So we are approaching our renewal date for the Homestudy so we've begun the paperwork process again. We did up our age to 3.5. It seemed the natural thing to do with he referral process taking so long. Not to mention Mia will be 3.5 in November so she will still be older than Samuel. We debated adopting out of birth order but after consideration and advice from other sources we decided against it, as far as the USCIS goes. If we see a child older than approved we can always do an addendum later.
The girls have had a great time in school this year. Halloween is coming up so the costume thing has been exhausted to the max already. Lily has a clown parade Friday so mommy is less than enthused about being within 2 feet of clowns!! I hate clowns!
So, I wrote the above back in Oct and it is Dec 1st today! Wow time flies.
We finished our update. Check.
We had Thanksgiving with my family down in Mississippi. Check.
Now we are back in school and counting down the days until Christmas. (The girls - to get gifts, Me - so they stop asking when Christmas is)
We put the Christmas tree up this past weekend and a few other decorations. We don't put many up. We're not the Griswalds but we're not the Grinch either. Just think if it takes 4 hours to hang lights on a house then it will take that long to take them down. :)
Christmas is coming up...It breaks my heart to know that Samuel will spend another Christmas in an orphanage. I try not to think about it but, hey, who am I kidding?
Just praying this will be the last Christmas he spends in a orphanage. I am very thankful for all the families that will be bringing kids home before Christmas and shortly after, the sooner, the better.
There and Back Again: The Rhoden's Bulgarian Adoption
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
School's In!
Well summer is drawing to a close...even the weather is cooler..(90s instead of 100s ;)
Lily started school last week and has loved every day so far. Her teacher has emailed us reports on her behavior and adjustment everyday and so far Lily has been given nothing but praise.
She starts soccer practice tonight and is so excited to get back into the swing of things that she was up at 6:15 this morning!!!
Mia starts her MDO in Sept. and mommy is looking forward to a break.
We are in the process of trying to sell our house (haven't signed the contract yet) and move closer to town so that we can be near Garry's office and our church.
Nothing on the adoption yet, though we are getting everything ready to update our USCIS approval. It's not due until December but we would like to get things done now and not have to wait.
Also, we are praying and considering raising our adoption age from 2 to 3. Originally we had plans to keep birth order, well now that Mia is over 3 and we realize that we probably have another few years to go before we get a referral, that we would like them all to be closer in age. This is not set in stone, and we have inquired whether this would shorter our wait time. If it would not shorter the wait time then we would not pursue it.
Pray that we listen to our hearts and not our impatience.
Lily started school last week and has loved every day so far. Her teacher has emailed us reports on her behavior and adjustment everyday and so far Lily has been given nothing but praise.
She starts soccer practice tonight and is so excited to get back into the swing of things that she was up at 6:15 this morning!!!
Mia starts her MDO in Sept. and mommy is looking forward to a break.
We are in the process of trying to sell our house (haven't signed the contract yet) and move closer to town so that we can be near Garry's office and our church.
Nothing on the adoption yet, though we are getting everything ready to update our USCIS approval. It's not due until December but we would like to get things done now and not have to wait.
Also, we are praying and considering raising our adoption age from 2 to 3. Originally we had plans to keep birth order, well now that Mia is over 3 and we realize that we probably have another few years to go before we get a referral, that we would like them all to be closer in age. This is not set in stone, and we have inquired whether this would shorter our wait time. If it would not shorter the wait time then we would not pursue it.
Pray that we listen to our hearts and not our impatience.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Good News
I heard from our agency yesterday that they had received a referral for a 2 year old, healthy male. Woo Hoo! This is what we've been waiting for...news that healthy young children are being referred.
He is not ours of course but I know that whoever his parents are they are delighted beyond words!
Summer Update:
The girls and I just returned from visiting family and friends in MS. We caught a nasty stomach virus but are back to normal.
Lily started her summer school at our church...a MDO programs that meets twice a week at our church. She is having a great time! Mommy enjoys just being with Mia for those days.
It's funny how that second child always seems to get less attention. You don't mean for them to but for a whole 26 months it was just Lily and me...It's never been just Mia and me.
Don't worry I don't think she is any worse the wear for it. She functions quite fine...and quite loudly.
We are still hoping her speech improves before the Fall. She is talking much more than before the tubes but is still not where she needs to be for a 3 year old. Speaking of, Mia had her Princess birthday party! Our friends came over and we had ice cream cake and opened presents before Mia decided she wanted to go to bed (it was at night).
Garry and I leave for our yearly "together" trip on the 4th. We're so excited just to have time to relax and be together. Something I highly recommend to all couples, particularly if you have children!
We're going to the Dominican Republic. Never been...so we will see. We've been to Antigua and the British Virgin Islands. (Skip Antigua until they get the airport redone, LOVe Love the BVI)
He is not ours of course but I know that whoever his parents are they are delighted beyond words!
Summer Update:
The girls and I just returned from visiting family and friends in MS. We caught a nasty stomach virus but are back to normal.
Lily started her summer school at our church...a MDO programs that meets twice a week at our church. She is having a great time! Mommy enjoys just being with Mia for those days.
It's funny how that second child always seems to get less attention. You don't mean for them to but for a whole 26 months it was just Lily and me...It's never been just Mia and me.
Don't worry I don't think she is any worse the wear for it. She functions quite fine...and quite loudly.
We are still hoping her speech improves before the Fall. She is talking much more than before the tubes but is still not where she needs to be for a 3 year old. Speaking of, Mia had her Princess birthday party! Our friends came over and we had ice cream cake and opened presents before Mia decided she wanted to go to bed (it was at night).
Garry and I leave for our yearly "together" trip on the 4th. We're so excited just to have time to relax and be together. Something I highly recommend to all couples, particularly if you have children!
We're going to the Dominican Republic. Never been...so we will see. We've been to Antigua and the British Virgin Islands. (Skip Antigua until they get the airport redone, LOVe Love the BVI)
School's Out!
Lillisms for the summer
Me: Lily Grace, this room better be clean by the time your daddy gets home or he will not be happy!
Lily: I don't want to clean my room! Mia made the mess! (probably true but no proof to back it up)
Me: well I'm sorry but it has to be cleaned.
Lily: why?!!!!
Me: because I said so!
Lily: well I say it doesn't have to be cleaned! there! ( with hands on hips) I said so!!
Me: I'm the mother and you are the child!
Lily: well, I still said so!
Lily: Momma are there roads in Heaven?
Me: yes I think so
Lily: are there cars?
Me: probably not, I don't think God likes pollution.
Lily: will there be McDonalds?
Me: uh no but the food there will be much better than McDonalds and better for you
Lily: (indignant) well what kind of place doesn't have a McDonalds?
Me: Lily Grace, this room better be clean by the time your daddy gets home or he will not be happy!
Lily: I don't want to clean my room! Mia made the mess! (probably true but no proof to back it up)
Me: well I'm sorry but it has to be cleaned.
Lily: why?!!!!
Me: because I said so!
Lily: well I say it doesn't have to be cleaned! there! ( with hands on hips) I said so!!
Me: I'm the mother and you are the child!
Lily: well, I still said so!
Lily: Momma are there roads in Heaven?
Me: yes I think so
Lily: are there cars?
Me: probably not, I don't think God likes pollution.
Lily: will there be McDonalds?
Me: uh no but the food there will be much better than McDonalds and better for you
Lily: (indignant) well what kind of place doesn't have a McDonalds?
Friday, May 27, 2011
Officially Registered!!!!
We heard from TOL yesterday that we are officially registered in Bulgaria.
Our official registration date is April 19, 2011. However, the Bulgarian MOJ has had our dossier in hand since February.
So, we are registered. What does that mean? It means they have approved our dossier and we are waiting on a referral. It could be a year or two before we have a referral, but we will have to keep everything (paperwork) up to date. We will have to renew FBI clearance letters soon. I have the fingerprints in hand so it's a matter of sending them off. Both times we have done this our clearance letters have come back within 10 weeks.
We will have to have physicals done every 6 months as well. And in December, Bethany will have to do an updated home study. (They are only good for 12 months)
Luckily we don't have to do much more than that.
But now is the real waiting...
Hey at least we know we're registered!
Please pray for us and most importantly for patience. We are not patient people.
Lily just finished her first year of Jr. K and was given the "Eager" Award for her character award. She gets it honestly.
Our official registration date is April 19, 2011. However, the Bulgarian MOJ has had our dossier in hand since February.
So, we are registered. What does that mean? It means they have approved our dossier and we are waiting on a referral. It could be a year or two before we have a referral, but we will have to keep everything (paperwork) up to date. We will have to renew FBI clearance letters soon. I have the fingerprints in hand so it's a matter of sending them off. Both times we have done this our clearance letters have come back within 10 weeks.
We will have to have physicals done every 6 months as well. And in December, Bethany will have to do an updated home study. (They are only good for 12 months)
Luckily we don't have to do much more than that.
But now is the real waiting...
Hey at least we know we're registered!
Please pray for us and most importantly for patience. We are not patient people.
Lily just finished her first year of Jr. K and was given the "Eager" Award for her character award. She gets it honestly.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sorry so long...
Well I assume you know that nothing has happened.
We did have a bureaucratic set back: As we were supposed to be registered in January, we received word that Bulgaria was requiring another document to be signed, notarized, notarized, and apostilled. This of course took a month to do and get sent. Being that it was the same document we had already agreed to, signed, notarized, notarized, and apostilled, just in another form, we were not happy.
So, technically, we do not know if we are registered (officially). Waiting to hear back from our agency on that.
In other news:
Lily turned 5 in March.
Mia had tubes put in her ears in March.
Garry has started his own law firm.
I am seeing our associate pastor for grief counseling.
Huh...what else...
Wow, when you list it like that your life looks pretty boring.
OH, Lily is signed up for swim lessons this summer and
...Patton (the dog) just ate a mesh bag with red doll hair..then threw it back up...
no that's not a typo.
Gotta go
We did have a bureaucratic set back: As we were supposed to be registered in January, we received word that Bulgaria was requiring another document to be signed, notarized, notarized, and apostilled. This of course took a month to do and get sent. Being that it was the same document we had already agreed to, signed, notarized, notarized, and apostilled, just in another form, we were not happy.
So, technically, we do not know if we are registered (officially). Waiting to hear back from our agency on that.
In other news:
Lily turned 5 in March.
Mia had tubes put in her ears in March.
Garry has started his own law firm.
I am seeing our associate pastor for grief counseling.
Huh...what else...
Wow, when you list it like that your life looks pretty boring.
OH, Lily is signed up for swim lessons this summer and
...Patton (the dog) just ate a mesh bag with red doll hair..then threw it back up...
no that's not a typo.
Gotta go
Monday, January 3, 2011
Let the games begin...
or the waiting...So now, we wait. By January 27, we will be officially registered and then we just wait...and wait...and wait...
Hopefully I don't have to add another wait to that...
But good news is...we have a name
Lily named her brother Sam (Samuel).
She said it was after Nana's cat, but we won't tell him that. But he has a name. So that's good. We don't just call him "the boy" or "your brother" or "our son".
It's nice to have a name; Well unless your Eugene, or Burchell, or anything along those lines that will get you stuffed into a trash can or toilet as soon as you enter junior high.
Hopefully I don't have to add another wait to that...
But good news is...we have a name
Lily named her brother Sam (Samuel).
She said it was after Nana's cat, but we won't tell him that. But he has a name. So that's good. We don't just call him "the boy" or "your brother" or "our son".
It's nice to have a name; Well unless your Eugene, or Burchell, or anything along those lines that will get you stuffed into a trash can or toilet as soon as you enter junior high.
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