When Your Son Calls You "Dude"

It was inevitable.  My adorable son would someday turn into a pre-teen.  I was all prepared for this, but I never imagined my son would be a video game junkie.  Yes, he's one of those.  He has his own lingo, an actual vocabulary, or completely different language if you will.  It includes terms like double kill, triple kill, overkill, killtacular, killtrocity, killiminjaro, killtastraphe, killpocalipse, killionaire...SERIOUSLY???  Boo hoo!  My husband has indoctrinated him!!  And he's good at it, and so are his friends, so there's no rehabilitating him.  But I must admit the funniest thing is when he's been in his dungeon...I mean the basement, and he's been talking with his friends while playing X-box, the word "dude" is thrown around left and right...he'll come flying up the stairs to quick grab something to take back down, he turns around to ask a question and it always comes out the same way, "Hey dude....I mean hey Mom."  Yes, that would be me:  "Dude Mom."  Yeah, it's kind of cute; he's still adorable.  And there's no turning back the tide. Father/son bonding time in our house means X-box.  If I were in charge of everything there would be candles lit and light music going while we all had family time playing board games.  It would be peaceful.  Instead, because the man of the house is a tech junkie, my kids have noisy electronics going 24/7.  Oh well, I may be surrounded by nerds, but that's my life; it comes in handy when I don't know how to use the remote (every day). 

My Adoption Scripture

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no LOA today either.  Whatever.  So today, I was praying/begging God for my LOA when my mind flashed to another time, when I was doing the exact same thing...praying about my children...but it was 15 years ago when I was praying about my biological children.  I remembered walking up and down the hall of our home, talking about my future children, speaking positive confessions over them.  I always prayed, "God, I want a boy first, then a girl and if we want more, we'll adopt."  Amazing!  I had my boy, then my girl, and now we're adopting.  God gave me the desires of my heart!!  In all my adoption research, etc. people always list adoption scriptures, such as caring for the orphan and widow, gathering your children from the East, etc., but that's not the scripture God gave me to stand on in this journey.  I was woken up in the middle of the night before we began the adoption process with part of Ruth 1:16 going in my head..."thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."  My people will literally be my children's people, and my God will be their God.  Their lives and future will be changed forever!!  So cool!!  Now if I could come up with a scripture about my LOA that didn't have anything to do with me needing to be patient.  Tee hee.  Yeah, I seriously have a patience problem.

No LOA

Nope, nada, zilch. No letter of approval for me today. My agency lady said she was really thinking it would be today. Ho hum. I've prayed every prayer I can. It's totally, completely in God's hands. I just need to trust Him. My agency said it would arrive within 60 days after my referral of my little girl. I am now at day 85. I just want my little ones home!!! Patience, I know, I know.

The Wait

I am officially puzzled by the adoption term "the wait." They say this is the most difficult time because there's nothing to do. Really? They say all the paperwork is done and you just have to wait. I have read this EVERYWHERE. But the real truth is, I'm doing more paperwork than ever...and they all have form numbers that make me cringe...I-800, DS230, I-864W, and don't forget all the Visa applications. By the way, I have to fill out these forms multiplied by four. I have a secret hatred for paperwork. Not because it's work, but because when I am asked a question I have three questions in return. For instance, a simple question that asks for your name makes me stop and ask, "Does this need to be all in caps? Do I have to use black ink only?" Most people probably don't deal with this, but I do and I always have. It's just another thing that I have to conquer on my adoption journey. Most people don't have to deal with a massive fear of paperwork, but my mind melts when I see questions like, "List all the cities you will be visiting while in China." What? I have no idea!! So, here I am, doing more paperwork wishing "the wait" actually meant WAITING!!

Congrats!!

Congratulations to a bloggy friend of mine who left for China today to pick up their son, Colin.  He needed to be adopted by his fourteenth birthday or he would lose his chance of ever having his forever family.  His birthday is the end of this month...words cannot describe the emotion that goes through me when I think how this young man's life will turn out, because someone believed.  The path that led this couple to adopt him seemed impossible; they only had four months to complete the adoption from start to finish, the husband was not eligible to adopt because of his age, they did not have one penny saved for it, and the list goes on.  They broke every rule...China granted them an age waiver, they raised every penny debt free, and they did it all in record time.  It's a good reminder that there are NO excuses with God.  If you say it's impossible there's a little scripture that reminds us that with God ALL things are possible!! 

The Joys of Homeschooling

Ah, the joys of homeschooling...we began two weeks ago as we will be in China for part of this year.  Today I was reading a science book to my children when one of them interrupted with a question.  I thought, "How wonderful, my children are actually participating in what I'm reading and now we will have a discussion about science."  But instead the question began, "Mom, do you remember on Phineas and Ferb...ok, Mom, this is so funny...blah, blah, blah..."  As my children now both chime in on the antics of these two cartoon characters my mind drifts to another place...public school...I think to myself, "Is it too late to enroll them so I can have my sanity back?  Would my children bother their public school teacher with a question about Phineas and Ferb?"  Then my mind drifts again as Brianna is so distracted that she begins doing cartwheels in the living room, and I remember the days of my children being in public school.  I did what I wanted!  I went to lunch on Fridays with my husband!  My house was clean!  I didn't have children having pillow fights during their spelling test!  And then my mind drifts again to a younger version of me holding my four month old son in a jewelry store and the lady behind the counter telling me to hold my son for as long as I can.  She said words that haunt me to this day, "My son is fourteen now.  There was a day, and I can't remember when, but it was the last time he ever sat on my lap, and that time is gone now."  So today, I remember...this too shall pass...let the pillow fights begin.

Better Late Than Never

So you may be thinking, "Why begin your blog at the end of your adoption journey?"  My only response is, "Better late than never!"  I've pondered it for six months now, but never took the plunge.  I've read plenty of blogs and have received SO much info from them that has helped me along the way.  It's also therapy for me!  If I'm going through something it's nice to know there are others who are in the middle of adopting that are in misery with me!


I started this blog partly for the ones who are adopting or who will in the near future.  The information adoptive moms give out is sometimes more valuable than what you receive from an adoption agency, because it's the real deal!!  They are LIVING it!!


So where am I on my journey?  Waiting for my LOA - Letter Of Approval!!  It comes from China, saying my husband and I are completely approved and can begin travel arrangements.  Why am I still waiting for it?  I have NO idea!  Maybe someone is on a really long coffee break!  COME ON LOA!!!

My Prayer

My prayer is that this blog will be a blessing to many, to brighten their day and lift their spirits! I pray that it would always glorify God. I dedicate and consecrate it to Him; may every word be upon Holy Ground!