Homestudy

  God continues to amaze me with his grace. We had our homestudy this morning I was like a mad lady cleaning the house all week and the kids and Mike and even Papa(Mikes dad ) helped. Boy didn't know so much junk and trash could be in one house lol. Well it was something we needed to do anyways we got our spring cleaning done. But really I didn't need to bother she walked thru the house, she peeked in each room, made sure we had proper exits "(windows and doors), made sure all the smoke detectors worked, looked at our first aid kit,evacuation plan, looked at our fire extinguisher, gates on stairs,made sure we had locked cabinets where we keep knifes,plastic bags and cleaning supplies, (guess it helps that I do childcare and I already have all that stuff and my house is already safety proofed). She spent time with each child asking them questions and getting to know each of them. She spent time with both Mike and I too and then we had a family meeting. My kids had no questions lol. Then she went over all the paper work with Mike and I. she prayed with us and that was it. It did take over 4 hrs but it was not stressful more like a friend or relative coming over. Actually the time we had with her was very helpful as far as her telling us what's next. So all of you reading this who have not yet had your homestudy visit don't sweat it. Your social worker is there to help you, she wants the best for you and will help guide you. So don't be stressed out. Just clean up your home like you would say if you were having a family party or something really it is not bad at all.

Break down of the cost of Josiah's adoption

Some people have asked us what things cost so I thought I would break it down.

We already paid for

commitment fee $1,275

agency application fee $375

homestudy application fee $300

finger prints $40

birth certificates $205

Dr health check don't know yet.
passports are $115 each so that's $230
physiologist evaluation $250
home study $1,625
2nd set of finger prints $40

Total $4,340

The next few things we need
Family Picture for Dossier ?

 I600A  $675

FBI fingerprints $80 each so $160

We have to pay our agency $2,500 before they start on the dossier
documents apostilled  not sure yet $200
postage to send Dossier $120

total $3,655

ok then we have our 2nd payment to our agency of $1,925

and $8,500 support and service fees includes coordination fees orphanage donation ,translation and notarization of dossier, country tax humanitarian aide and assistance fund

$200 for gifts for officials

our visa $560 each so $1,120

parent medical exam $200 each so $400

transportation by car while in country $2,000

train in country $200 each so $400

translator fee for court $100

authentication of legal paperwork while in country $100

our airfare $2000 each round trip we travel twice so $8,000

hotel $200 per day we will be there 7-10 days first trip and 10-14 days the 2nd so $4,800

food for us while in country $50 per day each $1,200

Josiah's medical exam $150

Josiah's passport $75

Josiah's visa $400

 Total $19,670

Total for all $27,665

Any and all help any of you can give us will be such a blessing, please help us bring our baby home. 

one month down

I can't believe it has been a month since we committed to Josiah on Reece's Rainbow sometimes, it seems so long ago but sometimes seems like just yesterday. I think of all the stuff we have gotten done in the last month and wow we really have done a lot. This week we are getting ready for our home study visit she will be coming on sat at 9:30 in the morning so we have been cleaning up the house for her lol.



Mike and I are going today to get ss cards for him, Josh and I because we can't find ours. We will be faxing the last of our paperwork to our social worker tonight. We still have to find a psychologist to do our psychological evaluation, not too excited about that but it has to be done. We will get thru it just like all the rest of the stuff they ask us to do. It is a great learning experience for both Mike and I.


So I guess that for now not too much to tell it will probably be slow here for a while while we start getting the things ready for our dosser.We will be sending out our I600A next and have to wait for our finger print appointment for FBI. I think we have to go to Salem for that.Today we are just going to think about getting things ready for the home study visit I'm not worried or stressed about it just want to get it done.


I do have to be honest I was starting to stress a lot about the finances for all this because we haven't gotten many donations and I was just thinking about all we still have to pay for, not just the big stuff but all the little things too. But I remembered that God said he was going to take care of it so I have piece about it. I don't know where it will come from I am just trusting it will come. so far it has and all we can do is have faith that it will be there when we need it.

some day soon

Amanda My 14 year old just wrote this to Josiah.

Some day soon

Some day soon you will be happy

Away from all you tears and sorrow

Some day soon you will be filled will be filled with joy

Never having to be just "That Boy"

Some day soon your heart will feel love

 Shining like the light above

 Some day soon the darkness around you, will be no more

Because, Guess what!?

Some how we have found you!

The sun will shine upon your face

Some day soon you will know God's grace.

Some day, some way, some how, some where

Mommy and Daddy will soon be there!

I love you Josiah! Love, Your big sister Amanda!

Psychological Evaluation

we got an email from our agency today telling us what we need to do next. this is exciting because it brings us closer to going to get Josiah, but it is also scary. well maybe not scary but we just have to do so much stuff .now we have to go  get a psychological Evaluation uggg!
I am feeling a bit stressed about money I know we need to Trust in the Lord but it just gets scary when we start thinking about not only what its going to cost but what we are going to be losing by taking time off from both of our jobs for 3 weeks. 
thank you to my Daycare familys who have donated Ember,Jackson and Liam.
I will just keep trusting that God will work it all out. at least we will be busy doing all the paper work and Evaluations we have to have each step gets us closer. 

Puzzle Pieces for Josiah

Puzzle Pieces for Josiah

This puzzle will be assembled by our family. It will be framed & hung in our play room. Each piece is being "sold" for $5.00. Your name will be written on the back of the piece you purchase before it gets placed into the puzzle forever.

By participating in this fundraiser, you will become 1 of 500 people who will always be remembered by our family for helping to bring Josiah home.

To pay for your puzzle piece go to the chip in button and you can pay thru paypal. you can also send a check to us email me for address katrina9@clear.net You can also pay by cash if you want to give it to us in person. No matter how you pay please make sure to write a note saying that this is for the puzzle piece for Josiah and how many pieces you are getting and what name to put on the piece. After we put the puzzle together we will take a picture of both front and back and post it on our blog.

Do you know?

Do you know?



Do you know how much I already love you, how I look at your picture and long to hold you, long to kiss your sweet face and rub your fuzzy little head?


Do you know how I think of you in everything I do wondering what you are doing, if you are safe, how you are feeling, if someone is comforting you when you cry?


Do you know that God put you in my heart and I already love you as if you were growing in my tummy, how I hate the idea of you learning and doing all of your firsts without me,first smile,first tooth,first step,first word?


Do you know you have  sisters and  brothers that are waiting for you to come play with them, a daddy that is waiting to tickle your toes and kiss your forehead and teach you to play ball?


Do you know how many people are praying for you each day,you are special and loved?


Do you know how hard we are working to bring you home,that God loves you and will be with you no matter what and that he is bringing us to you?


Do you know?
written by Mommy for Josiah

who will pick him up when he falls?

Today one of my little daycare boys who is 3 fell down and hit his head I went a scooped him up, held him,patted his back,told him it was ok, kissed his boo boo and held and rocked him until he felt better. the whole while thinking I wonder if anyone picks up Josiah when he falls, does anyone kiss away his boo boos, does anyone rub his little back and look into his little eyes and tell him it will be ok?it made me sad. I can only pray that there are loving people taking care of him and that he feels loved.until the day that I can be there to pick him up when he falls.

Not too much going on right now, Mike ordered his birth certificate from Idaho. He got three copies and it was $70. They should come next week and then we can get our passports.

some pictures

I Just want to kiss his little head and face all over!

Thought I would share a couple more pictures with you of Josiah that we were so blessed to get.

This is Amelia's favorite picture of him she says,"I like this one because he looks like he's having fun."

garage sale

We had a garage sale today it was nice and sunny and we made $75.50. Just a start but it is just that a start.The girls were a great help today,we had fun!

I love this picture of him he has such a sweet face.

This is some of what was told to us about our little man.

Ivan is a good-natured,affectionate boy. He goes on well with otherchildren. He is very happy when he sees them. He is sociable with adultstoo. He eats and sleeps well. He can drink himself from a kids' cup, he can eat himself holding food in his hand. He is now being teached to use aspoon. He can fix his attention on certain things, manipulates objects purposefully. Gets hold of small objects. Can sit down himself. Makes attempts to stand up. Can walk with someone's help. Changes expression ofhis face. Knows his name. Performs simple commands: come here, give me atoy, etc. Repeats simple syllables.Positive dynamic is stated by the doctors.

PICTURES OF OUR FAMILY

getting the first few things sent off

we are almost done with getting all the stuff together for our home study just need to finish the autobiography and make a few copies of things. We are going today to get birth certificates. We went yesterday and got our fingerprints for the back ground check. It's funny I feel like where ever I go I need to tell people our story and about Josiah. I find myself already talking like a proud mama about him. like how the DR say he manipulates objects for a purpose. Meaning he can do things like put cups inside each other stack blocks so on, and how he is friendly and gives good eye contact.My kids talk the same way about him probably because they hear me. Amelia tells her friends all about her new little brother, she calls him our baby brother. She tells how we are adopting him and that he can't walk yet but we are going to teach him. It is so cute to see her and how proud she is of him, She loves to look at his pictures.
So we are finally sending off the $1,275 to Reece's Rainbow so they can set up our donation page. We will also send off the home study application and copies of everything along with the $300 as well as the application to the adoption agency and $375 so they can get us going on our Dossier. We had that money saved well I did anyways.. Mike was surprised when I told him I had all that. A lot of it was from the doll show I did in February, the girls and I got a booth at the doll show where you sell dolls and teddy bears and I sold a bunch of my collection and dolls I had made. The rest of the money I saved a bit here and there and my birthday money too, it all added up to be just what we needed. We have not gotten any donations yet. we are trusting in God, he said not to worry about the finances.So I will do my best to trust and listen and not worry. After we get the home study done we can apply for grants but before then we need $1,600 to pay for the home study.
I just keep thinking wow by next Christmas we will have 7 kids! I hope it is a lot sooner then that but it gives me a realistic goal.