Monday, March 31, 2008

It Is In His Hands!

Well, it’s not looking good for our I171h arrival before my trip to Haiti in three weeks. For those who do not understand the Haitian dossier lingo, we are waiting for our final approval letter from the US government. Once we have this letter, we can submit our official file to the Haitian adoption system. As of right now, our social worker must re-submit our home study with some corrections in order to receive approval. To me, it’s just another minor detail to slow up this entire process.

Not only was I hoping to have our approval enabling us to submit our paperwork to Haiti, but I was also hoping to be able to have it in time for my travels to Haiti. I really wanted to hand-deliver our file ensuring its safe arrival. I also was hoping I would be able to schedule my DHS appointment in Port au Prince while I was there in a few weeks. We must complete this step prior to the file being sent to the IBESR ~ Haitian Social Service Department ~ where the “real” adoption process begins. In this department, our file gets a “number” and officially begins going through the adoption system. However, carrying my file down will have to wait, we will have to schedule our DHS appointment another time and our file will not enter the adoption process just yet.


Normally, I would get frustrated and discouraged with all this. I am, however, to the point with this adoption where I have learned I have no control and there is really no point to get upset. In a sense, I have thrown up my arms and let it go for the sake of my emotions and the sake of this entire process. I am not at all giving up; I am just not letting it control my well-being or me. There is not a thing I can do to make this adoption process speed up or go more smoothly. There is not a thing I can do to ensure our boys come home in a time frame to my liking. So, I just have to let it go and let the process take place.


In the mean time, I pray. I pray for peace with this lengthy process. I pray for my boys until they are able to come home. I focus my prayers on my family’s growth and changes at this time, a well. I also ask the Lord to provide the boys, the orphanage and our family with all needed to carry on each and everyday. Finally, I pray to God asking Him to take all of this. I have completely given this to Him and pray I can continue to do so. This adoption is in His hands and must remind myself of this everyday.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!


Wow! In less than two weeks we have been able to raise enough money for the purchase Stephania's chair. Words do not describe the gratitude I feel for the generosity poured into this wonderful cause! I have ordered the chair and it will be hand-delivered down to the orphanage when the medical mission team travels there in 3 weeks.

Thank you, everyone, who has donated and prayed for Three Angel's sweet Stephania! I humbly ask each of you to please continue to pray so that we may receive the money to be able to order her stander within the next month!

God bless you all!
Colleen

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

A Prayer for God's Wisdom



Lord,
Our gaze is inward,
Your vision outward.
Our regrets and fears look backward,
Your call beckons us forward.
Our "world" centers around ourselves,
Your grace is as endless as the ocean.
Our giving is in measured spoonfuls,
Your grace sweeps over us like a tidal wave.
Forgive us for holding back,
clinging to our pride and possessions for dear life.
Help us to release ourselves,
all that we are,
all that we have,
to Your grace and power.
Then let us see the miracles You will do.
In your Son's name. Amen.

--Rev. Dr. John G. Hamilton

Saturday, March 22, 2008

It's Hard to Believe...



...this was a year ago! And, today, we sit inside looking out the window at the freshly fallen snow. Where are you SPRING????? We miss you!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Needing Patience...Again!


So, here we are beginning week #6 of waiting... Here we are waiting for the government to send our adoption approval letter... Here I am asking the Lord to lead me to patience, again....

I have decided I am no longer going to check the mailbox like I have been doing for a good 3 weeks now. My dad is usually the one to get the mail, so I am giving him his job back starting today. For the past three weeks, I go to our mailbox hoping to find our I171h, but there has been nothing. No letter, no envelope, no form ~ nothing!

So, now I am turning to the Lord and asking Him to help me seek the patience I need to get through this wait. We are at the mercies of our government and there is not a thing my concerns will do to change the situation.

I am done worrying, hoping and wishing. I know our I171h will come when it is time. God knows what He is doing and he will provide for our sweeties. So, until it arrives, I pray for patience and will place our completed dossier on the shelf in the closet. The mighty file will be safe and sound stored away, and I will not notice it "just" sitting there...

Monday, March 17, 2008

Sweet, Sweet Stephania!

Stephania is an orphan currently waiting for a forever family at Angel House. She is a three year old with the sweetest personality and contagious giggle. Her smile melts everyone's heart!
Stephania is a child with special needs and has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She has been fortunate enough to have visits from American doctors and physical therapists who have trained the staff to work with and care for her. This has been a true blessing for such a wonderful little girl. In addition to needing a mama and papa, Stephania is in need of some medical equipment to meet her physical needs. She is a very healthy little girl and continues to grow. As she becomes taller, the baby and toddler equipment available at the orphanage is no longer adequate.
After a recent medical exam, it was recommended that Stephania use a therapeutic chair and stander to help her become stronger and continue to develop. It is certain that this equipment will make a big difference for her positioning and quality of life. As all medical equipment is costly, the therapists were hoping to get demo models donated to Three Angels. At this time, it has proven difficult to get this equipment donated. However, we have found someone willing to get the equipment to us at a very reasonable and reduced cost. I have made it my personal goal to raise the money needed to purchase this equipment for Stephania. Although fundraising is not my forte, I know our good Lord will provide for His sweet child. So, if any of you out there, my faithful blog readers, have any ideas on how I can go about raising $1000 for Stephania, please let me know!!!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Many Hands Make the Load Lighter!

The Medical Advocacy Team (see their link to the right) is a program of Remember International, Inc. who is currently working in several countries in Africa and the Caribbean. They are supporting participating in-country medical clinics that provide impoverished children with low-cost or free medical intervention. There are times, however, in which children’s medical needs are greater than can be provided by clinics or hospitals in their home countries, and they are referred to M.A.T. If medical care is not possible in their home country, the wheels are set in motion to arrange for treatment in the United States. Currently, M.A.T. is working closely with Haiti and has successfully been given medical visas for several young patients. M.A.T.'s primary goal is to find care and ease suffering for medically fragile children by providing opportunities for as many children as possible to receive medical care and support that enabling them to stay with their birth families.

Mike and I have decided we would like to become involved with M.A.T. We are filling out applications to become a host family for children in need of medical care here in the States. Mike is also offering his services for children in need of surgery. We are unsure how God will use us in all of this; however, we feel lead to be a part.

We are asking all of our blog friends to consider purchasing one of these t-shirts from M.A.T. The newly-formed organization is selling these to raise much-needed funds to help the children in need of medical care. Please use this link: M.A.T. T-Shirt to order your shirt today!



Friday, March 7, 2008

Bravo, Jonathan!

Look who's toddlin' around...
We are so proud of you, Jonathan. Mama cannot wait to see you walk. Only 6 weeks and I will be there, son! Yeah!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Day Forty-Six...


I haven’t posted much lately. There really isn’t anything too new or too exciting happening around our house. It has been quiet. I have decided in the past few days, I don’t like quiet. Sure, once and a while it’s nice to have a day to myself to unwind, relax and do nothing. Overall, however, I like to be busy, I enjoy chaos, and prefer to be running like crazy. I get bored and lazy when there isn’t anything pressing to do.

Having all this quiet makes time for “thinking.” And, thinking always leads to … trouble! Whether I decide to take on a new project around the house, sign up to volunteer for something monumental or just sit and think ~ it always causes trouble! Or, as Mike would say, my thinking causes a mess around the house and usually costs him money. ;-o

Well, this past week and a half, I haven’t spent money and the house is fairly clean ~ aside from the mounds of laundry I need to get through; however, this past week of “thinking” has caused a little bit of trouble for my heart. To sum it all up, since we have been home from our trip, I have Haiti on my mind and the boys have grasped a HUGE part my heart! I just miss them so!

For many reasons I really struggle with missing Jonathan and Daniel. First, I know I chose too sign up for this whole adoption journey. I knew from the beginning, this road would be very, very long. An adoption from Haiti is much longer than most international adoptions. Having known all of this prior and knowing just how long this timeline would actually be ~ who am I to complain about missing the boys? I knew very well we would be waiting a very long time for them to come home. It is sort of like being married to Mike. I signed up for being married to a surgeon. I knew his work hours would be long and he would be at the hospital more than at home with his family. I knew his devotion to his patients would take precious time away from our family. I knew all of this before marrying Mike and before deciding to have a family with him. This gives me no room to complain when he is not around. However, with either of these cases, my heart does not change. I love them dearly and I miss them when they are not near...

I am truly amazed at how Haiti has become such a HUGE part of my heart. The love, compassion and concern I have for the people of Haiti have become such an impressing part of my life. I long to visit the country, I want to be able to provide for its people and I am always thinking of ways I can help ~ this is something I truly love to do. So, most recently, I am missing being in Haiti carrying out God’s will. Obviously being in Haiti is not something I can realistically do often. I have a life here to live and most certainly love to be here raising my family and enjoying our life together! However, I miss Haiti so many days, my heart is torn. I so wish I could be there and also want to be here…

Many people question why we are choosing to adopt or why we have chosen to adopt Jonathan and Daniel specifically. Many wonder just how I could be so attached to two children I barely know or want to raise two boys who have issues and needs as they do. There are concerns presented to us about the boys’, questions are asked and people wonder why in the world we are doing this. If I explained my “God” story, I get rolled eyes and lack of understanding. I try to explain this is something in my heart and something I feel lead to do right now in my life. People just do not understand ~ and that is okay! This is not their journey to understand, get or like ~ it is ours! Our journey is the one we have chosen to take and the one that has been deeply embedded into our hearts!

So, all this “thinking” has fogged my mind in the recent weeks. I cannot seem to kick the thoughts and ideas of Haiti, our boys and our mission work. I just miss it all so much and have a hard time focusing on other things, as we are just not busy right now. Soon, baseball season will begin, Kate will take a try at tee-ball this spring and our pool will be open for lots of swimming. I need to get my mind on other things to distract me.

Until then, I will count down the days until I get to go to Haiti again. Today is day #46…..