I600 ... APPROVED!

They said 30 days max and it was exactly 30 days for us to hear from USCIS in Ghana. We have received I-600 approval for Maxwell and Anita from our Embassy!!! We are now onto the next few steps before traveling to bring them home. E-mail the consulate. File paperwork. Schedule an interview. And lastly, obtain the children's Visa's. Step by step we will get there. As Ghana continues to fine tune their adoption process we are thankful our steps are being completed and we are one, two, and three steps closer to bringing our children home.
As I tell people "We got I-600 approval" my voice cracks. It's all joy! It's all happiness. My sister said it best ... "they are really coming home!? They are coming home! Oooohhh, I just got butterflies!" I smiled as I listened. Yup! It's really happening. Keep praying ... God is good, ALL the time!

Vacant

Their eyes say so much ... there's a vacancy. I can't explain it. It makes me sad. The sadness transfers to me and I want to know "why?" Why the vacancy my child? Who stole the life that should fill you up? Adam and I's hearts are EXTREMELY heavy tonight. The reality that our children probably face more and endure more than we want to know about, is great. I feel helpless. What do we do. I want to get on a plane. I want to go and rescue so many innocent little ones. I need my children home! They need to be home. They need their innocence protected. I pray for STRONG PROTECTION over our children and the many others. I pray to our God who is mighty and powerful and loving and just. This picture was taken within the last week. Our Anita no longer has the beautiful smile we left her with. She has the vacant eyes we saw so many months ago, in so many pictures. "Please God, provide us with I600 approval this week and Visa's to follow. Please give us calmness and understanding. Take the heaviness off our hearts. Give us the knowledge you want us to have."

The Simplicity

As I spoke with a co-worker the other day about our trip to Ghana she asked if I was ready for the kids to be here? Without hesitation, I said "yes!" And then I caught myself. 4 weeks ago I wouldn't have said yes. 4 weeks ago, I could have given you a mile long list of why I wasn't ready and how I had "so much to do." As I thought it through I realized how SIMPLE Anita and Maxwell's lives are. Unfortunately, we, their parents, make it more complicated. We traveled to Ghana with two suitcases and a carry on. The suitcases and the carry on held all 4 of our things. Toys included. We had five outfits for each of them. And five may have been too much. It's probably safe to assume A&M wear the same outfits over and over at the foster home. The choice of outfits are not there. Heck, "choices" aren't there, period. As they were given their gift bags from an Auntie and Foster Brother and Sister ... these simple bags filled with simple items seemed to be more than enough. A sticker book, bowl, cup, toy, and sunglasses. That simple. Adam and I gave them each a watch and one extra toy. This was already overload after two days. There was no need to open the carry on and give them more. They had their sunglasses (spades,) their bag, their toys in their bags, and they were set. Daddy and Maxwell had their suitcase and Mommy and Anita had their suitcase. Nothing more was needed. We had soap. We had shampoo. We each had a toothbrush. We could brush our hair and wash our face and we could comfortably crawl into bed at night.
I realized how much stressing I've done simply worried that our American home and life is not ready for them. But in reality, our American lives are MORE than ready. Probably too ready. Their lives are so simple. And as much as they embrace the complicated and the idea of things being "theirs" or "mine" as they say, all this new stuff wreaks havoc and causes stress b/c they now have choices, things to take care of, things to protect, ... things that are "mine." Have we ever thought how stressful choices are, LOL. I smile because they smile. I smile because this new mama has realized how to sit back and know her children really want to be with their forever mommy and daddy. The "stuff" and all the "readiness" is an added bonus. They have no idea what a car seat or booster seat are. Anita sat on my lap in a taxi. Medication, vitamins, sippy cups, children silverware, children plates, lunch boxes, suitcases, outfits ... all added bonuses. Being with two people they can call their "mommy" and "daddy" and who they can look to and know we are there to protect and take care of them. That's the simplicity of it all, a vulnerable child having parents they can identify as their own. We are ready little ones ... the complicated will follow.