God is so Good!

While we wait to hear news on our I-800a Immigration approval we are not twiddling our thumbs! We will be sending off our Dossier documents to get authenticated at the state level. This could take days in itself. The documents from out of state, like our birth certificates, marriage license and employment letter all have to be sent out ahead of time to cut down on the wait times. Then, when we get our Immigrations approval letter, we can send that with our other Delaware state documents to get authenticated. 
The whole adoption process and the steps to getting all the right notarization, authentication and approvals is enough to make anyone nutty! Don't get me started on telling you about staples!! (what ever you do, DO NOT REMOVE staples.) sigh. So, yes, timing and waiting can come down to a little piece of metal being removed. So we are very thankful to be part of the Adoption community on Facebook where we can learn from each other and get the needed support and encouragement. And, find out what not to do!
The reason this process can be so crazy, is because there is not just one set list that everyone can follow. Each state has their own requirements, each agency has their own requirements, and each country you adopt from has their own set of requirements! It is a wonder that children find families to call their own! I do believe that more families would adopt if it were not so expensive and time consuming to collect all the necessary documents. 
In some ways the whole process is feeling like being pregnant for the first time. We do what we need to at each appointment, yet we really don't know what to expect as each month goes on. We have some information to go on, but really, we are flying blindly at times! It is even worse in some ways, because we already know who we want to bring home and all this paperwork and red tape is taking way too long to get stamps of approval! Through it all, thankfully, we have a sense of peace. God is with us. All is in His timing. He will get us through this and be with us every step of the way. 

While we wait for our next step (US authentication and China Consulate Authentications, then Dossier to China), I have been working tirelessly (ok, maybe exhausted is more like it!) on filling out Grant applications. 
For those of you holding us up in prayer. Please pray that we would qualify and receive some Grant money to help us cover some of the costs. These Organizations work hard to raise money to help families who are adopting. If you want to give a Tax Deductible donation to these Foundations it would be a blessing! We are not guaranteed a grant approval even though it has taken at least 3 hours time to fill out each form and collect the information requested. We are just blessed to know that there are Foundations out there that are making it possible for families to adopt! 

Here is a little bit of an update for our family:
Jessica is playing soccer with the local Christian School. We are so blessed to be able to home school and still be involved in sports! Jessica is in 8th grade and playing on the Varsity team. I am so proud of her! Their first game was played yesterday. They played the whole game without either team scoring but lost in overtime. For a young team they did really well! It was only 34 degrees out and freezing to sit and watch. I am looking forward to normal warm weather soon! 

Jared has been doing really well playing bass guitar (self taught) with the weekly youth group band. He loves his music! He plans to play soccer in the Fall with the boys soccer team. We look forward to that. He is finishing up his 9th grade year and is a stellar student and computer techie. (He takes after his father!)

Joel has been working with his new employer for over a year now and has been doing really well. He is enjoying his work and making great advances for the company. After 5 months out of work last year, God has really been blessing us with steady work this past year! Joel still enjoys his computer games in his time off and will soon start up trail riding once the weather warms up. There are local trails he bikes and leads an outing group from our church. Anyone can join the rides. 

I am continuing to fill out paper work and keep everything on task for this adoption, but when I am not doing that I play volleyball with local adult leagues to stay active. I have actually read two books in the past month which is saying something.... lol! I rarely have time to read books, but occasionally splurge on a good sci fi or fantasy novel! :) I continue to have Origami Owl parties when they are scheduled, but am thankful for the flexibility the business gives me so it is not too overwhelming.

Praying you all are blessed and praising God in your Day.

The Waiting Game

After 7 weeks of collecting documents and waiting on the completion of our Home Study, we are finally ready to send our USCIS Immigration application!! This process has had so many stresses and blessings. When we are weak, God is strong.

Update on what steps are next:

USCIS Application - 35-45 days to wait for approval letter.

While waiting for the approval letter we can get all our documents for the dossier authenticated. 

Once we get USCIS approval we can send that letter off for authentication and then send our Dossier to China! Once the Dossier is in China we have a 4-6 months wait for all the approvals. 

During this time we are fund raising for the $6,000 required donation to the orphanage, and our travel funds which will range from 10,000 - 16,000. We are praying that all 4 of us will be able to travel. 

Please continue to pray for Joy. She will not know a family is rushing to her for many more months. Pray that she will not be discouraged as she sees so many of the little ones in the orphanage be adopted and taken away. As she is getting older she may be resigned to aging out. We pray for her to have hope, that she will have a forever family to call her own. We are gathering items to make a care package that we hope to send as soon as we are allowed. It is so hard to wait, and yet, all is in God's timing.

Fund Raiser:

Origami Owl Fund Raiser to help raise the needed funds for the orphanage donation and travel costs: Origami Owl Custom Jewelry is truly one of a kind and a fantastic way to tell your story with lockets and charms!! Go to jharrison.origamiowl.com to order directly from my site and put JoleneHarrison199395 in the jewelry bar code box so it counts toward our fund raiser! Mother's day is coming up! Shop now just for her!! FOR EVERY $120+ ORDER I WILL SEND YOU A FREE TAG "FAMILY"! Help us in our Adoption Journey!
NEW spring items are here!! Check out the website for brand new charms, lockets and earrings!!

 

 

Upcoming Fund Raiser:
Custom T-shirts! Bondfire funds is a web site set up to create custom T-shirts for all types of fund raisers. Portions of the cost are sent directly to our Agency to help with adoption costs. Wear your shirt to raise awareness for adoption and to be reminded of the life you helped bring home! We will need to sell 50 shirts minimum for the order to be made. So be ready when we design our t-shirt and let you know when they are available!! Possible design idea:

God has been so good to us! I am so thankful for all the support you have been in prayer and encouragement and funds! We are awed by this whole process. Money has been available to us just when we need it for various fees and costs. It is just amazing to experience! Almost like the manna that was provided for the Israelites in the Old Testament. God gave them what they needed for each day and anything that was left over would spoil. He is providing exactly what we need for each step of this journey! 

Exodus 16:13-21

"That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”
¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away."

One step closer... but so many more to go!

I am finally recovered from the last week. I think!
We had our home study interview a week ago Wednesday. Our social worker is so sweet and we had a great talk. Everything took about 3 hours and she was on her way by 8:30pm. We only have a few documents we are waiting for from DE and NJ and our home study and dossier list should be complete! Now to wait for the completed home study write up so we can get our I800a out to Immigrations for approval. 
We are moving along relatively well in the process compared to some but it feels like it is taking forever! Please pray that our social worker can have the home study completed and approved (by our adoption agency) before she has her own baby! I am amazed at how hard she is working to help us and she herself is due to have her own baby in just a couple weeks! (She is due near my birthday, so that would be a fun coincidence. :)

The next day after our home study interview I was up at 2am and off to Georgia for the PCA Women's Leadership Conference in Atlanta. What a blessed weekend! There were over 250 women in attendance and such a great line up of speakers. I learned so much more and connected with some really great people! What a blessing to be reminded that we need to simplify our lives and focus on eternal thinking. Asking "How is what I am doing today furthering God's kingdom in the lives of the people I am in contact with?" Also, in reading 1 Timothy 4 - keeping watch on your life with Christ, how you invest your time, where you set your hope, what you talk about, who you love and how you show it, and how you develop your spiritual gifts. Then Ellen talked about our Treasures. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13. We are called to share our treasures. God has entrusted to us His treasure to be held in fragile clay pots. He has given us his Holy Spirit. We are to treasure our Treasures. Treasure the weaknesses, struggles and limitations. "Through our shattering we can see the glory of God in us." We are weak, but He is strong.

There are so many times I think that I am not strong enough, or good enough to be an adoptive mom. And I am not! But God shows me that He is strong enough and good enough to equip me with what our daughter needs. We have love and willingness to let go of our comfort zone to be a family of 5. This journey is a long one, and there are good days and bad days. God is sovereign over all and he is equipping us each and every day to live for Him. 

After getting home Saturday night I was not feeling well, but thankfully I was able to rest and feel better by Monday. Jared was sick with a fever for most of this week! We are praying the rest of us can stay healthy through the rest of this winter. God is good. 

I pray that each and every one of you who reads this blog knows Jesus as your Lord and Savior and know that through each weakness, trial and pain, it points our eyes to the one who will redeem every tear and make us whole for Eternity! I look forward to that day, but I know that my time here on earth is not done yet. I still have a job to do and pray that each day I can do it well.  If you don't know Jesus but want to know more about him ask me! Also, pick up a Bible and start reading. God's word is living.

1 John 3:16-18

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

We want to thank everyone who has so graciously and generously helped fund this process! It truly is a blessing and we appreciate every bit of help. It is crazy how this process is so expensive, but priceless at the same time. God has truly been showing us daily how He is providing in every way. We are just so thankful!

Paper work, and more paper work...

I honestly have been feeling overwhelmed with all the paperwork that is required for this journey. I pretty much have been keeping track of all the orders, requests, appointments and figuring out the details to get everything notarized. In some ways I feel like I am back in college!! Parent training, book reports, physicals, blood work, money flying out of our account for all sorts of fees and postage. It is truly a test. A test to see if adopting this beautiful girl from China is worth all the stress, time and money. And EVERY time I even think that question: "Is all this worth it?" IT IS A RESOUNDING YES! Yes, it is worth it. I just wish it didn't take so long. Hours of studying and research and filling out questionnaires takes so long and crams my brain with so much information. I know there is still so much to learn and so much time to wait.....

Psalm 139:23-24
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

We pray every day for Joy that she would be protected by her foster parents and cared for until we can meet her and bring her home. We pray that her heart would already be captured by God's love and that she does not fear. 

It is so hard. Every day we take to get through this process I am afraid that is one more day she feels she will never have a forever family. She still does not know that we are working our tails off to get this paperwork done as fast as we can so that we can go to her. We are not exactly sure when the agency will tell her she has a family wanting to adopt her. I hope to be able to send her as much information about us as soon as we are allowed. The agency will most likely wait until we have our USCIS approval or even until our Dossier is sent to China and the official request to adopt Joy is approved. That is so far off! But it is all God's timing.

Pray for her, that in her heart, she knows deep down that her family is racing to her. That she will not age out (they age out of adoption eligibility at 14)  and be adrift without a family to protect and love her. That she will not feel alone. Pray that her disappointment, at being left in foster care for so long and seeing so many other kids get adopted because they are little, will be lifted from her and not scar her too deeply.

Pray for us as we continue through this process. We meet with our home study agent this Wednesday and it will take about 3 hours to get through all the information and questions. Pray that our agent can write up our home study quickly and accurately so it can be approved and sent with our I800A application to the USCIS for approval to adopt internationally! It seems like so many steps and doors to walk through, but we are trusting God. We will keep walking forward as long as the door keeps opening. 

Thank you to everyone who have been donating and praying so fervently! It is greatly appreciated! Each dollar is a huge help! We almost have enough for the $2000 fee for our home study this Wednesday. God is so good. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You are greatly appreciated!!

So Blessed!!

Over the past week and a half I have held three Origami Owl Custom Jewelry Parties. All of my commission from these parties has gone towards our adoption fund raising efforts to help bring Joy home. I want to thank Dana M. and Cindy O. for hosting great parties for me and to each and every guest at these parties and online who ordered beautiful jewelry!!! Want to know how much you raised!?!?!?! 












$450 dollars!!

That is $450 dollars in commission that was raised to help bring Joy home!! I am just astounded! Thank you all sooooo much for being part of this journey! I can't wait to see all your beautiful designs that you ordered and hear how you are telling your story with beautiful jewelry!

I am so blessed to be able to work from home and to have the opportunity to be involved in such a great business with Origami Owl Custom Jewelry! All commission I make over the next year will all go towards our adoption costs. Check out my site www.jharrison.origamiowl.com. Share with your family and friends. If you would like to host a party there are really great hostess rewards! (average $99+ in free jewelry!).

We are very close to finishing up our home study document collection. We have 12 hours of training to complete (DVD course) and 3 books to read and report on and then our Home study interview!! We are moving along and I am praying that we can submit our I800A form by the end of February or early March. God has been showing us so many blessings in this early part of our journey. We have connected with so many new families and are not alone in this process! I am so thankful for you all who are praying for us and with us. We still have a lot of work to do and long days of waiting. 

This week has been difficult health-wise for us. I woke up with a migraine on Wednesday that was so bad I was unable to do anything but drag myself to my chiropractor and a massage appointment to help relieve the muscle tension. Thankfully I felt better by the evening, but it pushed my busy schedule into today! Joel woke with a pulled muscle in his back this morning and ended the evening by spraining his ankle. Please pray he heals up quickly. Despite the setbacks, we are thankful for what we have and cannot complain one bit!

This has been my passage this week. Through this whole process I have ups and downs but always came out to the same conclusion... Doing things in my own strength fail. But trusting in God's timing and commands keeps my path straight. 

Psalm 119:1-7

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
² Blessed are those who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart—
³ they do no wrong
    but follow his ways.
⁴ You have laid down precepts
    that are to be fully obeyed.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.

God has been good. We are thankful for your support and prayers during our journey! Each and every one of you are so appreciated!!

Do not fear...

It is hard to believe a week has gone by already! Time is going by so fast! We have compiled all the documents for the home study and are waiting on our birth certificates and abuse clearances from the state. It feels like it is taking forever to get these documents and it feels like we need them right now! Once we finish the home study and receive our summary we will submit our I-800A and then wait the 60 days for the approval. 
I am continually reminding myself that it is all in God's timing. God will work everything out in his timing. It is so hard when we already have information on our daughter. I just want to talk to her, to send her whatever she needs, to give her hugs! At this point she may not even know that her family is rushing to her. She may still have fears of never finding a family to be part of. She is getting older and in just 3 years she will be too "old" and not qualify for adoption. 
Every day I pray for her heart to not be troubled. I pray that God would surround her with His angels and keep her safe and happy. I pray that she will not despair. I long to tell her it will be ok! 

One of my weaknesses is that I give in to fear. I fear the worst. I fear that we will not get approval of our I-800A which basically approves us to adopt from a foreign country. Fear that all the required documents will not get through the many validation checks. Fear of not having the needed funds to pay the fees or the $6000 donation! Fear of this and fear of that! I look back to just 4 weeks ago when we really didn't know how we would raise $4,000 in just 2 weeks. God provided. How are we going to afford another 2,000 by next week for our home study??? God will provide. We have committed to walk this path as God opens doors. This fear is so exhausting and does nothing good. Did you get that? Let me say it again, if not for you, then for myself. This fear is so exhausting and does nothing good. So, saying that, I have taken to letting go of that fear and seeking God's promises that he is with me. Yes, letting go, really really letting go one day at a time. Sometimes one hour at a time.

"Do not fear" is quoted in the Bible 365 times! That is once for every day of the year! I think I need to read one verse for each day to really take it in. 

Here are just a few that renew my strength:

Exodus 20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

Isaiah 35:4 “say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:13-14 “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

Isaiah 43:1 “But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

 Ah, ok! I do not have to fear. Take one day at a time and continue to walk as God has called me to walk. Take a break from refreshing my email every 2 minutes waiting for some news on the process of my paperwork! God has already planned this day out from the beginning of time. I am so thankful for that reminder. 

So, if you are just starting out in your adoption story like us, or are already close to getting your Dossier to the foreign/domestic Agency, or about to meet your child for the first time, or have your child home already; keep God's word in your heart and "Do Not Fear". Easier said than done, but amazingly calming when you let go and let God.

Blessed by so many!

I cannot say enough how thankful we are for the outpouring of support! Family and friends have all been letting us know they are praying for us and for Joy!!! THANK YOU! Prayers are always needed! 
We are awaiting the dossier paperwork and list of required documents. We will also be receiving the home study agency requirements. Thankfully some items are on both lists and we have very friendly and helpful agents to help us stay organized! What a blessing to have so much help! 
I keep telling myself not to look too far ahead. I can't look at the mountain top and see how far away and how high it is without getting intimidated by the amount of work to accomplish! So I focus on my lists and take one day at a time! I celebrate with my friends who are further along in the process themselves, and encourage those who are still only thinking about getting started. It really is a neat picture of how God calls us to "run the race" in our Christian lives. Each day can be a challenge, but if we just sit around and pout about how hard it is, we miss out on the blessing of looking behind to encourage another. We miss seeing the one just ahead looking back and encouraging us to keep going! 
The process of adoption... we were adopted. God adopted us into His kingdom and our sanctification or "being like him" is a process that will not be completed until He calls us home. 
So, if you are like me and you are stuck somewhere in the middle, or just starting out and daunted by how much has to get done, remember that it is all worth it! A child who was abandoned, a child needing a forever family, a child needing our Savior to wipe away the hurts and the fears is at the end of this seemingly endless wait. Stay strong, keep going, encourage those behind you, get to know people who are ahead of you!!!

Ephesians 1:3-14

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to son ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

We truly are thankful for each one of you!!