While we wait...

Okay, I know it's been a REALLY long time since I updated last.  Almost a month.  Obviously, you probably have guessed that we have not received any news yet.  I wish I was writing this blog with good news... about travel... but nope.

I do have good news though.  The Norwex party was a HUGE success.  Because of Becky's generosity of donating 25% of her commission, and all of my friends who ordered products... I am so happy to say that we are $150 closer to bringing little Z home.  I have updated the side bar with the totals to date.  Words can't express how grateful we are.  THANK YOU!!!

If you missed it and would still like to order Norwex products, please let me know either through here or on facebook. Of course, 25% was only for the party... but these are awesome products that I am totally digging right now.  In fact, if you know me personally you will know that Dave does much of the laundry and dishes in our house.  But, because of the Norwex laundry soap, I actually did 7 loads of laundry so far.  Oh, and I have mopped the floor, wiped down the tub and did the dishes. Cleaning without chemicals is so easy and downright fun! I am not going to say that I will be cleaning like this all the time, but I will say that Dave is enjoying it while it lasts.

We have been trying to keep busy and not thinking about the wait.  The kids are out for the summer and the older girls have already been to a week of summer camp.  Hannah is actually at a business camp this week.  In a couple weeks all three girls will be gone for another camp.  Camps... they just love them! The boys and girls club has been such an awesome experience for the girls and the memories they gain from these camps are wonderful.  Stella gets to go for the first time this year.  She is very excited.

Hannah is going into high school next year.  I can't believe how fast she is growing up.  These next 4 years are going to fly by.  A couple weeks ago was her eighth grade formal.

Emily is going into 7th grade next year.  This is the first year that we will have 3 kids in 3 different schools.  She is really growing up and I am proud that she got all A's and only 1 B for the final marking period.  She works so hard.  She's come a long ways since she came to live with us at the end of 2nd grade.  

Miss Stella will be going into 4th grade next year.  She, too brought home a really good report card this year.   Last month she participated in girls on the run.  All the while she was practicing she would tell me that she was going to walk most of the 5K because she gets too tired and probably would get hurt.  (Stella likes to complain about things).  Well, the day of the race she shocked the heck out of us!  She actually came in #2 for her school!  Imagine my surprise when I saw her.  I didn't even have a chance to get my camera ready.  Of course, she claims when she was running the race she twisted her ankle, tripped but didn't fall (I asked her to show my her scrape) and didn't even have time to get one single drink of water because people were pushing her! That's Stella in a nutshell really... Gotta LOVE her!  She had a GREAT time!

These three young ladies are so much fun.  As we go to the beach or camping or even to the store, I can't help but think that in less than a year little Z will be enjoying these things with us.  Will he find humor in Stella's pessimism or will he be laid back like Emily?  Will he like crowds or will he prefer to stay home.  Will he like to be held or will he eventually want to explore the world on his own?  Will he bond with us?  Will he like going to the beach?

These are all questions that flood my thoughts lately.  I long to hold our little guy.  To show him love and to teach him what it is like to belong.  I really pray that the government in his country can start meeting again, and the new deputy minister will have a heart for orphans so that these little children do not have to wait as long as they do to find forever families.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

And the wait continues...

No news.  No referral or email saying "You can travel to meet your boy now."  The wait is long.  I feel like it is never going to happen :-(.  

We submitted our dossier 7 full weeks ago.  In the meantime, Z's country has had an election, a holiday shutdown for over a week and a total reorganization of their governmental body.  No wonder it's taking what seems like FOREVER :-(.

There is still no word on when the IAC (International adoption counsel) will meet again to approve referrals. It should be soon though.  The last time they met was May 20th.  We unfortunately did not get our referral during that meeting.  It's possible that our foundation over there did not get the dossier translated in time for that meeting.  

I just need to keep reminding myself that it's in God's timing.  It WILL happen.  And it WILL be worth it.

I guess the waiting gives us more time to come up with the $5665 that is due to the foundation upon referral and before travel.  We sent up $1,335 to them so far from the donations that are listed on the said.  Plus, we have been told that airline tickets are averaging about $1800 per person.  Eeeek!  We still have a ways to go so maybe this waiting is just a way to give us more TIME to raise more money.

A week from today we are having a Norwex party.  http://addingawealtothebus.blogspot.com/2013/05/norwex-party-really-healthy-way-to-clean.html

Please consider coming to the party or at least ordering products online.  Anyone who orders will be put in a drawing for the hostess gifts that I will get for hosting the party.  Plus, 25% of the sale will go directly to our adoption.

Also, we got our first check from Restaurant.com!  $100 because 10 gift cards were sold!  This is actually the best fundraiser we have (in my honest opionion).  Just think... if we sold 100 more of these certificates we would have $1,000 more to bring Z home!  Imagine if we sold 1000 of them :-).  What better way to raise money?  $20 for $50 worth of certificates and $10 of that $20 will go to Z!  Please consider it if you can.  http://addingawealtothebus.blogspot.com/2013/04/get-50-restaurant-gift-certificate-for.html  Remember when signing up for the free account with Restaurant.com, make sure that it takes you to our family page.  Otherwise, come back to this blog and click on the link again.  I've been made aware that some people who sign up are automatically taken to other peoples fundraising page.  It's easy to just come back here and enter the site again.  Any questions just ask me.  

Sorry that this post isn't more exciting and doesn't have better news to share.  Soon... Soon it will be our turn to travel.

Please be prayerful this week to all of my friends who are traveling this Friday to get their children.  Oh, it's an exciting time and at least 7 kids that I know of are coming home from Z's country this week and next week. 7 more kids REDEEMED from orphanages and placed in FAMILIES!  God moves mountains that this is proof!

Also, pray for one of my friends who lost a child while they were working so hard to bring her home.  Little Susanna (as she is known as) is dancing with Jesus now as her parents weep for not being able to show her what being in a family is like.  My heart goes out to this family.  This is the 2nd child (from our agency) who passed away since we began this process in January.  It's the sad reality and we must remember God's plan doesn't always make sense... BUT, He is in control and knows what He is doing.  For this family... I pray that they find comfort in this knowledge. 

And I pray for all the ophans in this world... that someday ALL of them will have families. Did you know that if 3 families in every church in America adopted a child, there would be no need for orphanages?