3 Months Ago

Three months ago today we sat on a plane leaving Riga. It seems like a lifetime ago, yet only yesterday. So many memories have been made.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Sorry for the long silence. We have been busy growing and bonding. Much like a newborn baby brings the household to a stop (or a great slow down) so does the adoption of a child. We spent most of June & July learning to be a family.

As August rolled around we were getting ready for school and all the new activities. Elijah is in Boy Scouts as a Star rank, and is hoping to begin taking guitar lessons at some point again this year. Noah continues his scouting as a Webelo I this year and really is hoping to get back to gymnastics. Those of you who know Noah personally know he has the body build of a gymnast and he hopes one day to go to the Olympics as a gymnast. He LOVES the sport, but it’s been on hold for him for over a year now.

Victoria started back with 4-H Horse & Pony Club as well as Horse Quiz Bowl on the Senior team this year.  She is also in Drama Club and spends as much time with friends and around horses as possible. David is still trying to find his “niche.” He has joined Boy Scouts and is investigating if it’s for him or not. He also wants to box, and we found a new gym in Peachtree City that teaches kids to box. Later this year, we may investigate that for him once we are finished with our trips to Latvia. Right now he’s working real hard on his English, making new friends and learning the difference between a foster family and a forever family.

As a family we have begun a Bible study group with 3 other families. While it’s very hard to coordinate 4 families’ schedules with a total of 11 children we are trying very hard to make this a priority in our lives. We so enjoy getting together with our new group and studying the Lords Word and fellowshipping with each other.

August 15^th all the kids started home school with a field trip to the Atlanta History Center. It’s the one day a year it’s free to enter and I love all things school related that are free! The older kids are taking English, Writing and Science classes at Eluminatus and Bridge our Home School Groups High school and Middle school classes.

As with many families with teenagers we have noticed our kids use way too much electronics, so from Aug. 25^th to Aug. 29^th we took a break from electronics to spend time just as a family. It was WONDERFUL! It’s amazing how much time electronics takes away from family time.

This Fall we are preparing for 2 trips back to Latvia to make the adoption final. David has technically been here on “bonding time” while we were approved again by the American government to adopt him specifically. Now we head back to Latvia, David & Wende, the first week of October to stand before a judge and to ask the judge to make him our son forever. Then after a 20 day waiting period, where any Latvian resident can contest the adoption, and about a 10 day paperwork chase, we’ll go back for our third trip the end of November we hope. This last trip he will get a new American passport and new birth certificate with his new name and our names on it. When we land on American soil after this trip he is officially an American citizen.

Our USCIS expires 15 months from when it was approved and we were ready way before his papers were, so we are nearing our papers expiring. If we have to get an extension, that means and updated home study and that means more money and time. Also, once a child reaches 15 years old, more medical tests are needed before they can become an American citizen. So we are praying for our 3^rd trip to be the last week of November so all we can complete everything and he can become an American Citizen before his 15^th birthday the first week of December.

We would so appreciate prays as we continue to grow as a family and for our trips back to Latvia and all that is involved with each of these trips. While we do not think anyone will prevent us from making him our son forever, that is always in the back of our minds.  We would also appreciate prayers for good flights and quick trips and a favorable judge. With the holidays looming taking two trips to Eastern Europe between the first week in October & the last week of November is a lot to do.

Lastly we would appreciate prayers for the remaining funding that we need. We still need to raise about $10,000 for 4 round trips tickets, about 10 nights stay and $4000+ lawyer’s fees remaining, translation fees and other fees involved with the completion of this. The cost of this has been more than we thought going into it, and we can not wrap our minds around why adopting a child should be so expensive, but with so many little fees it all adds up very quickly and our adoption fund was depleted the last trip. We are looking into fundraisers for this next month to help raise the money.

We know the Lord has a plan, but He has not revealed it to us yet. If you have a heart for adoption and you feel led to donate, there is a link directly to Promise 686, where you can make a tax deductible donation to help us complete our adoption. Promise 686 doubles the first $4,000 we have donated to $8,000. Please know that just as our small adoption fees of $5 here & $25 there add up fast so do small donations of $5 and $10 add up also.

Thanks for checking in on us and please pray for us when you are able. The Lord and everyone’s prays have carried us for the last 17 months since we first laid eyes on a photo of a boy who was to become our son and we are so very thankful for that!

Blessings,

Oscar, Wende, Victoria, David, Elijah and Noah

Paypal link for direct donations:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=FPTABTVSSMSWL

Mailing address of Promise 686:
Promise 686
3600 River Ferry Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30022

(*Note:  per IRS guidelines, promise686 maintains complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.)