Cha-ching

My heart has been heavy today.

In answer to my prayers, I heard from a different Haitian attorney today (yea!), who IS on the U.S. Embassy's list of credible firms. I believe there are $$ in the spelling of his name. It's french, you know, so it's hard to pronounce, but I'm sure those symbols are dollar signs. His fees are $4,000 more than the original attorney's quote . . . there's gotta be some more stuff I can sell!

This month is do-or-die in the Edmunds' household. We gotta sell the house soon. We need one offer we can accept to end the double mortgage payments and put that money where it needs to go: towards Jimmy and Alby's adoptions.

I picked up the FedEx mailers yesterday when I had the fundraiser fliers printed, so I guess there is only one thing left to do . . . send the dossier to the interpreter without the power of attorney and send it later after we decide for sure (heavy sigh).  I really just want to get this process started in Haiti.

On another hand, I found out about an awesome opportunity to meet with other adoptive moms today. I am super excited to find out more about the Created for Care conference. Check it out! I think I may go :) 
 www.createdforcare.org

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Attorney Woes

For anyone who has gone through the adoption process, particularly one that required hiring a foreign attorney without the aid of an agency, you'll understand this post well.

First of all, I'd like to say Holy Mackerel.

I have literally spent months researching legal counsel in Haiti. I have sent more emails than I can count, some which go unanswered and most which return "unable to deliver." Man, it's tough to communicate with Haiti!

I have had a few phone conversations with the dear Sister who runs the orphanage in Fondwa, which has led me to believe that email is the best bet for handling legal and financial matters with our adoption. There is the whole French-Creole to English interpretation issue, crazy background noise (that woman has one heck of a microphone on her phone because I can hear every conversation near her, in Creole, over her own voice), and then there is the issue of reception (did I mention that I am talking about a third world country here, and the orphanage is in the mountains?) For the sake of my sanity, not to mention a paper trail of communication regarding super important stuff, I'll stick with email . . . or want to, anyway.

Tomorrow we will be putting our last notarizations on our documents. That means we are ready for the Secretary of State's stamp and a big mailing to the interpreter. What a relief! Sort of . . .
I don't know who's name to put on the power of attorney.

I have spent a few months communicating with a legal "cabinet" in Port-au-Prince, but am uneasy about their names missing from the U.S. Embassy's list of attorneys. Excuse me for being cautious with so many thousands of dollars. The thought of getting ripped off and delaying the adoption of our beautiful boys makes me physically weak.

So here I sit, at the computer, once again sending out emails after checking and triple checking the U.S. Embassy list to the other lists of googled Haitian attorneys who provide adoption services. Praying that a few will get to the intended recipients who feel compelled to respond without delay and quote me the same (or lower, dare I go there?) fee to legally bring our boys into our family.

Did I mention that I am itching to mail these documents off?!  

For now, I'll print many versions of the same power of attorney, all with different legal representation listed, and continue to pray for guidance . . . and some email.

Don't hate me Jerome. Either we notarize them all tomorrow and only send the one we need, or I have to bother you again to be my stamp man in the future.

Man, this adoption stuff is work! Can't wait to smile and say Wow, that was worth it!

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

With thanks

Although our gift registry account does not show it, we are blessed by the generosity of many around us.

For the 2nd and 3rd time, I have received a $100 gift from a co-worker. We have had so many people contact my dear friend Heather with donations towards our silent auction in October, as well.

The generosity of people near us is touching. Thank you for your gifts and your support of our adoption of Jimmy and Alby. It's difficult to find words to truly express our gratitude.

www.gotchagiftegistry.com

It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

Our home study is officially complete!!

(I think I hear angels singing)

Now, onto the translator, the Secretary of State's office (just found out there is a Kansas City branch - fabulous!), and USCIS. Time to write some more checks :) 

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Thanks Dad & Mom!

We have been given our first registry gift by Eric's mom and step-dad! Mark and Cindy, thank you for helping us get the ball rolling on giving :) Your support and contributions towards our adoption mean so much to us. We appreciate you making this public gift to help us out too!

I am working diligently on several projects at once, but expect to see a flier like this soon:

Save the Date!

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

5-7pm

Dinner and a Silent Auction

to benefit the adoption of

Jimmy and Alby

Edmunds

Please put it on your calendar now and we'll be sure to send more information your way very soon! (By the way, doesn't that sound great?! Jimmy and Alby Edmunds. Hee hee.)

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Recycling

So I've decided that I'm going to keep all the McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Sonic and whatever other kids' meal toys come our way that I can convince my children to give up for the kids in Fondwa. Imagine opening a brand new something, meant just for you! While small (and frequently considered junk by our motherly standards), these toys and games will be welcomed with giant smiles by the little orphan hands in Haiti.

Since deciding this, I've already collected 2 Spongebob watches, 2 Trouble games, 2 other little games, and a pair of Sonic tater tot space dudes, all in their plastic wrapping. What?! No, we don't eat fast food that often . . . well, maybe we do with the help of grandparents.

Join me in my crusade to gather these little toys (i.e., nuisances that find their way into your car seats, couch cushions, under the bed, into the closet in the toe of your shoe . . . ) for my boys' friends in Haiti, please! Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tonka trucks, a trampoline, roller skates and big, bouncy balls don't pack so well.

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Word of the Day: Dispensation

I learned a new word today: dispensation. The thesaurus lists permission as an alternative noun. That makes sense.

In Haiti, adoptive parents must receive presidential approval, or dispensation, to adopt if biological children already exist within the family. For the first time since taking office, Mr. Martelly has signed 80 dispensations for orphans, moving them through the IBESR and allowing lots of forever families to be formed! One of these families posted that their dossier went into IBESR in May of 2010 . . . eek. We're praying that this is the beginning of getting the ball rolling again for Haitian adoptions.

I'm wondering about our spring 2012 timeline now. What if our dossier goes into IBESR and falls into a black hole for 12-18 months? It really isn't within our control and I keep telling myself that God's timeline is what matters, not my own. But what if we go through the 2nd legal process and get a call for a court date during volleyball season next year?! (Holy panic.)

Well, the blessing is that families are being joined and children from Haiti are getting homes outside of their orphanages. A lovely adoptive mom preparing to meet her child in Uganda soon posted "Bless his little heart - his world is about to be rocked!" No kidding sister! Amen :)

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Like Coffee? Love Families?

http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TheEdmunds

We are happy to join other adoptive families who support fair trade and benefit from the sale of great coffee to help fund their adoptions. Check out our "store" and order today to contribute to the creation of a forever family for Jimmy and Alby.

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

A Tiny Tuesday Note

Well, I got on the treadmill and had a casualty on day #1. While listening to my itunes, I increased my speed to 4.5 on a 3.0 incline, and caught my hand on the cord of my earphones. My phone fell onto the treadmill belt and was thrown against the wall, cracking the face, landing calmly (and expensively) under the exercise machine of cell phone death. Heavy sigh.

On a brighter note, my superb dad-in-law painted a bedroom for me today and by the end of this week, the boys will officially have their own room! Okay, so they don't know that or have any idea what that means, but it'll be ready for them!

I also had a very productive chat with our wonderful Adoption Finance Coach, Kelly, about our upcoming dinner and silent auction fundraiser. As much anxiety as the event planning has already caused me, I feel better now after being reminded to delegate and focus on the boys. "It's not about us, it's about the boys." Got it!

Tomorrow I am determined to get the certified copy of one of our vital records to the lockbox and get this I-171H thing movin'. Oh yeah, and my oldest child (he's really still a baby!!) starts first grade tomorrow. Wow.

I am so thrilled to see the love and support poured out on a fellow adopting mom and know that the road we are on is paved with blessings. God wouldn't have placed this yearning and the passion to adopt from Haiti upon my heart if he planned to let us struggle through the process. I'm not going to stress over this fundraiser now (well, not as much anyway). I'm going to focus on the love and support we already feel and make the event a celebration of Jimmy and Alby lives. Thanks Kelly :)

www.gotchagiftregistry.com

Wanna Be

I've decided that I am a great big Wanna Be.

I wanna be the mom who cooks for her family every night. I want to wield vegetables and ingredients in a way that my pickiest eater cannot refuse what I place on the table. I want to only buy organic and raise my children on hormone-free everything, eating only the freshest and most natural of foods.

I wanna be an exercise enthusiast. I want to wake up 45 minutes early and embrace the "me time" on the treadmill, swearing that I'm more energetic and full of stamina due to my daily work out.

I wanna be the mom who has her children on a schedule that they embrace, depend on, and appreciate to make the entire family run like a well-oiled team machine.

I wanna be like the moms whose blogs I read: beautiful, loving, firm in their faith, trusting in God to provide, calm in their discipline, knowledgeable in the Scriptures. I want to provide for my family and physically be present for all of their activities. I want there to be no doubt that they are loved unconditionally by their mama.

I don't wanna be scared . . . of missing the important moments because I'm trying to pay for our home or their activities or whatever. I don't wanna worry about contributing to attachment issues because I'm not able to stay home indefinitely with my adopted children when they join our family.

I wanna be Super Mom.

I know, I know.

I really just wanna be all that I can be, for my children, for myself, and for my Savior.

In another life, I think I was part of Doctors Without Borders or the Peace Corps or something equally noble and selfless. There is a part of me that could sell everything and go feed the hungry children of the world. But for now, I am called to be here - working for the kids at Children's Mercy, raising Grant and Addie to be loving, conscientious individuals, and loving on a couple of orphans who I can't bear to be without! Perhaps someday I'll join the ranks of those whom I admire . . . but for now, I'm still a work in progress!

www.gotchagiftegistry.com

Staycation

I'm off work next week, for the last time until Thanksgiving . . . gotta get busy!

Since coming home from work, I've moved a dresser, rearranged a bedroom for painting, purchased a ceiling fan and laid out the boys' room. I guess I should pace myself, but there is paperwork to push, a paint brush to dip, laundry to be done, a teacher to meet, more furniture to move, a first grader to send off to school, a fundraiser to organize, exercise being neglected, attorneys to contact, Tinkerbell border to hang, a garage to clean out, and a house to sell. Oh yeah, don't forget reference letters to notarize, a "certified" marriage license to attain, and checks to write. No time to waste! I've got boys to bring home :)

Our Adoption Update

I'm excited today. While the hallway is long, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

We are anticipating our completed home study report within the next week which will allow us to send a copy off to the USCIS and another to the interpreter, which I retained TODAY!! The "Big 4" will soon be on their way to the Missouri Secretary of State's office (home study, psych eval, letter to the IBESR & power of attorney), and after translation, on to the Haitian Consulate in Chicago for authentication. Then . . . off to Haiti, baby!

So, "then what," you may wonder. Well . . .

As I understand the process, the paperwork enters first legal: the Minister of Foreign Affairs looks over all authenticated documentation and validates the foreign signatures. Next, our dossier paperwork is picked apart, and a Haitian social worker investigates the whereabouts and validity of the boys' orphan status, compiles medical, psychological and social reports on each of them. The IBESR (Institut du Bien Etre Social et de Recherches = Haitian Adoption Authority) then approves the culmination of documents (the longest phase of approval, apparently) before sending the dossier off to Parquet = second legal. This is when the adoption becomes official! Legalization then occurs at the Minister of Justice's office before going over to the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. (Still with me?) So, at this point, we are a family, but . . .

Before we can bring them home, a “mini” dossier containing all of the adoption documents is submitted to the Ministry of Immigration for application for the boys' Haitian passports and Ministry of Interior for study and approval. When the passports are ready for printing, each child is required to have a visa medical examination. Concurrently, the Haitian adoption papers will be translated into English and an I-600 will be filed to allow the boys US citizenship as soon as their plan touches down state-side!

Once the USCIS passes on this "golden ticket," we travel to Haiti again, go through a visa appointment in Port-au-Prince and bring Jimmy and Alby HOME.

Whew. Okay, maybe we aren't so close to that light at the end of the tunnel.

It feels like getting the paperwork to Haiti is the hard part . . . then we wait . . . and pray that we don't have to wait too long. I'll hold onto this bit of optimism I carry and pray that the passage through Haitian legal and IBESR is not terribly stretched out. Not so long that another natural disaster could strike, or more hospitalizations for Alby, or anything else that keeps our boys from coming home, please.

Planning . . .

This next week marks the big push for fundraiser planning. My dear friend and co-worker Heather has graciously taken on the silent auction portion of our fundraiser while I'm working on budgeting, manpower for food preparation and service, and facility prep. We are super blessed with great friends and family members willing to help, and the response I've gotten from everyone at work is humbling, to say the least. I'm more of a do-er than a planner and never mind jumping in to help set up, clean up, or with whatever needs to be done, but this planning stuff is intimidating. I'm good with baby showers, weddings, holiday meals and birthday parties, but I've never had so much invested in one event! So much is riding on the success of our fundraisers . . . eek.

We are also having a new dresser delivered next week, which frees up our big one for the boys. My pop-in-law Alan has offered to paint a bedroom for us and we're moving the little girl's stuff down the stairs to start decorating for Jimmy and Alby. I can't wait to pick out their beds and fill their closets with the clothes I've already been collecting! With the cooler weather, we're praying home buyers come out to look also, taking advantage of those low rates the fed has promised to keep a while longer (fingers crossed).

BRING THE BOYS HOME 

A Fundraiser for Dena and Eric Edmunds’ adoption of TWO boys from Haiti

Dinner and Silent Auction

Calling all artists, local business owners, and creators

Consider donating for the auction:

v     A hand-crafted item (sewing, art, wood work, photo) 

v     A gift certificate from your place of business

v     A new, slightly used, or antique item

v     Air miles

v     Tickets to sporting events

v     Service you provide

v     Gift basket

For donation information/questions/pick up call Heather Donaway 913-558-6498 or hdonaway@msn.com

Deadline September 23rd

"Adoption is like a scavenger hunt, you have to travel so far sometimes to find the little treasures God has left for us but it is worth it in the end!”  Maureen Kerik

Alone in the blogosphere?

I've decided that writing a blog and managing a journal for our adoption gift registry is very similar to trying to sell our home. You work hard to keep it clean and perfect, you hope someone looks, but unless you specifically receive feedback from your family, friends, or realtor, you don't know if it's worth it! It's a nice creative outlet and hopefully an effective way of communicating the events of our adoption journey . . . I hope someone besides me enjoys it!

I can't seem to get enough of the other blogs out there. I read the updates and follow the families through their paper chases, travels and final gotcha days and hope we follow the same path sooner rather than later. It's amazing to me the difference each family can make in the life of a child or children. It seems that adoption is either on your social radar or it is no where near it, but for those of us called to act on behalf of the orphan, there is no mute button!

We are down to the final steps for USCIS approval. Our home study should be complete and to us within the month, then one more set of fingerprints and we should attain our "golden ticket," as some have called it. I was very disgusted disappointed this weekend to hear from a potential interpreter for our dossier that the charge would be $0.17 / word. REALLY?! My autobiography is 6,900 words. That would put the cost of our dossier interpretation up there with our attorney fees - unbelievable / ridiculous / grotesque. Guess I'll do some more shopping around for that requirement.

With our US requirements almost met, it's time to mix some paint and get the boys' room ready!! Yippee :) I'm super stoked to have 2 more beds with little guy sheets and toys and clothes all waiting for them.
(Come on house, SELL! I need to get my boys here.) 

A virtual adoption baby shower

http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/2011/08/we-now-interrupt-this-regularly.html

Hi friends! Lara and Jon are ready to bring their family together -

please consider helping them by donating to their virtual baby shower.

Bring "A" home!

Orphanage Gift Shopping

Yesterday was shopping day. We went to Nebraska Furniture Mart and purchased our "gift" for the orphanage.

In Haiti, there are no government run orphanages. The majority of children housed and fed and educated by nuns or other religious based groups aren't even true orphans - they have surviving family members, but are unable to be cared for by them due to extreme poverty, illness, etc. People consider the majority of these facilities to be "no adopt" orphanages. That is what we heard from other Americans in Fondwa when we arrived, in fact. Imagine our awkward response when asked why we were there. "Um . . . we were invited by Sister Marie Carmelle to visit the children." Oh yeah, and hopefully find our next family member!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

We have no agency fees related to our adoption. We will pay our Haitian attorneys independently and pray that we are led through the appropriate channels to properly complete the steps to bring our boys home. Thankfully, we aren't the first couple to go through this process! We are blessed to have acquaintances with beautiful blogs describing their experiences and thoroughly documenting the process they went through to complete their families. We have been asked to help the Sisters in Fondwa by facilitating better communication between them and their sponsors, organizations that contribute to the care of their community (such as Heart to Heart International), and their religious contacts by donating two laptops and providing them with a printer. We bought two little red Toshiba laptops, a copy / scan / printer that is only $45 after mail in rebate, and a little Canon digital camera that comes with a user guide in French :) Boy, do I wish I could send that now and see some new photos of our little guys! Now, we just need to get there to deliver.

We can't plan our next trip yet. Gotta sell the house. We're not losing faith, but the weather and the economy are not helping us. Somewhere out there is a family perfect for our green two story Craftsman . . . wish they'd realize it!

Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)

Testing

Hmmmm . . . I wonder if my gorgeous, talented spouse reads my blog . . .

Today is the day of our social work visit. I've been uber excited and ready to get this done so we can finish the home study process and get our paperwork to the translator . . . but now the day is here and I'm anxious. I know you've told us and they've told us that it's not about the cleanliness of my toilets or the amount of clutter in my home, but I felt the need to dust the baseboards anyway.

The kids have cabin fever from too many days inside this summer. Really, the record heat does nothing for parents of children with bikes in the garage, friends in the neighborhood, and big old dogs in the house who risk heat stroke as well (we've been down that road once and never want to experience it again, thank you.) Here's praying that swim lessons are enough to fulfill the kids today and they both take a nap resulting in sweet, respectful sibling interactions in front of the nice social worker lady (it's only 6AM and I may need some ibuprofen).

This week I'm feeling a bit of strain from all the plates I have spinning (they all are still spinning, right? I can't bear to look). It's been a rough summer for real estate and the reality of having two mortgage payments going into fall weighs heavily on us. Supposedly, with a break in the heat forecasted and rates being low again / still, the realtors anticipate more activity in the market . . . at least that's what they say in their pep talks (thanks for your efforts Caronna and Dee).

We have a date on the calendar for our "big" fundraiser to bring the boys home and the success of the event could greatly impact the timing of our dossier processing in Haiti. Ah politics . . . and finances . . . (headache). Oh, and volleyball starts next week which means three months of single parenthood for me and a lot of missing my husband.

About him . . . he's a pretty mellow, understanding sort of of guy, all in all. He gets that I have rough days at work occasionally and can't bear to discuss some of what I see at the children's hospital sometimes. Some evenings, mama just needs a moment of quiet and a short cry to let go of the pain I witness some children having to bear. I lift these patients up to the Heavenly Physician and try to understand that HIS plan isn't always clear to those of us on earth, and we can't rescue them all. I am so grateful for my healthy babies. Which brings me to this point: Eric and I used to talk about how many children we'd have one day. I said 6, he said 2. I said 4, he said 2. The boys aren't here yet, I know, but I feel as if they are already mine. There are so many orphans in this world and so many called to care for them. I hear that calling very strongly right now. My heart is easily overwhelmed by the calling. What a blessing to have the resources to care for the special needs child and provide a loving environment for them . . .

Check this out: http://www.anorphanswish.org

 

All I'm sayin' is that God calls us to do things we sometimes wouldn't choose for ourselves. If HE provides, who are we to say no? That's all I'm sayin'. :)

In honor of Miss Esther

Happy birthday baby girl. May you breathe easy in HIS arms.

http://www.wildolivetees.com/blog/

Just thinkin'

It's funny how frequently I hear song lyrics or see an ad depicting a child waiting for a home now that I am in wait for my boys. Perhaps my subconscious seeks out what is meaningful to me or my conscious is just more aware of a topic I feel so deeply about now.

(Appalachian Family Outreach)

We will have our first social work visit this week, and I'm both nervous and super excited. Our psych evaluation reports are completed (thank you Darlene from Oasis Counseling!) and planning for our upcoming fundraiser (the big one) is underway.

We have been blessed with friends and family and a church community that is supportive of our journey and eager to greet Jimmy and Alby when they come home. This past week, I have been blessed with an organized, super-connected friend hopping on board to take the reigns and head up our silent auction (Heather, you do what I am needing most!) I've never been in a situation of asking for money like this . . . it's awkward and uncomfortable . . . and necessary to bring them home.

 (wanna bet Madonna didn't host a spaghetti dinner or have a bake sale to buy bring her baby home?)

Forty pairs of little eyes, Stared into this heart of mine
A memory burned inside my soul, One that never has let go

I’ve looked into the face of me, And the least of these stared back at me
I was unprepared and overwhelmed, With little time and much to tell

In a world away from luxury, Is where I found prosperity
Where greater love laid down his life, For the orphaned and the widowed wife

I found Jesus
he’s living with the poor
I found Jesus
but he’s easy to ignore
Jesus, in the eyes of all his daughters and sons

I found Jesus
He’s standing all alone
I found Jesus
he is young and he is old
I found Jesus
in the eyes of all his daughters and sons
Every single one

                         

- Geoff Moore, Every Single One

   (New York Times)

and Steven Curtis Chapman:

I know you’ve heard the stories
But they all sound too good to be true
You’ve heard about a place called home
But there doesn’t seem to be one for you
So one more night you cry yourself to sleep
And drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The loneliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in

And somewhere while you’re sleeping
Someone else is dreaming too
Counting down the days until
They hold you close and say I love you
And like the rain that falls into the sea
In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

When love takes you in everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you go
There is nothing that could ever
cause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The loneliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in it takes you in for good
When love takes you in

WOW!