LIfe As It Is: Adoption

Adoption? Really? People ask "why?". We can have kids, and do have kids...2 as of now (no, not planning any more biological kids at this point, but God always has his own plans, so who knows!). Why? Because God has blessed us with so much, and we have so much love to share. Why not share it with children who don't have love, who don't have a forever home, or a family? 

Kris and I went to Haiti in 2005 as a part of a Short Term Mission Trip with another church. I did dental work and Kris worked with the kids doing a Vacation Bible School and visiting schools. At the time, I fell in love with all the little guys I worked with in one of the orphanages. I mentioned to Kris that I would love to adopt from Haiti someday. He didn't respond with much desire, so I didn't say anything else (figuring adoption definitely needs to be a mutual agreement!). After the earthquake in 2010 Kris came to me saying that he felt now was the time, as there would be a lot of kids without homes and families. So, we started the process...and, what a LONG process it is! We applied to adopt a little girl and boy younger than TK.

We initially applied to an orphanage directly. We didn't hear back from them & assumed it was because of the earthquake and being so busy rebuilding. In the meantime we had B (which we wouldn't trade for the world!!!). At the one year anniversary of the earthquake, we saw the same orphanage on TV and decided to re-apply. They then told us that we had to go through an agency because Haiti was changing its rules (which we now know happens ALL the time!). So we switched over to an agency. They gave us  REALLY long list of all the things we needed to get together. We started working on those, and then we were told "Oh, by the way, you need a home study from an agency in your state." Whoops, minor detail, right? So then we had to find an agency in our state, as well. 

Things were fine and moving forward. Home study was done and ready to be submitted to Illinois' Dept of Children and Family Services, when we found out that the orphanage and agency we were working with was not very organized & not moving along ANY of the adoptions they had sitting in the legal system for years (to say the least...possibly being unethical to say more). Fortunately, we had never matched with any children from their orphanage, and had never given the agency in Texas any more than a small application fee, so we were able to switch fairly easily. Once we switched we tried to make the September deadline to get our Dossier (file of paperwork needed to get adoption approval from the Haitian government) into Haiti. Unfortunately, the new agency (Voice of the Orphan), which is incredible and so dedicated to helping children get adopted into forever homes, is not a registered agency in Illinois (they didn't have to be to do independent adoptions-which was permitted in Haiti previously). Since our home study was already done (and paid for) we either start all over, or wait to see what changes come when Haiti is ratified into the Hague Convention (a governing set of laws on requirements for adopting). If we start all over, we may still have problems, because we don't know what rules and regulations Haiti will come up with next. So, all we can do right now is WAIT...and trust that God's timing is PERFECT. Since we never did get matched to any children, all we can hope is that God has the perfect additions to our family waiting for us. We can't wait to meet them! 

TK talks all the time about "where his new brother and new sister will sleep", "where they will sit at our dining room table" or how "he'll share his toys with them" (Yeah, right! Can't wait to see that! ;)

I picked up all our medical papers, again (for the 3rd time!), today. Hopefully this will be it. We could be matched in a few weeks...or a few months...it's so hard to not know! And so not my personality! ;) I look at the pictures (Giving Hope Haiti) and wonder..."Which of these children will be ours???"

Life As It Is: 1 Day at a Time!

I know I posted this morning...and 2 posts in 1 day is unheard of for me (Really 2 posts in 1 year is rare! Ha ha ha)...Anyway, here I am, in the apple store at 9 at night waiting for my hubbie to download his photos from his old iPad (which went kaput) to his computer. He is asking lots of questions which I am sure will help us tremendously in the future, but Iam falling asleep! Since my bed is no where near the iPhone or iPad display, I guess I'll write my next rambling in "Life As It Is"!

This morning at work my last patient did not need treatment so I got to leave early and make it to music time at my little guys' co-op (http://christianfamilycoop.info). Watching them dance around and seeing their smiles, as they realized I was there, was priceless. But as I left work I couldn't help but think, "It's great that I am getting to leave early, but how will I pay bills?" God is good...He has always provided, and I wish I could trust him 100% of the time and not worry, but I'm not that good, yet (hopefully, when I reach heaven I'll be there! ;). 

Living in the day is so hard for me. As a mom, business owner, boss, doctor, wife, home school teacher, house organizer, cook, house cleaner, grocery shopper, and adopting parent, I am ALWAYS planning ahead. It's the only way I can accomplish what I need to get done. It can be hard, though, to enjoy the day...live in the moment...be present for my kids and hubbie...find relaxation for me. This is what God is teaching me right now: "LIVE FOR ME TODAY!" Matthew 6:31 says "Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough troubles of its own." This has become my theme verse! Each day I have to focus on what I can do, what I have to do, and what I DON'T have to do! Seriously, giving up things that don't HAVE to be done (like making sure the kitchen cabinets are cleaned every other month like I originally planned out-HA HA HA...yeah, right!) is so hard for me because they "are already on my 'to-do' list". Knowing that God won't give me more than I can handle is one thing, believing it is another.

I pray, daily, that I can die to myself, and live 100% for God; treating others as Christ would, and giving of myself to fully serve my hubbie, children, patients, staff, and others I interact with. When I take this perspective it makes my overwhelming 'To-Do' list a little more manageable. It's exciting to see how much God can accomplish through me when I submit to His will and follow his leading. 

Life As It Is: The Truth Behind The Smile

It's been a long time since I have written anything. I feel like I am only now starting to surface. For months I have been going non-stop. We had a chance to take a family vacation 2 weeks ago...even then I had to work throughout the vacation. I have been smiling (or at least trying) through the last 6 months, but it's been really hard & very tiring at times.

I have decided to start blogging again, though, because I hope it will be an encouragement to working moms out there, who may be struggling with the same things I struggle with. Rather than just posting about homeschooling, random outings or fun family times (which I will still put up when I can), I want to post about how God helps me live each day to the fullest (not just survive!!). 

God is so good. My life is proof of that. 

Here is a shot of my calendar from this last week:

The open spot on Wednesday afternoon...was supposed to be a chiropractor's appointment (smithchiroandrehab.com), but Kris needed it more than me, so I had some "free time" (if that's what you really call it when the 'To-Do' List is longer than humanly possible for a lifetime!). Otherwise, this is pretty much what my schedule looks like ALL the time. 

My free time: 4:00am until 7:15am... How I LOVE this time. The house is quiet, and I get a chance to journal, read my bible, and pray. I also get to work out, shower (by myself!), and prepare for the day. If I am diligent in getting up and using this time wisely (AKA: MAKING SURE I MEET WITH GOD & HAVE MY QUIET TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT ELSE I HAVE GOING ON, AND NO MATTER HOW MANY THINGS ARE ON MY TO-DO LIST), the whole rest of the day runs much more smoothly. I have found so MANY times that when I think I don't have time to meet with God (read his word and spend time praying) that that's when I need it the most. Funny, too, is when I put Him first, he always provides the time I need to "get stuff done". 

Weirdly, and it doesn't make sense at all, but taking an hour in the morning, provides so much more time the rest of the day.

Daddy, TK, and Hockey

Kris got to join TK on the ice, for some one on one time.

Hockey has been a favorite past time at our house ever since Kris and I started dating, so when TK showed an interest, we were excited. He's had a few lessons, and continually falls over, but keeps getting back up!

Warm Weather!

Enjoying some time out doors!

At the zoo...

TK decided he wanted to have a picture with every animal sculpture/picture he could find...so we did!

He even had Nana involved.

This was one of my favorites: the wolf was so small, but TK was determined to be behind it!

Mommy: "TK, it says 'no climbing'". TK: "I'm not, I'm just laying on it!"
Always a 'way around the rules'!

A great ending to a beautiful day at the zoo!

Letter M

Mater, McQueen, and Mack

Letter M (upside down!)

And the letter M has to have M&M's!

Work & Home

Recently I had a conference in Texas. I was fortunate enough to be able to take B with. I think she looks okay in our hotel room :)

 Then I got word that Chicago had gotten a lot of snow. Apparently the boys got out to enjoy it:

 When we got back home, we were greeted with a little man holding this sign out our mini-van window:

 And this one was handed to us as we loaded our luggage for the trip home:

We arrived home to find out that all of the trim in our house was finished. THANK YOU, AWESOME HUBBIE (& Papa!).

How blessed I am!

Letter L

One of our friends blessed us with a large cup of hot chocolate...TK was not letting it out of his sight-even while doing his schoolwork!

Letter K

TK's best attempt at making the letter K with his body.

January was unseasonably warm, so we actually got to go out and fly kites to go along with our Letter K unit!

Minivan Express

In a take from the 'Polar Express' & an idea from Confessions of a Homeschooler, we dropped B at Nana & Papa's, loaded the minivan with hot cocoa and popcorn, turned up the Christmas music, and headed out to see the lights. TK thought it was the best thing when he found the golden ticket under his pillow (any time he gets out of going to bed, it's a good thing). He ran to the garage and had his ticket 'punched', and away we went.

Letter J: Jellybeans & Jesus

Because the letter J fell right around Christmas, we did 2 letter 'J's. One with Jellybeans (which we all enjoyed!) and one with baby Jesus. Here you can see TK doing his graphing, with his LEGO advent calendar in the background.