Love The Wilsons
Erick, Chrissy, Ethan, Jacey, PEYTON, and Taylor
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Friday, September 16, 2011
Gotcha day!
Wow, ok I know I have been horrible and have not posted in forever! WE GOT OUR BOY!!! This wk has been flying by and appts and Peyton have been keeping us busy. I cant really think right now about everything and we are tired and have to be up at like 2:30 in the morning for our flight home. This weeks process went extremely well. We are so blessed, so many things that could have been a problem were not, Praise Jesus! Gotcha day was Sept 14th! Here are some pics from this week. I will write more when I can. I really should be in bed!
Love The Wilsons
Erick, Chrissy, Ethan, Jacey, PEYTON, and Taylor
Love The Wilsons
Erick, Chrissy, Ethan, Jacey, PEYTON, and Taylor
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Court Date!!!
Ok so we have a court date... Wed Aug 31st @ 11am!!! Pray pray pray! God has blessed this journey here immensely and we ask for this huge step to be triumphed as well! If all goes well, we will fly home Thurs-Fri and return the following weekend. If all goes well on the 2nd trip, we should have him home the weekend after that! So mid Sept! How glorious this would be!
Our visits with Peyton have been going very well. We are blown away by how God is moving in our times together. Recently he began pushing boundaries and testing us. He was a little rowdy Tuesday where we had to take a certain toy away from him. He was not happy about it at all, but didn't overly act out about it. Right after that it was time for us to go and then the next day (yesterday)it was raining and we were going to have to stay inside for the whole 2 hrs, in the little play area with lots of balls, physical therapy stuff, and broken toys. He gets more active when in there for some reason. I was praying for God to make the visit a good one, where Peyton was able to be calmed and less chaotic in there. I prayed that we would be able to hold his interest in things so that he was not running from thing to thing or getting out of hand. God totally made it happen! He was calmer than we had seen him and we had some special moments. He found Erick could play the piano and he wanted him to play. So Erick sat there and wrote a soothing song and Peyton would get memorized by it. It was so cool. The visit went well.
Today we were able to go back outside and it went really well too, again he was a little calmer than normal. We brought him gummybears today. he shared with is class then the caregiver let him take the rest outside with us. He sat there and ate them. This was a great smooth start to our visit. He kept himself busy pretty easily. At one point he raked up leaves into a pile and then cleaned them up. Similarly, he raked up a pile of sand on the ground outside the sandbox and put it back in the box. He is very diligent in his work. He is good at projects.
During the 2nd visit today, after a while he was wanting to do something that would not be very safe and I said no, but he kept trying to get me to help him do it. He got a little upset and had a mini fit, but I picked him up, held him and said gently, no no no, not safe, it's ok. He calmed down. Then soon after he went and started doing what I said no to. I stopped him and he got more upset. He threw more of a fit. But again, I picked him up and went and sat down with him this time. We did the "time in" thing (instead of time-out), where I hold him on my lap in loving discipline, containing him and gently speaking to him about keeping him safe, loving him, and how to behave. He was whining but after a while he was fine. I am soooo thankful I learned of this technique from others!!! Then he got busy playing. Soon after, the Director came over and after a few minutes of trying to understand each other, we realized she wanted Peyton to sit and do some coloring. He came right over and sat down to color. Very obedient! Then after he was done with what she said to do, he was ready to run off again. We were able to get him to stay and do some more on another page though. Then he wanted to go off and play somewhere else. I told him to clean up the mess he already made from playing earlier and he did. Right after, Erick pulled out the video we made b4 we left of the kids and my mom and sis saying hi to him. It caught his attention b4 he could run off and he had to watch it a few times over. He really liked it and waved back at Babushka really excitedly one of the times! Then this led to him being intrigued with the tablet computer. So we showed him angry birds, he got a kick out of that. It took us a while to get him to do it right, but he had fun. He loves the technology we carry around. He always wants to see my phone and push all the buttons on it. At the end of this visit we turned some worship music on and he carried the phone around listening to it. I picked him up and we spun around dancing to the music. He loved this! A little piece of heaven for this mama!
Our visits with Peyton have been going very well. We are blown away by how God is moving in our times together. Recently he began pushing boundaries and testing us. He was a little rowdy Tuesday where we had to take a certain toy away from him. He was not happy about it at all, but didn't overly act out about it. Right after that it was time for us to go and then the next day (yesterday)it was raining and we were going to have to stay inside for the whole 2 hrs, in the little play area with lots of balls, physical therapy stuff, and broken toys. He gets more active when in there for some reason. I was praying for God to make the visit a good one, where Peyton was able to be calmed and less chaotic in there. I prayed that we would be able to hold his interest in things so that he was not running from thing to thing or getting out of hand. God totally made it happen! He was calmer than we had seen him and we had some special moments. He found Erick could play the piano and he wanted him to play. So Erick sat there and wrote a soothing song and Peyton would get memorized by it. It was so cool. The visit went well.
Today we were able to go back outside and it went really well too, again he was a little calmer than normal. We brought him gummybears today. he shared with is class then the caregiver let him take the rest outside with us. He sat there and ate them. This was a great smooth start to our visit. He kept himself busy pretty easily. At one point he raked up leaves into a pile and then cleaned them up. Similarly, he raked up a pile of sand on the ground outside the sandbox and put it back in the box. He is very diligent in his work. He is good at projects.
During the 2nd visit today, after a while he was wanting to do something that would not be very safe and I said no, but he kept trying to get me to help him do it. He got a little upset and had a mini fit, but I picked him up, held him and said gently, no no no, not safe, it's ok. He calmed down. Then soon after he went and started doing what I said no to. I stopped him and he got more upset. He threw more of a fit. But again, I picked him up and went and sat down with him this time. We did the "time in" thing (instead of time-out), where I hold him on my lap in loving discipline, containing him and gently speaking to him about keeping him safe, loving him, and how to behave. He was whining but after a while he was fine. I am soooo thankful I learned of this technique from others!!! Then he got busy playing. Soon after, the Director came over and after a few minutes of trying to understand each other, we realized she wanted Peyton to sit and do some coloring. He came right over and sat down to color. Very obedient! Then after he was done with what she said to do, he was ready to run off again. We were able to get him to stay and do some more on another page though. Then he wanted to go off and play somewhere else. I told him to clean up the mess he already made from playing earlier and he did. Right after, Erick pulled out the video we made b4 we left of the kids and my mom and sis saying hi to him. It caught his attention b4 he could run off and he had to watch it a few times over. He really liked it and waved back at Babushka really excitedly one of the times! Then this led to him being intrigued with the tablet computer. So we showed him angry birds, he got a kick out of that. It took us a while to get him to do it right, but he had fun. He loves the technology we carry around. He always wants to see my phone and push all the buttons on it. At the end of this visit we turned some worship music on and he carried the phone around listening to it. I picked him up and we spun around dancing to the music. He loved this! A little piece of heaven for this mama!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday visits
We went for our morning visit and brought the groupa bananas. They all sat around the table nice and quietly and the caregivers passed out their plates. Peyton kept looking at us smiling. Another little boy waved at us. They waited patiently and then they were told they could eat and there they went. The banana was cut up on the plate, and they ate with their hands very carefully. Peyton ate with his right hand, though he has been coloring with his left. He was the first one finished (he was ready to go play with us), stood up, gently pushed in his chair and asked to wash his hands. He has such manners. After cleaning up, he excitingly went the the room where his train was that we gave him, grabbed my hand and headed for the door. We played outside with him alone for a while. After a while the groupa came out and played in a nearby area. We pulled out a new toy, a bulldozer type of truck hotwheel. He loved it, knew exactly what it was and started playing in the sandbox with it. Then he wanted to show his caregivers, so he ran to where they were and I followed him. As soon as we walked in the area another little boy came up and said hi and gave me a hug, it was so cute. Then another little boy came and grabbed my hand and stood there smiling at me. Then Peyton wanted to go off and play again so I ran after him. Every time we would play with something new he would do this, he wanted to show everyone what he had and say we brought it for him. He loves to run and he is pretty fast. It's so cute, he kind of hops on his toes as he runs. When we brought out the bubbles he played with those for a long time. He liked to blow them in our face. He could even blow one and then catch it back on the stick, you can tell he has had bubble experience.
We had two visits today. We get 2 hours twice a day. They actually go by pretty fast. He loves to find every toy possible and play. He was even trying to move wooden benches and stuff around. The stuff out in the shed they have to play with is very old, most are torn up, broken, missing parts, etc. They also have storage furniture that is falling apart and rusty nails poking out. He pulled out this big wooden box or whatever to try to play with it somehow and it was falling apart and I had to explain to him, no no, ouchy. (I need to learn the word for dangerous, not a toy). So I tucked the box back away under the desks. He has a great imagination and sense of play. Like a typical boy, he is crashing cars, running over monkeys, shooting bears, etc... at one point during the second visit he had a toy mouse (looked like a person with a mouse head) and I had a stuffed little teddybear (they were about the same size). We put them next to each other and I pretended to make the bear talk and then he said something for the mouse to the bear- which was “I love you” (our facilitator happened to be on this visit with us and told us that's what he said), then the animals hugged. I want to think that he was talking to us through the play animals. :) He loves to try to climb up the slide but his shoes are too slippery. So I helped him climb up, then he would roll his train, truck, and a little pony down the slide, then he would go down. He just loved this. He would turn around, stand there and say more, and I would help him back up the slide, give him the toys and the process would repeat. He would laugh throughout the process. He loves to giggle and laugh. Sometimes I would reach over and tickle him a little and he loves that. He was riding the toy horse thing at some point and I was occasionally tickling him, he is extremely ticklish it seems. He would crack up in joy. We got video. Another groupa came out while we were playing and we would want to show them things but then got jealous and mad when they wanted his stuff. He likes the fact that something is actually his, just for him.
When we left, Luda told us that throughout the visit Peyton would keep asking her if she (and us) would take him to the airplane. He is so ready to go home! When she told him we would come back tomorrow, he said "and you will take me to the plane?" She had to say yes but not tomorrow. So sweet.
We had two visits today. We get 2 hours twice a day. They actually go by pretty fast. He loves to find every toy possible and play. He was even trying to move wooden benches and stuff around. The stuff out in the shed they have to play with is very old, most are torn up, broken, missing parts, etc. They also have storage furniture that is falling apart and rusty nails poking out. He pulled out this big wooden box or whatever to try to play with it somehow and it was falling apart and I had to explain to him, no no, ouchy. (I need to learn the word for dangerous, not a toy). So I tucked the box back away under the desks. He has a great imagination and sense of play. Like a typical boy, he is crashing cars, running over monkeys, shooting bears, etc... at one point during the second visit he had a toy mouse (looked like a person with a mouse head) and I had a stuffed little teddybear (they were about the same size). We put them next to each other and I pretended to make the bear talk and then he said something for the mouse to the bear- which was “I love you” (our facilitator happened to be on this visit with us and told us that's what he said), then the animals hugged. I want to think that he was talking to us through the play animals. :) He loves to try to climb up the slide but his shoes are too slippery. So I helped him climb up, then he would roll his train, truck, and a little pony down the slide, then he would go down. He just loved this. He would turn around, stand there and say more, and I would help him back up the slide, give him the toys and the process would repeat. He would laugh throughout the process. He loves to giggle and laugh. Sometimes I would reach over and tickle him a little and he loves that. He was riding the toy horse thing at some point and I was occasionally tickling him, he is extremely ticklish it seems. He would crack up in joy. We got video. Another groupa came out while we were playing and we would want to show them things but then got jealous and mad when they wanted his stuff. He likes the fact that something is actually his, just for him.
When we left, Luda told us that throughout the visit Peyton would keep asking her if she (and us) would take him to the airplane. He is so ready to go home! When she told him we would come back tomorrow, he said "and you will take me to the plane?" She had to say yes but not tomorrow. So sweet.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Train ride and 1st Visit
Thursday we got to sleep in and then we packed up our stuff and headed out to the adoption office around 4, again we rode with another couple- one in which we met at dinner the night before. The other families were there at the office waiting around outside as well. While we waited the team filled us in on what the plan was for everyone and we got to know the others a bit. After about an hour or so, they called us in to give our referral. From there, we were taken to the train station with the same couple since we are both going to the same region. We ate lunch/dinner at the McDonald's there before boarding. We boarded the train for a 7:30pm departure, it was a 11.5 hr train ride overnight. We chilled for a bit and the the other couple, who was right next door to us, lent us a movie to watch. We watched the movie and then I tried to sleep and Erick worked. Sleep was not happening though. Erick's computer died after a while and he wasn't tired so he played games. We both finally slept, but he awoke after 1.5 hrs and didn't get any more. I had more than that but not sure how much, it was not constant either. We were to arrive at 7am, we were both up at 5am I think. We started the day tired and are extremely tired right now.
We arrived and split from the other couple, as we were going on to a different city. Luda and our driver took us an hour away to do some paperwork, then took us a little ways further for more paperwork, then we went to the orphanage which was not far from there. I was impressed when we first walked through the entry way outside. There is lots of playground type stuff in the courtyard. One little boy was out there and we stared at us as we walked by. We went in the building and straight to the directors office. A lot of Russian was spoken and some translated to us. She and the doctor told us all about Peyton. There was lots of discussion. And lots of agreeing on our part. Then the caregiver brought Peyton in. He smiled when he saw us; he has the biggest, cutest, sweetest smile (just like all my kids). He is little and has darker hair than we thought he would and it is cut very short. The director talked with him and had him do some drawing and answer some casual conversation type of questions. He acted out some animals, apparently he recently was in a little skit or something. It was so cute!!! She talked to him about us and then we gave him a toy Thomas the train. He smiled at it. He came and got it from me and then said thank you and walked away a bit. He talked with his caregiver and she pointed out things and so did he. She showed him how to play with it and rolled it on the desk in front of us for him. Then he came over and played with it for a second. Then he walked away again. He stood there and she asked if he would like to keep meeting with us and he smiled excitedly, said yes and looked at us then bashfully put his head down with the smile still beaming. He would do that a lot... So stinkin cute! Every time he would look at us he would smile. It was his lunch time so he had to go and we were not allowed time for pics. We can take them the next visit.
We talked more with the director and then we left to be shown his groupa, which is the group of kids he belongs to and where they are in the orphanage. They were eating lunch and we walked in and Peyton lit up with a big smile again! They were all so cute sitting around the little table. It as kind of dark in there so it was not very easy to see. We said bye to the kids and then we were shown where to come and go for our visits and we waited outside for Luda to finish talking. The director liked us and is getting the process started for us.
We left and went back to one of the offices we had gone to before for paperwork, we finally got some food (1pm) while Luda did business. Then we finally got to go to the apt we are staying in. Erick is taking a nap and I am writing this blog. We are about to be picked up to go back for our second visit! And yes, we will have internet!
Will post again after this visit
Love
The Wilsons
We arrived and split from the other couple, as we were going on to a different city. Luda and our driver took us an hour away to do some paperwork, then took us a little ways further for more paperwork, then we went to the orphanage which was not far from there. I was impressed when we first walked through the entry way outside. There is lots of playground type stuff in the courtyard. One little boy was out there and we stared at us as we walked by. We went in the building and straight to the directors office. A lot of Russian was spoken and some translated to us. She and the doctor told us all about Peyton. There was lots of discussion. And lots of agreeing on our part. Then the caregiver brought Peyton in. He smiled when he saw us; he has the biggest, cutest, sweetest smile (just like all my kids). He is little and has darker hair than we thought he would and it is cut very short. The director talked with him and had him do some drawing and answer some casual conversation type of questions. He acted out some animals, apparently he recently was in a little skit or something. It was so cute!!! She talked to him about us and then we gave him a toy Thomas the train. He smiled at it. He came and got it from me and then said thank you and walked away a bit. He talked with his caregiver and she pointed out things and so did he. She showed him how to play with it and rolled it on the desk in front of us for him. Then he came over and played with it for a second. Then he walked away again. He stood there and she asked if he would like to keep meeting with us and he smiled excitedly, said yes and looked at us then bashfully put his head down with the smile still beaming. He would do that a lot... So stinkin cute! Every time he would look at us he would smile. It was his lunch time so he had to go and we were not allowed time for pics. We can take them the next visit.
We talked more with the director and then we left to be shown his groupa, which is the group of kids he belongs to and where they are in the orphanage. They were eating lunch and we walked in and Peyton lit up with a big smile again! They were all so cute sitting around the little table. It as kind of dark in there so it was not very easy to see. We said bye to the kids and then we were shown where to come and go for our visits and we waited outside for Luda to finish talking. The director liked us and is getting the process started for us.
We left and went back to one of the offices we had gone to before for paperwork, we finally got some food (1pm) while Luda did business. Then we finally got to go to the apt we are staying in. Erick is taking a nap and I am writing this blog. We are about to be picked up to go back for our second visit! And yes, we will have internet!
Will post again after this visit
Love
The Wilsons
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Adoption Appointment
Well today was our appt in which we saw Peyton's file, or rather sat there as Yulia translated a few key parts of the file to us, and we signed off saying we saw it and agree to continue pursuing Peyton. I thought the appt was going to be more to it than that, but we were in and out in like 4 min, no questions or anything. We got some minor info on his birth family and found out how long he has been an orphan. We really wanted to get some more info on all the the "why's" in our head, but maybe we can get that later? I am hoping we get to keep that file once adoption final? We saw a pic of him from when he was like 1 years old or so, it was a close up of his face. He was a cute baby but I would not have recognized it as him. He had his brown eyes even back then, ;) And we saw a pic of him from when he was like maybe 3. This was full body, he was standing in a hallway against a wall, smiling. He always seems happy in his pics. You could definitely tell it was him in that pic, but he did look a little bit different than all the 4 yr old pics we have.
On the way to the appt our driver Niko also had to pick up another couple, this was a family we have met through RR and found each other on FB. They are from TX, which is neat and they also know some people we know through our church. Small world! it was nice to meet others. Well, picking them up took 30 min instead of like 5 because their phone malfunctioned and their doorbell wasn't working so we couldn't get ahold of them to let them know we were there. Finally, Niko was able to get to them and we were off to the appt. We got there a couple min late but it was okay. Yulia was there waiting for us and we went straight in the side of the building and waited on the stairs to be called for our turn. The other family still had a little wait for their appt so they sat in a waiting area. Within maybe 5 min we were called up to the room and we sat down on a couch and a file and our dossier papers were all placed in front of us and a lot of Russian talking was going on. The lady asked for our passports, verified them as us, and then proceeded to open up Peyton's file and list things off it in which Yulia translated. Then, we signed a paper and left the office and sat in waiting area while the other family had their appt.
Leaving the appt we almost got in another car accident cuz someone was backing out of a parking space and not paying attention. The rules of the road here are lacking to say the least. It really makes you pay attention though cuz you expect crazy moves all around you.
Our referral to go visit Peyton will be ready tomorrow afternoon and then we will take the train overnight. I think it is a 14 hr ride! After arriving in region we will then be driven to his city, which I think might be a 2 hour drive away??? So another day of travel is ahead of us!
Thank you so much for all your prayers, we are truly feeling and seeing them!
Love
The Wilsons
On the way to the appt our driver Niko also had to pick up another couple, this was a family we have met through RR and found each other on FB. They are from TX, which is neat and they also know some people we know through our church. Small world! it was nice to meet others. Well, picking them up took 30 min instead of like 5 because their phone malfunctioned and their doorbell wasn't working so we couldn't get ahold of them to let them know we were there. Finally, Niko was able to get to them and we were off to the appt. We got there a couple min late but it was okay. Yulia was there waiting for us and we went straight in the side of the building and waited on the stairs to be called for our turn. The other family still had a little wait for their appt so they sat in a waiting area. Within maybe 5 min we were called up to the room and we sat down on a couch and a file and our dossier papers were all placed in front of us and a lot of Russian talking was going on. The lady asked for our passports, verified them as us, and then proceeded to open up Peyton's file and list things off it in which Yulia translated. Then, we signed a paper and left the office and sat in waiting area while the other family had their appt.
Leaving the appt we almost got in another car accident cuz someone was backing out of a parking space and not paying attention. The rules of the road here are lacking to say the least. It really makes you pay attention though cuz you expect crazy moves all around you.
Our referral to go visit Peyton will be ready tomorrow afternoon and then we will take the train overnight. I think it is a 14 hr ride! After arriving in region we will then be driven to his city, which I think might be a 2 hour drive away??? So another day of travel is ahead of us!
Thank you so much for all your prayers, we are truly feeling and seeing them!
Love
The Wilsons
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
1st days of travel
All flights went well. We didn't sleep on any of them though so we got very tired by the end of the trip. I read a book on the 1st plane ride and so did Erick. I watched 3 movies on the 2nd plane- Erick watched 2. One of the movies we watched simultaneously together. The seats were very crowded; closer together than we were expecting. Erick tried to work but it was too hard due to lack of space so after a while he put his computer away. I tried sleeping a little but never did. On the last plane we both tried sleeping because we were extremely tired but it didn't really work out.
In our DC layover there was a Fuddruckers in the airport, so we ate that b4 getting on the plane. Glad we did cuz the in flight meal was not all that.
We had long layover in Munich, that took forever! Our gate changed two times in those 4 hrs and we were confused on how to get to our gate because their signs were not really directing you right. We were soooo tired at that point but didn't want to fall asleep. One thing we noticed here was that there were Camel ads everywhere. The ads would say smoking can kill you and then you would turn around and see smoking areas and smoking booths. I took pics of them. We went to exchange some money to get a mocha style coffee but it was like $10 each. So we found a little shop and Erick got a coke and I got a little bottled iced coffee mochiatto, which turned out pretty good- those cost us like $10 all together!!! We were bored for our 4 hr layover, and the wifi wasn't free, so we could not get online. Erick played angry birds for a bit, I tried but I was too tired to play. Finally I tried to read my Kindle, but when I got it out is was dead! I hadn't even used it yet! When we were about to board the plane a group of kids in some special group got lined up to board. They were so cute in their matching shirts (which we later found out said HOPE). Not sure where they were coming from or what they were all doing, but it was neat to see a bunch of kids from Peyton's country; made us think of Peyton.
We landed in our destination and walked out of the plane then onto a bus that drove us to the terminal. We went through passport check and then got our bags. As soon as we stepped out into the waiting area we saw our driver, Eugene, with our "Wilsons" sign and he whisked us away to the car. On the way to the apt he would point out different things in the city. We almost got in a accident at one point cuz some car ran a red light.
We got to the apt which is cute. It has a washer, toilet, tub, little kitchen, living area and bedroom. As soon as we got in we turned around and went right back out so Eugene could show us how to walk to the food, grocery, money exchange, etc. Rush rush rush! That was a long walk downhill (and we were so tired). The walk back was a workout. We returned and he left and we searched how to turn on the AC, we were sweaty. We got settled a little and were really ready to go to bed. We set up computers and such so we could charge all our stuff that died. Then we realized we had nothing to drink and you are not supposed to drink the water. So we contemplated going back out to buy some but it looked like it might rain and it was getting dark and we were not sure how late things were open. Finally we ended up going out but as soon as we did it started raining. We went down a ways and then decided just to go home and boil some water and stick it in the fridge if we need it. Erick signed on SKYPE when we got back and posted on FB. My computer wouldn't connect wirelessly to his and I was tired so I just went to bed, it was I think 8pm. Like an hour later he came to bed and I was still awake. He was out in 2 min and I was still awake. I was definitely being attacked in my mind. I just was worried about everything and got scared. I kept praying and letting it all go but I just couldn't sleep. After 4 hrs of laying there I took some melatonin and I think I was asleep within 45-60 min!
We woke up today around 8:30am. Checked email, I made an AdvoCare coffecino and Erick had a SPARK. I surfed FB while Erick showered. Then we switched. We got ready for the day and Eugene picked us up for some sight-seeing at 11:30am or so. We drove more into downtown and stopped where the adoption center is and did some souvenir shopping. Then we walked to a little cafe for lunch. It was really good! It was such a nice day out, the breeze sitting outside was wonderful. Then we walked around the city, getting a tour. We now know a lot of the country history. We saw lots of statues, churches, and tourist shops on the sidewalk. We also saw a playground. The tour was very interesting and we took lots of photos. We got back to our Apt by 3:15pm and are chilling now.
Will update again later. Tomorrow is our appt and then hopefully we get the referral the next day, then take a night train to his region and hopefully meet him the next day, Fri!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Last bit!
So we are leaving the country to meet our son in under a week and we are so excited yet VERY busy. We have had a few bumps come out of nowhere recently, things that are big issues and others that are not so big. These have added more stress but we are trying to focus on one thing at a time and just pray pray pray! It is nice to see when an issue gets resolved, Praise Jesus! There is still one major stress hanging in the air we are waiting to be resolved and look fwd to being on the other side of that.
Anyway, we still need just about $2000 more to make our needed funds to finish up the adoption process and get Peyton home!!! If you can put a dent in this, we would be sooooo thankful!!! You can give a donation to us through the chip in on the side of the blog or you can give a tax deductible donation to the Reece's Rainbow Fund link on the side of the blog and they will get that to us. Or you can mail us a check, let us know if you would like to do this and we will get you our info. Another way you can help is buy purchasing AdvoCare products through us. There is a link on the side of the blog as well for info on that. The best way to help in this way is for you to purchase by Tues the 16th. You can also buy a shirt, we still have many left, they are $15. But if you purchase one while we are gone you will not get it till we have a chance to mail it.
We hope to have Peyton home by the end of September (if all goes well) so we will need the funds by then.
Thank you so much for all your love and support.
The Wilsons
Anyway, we still need just about $2000 more to make our needed funds to finish up the adoption process and get Peyton home!!! If you can put a dent in this, we would be sooooo thankful!!! You can give a donation to us through the chip in on the side of the blog or you can give a tax deductible donation to the Reece's Rainbow Fund link on the side of the blog and they will get that to us. Or you can mail us a check, let us know if you would like to do this and we will get you our info. Another way you can help is buy purchasing AdvoCare products through us. There is a link on the side of the blog as well for info on that. The best way to help in this way is for you to purchase by Tues the 16th. You can also buy a shirt, we still have many left, they are $15. But if you purchase one while we are gone you will not get it till we have a chance to mail it.
We hope to have Peyton home by the end of September (if all goes well) so we will need the funds by then.
Thank you so much for all your love and support.
The Wilsons
Thursday, July 28, 2011
We have TICKETS!!!
First off, wow a $500 increase in our Fund! Awesome! PTL! Thank you whoever you are! And many thanks to the other checks that have been coming in the mail! We are so grateful for all the support we are seeing through people, even people we do not know! We are so close to having all the funds needed for the trip. I still need to total it all up (I have been crazy busy this week, and tired) but I will post it soon.
Well, we did it... we booked our flights to go meet our boy! It is sort of surreal. We are extremely excited yet nervous and mind-boggled at the same time. WOOOOHOOOO and AHHHHHHH! We will be getting on a plane and leaving the country to go across the ocean in 2.5 wks!!! The trip will consist of 3 legs, about 18 hrs of travel time. We have never been on the other side of the world! We have never had jet lag. We have never been to an orphanage. We have never had to go to court to prove our ability to parent and be questioned. This will be such a journey. I keep trying to find as many details out as I can about what this experience will be like. I read other blogs and friend others on the same journey. It is so neat to read about what God is doing through adoption in so many people's lives! I have met some great people I hope to stay in touch with. I look fwd to meeting the families we will be in country with and get to hang out a little with too. I know learning from others will help, but I also know every journey is different and we could run into many different things than others did. I hope that our journey is a light to others in many ways. For this is ultimately God's journey that we get to tag along on, and we are sooo blessed to get to be a part! We have seen him moving through this whole process and look fwd to the completion.
We have family watching our other 3 kids while we travel. Please pray for them now and especially during that time. It is a lot for them to take on and our kids have never been away from us for more than a couple days! We have no set idea how long this first trip will be. (In the program details it says like 3 wks. As I have followed others that have just finished the process it seems they have all taken 2-2.5 wks. Then, in our "get ready to go letter", they tell us prepare for 4 wks to have wiggle room just in case. So that is a huge variation in how long this process can take. We have also heard that Peyton's area can be difficult in the adoption process. We have been told to prepare for the long haul in which we would need to recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually between trips. However, we have also talked to someone who was recently there and knows of an adoption from the same orphanage that just took place and it went well; nice and smooth. So again, variation in stories. So we really have no idea what to expect!
I think God is doing this on purpose, so that I just sit back and trust him. Like he is saying it is ok not to know. I am trying too hard to know and prepare for what is coming and he just wants me to just sit back and enjoy the ride whatever it may be and trust that he is in control. At the beginning of the adoption process he told me the same message. I might have written about it in a prior post, can't remember. He spoke to me about just being still and knowing he is God. To relax, have peace, trust, be content with joy, and know his power and love and mission. It was so comforting that day for it came at a time where it was exactly what I needed. Similarly now, the day after we got our travel date (this past Tues), I picked up a devo I had not read in a while and it said similar things; to relax and let God lead me and to know he has everything under control...(ok GOd I get it!) so this I seek to do over these next weeks.
After the first trip we come home and have a 10 day wait. The 10 days is a last option for birth family to come and claim him. Once the 10 days is over, we will be back in country to finish paperwork and pick him up and take him home! That trip has been seen to be 10 days-2 wks. But again, we never know.
Please pray for us!!! Adoption is spiritual warfare and a number of things could happen. We need prayer covering us, Peyton, the orphanage workers, and the courts/govt. Really the whole world and all the orphans in it and any adoptive families to be need to be covered in prayer. Please make them a regular in your prayer times always!
No matter what is in store for us, it is worth it for God's glory! He is the reason we GO, and may our light shine bright every step of the way! May his name be made known in that place!
With love and thanks
The Wilsons
Well, we did it... we booked our flights to go meet our boy! It is sort of surreal. We are extremely excited yet nervous and mind-boggled at the same time. WOOOOHOOOO and AHHHHHHH! We will be getting on a plane and leaving the country to go across the ocean in 2.5 wks!!! The trip will consist of 3 legs, about 18 hrs of travel time. We have never been on the other side of the world! We have never had jet lag. We have never been to an orphanage. We have never had to go to court to prove our ability to parent and be questioned. This will be such a journey. I keep trying to find as many details out as I can about what this experience will be like. I read other blogs and friend others on the same journey. It is so neat to read about what God is doing through adoption in so many people's lives! I have met some great people I hope to stay in touch with. I look fwd to meeting the families we will be in country with and get to hang out a little with too. I know learning from others will help, but I also know every journey is different and we could run into many different things than others did. I hope that our journey is a light to others in many ways. For this is ultimately God's journey that we get to tag along on, and we are sooo blessed to get to be a part! We have seen him moving through this whole process and look fwd to the completion.
We have family watching our other 3 kids while we travel. Please pray for them now and especially during that time. It is a lot for them to take on and our kids have never been away from us for more than a couple days! We have no set idea how long this first trip will be. (In the program details it says like 3 wks. As I have followed others that have just finished the process it seems they have all taken 2-2.5 wks. Then, in our "get ready to go letter", they tell us prepare for 4 wks to have wiggle room just in case. So that is a huge variation in how long this process can take. We have also heard that Peyton's area can be difficult in the adoption process. We have been told to prepare for the long haul in which we would need to recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually between trips. However, we have also talked to someone who was recently there and knows of an adoption from the same orphanage that just took place and it went well; nice and smooth. So again, variation in stories. So we really have no idea what to expect!
I think God is doing this on purpose, so that I just sit back and trust him. Like he is saying it is ok not to know. I am trying too hard to know and prepare for what is coming and he just wants me to just sit back and enjoy the ride whatever it may be and trust that he is in control. At the beginning of the adoption process he told me the same message. I might have written about it in a prior post, can't remember. He spoke to me about just being still and knowing he is God. To relax, have peace, trust, be content with joy, and know his power and love and mission. It was so comforting that day for it came at a time where it was exactly what I needed. Similarly now, the day after we got our travel date (this past Tues), I picked up a devo I had not read in a while and it said similar things; to relax and let God lead me and to know he has everything under control...(ok GOd I get it!) so this I seek to do over these next weeks.
After the first trip we come home and have a 10 day wait. The 10 days is a last option for birth family to come and claim him. Once the 10 days is over, we will be back in country to finish paperwork and pick him up and take him home! That trip has been seen to be 10 days-2 wks. But again, we never know.
Please pray for us!!! Adoption is spiritual warfare and a number of things could happen. We need prayer covering us, Peyton, the orphanage workers, and the courts/govt. Really the whole world and all the orphans in it and any adoptive families to be need to be covered in prayer. Please make them a regular in your prayer times always!
No matter what is in store for us, it is worth it for God's glory! He is the reason we GO, and may our light shine bright every step of the way! May his name be made known in that place!
With love and thanks
The Wilsons
Monday, July 25, 2011
DATE!!!!!
Woot! Got a call at 3:55pm from our stateside helper that our appt is set for Aug 17th!!! We are so excited! Being this late in the day we thought we would not get any news today. Now comes the crazy get ready to travel phase!
Also, our 2.5 yr old went poop on the potty for the first time today!
It is a memorable day for the Wilson household!
Pray with us as we continue this journey! Man, we will be hugging our boy in 3.5 weeks!!!
Love
The Wilsons
Also, our 2.5 yr old went poop on the potty for the first time today!
It is a memorable day for the Wilson household!
Pray with us as we continue this journey! Man, we will be hugging our boy in 3.5 weeks!!!
Love
The Wilsons
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Open Doors!!!
Praise God for miracles... we just found out yesterday from RR that Peyton's country has decided to continue special needs adoption throughout the time of the closure!!! Can you believe that? We are so excited that the country sees the need for these children and are making a way for them to come home sooner! God is so so good! This means that we should find out our travel date in the coming weeks. Could be this month but most likely will be next month. Please keep praying over this... we know God's timing will be perfect! This news is so surprising and such a blessing! We are giddy!
We still need around $5k to complete the adoption though, so keep praying for that as well and help us get the word out and give if you feel led! Thank you so much for all your love and support!
Love
The Wilsons
We still need around $5k to complete the adoption though, so keep praying for that as well and help us get the word out and give if you feel led! Thank you so much for all your love and support!
Love
The Wilsons
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Closure!
Well, we found out today that last week an email was sent out that we were somehow left off of. In there was the info that the adoption offices in Peyton's country are closing July 11th for maybe 3 months so they can transfer offices. We can still submit up till that time, but unless we can get there, meet him, and get approved by the 11th, we can not continue the adoption process till they open back up.
In the letter they encouraged ppl to try to have things ready so they could be submitted by today. We would have made today's submission if it were not for that paper mistake we had to redo this week. They are still going to submit us next week probably. So for us to not have to wait till the fall, we will have to get submitted Thurs and then get an appt date for that next wk, which would mean having a few days to get ready and travel. Then we would have to fly through the process in country super fast. It would pretty much be a MIRACLE! So the next few wks will either be incredibly insane for us running all over getting ready and traveling... or it will be three months till we go anywhere and know anything. I don't even know if financially we could leave next wk to travel. We have the funds for the 1st trip but not for the 2nd.
We are just praying and knowing God has this. All is for the best and will work out how it is intended to. It is just hard to be so close and now not really know what will happen. Thank you for praying with us!
Love
The Wilsons
In the letter they encouraged ppl to try to have things ready so they could be submitted by today. We would have made today's submission if it were not for that paper mistake we had to redo this week. They are still going to submit us next week probably. So for us to not have to wait till the fall, we will have to get submitted Thurs and then get an appt date for that next wk, which would mean having a few days to get ready and travel. Then we would have to fly through the process in country super fast. It would pretty much be a MIRACLE! So the next few wks will either be incredibly insane for us running all over getting ready and traveling... or it will be three months till we go anywhere and know anything. I don't even know if financially we could leave next wk to travel. We have the funds for the 1st trip but not for the 2nd.
We are just praying and knowing God has this. All is for the best and will work out how it is intended to. It is just hard to be so close and now not really know what will happen. Thank you for praying with us!
Love
The Wilsons
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)