Adoption papers signed and filed with the court. Next step the final hearing to finalize the adoption. This is scheduled to take place on January 12th at 9:30 Chilean time or 7:30am EST. We are SOOOOO excited!!! As my mother just said today, "When God moves, HE MOVES!" We are SOOOOO blessed!!!
As for the adoption tax credit, we have paid all of the agency fees already, so maybe we can claim those for 2010 since we actually paid them in 2010. We'll see.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
ANOTHER step closer
We have our permanent residency!! Actually the adoption agency lawyer alerted us that we needed to go pick them up, so we ran downtown with all 4 kids in tow, and got them!! This was last Tuesday. Then we had to get notorized copies of all of our certificates, before dropping off those copies and copies of our permanent residency to the adoption agency. Now, there are 2 steps left.
The first step with happen tomorrow. We have to go the courthouse and sign the legal petition for the adoption of the girls. We have to do this in front of a judge. Then we'll have one more audiencia with a judge to finalize the adoption. We are still praying that this will happen NEXT week, so that on our tax returns we can claim the girls and we can get our adoption tax credit/refund back. This means we'll get back all the money we've spent thus far in the adoption (because it's been less than $10,000 - which is the credit amount per child). Please pray with us!!
The first step with happen tomorrow. We have to go the courthouse and sign the legal petition for the adoption of the girls. We have to do this in front of a judge. Then we'll have one more audiencia with a judge to finalize the adoption. We are still praying that this will happen NEXT week, so that on our tax returns we can claim the girls and we can get our adoption tax credit/refund back. This means we'll get back all the money we've spent thus far in the adoption (because it's been less than $10,000 - which is the credit amount per child). Please pray with us!!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
My girls are 2
My princesitas, Eliana and Esther,
I have to say that as your birthday is here today, I'm not sure how I feel. On the one side, I'm excited that we can finally celebrate your special day. But on the other side, there is little significance of this particular day for me. I also don't want to admit that you're 2. I want you to grow and learn, but I want you to stay little. What does make this day special is that you two are here with us and we can celebrate together. You are FINALLY home!!!
On this day, December 15, 2008 your biological mother, gave birth to you after 37 weeks of carrying you two around. As active as you are now, I'm sure you were pretty active in her womb too! I'm glad that she was able to "hang on" for 37 weeks so you two would have the healthiest start possible! She gave you life and loved you both enough to know that she couldn't provide the kind of home that you needed. I'm thankful for your biological mother and her sacrifice to allow us to know you and to mold you into the image of Christ. I'm thankful that God decided from the beginning of time that we would be blessed to give you the kind of home that your biological mother wanted for you.
For me, our special day is October 25, 2010, the day you finally came home!!! You are both extra special and in this brief time, I have seen you grow and learn new things. I love hearing you talk to us in either Spanish or English! I love hearing you talk to each other in your special twin language. Eliana, you love to watch and know how things work or why things stay together or come apart. There isn't a mystery you won't try to solve. Esther you love adventure with boundaries and security. You'd try anything once.
I pray that as this birthday passes into another and another that we will look back on these past months and realize how much you've grown and what a blessing you both are to our family.
Happy Birthday my dear babies, who really aren't babies anymore. Grow strong and healthy!
I love you!!
Mommy
I have to say that as your birthday is here today, I'm not sure how I feel. On the one side, I'm excited that we can finally celebrate your special day. But on the other side, there is little significance of this particular day for me. I also don't want to admit that you're 2. I want you to grow and learn, but I want you to stay little. What does make this day special is that you two are here with us and we can celebrate together. You are FINALLY home!!!
On this day, December 15, 2008 your biological mother, gave birth to you after 37 weeks of carrying you two around. As active as you are now, I'm sure you were pretty active in her womb too! I'm glad that she was able to "hang on" for 37 weeks so you two would have the healthiest start possible! She gave you life and loved you both enough to know that she couldn't provide the kind of home that you needed. I'm thankful for your biological mother and her sacrifice to allow us to know you and to mold you into the image of Christ. I'm thankful that God decided from the beginning of time that we would be blessed to give you the kind of home that your biological mother wanted for you.
For me, our special day is October 25, 2010, the day you finally came home!!! You are both extra special and in this brief time, I have seen you grow and learn new things. I love hearing you talk to us in either Spanish or English! I love hearing you talk to each other in your special twin language. Eliana, you love to watch and know how things work or why things stay together or come apart. There isn't a mystery you won't try to solve. Esther you love adventure with boundaries and security. You'd try anything once.
I pray that as this birthday passes into another and another that we will look back on these past months and realize how much you've grown and what a blessing you both are to our family.
Happy Birthday my dear babies, who really aren't babies anymore. Grow strong and healthy!
I love you!!
Mommy
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Updates and BIG NEWS!
First of all - Yes I am planning to post an adoption shower entry, but my friend and fellow missionary has all the really great pictures and we keep missing each other to pass the CD that she made for me.
Second, I got a call this morning from the adoption agency lawyer. She apparently has been checking on-line on our permanent residency status. She said that they are ready!! She also says that once this is done and we've got copies of all of our documents then we're good to complete the adoption. All that being said, we could complete the adoption by the END of 2010!! WOW!! HOW FAST!!
Third, a few notes for future reference. Caleb and I were remembering the day we brought the girls home and the roller coaster of a day that we'd had. Caleb remembers "running up to us to ask if we'd gotten foster care custody and if we were going to get the girls. Then we had to tell him that we were going to wait one more day." That's when he confided in me that, "when we told him that we were going to wait one more day, he went to the bathroom and cried and prayed to ask God to bring his sisters home that day." Low and behold, the director of the agency called and told us that the girls were ready for us and to go and get them. Caleb's prayers and heart cry were answered. I praise God that Caleb and Hannah have such a heart for others!!
Second, I got a call this morning from the adoption agency lawyer. She apparently has been checking on-line on our permanent residency status. She said that they are ready!! She also says that once this is done and we've got copies of all of our documents then we're good to complete the adoption. All that being said, we could complete the adoption by the END of 2010!! WOW!! HOW FAST!!
Third, a few notes for future reference. Caleb and I were remembering the day we brought the girls home and the roller coaster of a day that we'd had. Caleb remembers "running up to us to ask if we'd gotten foster care custody and if we were going to get the girls. Then we had to tell him that we were going to wait one more day." That's when he confided in me that, "when we told him that we were going to wait one more day, he went to the bathroom and cried and prayed to ask God to bring his sisters home that day." Low and behold, the director of the agency called and told us that the girls were ready for us and to go and get them. Caleb's prayers and heart cry were answered. I praise God that Caleb and Hannah have such a heart for others!!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The last month or so in pictures
Esther all dressed up for her first Sunday at church.
Eliana on a Sunday about to visit church for the first time and playing with her big brothers soccer goalie glove.
Eliana reading a flyer from a local pharmacy.
Eliana reading a flyer from a local pharmacy.That smile is CONTAGEOUS!!!
Esther in her new "Lumpilo" (Columpio = Swing)
Just after taking a tubby
Esther in her new "Lumpilo" (Columpio = Swing)
Just after taking a tubby Esther, Mommy, and Eliana
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