One Year Ago TODAY!

One year ago today we were sitting on several airplanes on our way from Phoenix to Texas, Panama and Cali, Colombia!  What an exciting time that was!  A day to remember FOREVER!  Remarkably, I looked semi-relaxed in the pictures.  It was the peace of God which passes ALL understanding, that’s what it was!  Had to be because I was lacking too much sleep to be peaceful on my own.  (Actually in this first picture, I was looking slightly shifty… anticipating the pat down at security!)

I remember sitting on the floor in the airport in Panama late in the evening, talking to the only other blonde girl in the entire airport besides Larisa.  She asked us where we were staying, as we were arriving close to midnight…. because it’s not like you can drive around and find a Travelodge that leaves the light on for you in Cali!  Funny thing was, we didn’t know where we were staying.  She was a bit taken aback by our news…. a family of five traveling to Colombia without firm plans in place.. arriving in the dark of the night.  If she only knew how much that went against every morsel of my little controlled and planned out life!!!  But we had some good connections who were taking care of us!

We had some baggage challenges in the Panama airport due to the language barrier in South America which had already embraced us with full force.  We weren’t sure if our luggage would be in Colombia that night but we prayed hard and it showed up right on schedule.

As we finally laid our tired heads on the lumpy pillows on the REALLY low bed in the hotel, I remember thinking… will I ever be able get to sleep?  In the morning our girl would be in our arms! Thankfully, I slept like a baby…. the baby who wakes up every hour or so and sucks her thumb to go back to sleep!

Adopting a little Colombian has changed our lives forever.  Adoption revealed the true hearts of my children who have lovingly welcomed Nora as if she has been in our family all along.  It also unearthed a few rough spots in my life as I was the one who had the hardest time adjusting.  The Lord and I have been working on those sore spots together. 

My husband received a thank you card from our neighborhood pastor last week thanking him for helping with our neighborhood leadership… AND for changing Nora’s life by stepping up and being her DAD!  Brought tears to my eyes.  She didn’t have a Daddy until one year ago!  She couldn’t have asked a better Daddy for herself!  She asked me once if I knew that Daddy cried.  I said I did, but how did she know???  She told me, “He loves me so much that sometimes he gets tears in his eyes when he tells me.”  Perfect!

It’s been a year of BLESSING!

A Copy and Paste Blog from Kelly

Kelly is my blog sister who lives in Tennessee and is also adopting from Colombia with Gladney Center for Adoption.  We both decorated our little Colombian princesses’ rooms in mariposas de la lavanda (lavender butterflies)!  Her blog this past week could have been written from my heart as much as it was from hers.  So here is Kelly’s post that says exactly how I’m feeling too:

We’d Love a Referral in November–It Is National Adoption Month =)

I love talking about our adoption journey. I’m happy to share how God has called us to adopt. November is National Adoption Month, but even if it wasn’t I’d still be telling our story.I love how God has put this love in my heart for a little girl that I don’t even know anything about. I don’t know how old she is, what she looks like, where she is exactly (maybe she is @ Chiquitines, but maybe she’s not there yet). She may not even be born yet, but still I love her.

**(Zaza is born already, but we don’t know what region she is in.)

I love hearing the boys pray for their little sister. There isn’t much that is sweeter, if you ask this momma =) 

There are so many things that are hard to explain to people, when I’m trying to share our story. I have learned though, that some people just don’t get “it.” Countless times I have been asked why we are going to Colombia, and why we are not adopting here @ “home.” Really people just don’t get “it.” I am thankful that God has made it clear to us, that our daughter is in Colombia. Now, I just have to be patient & wait for the details of the rest of our journey. We know that we will not be traveling in 2009, because the courts in Colombia close Dec. 15th to Jan. 15th. There is still a possibility that we will get our referral this year & then we would travel when the courts opened in January. This is our prayer. Have I ever told ya’ll how hard waiting is? =)

**From http://whatweareherefor.blogspot.com/

 

Is that Your Final Answer?

Another Colombian Princess.

YES!  Today the stress level in our abode sank back to near normal.  We decided on a new adoption agency, signed the papers and I ran to the mailbox and threw them in before we changed our minds.  It’s been almost a month since Commonwealth Adoptions Int’l. Inc. closed its doors… leaving us scrambling for another agency to complete the adoption of our little girl who is sitting in Colombia THIS MINUTE… waiting for us.

We are aware that CHANGE is the essence of adoption, but we did not see this one coming.  Changing rules.. yes.  Changing time frames… yes.  But changing agencies… no.  We are still not sure of the true reason for CAII shutting down, and frankly, it doesn’t really matter anymore.  But it was a wake-up call when we were sitting here cruising through our wait time for our referral call.

The entire Colombian program (approx. 90 families) had the opportunity to transfer to Gladney Center for Adoption, but we did not immediately jump on board.  We shopped around, compared programs, added additional fees on our fingers and toes, searched the web for Hague information and prayed our little hearts out.  We had it narrowed to three agencies, but the determining factor was a teleconference call with Gladney last Thursday.  Before the call, we realized that we were dealing with an agency with a stellar reputation.  They have been doing business for more than 100 years and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.  I personally spoke with the COO the week before and he was fantastic and upright and just admitted, “I don’t know” to many of my questions.  That’s what we were looking for… truthful answers, even if it was IDK.  We feel that we are in good hands.  The pressure cooker lid was cracked open. 

We are nearing the expiration of our I600A and need to make a change to our homestudy as well.  The plan is to increase the age of the child we are requesting, and hopefully speed up the referral process.  As we’ve been preparing for almost two years for a toddler… our other kids have aged… two years.  (Go figure!) So we’re thinking a child of 4, 5 or 6 years might fit better into our home.  I mean really, how do you decide something like that?  We’ve prayed and prayed.  And feel at peace with it.

I simply want Zaza home NOW.  Her room is ready.  Our hearts are ready.  OK, we’re not exactly fluent in Spanish, but our charades skills are supremely honed.  :o)  OK, I need to go sew another Bag for Zaza to keep my mind busy.   www.bagsforzaza.blogspot.com.  Help bring Zaza home!

Our Little Zaza… the wait continues

Disappointing news today.  Our adoption agency closed.  Bummer, dude.  So we need to find another one to pick up where we are and keep the ball rolling.  We’re not sure what all this entails at the moment, but it is another bump on the very bumpy adoption road.  We are learning that change is indeed the essence of adoption.  The good news is that this wasn’t a surprise to God.  Hold on, Zaza, we’re coming!

Bags for Zaza continues to amaze and raise…. with new styles, fabrics and bidders.  A sincere thank you to all who have been involved in one way or another.  We have raised over $1,900 so far and we’re still sewing.  www.bagsforzaza.blogspot.com  The perfect bags for school!!!

AND for those who are Steven Curtis Chapman fans, his family is being interviewed on Good Morning America on Aug. 6th.  At least that’s the last I heard.  Check out your local stations.  This is their first interview since SCC returned to the stage after the death of their little angel, Maria.  Should prove tear-jerking.  This family is especially dear to us because we received an adoption grant from their organization Shoahannah’s Hope.  What a great family with heart for God and adoption.  Don’t miss the show.  They are also going to be on Larry King Live and on People magazine next week.

Peace out!  Linda and the Crosbys

www.LindaCrosby.com