OK almost packed, but completely booked. We leave on Thanksgiving Day and arrive Tirana at Noon on Friday. We are staying with bloggy friends on Friday night and then going up to Shkoder on Saturday. We would love to go on Friday, but after that many hours on the plane and the need to adjust as well as shower, we decided to wait a day and meet our daughter with clear heads and clean bodies! We also fear that are luggage will not make it until Saturday because of a 35 minute layover in Munich. Yup you read that correctly 35 minutes. The airlines say it can be done but I don’t know, last time we had a 50 minute layover and we barely made it forget about the bags. So sometime late Thursday night early Friday morning we will be running though an airport, because I do not want to wait one extra day to meet our Daughter!
It looks like we have an apartment to rent for a very good deal while we are in Shkoder, which is making me very happy. This means that we will have a kitchen and if I am still up there for Christmas a living room in which to celebrate the Holiday. But we have to wait to see about that we may be done with all the paperwork in Shkoder sooner which means we may be down in Tirana by Christmas. Just have to play it by ear.
The last few days have been spent running around getting paperwork done, clothes bought for Marjada, (we sort of know her sizes) Christmas shopping and wrapping finished, packing, food cooked and frozen for Ben and an electronic dog door put in for Lucky! And Bob is working like a crazy person as they finish up one job and prepare to start another. Things have been crazy. You would think that 2 years and 9 months we could have had some things ready, but instead it’s as though it’s been 2 weeks!
Well next time you hear from me I’ll be in Albania!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Court Date!
I received an e-mail this morning letting us know that we have a court date of December 4th! A bit later than we were first told but we are just thrilled to finally have it! We have not yet booked tickets, but are tentatively planning on leaving Thanksgiving Day. Most of the time people have to have two court dates; we are planning on this as well. Usually the second court date is a week after the first. Bob will be leaving once the court stuff is settled and returning for our trip home. I will be staying with Marjada. So when will the trip home be? Well we would love to know that as well! :) With this later court date we do fear that the Holidays could possible push everything back a week or so, but we are still hoping to be home mid- January. I sure hope Marjada is ready for Michigan in January!
I sent a photo album over to BCS offices about two weeks ago and am happy to report that they have finally received it; we are being told that they will send it to Marjada soon; we hope that it will help ease her anxiousness. They are telling us she is really excited about being adopted but I am sure she is a bit nervous, I mean I sure would be! Hopefully a few random shots of her new family and house will help prepare her.
We continue to be in awe of what God has done for us, opening our hearts to adoption is a true blessing. We continue to ask for prayers in the next few weeks in months, so many changes ahead but we know that with his strength we are protected.
I sent a photo album over to BCS offices about two weeks ago and am happy to report that they have finally received it; we are being told that they will send it to Marjada soon; we hope that it will help ease her anxiousness. They are telling us she is really excited about being adopted but I am sure she is a bit nervous, I mean I sure would be! Hopefully a few random shots of her new family and house will help prepare her.
We continue to be in awe of what God has done for us, opening our hearts to adoption is a true blessing. We continue to ask for prayers in the next few weeks in months, so many changes ahead but we know that with his strength we are protected.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Waiting is the Hardest Part
I think it was Tom Petty that sang that song! And he’s right waiting is the hardest part!
So we are patiently or truth be told impatiently waiting for our travel date. They tell us soon, but after almost three years soon has become a very relative term. We have been keeping busy; I’ve been getting Marjada’s room ready and doing Christmas shopping for the whole family as it looks like I may not be here.
Lucky’s cancer is back and that was a very hard thing to swallow because the cancer he has is aggressive and just the thought of not being here for him in his last days is so hard. Amazingly MSU called to ask if we would put him in a study where they pay for everything and try a new chemo drug on him. So I took him to Lansing a couple of weeks ago and so far so good, he’s responding well and it looks like he will at least stay healthy while we are gone. There is no cure but I think we can stress a little less while we are gone.
One last thing, we are going to put a lock on our blog for the next few months. For those of you that are friends, family and fellow adoptive friends we ask that you please continue to follow us, we need your thoughts, encouragement and most importantly your prayers. We just feel as though we need to protect some of the sensitive information that we want to share with you from the entire world. We hope you understand. If you find yourself locked out just send me an e-mail and I’ll make sure you get an invite!
I hope to be sharing a travel date soon!
So we are patiently or truth be told impatiently waiting for our travel date. They tell us soon, but after almost three years soon has become a very relative term. We have been keeping busy; I’ve been getting Marjada’s room ready and doing Christmas shopping for the whole family as it looks like I may not be here.
Lucky’s cancer is back and that was a very hard thing to swallow because the cancer he has is aggressive and just the thought of not being here for him in his last days is so hard. Amazingly MSU called to ask if we would put him in a study where they pay for everything and try a new chemo drug on him. So I took him to Lansing a couple of weeks ago and so far so good, he’s responding well and it looks like he will at least stay healthy while we are gone. There is no cure but I think we can stress a little less while we are gone.
One last thing, we are going to put a lock on our blog for the next few months. For those of you that are friends, family and fellow adoptive friends we ask that you please continue to follow us, we need your thoughts, encouragement and most importantly your prayers. We just feel as though we need to protect some of the sensitive information that we want to share with you from the entire world. We hope you understand. If you find yourself locked out just send me an e-mail and I’ll make sure you get an invite!
I hope to be sharing a travel date soon!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
One Step Closer
Signed, Notarized and Apostilled! Ready to be sent. On Monday I’ll drive them in to Grand Rapids and they should be on their way!
We are one step closer to bringing her home forever .
We are one step closer to bringing her home forever .
Friday, October 9, 2009
Do A Little Dance
Today we received the paperwork we have been waiting for since March. We now have to have them notarized and apostilled. We are being told that if we get this paperwork back to Albania by October 25th we may have a court date in early Nov. Can you see the smile on our faces!
The only hic-up is with immigration; our fingerprints expire in mid Oct. so we are going in next week to get them updated. I still don’t understand how fingerprints expire, but I won’t go off about that here :)
We are just going to continue to pray that the process goes smoothly and swiftly. With the help of God we could be home just in time for Christmas!
The only hic-up is with immigration; our fingerprints expire in mid Oct. so we are going in next week to get them updated. I still don’t understand how fingerprints expire, but I won’t go off about that here :)
We are just going to continue to pray that the process goes smoothly and swiftly. With the help of God we could be home just in time for Christmas!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Doing Back Flips
Our day is finally here! This morning I called our SW (it’s Tuesday, a day she works) to let her know that we received the paperwork to have our fingerprints updated. And she let me know that she had just received an e-mail from her boss saying that the AAC had their meeting last Friday and as promised they put Marjada on the international list and then went ahead and assigned her to us! I was sitting in my doctor’s waiting room and just about jumped off my chair. I was quickly told that I had to turn off my cell phone so I sent out a quick text (sorry for all the misspellings) and rushed my poor doctor so I could get out of there and make my phone calls.
Now we are back to waiting. We have to wait for the paperwork to arrive so we can sign it and send it back. Then the judge will get it and assign a court date at which time we can travel! This usually takes 4-6 weeks. We still don’t know if they have told her yet it was on my list of questions which should be answered by Thursday.
Please keep up the prayers we are only one step closer but it sure feels great!
Praise God for the gift of adoption!
Now we are back to waiting. We have to wait for the paperwork to arrive so we can sign it and send it back. Then the judge will get it and assign a court date at which time we can travel! This usually takes 4-6 weeks. We still don’t know if they have told her yet it was on my list of questions which should be answered by Thursday.
Please keep up the prayers we are only one step closer but it sure feels great!
Praise God for the gift of adoption!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Latest
The latest is unfortunately not much different than the past six months. We are being told that the AAC has not meant yet, no reason just hasn’t to Bethany's knowledge. They still expect them to have their September meeting but I guess it will be in October. Historically they meet the third Friday of the month so I really hope we don't have to wait that long. We did hear that when the orphanage that Marjada lives in had their September meeting they did reference Marjada. Apparently when the AAC meets at the end of September she will be placed on the international list and that she has a family from Bethany that will be adopting her. Now we don't know if they received this information from Bethany or the AAC, but we are happy that they know she is going to be placed with us. As you can imagine we are jumping every time the phone rings or I hear that peep of a new e-mail this adoption stuff is not for the faint of heart I'm here to tell you!
HFTW took their mission trip earlier last month and they once again saw our sweet little Marjada, they reported to us that she is still a wonderful, sweet and smart little girl. They sent me a picture of her in front of her birthday cake and I must tell you it brought tears to my eyes to see how happy she was to have a party, just for her. Without sponsors these kids don't get to have a party at all, many have never had anyone celebrate the day they were born, breaks my heart. They also took her shopping for her big day! It's great to know that they made that day all about her.
So we are praying that the AAC meets and that we get our travel dates soon. I will keep you all posted and thank you so much for all the phone calls and e-mails we feel so blessed that so many of you are thinking of us.
HFTW took their mission trip earlier last month and they once again saw our sweet little Marjada, they reported to us that she is still a wonderful, sweet and smart little girl. They sent me a picture of her in front of her birthday cake and I must tell you it brought tears to my eyes to see how happy she was to have a party, just for her. Without sponsors these kids don't get to have a party at all, many have never had anyone celebrate the day they were born, breaks my heart. They also took her shopping for her big day! It's great to know that they made that day all about her.
So we are praying that the AAC meets and that we get our travel dates soon. I will keep you all posted and thank you so much for all the phone calls and e-mails we feel so blessed that so many of you are thinking of us.
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