Camp Meeting Recap!

Well, camp meeting is over, and we are back in full home-study swing!!
The week was wonderful and it was SO good to see so many of my best friends and family! It's hard to even describe all of the things the Lord did for me last week.  From the sweet fellowship, and working together with our church family to serve so many people- to the Lord challenging and encouraging my heart thru the preaching and singing, it was really a wonderful time. On Tuesday night, Spencer and I were shocked when our Pastor (who happens to be Spencer's grandpa) got up and told a little bit of our story, and said that the Lord had told him to do something to help us. So many generous people started bringing money up to the front, and by the time it was all said and done, the kind people there had given over $1,600.00 for our adoption fund!! EXACTLY what we needed for our home study. At this point someone asked me, "Can you believe that God sent you the exact amount that you needed for that step?", to which I replied "At this point, OF COURSE!!". God has been SO faithful to supply every dollar for every step that we need and it still amazes me when HE works out little details like that. I never want to take it for granted! We are seriously overwhelmed with all of the love and support shown to us. We are so thankful to each of you, and are humbled that you would contribute to help us start our family.

We still have a long way to go, but we are marking things off our list, and can't wait to get this home-study finished! We've finished our questionnaires, almost done with our autobiographies, we got our passports in the mail last week, and this week (hopefully) we can get our FBI fingerprints taken and mailed off. Maycee has to have a check up, we have to have our physicals, and we still have a couple more parenting lessons we have to do. But, hopefully we are nearing the end! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and we can't wait to get started with our interviews, and then get started on our dossier!  Exciting times ahead, and I can't wait to share them with you all! :)  xoxo, Steff <3

Home Study Fun

Fun might be a slight over-exaggeration, but still... this is good stuff.

Autobiographies, marriage questionnaires, parenting questionnaires, defining words that you normally don't think about-- I have seriously had to dig out my thinking cap! Retelling the story of my life, (from my earliest childhood memories, to my deepest fears-reliving and telling about situations that shaped and made me into the person I am today), has really been an eye opening experience. I'm typically a very private person, I don't show emotion well and I definitely don't open up to complete strangers and tell them my history.  There are a lot of things in my past that I've kind of shoved to the back of the memory center, and would like to leave there. Writing it all down for my autobiography is bringing back so many memories, both good and unpleasant ones, and you know what- it's also brought a realization that EVERY. SINGLE. THING. in my life has worked together for GOOD. It's all been a part of the puzzle of my life--every trial, struggle, heartache, let down, along with the many good times I've had--has been just one little piece of that puzzle.A tiny little stepping stone, each building on the last, and when I look back I can see this beautiful road that I've been blessed to travel.  I would not be who I am today without each and every puzzle piece. I'm so thankful that even when we can't see the whole picture, God can, and He's working all things for our good! A tiny little stepping stone, each building on the last, and when I look back I can see this beautiful road that I've been blessed to travel. So basically, the questionnaires and biography I was so dreading, has actually been quite a fun experience.  And it has been good for me and my (already wonderful) marriage.

Maybe it's just me, but I've realized that as time goes on, I have (unintentionally) begun to take for granted some of the most endearing qualities that first attracted me to my hubby in the first place. I know as a woman, it's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life; on top of which is a mile-high pile of laundry, meals to prepare, dishes to wash, never ending messes that need to be cleaned up and the magical little cleaning fairies that used to come to our house when I was a little girl-- well, they never make an appearance at my house now. With so much time and effort put into those things, (needful things that aren't at all wrong) it's easy to see how a couple gets bogged down and forgets to put  the TIME and EFFORT into their marriage. Marriage is work too, let me just tell you! It takes 100% from EACH party, but it is SO worth it. There's nothing sweeter than having a good husband and wife relationship, and I will just insert here that I have the best husband in the world!

I have had quite a few requests to post a copy of the questionnaire on my blog. Since that's property of our adoption agency, I'm not going to post the whole thing, but I am going to post a modified version! Feel free print this off and fill it out! You will be amazed at the things it brings back to mind and maybe you'll enjoy it as much as I did! If you do decide to take the challenge, I'd love to hear from you!    xoxo, Steff

1)  What attracted you to your spouse? What were your earliest impressions of him and have these impressions changed?

2) What has been the most difficult period of your marriage and how has it affected your relationship?
3) What do you argue about and how do you resolve the arguments?

4) What qualities do you most appreciate in your spouse?

5) If you could change anything about him/her what would it be?

6)   If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?

7) What do you see as the happiest of times of your marriage?

8) What goals do you work towards in your marriage?

9) What does security mean to you?

10) What areas of your marriage have room for improvement?

11) Describe your role as a wife.

12) What activities do you as a couple and individually?

13) Describe what things your husband does as your spouse.

14) What does your spouse do that makes you feel special?

15) How does your marriage compare to those around you?
16) Rate your marriage. (In any way you choose)

17) How do your ideas on child rearing differ from your spouse?

It's Home-Study Time!

Woohoo! We finally got the forms to start our home study! They came in the mail on Friday, and it took a couple of days to process all of the information they were requesting! haha! Thankfully, it's not nearly as bad as we were anticipating, and it seems I was all nervous for nothing. Don't get me wrong-- it is a TON of thought provoking, soul-searching, get-to-know yourself questions, BUT we're going to take it and answer one question at the time. That's all we can do! On the bright side, we are going to know so much about each other (and ourselves) by the time this is over, and we may or may not have a small novella ready for print.

Included in the things we must have done to complete our home study; finger prints, physicals, Maycee (our furbaby) has to have a checkup and shots, and have our septic tank inspected. We just knew the last one was going to be an expensive headache! Come to find out, a kind nameless lady that Spencer works with, volunteered her husband to come and inspect it for free! He's licensed to do that, and we had no idea! We didn't even know how to go about getting it done.  :-D Just one more example of the Lord taking care of things before we even know we need them!

I'm still so amazed that the Lord would take such good care of us, and line everything up the way He is doing. I'm still amazed every time a dollar comes in for our adoption fund, and every dime has been EXACTLY what we've needed.  I don't know why the Lord has trusted us with this special road, but I'm so glad He did. I know a lot of people never get to see Him work so evidently in their lives, and I never dreamed I would either! My heart is just so full when I think that the God of the Universe is concerned with MY family. Even one that isn't even started yet! I'm having a hard time worrying and being fretful when I realize what all the Lord has already done for me-- I know He's not about to leave us in this alone. :) He is really "increasing my faith"and I'm so thankful. I'm also realizing more and more that the "baby steps of faith" I've had to take in this life were only preparing me for the larger amounts of faith I would need on this road to our sweet little Angel! And that makes me oh, so happy for the "not so pleasant"' things I've had to go thru in my life. I wouldn't trade this life for anything!


xoxo, Steffani  :)

We're Commited :)

Today we mailed off our commitment package to our agency! Once they receive it-- and cash our $2,500 check-- we will "officially" have begun our road to our sweet little angel in Bulgaria! :)  With every day our excitement grows, and we are one step closer to meeting our little prince or princess!   The Lord is so good to supply our financial needs to make all of this possible- so far, He's sent in every dime for what everything we've needed so far!  Application fee, passports, adoption training, commitment fee, and even postage for mailing the packets back and forth! ;-D He's also sent in half the money for our home-study fee! I know that the rest is on it's way- and can't wait to watch Him provide! It never ceases to amaze me. I've known all my life the Lord is ABLE to provide every need we have-- and that He loves to work in "impossible" situations-- but to watch Him do it in our own life, is such an amazing thing! I really hope that down the road, some person somewhere can hear our story and be encouraged in the fact that He can do the same for them!

We're finally working on our adoption training! After a few lot of days of "technical difficulties" and phone calls to the company, we finally were able to access our courses and begin the classes. It's very educational to say the least! (A little depressing too, I might add.) We've learned about everything from mental illness, to attachment disorder and trust issues. It really sheds a lot of light on things we've not thought about. Especially about bonding and post placement issues. I'm sure there will be a post about that later on; stay tuned!!

We are now awaiting our home-study instructions, a list of documents and things they will need to start that. For some reason, this part is really scary to me. I'm sure it will go just fine, it's just a little scary to know someone will be scrutinizing every part of your life with a high-powered microscope!! On the other hand, this is just a small price to pay to bring home our little one and once we are together, my fear of this home-study will fade into a far distant memory! I can't wait to get started with this step though, and even more, I can't wait to finish it! haha!

Well, this is turning into a book- so I'm going to go practice my Bulgarian words I learned today, and go to BED! Goodnight all!
                                              xoxo,
                                            Steffani