The other amazing news is that we got our home study back today. Now we can send it off to the USCIS and get our official approval from the US government. Once we get this last piece we are done with our dossier preparation and headed over to Russia.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
My Little Gorky
We heard from our agency about where our son would be coming from. In Russia, there are a few regions that allow independent adoptions. Mason will be from Nizhni Novgorod, a very historic Russian city. A few weeks ago we went from not knowing what country Mason would be from to knowing the exact city. This is also good news because since he will be in such a modern area, the chances of him receiving better care may increase.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Mason Arthur Hottel
I was shocked to see that I had actually started a blog quite a while back and the topic was about our desire to adopt. Well a lot of progress has been made towards making that dream into a reality. On Father's Day 2010, Reid and I attended The Summit Church in Brier Creek. The topic was adoption from Pastor Trevor. Reid and I went back to our vehicle after the sermon and looked at each other and started to pour our hearts out to each other about what God had been revealing to us through the sermon. We knew we were ready to start our adoption. We researched countries and fell in love with the Ukraine. They would allow us to adopt without an agency, which means raising half as much money. Little did we know that God was leading us through a process, but had a country still to reveal to us. We started the paperwork for the USCIS, found a social worker to conduct our homestudy, and started researching facilitators. God was growing us through the whole experience.
Once we finally found our facilitator, this week we were faced with some bad news. The Ukraine's goverment is trying to close the country to adoptions. The facilitator did have some hope for us though. Russia has a few cities that allow independant adoptions still. We would be eligable to get a younger child and maybe sooner than 6 months. The way independent adoptions work in Russia is that the couple has to submit their request in person, then wait for a week to see if there are any matching referrals. If there are we meet Mason and then go home as the paperwork is processes. If not, we go on the waiting list for an appointment a few months later. Clearly my desire would be that after we submit our application we would be able to find Mason and start the process. We would go home for a month and then come back to Russia to pick up our son. I originally didn't think that I would be able to last a month for the inbetween, but after having the fear of the adoption fallen through, I think I can handle the month.
When we first found out that Ukraine was closing I felt like I had lost my baby. But the more I talked with Reid and mommy I realized that God had broughten us to a certain point, and was now revealing the rest of His plan to us. I tend to fill in the blanks for God so that I have a complete plan to look at. But He doesn't need my help. He can actually handle this on His own. We were looking for Mason in the wrong place, my son is waiting for me still. I wonder if this kid will rock at hide and seek, because this adoption so far has felt like a giant game of it thus far.
On a side note, my mom is gonna be the best grandma ever. When I shared with her that the adoption has now going to be much more expensive and that we may have to postpone for a few years she revealed to me that she had actually been saving for our adoption as well. I was blown away by her love not only for me, but for my son Mason as well. She is gonna be a great Gigi. I cried so much last night just thinking about how she teaches me so much about God's love and provision through her love and through the way she listens to Christ's leadings.
So right now we are in limbo. We are waiting to see if the Ukraine is closed for sure first, but are starting making plans for Russia. We are preparing our dossier for both countries in the inbetween time and across the holidays. After January and we do our taxes, we will hopefully have enough money to go to Russia. Mason we are coming for you my little man. I don't know you yet, but I love you so much already!
Once we finally found our facilitator, this week we were faced with some bad news. The Ukraine's goverment is trying to close the country to adoptions. The facilitator did have some hope for us though. Russia has a few cities that allow independant adoptions still. We would be eligable to get a younger child and maybe sooner than 6 months. The way independent adoptions work in Russia is that the couple has to submit their request in person, then wait for a week to see if there are any matching referrals. If there are we meet Mason and then go home as the paperwork is processes. If not, we go on the waiting list for an appointment a few months later. Clearly my desire would be that after we submit our application we would be able to find Mason and start the process. We would go home for a month and then come back to Russia to pick up our son. I originally didn't think that I would be able to last a month for the inbetween, but after having the fear of the adoption fallen through, I think I can handle the month.
When we first found out that Ukraine was closing I felt like I had lost my baby. But the more I talked with Reid and mommy I realized that God had broughten us to a certain point, and was now revealing the rest of His plan to us. I tend to fill in the blanks for God so that I have a complete plan to look at. But He doesn't need my help. He can actually handle this on His own. We were looking for Mason in the wrong place, my son is waiting for me still. I wonder if this kid will rock at hide and seek, because this adoption so far has felt like a giant game of it thus far.
On a side note, my mom is gonna be the best grandma ever. When I shared with her that the adoption has now going to be much more expensive and that we may have to postpone for a few years she revealed to me that she had actually been saving for our adoption as well. I was blown away by her love not only for me, but for my son Mason as well. She is gonna be a great Gigi. I cried so much last night just thinking about how she teaches me so much about God's love and provision through her love and through the way she listens to Christ's leadings.
So right now we are in limbo. We are waiting to see if the Ukraine is closed for sure first, but are starting making plans for Russia. We are preparing our dossier for both countries in the inbetween time and across the holidays. After January and we do our taxes, we will hopefully have enough money to go to Russia. Mason we are coming for you my little man. I don't know you yet, but I love you so much already!
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