For Those Familiar With Headless Chickens...

This week and next we will be running around town ragged. From getting our fingerprints taken twice (one with ink, the other one done digitally), to mailing forms, to going to the doctor 2 separate times each (not including the vet visits for the cats) we are beginning to look like chickens with their heads cut off.

Seen below are our happy faces at the Round Lake, IL Police Department on the bright and shiny cool Saturday morning. Oddly enough there wasn't a soul in the parking lot - but that didn't deter us from getting "printed". We were greeted, paid the fee, inked and we moved on our merry way in no time at all.

Today we spent the morning driving out to the YMCA in Crystal Lake, IL (exciting stuff huh? LOL) in search of our second venue for fingerprinting. Hayden enjoyed watching the swim team and the daycare while he waited. He is anxious to start his swimming lessons this summer at our own Y in the coming weeks. On top of swimming, soccer will also keep this mommy and son busy. He is one happy boy.

Lastly, we are excited to announce that we have nabbed the perfect gift for baby sister. It's called a Zoobie Pet. We chose a pink (of course!!!!) hippo and can't wait to give it to her when she comes home. Hayden is excited to say he helped purchase this "lovey" item for his little sister.

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Posted by Mel at 6:42 PM

Oh Those Poor Trees!

With one less weight lifted off my back - another one replaces it. An even bigger responsibilty to bring our daughter home.

After leaving our intro meeting on Friday, we were given a packet of forms. First we were asked pretty general guestions... "Have we ever been convicted or arrested before?" Easy answer. But we knew we got the seal of approval when the big folder was passed over to our side of the desk. :) . Inside we learned we will be doing more than just jumping through hoops. We will be going to the local police station (and having them fill out a form) to get fingerprinted. We will be going to the doctor, Hayden included, to get physicals (another form). We have to hunt down the nearest place that does Biometric testing for FRC (yet another form). We have to send in a form for FBI clearance; a form for DCFS; and the list continues. We can't forget to make copies of all our birth certificates and our marriage license as well, in addition to the 3 cat innoculation records. So much for being "green".

On top of all this - we must get our fire evacuation plan in order. Simply saying we will be running out the door won't be good enough. I wonder if there would be time to stop to grab all 3 cats, 1 fish and 1 frog after we grab Hayden. Somehow I think not. After all this is said and done, we can begin the invasion... I mean homestudy.

So we came home, Michael faxed some tax form to FRC and we got started on our "homework". Unfortunately we hit a brick wall when we called to schedule our Dr. appointments (same office) and to our frustration - they were closed by 3:30pm on a Friday. Ugh.

Anyway, I think this weekend we will continue working in our yard. We pray another week our deck and fence don't fall down and maybe I can get to the garden center and get some flowers for the yard.

Either way, they make recycled TP - why not recycled adoption forms? Just food for thought. ;) 0 comments

Posted by Mel at 10:02 AM

Let the Wait Begin...

First off, Happy Belated Mother's Day to all moms!
As usual, my week starts off busy. Running Hayden from therapy to therapy, things tend to slow down by Wednesday afternoon. This can be a good thing because I have never been too fond of Mondays (who has?). It also helps make my weeks go by fast.

This Friday we have our intro meeting with the Family Resource Center (our homestudy agency). I think it has finally started to sink it - the nervous and anxiousness. But I have my boys to keep my mind occupied. I will be sure to update everyone ASAP on the info from the FRC meeting.

I've added some new items to our blog that you may want to check out - our Kyrg time and weather, and our V Family fundraising.

Our lender, Maureen Williams at ABI Mortgage has done a great job with helping us refinance, she truly is a godsend - loans for our adoption will be paid off eventually, but we would love your help and support. Whether you use "ChipIn" or purchase a Magazine subscription, all proceeds benefit our adoption fund. Everyone can always use another magazine - they are great to take on playdates, doctor visits, or in my case - therapy. I donate mine to some of the offices so they get plenty of use.

On another note, we need to get our booty in gear and finish the international application so I can get that in the mail by the end of this week or early next week.

As always we appreciate all the prayers and support everyone has sent us. 0 comments

Posted by Mel at 10:59 AM

Kyrgyzstan What?

We have been thinking about adoption since November 2007. We had tossed the idea around to a few people we knew had gone through adoption before or were adopted when they were younger. Until around Easter however, not many people knew - not even our family. Now that the application is signed, sealed and in the mail... our decision is out in the open and we want everyone to know all there is to know about why we chose to adopt and how the process is coming along. Everything down to the day we come home - I would like to try and update everyone with pictures and info.

"We have always known we wanted another child, a daughter, in our family... We feel very fortunate to be called to adoption. Every child deserves a family and deserves a chance to thrive. Heartstrings are definitely pulled when hearing or reading about children without a family or a home. We are eager to bring a child into our family – forever."
This is a direct quote from part of our narrative to our homestudy application that we thought we would share with everyone.

So onto the country. We have chosen a small country called Kyrgyzstan which is NorthEast of China. I have included a map above (this map is clickable to view a larger version, also see links in our M&M Links) to give you more information about the country itself. Many children are often abandoned at the orphanages or left in parks only to be brought in by strangers.
Children are usually of a Russian or Asian background. Sometimes, Caucasians are available. A toddler under 1 year of age is rare, but we would prefer a little girl between the age of 12 months and 24 months. Once we complete our homestudy (which our agency aims to complete in 90 days)... we will then need to complete a dossier for the foreign government. That process, including it being submitted and processed can take 3-5 months.

We have been given a timeline between 8-10 months, but as with any adoption (domestic or international) there can be changes. We hope that with everyones prayers, things will go smoothly and before this time next year, we will be home with a sister for Hayden.

As for traveling - we will need to pick up our daughter. Once we have been given a referral (this happens shortly after the processing of the dossier) we decide to accept the child (for those who an unfamiliar with a referral - it is a packet of information on a potential child with medical info and pictures). Once that happens, we travel a month or so after to "verify" our referral for a quick 2-3 day trip in the country. Then we wait more - I am uncertain off the top of my head how long, a few weeks I think until we travel again to bring our child home. This time, the trip is longer... 10 days, allowing us time to visit the country and collect our child's visa.

So you may be asking.... how do you pronounce this country - Kyrgyzstan? Say it like "kir-gi-stahn".

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Posted by Mel at 4:08 PM

3+1=4

Back when Michael and I met, we talked about having 2-3 children. Never did we imagine only having one. Then Hayden was born. He was a quiet baby, very happy and smiles for the most part. But every child has a good day and a bad day - and I felt as a mom that those good days were farther away everyday.

We spent months worrying why Hayden didn't sit up by himself, didn't crawl and soon didn't meet his milestones. Hayden began therapy soon after his first birthday. He was suggested for speech, occupational, physical, and developmental therapy. When we were told the news, I was shocked, heartbroken, and devastated. Having a rocky pregnancy and birth - I couldn't imagine going through it again and refused too. My son had to indure daily/weekly visits of what he thought was playtime with almost strangers, and still does. (We never thought of therapy as "therapy" but more of a time to play. One therapy - "Monkey Group" meeting once a week, is a huge hit. And Hayden has met some great friends, as have I.)

Back when Hayden was younger though and received in home therapy (as opposed to me being the "soccer mom" I've turned into now) it became a time for me as a stay at home mom to have an adult to talk to, reach out to about what was going on with my little boy. But also to know that none of this was my fault - nor could have been prevented. Still, I couldn't imagine going through the pain and tribulations again. Us being happy with Hayden as an only child.

Fastforwarding four years, Hayden is now 5 years old and excited about entering Kindergarten next year. We are so proud of all that he has accomplished in this amount of time. Though he may not jump like other boys and girls yet and have trouble cutting - he has a heart of gold. He LOVES being around other children and people - no matter the age. He's been gentle with our 3 cats since day one - even his baby cousin or strangers... "Cooochie coochie cooo" he mentions to an infant one day at my mother's house (my brother came over with a friend who just had a baby). Hayden was infatuated.

So that brings us to the present day. On Friday May 2, 2008 we sent in our application for our homestudy to start the process for an international adoption. 0 comments

Posted by Mel at 11:02 AM