Home for Christmas?

That is my dream...bring our child home for Christmas. Realistic? Not at all. So where are we in this process?? Waiting....still waiting. Placing calls to agencies. Waiting to get started. 

Last evening, John, Taylor, and I attended the Virginia Adopts Regional Kick-Off. It is a campaign from Governor Bob McDonnell here in Virginia. The goal is to match 1,000 kids with 1,000 families. It is a great cause and we were under the impression that this would be a good place to gather resources and information. While the night was enjoyable, I left with nothing more than statistics. There was no Q&A session, there were no tables with agencies waiting to answer questions. After we left, I was SO frustrated!! They talked about these kids not having families and how they were starting this campaign to give them families, but failed to mention HOW they were going to do so. Were they going to shorten the home study process, make more PRIDE training sessions? What was their plan? My frustration got the best of me and I decided to write a message to the Virginia Adopts facebook page...This was the message:

While the stories at the regional event were heart-touching, and the statistics were eye-opening, I don't feel like I left with any information about what the next step is or HOW you plan on getting these children adopted. What changes are being made? There was  no time for Q&A and at the end it was just, "If you work for an agency or dss then come stand up here." My family is wanting to add an older child to our family. We want to move forward NOW! But there was no info on how to do that and the last time I spoke to the dss they didn't know when the next PRIDE training was going to be.I was told, "maybe September/October timeframe.We will mail you something." We missed the last PRIDE training because my husband unexpectedly got sent underway. There is a child who's picture speaks to our whole family and I feel like we are spinning our wheels while she waits. I commend that the Governor has this campaign in motion. I just feel like there should be more useful information for people who KNOW they want to adopt from the foster care system and so badly want to move forward.

So there ya have it....frustrations verbalized. What happened next TRULY shocked me!! I received an email this morning from someone with the Office of the Governor! It stated that after reading my facebook post that he would like to speak to me and asked for my number and a good time to call me! I thought for sure I was in trouble!! So in response to his email I sent this

While the meeting last night was enjoyable, I left without any solid information. It was said that things were changing to help get these 1000 kids adopted. What is changing? The process? The fact that months go by between PRIDE training sessions, leaving potential parents waiting?

We would love nothing more than to bring a child HOME for Christmas. But we are realistic in our expectations while we continue to wait.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Very Respectfully,

Rochele Mickey

SOOOO about 5 minutes later, I got a call from a special assistant with the Office of the Governor. He wanted to hear my story and concerns. We spoke at length. He said he cannot promise me any miracles, but he would see if there was any way to fast-track things. He also asked for the child's information that we are interested in. 

If you pray, please pray for us. For progress for our family, for the Virginia Adopts Campaign, and for our child...wherever he or she may be. 

Oh yeah and this child that has spoken to our hearts....is a she ;-)

Until next time my friends....

Cue excited squealing! EEEEK

So what is so exciting?????? Let us rewind to yesterday...

remember my Finding God in walmart post?? Well we had our meeting yesterday!! It was a very informative meeting. We learned about public, private, domestic and international adoption. Our questions were answered. Then we were asked some questions. I left feeling pretty good.On the way home I asked John if he had any additional concerns or questions. He said no. He said he was surprised to hear that some private agencies do grants for adoptions. A couple minutes later I decided to be brave and ask the question I had been thinking since we left the adoption seminar....this is how that conversation went:

Me: "So babe, when do you think we should start looking into agencies?" (Then I held my breath for that answer...the one that goes something like "Soon, maybe 6 months....ya know when finances are better.") So this was what his response was:

John: "We can start now."

Me: "I'm sorry, what was that"? (I thought I misheard him. Surely he must have said Not right now"

 

John" "We can start looking now".

OK....YES....CUE EXCITED SQUEALING!!

So...we then followed that up with a talk about finances. Not a bad talk, but just what we want to accomplish prior to our home study. WOWZER...I actually am thinking about a home study...like is this really going to happen?? That is such an exciting, scary thing.

SO now the search is on...we have decided to go through a private agency and do a public/private adoption. What this means is the private agency works with the public agency (AKA social services) to help identify kids that match our profile. We are hoping to find an agency that does grants so that the out-of-pocket costs will be minimal. We could do public adoption and it would be free for us. However, as a family we have decided that having a foster child we fall in love with then having the possibility of them being taken away is just too much. I know it would be hell on me. Lexi attaches to people quickly so I know it would be very hard on her too. 

We are the minority right now. We are looking to adopt an older child. A child between the ages of 6-16. Yes, that is a pretty big range. God will bring us our child when the time is right. Taylor wants a.....well he just wants someone around his age that likes to play video games. Lexi wants a big sister. Katie wants a big brother (I guess one big brother to beat up on isnt enough!). God is the captain of this ship...so only He will be deciding the specifics of our next child :-)

Well off to get the girls into bed...maybe my next post will be about how we are already preparing for our new child. 

Until next time....

Finding God in Wal-Mart...

You can find pretty much ANYTHING in Wal-Mart. It is not my favorite place to go. Actually, I try to avoid it. However, my brother-in-law was in town and asked me to take him. So I loaded up the car and off we went. I did not plan on going inside, just sending my BIL in to get what he needed and home. When the girls saw we were at Wal-Mart they were begging to go inside. Anyone gone into Wal-Mart by themselves with a 2year and a 3 year old?? Not very much fun. But I decided I could pick up a couple things while I was out.

HOW IN THE WORLD DID I FIND GOD THERE??? HOW DOES THIS EVEN TIE INTO THIS ADOPTION BLOG???

While I was heading towards the milk, I spotted a gentlemen I had met before. Actually, it was his kids I spotted before I spotted him. I had met him at the Step Up for Down Syndrome awareness walk that I helped a very dear friend of mine with. I had also seen his children at a birthday party at the aforementioned friends house. He and his wife are so amazing and have done things I could never even dream of. They have made huge strides in helping children with Down Syndrome and other special needs get accepted and adopted. You can read a bit more here:

www.fathersheartorphanministry.com

Anyhow...I saw him and thought I would just say Hi in passing, ya know the wave and smile. I am not one to just go up to people and strike up conversation. I almost felt relief when somebody else walked up and started talking to him. Whew...off the hook!! So I continued on and got my milk. As I was heading back by I just felt like I HAD to stop and talk to him.  So sweaty palms and all I did. I told him I was Alanna's babysitter and that I had met him at the walk. Also, that I had met the kids at her birthday party. They brought home their youngest daughter in December so I got to meet her and we chatted for a bit. I told him adoption was something my husband and I talk about. He then invited us to an informative class he does. It covers domestic and international adoptiong. He gave me his email and told me to email him and we would set something up...within the next week or two!! I walked away, my heart was pounding and a huge smile on my face.

God is SO amazing! He placed this amazing man in Wal-Mart. He urged me to talk to him. He was there by my side pushing me towards this man, testing my ability to be obedient.

Yes God, this is YOUR path. I merely wish to travel it as your will commands me to. 

I have been sooo discontent thinking that we can't even consider moving forward until Sept/October when the next PRIDE classes are. But I feel like THIS is a step forward. Knowledge is power and hopefully after this meeting, both John and I will be much more knowledgble.

Oh yeah, this meeting...it is THIS Saturday!!!