I am so excited to tell you about The Hope Project. My dear friend Brandy founded this organization in honor of her beautiful daughter Abigail Hope Dahlen, who left this world too soon at only 2 years old. Abigail was such an amazing little girl and we all miss her so much.
We pray that The Hope Project will help you with whatever you need, whether you are looking for funding, fellowship or ways to care for the orphans of the world.
Please consider joining us at the beautiful and relaxing Camp Sumatanga for a women's retreat September 28-30. You'll connect with other adoptive families, enjoy worship time, breakout sessions, shop with our vendors. All meals and lodging are included in the registration fee. We hope that you'll come away from this weekend relaxed and recharged.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Paper Chase is Finished- Maybe!
I am excited to say that we are almost finished preparing our dossier to be sent to China. For those of you who aren't in adoption land, the dossier is a set of documents that will be presented to the in-country adoption authority for review and approval to adopt. Included in the dossier are things like birth certificates, marriage certificates, our home study, pictures of our home and family, background checks and financial verification.
At the moment, our documents are waiting at the Chinese consulate for authentication, then they will go to our agency. Our agency will hold onto the dossier until the last piece of the puzzle is obtained from the US government- our USCIS immigration approval.
We are on day 20 of waiting for that approval, so I am hoping it will come very soon. In recent weeks, other families have been reporting approval in 25-30 days so maybe this will be our week.
After we get that approval, everything can be sent to China and the paper chase is pretty much over. The waiting....well that is just beginning!
During our wait time we will read lots of books on international adoption, attachment and research her medical condition.
We'll also get to do some fun things- buy her more clothes (we have already started that), get her a few toys of her very own, send her a birthday cake and some care packages, work through as much Rosetta Stone as we can and learn more about China.
Since I like to plan things, I'll tell you what happens next:
Yes, I do know that this process is so unpredictable and that the LOA times can be much longer or much shorter and things can happen to hold up the process or speed things up and really we have no idea, but if we are looking at averages I think it is pretty safe to plan on December travel.
At the moment, our documents are waiting at the Chinese consulate for authentication, then they will go to our agency. Our agency will hold onto the dossier until the last piece of the puzzle is obtained from the US government- our USCIS immigration approval.
We are on day 20 of waiting for that approval, so I am hoping it will come very soon. In recent weeks, other families have been reporting approval in 25-30 days so maybe this will be our week.
After we get that approval, everything can be sent to China and the paper chase is pretty much over. The waiting....well that is just beginning!
During our wait time we will read lots of books on international adoption, attachment and research her medical condition.
We'll also get to do some fun things- buy her more clothes (we have already started that), get her a few toys of her very own, send her a birthday cake and some care packages, work through as much Rosetta Stone as we can and learn more about China.
Since I like to plan things, I'll tell you what happens next:
- Dossier to China (aka DTC)- guessing this will be around June 10th
- Log In Date-(LID)- this can take anywhere from a few days to a month - just for fun I'll guess June 25
- Letter of Acceptance (LOA) - can take anywhere from 1-4 months or longer- I'll guess August 25
- I-800 approval- 1-3 weeks- let's guess Sept. 10
- NVC cable- about 2 weeks, so maybe around September 24
- Article 5-about 2 weeks- maybe October 8
- Travel approval- 2-5 weeks- maybe November 8
- Travel to get Lily- guessing Mid- December!
Yes, I do know that this process is so unpredictable and that the LOA times can be much longer or much shorter and things can happen to hold up the process or speed things up and really we have no idea, but if we are looking at averages I think it is pretty safe to plan on December travel.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Thank You!!!
Today we noticed that our Family Sponsorship Grant increased substantially. I don't know if this was one person making a large donation or several people making small donations. Whatever it was, I am truly grateful. I'm not sure words can describe how much this means to our family.
I am in shock. Really humbled, feeling extremely blessed. Just overwhelmed. I mean, I got all giddy at the Strawberry festival each time someone bought a $5 pair of earrings. Can you imagine how I feel now? Truly, honestly overwhelmed with gratitude.
I don't even know what to say, but thank you to everyone who has donated.
I am in shock. Really humbled, feeling extremely blessed. Just overwhelmed. I mean, I got all giddy at the Strawberry festival each time someone bought a $5 pair of earrings. Can you imagine how I feel now? Truly, honestly overwhelmed with gratitude.
I don't even know what to say, but thank you to everyone who has donated.
Updates!
I feel like I have to give a short update just because it has been awhile, but honestly there isn't much to say. We are finally nearing the end of our paperchase and hopefully within a few weeks our dossier will be in China. After that happens, there are still a few other hoops to jump through, none of which are interesting enough to post here until the time actually comes, so that is about all there is to say as far as the adoption process is concerned.
We still have lots of money to raise to get Lily home, so we are still making and selling jewelry. This past weekend I set up a table at the Strawberry Festival in Calera. It was so much fun and I think I did pretty well for my first booth ever.
In just a few days, I'll have another booth at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church's Mayfair Festival. If you are local to the Birmingham area, please come see me. There will be kids activities, a yard sale, music, and food.
Also, I've made a facebook page for our jewelry. Please consider sharing this page with friends and ask them to "like" us. I will post information about new items, events, and giveaways.
http://www.facebook.com/WiehlOfFaithJewelry
We still have lots of money to raise to get Lily home, so we are still making and selling jewelry. This past weekend I set up a table at the Strawberry Festival in Calera. It was so much fun and I think I did pretty well for my first booth ever.
In just a few days, I'll have another booth at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church's Mayfair Festival. If you are local to the Birmingham area, please come see me. There will be kids activities, a yard sale, music, and food.
Also, I've made a facebook page for our jewelry. Please consider sharing this page with friends and ask them to "like" us. I will post information about new items, events, and giveaways.
http://www.facebook.com/WiehlOfFaithJewelry
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Success!
We made enough at the yard sale to cover one of our many adoption fees! I am so extremely grateful for each dollar earned, every item donated and every minute my friends spent working to make this happen for us. A few weeks ago, when I posted on Facebook asking for a place to have a sale (we can't have one here), I wasn't expecting people to want to help. I was prepared to do this alone. Ha! Thank God for my friends, because it never would have happened without them.
My friend Kim is just amazing for putting up with me the past few days. Really really amazing. Her garage is still stuffed with donations that didn't sell. I couldn't fit it all into my car so we chose a few things to pass onto Hannah Home. The rest will be taken to another friend's house to another yard sale in 2 weeks.
Susan made a great selection of jewelry and herbal concoctions- oils, salves, lotions, bath salts and ointments.
My mom, of course, has been working hard at making jewelry for me to sell and I sold a necklace and several pairs of earrings. Thanks Mom!
And my friends Brandy, Erica and Ryan helped with organizing, pricing, sign posting, and probably lots of other things I'm too dense to notice.
Thanks to all of you for helping. I really hope I didn't forget anyone. I am dead tired. If I did forget to thank someone I am sorry.
My friend Kim is just amazing for putting up with me the past few days. Really really amazing. Her garage is still stuffed with donations that didn't sell. I couldn't fit it all into my car so we chose a few things to pass onto Hannah Home. The rest will be taken to another friend's house to another yard sale in 2 weeks.
Susan made a great selection of jewelry and herbal concoctions- oils, salves, lotions, bath salts and ointments.
My mom, of course, has been working hard at making jewelry for me to sell and I sold a necklace and several pairs of earrings. Thanks Mom!
And my friends Brandy, Erica and Ryan helped with organizing, pricing, sign posting, and probably lots of other things I'm too dense to notice.
Thanks to all of you for helping. I really hope I didn't forget anyone. I am dead tired. If I did forget to thank someone I am sorry.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Yard Sale!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
4816 Pinehurst Dr., Helena, AL
6 am to ?
Televisions
Furniture
Bathroom Cabinets and sinks
A Freezer
Homeschool Books
Classroom school books
Handmade Jewelry
Tools
Light Fixtures
Classroom school books
Handmade Jewelry
Tools
Light Fixtures
Clothing
Toys
Vintage Sewing Patterns
Craft Supplies
We'll also have new handmade herbal concoctions made by my friend Susan of Motherly Creations!
Vintage Sewing Patterns
Craft Supplies
We'll also have new handmade herbal concoctions made by my friend Susan of Motherly Creations!
And handmade jewelry made by me and my mom :)
Lots and Lots of other items!
We will be taking donations until Friday evening. If you'd like to contribute, please email me at kathywiehl@gmail.com
We will be taking donations until Friday evening. If you'd like to contribute, please email me at kathywiehl@gmail.com
Please share this with your friends and help us bring Lily home!!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Moving forward!
You know how I thought the home study would be finished by the end of January and then it took longer because Lillian captured our hearts, so we decided to adopt her in China instead of going for a blind referral in Eastern Europe, which meant we needed a Hague approved home study, which meant we needed additional background checks, which meant more waiting?
Meanwhile I pitched a few fits because things weren't happening fast enough for me.
I just need to say that in the long run it was a blessing that the home study took longer than expected. As painful and stressful as it has been for me during the past few months, it could have been much worse. God really knows what he is doing. The timing worked out perfectly.
Silly me, I thought I knew how this was supposed to work out. I thought I knew the perfect time line for this adoption. I even had a timeline written out with dates that things were supposed to happen according to my plan even though each step in the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and there is no way to tell how long certain things will take. If things had gone my way, it would not have been good. God's way is the only way.
Please promise to remind me of that next time I get stressed because something isn't happening fast enough.
Okay. so my good news-
1. We are reviewing the first draft of our home study tonight. After that it goes to our home study agency and our placement agency and when all approve, we'll get the final copy!
2. I'm working on some little fundraisers. In 10 days, I am going to have a yard sale at a friend's house and on May 5, I'll set up a table at a local library's craft show. I'm also working on signing up for a space at a local festival in mid- May.
Speaking of jewelry, take a look at what we have in stock. Please consider making a purchase. All payments are securely made through paypal, which offers buyer protection.
Meanwhile I pitched a few fits because things weren't happening fast enough for me.
I just need to say that in the long run it was a blessing that the home study took longer than expected. As painful and stressful as it has been for me during the past few months, it could have been much worse. God really knows what he is doing. The timing worked out perfectly.
Silly me, I thought I knew how this was supposed to work out. I thought I knew the perfect time line for this adoption. I even had a timeline written out with dates that things were supposed to happen according to my plan even though each step in the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and there is no way to tell how long certain things will take. If things had gone my way, it would not have been good. God's way is the only way.
Please promise to remind me of that next time I get stressed because something isn't happening fast enough.
Okay. so my good news-
1. We are reviewing the first draft of our home study tonight. After that it goes to our home study agency and our placement agency and when all approve, we'll get the final copy!
2. I'm working on some little fundraisers. In 10 days, I am going to have a yard sale at a friend's house and on May 5, I'll set up a table at a local library's craft show. I'm also working on signing up for a space at a local festival in mid- May.
Speaking of jewelry, take a look at what we have in stock. Please consider making a purchase. All payments are securely made through paypal, which offers buyer protection.
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