Rainbows

Today, as we were sitting on the couch watching a movie, Vlado jumped up and ran to the window.  He exclaimed, "Rainbow!"  I have loved rainbows since as far back as I can remember.  They never fail to amaze and delight me.  It was rather thrilling to see my son get just as excited as I do. :)

I ran to the side table and grabbed my camera.  It is fairly rare for me to see a rainbow.....maybe 1 or 2 a year.  And it is even more rare for me to be in a place where I have a camera in hand and am able to capture said rainbow. (In reality, I have never been able to get a picture) Typically, rainbows are seen as I am driving.  So, I was elated to have the chance to capture that moment.

What is a rainbow?  Well, scientifically, "A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection of light in water droplets in the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicolored arc."  blah, blah, blah

What is a rainbow to a person, like me, who knows the Bible to be the Word of God?  A rainbow is a sign of God's promise to never flood the earth again.  When I was a little girl, whenever we saw a rainbow, my Mama would smile and say, "God's promise!"  So it is so embedded in my brain that a rainbow is God's promise that it almost feels like He has put it there just for me.  It's a little smile and hug from Heaven above when I see all those colors decorating the sky. 

I needed to feel that hug today.  We are just at the beginning of our adoption journey.  I found out last week that our commitment  paperwork has been approved by our little girl's country.  I was a little nervous that they would change their minds and say that we couldn't have her.  I have had some rather amazing people supporting us so far.  But even though we have good things happening, I am afraid.  I know that the financial piece will be there when we need it....just as it has been before.

But, today, God put a rainbow in the clouds to remind me.  It was His promise that He will protect us on this journey.  It won't necessarily be easy, but we won't be alone. 

Our first fundraiser

Well, since I put the button up on the side of my blog a few days ago, obviously it has started.  Vlado, Fuad and I are participating in a 5k run/walk on June 9th.  I have walked 5k's before, but this will a first for my boys.  I am so excited for them to get their medal at the finish line.  I have conveniently forgotten to tell them about that part. :) 

On to the fundraising part. We are looking for people to sponsor us for the race.  I'm sure you all have sponsored others in fundraising walks before.  I have done MS walks and March of dimes walks.  This time, though, the reason is so much more personal!  We are  walking to bring home a little girl who currently sits in an orphanage waiting.  At first, I put the goal at $600 hoping we could raise $200 each.  Then, I decided to put the goal at $10k....our first big fundraising goal for the adoption.  I know reaching that goal with this one fundraiser is next to impossible.  But, I thought, why not go for the gusto?!  I have several other fundraisers in my brain that only need a few details ironed out. But I have seen God show off before.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills after all.  $10k is nothing to Him.  If you feel led to sponsor us, we would be so grateful!  If you can't afford to help financially, please pray for us.  Little by little, we are making our way to our new daughter!

Donations made to our You Caring fundraiser page are directed to our Reece's Rainbow account and are therefore, tax deductible. 

Fuad's one year

I feel like such a slacker Mama lately. I am so busy with paperwork for our Girlie's adoption and busy stuff with the boy's school....my blog has been neglected. 

On Friday night, for some reason, I decided to read my blog posts from last year.  This time a year ago, we were in Serbia.  This past Friday was actually Fuad's adoption day.  He has officially been part of our family for a year, but it really feels like he's always been here.  The only way that you would know that he came from another country is that he still doesn't speak much English.  Well, scratch that.  I have been told that he speaks quite a bit at school.  At home....very little.  Of course, that could be because Vlado NEVER is quiet.  I assume that Fuad realizes this and is just quiet because he knows that he can't get a word in edge wise. :D

He is doing ok at school.  It is being discussed right now that he might be held back in 1st grade next year.  I think about the fact that if that happens, he will be 20 when he graduates.  But, in reality, I cannot think about that.  The fact is that right now, this is the right decision for him.  He is still quite developmentally behind....emotionally, socially, educationally, including fine motor skills and speech.  He is still closer to about a 2 or 3 year old  in those respects.  Vlado was still very behind at a year home and really, he was still behind at 2 years home.  He has made amazing strides in the last 6 months.  I know that Fuad may or may not catch up.  If he doesn't...well, he doesn't.  He is still our boy and we will work to help him be what he can be. 

It's really hard to explain the growth he has experienced.  I always knew that kids are different.  I mean, I have worked with kids in day cares, nurseries, and when I was in college.  (I have a degree in elementary education)  But, I guess it never really sunk in.  Our boys are about as different as chocolate and cheese.......but they compliment each other.  They are brothers through and through.  Vlado does his best to help Fuad and really is a great big brother.  Fuad is a great little brother in that he drives Vlado NUTS!  He intentionally does things that Vlado doesn't like to make Vlado grouse.  (He reminds me so much of my brother, Kevin!)  But, in all honesty, that is progress!  You see, he did not interact with the kids in the orphanage because they picked on him relentlessly.  Now, he knows that Vlado is not going to be mean to him...even if he is being a pain.  He trusts Vlado completely and it is wondrous to see!  He will now look us in the eyes....he is very serious at first and then will giggle.  He fights to hold my hand and will crawl up into my lap spontaneously.  He can make a decision with simple stuff like picking a snack or deciding which movie he wants to watch and can tell us although it is usually in whispers.  He has been potty trained since last summer and has never had an accident (at home anyway), even at night. 

He is an amazing little guy are we are so thankful that he was sent to us! 

Our twisty turny mixed up story

THIS POST IS LONG....just warning you now. :)

It was June 23rd, 2011 when we made this announcement.  I was excited, scared, elated and terrified all at the same time.  I have wanted a little girl since I was a little girl and it seemed that everything was working out so that I was finally going to get my wish.  At the time of this announcement, we had been in the process for over a month.

We were hoping that it wasn't going to take very much time for our homestudy because it was just an update.  We knew it would take a little time because we had to get child abuse checks from all the states we had lived in since we were 18.  Between the two of us, that was 5 states.  We waited and waited.  One of the people doing a reference for us took MONTHS to get it done.  With 3 of the states, we had to submit multiple requests for the background checks because they kept getting lost.  Our first homestudy took 2 months to have in our hands.  It felt like every where we turned in this adoption, we ran into obstacles.  All I wanted was to get it done and go meet our daughter.  I had stopped asking God for help because every time I asked, another barrier seemed to pop up.  I WANTED MY GIRL AND I WAS GOING TO GO GET MY GIRL!  I didn't even slow down to ask God if this was His will or not.  (I am so ashamed to write that!)  At the beginning of November (nearly 6 months since starting the process), we still didn't have our homestudy.  One night, my husband said, "Are we doing the right thing?"  It was a question out of the blue, but I knew exactly what he was referring to.  I didn't look at him....I didn't answer him.  My head simply hung and tears started to pour down my face.  It seems that God had been speaking to my husband's heart (well, He had to because mine was closed to Him).  On November 6th, I wrote the most difficult post I have ever written.  I wanted to not care...I wanted to forget adoption....but most of all, I wanted to disappear.

It was several weeks later....my heart was raw and my faith was shaky.  Why had God allowed this to happen?  Why would He put this little girl on my heart to just take her away?  While God did put adopting again on my heart, I truly do not think He put her on my heart.  I put her in my heart and, in reality, pushed my husband into saying  yes to her.

Let me back up a minute...when we started the adoption process again, my first choice was to go back to Serbia.  But we had been told that Serbia had closed its international adoption program at that point.  At the end of November, I saw a blog post that confused me.  It was a family adopting - from Serbia and they were in Serbia completing the adoption.   I sent a message and was told that Serbia was not closed and I was given the email address for the Ministry of Adoption in Serbia.

At first, I didn't say anything to Hubby.  Like I said, I wanted to forget adoption.  Then one night (I think it was about 2 weeks later), I casually mentioned to him what I had found out.  He looked perplexed and said, "So, have you emailed the ministry?"  I was dumbfounded.  I didn't know what to think, let alone say.  I think I just stared at him with my mouth open waiting for words to come out.  I had just lost a daughter.  I was not going to put myself in that place again.  So, once again, God spoke to my husband.  He asked me everyday for a week if I had emailed the ministry.  *Emailing is my job here...Hubby says that he doesn't write as well as I do....flattery!*

It was the beginning of January before I emailed anyone.  I was told that there were a couple kids available that fit our criteria, but I couldn't get any detailed information until we submitted a dossier.  My social worker had finished up our homestudy by this point (just in case she said) so she just had to change the country we were approved to adopt from.  It was the end of January when our dossier made a trip across the ocean.  It was translated in just a few days and submitted.  The day after it was submitted, the Ministry gave us information on 2 children....a girl and a boy.  I kept hearing a whisper in my ear saying the boy was ours.  "God, I don't want to hear it.  I WANT A GIRL!"  And again, "He is yours.  The girl is not."  And my stubborn argument, "I don't care...I want a girl!"  It was finally my husband (do you see a pattern here) that asked me why I was arguing with God.  We both knew that the little boy was the one we were supposed to bring home.  Well, if you read my blog, you know how that ended.  This time last year, we were in Serbia getting to know our son.  He did come home with us.  He and Vlado are brothers in every sense of the word.  I know that it isn't God's will for a child to grow up away from his biological family....but still, I believe our boys were meant to be brothers.

Fast forward to the beginning of this year.  I started having baby fever again.  This time, I spent many hours on my knees begging God for his direction.  He kept saying, "Wait."  Now, I'm not patient..not even a little bit as is evidenced by the above story.  But I didn't want to push it.  I couldn't go where I had been before because I chose to be disobedient to God's voice.  So, wait we did.

Then, on March 21st, a little girl was listed with Reece's Rainbow.  Looking at her face made my breath catch and my eyes to fill with tears.  "Kamdyn" was staring back at me, but she wasn't a baby anymore.  She was a little girl. 

She was a little girl that needed a Mama.  But a feeling in the pit of my belly said that it wasn't me....it can't be me.....they won't approve us to adopt her when we released her before.  Still, when my husband got home from work that night, I turned my computer screen to him and told him that she had been relisted.  He grinned, made a small sound of approval and said, "Let's go get her." 



My eyes brows flew up and once again I gaped at him with no words coming out.  Yet again, God was using my husband to speak to me.

I am sure that many who read this will judge us.  They will ask us how we can be sure that we will complete this adoption.  They will say that we don't deserve a second chance since we released her before.  I can say that I agree with you.  I have judged myself over and over.  I almost said no because I was afraid she would be taken away again.  And most definitely we don't deserve a second chance from her birth country.  BUT GOD!  He has made it clear to us that this is the path we need to be on.  He has led us here and He is the one in control this time.  

For those trollish people, you might as well just not comment.  I moderate comments and will not post your hate.  In reality, I won't even read it.  As soon as I see hatefulness, it is deleted.  :)  Fair warning!

Cool giveaway!

Last year, an amazing family brought home a child....wait, make that 2 children...oh, right...they brought home 5 (yes that is FIVE) kids from Bulgaria.  All of these special kids have Down syndrome, and that is why they were chosen!

Upon coming home, they decided to heed the call to go back again - for 3 more!  These 3 also have special needs and their family cannot wait for them to get home so they can get the medical treatment they so desperately need. 

Another family decided to help.  They are hosting a HUGE tiered giveaway.  Up to 7 iPads are up for grabs.  And if you don't really care about iPads, there are different gifts you can choose if you win.  This family is following God's call to do amazing things that most people just don't understand.  Can you help?  They are hoping to raise $15,000 by June 1st!


Just click here to be taken over.  Donations made for this giveaway are NOT tax deductible.  If you don't wish to enter the giveaway but still wish to help the family, you can make a tax deductible gift here. 

Slowly but surely

$10,000 is a lot of money.  True, it isn't nearly as much as the $25,000 that many families need for an international adoption - but still.  I am NOT going to get discouraged!  We will add another child to our family and it will be in God's timing.  I read something the other day that I rather liked.  "Pray like it all depends on God - work like it all depends on you!"  It's just like that old adage "God helps those who help themselves." 

So, I am on a mission to figure out a way to collect 1,000 $10 bills.  :)  It sounds like less that way.  I have managed to get about 30 so far.   I have started making puppets, e-reader covers and necklaces and they are for sale at my facebook page.  If you see something you like, you can use the donate button to the right of this page.  All of the e-reader covers and necklaces are made and ready to ship.  When someone pays for the one they want, I remove that picture.  But I am making more to replace those sold.  Puppets are currently being made to order, so if you would like one (or more) of those, just send me a message and I will give you an idea of how long it will take to make them.  I finish the order and send you a picture before you pay to make sure you like them. :)  I am not charging shipping for any of my items, but if you would like to throw in a couple dollars to cover it, I won't object. lol!  Every dollar that we make is one dollar closer to our child. 

I am also planning to do a bottle/can drive at some point.  Every 20 cans/bottles is another dollar closer to our little one. 

Of course, if you feel led, you can always just make a donation. 

Our boys are so excited at the prospect of getting a new sibling.  Vlado asks almost everyday if we are going "next week" to get his little brother.  *I think I will wait until we know who we are adopting....I really think he needs a little sister. :)




 

Vlado and communication

I realize that I have been terrible about neglecting this blog.  I know that life gets busy and this blog seems to be the lowest on the totem pole lately, but that just isn't fair.  When I read blogs, it drives me nuts when the writer suddenly disappears and I can't stalk them...um, I mean, enjoy their blog anymore.

We do have a few things going on though.  We are in the process of selling our house and buying a new one.  As of now, the closing (on both houses) is April 8th.  I think that is kind of nutty to do both in one day, but what can ya do?  We are spending most days packing and trying to figure out what to do with our stuff in the mean time.  I mean, how in the world do you pack up an entire house, close on a new one and move all at once?  I really don't want to hire a moving company due to cost.  We are saving for another adoption after all.  But there is no way that we can get a moving truck that is big enough to fit all our stuff in one trip.  I guess we will figure it all out.

Now on to the title of this post.  Vlado's communication has been exploding lately.  He is using complete sentences (at least when he talks to us or other adults).  He still uses that non-nonsensical chatter with Fuad but they seem to understand each other.  Vlado has started asking questions because he is curious.  He will guess several times and then ask what something is.  It is kinda cute. :)  Here is an example of a conversation with him the other day.  I was putting soup in the crock pot and he came in the kitchen.

V:  Is that chicken soup?
Me: No
V: Is that spinach soup? (Not sure where that came from)
Me: No
V: Is that vegetable soup?
Me: No
V: (exasperated sigh), What is that?
Me: This is beef stew.
V:  Mmmmm, we are eating beef stew for dinner?
Me:  I'm not sure it will be done in time for your dinner.
V:  (another sigh) What am I eating for dinner? 
Me:  What would you like for dinner?
 V:  Let me see (and then he started tapping his finger to his chin...it was hilarious)

He then proceeded to grab stuff that he wanted for dinner....whole grain beefaroni, peas and then pickles  from the refrigerator.  It was a strange combination, but that was what he wanted and he was so excited for dinner time because he had chosen it.  So much for him never learning to talk. :)

Also, lately, he has been very adamant that he DOES NOT want a little sister.  He says he wants a little brother and as he does so, he puts his hand down by his knee (indicating a shorter child).  I think he knows that Fuad is his "little brother,"  but Fuad is taller than he is.  I think this time, he wants a little brother that is actually little.  Too bad, sweetie, Mama wants a little girl.  I know that God might have other plans, but I am REALLY hoping He lets me get my daughter!

And I couldn't post without leaving you with some cuteness.  My next post will have a recent picture of Fuad.  He is growing up so quickly!

Vlado and Bailey...the epitome of a boy and his dog.