The Kazak band I wrote about is "Urker". Albulm titled "Made In Kazakhstan". It can be found on Yahoo music or You Tube. And any music with the instrument called the Dombra in it. You would be amazed at what they can do with 3 strings!
No news is good news on the adoption front.
I am still working on a cookbook and will release ASAP. Garage Sale went o.k., we are starting several fundraising projects as our air fare budget is getting zapped from the price increases! OUCH! A car wash, silent auction and raffle are in the making. We were just accepted into a cool program that recycles used printer ink cartridges and we will be paid a little for each one we send in. Every little bit helps.
Shawn asks about his brother everyday. He includes him in spirit in everything we do. He is the sweetest child I swear. We are just about through collecting Kung Fu Panda figures and WALL E the movie opens and Shawn is wondering why Mc Donald's still has King Fu Panda characters! Things move way too fast for me.
The month of July will be slow because we do not expect any news. Just more stand by for a possible stand by.
We are hanging in.
Happy Fourth of July to you and yours.
Keep our soldiers safe and their families comforted.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Air Fare Woes
When we started budgeting for our adoption, air fare was going to run us about $1700.00 each, round trip. My last check with KLM is showing about $2300.00. Talk about inflation! And that is IF we can fly KLM. American was $4200.00!!!!! With the possibility of not traveling for several more months, and the possibility of taking three trips, this area of expenditure is quickly becoming our biggest expense! We are trying very hard to not go into debt for our adoption. Partially because the economy is so uncertain, and partially because we are expecting some medical expenses to fix Dias's leg and hip. So we are turning to some fund raising projects.
We chose Empties4Cash as our first fundraier which will be on going. We also are planning a car wash, a Pizza Night, a silent auction and a raffle for some very nice donated items.
Every bit will help. We do not fear our adoption will be denied due to the fact that little Dias is considered special needs and is older. Our growing fear is that we will encounter some unplanned money mountains to go get him! We are going to hope for the best and plan for the worst.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
When Love Takes You In
Go to Steven Curtis Chapman's website (a Christian singer/songwriter) or You Tube under adoption and find "When Love Takes You In". This song and video kept me going on our first adoption. I still love it, but this time it is also has the meaning to hold tight to every moment because it is too short. The Chapman's lost one of their daughters to death after an accident. So the song now still inspires me for our adoption, but also makes me remember to be very present in this moment, with who I have in my life now. All of whom are blessings. If you have some time to kill just watch some of those adoption videos. And get the Kleenex.
We could find almost nothing on Kazakhstan our first adoption, now because of the www and such, it is easy. Some of it may be crap, and I apologize, I can't filter what I want you to see and not, but check it out. A HUGE country with a lively and interesting history and people. There is a band called "Ukar" which is a folk/rock type band that is really good. Any posts/videos you find from Taldy Korgan (Kurgan) is where we went and are going again. Enjoy!
We could find almost nothing on Kazakhstan our first adoption, now because of the www and such, it is easy. Some of it may be crap, and I apologize, I can't filter what I want you to see and not, but check it out. A HUGE country with a lively and interesting history and people. There is a band called "Ukar" which is a folk/rock type band that is really good. Any posts/videos you find from Taldy Korgan (Kurgan) is where we went and are going again. Enjoy!
Backtracking
We are building this blog backwards so we will catch you up briefly here:
After deciding we wanted to add to our family again, we contacted World Partners Adoption, who we used for the adoption of our son Shawn, from Kazakhstan. By the end of January we had signed a contract with WPA and began our paperwork pregnancy. Letters from employers, banks, our mortgage company etc., were being gathered and notarized and apostilled and all in triplicate.
By the end of February we had been fingerprinted and scheduled and completed our home study with our social worker Beverley Lewin who we also used for our first adoption. This month was also spent gathering other paperwork such as marriage license, birth certificates etc. These also must be in triplicate. We are getting to be known at Kinko's/Fed Ex. In March we are scheduled for our immigration appointment, cleared by the FBI after being cleared locally as well and have all of our physicals performed that paperwork mailed off as well. The staff and doctors and Tyler Acute Care are awesome! We also decide it is o.k. to tell family and friends what we are up to.
We spend April gathering a few items for our new son such as a bed, potty, car seat and stroller. All of which we just gave away because we were done adding to our family.......never say never....Gramma Polly makes a beautiful quilt that is covering little mans bed. Shawn helps with all purchases and loves it. He speaks of his brother at least once a day. He has already set aside toys for him and tells us he will teach him all about life here. We also pick a name: Cameron James Collins.
By the end of May we have received the Holy Grail of adoption paperwork, the Favorable Determination of Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. Basically, yes go ahead, all this work has not been in vain. Off that goes to WPA as well as our completed dossier (the previous 5 months of paperwork with 5 copies of the whole dossier) and mailed off to WPA.
And here we are in June! We know that our dossier is out of translation (from Russian and Kazak) and has been sent to the consulate where it must be approved by many hands, each one doing their job very well, and looking for errors, problems, missed signatures etc. So far no problems.
As of today, June 28, no news is good news.
Temple at WPA is our adoption angel this go round for reasons she knows. God bless her.
So here we are, standing by for a possible stand-by. I will add some photos, video and links as we go along and share more about Kazakhstan. A really fascinating. huge country that no one has ever heard of!
After deciding we wanted to add to our family again, we contacted World Partners Adoption, who we used for the adoption of our son Shawn, from Kazakhstan. By the end of January we had signed a contract with WPA and began our paperwork pregnancy. Letters from employers, banks, our mortgage company etc., were being gathered and notarized and apostilled and all in triplicate.
By the end of February we had been fingerprinted and scheduled and completed our home study with our social worker Beverley Lewin who we also used for our first adoption. This month was also spent gathering other paperwork such as marriage license, birth certificates etc. These also must be in triplicate. We are getting to be known at Kinko's/Fed Ex. In March we are scheduled for our immigration appointment, cleared by the FBI after being cleared locally as well and have all of our physicals performed that paperwork mailed off as well. The staff and doctors and Tyler Acute Care are awesome! We also decide it is o.k. to tell family and friends what we are up to.
We spend April gathering a few items for our new son such as a bed, potty, car seat and stroller. All of which we just gave away because we were done adding to our family.......never say never....Gramma Polly makes a beautiful quilt that is covering little mans bed. Shawn helps with all purchases and loves it. He speaks of his brother at least once a day. He has already set aside toys for him and tells us he will teach him all about life here. We also pick a name: Cameron James Collins.
By the end of May we have received the Holy Grail of adoption paperwork, the Favorable Determination of Advance Processing of Orphan Petition. Basically, yes go ahead, all this work has not been in vain. Off that goes to WPA as well as our completed dossier (the previous 5 months of paperwork with 5 copies of the whole dossier) and mailed off to WPA.
And here we are in June! We know that our dossier is out of translation (from Russian and Kazak) and has been sent to the consulate where it must be approved by many hands, each one doing their job very well, and looking for errors, problems, missed signatures etc. So far no problems.
As of today, June 28, no news is good news.
Temple at WPA is our adoption angel this go round for reasons she knows. God bless her.
So here we are, standing by for a possible stand-by. I will add some photos, video and links as we go along and share more about Kazakhstan. A really fascinating. huge country that no one has ever heard of!
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