The kids and I took a day trip to Harrisburg on Monday, June 25th. We stopped by Aunt Marilyn's house and took her with us. She was willing to tag along and show us the way, which I really appreciated.
I took all our adoption documents that needed state certification to the US Department of State. This is standard procedure for an international adoption. The reason being documents issued in one country which need to be used
in another country must be "authenticated" or "legalized" before they
can be recognized
as valid in the foreign country. This is a process in which various
seals are placed on the document. Such documents range from financial records, medical exam forms, birth and marriages records, employment verification letters, home studies and other legal papers. The whole process took about 15 minutes. Thankfully we have family in Harrisburg and we could make a day trip of it.
Now we are putting all these legal documents together, along with completing our "With Eyes Wide Open" workbook (more training stuff). Hopefully by Friday it will all be in a package and on it's way to our adoption agency.
On the way back we stopped at the nursing home to visit my grandmother. As I'm telling her where we were and what we had been doing she lights up thinking this means our child is finally coming home. I think she worries she won't be around to meet her newest great-grandbaby. She is very excited about this adoption and that makes me smile because for those who don't know my grandmother was adopted. She has a softness and sympathy for this child already and she hasn't even met them.
We are still waiting for AGCI to approve our home study. They received the rough draft last week and so far we haven't heard of any needed changes. I'm hoping that means "no news is good news". There were some discrepancies between our adoption agency and home study agency over who would autenticate our home study document and reference letters. The reference letters are confidential so Scott and I would not be able to take those to Harrisburg for the state seal. Scott was on the phone and passing emails back and forth for the last two days. Thankfully today everything got resolved, but not without adding another $150.00 to our expenses. So glad the adoption jar wasn't empty for this, God had provided even before we knew we needed it.
As I reflect on Monday's trip I also meditated on this verse:
"And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 ESV)
You see, we had to get seals on our personal documents to prove to China that we are who we say we are. But there is a greater seal we have been given, which guarentees us something much more important, who we really are as children of God, and that seal is His Spirit in our hearts. The Spirit guarantees our salvation.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
URGENT Prayer Request (Updated 6/27)
7/9/12 - Just in case you want to continue following the Moghadams adoption journey, here is a link to their blog: Moghadams Adoption Journey. They are still awaiting the final adoption of their 4 children in Ghana and bringing them home. They could still use much prayer.
Here is the most recent update on the Moghadams: Moghadams Update #3
They have now been reunited and given the approval for their adopted children. However, they remain in Ghana waiting for visas for their 4 adoptees. Keep praying them home!
Here is an update to the Moghadams: Moghadams Update #2
As you can see they have been released from jail and reunited with their two biological sons. However, they still need prayer as they have not been reunited with their adopted children. Please pray the government reviews their adoption paperwork and finds no fault and these orphan children can be reunited and join the Moghadam family permanently, and that they can ALL return to the US.
Please pray for a family, Sol and Christine Moghadams, currenlty in Ghana. They are there to adopt a sibling group of four. They have been arrested for child trafficking and are currently being held in jail. They had their two biological sons with them (ages 4 and 6), plus the four children they were adopting. All six children have been taken to a government orphanage. This family needs intercession. They had all of their legal paperwork to adopt these children with them and these charges are false accusations.
Please if you are reading this lift this family up in prayer. The US Embassy and all necessary goverment officials and authorities are involved, but the latest update is still that this couple is being detained, and still separated from their children.
You can check out their adoption video here: Sol and Christine Moghadams
There blog does not have any info on it, but you can get updates on Facebook here: Orphan Justice Center
Here is the most recent update on the Moghadams: Moghadams Update #3
They have now been reunited and given the approval for their adopted children. However, they remain in Ghana waiting for visas for their 4 adoptees. Keep praying them home!
Here is an update to the Moghadams: Moghadams Update #2
As you can see they have been released from jail and reunited with their two biological sons. However, they still need prayer as they have not been reunited with their adopted children. Please pray the government reviews their adoption paperwork and finds no fault and these orphan children can be reunited and join the Moghadam family permanently, and that they can ALL return to the US.
Please pray for a family, Sol and Christine Moghadams, currenlty in Ghana. They are there to adopt a sibling group of four. They have been arrested for child trafficking and are currently being held in jail. They had their two biological sons with them (ages 4 and 6), plus the four children they were adopting. All six children have been taken to a government orphanage. This family needs intercession. They had all of their legal paperwork to adopt these children with them and these charges are false accusations.
Please if you are reading this lift this family up in prayer. The US Embassy and all necessary goverment officials and authorities are involved, but the latest update is still that this couple is being detained, and still separated from their children.
You can check out their adoption video here: Sol and Christine Moghadams
There blog does not have any info on it, but you can get updates on Facebook here: Orphan Justice Center
Friday, June 22, 2012
Home Study Progress
To All Our Prayer Warrior Friends,
We just wanted to say thank you because Scott's criminal clearance arrived at Living Hope today! The turn around time was exactly one week to the day from Scott mailing the application, to the report being processed and it's arrival at Living Hope. That was the last thing we needed for our home study and the first rough draft was sent to All God's Children today. YAY!!!
This journey is a hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait, we have just gone from "wait" to "hurry up". The adrenalin is pumping. Our dossier is almost complete and Lord willing the kids and I will be heading to Harrisburg next week to get everything state sealed and mailed off.
I will confess that this impatient momma prefers "hurry up" over "wait"!
We just wanted to say thank you because Scott's criminal clearance arrived at Living Hope today! The turn around time was exactly one week to the day from Scott mailing the application, to the report being processed and it's arrival at Living Hope. That was the last thing we needed for our home study and the first rough draft was sent to All God's Children today. YAY!!!
This journey is a hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait, we have just gone from "wait" to "hurry up". The adrenalin is pumping. Our dossier is almost complete and Lord willing the kids and I will be heading to Harrisburg next week to get everything state sealed and mailed off.
I will confess that this impatient momma prefers "hurry up" over "wait"!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Paperchasing Hold Up
It has been a long time since I updated so today seems like a really good day to catch you up. Honestly I woke up this morning feeling very discouraged on the adoption front. You see tomorrow marks one month since our home study has been complete, and one week (June 8th) since our deadline to have everything to our adoption agency. The part of our home study that ended on May 15th was our part, the compiling of personal documents and having interviews with our agent. It then became our home study agents job to write the home study. We were told this would take 2-3 weeks, and it has now been four. SIGH. This is something more or less our of our control. Part of the hold up is our agency and the other is the realization we are missing a document. Scott needs to have a criminal record check done in the state of NY because he lived there while in college. If you think of it please pray that his application would move quickly and we would get the report with a miraculous turn around time.
I am beyond ready to put this paperchasing part of the adoption to rest. It feels like it has been going on forever. It can be really discouraging because some people seem to fly through this process and others, like us, move at a turtles pace. The homestudy process normally takes 3 months to complete, we are now at four months. I wanted to be the person who got it done in two. HA!
So if you have been wondering what our status is we are pretty much at the same place we were a month ago. While ending the home study on May 15th seemed like a really exciting thing and I thought things would be moving forward we are at a stand still for the moment.
I am beyond ready to put this paperchasing part of the adoption to rest. It feels like it has been going on forever. It can be really discouraging because some people seem to fly through this process and others, like us, move at a turtles pace. The homestudy process normally takes 3 months to complete, we are now at four months. I wanted to be the person who got it done in two. HA!
So if you have been wondering what our status is we are pretty much at the same place we were a month ago. While ending the home study on May 15th seemed like a really exciting thing and I thought things would be moving forward we are at a stand still for the moment.
Promotional Hope Opportunity
As most of you know adoption is very expensive. We trust whole heartedly that God will provide for this adoption and to date we testify that He has been faithful. Each step we have taken and had to make a payment for, God has provided the money needed.
We have been given a new opportunity to help raise funds for our adoption. Nate and Jen LeSuer, a local family, have started a new website based business. It is called Promotional Hope. They sell promotional products for businesses, churches, schools, personal items, or whatever else you may need. You can visit the website by clicking here: Promotional Hope. The products vary from the following:
The best part about Promotional Hope is this family advocates adoption. They have a little girl, Hayley, who they adopted in 2011. Their mission for this company is to support other families who are adopting. The best part is, in June, July or August, if you make a purchase from Promotional Hope a portion of the proceeds will go towards our adoption!!! So whether you own a small business, work at a school, need something for your church or church function, even something for perosonal use, please consider purchasing from Promotional Hope. You will not only be helping this family get their new business going you will also be helping with our adoption.
You can check out the website by clicking here: Promotional Hope
We have been given a new opportunity to help raise funds for our adoption. Nate and Jen LeSuer, a local family, have started a new website based business. It is called Promotional Hope. They sell promotional products for businesses, churches, schools, personal items, or whatever else you may need. You can visit the website by clicking here: Promotional Hope. The products vary from the following:
The best part about Promotional Hope is this family advocates adoption. They have a little girl, Hayley, who they adopted in 2011. Their mission for this company is to support other families who are adopting. The best part is, in June, July or August, if you make a purchase from Promotional Hope a portion of the proceeds will go towards our adoption!!! So whether you own a small business, work at a school, need something for your church or church function, even something for perosonal use, please consider purchasing from Promotional Hope. You will not only be helping this family get their new business going you will also be helping with our adoption.
You can check out the website by clicking here: Promotional Hope
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