Chapter 19 - Little Changes, Big Changes

8/26/2013

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As I was thinking about how I should update my blog, and then thinking about how not much has changed since my last update, I started looking through old posts. I realized...hey, there's a few things that have changed! So, here goes.

Update #1: Travel.
As things stand right now, when it's time to go get our little guy, we'll be in Korea for 3-6 weeks. Yes, it's a long time. But really, we're looking forward to the "forced vacation." We're going to have plenty of time to learn about a country that we've fallen in love with from afar. We're planning on lots of sightseeing, practicing our language skills (or having fun trying), and spending as much time as we can with the little boy we've held in our hearts for so long.

Update #2: We need a date.
Mr. DIY and I haven't had much time to ourselves lately. It's ok, because we genuinely enjoy spending time with our kids - but we also love us some "we" time! We've decided to leave our three munchkins at home with the generous and loving friends and family who have offered to be their stand-in parents while we're away so that they don't have to miss school for such a long time. We're pretty sure that having a month-long date can't be a bad thing. And our kids are super excited about getting to try out some new stand-in parents. I'm pretty sure we'll all miss each other desperately about one week in, but we'll have one amazing reunion once we're back!

Update #3: We're still waiting at Step 2.
It's hard to see from the outside, but from where we stand we're seeing things move in a steady stream. It doesn't mean that we've gotten to Step 3 (EP Approval), but it does mean that we think we're getting close. If you have no idea what in the world I'm talking about, see my last post.

Update #4: I may not be updating for awhile.
We are (hopefully) standing at the edge of what's going to soon be a tidal wave of activity, scrambling to find childcare every day for a month +, packing, and general freaking out. We're so happy that we've been able to keep people in the know about our process, but we don't necessarily want everyone on the internet to be in the know once it's go-time. Ya know? So if you'd like to stay updated, please keep in touch! Leave me a comment, or message me to let me know that you want to stay in the loop.

That's it for now, folks! Thanks for stopping by to see what's new; I can't wait until I can post a family picture with all 6 of us!
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Chapter 18 - moving along

8/2/2013

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Things are happening! We're nearing the end of the Waiting Road, and now have to prove ourselves by passing the Five Steps of Sanity.

We were notified of EP Prep on June 10 - one step down! A week ago today, our file moved on to the Submission stage, and now we're waiting for our EP to be approved by the MOHW, at which point MOHW will notify ESWS, who will notify AAC, who will then notify us...but this is all very complicated and like speaking a foreign Adopting-From-Korea language, which may just leave you scratching your head and shrugging your shoulders. We have seen these symptoms in family members.

I think I have a better way.


So, as you can see from my professional-grade drawing, we're definitely making progress (it's weird to say we're making progress when we actually have nothing to do with the progress happening right now). We're on Step 2 in my fancy diagram, waiting for, drumroll please, Step 3!

I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, it's time for another Korean language lesson.
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Chapter 16 - False Hope

5/6/2013

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The learning curve on adoption jargon led to a disappointing misunderstanding. For those of you who heard that we have a date for travel (although we hadn't heard a specific date), we do not. However, Korea is now accepting EPs* for 2012 now, so we're going to keep waiting with the hope that our EP will be filed and accepted by the court soon.

Also, the process may be changing to where Jeremiah will enter the United States as a US citizen (this saves us more paperwork, lawyers' fees, and 6 months of waiting after we bring him home for him to become a citizen and to officially adopt him). It's encouraging news, but may mean a longer stay in Korea.

Whoever said the waiting is the hardest part of adoption...I'm sorry for doubting you.
What other wisdom can you speak into my life? I'm all ears.

*EP = Emigration Permit
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Chapter 15 - The Adoption Roller Coaster

3/14/2013

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And, we're back to the shorter trip!

This week we learned from our agency that the Korean authorities have decided to remove the requirement for a longer stay in Korea. This was an answer to prayer for so many families, as both parents simply couldn't spend that much time away from home. As waiting families, so many of us were on our knees in their behalf, asking that God would remove the requirement that would keep so many children from ever meeting and knowing the families who wanted them.

And He did! One caseworker told the family she's working with that there was no explanation for why they did it, which is the coolest way for things to happen because then God gets the glory!

For us, it's a relief that Dustin won't have to take unpaid leave from work, and to know that because they've removed the family court date, it should speed things back up and get us there faster.

But we're still planning on taking our kids with us.

It was just too much of a good thing to be excited about having them with us in Korea, knowing that this may be their only chance to see the birthplace of their little brother. They've been jumping up and down in anticipation, each for different reasons:

Micaiah can't wait to fly on an airplane - it will be her first time! She also doesn't want us to leave her for that long.
(After being in a plane for 20 hours, she may not think they're as great as she did when she was on the ground, but here's hoping she loves it!)

Kyler is just so excited to meet his brother. I have never seen this kid so passionate about something for such a long period of time. It is truly touching.

Derrick is just excited for the whole trip: to see Korea, to meet his brother, to spend two weeks in a completely foreign place. It's going to be quite an adventure!

We're all going to learn so much, and we're going to do it as a family. I cannot be more thankful.
My heart is ready.
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Chapter 13 - 9 months pregnant...for eternity

1/29/2013

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It's been awhile since we've heard news on how adoptions are progressing in Korea. Too long, in my opinion (I'm feeling opinionated today).

Last I knew, the families who submitted paperwork by November of 2011 were processed, but then everything came to a halt.

(We sent everything on March 23, 2012.)

There's a new requirement for families involving a court date, but nobody really knows what that means for the timeline. I've read that it may add some time to the wait, since it means that judges are looking into each specific family as part of the process. This adds time for the obvious reason that more work means more waiting (for us and other waiting families), and also because it's a new step. Which means it's never been done this way before. Which means there's going to be bumps in the road, or it could be really slow-going if they try to get it right the first time around.

So I feel like a pregnant woman, 36 weeks along, who hears the news that her body has added new requirements to the labor process. "It may not happen as quickly as we'd hoped," says the doctor, "and you may have to carry this baby another few months longer - or more."

At which point I vent my anger by punching said doctor.

This is followed by a quick and heart-felt apology. And anger management classes.


I do have to say that we are TRULY so thankful that Jeremiah is with a foster family who loves him so very much. He is safe. He is well taken care of. And honestly, we are blessed in the waiting because God is still at work - both here in our family, and in Jeremiah's life. I know it because we've prayed it - every single day.
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A Project with Purpose

10/17/2011

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I love that God is God. He always know when we need to be refreshed, even when I don't see it. A week ago was one of those times of encouragement and renewal as we were in Albuquerque photographing adoptive families.

*A little background: Dustin and I decided about a year and a half ago that we would use all proceeds from our photography business, Thousandth Word Photography, on behalf of orphans. Since dedicating our photography to that purpose, we've had the opportunity to use our equipment and talent in cooperation with the Christian Alliance for Orphans. We also provide free family photo sessions to adoptive families as a ministry to them, as they minister to these special children. Our last project was done with a double purpose: first, to bless a few of the adoptive families we've come to know in Albuquerque; and second, to provide Hope for Orphans with photographs to use within their ministry.

These families have been so supportive of us as we've begun the adoption process - some by sharing wisdom learned from experience; some by helping us talk through decisions; and some just by being visible examples of the gospel lived out. If you wonder what adoption looks like after the paperwork is over and it's lived out in everyday life, take a few moments to look at these beautiful examples.

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