVED that she was taken to a safe place...because some precious babies aren't." 

 

If you missed my last blog about her new name you can read it here

 

Our puzzle fundraiser is going on through Lifesong for Orphans...$5 per puzzle piece and your name goes on the back. The puzzle will be hung in her room with all the names showing at first.

 

You get a tax deductible letter for giving through Lifesong. You can donate online at https://mystory.lifesongfororphans.org/stories/adopting-daughter-india/ or mail a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Green 6422”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744.

 

Lifesong lets me know when checks have arrived so I can add names to our puzzle.

 

We are so grateful and thankful for those of you who love our family by praying and giving!! Please pray along with us that God's hand of protection will be on our daughter and that He will move mountains and work miracles to get our baby girl home to us soon! Can't wait to see her in next year's pumpkin patch picture!