Prayers

Many of you have asked what's going on with our adoption & when we can bring our daughters home.  I will try to let you know without complaining TOO much but it's hard at this point!

What are we waiting on now?
We are waiting on one piece of paper to be signed, picked up, translated, submitted & cleared.  Sounds simple enough, right?  So far it's been almost 2 weeks so it's really not as simple as it sounds unfortunately.

How can you pray?
Of course the number one prayer is for God's Will to be but also praying that God will have mercy and allow this to happen IMMEDIATELY for all of us!  There have been so many ups & downs, hope & hopelessness, tears, depression, stress, sickness just in the last few weeks and it continues to get worse & worse.  Please pray that the person that needs to sign this form is in the office tomorrow (tonight there) & signs the form FIRST thing in the morning. (as they were out Wednesday & Thursday last week)  This is 2 hours away from the city so our director has to drive & pick up the form 2 hours there & 2 hours back.  Then the form has to be submitted for translation.  Praying somehow he gets back in time to get that started tomorrow as well but Tuesday morning at the very latest.  The translation should take about a day & then it can be submitted to the US Embassy for approval.  Another HUGE prayer request is that this form is accepted & approved no questions asked without having to be approved by the local government office as is the norm.  That office is CLOSED until MID-OCTOBER!  Please Lord DO NOT make us wait that long!  We are praying that it is accepted & they clear us EARLY Wednesday morning in time for us to schedule our embassy appointment so we can fly out WEDNESDAY night!  YES, we plan to leave as soon as we clear.  It has been TOO long without OUR children!  It is time to bring them home & begin the attachment process!

You see, I started my FMLA last Monday so I have been off of work all week WITHOUT pay & that is important time that is supposed to be used for working on attaching to our girls & getting used to things before heading back to work.  Every day that goes by is another day less that I will have to spend with them during that important time. 

I'm sorry for driving everyone crazy these last few weeks but I have been going CRAZY!  This is complete torture!  Even though I didn't give birth to them they ARE my children & it is awful being away from them for so long.  If you haven't been through this you can't fully understand but just try to imagine leaving your biological child on the other side of the world for several months & not being able to see them, hold them, touch them, keep in contact with them.  It's miserable! 

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret this AT ALL.  I would do this all over again for my daughters but that doesn't make this any easier or make me like the process.   I know God has his own timing, but honestly I don't want to hear it.  Sorry but I don't.  It doesn't make me feel any better.  I know you have all the best intentions in the world when you tell me this, I do.  I "know" that already but I am just begging God to have mercy and allow them to come home!  Please let us clear WEDNESDAY & fly out WEDNESDAY night!  I don't think that's too much to ask after more than 3 months without our children.

We do appreciate your love & support.  Please keep praying that we can have them home right away.  I can't wait for everyone to meet them!  You will fall in love with them!

Update & What to expect later

It's been a while so I wanted to provide an update on our adoption & also give you an idea of what to expect when the girls come home.

Today our beautiful girls are 8 months old!  It's so hard to believe that we first found out about our daughters almost 6 months ago.  September 18th will be 6 months since we got our referral & saw their faces for the 1st time.  We have watched them grow from these tiny little babies & now are full of rolls through pictures!  It's amazing how much God has taken care of them when we couldn't be there to do it ourselves.  It's still difficult to know that we have missed out on SO much of their lives & missed so many important moments in their lives.  We are praying that we don't have to miss a whole other month of their lives & that they are home long before they turn 9 months. 

Here are some updated pictures of our beauties!

This was from a few weeks ago

 Chelsea

 

Lina

Sleepy Girls

Chelsea (Look at those LEGS!!! LOVE IT)

Smiley Lina

They have grown SO much since we last saw them!  I hate missing all of this!  They are both about 15 pounds which is awesome considering they were 3 1/2 pounds at birth!  They have done a great job fattening them up!  I can't wait to get my hands on those chunky legs!!!  One bummer though is that we found out shortly after these pictures were taken they shaved their heads!  ahh!  That is common in that environment for various reasons (ease in caring, lice, cultural tradition).  I was so looking forward to fixing their hair when they come home!  Hopefully it grows quickly!

We are currently waiting on the US Embassy to clear our cases so we can go pick up our girls & bring them home FOREVER!  I can't wait to get that exciting email!  We were submitted on August 31st & we're 3 1/2 weeks in & they haven't started reviewing our cases. We are praying that they will start SOON & we will get a quick approval without interviewing the police officer in person.  We appreciate any & all prayers!  We plan on hopping on the plane RIGHT AWAY when we clear!

We want to make sure everyone understand what is going to happen when we bring the girls home.  We will be going into somewhat of a hibernation!  This is very important for attachment with adopted children.  Many think this isn't as important with infants as they are babies & don't know any better but that isn't true.  Some people have success with attachment while still being out & about & around a lot of people but others end up with regression & attachment issues later on down the line.  We have to do what is best for our girls.  You have to remember that they are leaving the only place that they have ever known & coming to a strange place with strange people.   They did very well with us when we were there but we were only with them a few hours each day for 6 days.  It can be a big shock for them to never be able to see the people they know & trust again.  Even for babies.  Our girls have been at the transition home since about 1 month of age.  

We want to invite anyone & EVERYONE to our airport homecoming!  I unfortunately have never been to one of these but I have heard so many stories & seen so many pictures.  These are AWESOME!  Watching a family walk through the airport with their children for the first time... This will be a great opportunity for you to meet our girls.  We can't guarantee that everyone will be able to hold them or even if anyone will.  We will have to wait & see how our girls react & read them.  If they are happy & willing we will allow people to hold them then we will, though we will be close by so they know we're not leaving.  This will be your only real opportunity to hold them for a while. But please don't be upset with us if they don't react well & we aren't able to allow you to hold them.

Once we come home we will be limiting visitors.  Our girls need to learn to trust us & know that we are their parents.  We do this by being the ones to meet their needs.  We will be the only ones to feed them, change them & meeting any other needs that they have for several months.  We don't know yet if/when we will allow visitors.  Again it will depend on how they are reacting.  If people stop by with food we may allow short visits but ask that you respect this great need for attachment.  I know everyone will want to see them!  I mean who can resist these cuties???  This is why the airport homecoming is so important to allow people to meet them!  Of course some of this may change once we get home, we'll just have to see.  You know how wild & crazy Jack is & with him running around & 2 crying babies, I may need help.  We'll just have to take it one day at a time & will try to keep people updated on what we are & aren't allowing as far as visits, help & holding the girls.  Please do not take any offense if we say you can't come over or if you do, that you can't hold them.  It is nothing personal against you.  It is just so different than bringing home a biological child from the hospital.  It takes a LONG time for them to know that we are their parents & we are NEVER leaving them!  Some things may seem like we're SPOILING them but we're not.  It takes a LOT of met needs to undo all of the unmet needs that they've experienced in their life.  As much as their nannies LOVE them they just can't meet all of their needs in that environment. We will be holding them, wearing them, & rocking them a LOT!

We love all of our friends & family!  You all have been SO supportive to us through this ENTIRE journey & we never could have done this without you!  We ask that you continue to pray for our girls.  Pray that God continues to watch over them & keep them safe & healthy.  Pray that we can bring them HOME very soon.  And pray for patience & trust for us during this time of waiting.  This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  Having 2 of my children on the other side of the world where I can't see them.

 

Our Adoption Story on Film!

Here's a video of our adoption journey thus far!  Watch our girls from the very beginning & see how God brought us here!

Submitted

Don't have time for a full post but just wanted to let you know that we were finally SUBMITTED to the US Embassy.  From here it could be 1-8 weeks before we clear & can travel to bring our girls home.  Many families were previously clearing in 1 week but the last month or so it has been about a month.  We are praying for QUICK review & clearance of our case!

Thank you for your prayers, love & support!  So ready to bring our girls HOME!

Next Steps

So, many people want to know what is coming next in the process so here you go. 

We are waiting for our PCR results to be received back to the US Embassy.  This is

the test to show whether or not our girls actually have HIV.  However I have heard

the results aren't always accurate so we will retest them when they come home 

regardless.  I did confirm that our test was done on July 15th so Monday would be 4  

weeks. Once that is done we will be submitted to Embassy the following Wednesday. 

The results could possibly come in on Monday based on other families timelines 

but could be a couple more weeks as there is no guarantee.  I am trying not to 

hang my hat on Monday but I can’t lie & say that I’m not!!!  (my fellow adoptive 

mommas understand the craziness that comes as you get closer & closer!!!)  I 

have done EXTREMELY well, considering, but it’s getting harder & harder as time 

goes on.  Once we are submitted to the US Embassy they will be in direct contact 

with us during the process from what I understand from other families.  There 

will be an initial intake process which could be a few days to a week+.  Then 

they will schedule our finder interview.  This is when the police officer from 

Adama will come to the Embassy & confirm the facts of our case.  Many people 

clear the same day as the finder interview.  This interview could be as early 

as 1 week after submission but it appears they have been booked up & delayed on 

this portion with the last couple groups of people.  Praying they will catch up 

when it’s our time so this last step will be quick!  I’m still counting on 

traveling the 1st week in September hopefully!!!  That will work out perfectly 

with time off of work with FMLA & will put me coming back to work right after 

Thanksgiving week.  If we travel sooner I will have to come back before 

Thanksgiving which will screw up our plans to travel to be with family & we 

will have to drive ALL night Wednesday night with 3 children & be super tired 

on Thanksgiving day.  Not so fun!!!   

We will be in country for about 4 days for Embassy & then travel a LONG 17 hours

from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to DC with 2 babies!!!  Ahhh!  That’s going to be a 

LONG flight!  Praying they sleep most of the time & that we will be able to get 

a bassinet on the plane.  I will fight someone to the death to get one!!!  (or they can

listen to 2 screaming babies, their choice!!!  haha  That way we can have one of them

in there & one on a lap & the other person can trade off resting. 

We want anyone & EVERYONE to come to our airport homecoming if possible!  We 

would love to have a TON of people there to welcome our girls home!  We have had SO

many people  supporting us physically, financially & prayerfully & they are a BIG part 

of this adoption!  We are going to try to make it so we arrive on a weekend if possible 

so more people can come!  I’ve never been to an airport homecoming before but I have 

heard they are AMAZING!  Unfortunately no one from our agency is from Cincinnati so 

I haven't gotten to go to any. :(  I have seen LOTS of pictures & love it!  We will keep you

updated of when we will arrive so you can make arrangements to be there!

We can't thank you all enough for your prayers & support!  Keep our girls in your prayer

for continued health in our absence!   

I can't wait to have them in my arms again!!!

I will leave you with another picture of our girls.

This is from 4 months ago in early April.  They have grown SO much!  So grateful for the care that they have received!!

They're OURS!!! (sorry for the delay)

Well this post is WAY overdue but we want to introduce to you....

Chelsea Ann Beiment (pernounced beh-meh-net) Lance

AND

Lillina "Lina" Dibora (pernounced Dee-bor-uh) Lance

We officially passed court on June 26th & they are legally ours!  Sorry for the delay in getting this posted!  We've had lots to do since being back & still have LOTS left to do!

They are absolutely amazing!  We love them so much!!!  They are so beautiful!  I can't wait until you all can meet them in person!  You will be in love too! 

We had an amazing time learning about their country while we were there.  We were able to visit the city they were from.  We spent a couple hours with them each day.  I could spend forever telling you every detail of the trip but that would take forever.  Instead how about I just show you pictures of them!!!

Had enough cuteness for one day????

So now what, now we are waiting for the PCR results to come back for HIV & then we can be submitted to the US Embassy.  They should hopefully be in next week!!!  Praying!  We can only be submitted on Wednesday's so the following Wednesday after the results come in we should be submitted.  We could clear in 1-8 weeks from then.  Praying for 1 week!  Praying to travel the 1st week of September & that airfare will go down some by then as it is OUTRAGEOUS right now!  More info to come on what will happen when we bring the girls home!  We definitely want to have a HUGE airport homecoming & would love for anyone & everyone to come!  We will be going into at least a partial hibernation for attachment but more to come on that later!

Court Date!!!

We FINALLY have our court date! June 26^th!!! Lord willing we will officially be deemed the parents of our daughters although they have been our children in our hears for 3 months now!

We will leave here THIS Thursday afternoon & arrive in Ethiopia Friday evening. (they are 7 hours ahead of us) We will get to meet our girls Saturday morning. I CAN'T wait! We don't know what all we will do while we're there. I know we will spend a few hours each day with our girls & will go around to various areas of the city/country. They like for you to experience Ethiopia as much as possible to be able to share with your children. Plus they don't want you spending TOO much time with your children so you don't get too attached & the children don't get attached & off their normal schedule since we will be leaving them. :( We requested to visit the hospital that our girls spent a few weeks in & their home town.

I'm also excited that there will be several other families there with us visiting their children. There is a Facebook group for families in our agency. We have all gone through so much together through this journey via Facebook & it will be great to meet some of them in person!

We will leave Ethiopia late Thursday evening June 27^th. It will be a HARD leaving our girls. The last 3 months have been hard but will be nothing compared to how hard it will be meeting our girls & then LEAVING them for 3-4 months! I am going to be a ball of emotions! Please bare with me during this time! We expect to bring them home around October. There are many steps that need to take place during court & Embassy. When we pass court they will legally be our children but the US doesn't recognize that so they have to do their part of the process. More to come on that part.

I have a LOT to get done between now & Thursday!

Thank you all for your prayers during this journey! They have been felt by us & God has definitely blessed us! Continue your prayers. Pray for us as we leave Jack on Thursday as I've not left him for more than 2 days. Pray for travel safety. Pray for us as we leave our girls. Pray for health & safety for our girls until we can bring them home. Pray for a quick Embassy process so we can bring them home FOREVER!