I wish I had so much more to say right now, but I don't. Adoption is a long process full of waiting, and that starts as soon as you decide to adopt.
So here's where we are. Orginally, Haiti had a 35/10/0 rule. Meaning one adult had to be 35 years old, married for 10 years, and no biological children. We aren't there yet. We knew going into this process that there was wiggle room with the number of children you had...that wasn't ever a concern for us. Paul will turn 35 in July 2013 and we'll be married for 9 years. We also knew that we could get a document certifying that we had been together for 10 years (and it would include the time with dated in there). We were told that if want any more bio kids to try for that while we were waiting for summer 2013 to come around and we were closer to "qualifying".
So during the waiting time one MAJOR thing happened...the Haitian government decided it was time to change the laws. That is good news for us and bad news for us. The good news is the new law is 30/5/2...meaning one adult has to be 30, you have to be married for 5 years, and you can have 2 bio kids. Yay! As of October 1st we'll qualify. However, that's not all that's changing and no one knows what the rest of it is going to turn out to be.
One major thing that is changing is that Haiti will now be a Hague country. That is good for the kiddos in Haiti as it provides them more protection. However, our agency is NOT Hague accredited. So they have to become Hague accredited. That takes time and money. We don't know if they are going to do it.
So we're still waiting. We're waiting to find out what is going to change in Haiti as they become a Hague country. We're waiting to see what our agency is going to do so we can figure out if we need to find a new agency. We're waiting.
Please continue to pray for us while we wait. Waiting is not the easiest thing to do.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
News and Names
Through our reading about adoption one thing has stood out for us, and that is to make the children you adopt part of your family. One way to do that is to give them names from your family. We talked about it, and came up with names for our son and daughter in Haiti. They are family names. Of people who were loved and respected in our family. Stella and Jack.
Please be praying for Stella and Jack over the next few years as we wait for approval of all paperwork, and for them to be matched with us. Pray that God will put hope in their hearts of a family coming for them. That they will lean on Him, and they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Pray that they would come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Things have changed at our agency as the Social Worker we were working with had to leave. The new Social Worker is wonderful, but also different. She works in reality while our previous Social Worker worked in faith. It's not bad. Just different.
With that said we were told to take our time getting our paperwork done because we don't qualify for at least a year and a half more. We have a lot to do and it is going to take some time to get done.
Please be praying for our family as we are waiting on God to move. We are continuing in His will for our family, and trust that our children will come home in His timing. But as many of you know waiting is often not easy especially when it comes to your children.
Thanks for your prayers!
Please be praying for Stella and Jack over the next few years as we wait for approval of all paperwork, and for them to be matched with us. Pray that God will put hope in their hearts of a family coming for them. That they will lean on Him, and they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Pray that they would come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Things have changed at our agency as the Social Worker we were working with had to leave. The new Social Worker is wonderful, but also different. She works in reality while our previous Social Worker worked in faith. It's not bad. Just different.
With that said we were told to take our time getting our paperwork done because we don't qualify for at least a year and a half more. We have a lot to do and it is going to take some time to get done.
Please be praying for our family as we are waiting on God to move. We are continuing in His will for our family, and trust that our children will come home in His timing. But as many of you know waiting is often not easy especially when it comes to your children.
Thanks for your prayers!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Why Haiti?
(Please take time to watch the videos that are on the linked blog)
I read this blog this morning. It brought me to tears as I watched the videos, and talked to Julia about her siblings. How do I know that the children they showed on the news aren't one of mine. Why is adopting from Haiti so much more difficult than other countries? Why do the leaders of Haiti think that these children will be better off staying in orphanages where they don't have the love of a mother and a father? Why do they believe that children laying in beds all day long without medical care and suffering from malnutrition will be able to one be leaders of their society? Why do they believe this when these children aren't going to even survive unless they are allowed to be adopted.
I get asked often "Why Haiti?". How many children in America who have been abandoned by their parents are suffering from typhoid? How many children in America are suffering from not having food to eat or clean water to drink? How many children in America are living in conditions that we ourselves aren't living in?
There aren't many. Do you know why? Because our government has laws that protect children. Our government takes children away from places where these things happen and legally requires parents to take classes and make changes or children get taken away permanently. Does that mean that there aren't children who need parents in America? No. Those children definitely need parents. Those children definitely deserve parents, but that isn't where God called us. America is not where our hearts have been led. Our hearts have been led to Haiti.
When you look at the conditions these children live in, even in the best of orphanages, you can't help but cry. In America, we get angry when we see American children living in conditions like this there is an outcry about how Child Protective Services should take these children out of these situations. We get upset about how parents are giving chance after chance after chance to get it together while children stay in these conditions. Who is fighting for the children in 3rd world countries? Who is petitioning the government to help these children? The government in Haiti wants to keep children in these circumstances because they are the future of Haiti.
What would our country look like if many of our children lived in orphanages, suffered from malnutrition, were coming down with typhoid and malaria, and suffered from attachment issues because there was no one to care for them? Is that a country that you would want to live in 30 or 40 years down the road when those children were old enough to be in control? Is that a society that can be sustainable?
So we're choosing Haiti because God led us there.
We're choosing Haiti because God has burdened our hearts for the people of Haiti.
We're choosing Haiti because even though laws want to keep us from loving these children, we've been called to.
We're choosing Haiti so that we can raise our children to love the least of these, to teach them about their culture, and so that they can go back and be contributing members of society.
We're choosing Haiti because it doesn't matter where in the world you live you deserve to have a family.
We're choosing Haiti because these children need someone to fight for them.
Who does God want you to fight for?
I read this blog this morning. It brought me to tears as I watched the videos, and talked to Julia about her siblings. How do I know that the children they showed on the news aren't one of mine. Why is adopting from Haiti so much more difficult than other countries? Why do the leaders of Haiti think that these children will be better off staying in orphanages where they don't have the love of a mother and a father? Why do they believe that children laying in beds all day long without medical care and suffering from malnutrition will be able to one be leaders of their society? Why do they believe this when these children aren't going to even survive unless they are allowed to be adopted.
I get asked often "Why Haiti?". How many children in America who have been abandoned by their parents are suffering from typhoid? How many children in America are suffering from not having food to eat or clean water to drink? How many children in America are living in conditions that we ourselves aren't living in?
There aren't many. Do you know why? Because our government has laws that protect children. Our government takes children away from places where these things happen and legally requires parents to take classes and make changes or children get taken away permanently. Does that mean that there aren't children who need parents in America? No. Those children definitely need parents. Those children definitely deserve parents, but that isn't where God called us. America is not where our hearts have been led. Our hearts have been led to Haiti.
When you look at the conditions these children live in, even in the best of orphanages, you can't help but cry. In America, we get angry when we see American children living in conditions like this there is an outcry about how Child Protective Services should take these children out of these situations. We get upset about how parents are giving chance after chance after chance to get it together while children stay in these conditions. Who is fighting for the children in 3rd world countries? Who is petitioning the government to help these children? The government in Haiti wants to keep children in these circumstances because they are the future of Haiti.
What would our country look like if many of our children lived in orphanages, suffered from malnutrition, were coming down with typhoid and malaria, and suffered from attachment issues because there was no one to care for them? Is that a country that you would want to live in 30 or 40 years down the road when those children were old enough to be in control? Is that a society that can be sustainable?
So we're choosing Haiti because God led us there.
We're choosing Haiti because God has burdened our hearts for the people of Haiti.
We're choosing Haiti because even though laws want to keep us from loving these children, we've been called to.
We're choosing Haiti so that we can raise our children to love the least of these, to teach them about their culture, and so that they can go back and be contributing members of society.
We're choosing Haiti because it doesn't matter where in the world you live you deserve to have a family.
We're choosing Haiti because these children need someone to fight for them.
Who does God want you to fight for?
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Oh the Journey...
I'm beginning to realize that this journey is going to be long. I knew it was going to take time. I expected nothing to happen overnight.
I'm not sure how to explain this, but it almost seems like the emotional toll something takes on you changes how long something feels. For instance, if you have to wait two years to say go to Paris on vacation it could seem like time flies because of the excitement built up in the waiting.
Don't get me wrong, there is excitement waiting for your children to come home. But the waiting and wondering if they are safe, if they feel loved, if they feel hope wears on you.
We don't even know who are kids are yet, but I already find myself wondering these things. I already find myself worrying. Getting frustrated when I don't hear back from our agency in my time frame. (There were staff changes and hearing back from people took time).
Part of our application is filling our our income, and my income has not only changed since I became a stay at home mom but it has changed through out the past few months. I was doing childcare at church and that changed. I was watching a friends baby and that changed. And these changes changed our income. We had to be honest about our finances and as soon as we felt like something was happening permanently we would fill out our application, and then it would change and we would have to re fill it out.
For me that was an emotional struggle because I just want to have it turned in. I want to have it complete, begin our home study, and find out who our kiddos are. And all of it is taking longer than I wanted.
And the journey is still on step one when I want to be halfway down the road by now.
I'm not sure how to explain this, but it almost seems like the emotional toll something takes on you changes how long something feels. For instance, if you have to wait two years to say go to Paris on vacation it could seem like time flies because of the excitement built up in the waiting.
Don't get me wrong, there is excitement waiting for your children to come home. But the waiting and wondering if they are safe, if they feel loved, if they feel hope wears on you.
We don't even know who are kids are yet, but I already find myself wondering these things. I already find myself worrying. Getting frustrated when I don't hear back from our agency in my time frame. (There were staff changes and hearing back from people took time).
Part of our application is filling our our income, and my income has not only changed since I became a stay at home mom but it has changed through out the past few months. I was doing childcare at church and that changed. I was watching a friends baby and that changed. And these changes changed our income. We had to be honest about our finances and as soon as we felt like something was happening permanently we would fill out our application, and then it would change and we would have to re fill it out.
For me that was an emotional struggle because I just want to have it turned in. I want to have it complete, begin our home study, and find out who our kiddos are. And all of it is taking longer than I wanted.
And the journey is still on step one when I want to be halfway down the road by now.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
A few orders I've completed..
Here are some pictures of things I've been working on:
Santa Cookies
Santa Cupcakes:
Christmas Tree Cupcakes:
Everything is made to order so let me know what you would like!
Santa Cookies
Santa Cupcakes:
Christmas Tree Cupcakes:
Friday, November 4, 2011
Getting Started
We are so excited to begin our adoption process from Haiti, and we can't wait to bring our children home. Yes, I just said children. We are adopting 2 sweet babies from Haiti. We don't know who they are yet or how old they are, but we do know that God has created them for our family.
If you have heard anything about adoption it is probably about the cost of it. We had NO IDEA all of the ways to pay for domestic and foreign adoptions until we started this process. It's incredibly insane how God will provide when He has called you to this purpose. He has already began providing for us, and that has just confirmed we are following His will for our family.
We are also certain that God is calling us to do this DEBT FREE! That might be a shock to you because I didn't even know you could go into debt adopting...I always thought you just had to have the money. However, there are LOTS of organizations that will help you adopt with interest free. At first I thought that was amazing, but the more we prayed about it the more we realized God isn't calling us to that. God is calling us to use our talents to bring our babies home. He might be calling you to use your talents to help us bring our babies home. He might be calling you to take advantage of our talents to bring our babies home. Whichever it is, we are so honored and blessed that God has brought you into our lives to help us care for orphans.
So we're gonna start small. God has gifted me baking talents. I think it might be genetic because my mom and my sister are pretty phenomenal at it as well. With that said, the holidays are approaching and there are parties galore happening, and I'm here to help. I can pretty much make any dessert you would like. If I haven't made it before I will figure it out.
So here is a menu:
Cookies (these will be LARGE basic cookies or decorated)-$15/dozen
Cupcakes-$15 for first dozen and $10 for each additional dozen (in the same order)
Cakes-Character Cakes or 13"x9"-beginning at $25
Pies-$15
Cheescake- beginning at $15 (if you want fruit on it, in it, or with it cost will vary depending on if fruit is in season.)
Breakfast Baked Goods-
Cinnamon Rolls, Kolaches, Muffins-$15/dozen, $10/each additional dozen.
Breads-$10/loaf
We look forward to partnering with you to bring our babies home!!
If you are interested in helping us out leave a comment or email us at CoppingerAdoption@gmail.com.
If you have heard anything about adoption it is probably about the cost of it. We had NO IDEA all of the ways to pay for domestic and foreign adoptions until we started this process. It's incredibly insane how God will provide when He has called you to this purpose. He has already began providing for us, and that has just confirmed we are following His will for our family.
We are also certain that God is calling us to do this DEBT FREE! That might be a shock to you because I didn't even know you could go into debt adopting...I always thought you just had to have the money. However, there are LOTS of organizations that will help you adopt with interest free. At first I thought that was amazing, but the more we prayed about it the more we realized God isn't calling us to that. God is calling us to use our talents to bring our babies home. He might be calling you to use your talents to help us bring our babies home. He might be calling you to take advantage of our talents to bring our babies home. Whichever it is, we are so honored and blessed that God has brought you into our lives to help us care for orphans.
So we're gonna start small. God has gifted me baking talents. I think it might be genetic because my mom and my sister are pretty phenomenal at it as well. With that said, the holidays are approaching and there are parties galore happening, and I'm here to help. I can pretty much make any dessert you would like. If I haven't made it before I will figure it out.
So here is a menu:
Cookies (these will be LARGE basic cookies or decorated)-$15/dozen
Cupcakes-$15 for first dozen and $10 for each additional dozen (in the same order)
Cakes-Character Cakes or 13"x9"-beginning at $25
Pies-$15
Cheescake- beginning at $15 (if you want fruit on it, in it, or with it cost will vary depending on if fruit is in season.)
Breakfast Baked Goods-
Cinnamon Rolls, Kolaches, Muffins-$15/dozen, $10/each additional dozen.
Breads-$10/loaf
We look forward to partnering with you to bring our babies home!!
If you are interested in helping us out leave a comment or email us at CoppingerAdoption@gmail.com.
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