We got our new digital video camera yesterday. It is a really pretty, shiny dark blue color. It is small, lightweight, and really user-friendly. Nothing really fancy, we just wanted something to take home movies of the kids with. The one we got is just perfect for us. It will be great to take to Ukraine. Within an hour I had taken a few minutes of footage of the dog (Kevin wasn't feeling well and made me promise not to video him), loaded it up on the computer, and added a title and some music. It is definitely nothing fancy, but it is my first try. I already feel pretty comfortable with iMovie. It could not be any easier to us.
Please don't mind our backyard. The lawn was mowed today and we are still recovering from winter and the drought! :)
Also, I had no idea how easy it would be to upload the video to Youtube and link it to the blog. Easy Peasy! I tried Photobucket first but I couldn't upload the video for some reason. The file wasn't compatible. iMovie is connected with Youtube so I used them, even though their quality is not very good.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Grandpa Carl
I haven't blogged in a while because we have been very busy around here. We had family in town for Easter, I got a long term sub job, we have been doing yard work (it is still cold about half the time here, but there are flowers and blossoms all over the place!), I had my test for my teaching credential, all kinds of busy!
Some sad news for our family is that Kevin's paternal grandpa (Carl) passed away the week of Easter. He was not doing well and we were not surprised to hear it, but it is still very sad. Carl lived a very long life though, he turned 90 last December! He was married to the love of his life for nearly 70 years! Please keep Grandma Libby in your prayers as she is mentally very fragile and has a hard time remembering what is happening. By the grace of God she is doing pretty well though. The whole family is getting together next weekend for Carl's memorial in Southern California, so we are flying out there on Thursday. It will be neat to have that side of the family all in one place because we are spread out in several different parts of the country, but it is too bad that it is for Carl's memorial.
No adoption news yet, but we should hear something very soon!
Here are a few pictures from Carl's life that I scanned to give you a glimpse of who he was:
In 1922, with his older brother Paul.
Goofing around "in the doghouse!"
With his firstborn child, Kevin's dad Bill.
With his lovely bride and Bill.
In 2000, dancing at our wedding. :) I love this picture. They were so cute and had some great moves!
Some sad news for our family is that Kevin's paternal grandpa (Carl) passed away the week of Easter. He was not doing well and we were not surprised to hear it, but it is still very sad. Carl lived a very long life though, he turned 90 last December! He was married to the love of his life for nearly 70 years! Please keep Grandma Libby in your prayers as she is mentally very fragile and has a hard time remembering what is happening. By the grace of God she is doing pretty well though. The whole family is getting together next weekend for Carl's memorial in Southern California, so we are flying out there on Thursday. It will be neat to have that side of the family all in one place because we are spread out in several different parts of the country, but it is too bad that it is for Carl's memorial.
No adoption news yet, but we should hear something very soon!
Here are a few pictures from Carl's life that I scanned to give you a glimpse of who he was:
In 1922, with his older brother Paul.
Goofing around "in the doghouse!"
With his firstborn child, Kevin's dad Bill.
With his lovely bride and Bill.
In 2000, dancing at our wedding. :) I love this picture. They were so cute and had some great moves!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Nothing to Say
Nothing to report. We are doing well. Probably about 1/2 way through the wait for to hear about our appointment date. Please continue to pray that the SDA sees us fit to come over and adopt a couple of orphans from their country. It is totally out of our hands.
Lately we have just been trying to do some of the things that we won't hopefully will not have time for soon. Today I am cleaning the garage. Fun stuff.
Have a wonderful Easter week! Kevin's parents are arriving on Friday to spend the holiday with us and meet with the architect who is drawing up the plan for their house. Their house in California is for sale. If anyone wants a really nice Spanish style house on about 20 acres in central California wine country, let me know! We will miss "the ranch" but we are looking forward to having them close by at the lake! :)
Lately we have just been trying to do some of the things that we won't hopefully will not have time for soon. Today I am cleaning the garage. Fun stuff.
Have a wonderful Easter week! Kevin's parents are arriving on Friday to spend the holiday with us and meet with the architect who is drawing up the plan for their house. Their house in California is for sale. If anyone wants a really nice Spanish style house on about 20 acres in central California wine country, let me know! We will miss "the ranch" but we are looking forward to having them close by at the lake! :)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
And Now We Wait
We received official word yesterday that our dossier was submitted as it was supposed to be. So what happens now? Well, we wait. Here is what we know:
- Today is Day 3 of what typically takes about 30 days (sometimes more). Sometime in the next month the SDA will look over our paperwork to verify that we are who we say that we are and that we are able to adopt the children that we are requesting. That is my take on it anyway.
- If all goes well with the paperwork then we will get an appointment date! In the past (for other families who have adopted) this date has been about 3 and a half to four months from when they turned their dossier in. However as far as I can tell we are one of the first families to have their dossier submitted since the SDA reopened for submission this year so I am not sure if their is a big backlog of families waiting to travel or something else that would make our appointment date pushed out a little further.
- Once we get a travel date we will start planning and preparing for our trip. There are all kinds of things we will need to take care of in order to be out of the country for at least a month, often times longer.
- The week of our appointment date we will probably plan to arrive in Kiev a couple days before our appointment just in case we have any travel delays.
- At our appointment we will likely be shown a few referrals that meet the criteria that we are requesting. (2 children, either sex, ages 6 and under, with minor correctable health problems. This is the typical language used to describe children who have minor health issues and delays that are typical of children who have been living in an orphanage.) We are actually approved for up to three children, so you never know. ;)
- After we accept a referral we will travel to wherever those children live in Ukraine to meet them and to hopefully pursue the adoption of the children.
- From there we would do all the legal paperwork and process to adopt the children. It usually takes a week or two for this and then there is almost always a ten day waiting period. Sometimes people come home during this ten day wait and sometimes they stay. It will depend on the situation, how long we have been there, etc. I may stay and Kevin may come home for the wait and then fly back. This will be something we won't decide on until we are there.
Feel free to ask any questions you have about the process. I will answer them as best I can. There is so much more to it than what I wrote, but I am trying to keep from boring you or confusing you. So that is it in a nutshell.
- Today is Day 3 of what typically takes about 30 days (sometimes more). Sometime in the next month the SDA will look over our paperwork to verify that we are who we say that we are and that we are able to adopt the children that we are requesting. That is my take on it anyway.
- If all goes well with the paperwork then we will get an appointment date! In the past (for other families who have adopted) this date has been about 3 and a half to four months from when they turned their dossier in. However as far as I can tell we are one of the first families to have their dossier submitted since the SDA reopened for submission this year so I am not sure if their is a big backlog of families waiting to travel or something else that would make our appointment date pushed out a little further.
- Once we get a travel date we will start planning and preparing for our trip. There are all kinds of things we will need to take care of in order to be out of the country for at least a month, often times longer.
- The week of our appointment date we will probably plan to arrive in Kiev a couple days before our appointment just in case we have any travel delays.
- At our appointment we will likely be shown a few referrals that meet the criteria that we are requesting. (2 children, either sex, ages 6 and under, with minor correctable health problems. This is the typical language used to describe children who have minor health issues and delays that are typical of children who have been living in an orphanage.) We are actually approved for up to three children, so you never know. ;)
- After we accept a referral we will travel to wherever those children live in Ukraine to meet them and to hopefully pursue the adoption of the children.
- From there we would do all the legal paperwork and process to adopt the children. It usually takes a week or two for this and then there is almost always a ten day waiting period. Sometimes people come home during this ten day wait and sometimes they stay. It will depend on the situation, how long we have been there, etc. I may stay and Kevin may come home for the wait and then fly back. This will be something we won't decide on until we are there.
Feel free to ask any questions you have about the process. I will answer them as best I can. There is so much more to it than what I wrote, but I am trying to keep from boring you or confusing you. So that is it in a nutshell.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Countdown to Dossier Submission
Tomorrow is the day of our dossier submission appointment. Actually, since they are 7 hours ahead of the east coast in Ukraine it is pretty much already tomorrow there. Pray that all goes well and that our paperwork meets their expectations. Our facilitator said that everything is on track to submit it so I will let you know as soon as I hear that the eagle has landed. :)
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