Its here!

My homestudy documents are HERE!!! They came in Thursday very unexpectedly and they have already been looked over, they are GOOD, and I'm taking it all to Nashville to be apostilled Monday morning!!! Aaahh!!!

Please be in prayer now that the apostilling process all goes well... if it does (and since we've already had our USCIS approval form for what feels like forever) we can mail everything to eastern Europe that same day!!

I will update soon!!!

Honeybaked Ham Certificate Give Away!

***This Give Away is over***
Its time for the next give away! And this time it is a Gift Certificate to

The Honeybaked Ham Company!




This will work exactly the same as last time. But I'm changing the amount to $5. For every $5 donated to our adoption through the Chip-in link to the right, your name will be put in a hat for a drawing on the 22nd. The more you enter, the better your odds!! ;) And EVERY DOLLAR counts towards bringing Pavel home. We are in the final stretch of paperwork here and need to raise some money!!!! (You can check out the "goals" section on the sidebar to see our progress.)

This gift certificate is for "One 7lb. Honeybaked Ham", an estimated value of $49.95. It has no expiration date (I called the company to confirm that) and is redeemable at any of their over 400 locations nationwide! For a complete list of locations, click here. The gift certificate is in their Honeybaked Ham Co. gift envelope.

If you've never had a Honeybaked Ham, you're in for a real treat! They are amazing. And the winner will receive their certificate in plenty of time to order before Mothers Day!! You pick it up completely ready to go from their store and no one has to lift a finger on Mothers Day! In their own words "Each HoneyBaked Ham is hand-selected for leanness, smoked up to 24 hours, then spiral-sliced to the bone so each tender, juicy slice is easy to serve." Yum. To go to the Honeybaked Ham Co. website, click on one of the above pictures.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment or you can email me at spencerchics@yahoo.com

Parent's Night Out Fundraiser!!

*I heard that there was a little bit of confusion when people read the flyer from church... WE ARE ACCEPTING KIDS OF ALL AGES, NOT JUST 2 AND UP!!! We have lots of friends and family coming to help us babysit, so there will be 'teachers' in every first chapel room. I'm putting Pavel's new Grandma's on baby duty. ;) And some of our youth workers will be there to hang out with the older kids!*

For those in the Middle Tennessee Area:

Spencer Family Adoption Fundraiser:

Parent's Night Out

Friday Night, April 24th

5:30pm-10:30pm

Grace Chapel, Leipers Fork, TN

(First Chapel and Jr High rooms)

$25 per child

First sibling $15

$10 for additional siblings after that

Your child(ren) will enjoy games, dinner, craft, movie and more while YOU enjoy a night out!!!

****Pizza and drinks included!!!!!!!****

To sign up please contact Amy at

spencerchics@yahoo.com

Drop in's are ABSOLUTELY welcome, but if you can, please let us know ahead of time so we know how much pizza to order.

And the winner is......

The winner of the first Spencer Adoption Give Away is....



****STEPHANIE from Kansas!!!****



Thanks to everyone who participated! We were able to raise an even $200 to bring Pavel home! Watch for the next give away, I will announce it either today or tomorrow. Congratulations Stephanie, I will put your $100 Kroger gift card in the mail today!

$100 Kroger card give away!

**This give away is over**
You could get $100 Kroger gift card!!

We're doing our first give away!!! For every $10 donated to our adoption, your name will be entered into a hat for this gift card! I know a lot of grocery coupon fanatics out there... c'mon girls, this is a great deal!!

Our paperwork is really moving along and we are so close to being ready to travel, but we have a LONG way to go to bring our boy home, your every dollar counts! We need YOU! And who couldn't use a grocery store gift card?!

Please use the Chipin widget on the sidebar to enter. THANK YOU!!

This card has a $100 value that is redeemable at the following: Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Barclay Jewelers, Baker's, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less*, FoodsCo, Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Fry's Food and Drug, Fry's Marketplace, Gerbes, Hilander, Jacy-C, King Soopers, Littman Jewelers, Owen's, Pay-Less Supermarkets, QFC, Ralphs, Scott's Food & Pharmacy, Smith's Food and Drug, Smith's Marketplace, Turkey Hill Minit Markets, Kwik Shop, Loaf 'n Jug, Quik Stop, and Tomb Thumb. *Good at Food 4 Less in So. CA, NV, IN and IL only

Last day of the give-away!

Just a reminder that today is the LAST day to "enter" for the give-away! If you've wanted to have a shot at it, but were waiting for the last minute, THIS IS IT! I'm going to draw a name in the morning! And thanks to everyone who has donated toward this gift card so far! Good luck!

Timing

I feel a strange mix of emotions today.

On one hand, I really couldn't be more frustrated about our homestudy paperwork. Our Dossier is done. DONE. (Even the medicals... some of you KNOW what a miracle that is!) And its ready to go. Ready to be appostilled in Nashville and sent on its merry way. And I've even emailed our facilitator in Ukraine the homestudy copy that I do have so that she can begin translation, which is cool. But ugh. If it weren't for this homestudy, EVERYthing would be on its way.

AND I'm frustrated about our lack of funds. Lets just be honest here. :) I wish that I had the faith that my husband does; he's not worried about it AT all. But when I think about how much money we have to raise in a pretty short period of time... and how slowly its coming in... I seriously get kinda dizzy. But I'm trying to trust. A friend and I were saying the other day, adoption is the best cure for a control freak. :)

But on the other hand, I feel a stange peace. That peace that can ONLY come from God. :) I've been cleaning my house today and go back and forth between really frustrated and then really peaceful. I think its because there is physically nothing I can do right now. I can't make those papers come any faster. I can't make money appear. And stressing about it isn't going to do anybody any good. I JUST have to trust that they will both come. In His timing. I think it's more like: JESUS is the best cure for a control freak.

Please pray for me. :)

I-171H is HERE!

It just came in the mail today... WHOO HOO!!!

Its very surreal that this is the long awaited document. And it doesn't look as official as I thought it would. But WOW this is it. :)

I THINK we are going to be able to email all of our stuff to our facilitator now to begin translating. And then when our home study paperwork comes in, we can MAIL OUR DOSSIER. Dude.

Wow, this is really happening!! :D

Show you love

Ok so I know I've been a little blogger happy the last few days, but I HAD to share this.

A lot of you may have already heard this song, but I just came across it last week and I can't get it out of my head. It just makes me want to cry...

Its "Show you love" by Jars of Clay. I'm adding it to my playlist. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. The words are just so perfect...

Happy to report...

I just heard from the USCIS, and they ARE putting a copy of my i171H in the mail TOMORROW! Hurray! Not sure if the last one was lost in the mail, if its still on its way, or if they had our address wrong, but it doesn't matter now becuase they are mailing a new one! Hallelujah!

And the last of my paperwork was notarized today! Double Hurray!

Now we must wait for the updated licenses and papers from our home study. We have been told this could take up to a couple of weeks... PLEASE pray that it comes sooner than that.

We strongly believe in the power of prayer and we are also trusting that it is the heart of the Father that Pavel not be an orphan ANY longer than necessary. So we ask that you would pray with us that this paperwork would move QUICKLY.

Love to you all!

Award time!

Ok so, lots of my sweet new friends have given me some awards, and WAY past time for me to accept them and pass them along. Thanks guys!


My friends Renee and Lyndi awarded me the Best Friend's award! And the rules for this one are to pass it along to 10 of your own best friends!

1. Gillian- I'm so glad to be walking this road with you!
2. Wendy- So glad we are still in touch!
3. Mindy- My only other blogger buddy from our circle!
4. Sommer- One of my oldest friends!!!
5. Rochelle- I love you, friend!
6. Audra- Blessed to be on this road with you too!!
7. McKenna- What a joy to get to know you!
8. Katrina- My cheers group pal!
9. Brigitte- Hopefully my traveling buddy?! ;)
10. Courtney- Another adoption friend!



And way back in February Renee also awarded me the Lemonade award!

This award is for those who show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE! If you are given the award, then put the logo on your blog or post. Next, nominate at least 5-10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE! Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

1. My mom. :)

2. Debbie definitely shows great attitude!!

3. Sarah is an amazing young woman with amazing attitude!
4. Beverly is an awesome example of a mom! I love her blog!

5. Lyndi has shown great attitude to ME! Thanks for keeping me possitive!


Melissa gave me the Life is Grand award! The rules are to give 5 reasons why I think life is grand and then tag 5 more people.

1. My God is ALIVE, He FORGIVES, and He LOVES me. That alone would be enough!
2. My husband is amazing and head over heals for him.
3. I have three beautiful, healthy little girls.
4. God is blessing us with a little boy from eastern Europe!
5. I have been blessed with WONDERFUL friends who encourage me, lift me up, and keep me in line!

1. Meredith always has the most possitive attitude, and just loves life.
2. Stephanie is celebrating her newest little miracle right now.
3. Renee enjoys every day with her special K's! :)
4. Heidi definitely LOVES life and enjoys all God has given her. :)
5. Erin is another ROCKIN homeschool mom who enjoys livin' life with her kiddos!


In case I don't get a chance to leave a comment with your award on EVERY one of your pages, if you see this, grab it! And pass it along. :)

Anybody in Texas?

Some dearly loved friends of ours, the Harpers, who moved away to Texas a few years ago, have decided to hold an Adoption Fundraiser Yard Sale... just for our sweet Pavel. :)

In all honesty I can't even hardly think about it with out crying, things like this truely humble and bless me.

But if you are in the Midland/Odessa/Lubbock area of Texas, please stop by their yard sale on April 18th!!

For more info jump on over to Harper Crew News!

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

Here's to my sweet little daughter playing in my living room... your extra little chromosome melts my heart on a daily basis. I can't imagine our lives without you.

And to the son of my heart, playing on the other side of the world... Mommy's coming for you baby, I can't wait to bring you home!

Confessions

Do you ever just sit at your desk, looking at your paperwork (even though you have done all that you can do) just because you feel like somehow... if you sit there and look at it more... that something will get done? Like papers will just magically be notarized and envelopes of papers you're waiting on to come in the mail will just magically appear in front of you? Do you feel like somehow, if you just SIT at your desk for longer, that something more will get done?

I'll even check my email and secretly hope that some email will just float in from never-never land saying that I've done enough, that I should just come on over to eastern Europe next week.

First adoptions are much like first pregnancies. As many books as you read and people you talk to, you still really have no idea what you're doing until its done. And as much as you want to rush it along to get to your baby, you JUST have to wait.

I'm tired. I'm going to bed. :)

Paperwork status

Just keep you all updated, here's where we are at with paperwork:

~Still waiting on the updated copies of our homestudy to come in. Not sure if I explained this before, but some of the notaries were done wrong on our homestudy papers. So they needed to be redone. But also- our homestudy agency's license expired March 17th. Fun. So instead of just sending me the paperwork, we opted to wait until the license was renewed and send it all together.

~Waiting on my i171h ANY day now. I mailed my homestudy (the last "piece") on Feb 19th. The notaries were not okay by eastern European standards, but okay enough for the USCIS. :) Which is good. They sent me back a letter with a question about where we were filing after we adopt (or something like that), I replied right away, and now... we wait. :)

~Everything else is basically done. We have a couple more papers to notarize, but I think that will be done Sunday. And I've been sending stuff to my stateside coordinator a little at a time, so there will only be a couple papers left for her to look over.

SO... once all that comes together... we can get some apostilles and mail this stuff out!!

Test of faith

We know that God called us to adopt. And we know that if He called us, HE WILL raise the money. And we have been told to estimate $24K for this trip. AND I'm thinking given McKenna's quick turn around time that we should have the money fairly soon within the time that we submit our dossier. Which will, Lord willing, be sometime the first of April.

If there were ever a test of faith- this one is really hitting me in the face RIGHT now:

We have to raise $19,188 in like 4 weeks. Maybe a little longer, maybe a little sooner... but nonetheless.

*Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out*

New Look

Ok so I've really been feeling the need to simplify... and this blog was one of the things on the list! I LOVED the frogs... (it seemed so perfect... my girls are obsessed with princess stuff, so frogs seemed like the perfect thing for my little boy!) but it was time to DEclutter! Whew!

This feels much better. :)

Sharing rooms?

Hey guys,

I've got a question for the moms who have already adopted.

Our original plan as far as rooms are concerned was to put Oleg and Pavel in one room and the other three girls (ages 5, 3, and 2) in the other. (They actually already share and have for a while. They like it together.) Now that we are just getting Pavel, I'm debating moving one of the girls in there with him. IF we did that, the one that makes the most sense to me is my 2 year old, Abby, who also has Ds. She turned 2 in November and is still in a crib. She's cruising around the coffee table and walks some with a walker the PT gave us, but nonetheless I'm probably still going to keep her in a crib for a while still. And the plan is to put Pavel in a toddler bed.

My question is- is this a good idea? Would he do better by himself? Would he do better with a sibling? Should I be worried that he'd climb into the crib with Abby? Obviously all kids are different, but I'm wondering how other kids who just came home from a life in an orphanage did... with or without other kids in the room. And I do have one of those video baby monitors, so I will be able to keep an eye on him, but... just curious what the rest of you did/thought.

Thanks!

I'm so in love...

with this face!

Thanks for the comments

Thank you all for the sweet comments! To answer Tami- he's 3. He'll be turning 4 in June. We're probably going to be traveling in May... but praying for April! :)

The sooner the better! I keep watching this video over and over... he DOES look a little sad... just lonely I think. Pray we can get this paperwork done and the money raised so we can bring him home SOON!!!

Its HIM!

A dear friend who is there now was able to get a picture AND video of our little guy!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I'm in love!!! Daddy and I are coming for you, baby!!!

Adoption To Do list:

Ok lets see...

1. Wait for approval form from USCIS
2. Wait for updated hs documents from our social worker
3. Wait for our State clearance letters from TBI
4. Wait for my husband to get home with my notarized Dossier docs so I can...
5. Wait for my stateside facilitator to look over them

Is adoption exciting or WHAT? ;)

I hold in my hand...

18 DOCUMENTS that need to be notarized on friday! WHEW!

9 forms from Yulia,
6 copies of our passports
2 medical forms,
1 drs license
and a partridge in a pear tree!

Holli, if you're reading this, we are SO grateful you are our notary!
Meredith, if you're reading this, there are a lot of documents comin' your way this weekend!

Get your engines, I mean pens, ready! Bring on the blue ink!! :)

Family Movie Night #1

Sorry this update has taken so long, I've been a little under the weather this weekend.

Well... we had a fun night! We didn't quite have as big of a turnout as we had hoped. But you know, God is good, and He provides. Now, I'm not good at guessing this kind of thing, but I would say there were maybe 20 people there? (Not including all of the kids.) But somehow God brought in almost exactly $800!!! We have been DOUBLY blessed. ;) And we are grateful.

THANK YOU to all who came out. What a blessing you were and are to our family. And thanks to our friends and family who helped set-up, tear down, run concessions and make popcorn. :) You are loved!

(And I have to mention my dear friend Lyndi who braved it out to the booney's from Murphreesboro with poor directions!! Thank you, friend, for supporting our movie night! It was fun to see you and your kiddos!! Tell Bill I said thanks for giving you up on a friday night!)