Rachelle D. Alspaugh's Blog, page 81
March 10, 2013
You're already there
This song came on the radio the other day while David and I were on our way to school. I turned it up and told David that I loved this song. He quietly listened to the words and then said, "Wow. This really tells our story." I love that. He really gets it.
Officially official
Lots of things became official this week. Yesterday I started feeling crumby as I got rained on at the end of David's soccer game, and this morning I am officially sick with a very bad cold. :(
Tuesday we received our translated copy of our approval from Colombia. I didn't really think to celebrate just yet because it doesn't mark the end of the process, nor does it give me a date to travel to Colombia to be reunited with our boys. However, it was a piece of paper that was actually very significant because not only was it the piece of paper we never got the first time around, but it also was officially the very first one to ever be issued after a case was officially closed. So, that being said, it was a piece of paper worth celebrating, and it sure feels good to know we are no longer that family that couldn't get approved. It would have been nice to know all the rest of the paperwork for "Juan" came with it, but alas, we still wait. One step at a time. That's all we can do.
However, Tuesday also marked the end of our extension time with immigration (U.S. side) to include Julian. I know this is all a confusing mess to all of you that don't have a clue how the international adoption process works, but Julian's case was completely separate from yet completely tied to "Juan's". We couldn't even petition for Julian to come here without the approval to adopt his younger brother. With that approval, we needed to submit specific documents for "Juan", the specific documents we're waiting on now. We were supposed to submit them at the same time as our petition for Julian's visa. Because of a deadline written into the immigration website, we had to submit Julian's back in November, and immigration was kind enough to give us all the way until March 5th to get "Juan's" paperwork submitted, as well. That didn't happen, so we were finally forced to drop our case for Julian. Our immigration officer has been very kind to us through this whole process and was saddened to hear that it didn't work out, but yesterday we got the official paperwork from immigration stating that the case for him was no longer in existence.
I'm not sure how I feel at this moment. I'm saddened for Julian, yet surprisingly relieved, as well. Relieved to have some closure and stop wondering if he's coming or not, relieved at not having to face the financial pressure of adding him and his schooling to our already minimal income level, and relieved at not facing the struggles that were inevitably going to come with trying to parent and mentor an adult who has never had such an influence in his life. I love him and adore him, but it looks like his future is in Colombia, not here. He is currently studying what he is already very passionate about, so it will be good not to interrupt those studies, anyway. However, with all of that said, I'm still left a bit bewildered at why God had us push forward to try to adopt him, despite all the odds, adding so much extra stress and complication to this whole process, only to officially close the door on the very day we got our official approval to complete his brother's adoption. I know there was a reason, but for now we're left wondering why.
Tuesday we received our translated copy of our approval from Colombia. I didn't really think to celebrate just yet because it doesn't mark the end of the process, nor does it give me a date to travel to Colombia to be reunited with our boys. However, it was a piece of paper that was actually very significant because not only was it the piece of paper we never got the first time around, but it also was officially the very first one to ever be issued after a case was officially closed. So, that being said, it was a piece of paper worth celebrating, and it sure feels good to know we are no longer that family that couldn't get approved. It would have been nice to know all the rest of the paperwork for "Juan" came with it, but alas, we still wait. One step at a time. That's all we can do.
However, Tuesday also marked the end of our extension time with immigration (U.S. side) to include Julian. I know this is all a confusing mess to all of you that don't have a clue how the international adoption process works, but Julian's case was completely separate from yet completely tied to "Juan's". We couldn't even petition for Julian to come here without the approval to adopt his younger brother. With that approval, we needed to submit specific documents for "Juan", the specific documents we're waiting on now. We were supposed to submit them at the same time as our petition for Julian's visa. Because of a deadline written into the immigration website, we had to submit Julian's back in November, and immigration was kind enough to give us all the way until March 5th to get "Juan's" paperwork submitted, as well. That didn't happen, so we were finally forced to drop our case for Julian. Our immigration officer has been very kind to us through this whole process and was saddened to hear that it didn't work out, but yesterday we got the official paperwork from immigration stating that the case for him was no longer in existence.
I'm not sure how I feel at this moment. I'm saddened for Julian, yet surprisingly relieved, as well. Relieved to have some closure and stop wondering if he's coming or not, relieved at not having to face the financial pressure of adding him and his schooling to our already minimal income level, and relieved at not facing the struggles that were inevitably going to come with trying to parent and mentor an adult who has never had such an influence in his life. I love him and adore him, but it looks like his future is in Colombia, not here. He is currently studying what he is already very passionate about, so it will be good not to interrupt those studies, anyway. However, with all of that said, I'm still left a bit bewildered at why God had us push forward to try to adopt him, despite all the odds, adding so much extra stress and complication to this whole process, only to officially close the door on the very day we got our official approval to complete his brother's adoption. I know there was a reason, but for now we're left wondering why.
March 8, 2013
So, so proud!
I think I need to take another blog entry to brag on my son again! This morning Mike got a phone call from David's principal letting him know about an honorable choice that David had made earlier in the week. David is a safety patrol volunteer, and while on duty, he found a wallet on the ground. David very honestly turned it in to the office, even after noticing that there was money inside it. Little did he know that the owner of the wallet actually had enough cash in it in order to pay both his rent and his car payment!
The principal said that he knows that many other people that might have found it would probably never have turned it in. They were so proud of David that they wanted to let us know, as his parents, and then they also treated him to a Chick Fil-A lunch at school! I'm so glad that they went out of their way to recognize him because it shows that they want to make sure that good values are noticed and honored.
After the principal called Mike, I got an e-mail from his teachers. Here's just an excerpt of what they had to say:
As teachers who see our students every day and witness countless decisions on a daily basis, stories like his are not only becoming harder to find, but more inspirational to others. I am simply blown away by his honesty and integrity. I don't have children of my own, but I hope that one day when I do I can feel the amount joy and pride that I'm sure you and your husband feel as his parents. I know he didn't think anything of it. I know he thinks we may be over-reacting in our praise for him, but wow! His kindness has taught many students (and adults) a lesson I assure you that we will never forget. Just wanted to share with you how amazed and proud we are to be his teachers!
When I got that e-mail, I thought back to an incident when David was about 8 years old. He found a ten dollar bill in the bathroom of a local store. We talked about how there was no way we could give it back to the person who lost it, so we should just give it to God and trust that God would give it back to them in some way. He very proudly put that ten dollar bill in the offering at church, and God blessed him within days by having a friend invite him to an event that we could not have afforded to take him to.
I mention my memory of that incident because when I picked David up after school today and immediately began telling him how proud I was of his actions, he said that the bathroom incident when he was 8 years old probably led up to him making a similar decision that now involved several hundreds of dollars. Interestingly, he'd made the same connection with the past as I did. He still remembered that decision now years later.
March 6, 2013
We made history!
Our Approval!According to what they told us last summer, this has never been done before. No one has ever been denied and then given another chance, and apparently we were the very first to ever try. So it looks like this paper just made history.
March 2, 2013
Go, David!
Gotta take a minute to brag on my son. His soccer team played their first game of the season today and found themselves up against a bigger challenge than they were used to. The team did so well last season that they were asked to play up this season (meaning they are playing against an older age division). David got out there and scored the very first goal of the game! They didn't end up winning today, partially due to the fact that they were missing several of their players, but I was so proud of David for getting out there and setting the tone, letting those "big kids" know that this wasn't going to be an easy team to mess around with.
Way to go, David!
Way to go, David!
Another crazy week behind us
There are two specific weeks out of the school year that I dread the most: the week of Fall Parent Conferences and the week of Spring Parent Conferences. Don't get me wrong here. I truly enjoy actually having the conferences with each parent. I like telling them positive things that I see in their child, and I enjoy helping them find ways to help out at home to get them to improve in other areas. It's enlightening to find out more of the home situation so I can better meet the needs of the kids while they're at school.
However, being a good teacher takes time. It requires time for planning, time for gathering materials, time for grading and reflecting over assignments and tests, and time to rest and take a break from it all. I've noticed that the more I force myself to take a mental break in order to meet my own needs, the healthier I am as a teacher. When you add trying to plan for 22 parent conferences and then adding them into your normal busy schedule, along with adding picture day, extra tests, and a book fair, it's enough to push someone like me a bit over the edge. Let's just say that by Friday afternoon, my brain was pretty fried, and my kids knew it.
Thankfully, we all survived, and we can put the week behind us. One more week of classes and tests ahead, and then we can enjoy a week of spring break. I honestly thought I'd be in Colombia by then, but alas, we're still waiting our way through the end of this process. Though we have no official paperwork at this moment, our attorney told us off the record that we've been approved and that he put an urgent notice on our case as it goes through the next level. I hate all this waiting, but I trust God's perfect timing and sovereignty. He's got a track record with me for always coming through at just the right time in ways that are greater than I could have imagined. So, rather than wallowing in self-pity and frustration, I am looking forward to enjoying the week of vacation with David, sending him off for the last few days of vacation on a mission trip to Mission Waco, and volunteering with the STUCK tour as it comes through Dallas on March 16th.
However, being a good teacher takes time. It requires time for planning, time for gathering materials, time for grading and reflecting over assignments and tests, and time to rest and take a break from it all. I've noticed that the more I force myself to take a mental break in order to meet my own needs, the healthier I am as a teacher. When you add trying to plan for 22 parent conferences and then adding them into your normal busy schedule, along with adding picture day, extra tests, and a book fair, it's enough to push someone like me a bit over the edge. Let's just say that by Friday afternoon, my brain was pretty fried, and my kids knew it.
Thankfully, we all survived, and we can put the week behind us. One more week of classes and tests ahead, and then we can enjoy a week of spring break. I honestly thought I'd be in Colombia by then, but alas, we're still waiting our way through the end of this process. Though we have no official paperwork at this moment, our attorney told us off the record that we've been approved and that he put an urgent notice on our case as it goes through the next level. I hate all this waiting, but I trust God's perfect timing and sovereignty. He's got a track record with me for always coming through at just the right time in ways that are greater than I could have imagined. So, rather than wallowing in self-pity and frustration, I am looking forward to enjoying the week of vacation with David, sending him off for the last few days of vacation on a mission trip to Mission Waco, and volunteering with the STUCK tour as it comes through Dallas on March 16th.
February 26, 2013
STUCK
STUCK TOUR Coming through Dallas/Frisco area March 16th
International adoption can be a long, lonely road. Believe me, my family has stuck through it twice to adopt the same child from Colombia, and we’re still waiting to get through all of the bureaucracy and red tape in order to bring him home. We met when he was ten years old, and now he’s already fifteen. We're closer now than we've ever been, and yet we all still wait. Our journey was a bit different and more complicated than most, but we never gave up hope. We’ve visted his orphanage several times, and though given decent living conditions, access to education, and enough food to eat, he’s still one of the millions stuck there. Stuck, knowing that there is a family out there that knows him, wants him, and loves him, yet can’t seem to get through this process quickly enough.
The STUCK tour is coming through the Dallas/Frisco area on March 16th only! Join the movement to promote international adoption by purchasing a ticket to see the movie at 7:00 at the AMC Stonebriar 24 Theater in Frisco. There will be a family event and a premier party at 5:00 in celebration of the tour. STUCK is really a love story, demonstrating the steadfast love between families and children that have no family of their own.
Be a part of this amazing event by purchasing a ticket, filling the theater, promoting it among your family and friends, or even signing a petition headed straight to Washington D.C. Check it out for yourself at http://bothendsburning.org
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February 21, 2013
February 16, 2013
Back to book promoting
I've backed away from making much mention of my book over the last seven months because of what's been going on with our case. I've given away a bunch of copies to keep promoting it, especially when applying for grants, but I've done very little marketing. Honestly, if this adoption indeed goes through, I can say for sure that a sequel is in the making. If it for some reason does not, for reasons only God could know, then I'm not sure how to go about continuing to market the first book. It's a complicated, awkward situation. Needless to say, I've shied away from it all. However, my publisher got after me for that yesterday, so I said I'd do better, even though I still feel very awkward. He really recommended using Twitter more, so feel free to look me up on Twitter (Rachelle D.), follow me, and share me with others. Thanks!
February 15, 2013
God's sense of humor
God sure does have a sense of humor. You never know what lengths He's going to go to to get you right where He wants you. This morning I took David to school at 7:30 with the plan to pick him up at 9:30 to take him on our tour of one of the middle schools. I had two ideas as to how to spend the following two hours. I've been listening to our series on James on CD in my car, so I could just find a place to sit in my car and listen. I also had a ton of papers that needed to be graded, so I considered finding a coffee shop to sit and grade them.
Now let's back up a little. I started out the morning feeling incredibly discouraged and defeated, letting my tears flow freely during my quiet time as I prayed. This waiting is really beating me up mentally, and I guess emotionally, too. (More mentally than anything). So I pull up to the coffee shop as I heard the most tender song on the radio talking about how sometimes our healing comes through tears. Once again, the tears just readily flowed. I sat there for several minutes and just cried. I decided I didn't feel like sitting in a car for two hours, so I went in, got a cup of coffee, spread my papers all over one of the tables, and proceeded to grade them. I kept checking my phone to make sure I wasn't late, but time was passing very slowly, so I was getting a lot accomplished! I couldn't believe how much I'd gotten done when it was still only about 8:15.
I graded one set of papers after another, and then suddenly I looked at my phone and saw that it was already 9:31! I was supposed to pick up David at 9:30, which meant I was late! How did that happen? I was positive that only about ten minutes had passed since I last checked my phone. I scrambled to quickly get all my papers collected and shoved them into my bag. Then I nearly ran out the door to the car. I get to the car, start it, and see that the clock still says 8:35. I looked at my phone, but that clock still registered as 9:35. Which was right? Then the radio stated that it was currently 8:35. Somehow my phone had just suddenly jumped an hour.
Well, I felt a little silly going back inside just to spread my papers all over the table again, so I decided to just stay in the car to finish grading them. While there, I turned on the audio session for James and just listened. Funny, just like every session from our Esther study spoke directly to me over precisely the area I was struggling with, this one did, too. It was all about dealing with mental anguish, believing that God will not leave us there and will redeem us when the time is His time. There is a purpose for the wait, even for the anguish. Just like He did last time around, He will turn this very anguish into a source of joy.
It was just what I needed to hear. God saw my tears and heard my cries, and He answered me. He just had to change the time on my phone in order to get me to listen! I had to chuckle over that one. :)
I picked David up on time, got to the middle school, and noticed that my phone was back on the right time. :) We had a great morning touring the school and then having a lunch date together. What a great school with such happy kids, happy teachers, and happy parents--and a ton to offer! David even saw one of his buddies that he met through a good friend, so that was a bonus. His teacher's been very helpful in getting David to appreciate the opportunity, too. Now to make a final decision before the paper is due next week.
Now let's back up a little. I started out the morning feeling incredibly discouraged and defeated, letting my tears flow freely during my quiet time as I prayed. This waiting is really beating me up mentally, and I guess emotionally, too. (More mentally than anything). So I pull up to the coffee shop as I heard the most tender song on the radio talking about how sometimes our healing comes through tears. Once again, the tears just readily flowed. I sat there for several minutes and just cried. I decided I didn't feel like sitting in a car for two hours, so I went in, got a cup of coffee, spread my papers all over one of the tables, and proceeded to grade them. I kept checking my phone to make sure I wasn't late, but time was passing very slowly, so I was getting a lot accomplished! I couldn't believe how much I'd gotten done when it was still only about 8:15.
I graded one set of papers after another, and then suddenly I looked at my phone and saw that it was already 9:31! I was supposed to pick up David at 9:30, which meant I was late! How did that happen? I was positive that only about ten minutes had passed since I last checked my phone. I scrambled to quickly get all my papers collected and shoved them into my bag. Then I nearly ran out the door to the car. I get to the car, start it, and see that the clock still says 8:35. I looked at my phone, but that clock still registered as 9:35. Which was right? Then the radio stated that it was currently 8:35. Somehow my phone had just suddenly jumped an hour.
Well, I felt a little silly going back inside just to spread my papers all over the table again, so I decided to just stay in the car to finish grading them. While there, I turned on the audio session for James and just listened. Funny, just like every session from our Esther study spoke directly to me over precisely the area I was struggling with, this one did, too. It was all about dealing with mental anguish, believing that God will not leave us there and will redeem us when the time is His time. There is a purpose for the wait, even for the anguish. Just like He did last time around, He will turn this very anguish into a source of joy.
It was just what I needed to hear. God saw my tears and heard my cries, and He answered me. He just had to change the time on my phone in order to get me to listen! I had to chuckle over that one. :)
I picked David up on time, got to the middle school, and noticed that my phone was back on the right time. :) We had a great morning touring the school and then having a lunch date together. What a great school with such happy kids, happy teachers, and happy parents--and a ton to offer! David even saw one of his buddies that he met through a good friend, so that was a bonus. His teacher's been very helpful in getting David to appreciate the opportunity, too. Now to make a final decision before the paper is due next week.
