ADOPTION PROCESS PROGRESS REPORT

Well, it's been way too long since I've blogged. I got slammed with school and a bunch of other stuff. A slew of blog posts are coming soon I think. We'll see. But at least this one for starters.

SHANNON IS AN ADDICT: yes, my wife is a blog reading addict. Warning to the adoptive families of the world: If you speak english, have a blog, and are adopting a child from a foreign country... then my wife is stalking you and taking notes. This is her chosen method of meeting with people to learn from their experiences. We don't talk to people, we just peer in their public windows. :)

HOME STUDY INTERVIEWS ARE DONE: Well, we filled out some papers and wrote this really big check and then this lady named Darcy came to our house twice. She looked around a little, asked some questions of us and our kids, and now is going to type up some report. Her biggest concern is that we are too poor on paper to have 5 kids and she thought immigration might flag our report. HAAA! Welcome to pastor/substitute teacher pay. We're not rich enough to adopt. :) Somebody better tell God- he doesn't seem to believe it. Anyway, once the report is typed up, then it goes through a series of "tag you're it" people and then they use it in Uganda to say we can parent kids.

KIDS ARE MERGING ROOMS. Tyler and TJ have officially moved in together. TJ's old bunk has now become a double bunk with the world's longest mattress. It's two twin beds that by the grace of God, fit in just perfect. But if you want to change the sheets, better get a crane and a bowl of wheaties cuz they are crammed in there. Now I need to build Tyler a dresser and find a solution for Becky, Billy, and Jake for desks. Here's a pic of my kids in the monster bed, the now expanded and messy desk below, and tyler experimenting with gang signs evidently.


MONEY IS COMING IN. We have started receiving some checks. Last week someone donated the largest check we have ever received from a non-direct family member. Lots of people have given sacrificially and the stories and e-mails of how this has happened are such an encouragement and have brought us to tears more than once. Thank you to all of you. If you're praying, spreading the word, using your talents, or cutting checks of any size- you are with us in this journey we call adoption. THANK YOU!!!

SPEAKING OF TEARS, HERE'S OUR KIDS READING OUR BOOK: We've been told that Becky wants a pink bike. Billy.. get this... Billy's biggest point of excitement is that his bed in the picture has a pillow. Kid wants a pillow. I swear, it's taking every bone in my body not to just fill his bed with pillows so when he comes home he can't even find the mattress. I might just buy him a new one every month. I love new pillows. We're going to get along just fine- especially if he loves new cushy socks too. (notice them praying over my kids here too. So thankful for a God-fearing orphanage)



GOOGLE EARTH SAYS IT IS 9427 MILES: That's how far it is from my front door to the orphanage. I need like Mrs. Incredible stretchy arms. It was fun to show our kids at dinner last night though. What a crazy satelite world we live in! Bet the peeps who dreamed up satelites never dreamed I could access data from it at my kitchen table or on my iphone.