Updates and a new video

First off my prayers to all affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and those in the path of it. My son is stationed in Hawaii so my thoughts and prayers are with everyone.

Today I send my USCIS petition for permission to adopt an orphan. Normally it is sent out when your homestudy is complete as that is an essential piece to them processing it. Since my dossier documents have been completed with the exception of the homestudy, I am sending the application ahead of time so that we can at least get it on file. It won't be processed until the homestudy gets there but having a file started is a good thing to speed things up. It means that I will have a reference number so that once the homestudy is completed and gets to them I will be able to follow up with my representative to possibly expedite things. I figure we are about 2 weeks out from our homestudy being done.. YAY

While this is a big step it brings about anxiety and worries for me. My 18 year old son graduates in June this year and it looks like we might miss it. He is so easy going and says he is OK with it but I imagine that must be disappointing that one of your parents will miss such a huge transition in your life. We have no choice but to go when the powers that be in Joshua's country says be there. You hate having to feel like you are choosing one child over the other but in this case if we do not act quickly and changes occur in the unnamed country we may lose Joshua completely. That is not an option so we are moving quickly to be ready for the word on when to come.

I worry about the funds being in place when we get word as well. I keep running the numbers in my head and we still fall short. I have been researching grants however most of the grants are small and it requires a completed homestudy to even begin. The applications in most case require more than what documentation for a homestudy does and can take weeks to process. I will explore those avenues when my homestudy is completed but I can't count on them at all. I find myself in a sea of fundraisers and feel like I am drowning. It is so hard to comprehend that money stands between a parent and child. Life is not suppose to be like that. Yet there are so many of us that finds money to be the only thing delaying our adoptions.

I am including a video so that you can see what children like Joshua endure daily. Let me say this- I can't blame necessarily the caretakers for these children. Society there dictates their resources and in the end it is a job to them. Pay attention to the rocking of the children. They have little to no stimulation and do anything they can to stimulate and self soothe themselves. The boy rocking on the floor is blind. The boy walking has no special needs. He just learned to walk and they put him in there while they went outside with some other children. Many children in this environment regress. This video is less than a month old. Also in this video is a little boy named Andrey. He is still waiting for his forever family and is the one in the front of the crib. You can click on his name and read about him. He is 4 years old!!! Look how small he is AND he is regressing. This is what these children live like day in and day out. This is why I am working hard to save Joshua. This is why when I say please donate.. anything helps.. I truly mean it. One dollar is one dollar less for me to have to come up with when the time comes. Please consider anything you can spare to help us on our journey. I know times are tough but how do you tell these children sorry.. I can't spare a thing for you? Please watch the video.. it is not long.