It's been a stressful couple of days. Our court papers were FedExed to the Texas ICPC office on Tuesday, April 13. It could take as little as 7 days and as much as 3 weeks for final approval within the two states. After ICPC approval, I was told that we will travel VERY soon because of Kahlia health condition. It's hard not knowing how many weeks we have - I like to be able to "plan" and the unknown is killing us!! It's also REALLY hard for Scott and his campaign not knowing when we will travel. I'm getting nervous about all the unknowns that will be coming our way over the next couple of weeks.

Called our insurance company today to ask about what we need to do to make sure Kahlia is going to be covered as soon as she gets here. They said that we need to submit official court documents from India when she is officially ours (we didn't even have them ourselves) within 31 days of the court date. We are at 26 days already now!!! Wow - I am SO glad I called when I did! We need to not mess this up since we are going to have THOUSANDS of dollars of medical bills this year for her!!

Please pray that we will be able to use our airline miles to get free tickets there even though we will have very little notice. Scott doesn't think we will, but I am holding out hope that we will!

Today Scott walked door to door for over 4 hours in Reedsport, had a tea party gathering at noon that he spoke at (David and I were there too), and tonight he is at another tea party gathering in Coos Bay. Busy, Busy day! Scott needs lots of extra prayer for strength, stamina, and faith that GOD IS IN CONTROL!

Looking forward to our future, as unsure as it is... :-)
-Michelle

We got new pictures today of our little Kahlia. Her hair sticks straight up because nobody ever brushes her hair, but Brendon told Scott he likes her hair because it sticks up - somehow that doesn't surprise me!! We got to see her two front teeth today for the first time today. All other pictures that we have received her mouth has been closed. We still didn't get a smile, but hopefully we'll see one in person real soon! :-)

We got word today that they sent off our court documents to the ICPC (Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children) office in TX. Once approved there, then they send it on to the ICPC office in Oregon. Once they approve the documents here, they contact the TX office by phone or fax who then contacts our agency (IFS) and they let us know!! They say the process usually takes 7-15 days could be a little more. With our luck - it will be more, but we will see...

Another week - still waiting...it's been 16 days since we heard we passed court. I'm always optimistic that for ONCE we just may get a break and something will go faster then expected, but as time usually does, it brings you back to reality that no - EVERY step of the way is SLOW! I'm hopeful, excited, and fully confident that we do not see the whole picture, and God really is in control of what is best for us - including His perfect timing! I feel so blessed. I have an amazing family. A husband who works so hard for us, loves us, takes such good care of us, and have three beautiful children who pray for their new sister every day. Brendon isn't looking forward to having to share a room, but to me that is all part of learning to make compromises and sacrifices to be the family that God wants us to be. It's good and I know it's going to be ok. I am still very hopeful that before the end of May we will have our little girl in our arms. There is A LOT to do before she comes! Washing and preparing all of Makennas old clothes (I knew being a pack rat would come in handy someday!). Getting the boys settled in their room together, and the endless amount of paper work to have prepared and ready to take with us to India. I am beyond excited, and yet I am beginning to feel a little nervous. Will the bonding process go quick? How long will she cry when she sees us? Will she cry? How do we feed her? WHAT do we feed her? I worry about her heart and her upcoming surgery - how long will she be in pain? I feel sadness for her and what she will be going through really soon...a new home, a new life, new people, a FAMILY, a very serious open heart surgery, cleft palate surgery, new food, new smells, new opportunities, pretty much new everything! Yes, they are good things, but in the mind of a 20 month old that doesn't understand what is happening to her, it will be traumatic. I feel sadness just thinking about what she will be going through really soon. Yet, I can't wait for her to adjust to her new life. She is going to feel better then she has her whole life after she recovers from surgery. She will have more energy, and will be able to walk! I love you little Kahlia, and I can't wait to hold you... :-)

Our first door to door day for the campain

This was the morning of Scott's campaign Kick-off. We've got a long way ahead of us - but this was our first day going door to door, and we started on "Scott" Ct. How appropriate... :-) The kids only lasted about an hour, but they did it, and we are proud of them!

March 24, 2010 we found out we passed court. That was our final hurdle in India. Now the court papers are in route to IFS' headquarters in Texas. Then we have to pass ICPC - an inter state clearance since we do not live in Texas. This gives permission for Kahlia to fly back to the United States. Once we get ICPC clearance, we are free to make travel plans to pick up our little girl . Hard to believe she's coming home. We have SO much to do before she comes - after all this time, it hardly seems real. This is a crazy time for our family as we prepare for another child and go full force ahead in the midst of a very long and drawn out campaign that will go through November. Check out Scott's website at scottrobertsfororegon.com to keep up with all that Scott is doing - it's pretty crazy! God is good though. He's showing us that He is bigger then us, and it is ONLY with him that we will make it through! Praise the Lord. More posts to follow...

Kahlia needs our prayers!

We just received an email tonight from the director of the India program with International Family Services. He gave us an update on our little girl, and she is not doing so well. She has a discharge coming out of her ears due to a cold and her cleft palate. They have her on medication, but the workers at the orphanage think her health is serious enough that they requested that her family send a letter via our adoption agency requesting that our court date be expedited because of her serious health condition. We wrote the letter immediately, and scanned it back to him, so hopefully it can be sent to India tomorrow. Let's pray that for once something will go VERY quickly!!!

We received pictures of her today as well. Sadly, she was not looking very well. She looks sad and a little unkept. Her hair was a complete mess, and her smile was at least a mile away. :-( All I want to do is get on a plane and go hold her in my arms, tell her everything is going to be ok, bring her back here to America, get her surgeries done ASAP so she can finally feel good, and be happy.

We would appreciate your prayers through out this process. We see an end in sight which is SO exciting, but her health is a concern right now, so she just needs lots of prayers. Thanks! :-)
-Michelle

FINALLY!! WE GOT OUR NOC TODAY!!! :-)

Hello family and friends,
It has been 5 months since I posted here. This adoption process has been very discouraging, and it has been hard keeping our spirits high in the midst of so much disappointment. We were told that when our dossier was sent to India on June 23 - it would be an 8-16 week wait to receive our NOC (Non Objectionable Clearance). It has been over 29 weeks!!!
Just today (before I got the news), I was sharing with the ladies in my Bible study what's been going on in my heart. We were talking about what it means to have Faith. It really hit home when we were reminded that Noah was told to build an ark - in which he built for 110 years!!! Not only did he build for 110 years, but he did so in an area of the world that had rarely if ever even seen rain!! He trusted the Lord for 110 years that His plan was "higher" than his own. Even when he didn't understand, he kept his faith, plugged onward, and in the end, he triumphed. Wow - putting that in perspective, we have ONLY been waiting for just over 3 years!!
Though we have now been "approved", our file has to now be approved in the Indian court system. It usually takes them 1-2 weeks to file for court, then it takes another 8-16 weeks to be approved through the courts. That is merely a formality, our real approval was our NOC clearance, but with our court approval - our little Kahlia will officially be ours. Then it will be another 3ish weeks for the approval here in the states. Once that is approved - we will be cleared to make travel arrangements to finally pick up our little girl.
To give a little update, Shakti (Kahlia) turned one on September 25. We received our last update right around her birthday, and she was only 13 pounds and barely sitting up. She is very weak, and very much in need of heart surgery ASAP!
Our kids pray for her literally every day, it has been such a blessing for us to watch our children grow in their own faith as they go through this heart wrenching process right along with us. Makenna will be 7 in a few months - she was only 3 when we started this adoption journey.
Now that we have HOPE, there is real progress moving forward, I will be more active in my posts so all of you can stay "updated" on our progress as we get closer and closer to bringing our little girl home. Thank you all for your prayers and support. What a blessing to us!!! :-)
Love,
Michelle