OUR DOSSIER WAS SUBMITTED TODAY!!!!!

We will be traveling in less than a month. We also learned today that Alexander's birth mother "refused her son at the notary today"---that means she is refusing him as her son and legally signing off her parental rights to him. He will be available for adoption in about 12 weeks.


I've been asked by several dear friends today...."How are you dealing with the news?" **meaning our submission and subsequently learning Alexander's mother signed off on him today too**



Well, it hurts and we are sad. We focused solely on Alexander for many months. However, in May/June we began our grieving process in realizing he was never coming home to OUR home.



For months, we hit stumbling block after stumbling block, after STUMBLING BLOCK. When it seemed like we should just give up (and believe me, I have been ready to quit more than once), we kept going. Blindly at times, but we kept moving.



Shawn and I do believe Alexander was never meant to be ours, in our home, but in our hearts forever. We also believe God used Alexander to soften our hearts toward the idea of adopting. We weren't looking to adopt---Alexander was looking for us (holding Andriy in the wings). God used this precious boy to help us realize the possibilities.



We tried for months, MONTHS, to get word on Alexander's status to no avail. NONE. We were never closer to knowing anything about his status. Then God began to work at break neck speed........GOD SPEED. Our homestudy was completed in 23 days, immigration in a month (approval in just 8 days), dossier delivered in 2 days to the country our boy is at. NOW, during this time, Shawn and I realized we needed to be looking at the possibility of another child and let our dream of AJ coming home.



THAT WAS HARD. HARD! Painful and something that I wish I had not had to do, but, we did have to do it.



Shawn and I do not believe it is a coincidence that Alexander's status was revealed the very same day our dossier for adoption of Andriy was submitted. We believe this is God telling, showing us, we ARE on the right path. He could not reveal HIS plan for us until we allowed HIM to do so.



Allowing Him to do so meant giving up our dream and trusting HIS plan.



So, that is how we are. Sad Alexander is not our child but rejoicing in God's plan to redeem this situation and bring our child home. We are simply trusting in Him now. As my friend, Gretchen, said, "God can write straight with crooked lines."



Amen to that!



Thank you all for helping us, praying for us, supporting us and sharing our story.





We are forever grateful for you, Alexander....

Hold on, Andriy...we are coming!!!

PLEASE VISIT OUR FUNDRAISER!!!!  CLICK ON ANDRIY'S PICTURE TO GET THERE. We are praying God alleviates this financial burden fully.




"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)