ORIGINAL "CARINGBRIDGE" ENTRIES FROM MARCH 2006!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2006 06:50 PM

Dear Friends,
After much consideration and prayers, it is with great joy that we come to share with you our loved ones, that we have made the decision to pursue the adoption of the 3 little girls (sisters) from Colombia!
We are overwhelmed with the love the Lord has already put in our hearts towards them and know with peace that if indeed this is what the Lord has in His will for us, but most importantly for the little girls, it will certainly come to pass!
By faith, we have given our Official go ahead for the agency to start the process, we've also officially submitted our letter of intent regarding the 3 specific girls to the Colombian Government (which will be attached to the lawyers letter, who is the representative of the Colombian adoption program for the agency). We're getting the Home Study packet "over-nighted" to us, and will be starting the work with the social-worker early next week. In the meantime, we need to get our criminal & medical checks started. We have received all the forms from the immigration, to be completed by us and submitted once the Home Study is completed (approximately 4 to 6 weeks).
We were told that the process can take as long as a year, but on average it has been 6 to 8 months for waiting older children, there is a couple from Northern Michigan however, who found their kids in a waiting list last November (right after Thanksgiving) and already left for Colombia this week to pick up their 3 children. The process may also be overwhelming, there will be lot's and lot's of paper-work and requirements (including bonding/attachment training and parenting classes) and we are never guaranteed until the final review of our documentation in Colombia, whether the girls will be released for adoption to us by the Colombian government. Currently, there are 2 other families who have shown interest in the girls (1 from Germany already has a completed Home Study). However, we are not going to fret and more than ever we have no other choice, than the best choice which is to be 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% dependent on the Lord for the entire outcome!
As you all know, we had never seriously considered adopting older kids, let alone a sibling group and had not considered Colombia. We had thought that when the time came when we felt ready, we would pursue an infant adoption. Well, "the Lord can always dream a bigger dream for us than we can dream for ourselves" and He brought those 3 little sisters into our hearts in a "big way" just 3 days prior to us hearing the news that there was a birth mother who wanted to get more info about us and discuss the possible adoption of her unborn baby. After much prayer for the Lord to clearly show us whether we should pursue one, the other, both or none, the desire in our heart grew even clearer and deeper toward the 3 girls, so we are pursuing this calling. We have left the whole situation fully in the Lords hands and pray for the Lord to guide every step in wisdom!
Needles to say, we covet all your prayers more than ever and promise to keep you updated on every step of this adventurous journey of love we have decided to embark on!!!!
Much Love and deep appreciation for your friendship,
Sharon & Michael

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TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2006 10:14 AM

Oh, just something very interesting to share with you:

Today we went to look at the original listing of the girls on the website where we first found them posted on a "Waiting list" (that interestingly enough had first posted their info on 2/7/06 - Sharon's birthday) and we just couldn't find them. So we called the agency to find out why all the listings from Colombia had been removed and were told that the Colombian government decided that they will re-do the way they list waiting kids and that their new way will not show any pictures or give too much detail info (for the kids safety and protection).

We were once again in awe of the Lord's goodness, do you realize that if we hadn't found the girls on the website on the weekend of 3/11, we probably would have never, ever seen them or known about their existence (now that their pictures and information have been removed)???

God's timing is just so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2006 10:36 AM

Today we found out that the "birth mother" who is considering adoption for her unborn baby, finally read the profile we sent her on 3/15, now all we have to do is wait for her to make contact with us if she's interested in getting more information. We are doing this to have 100% peace of mind that we thoroughly checked all possibilities (for we believe it is the wise thing to do). However, we must say that we are really feeling our hearts opening up for the 3 little Colombian sisters as though they were meant to be our children all along!!!

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2006 10:59 PM

Tonight we spoke on the phone with "Raul" the lawyer from Tampa Florida who is in charge of the Colombian adoption program for the agency. He is a sort of a "celebrity" in the adoption world, for he is often interviewed and featured in the Discovery Channel's "Adoption Stories" program. He is so knowledgeable and proud of his country and beautiful culture and although very well known and highly regarded, he was one of the most humble and nicest persons. Talking with us from his home (after business hours) for over an hour on the phone. He answered all of our 1000 questions with patience and kindness and also gave us a ton of new info that we definitely found very helpful, now we are much closer to making a decision!

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006 11:53 PM

We are so grateful to our wonderful friend Ivani, who after working and going to school all day, spent a lot of time with us tonight, translating some of the documents we had received about the girls (the few things we were having a hard time understanding). We also loved and will always cherish the time at the end of our meeting, where the 3 of us held hands and prayed for those precious little girls, no matter what the outcome will be. We asked the Lord to surely give them "a future and a hope" and the best possible parents, no matter who He in His awesome wisdom chooses them to be!!!

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TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2006 05:35 PM

Today I called our good friend Kely in Florida to share with her that we were seriously considering to pursue the adoption of the 3 little girls, boy oh boy, she was soooooooooooooooo thrilled and of course tears were flowing all over the place (from what I could hear on the phone)! :>)

The first thing she said was: email me some pictures right away, which I did and now her whole family is praying for the girls. Thanks Kelita, you rock!!!

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FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2006 09:31 PM

Yesterday we were feeling a little disappointed that it had been a few days already since we requested info by email and phone about the 3 little girls from Colombia, but still hadn't received anything. So late afternoon, when it was getting dark I (Sharon) went to turn the front porch lights on and for some reason decided to open the door to look outside and there it was, a thick FedEX envelope sitting on the doormat, just waiting for us! Of course I couldn't run back into the house fast enough, to tare open the envelope and read the contents. After opening the package, I had to put the little bit of Spanish I know to good use, for we were blessed to receive all the original documentation and history for the girls (something that usually only happens after the process has been started and the family has already been matched and approved for the specific children), God is just way too good, allowing and letting us know (before we even commit), some very important things about the girls which will help us decide with a clear mind and peace! Needless to say, both of us stayed up until the wee hours of the morning reading and discussing the documents. After Michael went to bed (around 2am), I stayed up until 4am reading the rest of the papers that I still needed translation for.

All we can and will say is that these precious little girls have gone through a lot, but instead of feeling scared, or wondering about the "what if's"??? We are now feeling even more love for them. God can make all things new and whole, they are little vessels that the Potter can definitely fix the broken pieces and make them into magnificent vases, fit for the Master's use!!! Isn't it just wonderful to know the Lord and have hope in Him???

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TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006 10:44 PM

Today we told our Mom (Luiza), our brother (Fred), his wife (Marina) and our nephew and niece (Liam & Kezia) about the adoption considerations and possibilities we have ahead of us. My goodness, were they ever thrilled for us!!!

It is just soooooooooooo wonderful to have such love and support and to know that whatever decision we make, our future children will be welcomed into our family with many open and very loving arms. We are blessed indeed!!!

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TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006 09:30 PM

Very interesting how things happen in life huh???

Today, while we are anxiously waiting to receive info about the 3 little girls from Colombia, we get a phone call from someone we know, stating that she has a friend that has a friend who is pregnant and because she is already a single mom with no financial means and does not believe in abortion (Praise God), she is seriously considering an adoption plan for her unborn baby.

Boy oh boy, we had always dreamt of having a "New born baby" and in the almost 18 years we've been married and networking for many of those, we never had an opportunity like this knock at our door. We had never seriously considered an "Older sibling group," but that was, until we met these 3 little sisters from Colombia (Who we are still waiting to get info on, but are already falling in love with). We will also try contacting this birth-mother to get more info, but must say we are a bit overwhelmed at how it has all come into our lives at the same time and questioning what we should do, but we have a solution and that is: "to turn to the Lord in prayer, seeking His guidance and wisdom and once again, learn to fully put our trust in Him for the outcome!!!"

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MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2006 09:11 AM

Even though we emailed the agency yesterday, we couldn't wait for an answer or details, so we called them today and a really nice lady named Marilyn called us, she will request that a bunch of info about the girls be mailed to us right away. We absolutely can't wait!!!
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SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2006 09:03 AM

Yesterday I received an email from Michael and it stated: "Don't say anything, just look at these pictures, read the story and pray about it, then we'll talk."

They were pictures of 3 little sisters from Colombia (ages 5, 7 & 9), who were on a "Waiting list" to be adopted. I had never seriously considered adoption of "Older kids" let alone a sibling group of 3, but there's something about these girls eyes, that just keep tugging at our hearts and not letting go (we can't stop thinking about them). So we emailed the agency to get more in depth info about the girls!