I look over the list of things "to do" for our Home Study process from the agency about 50 times a day I think! Always checking and doubling checking the things that I must complete before we can move forward. Many of them are things that require me to wait on goverment agencies or other people - boy is that not easy for me to do!! ;)
Today our passports came in the mail - woohoo! We were told they could take up to 8 weeks and they took less than 3! It is surreal to look at this book and imagine that Derek and I will have stamps from Japan and China in there by this time next year. The only out of country trips Derek and I have ever taken have been to Canada and Mexico - neither did we need a passport for. I guess with every piece of documentation that comes things seem more "real".....still most of the time I feel like this is just a dream.
Yesterday I mailed out about a dozen forms and authorizations to EAC so they could start working on background checks, driving reocrds, child abuse clearances, FBI clearances, etc. I also signed us up for a pediatric CPR class with the American Red Cross for Saturday afternoon. We also have to taken 12 hrs of parenting/adoption classes before we can move forward. Kind of funny if you think about it. You don't have to take any classes to become parents on your own....hmmm, maybe something that should be considered, though! ;)
This afternoon I also received a certified copy of my birth certificate. I had to order an additional one because I had sent in my original to get my passport and had to go today to get a new driver license (misplaced mine on vacation it seems :( Any way, a driver's license is necessary to get fingerprinting done apparently so that is what I will be working on tomorrow!
I also received copies of letters from two people that EAC contacted to get references for Derek and me. I didn't expect that we would even know who all they contacted to get reference letters, let alone be given the opportunity to read what they had written. Words can't even describe how it felt to read those letters (both with tears streaming down my cheeks). To think that there is anyone out there that would have so many incredible things to say about us, let alone 2! Reminds me of an excercise that we did in the small group Derek and I attend. Each person in the group (about 10 of us) was given a piece of paper and asked to write down several positive things about each individual in the group. Afterwards we were each given the list of things (about 30-40 things) that the others thought described us. I hung that list in my bathroom (on the opposite side of the medicine cabinet mirror) to help remind myself that no matter how I may view myself in negative ways that is not always how others see me. We are so much harder on ourselves than others typically are. It is such a powerful way to change your mind set and keep your spirits lifted every day!
We have also started doing something similar with our boys at the dinner table. We will go around the table and ask each one to tell us at least one thing that they love about each of their brothers and us. We also take a turn going around the table telling each of the boys what we love about them. it is so interesting to see how they light up and how their attitude changes after hearing all the positive thoughts about them.
Try it at your house sometime if you don't already :)
"We come to God in less than perfect condition, scarred and hurt by the action and choices of others. We carry an orphan's broken heart. God chooses us and offers us a place in His royal family." ~Jan Beazely
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