Update on Avery!!!!

I was thrilled to see an email entitled, “Medical Report and Photos” from our adoption agency!  YAY!  Avery is doing absolutely fabulous!!!  She has completely caught up developmentally.  She was assessed to be at a 13 month level, which is the first time we’ve seen her developmental level match her chronological age!  This is definitely an answer to prayer!!!   She has also gained tons of weight and now weighs 23 pounds!  She is only 5 pounds lighter than Addison!!!  This too is a miracle as she was very much underweight when we were matched!!!  God is very good!  I have prayed that her developmental issues would be healed and God has been very kind to hear my prayer!  Praise him! 

In addition to that, she is quite possibly, the cutest baby in Korea!!  I mean look at these photos!!  Could she be any sweeter?!?!? This was a great encourage especially as we approach 8 months waiting to travel!  The wait is so long, but God is faithful and our baby is perfect!

 Here she is with the hat we sent her.  I don't think she likes things on her head

 Here she is with the Christmas care package we sent her.

 I don't know where she got the headband, but she doesn't seem to like it!

This is my favorite!!!  She's SO big!!!

sweety!!

More about Addison...

Addison LOVES ice cream!

Addison is now taking about 6-10 steps at a time. She's trying to walk everywhere.

A slice of Life

Pray for sleep!

Drew is cute too!!!

Eating bananas...her favorite food!

Stuffing her mouth..we'll work on manners later.

Our little angel is not sleeping well at all. Her sleep habits have actually gotten worse, instead of better. She is up 2-4 times a night which means I'm only sleeping a couple hours at a time. Then to top it off, she isn't really napping either. If I can get two 40 minute naps out of her I'm thankful and one of those naps is typically in the car. I'm completely exhausted!!! Please pray we get her sleeping regulated SOON!!! I'm so tired. With that being said, she is still completely darling!! Here are some photos which prove that fact!!!

Adjusting…

Here's a break down of the good & the bad:

• The Good: (Other than the fact that she's perfect!!!! Just like all my children!)
  She is becoming more and more vocal (lots of babbling, screaming, and "talking")
  She is really starting to take to her brothers (gives them kisses and will let them hold her)
  We're making lots of good eye-contact and getting plenty of smiles
  Starting to get a nap schedule: 30-40 min. in the morning, 1-2 hours in the afternoon.
  Growing accustomed to her carseat and usually doesn't scream while it in anymore
  
• The Bad: Night: she usually wakes up 2 times for a bottle
  She cries in her sleep off and on throughout the night (it always wakes me up)
  …because of the prior two bullets…I'm exhausted.
  If were around a lot of strangers, and they hold her a lot…she melts down after we leave, won't eat, and I end up holding her the rest of the day, while feeding her bottles. Its clearly still overwhelming for her.
  She is teething … and you know how teething babies are.
  

We think things are really coming along fabulously; especially when you consider she has only been home a little over two weeks! She is so perfect for our family!! She laughs when the boys wrestle, and loves all their attention. She loves to climb into things; buckets, baskets, toy boxes etc… and it makes us laugh! We are so blessed!

Addison’s latest doctor’s visit

We just received Addison's latest Well Baby check. Here's how she's doing!

• Weight: 23.1lbs: 90^th percentile for weight
  Height: 29.5 in: 63^rd percentile for height
  Plays peek-a-boo
  Plays pat-a-cake
  Waves bye-bye
  Plays ball
  Sits very well
  Walks holding onto furniture
  Takes one step!!!
  Rakes food with fingers
  Picks up food with forefinger and thumb
  Says mama, and ooma (food & mama)
  Repeats sounds & babbles
  

I can't wait to hold her and kiss her chubby cheeks!

Addison has her Visa!!!

I called DC today and the nice lady told me that Holt had returned Addison's P3 packet and her Visa had been issued as of March 22nd!!!!! We are waiting on NOTHING else!!! She is ready to travel. All we need now is our travel call!!!! We are SO, SO close!!!!! I'm so excited!!!

ETA:

*Here are the newest timeframes.

(Disclaimer: This is purely speculation, as we know from vast experience, this can and most likely will change)

• Class B waiver will arrive at the end of this week. (3/19)


• Travel Call; earliest would be the end of the next week (3/26)...could be longer.


• Acutally traveling: Holt is backlogged so we will probably have to wait 7-10 days before we can travel. (4/5)

"She is Beautiful"

I call the DC Visa Center this morning to see if Addison had made her Embassy Appearance. I waited on hold for 15 minutes, and then finally a nice lady answered. She said, “Well, the agency hasn’t returned her P3 packet yet, but I do see her picture and it says she had her embassy appointment March 4th." And then she said, “She is beautiful.” I really didn’t expect to hear any news today at all, so I’m very surprised, and very happy for the good news. YEAH.

Emigration Permit APPROVED!!!

I just found out that our Emigration Permit was approved!!!! We now have all the necessary paperwork in hand to bring our baby home. We do expect to wait about 6 more weeks (give or take) for various appointments and things needed to get her ready to travel, but all the paperwork is now approved!!. The next thing to happen is her Embassy Appearance which is an appointment where she, her foster mom, and social worker all go the embassy in order to be approved for her Visa. I'll let you know when that happens - until then, we'll keep on awaitin!!

Addison's Latest Doctor's Visit

We received Addison’s Well Baby Check yesterday and she is doing wonderfully! She currently weighs 22 lbs which places her in the 82% for weight. She is 29.9 inches longs which means she is in the 56% for length. She has some teeth and seems to be meeting all of the appropriate developmental mile stones! She crawls, pulls up, walks around furniture, picks up food with her forefingers, plays peek-a-boo, and can imitate speech. She still isn’t walking, but it sounds like she is very close!! I just can’t wait to hold her! My heart just aches to see our little girl.

Adoption Update

I’ve had quite a few people ask for the latest on the adoption, and realized, I hadn’t really haven’t posted an update for quite some time. So here it is: we are currently waiting on our Emigration Permit (EP) to be approved by the Korean government. It was submitted January 12th but we’re still waiting. They typical timeframe for an approval is is 4 weeks, but were already on week 5, so clearly that doesn’t apply to us. (Not that any of the timeframes have…really NONE of them have held true…it’s frustrating to say the very least)

So basically, were just stuck, waiting on the emigration permit. Nothing can go forward without this, so until we get that there will be no movement - we'll just be stuck…again. After we our EP approval, we still have another 6 weeks (give or take) until we travel. So, that means were probably looking at traveling in April, not March. And given our sorted history, that can, and most likely will, change.

Our P3 has been Sent!!!!

I Just found out that the Embassy in Seoul has mailed our P3 packet to our adoption agency!!! The P3 is a packet the agency completes and returns to the embassy. It contains all the necessary paperwork and approvals the embassy needs in order to issue Addison a Visa. Once this is returned, the agency is able to make the various appointments needed for our baby's case to be processed so she can be issued a Visa!

Heres the catch... the p3 can't be return until we have our Korean Emigration Permit...which were still waiting on. We expect it to be approved in a couple weeks, so hopfully that will come sooner than later!!!

Were outta here!!!

I found out this morning that we were logged out of the National Visa Center Friday, January 29th!!!! This means that our file is now at the embassy in Seoul South Korea!!! The embassy is where her actual Visa will be issued, so this is a big step!!! I’m very encouraged by the speed at which all of this has happened!!! It only took one week for file to be processed and sent to Seoul which is really incredible; especially considering the fact that Haitian Visas are now the priority!

I’m so grateful that God has mercifully allowed this to be quick!!! At this point it is safe to say we will have her home sometime in March. In spite of the great news, we still covet your prayers, and heres how you can specifically pray:

• Pray the Koran Government will approve her Emigration Permit very soon. We need this to get her Visa, and this is the only document for which we are still waiting. (We think we’ll get it by next week, but I’d love it sooner!)
• Pray that the rest of the paperwork and appointments will go smoothly and quickly without complication so we can get her home ASAP!!
• Pray her seizures remained controlled and that we find a good pediatric neurologist and can eventually take her off her medication.
• Pray she adjusts quickly to us and her transition is smooth.

We are logged into the National Visa Center!!!!

I'm so excited!!!! Its virtually impossible to get through to the National Visa Center (NVC) especially with all the Haitians Visa's being processed now, so I called at 6:30am, I'm up anyway, and was able to actually reach a human being!! (This, after several days of hearing nothing but their recording… "Hello, you've reached the National Visa Center. If you're calling about a Haiti related issue, dial 1, …I'll spare you the whole message.) Anyway, a very nice lady said our case was logged into their system on January 27^th and would probably be processed and logged out soon. (Average processing time is 2-5 days) I was given my case number and then hung up!! I'm so happy!! This means several things:

1. Our case information has been entered correctly into the system (a huge relief because it doesn't always happened this way)
   
2. They are processing Visas normally; no significant delays because of Haiti!
   I am done with paperwork because they have it all, and it's all correct!!
   

What does this mean as far as a timeline? Well here's what has to happen before we can get a travel call:

• NVC will log out our case and send the information to the embassy in Seoul, South Korea.
  The U.S. Embassy will send a packet called the P3 to our adoption agency.
  
• The agency will gather all the necessary paperwork and return the completed packet to the embassy. (We have to have our Emigration Permit (EP) in order to have the packet returned…ours was submitted on January 12^th. We expect it to be approved in a couple weeks)
  
• The agency can then schedule an appointment at the U.S. Embassy for the baby, social worker and foster mother. This is called the Embassy Appearance. (AKA: EA)
  
• After the appointment, the official Visa Interview will be scheduled (AKA: VI)
  
• About a week later we get a travel call. (AKA: TC)
  

When will we travel? It typically takes about a month from the time you receive your Emigration Permit. So if I was to put a general timeframe on this, I'd say 6-8 weeks? Maybe less maybe more. Who knows..I do know were moving and getting closer!!! YEAH!

We have been officially approved!

I came home today to find an envelope lying on my counter. The return address was marked U.S. Department of Homeland Security. I became immediately interested, thinking that this may be our i600 approval we've been waiting for form immigration. I also thought it could be yet another request for something else immigration needs; another file, document, who knows…So I opened it and to my complete delight I saw the words, "Notice of Approval…" I flipped!!!

I really didn't expect this so quickly! I thought it would take at least a couple weeks to process our fingerprints, but it only took two days!!! I'm so happy!!! I'm about to cry right now. I even took a picture of the note for you all to see! It's the one of the most beautiful things I've ever read!!! I have no idea what this means as far as our timeframe, but it's a huge obstacle that we are now FINALLY over!!! I'm so, so thankful.

Yes...I'm a dork and took a picutre. Isn't it beautiful?

I’m just emotionally spent…

This afternoon I received an email from Holt stating they had submitted the paperwork for our baby's emigration permit on January 12^th (AKA: EP) I was baffled. You see, on November 2, 2009, I received an email stating our baby's emigration permit was already approved. I was, of course, delighted because this is a key document and can and does hold people up and slow down the process. So I asked Holt what was going on and sent them the old email. They apologetically explained that the original "approval" I received in November was for our first baby, Brooke, not Addison. They of course were very apologetic and I do understand how the confusion happened; lots of families, lots of babies, lots of paperwork, mistakes will happen.

I, on the other hand, am upset. The Emigration permit was the only thing we've had go smoothly. It was fast, and it was the one "key" pieces of paperwork which we no longer needed to wait on. Instead, we now find out we will indeed have to wait on it. I can't even begin to articulate how discouraged and upset I am. Truly, I'm a wreck. When I say, "We've had nothing go smoothly" that is in no way an exaggeration. I know we throw around all inclusive words like "nothing" and "always" without meaning them, but I really do mean that NOTHING has gone smoothly; absolutely nothing.

Before you berate me for not being a good Christian or for being ungrateful, please note, I do understand that God is sovereign over this adoption. I understand that these circumstances are ones he has allowed. I fully know and believe that God will work it out for my good. I truly do intellectually agree with the saying, "God's timing is best." All of this I fully affirm and know very well, but the fact remains, I am human. I have emotions and right now I am emotionally exhausted and my heart is breaking…again. I'm to the point that I do not have the emotional fortitude to get up and scrounge for even a one morsel of good news because everytime I find one, I turn around to be slapped in the face. Maybe that's a harsh analogy, but I'm not in the mood to sugar coat it today. I am sad, I am at the end of my rope, and I just want to either burst into tears, or scream. I can't decide which would feel better…so I've done neither. I truly don't know how to cope or even how to think. To give you just a small glimpse into our situation; there are several families who had were matched with their babies in September who have already traveled to Korea. We, on the other hand, aren't even half way there. 3 ½ months later, and we've only had one piece of paperwork arrive; Her legals. That's it.

I know that if she ever ends up in my arms this will all melt away into the trivia of life, but that is so far away it holds no comfort right now, especially if you consider the fact that her birthmother could come back at any time and legally take her back. I'm just simply drowning right now, and I can't see any way to cope, or go forward with a smile on my face. I'm sure I'll come around, but right now this is really, really difficult. This arduous path is overwhelming me to the point of wanting to quit.

I just ask for your prayers, because clearly, I need them. I would also love for you to send me scriptures that God may lay on your heart. I really need God's word right now, not shallow platitudes. God has been very good to surround Mark and I with such good friends who love and support us and we are very thankful for you all.

"Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. Hide not your face from your sercant; for I am in distress; make haste to asnwer me."

-Psalm 69:16-17

Yet Another Delay...

I’m so frustrated I might cry. I thought we had recieved our i600 immigration approval but clearly, we haven't.

I received notification from USCIS that there was an error on our homestudy , so they needed a corrected version. I notified our social worker, got the problem fixed, and mailed a corrected version to our local USCIS. It arrived there Monday, Jan. 4th. The USCIS officer who processes i600s was out all week so it sat on her desk until Friday, Jan. 8th. When she returned she realized that we had to be re-fingerprinted and mailed us new fingerprinting forms which I still have not received. We can only be fingerprinted on Wednesdays which means now I have to wait another week just get that done, and then wait again to have them run and sent to her, so we can hopefully get our approval. This will delay us at least 2 weeks…maybe more..who knows.

I’m so upset. I feel like every time I turn around we get hit with a delay: Ten weeks for legals, error on homestudy, fingerprinting problems…I can’t stand this anymore. I’m about to burst into tears right here.

Good News for a New Year

We are very thankful to have some good news to report!

First....We received a new photo!!! the above photo is Addison with the various items from the care package we sent her. She appears to be thinking, "What is all this stuff!?!"

Second: Addison's file was reviewed by a neurologist (Thank you Troy!) and he believes that she may have been misdiagnosed. He couldn't be sure, considering he has not physically seen her, does not have all of her medical records, or have her complete EEG, but from the limited amount of information he does have, he thought this could be a viable possibility. This doesn't answer all of our questions, but it is very encouraging.

Third: We received Addison's December Doctor's check-up and she is doing great! She is 8 months old and now weighs 20.2 lbs and is 27.6 in. long. This places her in the 81% for weight and the 41% for length. She is currently rolling over, crawling, sitting up, pulling herself up, walking holding onto furniture, and playing peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake. We are delighted she is doing so well, and yet, we really long to have her home because were missing it all!

fourth: We received an email from the Kansas City Immigration office yesterday. They have our file, it has been reviewed, and all they need to give us our immigration approval is an updated homestudy. I sent it yesterday and it will be at their office Monday morning. I really hope this means we'll have our approval by the end of next week! Once we have this we only have about 6-8 more weeks to wait!!! YEAH!!!!

Have a Happy New Year and may you see God's blessings in every aspect of your life!

A Troubling Update

About 6 weeks ago we received an update on Addison. In it, the foster mom noted that Addison's head would shake in 2-3 second intervals when she slept. In response we asked that they take video of her, and run and EEG. They were more than willing. As you all know, we received the video about 3 weeks ago and Addie looked happy, and developmentally right on target, even ahead in some areas. They also did an EEG and we received that a couple days ago. It noted that "there were several sharp wave discharges from the right and left central areas of her brain" which indicates she is having partial seizures. She has been put on an anticonvulsant medication called Valproic Acid for 6 weeks and the doctor has ordered blood work, and an MRI.

I think it goes without saying that we are heartbroken and worried about our little girl. It is also somewhat surreal that this is happening again. I would be lying if I didn't initially struggle with anger, but after much prayer and struggle, God has brought me to the place where I can see that this is clearly no accident. Very few people have adoptions fall through like we did. Very few people have serious health issues arise with their babies as these children are very well cared for. So when you consider that we have had all this happen once and now are walking that path yet again, it impossible to face the fact that God has placed us here.

Here's how you can pray, (and we covet your prayers)

• Pray we can find a good pediatric neurologist to look at her file who can give us a clear indication of what were dealing with. It could be a very minor issue, we just don't know.
  
• Pray the doctors in Korea have wisdom and insight as they treat her so she gets all that she needs while we wait to go get her.
  
• Pray we will not worry. It extremely difficult knowing your baby is out of your reach, being cared for by strangers, and you have no say in her care. For lack of a better analogy, its just a weight that hangs over you.
  
• And of course, pray we glorify God in whatever path he has for us.
  
• Psalm 40:11 "You, O Lord, will not withhold your compassion from me. Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me."