Keep Calling!

Here is an update from JCICS regarding the Child's Right Campaign:

Joint Council is pleased to announce that the letter from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption to Secretary Rice regarding intercountry adoption and child protection in Vietnam has received over 130 Congressional signatures.

Given the visit to the United States by the Prime Minister of Vietnam over the next few days, it would greatly benefit our collective effort if additional calls to Members of Congress were made immediately.

While many families and adoption service providers are not directly involved with Vietnam, we urge all families and service providers to participate in A Child’s Right Campaign by calling your Congressional Senators and Representatives today!

Please take a moment now and contact your Congressional Senators and Representatives and ask if they have signed the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) letter to Secretary Rice. If they have, please thank them for their support. If not, please ask that the Senator or Representative add their support and signature to this important letter.

So good to hear so many congressmen have signed on. Keep calling. Lets add some more signatures to that letter. Thanks!

Birthdays

I am back, and I am 30, plus a couple days. It started sinking in today. Normally I don't get upset about getting older, but I'm realizing a gap between the reality of who I am, and the picture I used to have of myself when I would be 30. I don't have it all together, and I am not very wise.... I remember in my early 20s getting asked why I wasn't in school. I looked like a high schooler for so long, and now I never get such comments. Strange huh? Just a little dose of reality.

Keith took me to a cute little (I really mean little) cabin near Mt Ranier. We drove through some of Mt Ranier National park, visited the museums, went on a few short hikes (most of the trails are still under snow), took lots of pictures, got to see some wildlife, relaxed and read a book, and spent some time in a hot tub on a creek. It was nice to get away and relax, but Koen is sure punishing us for leaving him behind. He had a great time with his Grammi, but is out of sorts know that we're back. Little "Mr. Tantrum Royale" visited today - it's the maddest I've seen him. He cried so long and so hard that his face got little red polka-dots. Nothing makes you feel more like a mean parent!

As part of the Child's Right Campaign, Keith called our senators today, and left messages with both of them. The goal is to continue to encourage them to sign a letter to Condoleezza Rice, urging her to act to keep Vietnam open. Our state rep had already replied to our email that he had signed the letter. We are very thankful to him for that.

Please continue to pray for this campaign, and for the rights of the children in Vietnam. Every child has a right to a loving family.

Here's pics from our getaway:

A friendly coyote (or is it a fox?) that wasn't at all afraid of us.

Standing on the short of a lake - that's the most of the mountain we saw in the background

Posing atop a waterfall

Great shot, huh? :) (That is a dear rear)

A friendly dear in the park - very interested in the camera

Our little cabin

Climbing that Hill

I'm 30 today. Weird. Well, I'm actually not 30 until tonight. I'll stay 29 as long as I can. People say the 30s are great. I hope they're right.

Keith is taking me somewhere in a few minutes. All I know is that we'll be gone two nights, and to bring a variety of clothing. He is planning to make breakfasts, so it must have a little kitchen or something. I'll let you know.

Next time I blog, I'll officially be 30:)

Water Fun

Today Koen and his play group went to a fun park that had an animal farm and water play area. Even though it was only in the 60s, Koen gradually got more and more wet in the water area. We'll have to go back when summer finally gets here.

Petting the baby cows

Koen's best buddy was more brave than he at first.

But, you can see he eventually got pretty wet.

*I Get to Do Something Again!

Today we got an email from our agency asking all of the Vietnam waiting families to write a letter to the Ministry of Justice in Vietnam, requesting them to complete the adoptions of all who have their dossier submitted before July 1st. Our director is heading to Vietnam this weekend to meet with DIA officials to advocate for the continuation of Vietnam/US adoptions, and will take the letters with him.

I quickly typed up a letter and got it in the mail within an hour. It was nice to get to DO something again that might make a difference. Please pray this is an effective effort.

I've struggled with being sad every few days or so again. I feel like we're waiting in so many areas of our lives. I picked up "Successful Adoption, A Guide for Christian Families" by Natalie Nichols Gillespie and found a chapter on waiting. "Do not waste your wait time complaining about what you do not yet have, but instead make it your goal to ask God, 'Lord, what would you have me do during this wait time to draw me closer to you, to my spouse, and to the people you have placed in my life?' Ask Him do help you get the focus off yourself and onto the work He would have you do in the meantime."

I do want to make the most of this time. I know He has a purpose for it. I want to be a great Mom to Koen during the wait. I want to spend quality time with the Lord and grow closer to Him. I want to do the same with Keith. I want to devote myself to some kind of service to orphans while I wait. I want to spend time with my elderly Grammi, and the rest of my family, as well as do some traveling to visit friends and family that live further away. Maybe I will train and attempt a triathlon this summer- something I've always wanted to do. There are a lot of things I know I can do to keep myself busy and make this time purposeful. But, there is an emptiness in me, and I know I can't just fill it with busyness.

I turn 30 in 6 days. At 30 aren't you supposed to have life figured out? Have a plan? Know what God's calling for your life is? I am learning that my deadlines are not God's deadlines.

*Sad

Yesterday was just a really sad, gloomy day. I have this passion for orphans growing in me, and yet no way to do anything for them right now. We would love to foster, but only have a 2 bedroom place, and don't know if we will be moving to another state soon. We want to hold our little girl, but have no idea when or even if we will be able to. I want to hug and hold an orphan in Africa and listen to their story, comfort them in the loss of their parents, who likely died of AIDS. And yet, I am here.

It's not bad to be here, really. I'm just getting impatient to figure out what the Lord is going to do with this desire in us.

In desperation, I journaled a prayer asking the Lord to encourage and guide us. A minute later an email arrived from our agency. I thought it must be an answer to my prayer, only to find more discouraging news. I guess the news could have been worse, but essentially, our agency only received 2 referrals last month. That's not all that bad, but if we are going to have a chance to get a referral by September 1st, there needs to be many more than that. So, now we need to really pray that this campaign is effective.

Should we start an adoption in another country? I know I will be so heartbroken if Vietnam doesn't work out, and we have to start all over and wait another couple years through another program. Ughhh.

I need to remind myself of how Big and Good my God is. "All things work for the good of those who love Him." - Romans 8:28.

Important, Please Join the Campaign

Our agency gave us more info on the Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. The JCICS (Joint Council of International Children's Services), several adoption agencies, and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) are initiating this Campaign.

"It is through this advocacy group that we are can get word to Congressional Representatives and Senators of the urgency of the situation in Vietnam. This Campaign consists of families making contact with their Senators and Congressional Representatives urging them to support the Campaign and the continuation of adoptions in Vietnam."

The campaign is asking all adoptive families and anyone else who is concerned to participate in this Campaign by contacting your Congressional members. Holt International set up a program that will allow you to make this contact. All you have to do is go to this link, http://capwiz.com/holt/issues/alert/?alertid=11402851. Go to the issues and legislation tab and you will see the “Contact Congress Now” page for this Campaign. You can modify the text of the message and put in whatever you wish to convey. Once you put in your name and address, the email will go directly to your Congressional members. Feel free to call their local offices as well to convey your concerns about adoptions in Vietnam being at risk and that you are asking for their support for this Campaign and for the continuation of adoptions in Vietnam.

*8 Months

It's another adoption anniversary today. It has been exactly 8 months today since we were DTV (dossier to Vietnam), and put on our agency's waiting list. We were told to expect 10-13 months wait when we started. It's all up in the air now, but we do have some hope that we will get a referral this fall. Please join the Child's Right Campaign and help make this possible.

Last time Vietnam closed it took 2 years to negotiate a new agreement and reopen US/Vietnam adoptions. We can't let that happen again! Too many orphans needs homes and families need children!

We are getting closer!