And the saga continues...........

Honestly, we have a black cloud over our heads! Just when everything was falling into place, something else happens to slow the process down. I just don't get it! I have been praying to God that I need to be hit on the head - I guess He's hitting and I'm just not feeling it??????? Not really sure what the message is here.

Remember our Sunny Saturday? All documents got to where they were supposed to be by Monday morning. We have FEDEX to thank for that! We were very thankful and praising God for the good news.

Well, you'll never guess what happened at the State. Our courier took our documents to be apostilled and was informed that the office ran out of certificate paper! WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING? No, no joke, they were out of paper.


How does something like this happen? Who forgot to order the paper? How can this be?


I found this so incredible, I just started laughing. When I told Don, he started laughing too. What else could we do? Cry, get angry - what would that accomplish. So, needless to say, our documents did not get to our family coordinator today. I haven't heard from the courier if the certificate paper arrived or not. I am going to check in with her right after I post this.

Just ridiculous!

Thanks for following our adventure - never a dull moment.
Elizabeth

A Crazy but Sunny Saturday

Yesterday was crazy but we managed to gather all the documents needed and our updated homestudy also arrived. So, the plan was to get all our documents notarized today and send them, along with our updated homestudy to the State for apostilling.

Time got away from me a bit after getting the documents notarized and I was really running late. Don had a class to go to and I needed to run back home before going to FEDEX because we forgot to update our photo album which will expire in July. I was having problems downloading the photos, the computer was just running too slow for my liking, and the printer kept jamming! I kept watching the clock and wanted to get to FEDEX as soon as I could. I noticed the mailman came and decided to run out and get the mail while the photos were printing.

There in my mailbox were the lost documents! AMAZING! That changed some of our plans. So I scurried to review the documents and compile what was needed to send to our family coordinator in Virginia and then the other documents that would need to be sent to the courier in Tallahassee to be apostilled. I also needed to make sure I had the information to include a postage paid envelope so the courier to overnight the newly apostilled documents to our family coordinator.

I was so full of excitement and feeling such joy over this surprise. I was just shaking. But I missed the last pick up in the Cape so I would have to go over the bridge to Fort Myers to Kinko's. I drove as fast as I could to beat the last pick up and arrived 5 minutes late - I prayed all the way there. I ran in and asked, "Did FEDEX pick up yet?" Praying as I waited for the answer -

The lady said, "No, but he should be here any minute, let me help you." She helped me get the documents for our family coordinator taken care of and I started working on the paperwork for the other two envelopes. While I was doing that, the FEDEX guy showed up. The lady told him I was still working on the forms for the other items but I had the envelope that had to be in Virginia by Monday. He took it and told me not to worry, it would be there and he left.

I continued completing the paperwork praying to God that there was some way I could still get the documents to Tallahassee by Monday. Then, I caught a shadow to my right, and there was the FEDEX guy! He asked me if I was almost finished and said he would wait. My knees buckled and I was praising God as I sealed that envelope and handed it to him. I said, "Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to me - you will be blessed for helping me get these documents out today. I have a little girl in Russia I am adopting and it all depends on this package getting to Tallahassee by Monday morning." I had tears in my eyes and so did he. I really wanted to hug him!

The sun is shining on us now.

We are praising God and thanking

Him for everything. We need to work on our faith because God is faithful. We will have our Angel home when it is time.

Let us hold unswervingly to the

hope we profess, for he who

promised is faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13

In Christ,

Elizabeth

Desperately Searching for Sunny Skies

Well, our lost paperwork was found and sent via USPS Priority Overnight mail on Thursday, June 18 and we still have not received the package. I cannot tell you how discouraged we are feeling. Actually, I am just in a "funk"! Yesterday, I moved from the sofa to the bed to the sofa to the bed, feeling absolutely hopeless. Don and I have been praying constantly about the lost documents - not one document, not two documents, but 20 documents - missing, lost, poof - just disappeared!

We have tried to trace the package, contacted the State, we even had the courier go to the Tallahassee post office to search in the "dead mail" pile thinking perhaps the label ripped or something. No trace of the package.

I spoke with our family coordinator this afternoon and this new twist may impact us getting an August court date before the judge goes on vacation. Again, I am almost ready to say, "I give up." Why does this have to be so difficult and why do we have to face so many obstacles. I was whining to her about it all. She finally said, "You don't have time to be in a funk or lay on the sofa, you have to get started on redoing all those documents. We need to get them to Russia, so you can bring your little girl home!" Well, she might as well have slapped me - she was so right. We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves - the clock is ticking and we need to continue to persevere and bring our Angel home.

We chatted more and agreed Don and I would plan to get everything to Tallahassee by Monday so the courier to walk them into the State Office, have them apostilled, and get them in the overnight mail to our family coordinator by Tuesday. It all seemed very doable. As soon as we were off the phone, I went online with FEDEX and set up an account. After this experience, we will not be using USPS for such important documents in the future.

Don and I sat down this evening and formulated a plan on how to gather all the documents together and get them to Tallahassee by Monday for apostilling. We were going to be doing a lot of running around on Friday getting documents, redoing medicals, trying to get police clearances(usually take 2 weeks to get these), then updating other documents and printing them Friday evening, and meet with a notary at 9:30am on Saturday and get to FEDEX before 1:00pm for last pick up in the Cape.

We have a plan! Team Murray is moving into action!

Do I see a ray of sunshine peaking through?
Thanks for following our journey.

Puttin on my sunglasses,
Elizabeth

Tonight, My Heart Aches

Last week was a roller coaster week. Paperwork that was sent several weeks ago for Apostilling at the State was lost - they had no record of receiving it. Then the paperwork was found, then things looked better, but the next day, things were not so good, then everything looked better and then, well, you get the picture.

We've been hoping and praying for a July court date and to that end, working on updating any documents expiring in June, July, or August. Diligently trying to dot all of our i's and cross all of our t's. In addition, we have been fundraising like mad (you can review previous posts). Although we are still short some funds, we have faith that we will have necessary funds by the time we travel in July.

Thursday evening, we had a conference call with our family coordinator and the director of our agency in Florida to make sure we were all on the same page. We set a plan to have all documents to our facilitator on Tuesday and they would be on their way to Russia the next day. We felt very encouraged after the meeting and hopeful we were still on track for a July court date.

We planned on starting to paint our Angel's room this weekend. It's been the spare room and after some of our fundraising, became a bit of a storage room. We decided it's time to get it in order. Remember, she picked out the colors she wanted. Honestly, it's taken us awhile to figure out how to combine the colors without making the room look like a circus.

And then, this afternoon, we received an email from our family coordinator and my heart sank. Although everything would be in Russia in time for us to get a court date in July, it will be difficult to get our visa invitations and our visas in time. Therefore, they are advising to push our court to August. I cannot tell you how this change impacts much of our plans, life, jobs, school, etc... for the fall. What a major disappointment! And what about our Angel? Is she going to think we don't love her? Will she be worrying that we are never coming back? Will her friends tease her and say "they aren't coming for you" Oh, my heart aches to hold her, hug her, and reassure her that we WILL come back to get her.

We have been praying and praying that everything would go smoothly here on out. When this type of "stuff" happens it is so difficult not to ask "God Why? Are we not worthy?Are we not ready? Are You telling us we should not adopt? What is it? What are we doing wrong? What aren't we doing right? I could go on questioning the rest of the night....................

I see myself as a glass half full, the skies are partly sunny, Pollyanna type. No matter what comes my way, I have to find something positive to latch onto (see Disappointment or Encouragement? and Ambiguity and a Little Pollyanna). Otherwise, I would probably not be able to get out of bed in the morning. My first reaction to this news was to go to bed until August. Of course, I can't really do that. But I have to figure out something positive about this delay or I will have difficulties getting through the days.

Now, I will go to bed and pray about this. I will pray that God will guide us in what we are to do and He will help us realize the positives of this delay rather than dwell on the negatives.

Thank you for allowing me to share the ups and downs of our adoption journey with you. Here is the scripture from my Bible Study Thursday evening - little did I know then how appropriate it would be tonight:

...there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"... I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Delighting in difficulties,
Elizabeth

And the Fundraising Goes On and On and On and On...

It has quite a while since I posted. Mainly because we have just been busy but also because my computer crashed! I never really realized what a creature of habit I am. My computer is set up just the way I like it. I have my bookmarks, my favorites, all my folders with all my stuff in them including photos, documents for the adoption, and other important stuff. But it CRASHED! I have been praying the auto back up worked prior to the nosedive! Apparently, the mother board died and it will cost around $400.00 to repair it. Well, that might as well be $1,000,000 - we just don't have it. And if we did, the money would go toward our adoption not my computer. I will just use my husband's old computer until we can figure out what we will do. Anyway, being without my computer has just sent me in a tizzy. Perhaps I should seek counseling - naw, just don't have the time these days.
Let's see, what have we been up to since the last post.

The end of May, we went to Orlando to meet up with some of the America World staff. It was nice to finally meet these wonderful people. I think a special bond develops between adoptive families and those who help them through the various stages of the adoption process. We also met some of the Florida families who are in various stages of adopting from Russia. I know many names from the blogs but again, nice to actually meet the real people. It was a great day.

The first week of June was our little Angel's birthday, we sent money to the facilitator in NN to buy her a gift and some goodies to share with the other children in the home. We heard all went well. I must admit, it broke our hearts not to be able to be with her on her birthday.

Last Saturday, the social worker was here for another home visit - our homestudy expires later this month - this was our 4th update. Hmm, I wonder if there is a record for this?

We are still fundraising, thus the title of this post. We really need to raise enough to get back to Russia before July 20 - apparently the judge will be going on a month-long vacation that day. We feel somewhat desperate to get the rest of the funds needed to travel. Here's information about our current fundraisers. Please check them out:

• Magazine Fundraiser – quit buying those magazines at the grocery store support our adoption by buying through us (you’ll also find the magazines are less expensive through our site) http://magfundraising.com.MurrayAdoption.
• Shop through our online mall site - you can shop at over 150 online stores and we receive a percentage of all purchases visit http://www.krymus.com/5361.
• Purchase photo prints, share photos with family, store photos, and create beautiful gifts at http://www.cmphotocenter.com This is similar to snapfish but easier. Be sure to use my CM ID #4529885 so we get credit toward our adoption fund.
• Are you into celebrating memories – visit my website at www.mycmsite.com/bethmurray for creative ways to share your memories. June Special: purchase $100.00 of product, have it direct shipped to your home, and you will receive a gift worth $25.00 Plus, you’ll support our adoption.
• Our chat group friend, Heather, set up a e-show for us at Usborne Books and More Usborne has educational and entertainment books for children of all ages. You can shop online through July 1, 2009 and your purchase will help us bring our Angel home.
• We are still working on our fundraiser website and will be updating it as new activities launch.

We are so grateful for the help we have received so far. We ask that you please keep us in your prayers and consider participating in some of our fundraisers. Our time is running out and we still need funds to be able to travel. We are on our knees praying and know that God will make a way.

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25.

Praying Without Ceasing,
Elizabeth