5 For Hope

M1 Has Wonderful Friends

Today is a day that, as a Mom, I can't help but smile.  And, I know if my heart is this warm, the Mom of a particular birthday girl has to be even more so.  I'm so proud of her daughter.  I can only imagine that she is as well, ten-fold.

M1 attended a birthday party of a friend she has had since preschool.  M2 was invited to tag-a-long for the fun and we three attended the party after a very exciting 4th grade volleyball game.  I had been given a head's up regarding a little surprise the birthday girl had planned for M1, but I didn't post it here because I didn't want to ruin the surprise!

Rather than have presents and cards from her friends, the birthday girl requested that her friends consider becoming 1 of our 4,000.  Her mom said she really wanted to be a part of it and lots of the girls had talked about wanting to offer their support to M1 too.  So, the birthday girl made a certificate, had the guests sign it and presented it along with what she had collected from her friends.  Sixteen people stepped up to join our loving group of friends and family waiting to welcome M3 to America.

In the past couple weeks, we have also had one of M1's Girl Scout leaders, a dear law school friend of mine, and a fellow military spouse/blogger, express their intention to jump in the group and root for Hope's Homecoming.

The group waiting to welcome Hope home now stands at the equivalent of 384 folks.  Awesome!

We appreciate your continued prayers and well wishes.  We just keep moving toward our dream of welcoming our M3 into our home as soon as possible! 

Holy Paper Piles, Batman!

When adoptive parents talk about the 'paperchase' I always thought...how hard can it be?

Trust me when I say I'm not able to think of an application process more tedious than this one has been and we are not even CLOSE to being finished!  My state is notorious for the ridiculous amount of information necessary to apply for the bar exam...that experience was like a walk in the park compared to what we are doing right now.

Of course, the return on our investment with this process will be leaps and bounds above those I have received from being permitted to sit for the bar exam.  We also are benefited by some great friends willing to write letters of recommendation at the drop of a hat as well as another who let us invade his office today like a bad episode of the Keystone Cops...copying, notarizing, signing...REPEAT!

I don't mean to sound like a whiner (although I'm very good at it!), but I do like to keep it real.  I have had several prospective adoptive parents who visit this site and take comfort in seeing what is coming next for them.  It feels good to check things off the list, but there always seems to be another step...I just keep reminding myself it's one step closer to M3.  And, for those facing their own paperchase, I doubt it would be this complicated if it weren't for my husband's impending deployment. 

Our group of those joining the 4,000 continues to grow!  This weekend, we visited home and had the equivalent of 13 people join our number.  This week alone, we have had the equivalent of 6 people join and our totals have jumped to the equivalent of 353.  One of the 6 is a fellow law school graduate who, like me, had to wait a bit to find a great job...I'm glad she's done waiting, even if I'm still looking!  Another who joined us this week is a friend from high school who recently reconnected with us on Facebook.  Thank you! We are so appreciative to those of you who wish to be involved in our journey and we can't wait to tell M3 all about those who joined in our dream.

We keep chipping away at the paperwork and it won't be long before our homestudy is written, then finalized, then approved...then, our next big step will be sending our dossier through the rounds for authentication.  Whooo boy. 

Mountains of Paper

Sometimes I feel like I'm being buried in paper.  Even with staples, paper clips, binders, page protectors, folders and filing cabinets...paper abounds!

We received the paperwork we will need to have completed and notarized prior to my husband deploying.  As I will likely be traveling to Ethiopia without him, I will need to take along travel documents already notarized along with the power of attorney necessary to complete all the hoop jumping in country.  Luckily, I know a notary who has graciously offered to help us with our paperwork whenever we need.  He has been a wonderful support throughout the process and I look forward to having him stamp away on these too. 

We passed our fire inspection at our house today.  My husband, a former fire fighter, was very pleased (but not surprised).  I put him in charge of that step and he ran with it.  He had to create a written evacuation plan.  He created one complete with arrows and diagrams the girls could decipher.  He didn't think it prudent to put words on it--who would want to read it all during a fire anyhow?

Our final homestudy appointment is the 17th.

The first draw from our home equity line of credit landed in my account without incident.  Now we just need to track down the checks they promised they would order for us!  In the meantime, I will just go withdraw the money we need right now and send it in!

Today is Friday which means an update from the adoption agency should drop into my inbox soon.  I'm hoping there will be news directly from Ethiopia this week.  If so, I'll be sure to pass along what I can!

A big thank you to all the ladies who work at my husband's dentist's office.  A few are personally affected by adoption and even more decided to become one of our 4,000.  We appreciate you!

We will be spending our Valentine's Day entertaining two of M1's friends and M2's very best friend.  Five girls 10 and under...ear plugs, anyone?

Rounding Up the Week

A busy week at home means a not-so-busy week on the blog!  I apologize for allowing things to become a little dusty these past few days.  We have lots to report, though, so relax and keep reading.

First, our 5 for Hope Facebook group has grown to 103 members!  Holly B. became the 100th to join us.

Second, the equivalent of 5 more people joined our 4,000 taking us to the equivalent of 315 people!  Wow!  Only 3,685 more people to meet our goal.

Third, we closed on a home equity line of credit Saturday and will make our first draw on it Thursday.  With this first disbursement, we will pay our dossier preparation fee with the agency and move toward receiving our official referral of M3. 

Fourth, our second home study appointment will occur sometime this week.  The great thing is I was able to collect the medical forms for the girls and I on Friday.  My doctor filled out my form while I waited and then brought it to the waiting room  to hand deliver it.  He congratulated me on our family's big news.  I really love my doctor.  The girls' pediatrician also completed the form super fast.  I can pick it up tomorrow or Tuesday...whichever day I visit with M2 to have her cough evaluated.

Fifth, we have assigned the job of writing the reference letter that must come from a family member to my sister-in-law.  She was very pleased to take on the homework.

In other news, Brian and I attended a military ball last night.  Our family readiness group leader is very excited about our adoption.  She shared with us that she had told her mother in Michigan about our plans and that her mom has been telling the prayer chains to keep us on the list.  If you're visiting our site from Michigan, "Hi!"

We promise not to let so many days pass between our updates again! 

To Everything A Season...

I have to keep reminding myself that things are not going to happen according to  my plan or even my timeline.  Things happen when they are supposed to happen.  Period.

We received a call from our credit union today.  Brian and I decided to bite the bullet and pay for another appraisal on our home in an attempt to boost the chances that our home equity line of credit could more sufficiently meet our needs, if necessary. 

Remember, at the end of 2008, we wanted to refinance our house and had an appraisal conducted for that.  It was much lower than anticipated and even lower that the value of our property for tax purposes which is typically not the case.  It was a full $2,500 lower than the tax assessed value.

Our most recent appraisal, conducted Friday, came back a full $17,000 higher than the last appraisal and $15,000 more than the amount for tax purposes.

I cannot stop smiling. 

I also didn't realize how absolutely heavy my shoulders had been feeling these past few days.  I'm breathing much more easily now. 

I cannot even tell you how much I appreciate those of you who encouraged us to go ahead with this second appraisal and to trust our instincts that the first had been an anomaly. 

I must now resist my childish urge to file a complaint with the State regarding the previous appraiser's behavior and the obvious mistakes on his part that led to the low appraisal of our property.  On the one hand, I was so angry about not being able to refinance and so confused as to why everyone just took this man at his word that I wanted to scream.  On the other hand, though, I wonder how many other couples with dreams of adopting or simply paying a lower mortgage payment had their hopes dashed by this guy?  I'll need to pray about this one.

We are ecstatic. 

I could do a little dance...but, I'm at work.  I'm sure it violates some sort of policy.  I'm using my bathroom break time to blog, though.  I do want to make that clear!

Keep praying for us and for M3.  Every day we move a little closer to each other and it is thrilling.

5 from 4,000 Update

We found a very special envelope in our mailbox this afternoon when we returned home from M1's basketball game.  A former colleague of mine (who remains a very dear friend) had sent his family's contribution to 5 for Hope.

Thanks to their generous donation, we have added the equivalent of 40 people to our 4,000 and now our number stands at 310.

How awesome is that?!

VERY awesome. 

Thank you so much!

We are in cleaning mode this weekend...heavy duty cleaning mode!  Our first home study appointment is Tuesday night!

It's Friday!

We're checking lots off our list today!

My husband had the day off work today and graciously agreed to volunteer at our daughters' school Book Fair this morning.  I was supposed to volunteer Thursday morning, but school canceled.  Given that the PTO relies on the Book Fair to raise money for books and supplies and I am an officer, I thought we should pitch in and help today.  I had to work, though!  So, Brian manned up and braved the onslaught of eager readers who came two classes at a time throughout the morning.

Our PTO President, who is also a good friend, fellow Mom and reader of 5 for Hope, joined our 4,000 today.  She and her family take our total to 269.  Then, a friend from law school who is still working on her education gave us $5 too!  We now have 270 of our 4,000!  Amazing!  And, we added one more Facebooker to our group to take our total to 96!

We also had an appraisal done on our house for the purposes of our home equity line of credit.  We are hoping the combination of a new appraiser and having my husband there to lead the tour will squeeze out a couple thousand more in value than the appraisal we had done for our failed refinance idea.  Fingers crossed!

Speaking of fingers...Brian went to the police station today to be fingerprinted for our home study.  I plan to go next Thursday morning.  Because these are done electronically, I'm worried I won't be able to give good prints.  When I was a judicial extern at a federal court, I tried several times to have my prints taken electronically only to be ink printed by a federal marshal when the clerk gave up trying! 

You can cross your fingers and send up some prayers for two things this coming week:  1)  the above-referenced trip to the cop shop and 2)  I have a job interview next Friday morning at 9 a.m. for a job that I have wanted since I was in elementary school.  No pressure!

My mom is in town this evening to help with home study preparation.  I'm glad she doesn't have a blog...the stories she could tell! 

$5 from 4,000 Update

I am up to my eyeballs in grant application paperwork.  I'm trying to have everything completed BEFORE our home study is done so that once it is, we are off to the races.  I may be leaving blank the sections that ask about my employment as the job news seems to have perhaps perked up a bit today.

Our Facebook group boasts 95 members!   

Today, we heard from our friends, a family of five, and each one gave us 5.  Thank you!  That takes our official number to 265 of our 4,000.  How awesome is that?!

We continue to gather paperwork, check off home study requirements and pool our resources to keep moving toward our goals.  We are happy you have decided to come along and be part of our journey!

We Have Lift Off!

I received an e-mail today notifying us that the adoption agency received our initial pile of paperwork and that they have opened our file. 

We have a file. 

There is now a spot reserved in the filing cabinet for US.  Woo Hoo!

I sent an e-mail to long lost friends and relatives on my contact list yesterday.  I wanted to share our good news regarding the adoption.  So many of them have replied with words of encouragement and updates about their own lives.  I wish I would have sent the e-mail ages ago! 

One of those long lost friends provided the equivalent of 4 more people for our 4,000.  Thank you!

Tasks on the Master Task List continue to bite the dust.  M1 took on a couple projects in her bedroom and then assisted my husband in cleaning the guest bathroom.  M1 made the mistake of saying, "I like cleaning toilets!"  Hmmm...very interesting!  Today, M2 will tackle her play kitchen and the toys that surround it.  She's a good helper too.

Although the credit union's initial reply to us proved disappointing, we're still going ahead with our plans to open the home equity line of credit.  It's discouraging that we have lived in one place for over nine years, we have paid our mortgage (and our other bills) on time every time, and we have less than half the equity available to us we would have had even a year ago given the downturn in the market. 

We are not deterred, though!  We're confident we will find more folks to join our 4,000 and M1 knows her bracelet business will be a success.  We are also filling out tons of applications for grant programs, interest free adoption loans, etc. in the hopes that the Lord will reward our perseverance.  We are also holding out some hope that our tax return will provide some wiggle room for us to put even more of our own savings toward the adoption than we already have. 

We appreciate your continued support through your kind words, prayers and hopes for our adoption's success. 

Stay tuned for regular updates!

Dusting Off the Blog

Oh, my!  Nothing like a little touch of salmonella or stomach bug or whatever-it-was to slow things down to a grinding halt!  I woke up Friday morning with the definite understanding that something was not right.  I spent the rest of the day in bed and am only now resurfacing and plugging in.  E-mail piles up fast!

Since last report, we've had the equivalent of five people join our 4,000 which is very exciting.

One of our newest additions is a mom of one of M2's classmates.  Another is an adoptive mom whose adoption journey has touched us deeply.  The adoption of her son coincided with our serious talks of adoption from Ethiopia and I have very much enjoyed reading about their joys and struggles on her adoption blog.  I sent her an e-mail to that effect and I cannot properly put into words the impact her story has had on ours.

Our package to M3 is on its way to Washington State to be packed for the journey overseas.  I had to laugh when I saw that Ziploc stuffed to the gills because but for military care packages, I might not have thought it possible to put all those things in one bag!  We hope she will be surprised!

The home study preparation has hit a little glitch given my inability to remain upright over the past couple days, but we'll manage.  My mom has offered to pitch in this coming week and she's tireless when it comes to righting the wrongs of clutter and disorganization.  Thank goodness for Mamaw!

More updates for the week ahead, I'm sure!  Stay tuned!