Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Trying to pull it all together

I am So glad I have a super SMART husband :) I don't know how I would handle all the paper work and collecting everything we have to collect--it's crazy! I am definitly NOT good at these things, luckily my wonderful hubby is. He has been doing SO much, it warms my heart and I thank God for the change in his heart. I had to talk him into this for over a year and a half. But, atlast..he is here. I can't even describe how good it feels to both be on the same page about adoption and what's really important in this life. I hope we have such a wonderful experience with our first adoption that it will just be a matter of 'when' we do it again. There are only so many TRULY important things one can do here on earth, and adoption, especially special needs adoption, is at the top of that list.
I wish I knew more about Hunter, it's hard thinking about him all the time with such limited information. Will he understand that he is being adopted and leaving the orphanage and that we will be his family? Does he understand what a family is? What a mama is? I don't know where he is at cognitivly speaking. Can he even hear at all? I don't know. But I sure hope that once we get him home we can improve the hearing he may have in his one ear. I really don't know what the extent of the kidney issue is, or the hydrocephaly, but I am hoping neither will be much of a problem for him.
I bought him a stuffed bear and a really soft blanket the other day. Also got a memory box to fill will with mementos from his country. Have clothes in the dresser and his bed is waiting. Please pray it all goes as we hope and we can be HOME before Christmas!

Friday, September 25, 2009

finger prints today

Hi All, ( my 3 people who have seen this blog, LOL)
had my finger prints done today for the back ground check. Still wading through the papers. I get depressed on the days that I feel like I didn't make any progress at all in that day. I want to do something everyday to be one step closer to bringing him home.
I still don't know much at all about him. Mostly just his special needs, which some I don't even know the extent of. I don't know if he can hear at all. I don't think he can speak at all. Cleft palate, crossed ectopic kidney, hydrocephaly, missing one ear all together. But I tell ya, that little smile of his can completely melt my heart. What ever issues he has medically, we will face together and get through them. I just CAN'T wait to love him, and hold him and teach him all about a mamma's love.
I do wish I had some personality information on him. I don't. Not at all. But he certainly looks like a sweetie. Don't worry, I am not fooling myself too much, and I know that I should expect anything- but really I still think he will be a complete sweetie :)
Thank you to the nice lady who offered to help me with my blog! How very kind of you. I do have teenagers that are quite good at that sort of thing, it's just a matter of getting them to slow down enough to help their mom for a few minutes!
When they do~ I will post lots of pictures of the family and some more of Hunter :)
I would love to hear from others that have adopted from Ukraine, specifically orphanage 20.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I am technologically challenged...

O.K so this is the most BORING blog ever!! I have to figure out how to do things-- I don't even know how to put pictures on here! Pathetic, I know. I may just throw in the towel and forget the whole thing, I mean REALLY, who is reading this anyway?! :)

Monday, September 21, 2009

Lots to do

Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork! UGH.
The whole adoption process can be very intimidating and overwhelming. BUT...I'm sure very much worth it! I am SO excited to see him in person, I keep imagining the way it will be... CAN'T WAIT, but it seems so far away.
Doesn't he have the SWEETEST smile you have EVER seen??? I could stare at him all day!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Wow, how exciting to see that I have a comment! :)

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Finding Hunter

Hello! This is my first attempt at a blog as I am not real computer savvy! But here is goes.

This blog is about our journey into international adoption and the sweet little boy that has captured my heart,Hunter, from Eastern Europe. He just turned 5 on August 26th, and will be transferred to a mental institution soon, if not adopted. When I saw his sweet smile, I knew in my heart he was to be my son. I am far from the "type" to jump into something like this. I don't like to fly, I don't really like to be away from home and certainly not away from my kiddo's, but I believe the Lord is leading me and will clear the path to our little boy.
My husband of more than 19 years is the blessing of my life! He is everything I could want in a husband. But I have to say, it did take some persuading to get him to come around to the idea of adopting, after all, we do have 6 biological children already!

I am a stay at home mom, always have been, and love it. But we do have only one income,and international adoption is SO costly, so I can see why he would be apprehensive. But, after I shared with him that 80% of children transferred to an institution die with in the first year, he stopped putting up any resistance and I believe God changed his heart, or atleast led him in the right direction!

Please pray for us on our journey, and if you feel led, we would SO appreciate any financial help you could give us by donating to help bring Artiom home. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!