We waited all day for the Visas...they did not arrive but they should be delivered to us by Saturday morning. We have changed our airline tickets to leave on Sunday afternoon, arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning. We are delayed 2 days on this end but the coordinator will take us directly to the orphanage from the airport on Tuesday so we are only one day behind on the Kazakhstan side of things. After 2 days traveling, I'm sure we will look great! It doesn't matter...I can't wait to see my babies!
I know God is looking down and laughing at us. I'm sure he knew we needed another day or two to recheck our 'list' for the 1,000th time.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Still waiting for visas
Just a quick update.
We sent our visa information via Fed Ex to a courier in Washington, D. C. on Wednesday. The documents arrived to her on Thursday morning. Unfortunately a vital conformation number was not available until Monday; so even though we sent our application it could not be forwarded for processing until this morning. So we are several days behind. We were told that the visa application process usually takes 4-5 days and that's if we are lucky. It is starting to look like our travel might be delayed a couple of days but we are staying positive. Maybe God knows we need more time to pack...it's been a little crazy : )
KEEP PRAYING!
We sent our visa information via Fed Ex to a courier in Washington, D. C. on Wednesday. The documents arrived to her on Thursday morning. Unfortunately a vital conformation number was not available until Monday; so even though we sent our application it could not be forwarded for processing until this morning. So we are several days behind. We were told that the visa application process usually takes 4-5 days and that's if we are lucky. It is starting to look like our travel might be delayed a couple of days but we are staying positive. Maybe God knows we need more time to pack...it's been a little crazy : )
KEEP PRAYING!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Visa application in the mail...God has this!
Wow...what a crazy two days we have had. Tuesday at 2:30 we get the call, by 4:30 Glenn has already been in touch with the travel agent. Travel plans are made but we can't travel until we get our Visas. All day Wednesday was spent preparing documents for our visa application then by 5 pm off to Assistant Stork Courier service in Washington D.C. The documents arrived at the courier this morning at 10:15 but one piece of information is missing. The region has not sent our agency the Letter of Invitation (LOI) to travel, confirmation number. We have found out that even if we get the confirmation number it may not be delivered to the Embassy of Kazakhstan until next week. Time is ticking. If we don't get our Visa then travel is delayed. I am reminded, "God has this!".
In the meantime we are busy collecting and updating other documents that we will need to bring with us to Kazakhstan. These have to be sent to the Tennessee State Department for apostille of the notary. Those are also in the mail but will be delayed due to Good Friday. Once again...God has this!
We will be spending the next few days packing for a 30 day visit to Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. I checked the weather today...high 32, low 28. Just when I started to get my solar battery charged we are off for more winter. No complaints though. I can't wait to get my arms around those babies.
Keep praying! Will check in soon.
LaRonda
In the meantime we are busy collecting and updating other documents that we will need to bring with us to Kazakhstan. These have to be sent to the Tennessee State Department for apostille of the notary. Those are also in the mail but will be delayed due to Good Friday. Once again...God has this!
We will be spending the next few days packing for a 30 day visit to Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. I checked the weather today...high 32, low 28. Just when I started to get my solar battery charged we are off for more winter. No complaints though. I can't wait to get my arms around those babies.
Keep praying! Will check in soon.
LaRonda
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
GOD IS GOOD!!!!
It's been one of those weeks. I've been sick, trying to wrap up at one job and start another job that will allow flexible hours between now and the time we travel to get the kids. Then I got the most amazing phone call. Our case worker called today to tell us that not only is our paperwork moving steadily through the red tape but...WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO TRAVEL TO KAZAKHSTAN TO MEET OUR BABIES!
Yea, I'm floored...literally. I feel like my feet are nailed to the ground. My heart is racing and I'm sick to my stomach. Is this how mommys feel when they find out their babies are coming? To make things even better, we are expected to be in the country on April 11th and we will meet Kristina and Vladimir on Monday, April 12th.
Between now and then you can't even imagine how much we have to do. More paperwork, airline tickets, visa applications just to name a few. It will all work out. GOD HAS THIS! Please keep us in your prayers. Pray specifically that the judge will allow us to bring Krissy and Vlad home in May and we won't have to make a second trip. It would be so awesome to have them home at the start of summer.
Stay tuned. We will be posting pictures and videos really soon.
Yea, I'm floored...literally. I feel like my feet are nailed to the ground. My heart is racing and I'm sick to my stomach. Is this how mommys feel when they find out their babies are coming? To make things even better, we are expected to be in the country on April 11th and we will meet Kristina and Vladimir on Monday, April 12th.
Between now and then you can't even imagine how much we have to do. More paperwork, airline tickets, visa applications just to name a few. It will all work out. GOD HAS THIS! Please keep us in your prayers. Pray specifically that the judge will allow us to bring Krissy and Vlad home in May and we won't have to make a second trip. It would be so awesome to have them home at the start of summer.
Stay tuned. We will be posting pictures and videos really soon.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Homeschool vs mainstream
Every day is a day closer to meeting our Kaz Kiddos! It has dawned on me that the 2009-10 school year is coming to an end. LeeAnn will be graduating and enrolling in Maryville College. Shout out to LeeAnn as she is graduating in the top 10 of her class! Amy will be moving into her Senior year and Hannah will be in 7th grade. Boy do they grow up fast!!! In the near future I will have to enroll Kristina in school. So, I've been doing lots and lots of research and praying really hard that we will make the right decision. This is a little complicated by the fact that around the time I register her for school, Glenn will be deployed with the Air National Guard for about 30 days. So I will be diving into motherhood as a single parent for about 1 month. I know lots of people do this all the time but...with 2 children that don't speak English...YIKES! Luckily for us, I pre-registered Vladimir in Stepping Stones daycare last summer. I actually registered him for classes Pre-K 3, and 4. I was lucky, that when we found out who our adopted children would be and how old they are, that there was an opening in the Pre-K 5 year old class and I grabbed it.
Well, as all good Beams do, I have spent countless hours researching our county school system and ESL program. What I have found out is that if Kristina is enrolled in our public school system, she would start a 2 hour a day, 5 day a week English as a Second Language (ESL) program that would require her to be bussed about 20 minutes from her home school to another school in the district. Unfortunately, the information on our county's website indicates that she could possibly be the only child being bussed from her school for this program. Add on the fact that this program starts a week after school starts.
So I've put myself in her shoes...after only being in America, as an 8 year old girl, for only a few weeks, would I be able to communicate my basic needs? Would I be afraid to be surrounded be even more strangers that could not communicate with me much less me communicate with them? Would I be afraid that my new 'Mommy' has dropped me off at some strange location and may not remember to pick me up? I know what you're thinking. I'm probably putting to much into this but can you imagine? My next project was to research homeschooling. This actually was the original plan. We've talked to other families that have adopted internationally who recommend the children start mainstream school because they are used to being around children. In Krissy and Vlad's case that may not be true. You see, they have only been in the orphanage a little over 1 year. Back to homeschooling...after countless hours of research I can find almost nothing on incorporating ESL in a homeschool curriculum. I did however run across several websites that have been most helpful in regards to basic information on homeschooling in Tennessee. My favorite was Smoky Mountian Home Education Association which led me to the Blount Home Education Association (BHEA). Their information contact person, Laurie, was sooooo incredibly helpful and supportive. By the way, I will be taking a class to learn to teach ESL starting in April. Whoo Hoo!
So, for today, we are focusing more on the homeschooling possibility. My hope is that by homeschooling not only will Kristina and I have valuable time together learning and catching up but the one-on-one time bonding is probably going to prove very important. She will still have opportunities to be with other children as BHEA has many opportunities for activities with other homeschool children. After she and I feel comfortable with her ability to communicate her needs and if she has a desire for a more mainstreamed education experiences then we will back up and punt towards mainstream school.
For those interested, I will put the homeschool websites in our favorite resources section.
If you are getting this via email you might want to take a quick look at our blog. We've added a few more pictures. I'm so excited...I can't wait to meet them.
Disclaimer: We are still not going to be 100% sure that Krissy and Vlad are 'our children' until we see them in Kazakhstan but we are getting only positive vibes from our adoption case worker.
Well, as all good Beams do, I have spent countless hours researching our county school system and ESL program. What I have found out is that if Kristina is enrolled in our public school system, she would start a 2 hour a day, 5 day a week English as a Second Language (ESL) program that would require her to be bussed about 20 minutes from her home school to another school in the district. Unfortunately, the information on our county's website indicates that she could possibly be the only child being bussed from her school for this program. Add on the fact that this program starts a week after school starts.
So I've put myself in her shoes...after only being in America, as an 8 year old girl, for only a few weeks, would I be able to communicate my basic needs? Would I be afraid to be surrounded be even more strangers that could not communicate with me much less me communicate with them? Would I be afraid that my new 'Mommy' has dropped me off at some strange location and may not remember to pick me up? I know what you're thinking. I'm probably putting to much into this but can you imagine? My next project was to research homeschooling. This actually was the original plan. We've talked to other families that have adopted internationally who recommend the children start mainstream school because they are used to being around children. In Krissy and Vlad's case that may not be true. You see, they have only been in the orphanage a little over 1 year. Back to homeschooling...after countless hours of research I can find almost nothing on incorporating ESL in a homeschool curriculum. I did however run across several websites that have been most helpful in regards to basic information on homeschooling in Tennessee. My favorite was Smoky Mountian Home Education Association which led me to the Blount Home Education Association (BHEA). Their information contact person, Laurie, was sooooo incredibly helpful and supportive. By the way, I will be taking a class to learn to teach ESL starting in April. Whoo Hoo!
So, for today, we are focusing more on the homeschooling possibility. My hope is that by homeschooling not only will Kristina and I have valuable time together learning and catching up but the one-on-one time bonding is probably going to prove very important. She will still have opportunities to be with other children as BHEA has many opportunities for activities with other homeschool children. After she and I feel comfortable with her ability to communicate her needs and if she has a desire for a more mainstreamed education experiences then we will back up and punt towards mainstream school.
For those interested, I will put the homeschool websites in our favorite resources section.
If you are getting this via email you might want to take a quick look at our blog. We've added a few more pictures. I'm so excited...I can't wait to meet them.
Disclaimer: We are still not going to be 100% sure that Krissy and Vlad are 'our children' until we see them in Kazakhstan but we are getting only positive vibes from our adoption case worker.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Things are looking good...
Today we heard from our social worker. We were told about a month ago that the preschool orphanage where the children are living may close and the children relocated. That meant that there was a possiblity that the children would be seperated which would have made adopting them more difficult. We remained hopeful. Well, today we heard that the orphange may not close after all. She said it was looking good for us to adopt Kristina and Vlad.
Later today she sent us more pictures of Kristina. These were a big surprise. I don't think she would have sent them to us if she wasn't sure this was going to work out.
March 21 is the holiday Navruz. Navruz is the Persian New Year celebrated in countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Kristina is dressed up for the orphanage celebration of the new year. It's quite the costume. Says alot about her personality especially if she helped pick out her costume. For those wondering, she is wearing a blonde wig. I think her hair may be light brown based on previous pictures.
Enjoy!
Later today she sent us more pictures of Kristina. These were a big surprise. I don't think she would have sent them to us if she wasn't sure this was going to work out.
March 21 is the holiday Navruz. Navruz is the Persian New Year celebrated in countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Kristina is dressed up for the orphanage celebration of the new year. It's quite the costume. Says alot about her personality especially if she helped pick out her costume. For those wondering, she is wearing a blonde wig. I think her hair may be light brown based on previous pictures.
Enjoy!
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