Life gets busy and time flashes by......except when you are in the middle of an adoption. We are approaching another Christmas season with joyous hearts in celebration of our savior, but also with pits of sadness. We will celebrate the season one child short of our hopes. We applied to our first adoption agency in Sept of 2011 with the intentions that we would have a completed adoption around this time. However our road has been a bit bumpy. We are not only on our second agency, but now our third...
We received a four day notice that our second agency out of California would be closing its doors and they had made arrangements to transfer our file and money to another agency in California. Obviously this was a shock, and concerning....but it also didn't rock me to my core like the first change. It was one of those moments again that I had to battle with my maker and question if we had really heard him correctly, we he whispered the dreams of building our family through international adoption. We just let this resignate in our souls for a few days...okay weeks...4 to be exact. I felt a sense of peace but the skeptic in me couldn't help but not be okay with this transition. Mostly because I am not in control of this process and that is hard to manage when you are someone who usually has life all together and a plan in place for almost everything! Graciously we have super friends that have prayed us along in our journey and gave us a reminder that there is a plan and a purpose for our delays/transitions.
We were told that there would be no delays and not really affect our case, literately because we are just sitting on a waiting list and we are not really in the middle of anything but a big long wait! We received a call the week of Thanksgiving that reassured us that God is ultimately in charge our plan. We were notified that we are at the top of the waiting list and should be one of the next families that receives a referral from our region. So that being said, it could be 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months, or 5 years before we actually get our child, but at least we have the reminder in our soul that we have not been forgotten and the Lord is patiently knitting our family together oceans apart. Our child has most likely been born and is waiting eagerly to really feel loved for the very first time. This has opened a whole new set of emotions, mostly in my prayer life....literately like a pregnancy..when you spend hours worrying that they are healthy and praying that God has built this incredible person inside you. Now we pray for the health and safety of our child. I pray that they are warm and safe in an orphanage somewhere in eastern Siberia. Who prays for their child to be in an orphanage? I guess me! I pray that for several reasons. First, this means they are most likely registered on the Russian adoption database and that they will be open for international adoption soon. Second this means they have the basic necessities that they need, mostly a warm place to lay their sweet head at night. Third, it means there is some sort of social interaction taking place allowing my child's mind to grow, allows them to hear other voices, play with a few broken toys or maybe be blessed by a Russian orthodox priest that visits them. Maybe, just maybe they can hear the Lords voice singing them the lullabies in their heart that we pray for.
We are getting anxious, we are getting nervous, we are getting ready....if you can ever be ready? Each day when our phone rings, I think to myself could this be the one? Then I have to remind myself to answer the phone because we still live in the days of a landline but rarely answer it. Our little C is starting to take an interest in babies and if asked if he wants a brother of sister...he always replys with Sidney! which in his two year old language that means a sister. Sidney is another two year old he has went to daycare with since he was 4 months old. We shall see what is in store for us.
Jeremy is feeling a boy, I am feeling a girl...............only God knows who will join the Hatfield family.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Roller coaster Ride
When were told by so many people that International adoption would be a roller coaster ride, I think we ignored that a bit..and figured we had managed through infertility and invitro - we could handle about anything! We can but it is a challenge.
We received news this week that our current adoption agency is closing its door this week. So yes, we got a 4 day notice of this change. They have moved our files and case and money directly over to another agency in California to continue our adoption. This move was made without us, basically to allow families to stay where they are in the process.
A couple of concerns of ours us are that this new agency has not processed Russian Adoptions since 2008...so this means during all the changes in the last several years with the process and requirements - we have been reassured it will be a smooth transition but I am not sure this resignates in my soul that way yet. We really don't want to pull out of our spot, we have fallen love with an area of Eastern Siberia called CHITA, not many agencies work in this particular region and they don't seem to care what the rest of Russia is doing and they process adoptions in spite of any turmoil elsewhere. We really believe this is where our child is waiting patiently for us.
We are disappointed because this is the second agency that has closed their doors on us during our journey, then you wonder if this is God whispering "stop".
We would ask for prayers of reassurance to make sure we are on the right path and the right country and at the right time of our life.
We love you baby - where ever you are, we will come get you!
We received news this week that our current adoption agency is closing its door this week. So yes, we got a 4 day notice of this change. They have moved our files and case and money directly over to another agency in California to continue our adoption. This move was made without us, basically to allow families to stay where they are in the process.
A couple of concerns of ours us are that this new agency has not processed Russian Adoptions since 2008...so this means during all the changes in the last several years with the process and requirements - we have been reassured it will be a smooth transition but I am not sure this resignates in my soul that way yet. We really don't want to pull out of our spot, we have fallen love with an area of Eastern Siberia called CHITA, not many agencies work in this particular region and they don't seem to care what the rest of Russia is doing and they process adoptions in spite of any turmoil elsewhere. We really believe this is where our child is waiting patiently for us.
We are disappointed because this is the second agency that has closed their doors on us during our journey, then you wonder if this is God whispering "stop".
We would ask for prayers of reassurance to make sure we are on the right path and the right country and at the right time of our life.
We love you baby - where ever you are, we will come get you!
Friday, September 7, 2012
We have a few pieces of our paperwork that expired Sept 1st, so we have those updated and new shiney gold stickers on them and they will be on there way to Russia. This should be the only paperwork we need to update prior to recieving our referral. We are litterly just waiting for a phone call. However we are not really expecting this call much before Christmas, so don't get to anxious. Meanwhile we are staying busy with Little C! He is getting so big and will be turning two soon, he is really starting to talk now and when you ask him if he wants a brother or sister he replies with Sissy....
so that is probably sister or it could be a brother to pick on? : -)
Hilary Hope Photography graciously spent a saturday with us, capturing our adoptive hearts! We had a lot of fun and it gave us a chance to share our adoption story with a new friend!
Hilaryhopephoto.com
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Living Tree Jamboree
We don't have any news to report from Russia. This is that really long waiting part, where you just carry on with life and wonder when you will get a call from your adoption agency and when you do get one you hope they are calling with good news....So we wait!
What have we done with our time? We have worked with a group of friends to put together Living Tree Jamboree! This is a fundraiser event that is being held next Thurs, Aug 23rd. If you live in the Kansas City area we invite you to come, if you don't we invite you to come too...we just relize that is probably not possable. This will be a really fun night at a local Winery that is more a reception hall but it is called Belvoir Winery who has graciously donated their facility free during the week, which is why this is on a Thursday night. We have a live band that has willing stepped forward to make this event rockin! They coin themselves with party rock with bluesy soul. We also plan to have a person on hand taking photographs and doing fun photo style pics for the event. We have also had some people step forward and donate some really cool things for a silent auction and doorprizes. It will be a great night!
Here is where it started:
We have applied for several financial grants to help with our adoption and we have gotten turned down from all of them. We don't really know why but our guess is that we "look" like we make too much money on paper. I say look because all they see is our Tax forms. We are a middle class family doing good, however we still don't have 30K sitting around just to spend! This isn't a pity party, we clearly knew how much it cost to adopt before we embarked on this journey and we also know how much it will cost us at the fertility clinic so we get to take our pick of financial investments...and we felt strongly about adoption.
Here is where it will go:
Along this journey we have decided to start our own Non-profit organization to help other middle class adoptive families in the Kansas City area. We will start some of our official paperwork this fall during our wonderful wait from Siberia! Our organization is going to be called Living Tree! We hope that Lving Tree Jamboree is a hit and that it can be our annual event that helps raise funds for us to share with other adoptive families. I know that we will have the opportunity to encourage and bless others to step forward and say yes to adoption. Our personal hearts are with international adoption but we will not limit the people we help by the means of their adoption wether it be international, domestic, or foster system.
We don't know what Living Tree fully looks like yet, we are stilll in incubatin stages waiting for the right time to move forward on our own or partner with another non-profit that has a heart for adoption too. We are willing to listen and consider all our options at this time and we know that when the time is right we will know too. So if you are a praying person we ask that you pray about Living Tree and for us to get a clear vision of where to head. But mostly that it will be a sucess and that the leaves of the tree can be used to heal all nations!
Living Tree - Got its start from Rev 22:2
What have we done with our time? We have worked with a group of friends to put together Living Tree Jamboree! This is a fundraiser event that is being held next Thurs, Aug 23rd. If you live in the Kansas City area we invite you to come, if you don't we invite you to come too...we just relize that is probably not possable. This will be a really fun night at a local Winery that is more a reception hall but it is called Belvoir Winery who has graciously donated their facility free during the week, which is why this is on a Thursday night. We have a live band that has willing stepped forward to make this event rockin! They coin themselves with party rock with bluesy soul. We also plan to have a person on hand taking photographs and doing fun photo style pics for the event. We have also had some people step forward and donate some really cool things for a silent auction and doorprizes. It will be a great night!
Here is where it started:
We have applied for several financial grants to help with our adoption and we have gotten turned down from all of them. We don't really know why but our guess is that we "look" like we make too much money on paper. I say look because all they see is our Tax forms. We are a middle class family doing good, however we still don't have 30K sitting around just to spend! This isn't a pity party, we clearly knew how much it cost to adopt before we embarked on this journey and we also know how much it will cost us at the fertility clinic so we get to take our pick of financial investments...and we felt strongly about adoption.
Here is where it will go:
Along this journey we have decided to start our own Non-profit organization to help other middle class adoptive families in the Kansas City area. We will start some of our official paperwork this fall during our wonderful wait from Siberia! Our organization is going to be called Living Tree! We hope that Lving Tree Jamboree is a hit and that it can be our annual event that helps raise funds for us to share with other adoptive families. I know that we will have the opportunity to encourage and bless others to step forward and say yes to adoption. Our personal hearts are with international adoption but we will not limit the people we help by the means of their adoption wether it be international, domestic, or foster system.
We don't know what Living Tree fully looks like yet, we are stilll in incubatin stages waiting for the right time to move forward on our own or partner with another non-profit that has a heart for adoption too. We are willing to listen and consider all our options at this time and we know that when the time is right we will know too. So if you are a praying person we ask that you pray about Living Tree and for us to get a clear vision of where to head. But mostly that it will be a sucess and that the leaves of the tree can be used to heal all nations!
Living Tree - Got its start from Rev 22:2
You can check out all the fundraiser event details at:
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Russian officials ratify the US/Russian adoption agreement!
This is a big relief for adoptive families. This will allow all regions in Russia to continue adoptions by Americans. There is thousands of children that need a home outside of the overcrowded orphanages.
Newspaper article
This is a big relief for adoptive families. This will allow all regions in Russia to continue adoptions by Americans. There is thousands of children that need a home outside of the overcrowded orphanages.
Newspaper article
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Paperwork to Russia
So this means we are litterly waiting for the call!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Garage Sale
We have spent the last few months collecting bags and boxes and stuff from lots of friends for the big garage sale, it is over. Thankfully! It was a great success but it was consuming and a bit overwhelming but really cool at the same time. I wanted to share with you a few things that happened in the last few days..
Weds night I had a few people over to help me unpack and organize and we felt like we didn't even make any difference, however we hung over 300 items on hangers and sorted things into piles of where we could put them. The girls left about at 1030 and I sat in a packed garage with garage sale signs to color, the garage door open and rain pouring down and just simply prayed over the items we had and the impact it was going to have for our family and mostly for the amazing friends that have graciously given us their "junk".
At the sale here are a few standout moments:
1. A mother and daughter stopped by early on Friday afternoon and decided to buy an over sized chair and ottoman we had. They couldn't figure out how to get it around the corner home, so we offered to load it in a minivan we had. Later that day they came back and dropped off some baby items and a huge bag of tween clothes and simply said they wanted to donate these things to us to help us on our journey.
2. Had another adoptive family come by with their little guy they adopted from Taiwan last summer, I had met his mom before at another event and I followed their adoption story last year through some mutual friends, but it was so cool to have them come by and share their story with our friends and just simply support us.
3. I met an adoptive mother of 21 years and she shared her journey of having 1 biological son and adopting her 2nd son and how much that journey changed her life and that she sometimes forgets she adopted him because he is loved just the same as her biological son.
4. I chatted with a man that was adopted, along with his father and how he is from an adoptive family and that he shares the same love for adoption that we do.
5. we had a couple of families from our church that saw on facebook we were using the donations toward our adoption and they came to find something to buy to help, one sweet couple simple bought two bottles of water and gave us a $10 to help us out.
6. At roughly 10 on Saturday we had several of our friends all randomly show up to the sale just to support us...it was really cool. I asked if they all planned to be there at the same time and they said NO, I don't care either way but if they all just happened to show up at the same time...I think God had a reminder message for me that he is in charge and will find a way to make this happen.
7. We were packing up and a family drove up and asked about a coffee table we had that was out and I told them they could have it for $5, because I was sending it to the donation center if not and the husband got out to load it and told his wife to give us $15 because we were trying to adopt from Russia....I helped him with the table and he asked what part we were adopting from, and I told him and he smiled and told me his best friend had adopted his kids from Russia 5 years ago....His wife gave us a $20 and told us to keep the change.
8. I met a few Nurses that were awesome! I wasn't planning on selling my scrubs but she was interested in the few I had out and I told her I had a a whole tote full that I haven't worn in at least a year because I don't need to wear them anymore and I would be happy to let her look through them. She took me up on the offer and she ended up buying most of them, it created an opportunity to talk about our adoption and then her children wanted to help...They each chose something from the sale to buy and donate to their church but knew it was helping bring our baby home, they asked if they could come see the baby once we get him or her hom? It melted my heart.
9. I had a moment to stand out in the driveway and watch my friends swindle with the customers and I looked around at all the donations and hard work and dedication from our friends that helped make this work...it was an amazing site...and feeling to know how much support we have to make this happen. It brought a tear to my eyes!
10. J & I had a semi-formal event that we got tickets too and we had several friends offer to stay and keep the sale open. We also had some other friends that had a date night planned and they showed up to the sale to see what they could help do and they took cookie dough home from my freezer and baked cookies for us to sale on Sat. What a date night.
All together the sale a was a success, we made close to our goal and and we had a great opportunity to give away the remaining items, a local church that came to our neighborhood and picked up any leftovers. So it was a win win for everyone. Thank you to all of you that donated items, baked goods or your time for this, we really could not have done this without you! We feel so blessed to have you guys as friends and mostly supporting our journey to Russia!
1. A mother and daughter stopped by early on Friday afternoon and decided to buy an over sized chair and ottoman we had. They couldn't figure out how to get it around the corner home, so we offered to load it in a minivan we had. Later that day they came back and dropped off some baby items and a huge bag of tween clothes and simply said they wanted to donate these things to us to help us on our journey.
2. Had another adoptive family come by with their little guy they adopted from Taiwan last summer, I had met his mom before at another event and I followed their adoption story last year through some mutual friends, but it was so cool to have them come by and share their story with our friends and just simply support us.
3. I met an adoptive mother of 21 years and she shared her journey of having 1 biological son and adopting her 2nd son and how much that journey changed her life and that she sometimes forgets she adopted him because he is loved just the same as her biological son.
4. I chatted with a man that was adopted, along with his father and how he is from an adoptive family and that he shares the same love for adoption that we do.
5. we had a couple of families from our church that saw on facebook we were using the donations toward our adoption and they came to find something to buy to help, one sweet couple simple bought two bottles of water and gave us a $10 to help us out.
6. At roughly 10 on Saturday we had several of our friends all randomly show up to the sale just to support us...it was really cool. I asked if they all planned to be there at the same time and they said NO, I don't care either way but if they all just happened to show up at the same time...I think God had a reminder message for me that he is in charge and will find a way to make this happen.
7. We were packing up and a family drove up and asked about a coffee table we had that was out and I told them they could have it for $5, because I was sending it to the donation center if not and the husband got out to load it and told his wife to give us $15 because we were trying to adopt from Russia....I helped him with the table and he asked what part we were adopting from, and I told him and he smiled and told me his best friend had adopted his kids from Russia 5 years ago....His wife gave us a $20 and told us to keep the change.
8. I met a few Nurses that were awesome! I wasn't planning on selling my scrubs but she was interested in the few I had out and I told her I had a a whole tote full that I haven't worn in at least a year because I don't need to wear them anymore and I would be happy to let her look through them. She took me up on the offer and she ended up buying most of them, it created an opportunity to talk about our adoption and then her children wanted to help...They each chose something from the sale to buy and donate to their church but knew it was helping bring our baby home, they asked if they could come see the baby once we get him or her hom? It melted my heart.
9. I had a moment to stand out in the driveway and watch my friends swindle with the customers and I looked around at all the donations and hard work and dedication from our friends that helped make this work...it was an amazing site...and feeling to know how much support we have to make this happen. It brought a tear to my eyes!
10. J & I had a semi-formal event that we got tickets too and we had several friends offer to stay and keep the sale open. We also had some other friends that had a date night planned and they showed up to the sale to see what they could help do and they took cookie dough home from my freezer and baked cookies for us to sale on Sat. What a date night.
All together the sale a was a success, we made close to our goal and and we had a great opportunity to give away the remaining items, a local church that came to our neighborhood and picked up any leftovers. So it was a win win for everyone. Thank you to all of you that donated items, baked goods or your time for this, we really could not have done this without you! We feel so blessed to have you guys as friends and mostly supporting our journey to Russia!
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