HAPPY 70TH MAMITA

Today Fred's mom celebrated her 70th birthday! She was ever so happy to be in pictures with both of her sons by her side...and to end such a glorious day, I only want to end it by saying the Glory be to God and that we received our FEDEX package-woohooo! The dossier is almost all compiled and authenticated via Houston's Chinese consulate-we must thank our friend who did us a huge, huge favor and saved us money! Thank you Randy!!! To be at this step this fast (even though it seems like ages)...is incredible. We just now are waiting, on our I-800A USCIS approval and homestudy to be certified and authenticated. We have to print out family pictures that we have still not completed (go figure)...and then they will be sent off to CCAI for approval and soon to be sent to China! Our daughter's care package has still not reached her! It got stuck in Beijing! Atleast these are the small road bumps...it could be worse. I actually walked passed the FEDEX package today not realizing they left it at the door in the backyard...I'm just happy it got here.

While we're Waiting...

FINALLY!

We are home! And we have finally received our marriage certificate from San Francisco's Chinese Consulate-YIPPPPPEEEEEEEE! I thought I had made yet, another mistake. But its finally here, and now we are waiting on our other papers from Houston....I pray that it all comes together now. CCAI has officially sent off our I800A application to USCIS. Our homestudy is officially completed; and I must say, that our social worker did an excellent job. I was scared to read about my life and my past in the report...but it actually is the best report I have ever read. Its real. Its all real even though its not pretty-its what led up to my beautiful life now, where I get to be a mother to my precious children. I can't wait to hold my baby Faith. I actually now want her home really, badly. I want to move on with our lives and with her life with us. Our care package has not reached her yet;( We didn't include a number in china (we're on a postal disaster roll), so we're trying to clear this up with FEDEX. I find myself thinking at times, about how it is we are going to make up for not celebrating two of her birthdays...I know this is the least of our worries...but Hope asked about Faith's birthday and I guess I started thinking about lost time. She was born March 6th, this is a liberating date for us. Hope came home March 6th from Russia-officially. Since we've entered into the 'adoptive family life' things have been nothing short of a miracle...even Faith's birthday holds a strange tie...or red thread I guess;) Blessings!

We are in Denver Co.

Currently, we are in Denver Colorado for Freddy's work. I'm feeling a little run down, but I like this escape with the family. We haven't seen any museums yet, but homeschooling is going fine now that we're away from distractions at home. We just sent off our papers to Houston to get authenticated...I pray this goes painless, China's dossier process is not for the weak. It has driven me crazy at times...but I pray to God to help us keep it together, and not let this prevent us from bringing home our child. Hope is starting to read and I am so impressed with her! She is just so confident and I am so proud of her. I hope that you are all enjoying your month of May as much as we are...I know school is ending for most-we are going to keep going this summer so the kids can be solid in their learning this year...they are not thrilled-but Hope is;) We wait to hear from USCIS and our fingerprint appointment. We are still organizing the girls' room and I need to buy matching car seats. We are still waiting to see if Faith received her care package and maybe to hear another update! We need to take more pics of us as a family with my hair color remaining the same color!

Fundraising Ideas

We have only had one garage sale thus far we will need better planning next time around, but every little bit helps. We are talking to our church about perhaps a Chinese dinner. And my son suggested these 2 items: They are both handmade and every purchase helps our adoption and buys 25 cups of food for another orphan. The worry dolls are handmade in Guatamala and are being sold for $15 shipping is included. The peace, love & harmony necklace is also handmade in Nepal and again, supports our adoption and buy 25 cups of food. They are being sold for $20 with the shipping included. Just email me at GinaRob83@yahoo.com if you wish to be apart of our adoption fundraising. We will take down your address, and we will ship to you after the payment is received. Please, please do not forget that we have also partnered with Adoptionbug and so if you purchase one the cool t shirts that we have chosen to represent our adoption, a proceed goes to us...and any of the 'Showhope' t shirts, a proceed goes to us and to another orphan! http://www.adoptionbug.com/ourdaughtershopeandfaith/ The otherwise to contribute is through 'the give forward' and that will go to our adoption as well as our friends adoption process!

A Completed Homestudy=A Completed Testimony

Well it has not been an easy process thus far-China is definitely, a different process compared to Russia. No matter what I shouldn't complain, because we are blessed beyond recognition. We have been matched to a perfect little girl, and we've experienced minor bumps compared to what others have gone through-so I bite my tongue. I have not expressed myself the way that I would have liked on the other hand. Maybe it is because I am so busy with homeschooling and with completing this dossier, (its been like pulling teeth). I have to say CCAI is a great adoption agency that really cares for their clients and these children. We were assigned a great social worker, and we have been walking on a very different journey this time around to China. I was never open about my past on this blog. But I feel as though if I am going to be honest on this blog...and if I am going to tell my girls everything about their past, I might as well start with mine first. I started to process this during this homestudy. They ask you some specific questions to ensure safety and backround checks. One question that echoed in my mind was when our sw asked us if we have ever been victimized or an offender of sexual abuse and/or violence. Of course we're not offenders...but I was once a victim of abuse. And so I explained this to our sw this time around, and I knew I could be subjected to more paperwork or questions. I had to get a psychological evaluation! Obviously, if you say Jesus healed me, they are going to raise their eyebrows. I actually am living for this...for the first time in my life I am embracing all the ridicule, the pessimism and the comments. It is so much easier to believe crazy weight loss regimens, crazy partying experiences than it is to be believe in spritual healing from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Well how about believing that my biological father was my abuser? A man who abused my mother, my sister and even my baby brothers. So yes, abuse is my testimony. I have always been a believer thanks to my mother, who passed her hope and faith on to us. Perhaps the names of my daughters are not so coincidental after all. I have never really understood certain things until more recently. My passions: are the children; especially the abused, abandoned & fatherless children. My passion is retelling the story of the redemption, that God has given me in my own life and the countless miracles that have rescued us. Now you understand why it is I felt, that my daughter Hope should have a sister. It is because I adore my sister who has walked through every part of life with me. My best friends are my mother and sister; because together with God, we lived a life of hope and faith. We have been a trio of women, that God has protected and blessed countlessly. We desire to share these blessings with others too. We desire to be the hands and feet of Christ, where His name is spread by our witnessing and testimony. So often it is the same headlines in the news; the same helpless victims, and the same stories of abuse. There will never be true justice for these things on earth, I know this first hand. My uncle's murderer was never charged for his death and my father only served 7 years for the abuse he inflicted on us. My sister and I later went to to write a book about our testimony; released in the province of Quebec 'Le coeur au beurre noir' which revealed our identities, as his daughters. We did this because he remained in denial, of what he had done and we knew that he would be let out soon enough to perhaps, cause more harm to others. To this day, he states that he is a 'born again Christian' but he is still in denial of his actions. He is remarried to a young woman who is younger than me, and she has recently given birth to a baby girl. To add insult to injury, he defends the woman who murdered my uncle and says he sympathizes with her because they have both been wrongly accused. I don't know what God is doing exactly, just today I read this verse As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV So I will take this verse and trust what He does because He transformed my horror story into a work of love, grace & mercy and I love my life...all of it...even the bad parts because it made me who I am today, and it has blessed me by helping others. When I help others, I also help myself understand God better and His love for His children. We can't save the world, but we can help the world of 1 child...maybe 2 or more if you're very fortunate;) I read this article that if every Christian stood up and adopted atleast 1 child, there wouldn't be any orphans. And there are all kinds of opportunities, there is sponsorship, fostercare etc. There is even the mission field...where you just go and visit the fatherless, love on them and pray for them. I know God has great plans for us...so keep seeking Him. Something that was major for to learn is "obediance is greater than sacrifice" 1 Samuel 15:22 for some obediance is easier for others maybe sacrifice is easier...for me it was easier to sacrifice, because it was all I've ever known to do. I am learning obediance now, because this is my weakness I know this pleases God. So really push yourself in your walk...don't settle...this life is too short to settle for less. Things that have been going on around here: Our kids are finishing up their PE group and receiving their awards next week We are now growing a vegetable garden and contuning with purchasing organic community shares to save money and eat healthier. We are travelling to Denver Colorado this weekend God willing. We are starting a Bible Community group in our home. We still need to take more family photos for China with my hair color remaining the same color. We have started preparing Faith's crib and buying some extra clothes. We are still praying for the nations of the world. We have made new friends in the homeschooling community-its been so wonderful. We are learning Mandarin. Tomorrow my husband and I will be celebrating 12 years of marriage.

Henan Kids' Blog

http://www.henankids.blogspot.com/

An Irish surprise

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 NIV “For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 These scriptures come to mind during this adoption process. Today Freddy and I finally found the time to get some papers notarized, then we had to redo our money order and resend to San Francisco for authentication...its our marriage certificate from Nevada that's giving us all this fuss! We are studing Chinese mandarin weekly-but it's not easy. Our homestudy hasn't been completed yet, so we're waiting to see and hopefully, approve it soon. We anticipate the USCIS process next, so that we can be done with this dossier already. Today, I returned home from serving at our church (where I care for the toddlers). Irish Mickey Ward, was sitting in my kitchen. He is a long time friend of my uncle Arturo's, and it was quite a surprise! You want to talk about a humble, genuine person...Mickey is definitley one of them. He has been very supportive and helpful with my uncle Arturo's murder case. I may have lost the world's greatest uncle, but it is nice to see that Mickey has picked up where my uncle has left off...and I see the fruit of God in his work. He has a great heart and he is a positive influence in the sport of boxing. We told him all about our adoption, and it was kind of like talking to my uncle, all over again. Because of their great hearts, they see how important and great adoption is in a family, and to a child that needs a home. God, you are too good to me. Amen.