Today for Shea...

I had a few hours this afternoon when the kiddies were still at school to press forward on the paperchase.  Dear Shea, we are a bit closer today...
-marriage license arrived
-home owner decree notarized
-homestudy update documents so close to being done
-passport renewals have arrived for processing
-"creatively budgeted" to be able to pay for homestudy update so we can now set the date
- and much more....

Don't worry all, I did feed and bathe my children, read them bedtime stories and keep them from bodily harm....I'm just super skilled at multi tasking...but will be soooo pleased when the paper pregnancy is over!

On a personal note...prayers for my health would be appreciated...I'm fighting a nasty cold.  Thanks all -

All Things Are Possible With God...

Mark 10:27

All - big and small, simple and insurmountable

Things - adoption, special needs, keeping up your home, work duties, paperwork....

Are Possible - doable, tangible, likely, promised

With - walking with me, tugging me, carrying me, cheering us on

God - Abba Father, Love above all Loves I can comprehend....

Gods twists and turns are orchestrated and perfect.....

The Paper Pregnancy, We're working on it Shea! Hang in there....

So far...

-We've initiated our homestudy update and the million forms that go along with it.
-Sent lots of green to the US gov to renew our passports
-Have our CSP's and POA's on the way to Albany, which will hopefully prevent his transfer, (pray)
-Sent out forms for our background checks
-Ordered our new marraige liscense
-Worked on financial statements
-Scheduled our physicals....
-Trying to plug along on that basement!!!
-chuggin along on all the dossier forms
-Paid our promise trust deposit
-And about a million other things that I'm too tired to write about right now! 
-And I always said I would never do the paperchase again!  Good grief....never say never!

Danielle, Simon, and Shea.... I like the sound of that....

The little hairs on the back of your neck....

Do you ever get so moved by something that it raises the little hairs on the back of your neck?  This has happened to our family.  I recently began reading about and then actively researching the orphanage system in Eastern Europe.  There is a specific country that has a gut wrenching reality.  When orphans who have physical or mental disabilities turn 4 years old, the government starts the process to have them transferred out of the "baby homes".  They are moved to mental institutions right along with adults.  Many reports describe children isolated, left in beds with no stimulation, and even locked away.  I know things like this happened even in our country years ago, but I cry to think of it still happening anywhere in the world today.  Thank God in some places reform has happened, but to think of the places where it has not....

My Simon is 6, my Danielle is 8, they would have been in these mental institutions for 2 and 4 years by now if they were born in this particular country and orphaned....I can't imagine this for one moment....my heart is ripped into shreds thinking about it.

So, our plates are full, our lifes are crazy, our house is too small, our bank account is even smaller....but our hearts have been broken for the least of these.  Guess what friends?  One of these boys will be ours!!  The Kulp family will expand by one in about 7 months.  We are actively in the process of adopting Shea.  He is a four year old with good cognitive health, but he was born with Spina Bifida, so he has some physical challenges.

Simon and Danielle have another sibling to welcome to the tribe.  Our heads are spinning, but our hearts are full!  Dear Lord, bless our new child, protect him from transfers, and give our paperwork wings like eagles!

Saving Shea...

This isnt just any bracelet! This bracelet is fighting for a little boy named Shea. Shea is a little boy who is an orphan and because of his age and his diagnosis of Spina Bifida will be institutionalized very soon if a family doesn't adopt him. 5.00 of every bracelet purchased will go to helping save Shea. So this Christmas give a gift that truly makes a difference. Every "Saving Shea" bracelet will come with a small card explaining to the recipient where the money is going and the difference it is making.

urbanupcycling.blogspot.com

catch up!

Well this will just need to be a catch up of the last few weeks as I have neglected my new blogging hobby lately.  So much has happened since the last time I wrote....and by the way, it took simon all of 24 hours to figure out how to get those boots off of his feet....so much for my victory!
As most of you know our Danielle had a stay at Strong Hospital...you could never tell by looking at her now!  She needed to have appendicitis ruled out, and ended up with a nasty pneumonia, oxygen needed, high fever and all of that fun that comes with it.  She was a trooper though.  Daddy was out of town, and I am so thankful for all the help I got from people with juggling my crazy life:)

We've started our Christmas decorating, but no tree yet....I'm building up the courage.

Simon is healthy other than the ongoing journey of trying to keep his GI system in balance....I wish I had a magic window into his intestines.  His mood can be directly related to his "belly comfort" and it is such a fine line to keep him....shall we say "just right".  I hope someday we will master this skill for our guy.  He has a new fascinating hobby of balancing all of his toys on the corner of anything he can find....4 animals on the 4 corners of his bed, 4 cars on the 4 corners of the table etc etc....quite cute.  He has been showing us a bit of...hmmm shall we say "stong willedness" lately that we are trying to nip, but he still dishes out plenty of sweet and cute and lovable each day too.

I am happy to report that my cardiac symptoms have been much better since the week before thanksgiving...I'm feeling like a normal 33 year old woman again...almost.  I'm praying that it will continue to improve, or at least hold steady. 

I'm looking forward to Christmas time....Danielle's second with us now...last year was a bit overstimulating and difficult for her, so I am happy to think of how special this one should be for her.  I have also been plugged into the 9p- parents network and have learned a few new things about danielle's diagnosis....knowledge is power, and that makes my feel a little more in control of our zany life....but the Big Guy in the sky knows all so I'll just try to "take a chill pill" and not be so ocd about things....(or at least I'll try!)

The month of thanks has begun -

Well tonight has been pretty much a Norman Rockwell night, with the exception of the fact that my house is a mess.  None of those Norman Rockwell paintings showed a pile of laundry, and dirty dishes that I can remember, but all in all it's been a nice evening.  How could it not be?  I finally found a pair of shoes that Simon can't get off no matter what (at least so far)  His bus driver will be so pleased - no more flying nikes past his head, and no more socks landing on the dash.  Boy the ride will sure be boring now! 

Norman would have loved painting the picture of Simon falling asleep with a toy in his hand, and sitting upright just a few moments ago, I could almost visualize the   Z Z Z Z Z's floating up into the air. 

Norman could also paint the scene that is occurring right this second, as I type I can hear my daughter sneaking cookies in the kitchen...let's see she just sat down hiding a bowl under her sweatshirt...hmm hold on I need to go count.  One, two, three....nine!  She snuck 9 cookies!  Oh she is her mother's daughter.  I'll let her keep 2, I'll just have to take care of the rest, hee hee.

Dan is off at one of his many meetings tonight, and he will return soon.  Then we will enter whirlwind mode as he packs for being out of town for the rest of the week, and I get as many odds and ends done as I can to prepare for being a 'single parent' for awhile.  Come on Norman, I have a full load for the next few days...keep the warm fuzzy's coming if you would.  I appreciate it!  And Dear God, thanks for making Norman!