We have Guardianship!

Today the judge signed our paperwork making us Utsab's legal guardians!  I officially have another son...even though I don't yet physically "have" my other son. :)  I am suddenly at a loss with so many questions, and so much to do with very little time to do it.  Good thing I am not someone who panics easily. :)

I did get some things mixed up when I was trying to let you know what comes next in the process.  I guess ISRC, the orphanage, applies for Utsab's Indian passport, and we apply for his visa...which I guess is the reason we have to go to Delhi.  Who knew?  I was not even sure why we were going there.  :)  My sweet case-worker at Dillon keeps me acurate which I'm thankful for.  That way when I look back on my blogs, I won't be as confused. :)  Her explanation is below...

"he will have an Indian passport and ISRC has applied for that, but the visa process is a U.S. visa and that is what you will be doing when you are there.  The I-600 form you file in New Delhi approves Utsab’s to “receive” a visa, then you file the DS-230 at the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata and that is the actual application for the visa and you will receive Utsab’s visa from the Consulate in Kolkata while you are there."

Does that make everything clear for you? :)  Easy as pie.  To those of you who know me and my sweet but travel challenged husband...we should have no problems, right! :)  Oh, well.  I'm too excited right now this minute to care.  I'll worry about the details this afternoon after I've had my shower and had time to process what I've just learned. :)

Case Approved!

I learned today that the judge in India has approved Micah's (Utsab's) case!  Yeah!  Now the attorneys for ISRC (our adoption agency in India) will draw up the guardianship papers in Utsab's name and then place them on the judge's desk for him to sign...making it official!  Now we wait for the Visa's and Passports to be applied for, and for the paperwork to make it back to Dillon, our agency here in the states.  They will then apply for our ICPC approval and we can purchase our plane tickets!  Of course all of this needs to be done by February 15th, before our home study expires. :)  No pressure.  It would be a huge help too if we could get our income tax refund before we travel. I'm sure glad the Lord knows what He is doing.  The funds are His, so I know we'll have what we need when we need it.  Of course there are no guarantees, but it looks like we will be able to travel and pick Micah up just before his first birthday on March 5!

Giving Your Heart

When do you throw your heart into the mix in your adoption process?  At the referral photo?  At the court date?  When you hold your child for the first time?  This is one of the current questions on the RLC website.  I am still in the process right now, but thought I'd share my experience so far.  In reality, I think that a mother's heart is involved from the minute she begins the application process.  Something has already led her heart to take such a huge step.  

I am not sure if my experience has been different from most others, or if other adopting moms feel the same way, but I have felt myself trying to "withhold" my heart a little bit.  Even after seeing the referral photo, I have tried to hold back just a little.  I have avoided shopping.  I have focused on my other children and tried to stay busy.  I have filled out the paperwork like I was just doing a job.   I do love Utsab already, even though I have never met him.   I have, however, reminded myself constantly that right now he is God's child and not mine.  God is a Father to the fatherless.  There was no way that we could financially do an adoption, so we told God in the beginning that He had to make this happen.  We've said from the beginning that the entire process must be in His hands.  That includes the finances, the referral (we told the Lord we would take the first child that He sent our way), and the timing of our paperwork.  

I think that I will not be able to really let my heart go, with abandon, until I have Utsab in my arms.  Right or wrong, I think this focus has somehow helped me to cope with the emotional roller coaster of adoption, and the agonizing of "the wait," better than I might have.  Being reminded in scripture that God loves Utsab already more than I ever could, and that He is in control of all things, is comforting in a process where the adopting parent has almost no control at all.

Family!

Today Micah is 10 months old! I was thinking about him off and on all day and wishing that he had been here already for our family photo. This Christmas, we were ALL able to be together, with our families and he was the only one missing. :( I have 6 sisters and 1 brother. Four of us are married with children of our own. We are a very close family and we have so much fun together. I cannot wait for Micah to join the mix! He already has 3 cousins who are a couple years older, he has one cousin who is 11 months older, and another cousin who is 3 months younger, and then another who is 6 months younger...and that is just my side of the family! It's awesome knowing that Micah will be in the next family photo! Happy 10 month birthday, Micah!

New pic of Micah!

Well, here is a new picture of Micah taken just 10 days ago. We can see him growing right before our eyes as we have been fortunate enough to get new pictures almost every month since we accepted his referral. It's hard to believe that he will be 10 months old in just 6 days. He looks a little sad to me here, but maybe he just woke up from a nap. At least he is wearing blue jammies instead of pink. :) I want to just grab him up and give him a big kiss on those cheeks. I can also see two tiny little teeth poking through on the bottom. What a precious little gift we have been given.

Through all the doubts, fears, questions, frustrations, waiting, etc., all I have to do is look at this little face, and the Lord calms my heart. Bringing Micah home is the favorite thing that I am looking forward to in 2009. I am hoping and praying for quick news from the judge when the courts reopen in January. The Lord has continued to be faithful and this Christmas has provided us with some unexpected funds from friends and family to go toward our travel expenses. We are just trusting that it will all be there when it is time to go get our little boy! :)

Micah's Angel

Merry Christmas! We had such a wonderful Christmas today. There was beautiful weather outside, we ate an awesome lunch at Ma-maw's and we had the whole day to just be with family! Although my husband, David, and my daughter don't feel well, it was nice to just be together all day with no plans and no place to be! We all opened our stockings this morning and talked about what we are going to do for stockings next year when Micah comes. Our stocking holders spell out PEACE and we will need another spot! Also, his stocking won't match the ones we have now. I've actually checked out some patterns and I think I am going to try making some...we'll see how that turns out. :)

David and I do stockings for each other every year and this year, I found this Willow Tree Angel inside. It is called "Angel's Embrace" and is a little angel holding a small child. He told me it was for Micah. Since Micah could not be with us today, we like to think that his guardian angel was holding and hugging him for us this Christmas. The inscription says, "Hold close that which we hold dear." I was doing ok today, trying not to think about Micah not being with us, until I read this. Well, next Christmas, Lord willing, we will be celebrating Christ's birth with 4 children!

Scrutinization Finished!

I got the word this morning that the scrutinization of our documents by the court attorneys in India is complete! Our documents are back at the orphanage along with a letter of recommendation that we be approved for guardianship! Yeah! I was praying that we might hear something before the courts close for the holidays next week.

Now, we wait for a court date. We are not notified of the date because it can be scheduled and then re-scheduled several times before the judge actually hears the case. However, on the court date, the orphange attorney will represent our family in court and then the judge should sign the guardianship papers!

It is impossible to know when, but my prayer is that we would be able to travel and get Micah by his first birthday which would be on March 5th. It does seem unlikely when you look at time-lines. I have also learned not to get your hopes up because so much in adoption is unpredictable. However, my Father is a God of miracles and I have felt in my heart for a while that He is working on our behalf to bring Micah home to us very soon! So...we continue to pray and give thanks!