September 27, 2011 - Nervous about Home Study #1

So we have set up our first home study and it’s in less than 1 week!!  I can’t believe it’s so soon :)  I don’t really know what to expect for our first home study, but I am excited because its one step closer to our child!  

September 26, 2012 - Passports Arrived

Our passports have arrived!!!  And it’s only been 2 weeks!  That’s crazy J  We weren’t expecting them for another 4 weeks at best.  We can’t wait to get them stamped in Taiwan!

September 25, 2011 - Filling out the Home Study

Today we filled out our first forms for our home study.  There are some really tough questions!  Once I get it faxed in they will call to schedule a time to meet us which means we are one step closer :)  I saw on “The Home of God’s Love” facebook page today that there was a reunion for families all across the country that have adopted children from Taiwan.  They met in Joplin, Missouri for the weekend.  Anyway, I saw some pictures of their party and all of the children that have been adopted.  It literally took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes to see all those children!!!  That gave me hope today.

September 17, 2011 - Passport Oathing :)

Today we got up and went to Mooresville to turn in our passport applications!  That was a new experience for us :)  Of course I had to fill out the paperwork 3 times because I kept messing it up!  We had everything we needed to.  As the lady was getting it all ready she asked us to raise our right hand to make an oath…..Matt and I looked at each other and starting giggling.  She was actually serious.  So we made an oath in the post office lobby in front of the worker and the innocent by-standers that everything on our forms was correct and we are – who we say we are :)  It was awkward…….After that we were good to go!

September 16, 2011, - Passport Pictures

So today we heard back from the adoption agency (Mandee) through an email that said she would be sending out our reference letters.  She also mentioned that we might not be candidates for the adoption because we might be able to have children of our own someday.  I informed her about the past 5 years and all my surgeries and what the doctors had told me.  I waited all day so nervously and really freaked out about lunch time.  I hadn’t even heard back from her yet, but Sherree, Janet, and Donna re-assured me that it would be fine.  At this point we had already spent $300 on our home study and were going to spend another $270 on our passports the next day!  I finally heard back Friday night that everyone was fine and we could go ahead!! I was sooooo relieved!  We also went to Walgreen's tonight to get our passport pictures.  Pretty sure we could have done that at home since we are photographers! 

September 14, 2011 - Home Study Payment and Gaining THOGL Friends

So late last night we filled out the home-study paperwork and got it all ready to mail today.  I sent it off this morning along with our first payment for the home study :/  Actually, it wasn’t too bad though.  I am excited to get that part done!  I was also added to the facebook list, “THOGL” which is a page for anyone who has adopted or wants to adopt from this mission in Taiwan.  It was really neat to see everyone’s profile pics of their adopted child……very inspiring :)

September 13, 2011 - Passport Application

Today mom went to the Mooresville post office to pick up our passport application!  She’s a life-saver! We also got our home study paperwork today and will start filling that out.  A lady who also adopted from Taiwan sent me information on a travel agency who can book our flights for really cheap!!  She also told us we should definitely pay the extra money and bump to first class since the flight is so long.  

September 12, 2012 - Home study begins

So our paperwork was sent in last night and we got a response today that Mandee received it.  The next thing on our “to do” list is to get going on our international adoption and get our passports.  We have no idea how or where to get a passport, but we will figure it out.  We think we are going to pursue getting our home study done through “Families Through International Adoption”.  We have been speaking with Cindy Scheller about this and have heard wonderful things about her from many people.  We also found out today that Tawain tries to have the adoption final and done within 1 year so we don’t have to go through the home study process again, etc.  She also told me that they try and have it completed in 6-9 months, which would be awesome!!  This is all happening so fast I feel I am moving 90 mph but its all so exciting!  After talking with Sherree today, she asked how we would decorate the child’s room and I was speechless…….I hadn’t even began to think of that!! Ahhhhh J 

I was also contacted by a lady named Andrea who also adopted from Taiwan.  She messaged me to see if I had any questions or needed any help with anything.  We are just so humbled at all of the people God has lead us to and that they are so willing to help us adopt a child.  It makes us smile.

September 11, 2011 - Official decision

Today it was official!!! We have made the decision to adopt from Taiwan.  After emailing back and forth with Leanne Emmons (who also adopted from Taiwan), she was able to answer a lot of our questions.  Our biggest question was the cost of international adoption.  After finding out it would be around   $11, 000 our minds were set.  It’s been so incredible to see where God is leading us.  I feel such peace about it, which is not like me seeming how I worry over everything.  But, I know in God’s timing we will find and bring home “our child”. 

I was so excited when I read the email I started crying tears of joy!  I just couldn’t believe how little the cost was compared to other international adoptions.  It seemed a reality at that point……and a relief.  I ran and told Matt and we hugged, kissed, and cried.  I then made him come outside with me so I could run around our driveway while screaming and dancing :)  He just stood on the porch and laughed at me.  Which was ok with me.  So it’s now 11:00pm and I just realized I didn’t eat supper tonight.  I have been on the phone with Mom, Staci, Steph, and Kellie tonight.  After talking with them all, we needed to get our adoption application done and emailed in.  Which we did.  We are so excited every time we open my email account and can’t wait to get emails back and learn so much every day.  It really is amazing everything that has worked out so far and I can’t wait to bring a little one home. To know there is a child at the end of this journey that will call us mommy and daddy – I can only describe the feeling as overflowing joy tonight.

September 9, 2011 - Coming up with names

So we got our adoption application today in an email and were looking through the questions we’d be answering.  Of course there was your usual name, age, birthdate, etc.  And it continued with questions like, “why would you make a good adoptive parent?” etc.  Although one question I had to read about 3 times to make sure I was seeing it correctly was, “please pick 2 names (boy/girl) that you would like to name your matched child with.”  Matt and I just looked at each other in dis-belief.  We actually got to pick our child’s name!!!  After deliberating for a couple days we decided on Hattie Ree Miller for a girl and Grayson David Miller for a boy.  We wanted their middle names to be special so Ree is my mom’s middle name and the name David is in Matt’s family line.  That was a really neat day for us.

September 2011 - Our Hope Starts

So I thought God was calling us to adopt Internationally through China…..I was wrong—He was calling us to Taiwan :)  We have been so blessed to be led to a wonderful place in Lo-Tung, Taiwan called “The Home of God’s Love”.  It is the mission field of Ted and Bev Skiles.  They began a children’s home many, many years ago and became the parents of many orphans.  They have been growing their facility and changing lives ever since, matching families with adoptable children in their home.  Their grand-daughter Mandee Shivers is in charge of the adoption part and we hope to meet them all someday when we get to visit Taiwan!