For anyone that wants to read all the early post, here is the Yahoo site where our blog is located. I got tired of sending out invitations to everyone.
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-glgqe.86bKTSSXrmelwEWVo-;_ylt=AuLK6qV00dUyQSp8gbEadtesAOJ3?cq=1
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Where it all started ... in the beginning
I decided to move my blog over from the Yahoo site, since I had to personally invite everyone to view it. I really wanted a site where i could just send folks the link and they could just pull it up and look. I had several friends that couldn't get in even with the invite. Since we are going to be leaving in about 3 weeks, I needed to get a few things taken care of, like a good blog.
I will just do a quick history for those folks that are just joining us.
We started this process in February to March, 2006. We knew we couldn't have any other children and decided to look into international adoption. We started our home study about this time and I started compiling paperwork.
We mailed off our INS application in mid-April, 2006. We were going to China and using Children's Hope International, which I only have good things to say about. I just loved Vonda Hunter with CHI. But due to the long wait, I became discouraged. I heard about a website called Rainbow Kids International and started looking online at all the children. Well, we absolutely fell for a little girl that was 4 named Luba who was in an orphange in Kazakhstan. In order to go after her we needed to change countries and agencies. We decided to switch to Focus on Children on Utah mainly because we were told this was our only hope of getting Luba. More on that later ...
We changed course and headed for Kazakhstan and more paperwork. We waited it seemed like forever and I finally made an appointment in New Orleans to get fingerprinted on July 5th. Our entire dossier was ready to go, except our INS approval. I went ahead and submitted our entire dossier to FOC and it was translated and was waiting on INS approval. That did not come until September 11, 2006.
By the end of September our dossier was headed for the Kazakhstan embassay in New York. Very shortly after that, by mid-October I heard it was in Kazakhstan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
By mid-December we were told it was at the MOE - Ministry of Education. I won't re-hash that nightmare but we were told every Saturday in January and February that it was coming out. Only when we inquired about Almira did our dossier finally move. So, he we are about 1 year after we started and plan on travelling April 8th to get our girl.
Kathy
I will just do a quick history for those folks that are just joining us.
We started this process in February to March, 2006. We knew we couldn't have any other children and decided to look into international adoption. We started our home study about this time and I started compiling paperwork.
We mailed off our INS application in mid-April, 2006. We were going to China and using Children's Hope International, which I only have good things to say about. I just loved Vonda Hunter with CHI. But due to the long wait, I became discouraged. I heard about a website called Rainbow Kids International and started looking online at all the children. Well, we absolutely fell for a little girl that was 4 named Luba who was in an orphange in Kazakhstan. In order to go after her we needed to change countries and agencies. We decided to switch to Focus on Children on Utah mainly because we were told this was our only hope of getting Luba. More on that later ...
We changed course and headed for Kazakhstan and more paperwork. We waited it seemed like forever and I finally made an appointment in New Orleans to get fingerprinted on July 5th. Our entire dossier was ready to go, except our INS approval. I went ahead and submitted our entire dossier to FOC and it was translated and was waiting on INS approval. That did not come until September 11, 2006.
By the end of September our dossier was headed for the Kazakhstan embassay in New York. Very shortly after that, by mid-October I heard it was in Kazakhstan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
By mid-December we were told it was at the MOE - Ministry of Education. I won't re-hash that nightmare but we were told every Saturday in January and February that it was coming out. Only when we inquired about Almira did our dossier finally move. So, he we are about 1 year after we started and plan on travelling April 8th to get our girl.
Kathy
Almira - The History
This is Almira in the red reading Sarah's first letter after opening her presents.
So much has happened and I just hope I can remember all the important details and the order that things have happened. This is really long.
Sarah and I have been sponsoring a girl named Almira that we found on a website back in late November or early December. One thing has led to the other. It is truly amazing. http://www.antares-orphans.com/index.asp
Nov. 2006 – Find out Luba was probably adopted by Kaz family. Told that our dossier is at the MOE. Before Thanksgiving I was sent an e-mail by a friend adopting from Russia about the Voice of the Orphan. Listened to several radio broadcast on Focus on the Family where they talk about a church from Brenham, TX that adopted 41 kids from Kazakhstan. They started a ministry in their church. I order the book and CD about starting an orphan ministry in our church.
http://voiceoftheorphan.com/Display.asp?Page=Home
Dec. 2006- Find out about the Antares Foundation from the on-line community. Call and speak with the Mom who adopted from Kazak that started the program. We decide to sponsor a child. Sarah and I are both taken with a girl named Almira. Almira is 13 and will be 14 in April. We mail a box of gifts to her and the other children. Sarah writes her a letter and sends her a picture of Star.
Jan. 2007 –
Find the website for Suzanne and Jay Faske from Brenham, TX. They adopted 12 children, 4 of which are from Kazakhstan. Most of their children are older children. Sill no word from our agency on our dossier and what region or what child is available. Can’t get Almira off my mind. I’m planning what birthday present to send her for her birthday in April.
Jan. 11th – Scott lets me know about a 12 month old in Kyzlorda. He will get me more information.
Jan. 19th – Get e-mail from Boris of the Antares Foundation with pictures of Almira opening her presents and reading Sarah’s letter. She is so beautiful and looks like such a sweet child. Found out our dossier was supposed to be picked up at the MOE this past Saturday and that didn’t happen. We still don’t have a region or a child. Realize that Astana is not going to work out because of 10 days after bonding period to go to court. We would be there a full month the first trip.
Feb. 2007 –
Feb. 2 – Get e-mail from Scott about 5 baby girls in Kostenay. He will get me more information. Also, dossier still not released from MOE.
Feb. 14th – Still no word on our dossier. It has still not been picked up. We still have no region and no child. Hear from Scott that Svetlana really wants to do our adoption which would be in Uralsk or Petro. Almira is in Petro. I start thinking about going to meet her and maybe hand deliver her a birthday present.
Feb. 19th – Get e-mail from Boris with letter attached from Almira to Sarah and some drawings she did. Planning on what kind of birthday present to send her and finding out about her size. We want to send her an outfit. I really hope we get to meet her. I wonder if she is available for adoption, but I don’t ask.
Feb. 20th – E-mail Apryl Brock of the Antares Foundation to see if she would know what size Almira would wear. She was there this summer and saw Almira. She said she is a wonderful girl. She mentions that she is available for adoption at the end of her e-mail, just FYI. We talk a few more times. Hear from Scott that still no dossiers are coming out – they have no idea why not.
Talk to Sarah about what would she think about a big sister. She loves the idea. Talked to Jon, he has to think about it, a lot. He mentions that maybe she doesn’t even want to be adopted. We decide to pray and think about it for a while.
Feb. 21st – Getting ready for work Jon and I are talking about Almira. Jon is asking what if Almira doesn't even want to be adopted. How will we know she even wants a family.
I get to work and have an e-mail from Apryl Brock. She is responding to my e-mail about freaky things happening. She then mentions that she knows Suzanne Faske from Brenham, TX and that I should call her. She said that Almira has been a waiting child on their website for 2 years. I check out the website, see her picture and decide to call Suzanne. http://www.angelfire.com/az3/foreverfamilies/WaitingChildren.html
I called Suzanne we talk for over an hour. She said every time she has adopted it has been exactly like what I’m experiencing. She said God has totally turned her around and sent in her a different direction than where she thought she should go. God has made them change countries. The first time they adopted they were going to China – sound familiar? They wanted a toddler or a baby – sound familiar? They have now adopted 12 children, some of them older. They adopted a girl named Abagail, she was in the same orphanage as Almira and they were best friends. Wow, pretty amazing.
She said she has personally met Almira and she is a wonderful girl. She said of all the children she knows over there, Almira would be the one she would want to adopt. She thinks Almira was probably on the registry a few years back.
I’ve called Scott to find out more information on Almira. Maybe this is why our dossier is not being released.
Update - Get an e-mail from Scott Friday morning, our dossier was released and is on its way to Petro - where Almira is.
This is almost unbeleivable. I know that we have a big God, a God that can still perform miracles that we can't comprehend. My argument with God leading up to this, was we can't adopt a girl this old. My plan is to adopt a little girl, not a big girl. We can't adopt out of birth order. Well maybe we can. I now feel that I am receiving confirmation from one place after another.
Thursday I e-mailed Michele Williams who moderates the Yahoo Petro list. She also adopted an older girl from there. Her daughter and Almira were friends and she sent me pictures of them together from about 2 years ago. All the ladies I have spoken with had wonderful things to say about Almira. We are now waiting to hear from Scott on if she is truly legally available for adoption.
So much has happened and I just hope I can remember all the important details and the order that things have happened. This is really long.
Sarah and I have been sponsoring a girl named Almira that we found on a website back in late November or early December. One thing has led to the other. It is truly amazing. http://www.antares-orphans.com/index.asp
Nov. 2006 – Find out Luba was probably adopted by Kaz family. Told that our dossier is at the MOE. Before Thanksgiving I was sent an e-mail by a friend adopting from Russia about the Voice of the Orphan. Listened to several radio broadcast on Focus on the Family where they talk about a church from Brenham, TX that adopted 41 kids from Kazakhstan. They started a ministry in their church. I order the book and CD about starting an orphan ministry in our church.
http://voiceoftheorphan.com/Display.asp?Page=Home
Dec. 2006- Find out about the Antares Foundation from the on-line community. Call and speak with the Mom who adopted from Kazak that started the program. We decide to sponsor a child. Sarah and I are both taken with a girl named Almira. Almira is 13 and will be 14 in April. We mail a box of gifts to her and the other children. Sarah writes her a letter and sends her a picture of Star.
Jan. 2007 –
Find the website for Suzanne and Jay Faske from Brenham, TX. They adopted 12 children, 4 of which are from Kazakhstan. Most of their children are older children. Sill no word from our agency on our dossier and what region or what child is available. Can’t get Almira off my mind. I’m planning what birthday present to send her for her birthday in April.
Jan. 11th – Scott lets me know about a 12 month old in Kyzlorda. He will get me more information.
Jan. 19th – Get e-mail from Boris of the Antares Foundation with pictures of Almira opening her presents and reading Sarah’s letter. She is so beautiful and looks like such a sweet child. Found out our dossier was supposed to be picked up at the MOE this past Saturday and that didn’t happen. We still don’t have a region or a child. Realize that Astana is not going to work out because of 10 days after bonding period to go to court. We would be there a full month the first trip.
Feb. 2007 –
Feb. 2 – Get e-mail from Scott about 5 baby girls in Kostenay. He will get me more information. Also, dossier still not released from MOE.
Feb. 14th – Still no word on our dossier. It has still not been picked up. We still have no region and no child. Hear from Scott that Svetlana really wants to do our adoption which would be in Uralsk or Petro. Almira is in Petro. I start thinking about going to meet her and maybe hand deliver her a birthday present.
Feb. 19th – Get e-mail from Boris with letter attached from Almira to Sarah and some drawings she did. Planning on what kind of birthday present to send her and finding out about her size. We want to send her an outfit. I really hope we get to meet her. I wonder if she is available for adoption, but I don’t ask.
Feb. 20th – E-mail Apryl Brock of the Antares Foundation to see if she would know what size Almira would wear. She was there this summer and saw Almira. She said she is a wonderful girl. She mentions that she is available for adoption at the end of her e-mail, just FYI. We talk a few more times. Hear from Scott that still no dossiers are coming out – they have no idea why not.
Talk to Sarah about what would she think about a big sister. She loves the idea. Talked to Jon, he has to think about it, a lot. He mentions that maybe she doesn’t even want to be adopted. We decide to pray and think about it for a while.
Feb. 21st – Getting ready for work Jon and I are talking about Almira. Jon is asking what if Almira doesn't even want to be adopted. How will we know she even wants a family.
I get to work and have an e-mail from Apryl Brock. She is responding to my e-mail about freaky things happening. She then mentions that she knows Suzanne Faske from Brenham, TX and that I should call her. She said that Almira has been a waiting child on their website for 2 years. I check out the website, see her picture and decide to call Suzanne. http://www.angelfire.com/az3/foreverfamilies/WaitingChildren.html
I called Suzanne we talk for over an hour. She said every time she has adopted it has been exactly like what I’m experiencing. She said God has totally turned her around and sent in her a different direction than where she thought she should go. God has made them change countries. The first time they adopted they were going to China – sound familiar? They wanted a toddler or a baby – sound familiar? They have now adopted 12 children, some of them older. They adopted a girl named Abagail, she was in the same orphanage as Almira and they were best friends. Wow, pretty amazing.
She said she has personally met Almira and she is a wonderful girl. She said of all the children she knows over there, Almira would be the one she would want to adopt. She thinks Almira was probably on the registry a few years back.
I’ve called Scott to find out more information on Almira. Maybe this is why our dossier is not being released.
Update - Get an e-mail from Scott Friday morning, our dossier was released and is on its way to Petro - where Almira is.
This is almost unbeleivable. I know that we have a big God, a God that can still perform miracles that we can't comprehend. My argument with God leading up to this, was we can't adopt a girl this old. My plan is to adopt a little girl, not a big girl. We can't adopt out of birth order. Well maybe we can. I now feel that I am receiving confirmation from one place after another.
Thursday I e-mailed Michele Williams who moderates the Yahoo Petro list. She also adopted an older girl from there. Her daughter and Almira were friends and she sent me pictures of them together from about 2 years ago. All the ladies I have spoken with had wonderful things to say about Almira. We are now waiting to hear from Scott on if she is truly legally available for adoption.
This picture is Almira, sent to me by Apryl Brock of the Antares Foundation. She sent her a little present in December. She met Almira over the summer.
What a weekend! So much is happening so fast. First all of this with Almira last week. From finding out that she is available to finding out she has been on Suzanne Faske's Waiting Child list for 2 years for a faimly.
Then we get word Friday that our dossier has been released, after almost 2 months of it being stuck in the Minstry of Education with no explanation of what is wrong. The day after I inquire about Almira to our agency, it is suddenly unstuck.
We go to church Sunday and our regular pastor was out, but our new singles minister was preaching. He did a really great job, but the sermon was on taking on the attitude of Christ. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother last week. The pastor's exact words were "It is God's plan, not yours that is important! Say yes to God." I wrote it down in my notes from church, it was so powerful. I felt like he was talking directly to us.
When I had a conversation with my Mom last week about all of this. I told her I just can't get over the fact that this is not in my plan, this is not at all what I was looking for. I had my heart set on a little girl, you know, like 2 to 5. What am I going to do with a teenageer? But I keep feeling like God is telling me, "It is not your plan that matters. If you will just give it all to me and let me handle everything, it will work out fine." If God is in control it will probably be a whole lot better than fine.
Mom and I talked about that exactly. Maybe I need to forget about my plan and start letting God run the show. He knows so much better than I ever could who is the right child for our family. Who am I to go all the way around the world and pick a child? We didn't pick Sarah and it's worked out pretty good so far. In fact I couldn't have picked a kid as great as her if I had tried. It was all God.
Now we are just waiting news from our agency as they investigate Almira and make sure that she is truly available and has no siblings. Also before any child can be adopted they must go on a national registry for 6 months so that a Kazak family can be given the opportunity to adopt them. If she has been on the registry and has come off, she should be available to come home now. I'll keep you posted.
What a weekend! So much is happening so fast. First all of this with Almira last week. From finding out that she is available to finding out she has been on Suzanne Faske's Waiting Child list for 2 years for a faimly.
Then we get word Friday that our dossier has been released, after almost 2 months of it being stuck in the Minstry of Education with no explanation of what is wrong. The day after I inquire about Almira to our agency, it is suddenly unstuck.
We go to church Sunday and our regular pastor was out, but our new singles minister was preaching. He did a really great job, but the sermon was on taking on the attitude of Christ. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother last week. The pastor's exact words were "It is God's plan, not yours that is important! Say yes to God." I wrote it down in my notes from church, it was so powerful. I felt like he was talking directly to us.
When I had a conversation with my Mom last week about all of this. I told her I just can't get over the fact that this is not in my plan, this is not at all what I was looking for. I had my heart set on a little girl, you know, like 2 to 5. What am I going to do with a teenageer? But I keep feeling like God is telling me, "It is not your plan that matters. If you will just give it all to me and let me handle everything, it will work out fine." If God is in control it will probably be a whole lot better than fine.
Mom and I talked about that exactly. Maybe I need to forget about my plan and start letting God run the show. He knows so much better than I ever could who is the right child for our family. Who am I to go all the way around the world and pick a child? We didn't pick Sarah and it's worked out pretty good so far. In fact I couldn't have picked a kid as great as her if I had tried. It was all God.
Now we are just waiting news from our agency as they investigate Almira and make sure that she is truly available and has no siblings. Also before any child can be adopted they must go on a national registry for 6 months so that a Kazak family can be given the opportunity to adopt them. If she has been on the registry and has come off, she should be available to come home now. I'll keep you posted.
"You're Not Going to Believe This"
February 27 - "You're Not Going to Believe This!"
This is the title of the e-mail I got from my agency this afternoon.
And I quote "I just heard back from Kazakhstan and your little girl’s status is fine, she can be adopted. Svetlana made some phone calls and we should be getting your LOI anytime. Everything is ready and arranged for your arrival. Cool Huh?"
We're going to Kazakhstan!! We just have to wait on our LOI and then we can make travel arrangements.
I can't believe this is working out so well.
This is the title of the e-mail I got from my agency this afternoon.
And I quote "I just heard back from Kazakhstan and your little girl’s status is fine, she can be adopted. Svetlana made some phone calls and we should be getting your LOI anytime. Everything is ready and arranged for your arrival. Cool Huh?"
We're going to Kazakhstan!! We just have to wait on our LOI and then we can make travel arrangements.
I can't believe this is working out so well.
Confirmations
March 1 - I had some wonderful conversations yesterday. I talked with Apryl, who really helped to relieve some fears that I was having. I have some family members questioning our decision to adopt a child this old. While I understand their concerns, because they were the same ones I had a while back, I feel that God has led us directly to this child. Every prayer and question we have had of God has been answered in a way to leave no doubt.
I also called and spoke with Suzanne Faske yesterday afternoon and she continued to relieve my doubts and fears. Suzanne explained that she heard similiar concerns from not just family members, but from people who she simply saw in public places. She has now adopted 12 times and is still met with doubters.
I also had a wonderful conversation and prayer with our youth minister at church last night. He just strenghted my resolve that God can make things like this happen. That I have to lean on God's understanding and not my own. If he has laid everything out in front of us so perfectly and the path leads directly to this child, we should not have doubts. Also, as I heard from other people, that Satan does not want this child adopted. He does not want her to have a chance at life or to come to America and live in a Christian home. Satan will throw as many obstacles in our path as he can. We just have to keep our resolves strong and stay on our path. We are simply waiting now on our LOI to be issued and then we can make travel plans. We hope to be with Almira for her birthday in April.
Kathy
I also called and spoke with Suzanne Faske yesterday afternoon and she continued to relieve my doubts and fears. Suzanne explained that she heard similiar concerns from not just family members, but from people who she simply saw in public places. She has now adopted 12 times and is still met with doubters.
I also had a wonderful conversation and prayer with our youth minister at church last night. He just strenghted my resolve that God can make things like this happen. That I have to lean on God's understanding and not my own. If he has laid everything out in front of us so perfectly and the path leads directly to this child, we should not have doubts. Also, as I heard from other people, that Satan does not want this child adopted. He does not want her to have a chance at life or to come to America and live in a Christian home. Satan will throw as many obstacles in our path as he can. We just have to keep our resolves strong and stay on our path. We are simply waiting now on our LOI to be issued and then we can make travel plans. We hope to be with Almira for her birthday in April.
Kathy
We got out LOI!!
March 6 - We got an e-mail from Yakov yesterday letting us know that our LOI (Letter of Invitation) had been issued and he was expecting our visa confirmation number to be issued in about one week. When we receive this information we will overnight our passports to the Kaz embassy in NY. We will receive a visa stamp and they will be returned to us.
When we receive these we will be prepared to travel to Kazakhstan. Yakov said we could travel as early as March 26th. Jon's dad is supposed to have surgery on March 15th or 16th, so we need to give him about 3 weeks to recover. Right now our plans are to travel on April 13th or 14th.
Kathy
When we receive these we will be prepared to travel to Kazakhstan. Yakov said we could travel as early as March 26th. Jon's dad is supposed to have surgery on March 15th or 16th, so we need to give him about 3 weeks to recover. Right now our plans are to travel on April 13th or 14th.
Kathy
Making travel plans for April 8th
March 08 - Still waiting for Jon's Dad to get his surgery set for his hip. If the surgery is later in April we may travel now. I can't wait to go. I am so excited and know that we have to wait on our visa confirmation number to apply for our Visa. Heard from Mr. Bradford, his surgery on his hip is March 21st. He needs to be in the hospital about 10 days to recover. We have decided to travel on Easter Sunday, April 8th. We can fly out of Monroe at 4:30 in the afternoon and will arrive in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning at 5:00AM. That would be 5:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon for us here. Yikes!! We should be able to fly out that afternoon on Air Astana and arrive in Petro about 7:30 p.m. Looks like our first day at the orphanage would be on Wednesday, April 11th.
We are still at least 4 weeks away from travelling and have so much to do. I decided to not take a class this time as I have so much to do and just can't seem to concentrate on Finance right now anyway.
I'll post again when we get our Visas done. Pray for speed in issuing our Visa confirmation numbers.
Kathy
We are still at least 4 weeks away from travelling and have so much to do. I decided to not take a class this time as I have so much to do and just can't seem to concentrate on Finance right now anyway.
I'll post again when we get our Visas done. Pray for speed in issuing our Visa confirmation numbers.
Kathy
Visa Confirmation Number is Here
March 14th - We received our Visa confirmation number last night and I sent it to Katerina in New York. She called this morning and received our passports and our entire packet. We could actually be ready to leave in as early as 5 days, but have to wait until April 8th. I will call early next week and book our travel to Kazakhstan.
Things are really moving quickly now. We are so excited.
We should be meeting Almira on Wednesday, April 11th, if everything goes as planned.
Kathy
Things are really moving quickly now. We are so excited.
We should be meeting Almira on Wednesday, April 11th, if everything goes as planned.
Kathy
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