baby steps

Fingerprinting: $20 at police station (would have been free on base, but their schedule and ours didn't mesh)
   FBI processing: $18 x 2 people = $36
   State processing: $52
Fingerprinting process completed and applicant information forms sent out for $110.20 after postage.

Hague-Compliant Online Training course from the National Council for Adoption: $195
This is a very educational and motivating 10-hour course that is required for intercountry adoption with Lifeline Children's Services. We have 8 weeks from the day we signed up to complete this course, which both of us must have completed separately by our final home study visit (which will probably be sometime in March). That's a recent change to the process: we were under the impression with our local agency that we could complete all our home study interviews in one day, but discovered that Hague requirements specify that we must have them spread out over a few different visits. Since our main agency, Lifeline, is Hague-accredited, we have to operate within their guidelines, and Beth was on the ball to get that worked out directly with Ashley. We'll still do the first one on Feb. 20, with 2 more spread over the following few weeks.

Mason and I are currently on Module 4 of 10 of the online training course, and I for one have learned so much about the world of adoption already. I feel as if I'm doing graduate studies, but the end result of all our study will mean much more than a diploma hanging on a wall or a few extra letters after my name. God has used this adoption process so far to redirect my spare time and refocus my days. We cut our cable - there went the mindless weekly hours I wasted watching "Cake Boss," "The Bachelor," "What Not to Wear," and yes, even "19 Kids and Counting," which is the least junky show on television yet still a complete waste of my time. My relationship with Jesus has improved since cutting cable. I believe Mason's has, too. This dovetails nicely with a Bible study I'm involved in right now where we're studying modern-day idols and the extreme relevance of the First Commandment (no other gods). I would like to specify that we still use our TV daily for "Thomas & Friends," "Choo Choo Trains," "Cars," and on the nights we take a break from adoption homework, "24" after the children are asleep! We also watched this sobering and fascinating documentary on North Korea...that was an eye opener and a discussion for another day (it does relate to the First Commandment though, since they're coerced to worship their leader). Anyway, I have found myself feeling consistently more purposeful and motivated every day for the past 2 months. Not merely because we cut cable, but because we're jointly pursuing God's latest long-term goal for us, which is also driving us to funnel His resources in the proper direction. This makes perfect sense when I remember that the end of November (2 months ago) was when we finally moved on God's directive for us to start adopting. There is nowhere I'd rather be than smack in the center of his will for my life!!!! And there's no one else I'd rather be standing there with than Mason, whose heart for the LORD adds to his already attractive attraction in my eyes.

In other news, Eden slept in her crib for the first time in months last night. This is huge. Mason was flying and Ezekiel was asleep, so Eden and I held a loving standoff in the office (her new bedroom, until she starts slumbering peacefully enough to share with Ezekiel again) until 2215 when she closed her sweet eyes and stayed in that spot for 9 hours (that's alot for us). It took much prayer and reasoning (yes, reasoning - I could rarely reason with Ezekiel at 12 months, but Eden listened to every word and relished the encouragement - words of affirmation will almost certainly be a big part of her love language).

We're excited that it's February, the month of our home study! I'll post an update after the first visit on the 20th. Please be praying for Isaiah. If he's still young enough for us to change his first name when we get him, that'll be it, and if he's past that point, we'll probably incorporate it as a middle name. Regardless, it's how we pray for and talk about him, and God knows who we are talking about even though we have absolutely no clue who Isaiah really is yet! Thanks for following our progress!