new listing

There are several new listings on the TARE site.  One is a group of four that we all got rather excited about very quickly.  Only time will tell if these are the ones..... With three boys and one girl I would lose my schoolroom, but we quickly worked that out.  We have struggled for almost 2 years to make our multipurpose living/dining/school room work well furniture and space wise, but it wasn't until last night that everything suddenly fell into place. Now to find a sectional sofa at the right price! We have found bunk beds at a GREAT price and are picking them up this afternoon.  So our preparations are coming together nicely and we are almost ready.  Still waiting to hear back from Hawaii and the FBI.  All in God's time!

quick update

Not much to say except that we did get an email from Jackie letting us know that the background checks from Arkansas had come back.  Now we are just waiting for the forms from Hawaii and our FBI fingerprints to come back.  No idea how long either of those will take, but there is still much to be done between now and then!

some confusion and re-dos

The background check forms for Hawaii and Arkansas had to be redone.  Not a problem there.  The offices of those states have been giving Jackie a really hard time and run around.  She says she thinks she finally has it all figured out, but needed us to get the forms filled out again. That was easy and I then scanned them and emailed them back to her.  So we still wait, and in our waiting get more things ready here at home. 

One part complete

The homestudy process is now complete!!!  We are still waiting for the background checks from Hawaii and Arkansas and for the FBI fingerprint check to come back.  Once that is done then we will be approved and can work on getting kids!!!  Jackie still thinks we will have our certification before Christmas....what a gift that will be!  When Jackie arrived today she asked if we would be willing to take a group of 4....all under the age of 7.....I let the kids think about it while I talked to Jackie and then when it was Russ' turn I asked the kids what they thought.  They all said "too many littles all at once".  So I kindly told Jackie no thank you.  I have to say I agree with the kids.  Three seems to feel just right to all of us.  Kerrie is moving bedrooms.  She is moving to the front bedroom so she can share with her new sister.  We are turning her old room into a school room/play room!  I'm very excited about this!  Mykhal has decided to go ahead and rearrange his room so that there will be room for the bunk beds when we are ready to put them in.  Things are moving along!  And even Lex is catching the excitement!

amazement and apologies

Well our first session on the homestudy is over with and the second scheduled for the first part of December.  Jackie said that we should be approved by mid-December and will be able to start working on getting our kids immediately!  So things really are moving fast!  Jackie actually apologized to us for her workload being so heavy that she couldn't get us approved by the end of the month!  These people are amazing and wonderful!  I am flying high! She said that there is nothing that will hold us back from approval at this point and as soon as all the paperwork is done and returned by all parties then it will be over!  next time she comes out she will do the official inspections (she left us a checklist), take pictures of our property, interview Russ and me separately and then just put the paperwork together!  YEA!!!  WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!  A fellow Sunday School class member used the phrase "makes my soul hum".....I think that describes it perfectly right now!  My soul is humming and my heart is dancing with JOY!!!

attraction

I have discovered that I am drawn to sibling groups that are older and are girl, boy, girl......hmmmm, sounds rather familiar.....like maybe I have those living in my house now!  Kinda funny, but makes sense to be drawn to what is familiar.  I decided to go through the entire list of siblings on the TARE site and write down the case numbers of those that sparked my interest.  In doing so I came across another trio that have more issues than the first group seemed to, but I think they would still be a good match for us.  Mykhal says he won't mind having another older sister since there is a boy in this group that is just a little over a year younger than he is.  So again time will tell.  This group has been on the website for at least a year.  Our home study begins in about 40 minutes! will post more later.

Wednesday

....was a LONG day!  We got up at 4:30 am and left here for Ft. Worth at 5.  We got there, checked the 15 passenger van over, test drove, and signed papers.  We pick it up next week.  I am sad to see my sienna go, but am glad to be getting more space.  Driving the huge thing will take some adjustment, but it handles well.  Certainly will make long trips more comfortable!

kids

Checking the website today as I often do, I discovered that the trio we had been hoping to meet are no longer listed.  This means that someone took an interest in them and they are in the process of going to their forever home. The removal of profiles from that site is ALWAYS a WONDERFUL thing!!!  We are very excited for this group of kids and cannot wait to discover who it is that will be completing our family for the time being!

Van

I honestly thought I would have my sienna for a VERY long time.  It will hold 8 of us, or six of us with STUFF, but not 8 with STUFF.....so the argument began....Russ kept saying we needed a trailer and I said I didn't want to pull one at this point so I voted for a car top luggage carrier.  The eventual solution was to look for a bigger van....meaning a 15 passenger van.  Well, ideally it would be a diesel but that means a Ford....don't do Found On Road Daily nor Fix Or Repair Daily.  So we found a gas powered one from Chevy located in Ft. Worth.  It's on Ebay, and they will take our sienna for a trade in and we will have very little out of pocket cost!  So Russ has Wednesday off and we are going up to check out the new van.  Then hopefully again on Saturday to make the official trade.  One more step that will make things much easier in the long run.

Checking off the list

TB tests are done and will be read on Friday.  Health statements acquired from a doc who was very excited for us!  Asked other important questions of other offices on base while there and got more excitement and good answers.  Got an email from the intake director about her coming out on the 13th to start our homestudy.  So that is now on the schedule too.  Things are moving right along!!  I got safety plugs for the outlets, safety latches for doors and drawers yesterday, along with carbon monoxide detectors and bumpers for the edge of the hearth.  Will be moving all chemicals to our locking cabinet along with medications.  Have the lock boxes for prescription meds too even though we don't have any at this point.  Trying to cover all bases!  The unfilled requirements list continues to get shorter!!

Meetings

Well last night we went to the first of our "classes"!  we have 4 more and that is all.  Today Russ and I have our health statement appointments and I'm hoping to get our TB tests done too.  Will need to call about getting our CPR training done.  Things are moving along.  And the excitement is building!

Mail

The packet came yesterday just as I had hoped it would.  The paperwork is not nearly and daunting as I had thought, but it is going to take thought, discussion, and lots of writing.  The writing will be dual purpose though since I'm putting together the scrapbook of our lives to share with kids.  Did get pets immunized yesterday so that's one more thing down!

appts

Got the vet appointments made for today!  So I will have the required updated shot records for cat and dog in my hands this afternoon!  Russ faxed off my request to the high school for a copy of my transcript.  So two things are checked off.  I've got a folder started for notes and papers....will probably have to get one of my expandable files out before it's over!  Am going to start putting together a digital scrap book in the next few days of our life to share with kids.  I've got lists going of things that need to be done asap instead of waiting to later like they might have.  Russ has figured up that he has quite a number of days he needs to take for leave (days off) between now and the end of July.  Going to work out great for long weekend visits!  I'm still grinning like a cheshire cat!  Kids have begun to talk about the trio like they were already siblings!  I keep reminding them it's not a sure thing.....but it's great to hear their excitement!  Each day is another day closer!!

another step closer

Only one of the agencies listed on the paper had a local office.....and they were a Christian org!  Nervous fingers dialed the number and God's amazing provision began to come to light.  We will have our paperwork and information packet next week!!!  And this will take no more than 30-60 days!!!  I am flying high!!!!!  and my heart is at peace.  Everything is falling into place just as I knew it would when the timing was right.  I know we have only taken the first steps of a long and less than easy journey, but I am so excited and know without a doubt that this is the path we are to follow. 

Frustration and a stolen heart

Well once again a government agency has shown it's true lack of colors.  We were to attend a our information meeting last night but were met at the door of the building by the man who was to conduct the class.  He handed a piece of paper with phone numbers and agency names explaining that as of right now this CPS office was not allowed to provide classes or approve homes right now so we would have to go through another agency for this.  We do not know yet if we will have to pay for these classes and the homestudy since we will now be going through a private agency, but we will forge ahead.  Last night we were upset and very frustrated.....understandably I do believe.  Today though I see things in a very different light.  Instead of this being a setback, it's a blessing.  I have heard many horror stories of how CPS has drug things out and strung people along until it suited the office's needs to have things completed.  Now we won't have to deal with that!  God is amazing and I know that this turn of events will be for our best interest.  Once we have our  home study and background checks approved then we can still adopt through CPS.  Which leads me to my stolen heart....
I signed up awhile back to be emailed updated lists of kids who are newly listed or have had updates added to their profiles through the CPS website.  I received one such email last recently.  Looking through the list I saw a set of names I didn't recognize (see I have spent some time looking through the profiles already) and saw that according to the dates listed this group was new to the website.  Kids have to be available for adoption for a certain amount of time and all current options exhausted before the profiles are put on this website.  This site is more or less a last resort to try to get the kids adopted.  When I clicked on the names up came a photo of these three beautiful kids and I immediately began to cry.  I have not had this strong an emotional response to any other group of kids thus far.  Once I could see again I began reading about them and the more I read, the more I prayed asking God if I was looking at MY kids.  I do not have an answer......yet.  These three with their interests, ages, desire for to be in a home with other siblings, desire to be involved in church, etc.... just seem to be a perfect fit.  I can't understand why on earth these kids haven't been snatched up!  But then again......maybe they won't fit with anyone but us......I do know that if these three aren't the ones, there will be others.  There are HUNDREDS of kids listed on this site and it's only the tip of the iceberg of the number that are waiting for adoption.  For now I pray, trust, wait, and work on finding the right agency to work with for our classes and homestudy.  One small hurdle, and one step closer!

Postponed

Well of course, in true government agency style, the meeting was postponed without any notice put up.  So we will try again next week which is when the rescheduled meeting is to take place.

So Excited!!

The adoption information meeting for this month is THIS THURSDAY!!!!  I have BUTTERFLIES!!  Everyone is excited and ready to officially begin this incredible journey.  It feels like I've waited for this day for a lifetime!!  And now it's HERE!!!

It all began...

when two yong kids met in 1989. They fell in love, married, and had a family. But before the family came to be these two young lovers decided that they would one day adopt children into their family. Eighteen years passed before the time was right....eighteen years, 4 children, and one death. On Februar 27, 2009, our youngest child, Nathan LaRue Okalani Jones, died at two and half years old. Just days after his death, Russ says "maybe we will adopt someday" and it resounded as truth within KK. Just a month later the urge to begin the research of what it takes to adopt lay heavy on their hearts and they took the first step. God was right there holding us all close even before Nathan's death. Just a week before, we met another home schooling family who had 4 adopted children, one of whom was spending the night with us the night of the 27th. Little did we know when we met that our lives would become so connected. Friendship has blossomed, and a great deal of learning has taken place. Now here we are six and a half months later, and we as a family are ready to take the next step. So in October 2009 we will go to our Adoption Information Meeting and start the process officially. We have read numerous books and have many more on the list. But we know God will equip and enable us to handle all that He calls us to do.