Our Village is Awesome

Wow. We are so extremely thankful. The garage sale is just two days away, and the building we are using is popping at the seams with donated garage sale items from so many loving hearts. We feel the big love for our special little girl, and for us...not just from the all the donated items, but also because of your sweet words and encouragement!  Meanwhile, we know friends and family are working hard on planning the cook-out supper. It is humbling to see others using so much of their own time on behalf of our family. We feel undeserving.

Words will not do justice, so we just want to say, "Thank YOU!" So much...for caring for a little girl you have never met. It means so much. 

Some majorly fun news! This week we are waiting to hear news on our 'Article 5' from the U.S. embassy in I*d*a. This step is related to her VISA application. After this step is approved, we will be waiting on our NOC, and this is I*d*a's "No objection" for A to be placed with us. Whoot! That is the Big Daddy of the adoption process. There is of course another process after this, but each step is very, very exciting. After the NOC is issued, A will find out about us. I can't wait to start working on a photo book to send to her of her family and friends that love her so much.

God is amazing. You guys are pretty cool too.

xoxo

Adoption Happenings

Our adoption benefit garage sale is coming right up. We are working hard on getting it up and running!

It is next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 26-28,  from 8-6 at the old American Legion building {{9415 W. US Route 36, outside of Covington}}.

We are so thankful and feel incredibly blessed for all the people who have so generously donated items to our sale, and for the people who are allowing us to use their building for the sale. We've had strangers and a church family who hardly knew us donate items when they heard our daughter's story.

I would love to see you, and if you don't need anything, come by to chat, and have a cup of lemonade with me. {{You will need the lemonade if you come, let me assure you. It is a bit warmish in these parts}}.

Some dear friends and family are planning a community cook-out adoption benefit/celebration for our family on Friday night, August 24th at The Barn. Open to anyone who wants to come. This should be a lot of fun, and plenty of socializing as we celebrate adoption in general and our sweet gal! {{I hear there may be some homemade ice cream there too}}. We would love to see you there! You can come for the ice cream, if nothing else. Ha.

More details below:

Happy weekend, friends!

---We got an update on A  this week! Makes our hearts glad to hear little bits and pieces about her.

It's Her Birthday!

We partied hard Tuesday night. Party as in celebrating SEVEN special birthday people in one evening.

Bessie , er, B, was agreeable, and joined in on the fun this year since her birthday is TODAY.

12 years old.

Acts like she is 23 {I think she is even starting to dress like a mom---Shhh! Don't tell her I said that!}.

We decided to make her a birthday cake on Tuesday to take to the big birthday bash. She has this thing for zebra stripes, so I got online to find some easy peasy way to make zebra stripes on a sheet cake. Yeah. There is not an easy peasy way to make zebra stripes in my world. All this talk about fondant... Um, fondant? Not for this rookie cake artist. One blog advised to perhaps pipe the border of the zebra stripes, and then thin some icing to fill in the stripes. Hm. Okay.

Off to Kroger we went. Alas, we could not find any black food coloring, so I asked her if it would be okay if we made some neon pink zebra stripes--you know, like a "Princess Zebra", right?  B thought that should be fine. Great, glad we got it settled.

We trucked it back home, and by this time it is nearing 3:00, and the party was to start at 6:00.

We mixed up the icing, and  B got it all neon looking {folks, neon is like totally cool these days is what I'm hearing}.  Decided to make blue zebra stripes instead of pink. Slathered and splattered the pink icing all over the cake, and realized... my cake decorating skills aren't so hot.

Around the same time, B told me we should probably nix the zebra stripes.

Not a bad idea.

Yep, we'll just do swirly thingamajigs instead.

B did the top border. I'd like to blame the messy bottom border on her, but nope, that was me. Seems there are a few things I could learn about decent cake decorating.

In the end, we had fun, and who cares if the cake was messy, because it was super duper yummy if I say so myself. All thanks goes to our dear friend, Betty. Betty C., that is.


A few faces of B modeling her neon-zebra-stripe-turned-swirly-things cake.

This particular birthday girl does not lack expression.

 

And...Personal Favorite. 

 

Oh my! Oh me! Would you just LOOK at that ghastly bottom border? Look at it.
{In my defense, Mr. Fly DID drop a lid on top of it before the party started.}

Wannabe Aerial Shot:

 

Happy Birthday B! May God bless you with many, many more happy days! 

Hot Diggity Dog!

A white envelope in the mailbox from USCIS is priceless.

Our 1-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative has been approved.
In other words, this means that the U.S. is allowing us to proceed with A's adoption.

Triple yay!

Thank you for your prayers.

Next up, we are waiting for our Article 5 from the U.S. Embassy in I*d*a. This gives clearance (I think) for our case to be forwarded to their government, and then we need I*d*a to issue the NOC (No Objection Certificate) for A--which means they allow us to adopt her too.

After that, we have to pass court, etc.

We're still months (?9-12) out from bring our sweet girl into our family physically, but we sure like to see things movin'...A sweet lady I had never met encouraged me over the phone last week, and told me that she was praying for A's adoption process to move faster than any process had ever moved before. Amen!

Alright, got to keep myself movin' too, so times up.

So. Where Were We?

Well. 

It's official. I've lost my senses. Help. Really. I can hardly carry on a 30 second conversation before blanking out. Nonsense. I must get it together. Talking must resume soon. Tragedy.

We are in a bit of a lull in the actual adoption process right now. Little Miss's former lack of birthdate has been throwing some kinks in the system, and has probably caused a 6 week delay in the process so far. Kind of like a domino effect, and we hope that we are coming out on top soon. Nothing major, but we would like to see the process speed up a little.

We've been working on our service plan when we have time... still need to read about 8.5 more books by July 26th, and multiple other educational pieces. Our agency is having us review lots of good and informative material that we know will be a blessing to us when A comes home {if we can remember it, that is}.

B has graced us with her presence this summer, and we are learning what it is all about to have a teenager living in our house. She is a funny girl.

I feel very old in the teenage world. And outdated. I dress like a mom---is what she says. I would prefer if she would call it "classic" style. I used to have it all together. In 2002.  I will have to show her this picture tomorrow---of how cool I was back then.

We are in the process of getting ready for an adoption benefit garage sale on July 26, 27, and 28th to help bring A home.

Some very sweet friends and family are also in the works of planning a cook-out adoption benefit and celebration for Miss A on Friday evening, August 24th. Details to follow soon!
{B is not totally sure about it yet}

Aside from working on adoption things, B and I spend a lot of time hanging with this little guy, and he happened to just turn one. He melts us. You would like him.

He has a couple of brothers too, but that would be too much cuteness for one post.


I haven't forgotten about 'Days 2 and 3' of the mad adoption paperwork rush a couple of months ago... I hope to write them up this weekend before my brain totally withers away.

One more thing.

If you could please keep us in your prayers, we would so appreciate it. We know God is so much bigger than anything Satan can throw at us.

Our Baby is Growing Up {Without Us}

An e-mail from our adoption agency is like eating a king size Hershey's bar. Milk chocolate to be specific, and preferably with a cup of whole milk.

We got an e-mail today.

From our agency. And yes, it was scrumptious.

So Miss A has a birthdate---finally. Her lack of birthdate has been holding up some of our immigration paperwork, so it is quite pleasing to hear that this paperwork can begin to be processed. She will be FIVE at the end of this year. Lil stinker is getting big too fast. Without us. Okay. Pity party over.

Have I mentioned that we don't think she will really be five this year? In the last six months she has went from being 3 to almost 5. She must be eating some real good food. Or perhaps, her birthday was drawn randomly out of a raffle. The latter sounds more logical, even though we do know that her orphanage takes very good care of her, and we are sure their food must be kind of good too----{probably depends on your personal pickiness factor}. What a blessing to have the comfort of knowing she is in safe and caring hands.

No matter though, we are thanking God that she at least has some sort of birthdate so we can keep plugging along on the adoption process, and finally bring her home to be with us. HOME, HOME, HOME.  Home Sweet Home. <<<If we remember to empty the not so sweet trash before we travel.

Of course, you KNOW that we will be having a birthday celebration in honor of our special birthday girl this year. If by an act of God she is here to celebrate with us, I may be speechless {imagine that}. Five is a big birthday, ya know? I remember my 5th birthday party. We partied up at McDonald's, and my mom invited several of my friends along, and we staged pics with Mr. Ronald McDonald himself. It was a big deal to me because when you're five, parties are a big deal. I think we even crimped my hair for the occasion. So yes, a celebration of sorts will be in order. Save the crimped hair.

What am I talking about? I'm twenty....something or other, and I am still looking for a reason to have a party. Kids potty trained? New sidewalk? Birthdate news? Good deal at Goodwill (personal favorite)? There is always a reason to celebrate.

I got to spend some time with these sweet kiddos today.

B takes eye protection seriously

Posin'

Posin' some more

This picture cost me:  required me pushing them around on the merry-go-round. These may be fake smiles. You be the judge.

Alright, off to celebrate with an ice cold glass of water, and some laundry folding. I'll try to make it fun, because she is worth celebrating!

Stay posted---we have some fun adoption related events coming up (garage sale, cook-out, etc.) to help bring Miss A home!

To Parents Everywhere: We Are Here for You

We have watched multiple families for many years, and we are confident that we have perfected our future parenting style. We are going to be the best parents ever. No bratty kids for us.  Not in our lifetime.

A couple of months ago, we were sent a service plan from our adoption agency. 

It was something about we needed a special plan to help give us some tools and goals to guide us along our parenting journey.  They wanted us to read 10 books.  

A plan? The agency must be confused. We don't need a plan. We are already the best parents-to-be ever.

Just ask my Mom. She knows how serious I take life.

                   

                            

Mr. Fly is very mature too---especially for his age.

                                              

We never get emotional, and always maintain our composure. 

                          

                              

Yeah, we pretty much have it all figured out.

                               


If you ever have any parenting questions, just ask us.

Mr. Fly specializes in teaching recreational safety for children.

 He is also respected as a great mentor and very well-rounded due to diverse life experiences.

That's not all. Recently, Mr. Fly has been the leading local expert on how to wrangle farm life and kids. Give him a holler regarding the specifics on raising your young down on the farm.

There is just about nothing that he doesn't know about raising children right.

  

See? Aren't you glad you know who to call when child trouble arises? We are here for you.

Yours truly,
The Fly's


Address:     1000 Fruit Loop Way
                 Train Wreck City, ZE 12345
                                 
cell: 1-800-NOT-A-GOOD-IDEA