Adoption Process Milestone



4D ultrasound of twins in womb



OUR I-600A was mailed to USCIS (Immigration Services) on Friday.  Once it is officially logged in the queue, we will wait for our appointment to have our biometrics taken (last set of federal fingerprints) and then Lord willing within the next 6 weeks from when they received it (should've been today) we will obtain our APPROVAL to adopt 2 precious children from the beautiful country of Ug*nda!!!!!

I still can't believe this is happening.  There were SO many times in the last 9 months when I just didn't know if it would.  I felt like I'd lost my mind with these desires that had been planted in my heart SO STRONGLY, and yet the tumultously turns of orphan ministry and just life changes in general made it seem like it was no where in the plan.  I mean why would God give me this desire, keep it there after I prayed for Him to remove it (if by any chance it was an act of my flesh wanting to serve in a way that was not His plan alone for our family) and then crush me by making it an impossibility?? Well that's just it, God doesn't do that.  He loves us.  Yes, He planted those desires.  Yes He is fulfilling the plans to bring those desires to action in His glorious plan. But YES, He said wait, and wait, and wait and I'm sure there is more waiting to come.  Why? Because those are His mysterious ways...those ways that always make more sense, as the image of His hand so clearly emerges when we walk out of the other side of an act of obedience, or a storm in life, or a season of growing.  It is all about His glory.  It is all about keeping me and my husband utterly dependent on Him. 

We aren't even to the tough parts of this process yet, and I already have a closer walk with the Lord because of it.  I wish I had the words to express what it feels like to have the Lord be more to me, to give me increasing joy inspite of the painful silence of those around me.  That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt all the same.  But it doesn't rip me up and completely hijack my emotional state, as most things of this nature have in the past.  I'm learning more and more what it feels like to let the Lord's approval be the only thing I seek.   While I could sit here and whine about how much it breaks my heart that almost no one asks to see pictures of my children (no sonogram to speculate over), and no one says, "I just can't wait to have them home!" or "I'm so excited for you!" (like news of pregnancies past) ... none of that sympathy compares to what I really need from anyone reading this.  That, my friend is prayer. 

Pray for my children, my son (*) and my daughter (*).  Pray for the fear, loss and confusion that they are going to experience as a part of this process that will ultimately be for their good, and blessing and to fulfill God's plan for their lives in the midst of a sinful world that has robbed them of His original plan for their families.  Jeremiah 29:11.  Yes, I am believing God to fulfill wonderful plans in our family and in the individual lives of all 5 of our children...but that doesn't mean that it isn't going to come without a price or without pain.  There will be sacrifice required by all, and yes it will be required of those really too young to give their permission or even understanding of what's to come.  And yet, I'm not sweating that, because how many of us took a poll from the children we had at the time before "trying" again to get pregnant?  Adoption shouldn't make it any different.  God is choosing to bless us with more children, how they get here doesn't matter.  He knew them before He formed them in their mother's womb...and He knew they would be in our forever family. 

Pray for the miracles that must take place in their precious little hearts and minds to be at peace in leaving the only life they've ever known.  Please imagine what your 5 year old would say, if you were about to put them on a plane to go live with people who don't look like them, who don't talk like them, who are different in every way from the only security they've ever know in a loving orphan home of the last 2 years.  We are not doing a grand "thing", we are not the rescuers, we are simply another tool in the hands of Jesus who showed us that practical needs must be met first before you can have any impact in sharing the gift of the Gospel.  These children need a FAMILY, and we are a FAMILY.  It's that simply.  What God wants to do with our family beyond that, is His.  

Thank you for reading this.  Thank you even more for commenting.  More than anything I covet your prayers. 

I can not stop without sharing here on my blog, how eternally grateful I am to my precious new friend, Charli.  I met Charli on our first trip to Ug*nda last summer.  She is an amazing young woman who loves the Lord and has a personality and gifting that is absolutely CAPTIVATING.  She is on another mission trip right now, to the home where my children are and to Home of Hope  (an orphan home for children with severe special needs).  Charli is the precious one who agreed to personally deliver and read the photobooks to my waiting son and daughter in Ug*nda.  She is the one who will try to take in their faces, their hearts as they "see" their adoptive family for the first time.  Only the Lord knows on what level they are even able to understand what adoption means at this point.  As I type the very first child to ever be adopted from their orphan home, is just weeks away from completing the guardianship process in Ug*nda.  Thank you Charli, for letting the Lord use you in such a powerful way to bless our family and to love and hold my children when I can't.  I am praying for your team.

Adoption Dolls Fundraiser

                 is happening thanks to you my blog readers and friends from facebook.

I still can't get over how God handed me our first fundraiser out of nowhere.
As I stood there Friday night scratching my head, looking down at a tape measure wrapped around the plush little body of a princess with the cutest doll face I've ever seen, I wondered, "HOW on EARTH do I cut a dress pattern out of nothing?"
I had no idea how God would bless my efforts, bring some 3 dimensional thinking out from the cobwebs of my never used (oops, don't read that mom & dad) engineering education, and fashion something that would delight others as much as me.

I thank you in advance for stopping by, for looking at my labor of love.
The base doll is a 9" Hasbro Baby Alive, and I've created an original
African dress for her to remind you to pray for the orphans of Africa.
It is a great gift for all children.  It is also a great educational toy. 

The fabric for Dress #2, was purchased in Ug*nda this past summer.  So glad I listened to a friend who said, "JUST BUY IT!"  When I was indecisive about purchasing, not knowing when our adoption journey would EVER begin.

Each doll is yours for a $30 donation.

Please add $3 for shipping.

Doll donations can be made by check through the mail:

Johnson Family

405 Oak Lane

Rincon, GA 31326

OR conveniently by Paypal using the Donate link top right.
(give Dress # in Paypal comments & double check shipping address)

If you want to know more about the doll & dress details you can read about it here.
Feel free to email questions to:  mandij75@yahoo.com

I hope the dolls bring the recipient just a fraction of the joy you are giving our family as you give to our efforts to bring our two children,

our son and daughter,

home from Ug*nda.

Love, Mandi

 IF you are paying by mail, leave your order details...which dress you would like in a comment and I will get started on your dress.  I will confirm by email the receipt of your payment and again when the dolls ship.



Africa on my mind and in my CHAI...

YES, you read that right.

 LOOK, literally africa was in my perfectly hot cup of chai tea.

As I waited those precious 2 minutes for my microwave to prepare a cup of yumminess to awaken this nightowl of a mommy, who once again didn't get in the bed

 as she should have...

my thoughts drifted to my time in Africa and how I'd love to share another cup of African tea with Damali, the director of Sonrise Baby Home.  My middle son, was at that moment asking me what chai, tasted like, and inquiring if he could have a sip.  As I told him about African tea, I turned to take my first sip and looked down and there she was

AFRICA

in. my. cup.

The beautiful country where I left half of my heart, where I long to return to the people, the landscape, the dependence on God.

Mostly I long to hold 2 precious children,

wrap my arms around 4 arms, 4 legs,

hear the words of the most beautiful accent say,

" Weellcomb, Bach!" 

We are not just adopting two children, our family tree will now forever cross over the ocean to Ug*nda.  We will be family.  This is just the beginning...

My son said, "Mom that is so cool!  Look Joel, Africa!!"

Then he proceeded to eat his poptart INTO the shape of Africa.

"Look Momma, Look!  Africa!"

Fundraiser Poll - Would you Buy??

Would you buy this precious baby doll,
in a lovely custom African dress...

FOR $ 30?
(especially if you knew it was to help bring two children home to a forever family)

Update: Looks like we are ago for dolls.  If you are paying for a doll, just put your shipping address and if you want a particular dress in the comment box, using the Paypal link at the top of my sidebar.   Please add $3 for shipping.

You can also mail a check if you like to:
Johnson Family
405 Oak Lane
Rincon, GA 31326

She stands about 9" tall and the base doll is soft and machine washable (Baby Alive Luv n' Snuggles).  She has textured hair (my favorite feature) and rattles.

Okay Hubbie thought a mug shot was funny

 Dress1

I purchased 5 of these and made the dresses for them for the young orphan girls at the children's home where my daughter waits for us in Ug*nda.  When I completed them today, I realized someone else might love them as much as I do. 

IF you have done any searching for African American or African baby dolls, it isn't that easy to find, and choice is very limited.  I just adore the fabrics I found, but I need to know what you think.  If I get even 10 interested parties I'm going to go clear the shelf in my local store. 

This project that started as a gift, will become our very first of many fundraising efforts.  We have to raise $9300 in the next 4-5 months. 
So ladies, anyone, what do you think?? Leave me some comments, please.

Dress 2

Dress 3

 Dress 4 

Dress 5

Aren't they just the cutest??

My kids had to get in on the action.

Even though this doll is safe for as young as 6 months...as you can see she's a great size and will be enjoyed by older children as well.  She is cuddly.

Her dress has velcro closure in the back, and underneath her built-in body suit has finger puppet pockets along her arms for play.

 Please share this with as many people as possible.

The more input I can get, it will be SO helpful.

I love God Moments....

especially when the Lord chooses to give me one so off the beaten path and in a time of great heartache.  He knows my every thought and He loves me soooo much.  The creator of the universe, who placed the stars in the sky and formed the intricate miraculous systems of the human body....thinks about me, is concerned with my heart and orchestrates a moment just to love and encourage me and to tell me that yes, I'm on the path He has for us, just keep going one step at a time. 

My sweet husband received a nice suit from his parents for Christmas, and it wasn't the right size.  So for 2 months we have failed to orchestrate a return to the mall in Savannah, after many aborted attempts.  We don't go to the city much, and our big ole loaf of bread van doesn't get the fuel economy of a Prius, so we try to make multiply stops to justify a trip.  This weekend my family was in town for a great visit and Friday included a picnic in one of the historical squares of Savannah, a walk along the river walk, a purchase of dresses for the older girls at the children's home where our kids are in Ug*nda, and finally a pitstop by the mall for shoes for the kids and Jeremy's SUIT RETURN.  Seriously, we had a few days before the max 90 days to return was reached.  At the end of a long day, with no naps, we were on borrowed time with the kiddos.  Grandparents headed to the shoe department with the littles, I hit the makeup counter for the one thing I was getting with a rebate card, and Jeremy headed to Men's.  As I pushed  my youngest in the stroller, I debated whether to try and catch my husband and ride the elevator up...but I did.  I found him with his return complete, but no other suitable suits, ha! were there for him.  Well the only time he'd worn one recently was for his interview and we weren't hoping for any more of those for a few more years, so what does he really need at the moment?  We settled on shoes, since he's rockin some that he's had for 6+ years. 

It's about dinner time on a Friday night, few people around in Belk.  Jeremy finds two possible shoes and asks the salesman to check on his size. I'm turned around pushing Lucy and just barely note an accent when the gentleman speaks before dissappearing into the back.  I look up and He is obviously of African descent...my subconcious thought has drifted to a possible British hint in what I barely heard of his accent.  I'm immediately curious and my thoughts drift to Ug*nda.  I'm pushing Lucy around in circles and fixated on how badly I want to know where he is from.  This is silly I think.  Okay, I'm assuming he's not an African American, but won't it be strange if I just ask where he's from originally? what is the non-offensive way to ask this question? or do I ask where is your accent from?  I'm starting to feel really stupid and think, "There are 50+ countries in Africa.... just let it go, woman!" 

He returns from the back and doesn't have either shoe in hubbie's size.  I smile, circle around again to the counter, and my compulsion (the Holy Spirit) forces me to open my mouth. 

I stumble saying something like, " I heard your accent, where is it from?

He replies, Belgium and Africa.  He gives me a look like what a strange question.

I persist, "what part of Africa?" 

"East Africa" (Now, He's really looking at me, like what is this woman's deal?)

My smile is getting bigger by the second, although I have no idea where this is going.

Finally I say, "WHAT COUNTRY?"

He at last solves my burning mystery.....(are you ready?)




UG*NDA!!!!!

He sees my big old grin from ear to ear, and says, "Do you know where that is?"
I tell him that yes, that's why I was asking because we are adopting two children from Ug
*nda.
I know this will sound silly to some, crazy to others, but I literally felt my heart just filling with love.  As he speaks to me with great comfort now, I glance down at his name tag....
His name is Lazarus.  (dear friend of Jesus) (why am I even surprised)
Turns out Lazarus is from mid western Ug*nda and lived there until he was 17.  He then moved to Belgium and stayed there until coming to the US in 1994.  He wanted to know how adoptions were going in Ug*nda because he had closely followed the journey of a Belgium family trying to adopt years ago and it was treacherous.  He rejoiced with us and said He wants us to bring our children to visit him when they come home. 

I kidded with him that He really wasn't going to tell me Ug*nda....He started laughing, said most people don't know, so he just says Eastern Africa.  He said, sometimes he says Ug*nda and people ask what part of Canada is that in?  We laughed some more.  I told him in all fairness I wouldn't have known exactly where Uganda was in Africa just 2 years ago, but I do now because we just traveled there 9 months ago.  He was excited for us.  He told us he's only been back once, and that it's been many years.

Ahhhh, now I know why the compulsion was there. :) Sometimes when we least expect it, God is right there to show us in the most subtle ways just how much He loves us.  I was encouraged by a little reminder of the country I love and the daily growing LOVE and LONGING that will take me there again and again, for adoption of my two precious children and for the people of Uganda that God has placed on the heart of my family.

As I walked away, I had forgotten I was wearing my Simply Love t-shirt and my Ug*nda bead necklace.  :)

Love has Two New NAMES!!!

On Wednesday February 16th, my whole world...

changed again. 

 The love and longing in our hearts for over a year, at last had two beautiful faces and names!

This summer God led us on a journey to this beautiful place,

 a children's home in Jinja, Ug*nda.

We knew that "ONE DAY" we would adopt, but the logistics in our lives and for the home we volunteered with, it seemed it might be light years away.

So we immersed ourselves in the loving of the children and projects that were there for us, never knowing that a year later we could be returning to adopt our two children.

Over the last 7 months since we've returned my husband went on many job interviews that could have moved us to various places all over the southeast.  In the end, on December 22nd, just 3 days before Christmas, God blessed us with a new-to-us home in Coastal GA.

Three weeks later, feeling remarkably settled to have "just moved" (only God's hand and the help of my angel, AKA my mother) my husband announced that it was time to begin our homestudy. 

We had not been in recent communication with the home we visited in July, so we were overwhelmed with amazement and joy to find that they were beginning a pilot adoption program with 4 families when we reached out and made a call.   We had been praying so specifically about where God wanted us to go first in our attempt to find where OUR children were.  I had a list of many possible homes and contacts in Ug*nda, but I kept coming back to S*nrise.   After praying so desperately for God to give us confirmation about this baby & children's home as a yes or no to reach out to them, I awoke from naptime with my baby girl, with all-consuming thoughts about a day I spent in the village on our trip.  My mind flooded with a memory I had not recounted, a specific prayer I prayed over a mother of a child that had been rescued by the home. 

If I had not been compelled to call and inquire that day and reestablish communication we would have missed the pilot program of this home that we love so much.  God's timing is perfect! 

Over the next 3 weeks we were matched with 2 older children from the home.  We have a 6 year old daughter and a 3 year old son (who as God would have it, is the rescued son of the woman I prayed for in the village).  We couldn't be more elated, full of joy, there just aren't enough words to describe how we feel about being given the priviledge of being the forever parents to these two amazing miracles of God.  To answer some of the questions we have received:  We did not select our kids, we gave a wide range on our application of 0-8 years (not wanting to go older than our oldest bio child) and did not specify boy or girl.  The home has a 2 child policy, which is something Jeremy and I have felt stongly about ever since hearing the call to adopt from Ug*nda.  

We are very blessed (That is a huge understatement) to have received referrals (an official matching with children that have been investigated and proven to be adoptable) so quickly.  Many families (using an agency or independent) once their homestudy is complete wait for months to receive their referrals.  And just like here in the states the wait is longer if the adoptive families are only interested in healthy infants.  If your heart is open to older toddlers and preschoolers, there are WAITING children and the process can go faster.  The same is true if you are open to children with special needs and challenges that are medically correctible. 

It is unusual that the US side of things, our paperwork, is racing to catch up with what God is doing in Ug*nda on our behalf.  We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.  Truly it almost feels stupid to attempt to answer the projected timeline question because this is international adoption-it is completely out of our control-and it's not for the faint of heart...but here goes.  If God answers my prayers and our FBI prints come back in a record 4 wks, it could be Juneish. (I'm believing God! join me in praying) But if our prints take the "up to 12 wks"  they will be the longest wait time component of this process, and it'll look more like August/September.  Obviously the fact that I am homeschooling my oldest two kids, would make it super advantageous if it were to be earlier in the summer and give us more time to breathe and bond...but ultimately God's timing is perfect.  He knows every day of this process already and we are along for the bumpy ride holding Jesus' hand the whole way.

The day these prints come back....we send our Home Study and application to USCIS for US Immigration Approval, where hopefully in 6wks (current avg)  we will receive a beautiful piece of paper an I-171h.  It will say the US is approving us to adopt 2 children from the country of Ug*nda (girl & boy) and of these ages.   That key piece of paper will accompany our Home Study and any other document that our Ugandan attorney has requested in the most precious FedEX box straight to their offices in K*mpala.  When they receive it, make sure it's all in order, they will draw up the official affidavits for us to sign and then present our case to the court for us to await assignment to a judge.  When our case actually hits the schedule of a judge of the High Court, we will be notified with about 3 wks warning to travel and make our court date.  Whew!  There you go.  : )

More to come....it's all cranking up now!!!

Your comments mean the world to me....since we just moved here it's all new trying to make friends again.  Nothing like, "Hi we're the Johnsons and we are the crazies with three kids adopting two more from Africa...be our friends." ;)

I don't know where I'd be without the support of my blog friends and all the fellow Ug*nda loving sistas I know.