In Translation

So our dossier is in the process of translation. I can only imagine how exhausting the ordeal of translating English into Bulgarian is. Wow.

We've been told this could take some time (4-6 weeks) and when it is complete we will be sent off to the Ministry to be registered. Once registered it could be any time. We highly doubt we will receive a referral before this summer. Maybe we will be surprised but I doubt it.

Lily has named her brother. She is calling him by this name. I really like the name, Garry does not. He seems to always find a way to make fun of the name (just as boys will do with all boy names, simply because they are boys) I've told Garry no matter the name we choose, our son's friends will find a way to tease him for his name. There is no 'nickname-proof' name for a guy.

Waiting game begins...

So our dossier was shipped off to Bulgaria 2 weeks ago. We're still waiting to hear if they received it. But while we wait there are plenty of things to do here.

Thanksgiving was ok. Different, but ok. Pop and the Polks were here in Memphis and the kids enjoyed their time playing together. Paige attempted her first turkey and was successful...even if we had no idea what was inside the turkey. The boys played video games or watched football while we cooked up a storm.

The dinner table was hard. If mom were here we would have sat at the table for hours and talked, munching on the food and going back to munch some more. That will be something I miss terribly.

We have the knowledge that nothing will ever be like it was when Momma was here but that knowledge is still head knowledge and not heart. Holidays will be tough. I'm almost ashamed to say that I am dreading Christmas. In one ear I have God telling me I shouldn't dread it and I'm promptly yelling back (in my head, of course) smart remarks like "Well, you shouldn't have taken my momma!"

It's normal, luckily. Of course, I've never been considered totally normal anyway so why should I try to be now.

Lily and Mia have started gymnastics and both enjoy the exercise. I get to "help" assist Mia in her class and she's so funny because she pushes my hands away. "No momma, No," she says. Funny thing.

OH and Lily's favorite saying "Shake your Booty" has become her sister's as well.. Mia says "Sake you OOty" though...

FBI Clearance

Just waiting on the FBI Clearance Letter to come back. It's been 10 weeks. If it's not back next week, they will be getting a call from a friend of Garry's. Ha.

Everything else is sent away to our agency. Oh wait, not the marriage license, but we will send that off tomorrow.

The girls have both been sick with croup and ear infections so we've stayed around the house a bit more than usual. And the time change has throw us all for a loop...9 o'clock rolls around and I can barely keep my eyes open.

So...

Garry went to Nashville today and was able to get almost everything apostilled. We have to go to MS to get the marriage license notarized and apostilled, and we went ahead and sent the almost expired FBI Clearance letters and should have the new ones within a few weeks. We are in agreement that we just want to get everything out of our hands and into our agency's so we can breathe a bit.

Amen to that! Lily has her last soccer game of the season tomorrow with a pizza party after. That should be fun...

Dossier Physical

So Garry and I went for adoption physicals today. Craziness! You have to have the dossier physical form notarized! Here in the South we don't have notaries in all the Doctors offices; only in banks, post-offices, and places of business. So the wonderfully sweet people down at Faith Family Medical called the local bank and they've agreed to send someone to notarize the form for free!! So awesome! Love them!

So that should be ready at some point today. Then all we have to do is get the paperwork notarized, then notarized again by the county, then appostilled. Piece of cake! ; p

News: The Bad and the Good

Sheryl, my sweet precious mom, went to be with the Lord on Sept 16, 2010. Her pain is gone and she is in His presence now. I miss her more than words can say but I'm reminded of God's goodness through my pain.

Today we received our approval for adoption from Immigration. I wanted nothing more to tell her, to call her and be excited with her. I have to believe that she knows, because I believe that she already knows our son. I believe she walks every path with me and will until the time I see her again.

On a lighter note, we have a new (smaller) addition to the family. Her name is Molly. She is a 4 months old Shichon puppy and she is precious! She is so sweet, loving and playful. My dad bought her for the girls as a healing present more than anything. Lily even told me "Pop didn't want my heart to hurt so he gave me a puppy, and now my heart doesn't hurt as much". From the mouths of babes...

Fingerprinting done

So we both completed our Immigration fingerprinting. So easy. Took 10 minutes for each of us.

We did have to send off our second FBI clearance letters. The six months is almost up and we haven't gotten approved by immigration yet.

Mom is not doing well. She has been in the CCU for 21 days now with pneumonia and ARDS. The next 24 hours are crucial. Her kidneys have started shutting down and with all the complications with her lungs, signals the beginning of the end.

My prayer is that God will either take her home with Him or let us take her home. My knowledge tells me the first will occur soon.

I know my mom was excited about meeting her grandson. I know that will never happen. But it will not stop me from telling him someday about how determined she was that we continue the adoption process after her cancer diagnosis in May.

I think her determination and her love for her children and her grandchildren will prevail long after she is gone. We will keep them alive.