Whirlwind trip and Amazing babies!

Hi all, we are back from our whirlwind trip to Eastern Europe and met our two babies!  Oh wow, they are amazing, funny, adorable and we are so excited to make them a part of our family. We will return to their country in early Nov for court and then again in early Dec to bring them home.

In the meantime we are still about $12,000 short of that which we need to raise in order to be fully funded.  While we were there, a precious friend of mine and the ministry she and her husband founded, The Shepherd's Crook, decided to come along side of us and began fund raising on our behalf.  In less than a week, over $8,000 was donated to the children's account!  We were overwhelmed with God's goodness and everyone with us that night was in tears. 

We had the blessing of being with another couple who could have been nothing less than a God ordained appointment.  Their lifestyle, beliefs and plans for the future are very much like ours.  It was wonderful to spend time with them and talk about the mighty hand of God and the amazing journeys we call life!

The children are in two different regions/orphanages about 6 hours apart and we could only pick up one referral at a time.  We when to Katie's orphanage first, visited her, heard all about her medical needs and how she is delayed.  (She is, but mostly because of her being in an orphanage.  She'll catch up quickly once home.)  She's about the right size for a one year old which is good. Now we just need to get her some cute little girly clothes!

We then went back to the countries capital, picked up Dalton's referral, who we are going to name Hunter, and then took the over night train to his regions.  Nine sweaty hours later with very little sleep we arrived, went to our hotel to freshen up and then off to the social workers office and then to the orphanage.  We heard all about his medical needs, visited with him and then ran around doing his paperwork.  His needs are nothing that we hadn't already figured out from pictures we had received.  He's doing well though.  Wears about a size 2T.  We'll have to buy a few things for him, but with lots of good food and lovin' he should be in the size 3t things we've been saving for him.  After filing for a court date and doing some more paper running around, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant. A short night's rest later we were up very early and back on the train to the capital.  One last night there and then we flew home.

It was one fast, exhausting but productive trip!  The food was great, the team was exception, the kids are beyond words and our God reigns! I'm glad we're home with our little ones here, but we sure miss our little ones there. Soon, soon we will all be together.

Here are a couple picture from our first meetings. 

 

They are amazing and we are very blessed!

TRAVEL DATES!

We received travel dates this past Tuesday.  We are to be in country on the 30th for our appointment which means we leave Saturday morning.  It's not much time to prepare, but thankfully this isn't our first adoption and we know how to prepare.

Once we have our appointment, we will board a train for Katarina's region.  We will meet her, accept her referral, visit with her and then head back to the capital.  At that point we will receive Dalton's referral and then travel to his region, meet him, accept his referral, visit with him, head back to the capital and then fly home.

After the "meet and greet", there is a committee which must review our children's file to insure that our home study and our children's files agree i.e. the ages, gender and special needs for which we are approved.  This process can take about 30 days.  Once we receive their approval a court date will be scheduled and I will return to go to court and spend some time with the kids.  Usually there is a 30 day waiting period after court; HOWEVER, that 30 days can be waived for medical reasons.  We are hoping that will be the case.  If so, I will stay until I can bring them home.  If not waived, I will come home again and wait for the 30 day period then return to bring them home.

We've not talked much about our children's special needs because we are a family which emphasizes our capabilities rather than disabilities.  But it's true that they both have significant needs and we're praying that we can get them home ASAP.  We've already spoken with our specialists and they are aware and ready to begin treatments in whatever manner that presents.

Pray for us while we are away.  Pray for those who have come along side us and are supporting us with their time and efforts.  It's been wonderful to once again see the Hand of God work miracles on our behalf.  And please pray for the financial support we need.  Adoption is very expensive.  You'd be gobsmacked if you know how much we had spent on adoption in the past 9 years.  Really though, it's not our money any more than they are our kids!  It's His money and these are His precious babies.  He entrusts us with both to do His good pleasure.  We just get to come along for the ride!

Christmas in August UPDATED!

By now you know that we have completed our paperwork, are waiting on submission in Ukraine and an invitation to travel.  In the meantime we are doing our best to amass the funds needed to complete our first trip which should be within the next few weeks.

Inasmuch we are holding some sales which will also allow you, our wonderful journey mates, to start your Christmas shopping.  We have two sales going on right now.  They are Norwex and Loving Cup Tea and now COFFEE!!

I'm a coffee lover so I'm so excited to add that we have a fund raiser for coffee with 100%, yes that 100% of the purchase price going toward our matching grant!  You can find the sale HERE

Norwex is committed to providing educational resources and supporting charitable projects that address growing concerns about harmful chemicals, plastic pollution and environmental issues. Their environmentally friendly products are microfiber cleaning, household, personal care, pet and auto products. You can find a link to the sale HERE, and 35% of each sale goes toward our adoption.  We all use these products in some form on a daily basis.  Stocking up on them through our party allows you to replenish that which you need and support our adoption.  Now if you are a tea lover, like me, you'll enjoy stocking up on this next sale.  

Loving Cup Tea sells loose leaf tea that is created from the highest quality leaves, ingredients and natural flavorings. As a mother I know what it's like to be pulled in all directions and everything seems to need your immediate attention.  I know what it's like to need just a few minutes of time to regroup one's thoughts and refresh one's soul.  Tea does that for me.  If you don't find tea soothing as I do, perhaps your loved one does.  This would make a lovely gift during the holidays for yourself or someone else.  You can find a link to this sale HERE and 30% of each sale will go toward our adoption. 

Thank you once again for supporting us during this journey to bring home our little ones.  Your prayers and financial support are invaluable.  We could not do this without you.

With love,
Kelley

Being Still Isn't Always Easy

It's not always easy to "Be still and know . . . ", but at times that's what God asks us to do. It's a matter trust.  So when my Facebook account got hacked and then "temporarily locked" (it's still locked) right after my last post about our matching grant, I reminded myself that God's got this.  So far I'm doing okay.  I guess because this is not our first international adoption, and we've been through this before, we've learned to trust God and His timing.  It's not always how we would do it, but He's never late.  So here we sit, not able to advocate for ourselves through social media. 

I find it most difficult to sit still because I don't want anyone to think that I'm not doing my part to raise the funds we need to adopt our children.  It's a hard one because it contradicts everything that this world tell us to do.  However, that not how God works, is it.

He says He uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.  Things like, give and it will be given unto you, and bless those who curse you.  That goes against the worlds thinking doesn't it.  I know from experience that His ways are higher than mine and if He says it, He will make it happen.  

So here I sit, trusting that He is faithful and is able to do exceedingly more than I can think or ask. 

Thank you, Lord! 

Only One More Document!

Only one more document!

We only have one more document  and then our dossier will be complete. It is our I171H from USCIS which is our immigration approval. 

We're making another road trip to USCIS in Atlanta tomorrow evening, after Jode gets off work, to get our fingerprints done since our appointment is Thursday morning at 8am.  We don't want to drive in Atlanta rush hour traffic. Once those are complete, we will get our approval. 

Please help us pray for safety, success, good fingerprints and an expedited process.

Thank you!

MORE GREAT NEWS!

GREAT NEWS!

 

Our home study and all the pertinent documents that go with it, like social worker and adoption agency license, are now on their way to the state capital to be authenticated. Next step will be to send the authenticated documents over to Eastern Europe for inclusion with our dossier. 

 

The only document yet to be received is the I171-H which is our approval from immigrations. That will happen after we have the fingerprint appointment.

 

And that folks, will be the LAST piece of our dossier!

 

Almost There!

 

Time for an UPDATE!

 

USCIS, which is Immigrations, now has a copy of our home study so we are only waiting on an appointment for biometrics which is a fancy word for more fingerprints!
 
Our final home study and all the licenses that go with them will be sent to the state capitals (FL and GA) to be authenticated/apostilled hopefully by week's end.

Once returned, all of those documents will be then sent to Eastern Europe and included with our dossier.

 

We have requested that everything be expedited due to the children's special needs, so hopefully our dossier will be submitted no later than mid July. After that, we will receive travel dates to come meet the kids!

 

We are almost there!

This amazing journey

We have final, signed and notarized, home studies in hand. That's very exciting. It's taken us 3 months, and tons of paperwork and patience, to get to this day!

Three originals will be mailed to the state office in Atlanta to be apostilled. That's the verification of the notaries signature which is required when sending documents internationally. Once we get them back, they will be mailed to Ukraine for translation as part of our dossier.

One final original was mailed this morning to USCIS/Immigrations in Kansas to be married up with our application. Once they receive it, which should be Monday, they will arrange for Jode and I to have another set of fingerprints. These prints will be somewhere in the State but we will not know until we get our appointment letter. Once that's complete, they will send us an approval letter and it too will be notarized, apostilled and then mailed to Ukraine as the final piece of our dossier. 
 

We're almost there!

 

Thanks for supporting us through this amazing journey!

 

 

 

GREAT NEWS!

 

What a wonderful day!

 

We were blessed with this precious picture of our soon to be future son

 

AND

 

We were given the news that our social worker has completed our home study approving us to adopt two children from Eastern Europe!

 

That's FABULOUS NEWS!

 

Our home study is now with our facilitation team and our primary provider agency for final review, editing if needs be, and then final approval! 

 

Once approved we will receive 4 signed and notarized originals of the home study. One originally will go to USCIS to be matched up with our immigrations application.  One will be retained for our records and then two, once apostilled, will be sent to Eastern Europe for translation along with everything we have already submitted.  Once we have USCIS approval, the approval document will also be sent over to be compiled with the rest of our dossier and then . . .

 

It will be submitted to the ministry which oversees international adoptions! 

 

WOW

 

We are almost there!

 

Thank you for following along on this amazing journey!

In the waiting, we can find peace and rest

In the waiting, we can find peace and rest

Although we have done all we can do to expedite this home study, we are now in a waiting period. Every person living in the home over the age of 18 must have background checks in every state which they've lived from the age of 18. Although Jode and I had all of these from previous home studies, my mother, who lives with us, has not. We are still waiting on two states. Once those are received, a final draft can be written.

Thank you again for helping us pray this through!

Update

UPDATE

For those of you that don't already know, Dalton's family is finally able to go get him!  We've been praying for, donating to, and advocating for him for 3 years now.  We always knew God laid him on our hearts for some reason.  Now we can share that story with him someday.  Inasmuch, and because this is not our first rodeo, we've made short work of the paperwork. 

All our home study (HS) paperwork and social worker visits are complete and our home study only waits to be written in a final draft and approved by our facilitation team and primary provider. 

All of our dossier docs, sans the HS ad I171h (USCIS approval which is contingent on receipt of our final HS) are completed, apostilled and headed to the next traveling family to be handed to the team in U.  So, now we get down to some serious fund raising.
 
Right now we have a t-shirt fund raiser created especially for those of us who sometimes feel like we're herding cats.  You can find it here.
 
We also have a shoe drive.  If you're so inclined, you can always mail your good used, or new shoes to us. 
 
And of course, we have our family sponsorship page!

Once we have the final HS in hand, we can apply for grants from other foundations.

To date, in less than 2 months, we have spent approx. $10k and are allotting close to $800 a month from our family budget, but we still need help.  If you're able, can you please help by contributing, sharing and praying.  We really appreciate it. 

Fundraising

Fundraising can be quite daunting

In the past we've never been very successful at it, but God always comes through. That doesn't mean we still don't do all we can in an effort to do our part. So in that vain, below are several ways one can help our family bring these two home. Both of them have neurological diagnosis, so we're doing out best to get them home and to our neurologist ASAP. The paper trail is zooming by, now we need to raise the remaining funds. 
 
  

We now have five fundraising efforts going.

The first is our SHOE DRIVE- for every pound of good, gently used or new shoes we collect, we will receive forty cents. This is contingent upon our collecting 100 bags containing 25 pairs of shoes each.

The second is our T-SHIRT SALE. A portion of the proceeds for every shirt sold will be given to us. It's a t-shirt I designed myself. I often tell my kids they remind me a herding cats. Thus the shirt Chief Kitten Herder! It would make a fabulous Mother's Day present and comes in sizes XS to 3XL, and in five lovely colors. Here's a link to the sale

The third is via our GOFUNDME page which can be found here:https://www.gofundme.com/the-robinson-family-adoption
 
The forth is our REECES RAINBOW FAMILY SPONSORSHIP PAGE. This is a grant which is held in trust until we have completed everything and are ready to travel. You can find it here: https://reecesrainbow.org/129762/sponsorrobinson-7

The fifth is our family page through HAND OF HELP IN ADOPTION which can be found here: http://www.handofhelpinadoption.org/2019/03/robinson3.html

We have set up an account through paypal under which we will deposit all funds for our adoption. This will keep all monies raised and/or donated separate from our everyday operating funds.
We also plan to write for grants, but we're not able to do that until our home study is done. That will happen very soon.
 
Thank you again for helping us bring our little ones home!

Addition

Adding another cutie!

This little love has been on my heart for over three years, and we are finally in a place where we feel we can bring him home too!

He and Katarina are from two different regions of their country, so costs will be a bit higher.  However, it's not the first time we have adopted from two different regions.  In fact, Katarina is from the same region as Leza, Nico and Emily, and this little fellow, whose pseudonym is Dalton, is from the exact same orphanage as Mikhail.  Go figure!  =)

We're looking forward to bringing them both home and watching them grow into the amazing people God created them to be!  The rest of our children are very excited about their new brother and sister as well!  This is gonna be fun!

Here's our updated family page.

God Bless!
Kelley

Adoption Update

I wanted to give y'all an adoption update.

As of today, our home study is as complete as we can get it. Everything required from us is in the hands of the agency and we are just waiting on our final visit, which is May 3. Once that is complete it will go to our facilitation team and then to our primary provider for final approval.

Our dossier encountered a hiccup which will be easily rectified. We should have it complete, sans the home study and USCIS approval within the next week. We will be sending everything we have to Ukraine for translation by the end of next week.

Once we have the final approved home study and USCIS approval, they will be sent to Ukraine for translation and then submission to Ukraine for approval. At that point, we wait for an appointment to come review the children's files and visit them.

It's a very quick program. We hope to be there by summer's end, but we have learned to be patient in the waiting.

Thank you so much for helping us pray this through. 

Your prayers are invaluable!

Cooking with Gas

I love cooking on a gas stove. It's instantly hot, not waiting for things to warm up.  Food gets cooked quicker, more efficient.  Just like our paper chase for this adoption!

Folks, this thing is going a lot faster than I thought it would.  I'm totally flabbergasted that everything for our home study has been turned in, and that we already have 29 documents for our dossier.

In order to finalize our home study, which will then be included in our dossier, we have one more visit with our social worker.  It is scheduled for May 3.  Once that's done and the final draft is written, it will be submitted to Hand of Help in Adoption (our facilitation team) for review and then to Joshua Tree ( our primary provider that provides Hague oversight) for final approval.  That's the next step in this journey, finalizing the home study and getting it approved. 

Although we have already paid an application fee to Joshua Tree, we still need to pay the rest of their fees.  They will not approve the home study until their fee is paid.  Makes sense.  This a layer of accountability established after we finalized our last international adoption and with the layer come additional fees.  As if adoption wasn't already expensive.  I understand their role in this and I get it. 

I'm glad we know Who our provider is! 

Think I'll turn the flames down for tonight and get some sleep.  The real Cook in this never sleeps or slumbers.  He's got the watch. 

How do you eat an Elephant? UPDATE

ONE BITE AT A TIME!

Yes, an international adoption is a HUGE undertaking, and since I am a goal oriented person, I love my check lists.  They give me positive reinforcement and continue to keep me focused on that which has been accomplished and that which remains.  Each entity we deal with has their own check list and to keep up with them, I have to create mine!

In this adoption we are currently dealing with 5 different entities -

1. Hand of Help in Adoption - our facilitation team
2. Option4Adoption - our home study team
3. Joshua Tree - our primary provider that provides Hague oversight
4. Funds2Orgs - a fund raising organization
5. Reece's Rainbow - Adoption Support for children with special needs.

That's a lot of check lists!

Our most recent entity, Reece's Rainbow, and the first one, Hand of Help in Adoption, has been with us through all five of our international adoptions.  We trust them and are thankful to be making this journey with them again. 

Reece's Rainbow is a 501c3 agency that has, through grants, been financially helping adoptive families bring home their adoptive children since 2006.  These grants are created through donations from people like you and are TAX DEDUCTABLE!  Inasmuch, we are creating a Family Sponsorship Page (FSP), grant page, through them so that all donations to our adoption are tax deductible.  Basically, they hold the money until all preliminary costs have been paid - things like the home study, immigration costs and dossier preparation, submission and approval - and we are ready to travel.  If for some reason we are not able to finalize the adoption, the donated funds would remain with the child's grant funds in hopes that someone is able to bring them home.  It's a great way to keep everyone honest don't ya think? =)  I'll let you know as soon as it's active!

UPDATE: OUR REECE'S RAINBOW FSP IS LIVE!

Anyway, as an update, we have completed all the documentation for our home study and are now just waiting for inquiries to return so we can finalize the home study.  Our application to USCIS, immigrations, has been submitted and we have begun compiling our dossier.  How are we eating this elephant?  One bite at a time!

Thanks for coming along!
Kelley
http://www.handofhelpinadoption.org/2019/03/robinson3.html

God's grace and favor are AMAZING

OUR HOME STUDY IS ALMOST COMPLETE!

God's grace and favor are AMAZING!

We have encountered so much favor during our home study process.  The paper work is moving along at an amazing pace, and we are so thankful! 

Now begins the process of creating our dossier and raising the funds to complete this. 

I think I have finally allowed myself to breath and accept that this is really, finally, happening again. 



Merry Christmas to You and Yours

Merry Christmas to You and Yours 

I know, it's early, but with a house full of children, and a mother who loves to decorate, we've begun turning our home into a Christmas Wonder Land.  Although that's wonderful and much fun, it's also a little sad thinking of the children which cannot enjoy as much as ours will.  I guess it's all a matter of perspective really.

 

Inasmuch my heart is turned toward the children I visited, and fell in love with, two years ago.  Sierra Leone is far from a Winter Wonder Land, it's sweltering heat and lots of rain. The children subsist on rice and occasional chicken.  They haven't much and what they do have is shared among all that live at the orphanage.  But, they sing and dance  and smile the biggest smiles.  They are a blessing to behold! Being with them, spending time with them, helped me better realize just how prosperous we are as a nation and how much we take for granted.

 

This year, rather than purchase more for our children who lack nothing, we are going to take a little extra and bless those who truly need it.  Won't you join us in donating to the Children's Christmas Fund for Mama Mayila's Cradle? This isn't a large organization which has multiple churches competing to see who can raise the most funds.  This is a small nonprofit that has individuals like me routing for it because I have held these children, loved on them and know them by name.  I talk to them and have watched them grow.  They are orphans of the Ebola Plague which unlike many in their country have a safe roof over their heads, someone to feed them and school to attend.  This is all provided by people like you and me with private donations.

 

You can contribute to by sending funds via paypal and annotating “Christmas Fund” in the “Add a Note” section. The email to use for paypal is contact@hope4ebolaorphans.org or https://www.paypal.me/Hope4EbolaOrphans or by credit card: http://bit.ly/ChristmasAngelTree

 

What we plan to purchase with the money is something they want, something they need, something the wear and something to read.  Believe it or not, all that would only cost about $20-$30 dollars US.  Can you help us?  Will help us? Your gift would be much appreciated.   

 

Merry Christmas with Love

The Least of These

In my last post, I introduced you to three precious children being cared for at Mama Mayila's Cradle in Sierra Leone.  Since then, I am tickled to say, we have had several inquiries about them. Liam now has a family doing their best to get him the medical help he so desperately needs! And Noah has a family pursing his adoption!  That's a BIG Praise the Lord! 

Today I would like to introduce you to two more Littles who also need help.  They are August and Sid.  

 

"August" is approximately 6 years old.  As you can see in his picture, August has a tendency to fall and when he does, he hits his head.  He desperately needs a helmet to protect him from further head injury.  He is also thought to have epilepsy and "diminished capacity." August was abandoned, and is in need of a loving forever family who can provide him the medical and emotional support he will need to meet his full potential. He really is a sweet boy.  Are you willing to take the leap to pursue him as your son?

This little pumpkin is "SID".  He's about 4 years old, a quiet little thing, but very attentive to that which goes on around him. He has two living parents, but they are unable to provide his much needed medical intervention.  Sid fell in a fire, and because he did not receive good medical care, he has much scaring from his burns. One of his hands healed so that it pulled backward in a flexed position and his fingers webbed together. He still has movement in it so there is hope. He is going to need reconstructive surgery.  We are hoping to find someone to sponsor him for a medical visa where he can receive much needed medical care and then return to his family with increased quality of life.  Are you the person to offer that help? If you are interested in finding out more, please let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

Both of these boys are in need of Sponsors.  For as little as $125 a month per child, you can provide for their housing, food, clothing and specialized care. You can partially sponsor one of them for $75 per month, per child.  Here's a link to their page. Just click on the child's picture.

http://maisonducoeurfruit.wixsite.com/mamamayilascradle/littles

To the world you may be just one person, but to one person - child - you can mean the world.  

Thank you for your help! 

Helping the Most Vulnerable

“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. 

They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. 

It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. 

But once you do, everything changes.”

~ David Platt

I've seen them.

I've held them in my arms. 

I've kissed their faces, and I will never forget.

The little bug on the left, the one in his handsome red shirt, spent most of a week wrapped around me.  I wore him in a sling made from a length of cloth.  And I love him with all that's in me.

These children are real, flesh and blood, not just stock pictures, and they need us - you and me.  In the midst of what you and I would deem a nightmare and abject poverty, they still deserve joy, peace, love and protection.  They deserve to giggle and play.  They deserve an education which in their country must be paid for.  They need food - that which you and I would deem meager fare, but is their sustenance. WE need to help them, love them and show them the love of God. 

We need to be Jesus with skin on.

What's that you say?  You can't go to Africa?  No, problem.  There are those who are willing to go and take that which you provide.  But I can do you one better, you can sponsor one of these children. For the cost of less than a Happy Meal a day, you can provide food, housing, clothing and round the clock care for a very vulnerable child.  

Let me introduce you to some of the most vulnerable which I had the honor of meeting.

Meet Noah. 

 Isn't he just beautiful? He's about 4 years old; we're not sure because we have no birth date for him.  That's not uncommon for orphans.  He's a quiet little man.  His whole world is quiet because he is deaf.  He was so lost and frightened when he first came into the center.  I'm sure he was quite confused.  However, he's been there for a few months now, and when I took this picture he was attending a school for the deaf.  Without sponsorship he is not able to attend.  Sponsorship of him, which would provide for his every need including school is only $125 a month.  You can find a link for him and other littles who need sponsorship here.

Then There's Baby Liam.  

He's about a year now.  When I was there in Oct, and took this picture, he was about 10 months old.  His head was at least twice the size it should be for one so young.  He did not wake while I was there, but moaned and tossed in his sleep. I touched him and prayed for him. He is in desperate need of a shunt to relieve the pressure on his brain.  This could be a life or death situation.  His country is not able to give him the medical care that he needs, but they are willing to allow him to come to the US on a medical visa to receive care.  If you are the one whom God is calling to help baby Liam, please email Hope 4 Ebola Orphans Charity.  You can also Sponsor him and other babies who need sponsorship by going here.

 This is Mercy

Like so many others, we are not quite sure of her age.  She's listed at about 12 but could be older.  At first she seemed like such a tough cookie, but when I made sure she knew that I saw her, asked her name and then taught her to sign "I Love You", she began to soften.  I even let her take a stab at braiding my hair!  For one who's had such a tough life, she still loves all things girly and pink is her favorite color.  Mercy is going to school, but without a sponsor that could come to an abrupt ending soon.  In her country, without an education, she has little hope.  She has no special needs, other than she's a teen girl who desperately needs to know she is loved.  Sponsoring her would be only $120 a month and if you are so inclined, or perhaps interested in sponsoring another girl, you can do so by going here.

There are also a few handsome boys who need sponsorship. I met many of them.  Every one had a beautiful smile and sweet heart.  You can find their sponsorship page here. 

Part of my heart walks around in Africa.  Trust me, getting involved with these children is one adventure you'll never regret.