Oh how they've grown!

We just received updated photos of our children and all I can say is "oh how they've grown"! It's one thing to have them before you and watch their changes, but an all together different thing to have keep track from across the ocean.





I also have to add, I'm in love with my children! They are so beautiful and I can't wait to smother them with hugs and lovin'. The reality that this is actually going to happen hasn't sunk in yet. I guess when our dates are actually confirmed and we have to make flight arrangements, it might set in. Did I say this already?

More News

Now that we have our tentative dates I can share what else is going on in our lives. I've known since early this year that my employer is going to close the Colorado office that I work in, since the headquarters and main foot print is Wisconsin, Minnesota & Illinois. But now I know that my last day will be July 31. I can't tell you how pleased I am that we'll be able to get the kids home within the time period that I'll still be employed because I'll still get the time off as paid leave and I'll be able to take advantage of their adoption reimbursement program.

Although I'm looking for work here, this may be our chance to get back to WI so the kids will be close to their new Grandparents, aunts & uncles and cousins. Well at least some of them.

So priorities are: get the kids, find a job and possibly move. Nothing too ambitious. ;) God has a plan for us and I look forward to following his lead.

Hallelujah! We've got tentative Dates

Tentative dates are better than no dates and we are so VERY excited!!!!!!

We received an email today stating our preliminary dates are to leave the US on 5/30 and arrive in Warsaw on the 31st! These dates are still to be confirmed but I'll take them!

Needless to say I'm already packed except for a few last minute items and one last load of laundry of items I want to take. Oh, if you all could only feel the joy and elation I'm feeling I would love to share it with you!

Praise God!

More to follow.....

Debbie

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Psalms 3:5-

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Psalms 3:5-6

Well we have been dealt another snafu. It appears the case of the woman petitioning to be a foster parent to our kids is not resolved. The judge handling the case got sick and so the case was reassigned to a new judge, whom now wants time to make herself acquainted with the court files before appointing a date for a Court hearing. Which means the whole process will be prolonged and nobody is able to tell us for how long. So the adoption authorities in Poland have asked that if we don't hear anything by the end of this March do we want them to start looking for a new referral for us.

A new referral...as if these beautiful children that we've fallen in love with, have been building a home for, planning our future around, can so easily be replaced by another referral! We are not parents of convenience. We are sticking with these children until the very end! No matter how long it takes, no matter how it turns out.

Please fellow adoptive parents who are following our blog, do not be discouraged. This is not the norm and we know that. This is our cross to bear for whatever reason, and we walk in faith and trust with our Lord.

Please pray for us and our children.

Thank you all ~ Jeff & Debbie

A few of my favorite sayings

Just trying to keep my spirits up on this dreary February day. I'm getting cabin fever as Jeff & I usually take a couple of days off in Jan or Feb but for the obvious reasons we haven't this year.

So I thought I'd share a few of my favorite sayings that have kept me going. Here they are:

* Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone; but still miraculously my own

* Walk by Faith, not by sight

* When you cannot see your path more than a step in front of you - that is when you know that God is asking for you to move forward in faith. Because if you knew the outcome, you wouldn't have to rely on Him.

* Eventually we grow weary of seeking treasures outside ourselves and begin to look within. There we discover that the gold we sought, we already are. ~ Alan Cohen

* A prayer by St. Teresa of Avila
Let nothing disturb you,
nothing distress you.
While all things fade away,
God is unchanging.
Be patient.
With God in your heart,
nothing is lacking,
God is enough.

* Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Psalms 3:5-6

Peace be with you!

~ Debbie

Another Delay

As you may have noticed if your a habitual follower of our blog site, that I have once again changed the layout/coloring. I need distraction! I don't know if I should dare start on what the latest delay has been. I know it's going to sound like a lot more ranting and raving, but..... here goes!

About a week ago I finally decided to contact our agent to see if she could give us any idea as to why it's taking so long to set dates for us. What we found out is that when our judge petitioned for a court date for us it was discovered that another judge had accepted a case of a woman who had petitioned to be OUR children's foster parent! Can you believe it. I became frantic and asked about another bazillion more questions (ok, not really that many but it sure did raise quite a few).

Thank God for big and small miracles. The procedure in Poland is that once a case has been accepted it has to proceed thru normal channels, even though our adoption has been anything but normal up until now. The petitioner is given 3 opportunities to appear before the courts and give their case. Fortunately the woman/petitioner has not appeared for her first two court dates and the Polish Adoptive Authorities got a hold of the second judge to tell him about our adoption request. He has said that even if the woman appears on her third and final court date, that he's going to dismiss her case. However, he has to wait until her court date of February 16th to do so.

Then our judge can petition again for a court date for us. "They" have said that we'll know in March at the latest.

On an up note, God and I have become the greatest of friends and we talk on a daily basis! :)

Wishing my fellow adoptive parents a speedy and uneventful adoption process.

~ Debbie