Big Big News!!!

Okay, so a lot has been going on in the Murry household these past few months, much of which I could not share on the blog for various reasons. So, it is time for an update and sharing of big news (to come at the end....hang with me ;) So here goes, around late September/early October Michael and I began to sense a pull to move back to the Livingston, LA area where we are from. I knew the answer to the question before I even asked our adoption agency but went ahead and shared with them our desire to move back to Louisiana so that Taylor will grow up knowing family and friends we have grown up with. They answered with a definite "no" because our agency does not have jurisdiction to place in Louisiana. What we did find out was that we could move after the first post-placement visit after bringing Taylor home, approximately one month after Tay is home. With all of the Korean government rules and with there being a quota for the amount of passports issued each year, we were told in November to expect travel around April 2012 at the earlier, with May or June being more likely. Well, on November 11 I received a phone call from Holt (our placing agency), where A told me that she took a "shot in the dark" and decided to call the Korean agency and ask if they would make an exception and allow us to move to Louisiana with permission for completing our adoption in Louisiana. Long story-short, they said, "Yes! But move quickly!" So that is what we are working on....moving back to Louisiana!!

You would think that would be enough busyness and chaos to keep us running around like crazy people...but no. I will have to share in another posting, but Michael had to have an emergency appendectomy about two weeks ago that should have been routine but was not. There were complications but he is back home and doing well (maybe 85% back physically). That will take another blog posting...

We also knew that we would be moving into an apartment in Louisiana and could not keep our two lab retrievers in an apartment. So project "Find Marley and Jake a Home" began about 4 weeks ago. Again, another blog posting, but they are in a wonderful home with a family with two kids in a country town in Georgia.

So....moving along as expected right? Yeah right. When you sign up for adoption, just remember that anything can happen, and it really is a rollercoaster ;) When you think you are on track and moving along according to schedule, know that change is probably coming!! *clears throat*

So...yesterday I received an email informing us that Taylor is scheduled to have his visa physical (a medical examination done before being submitted for passport) on January 5th (Jan 4th our time). That struck me as odd because this is usually only done just before the child is submitted for their passport. Well, I called LL at our Holt adoption agency and was told that apparently Taylor's adoption is being expedited and that it looks like he will be submitted in the first batch of passport submissions....making travel as early as mid-February!!!!! Yikes!!! Okay, this is the Big Big News! We may be traveling to S Korea next month to get our little boy! Ahhh!!! I have mostly been in excited shock! This means a lot of scrambling around to get moved, working in new job, and paperwork completed and submitted so he can be brought to Louisiana versus Alabama where he is currently approved to come. This also means informing a new employer that I really really would like at least 6 weeks off, even though I just started. I just accepted a full-time position as a home health occupational therapist and am worried that they will not approve the 6-8 weeks off I was hoping to get if we traveled later in the year (or even keep me as an employee if I request it). I need a job but need to care for my little one appropriately. I am kind of freaking out with anxious and excited emotions. I do not want to rush attachment. Please pray that God will soften hearts, make clear paths, and provide us with resources and a means to care for Taylor the way He intends. Blessings to all who are waiting. I hope to see some of you in S Korea! How incredible would that be?! Bring it on 2012!!!!

Christmas Care Package!

We are excited about the Christmas season and the opportunity to spend time with friends and family, but are also waiting in eager anticipation of the new year when the EP quota (i.e. passports given to children for international travel each year) is reset and children can again be approved to come home to their families. We now hope to travel some time from April - June and appreciate your prayers that the Korean Ministry would be generous and timely in approving more children to travel next year. It is crazy to think this will actually happen and that the sweet little boy in the pictures and videos we have treasured will actually be in our arms in a few months. It is exciting to think that all of the holidays we are celebrating now will be the last ones we experience

without Tay.

In the meantime, though, we have to love him from afar. Last week we shipped Taylor's second care package, his Christmas one, filled with some goodies for both Taylor and his foster mom.

We sent him a recordable book with us reading to him so that he is able to get more familiar with our voices. We plan to send him video of us talking to him, showing him his room, singing to him (maybe?) in the next package we will send (probably in January or February) so that we can best prepare him for the transition into our family. We tried to say "I love you" on the greeting page of the book with the hopes that that is what they hear when they open it. We sound really goofy to ourselves but I guess that is just preparing us for the crazy things we will find ourselves doing/saying when we become parents! We also got him a laugh-n-learn puppy, Thomas the Train toy, and light-up ball that were recommended by some ladies in my FB adoption group. Thanks ladies! We finished off his gifts with a couple of outfits and a book about monkeys. The outfits are usually more for the foster moms who have to recycle clothes with their foster children, and, because children are getting older in the foster homes with the new EP situation, we figure a couple more outfits would be nice.

I do not know how in the world you go about lavishing thanks and love on the woman who has sacrificially cared for your child during his first years of life, but this is where we will start. Apparently these Almond Roca chocolates are a great treat in South Korea but cost much more than they do here (Walmart $5). And what mom does not need energy, sleep, and stress relief? Hopefully this sugar scrub, body lotion, and bubble bath will allow some much earned pampering this Christmas ;)

"Itty bitty living space" - quote from Aladdin for all you Disney fans. That is what I think about every time I have to cram all of this love and fun into a small box to send halfway around the world. : ) Hoping it gets there in time for Christmas (they said it would) and that we get some cute pictures with him playing with his toys!

The train you see in this picture is different from the one above because the first one did not work, and we had to settle for a Percy train instead of Thomas because that is all they had left ;)

Also, we received 57 t-shirt orders, which will add up to about $700 that we can put towards our adoption fees and travel expenses! Yay! Thanks to all who have supported us in this way. We have also be selling all sorts of things on Craig's List and are able to raise that fundraiser thermometer just a little further towards our goal. Another praise is that Lifesong for Orphans, the ministry that awarding us an interest-free loan to help pay for the up-front adoption fees, is extending our deadline for repaying that money until June 2013 because our travel was delayed. This is an answer to prayer and will greatly reduce the immediate need for funds by travel. So, thank you all of your prayers and encouraging words. We are amazed at what God is doing in our lives and how much He has blessed us to even be on this journey to bring Taylor into our family.



Last call for adoption t-shirts!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you all know this is the last call for ordering adoption t-shirts to have them in time for Christmas. I am planning to send in the orders with sizes and types (short or long-sleeved) of shirts in tomorrow morning so that our t-shirt guy can go ahead and get started on them. They are very cute, and we are very excited about this cool way to raise money for the adoption.

Also, when you get your t-shirt we would love for you to send us a picture of you or your kids wearing the Seoul Train t-shirts (and let us know where you in the U.S.) so that we can show Taylor all of the support he had when he is older ;) Again, short-sleeved shirts are $20 and long-sleeved are $25. If you live outside the Birmingham, AL or Livingston, LA areas, select the option with $5 added for shipping so that can send them directly to you when they come in. Sizes range from youth medium to XXXL. Happy ordering!

Countdown for getting your t-shirts...

...in time for Christmas! We have sold about 32 t-shirts so far and are super excited about spreading our adoption cheer to Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Thanks to everyone who has ordered a t-shirt to celebrate our adoption with us and to help us bring out little boy home next year. We are so grateful for your generousity and and willingness to help out during this crazy holiday season. Special thanks to my FB/bloggy adoption friends. You guys are a priceless source of support and encouragement as we go through this rollercoaster experience together and have kindly answered all of my random adoption process/travel questions and rejoiced with the little milestones achieved along the way. I thank God for this wonderful support group. Also, my coworkers at Comfort Care Home Health have stepped up big with this t-shirt fundraiser! 22 t-shirt orders! You guys are awesome...enough said. Thanks also to everyone who has sent us words of encouragement and prayed to God on our behalf and for Taylor as he grows and is prepared for his new family. I feel like I am giving a speech at the Oscar's. All that to say, we are very grateful for friends and family (and some kind strangers) who are in this with us.

We know it really does "take a village" for this thing to happen and are dependent upon God's grace and sovereignty to accomplish His purpose to care for the orphan.

I wanted to give everyone another chance to order t-shirts and have them in time for Christmas. For this to happen, I will need your orders (and money if possible) by next Thursday, December 8, so that the t-shirt guy can make and send them in time for me to get them to you guys. If you know want t-shirts but are not quite ready to pay for them, shoot me an email so we can work something out. For us to make the maximum amount of money, we will need to have 48 orders total.  See my last post for details on payment and pictures of the t-shirts. Thanks everyone! Merry Christmas!

P.S. If you are in Louisiana, we will be down for a few days during the holidays and can deliver the t-shirts to you when they come in so you can skip the shipping price if you like.

All Aboard the Seoul Train...Adoption T-shirts are Here!

Okay guys and gals, the t-shirts are ready for ordering!! We have teamed up with an organization geared towards helping individuals and groups to raise funds for mission trips, adoption, etc. They have designed a t-shirt specially for us and our little fella to raise money for adoption expenses (i.e. country fees, travel costs, post-placement fees, etc.). The theme is "Seoul Train," as in Seoul, South Korea. You can see what they will look like on the right-hand side of my blog. The short-sleeved tees are $20 and the long-sleeved ones are $25. These can make great Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, or just a splurge to help us raise the money to travel next spring to bring Taylor home. You can order 1, 2, or 100 t-shirts...there is no limit! It is easy to order using the paypal button on the right. If you would prefer to mail the money, you can email me at amandamurry@bellsouth.net for the address to send the money to. Also, if you are not someone I may see in the next couple of months, you might want to pay the extra $5 to have the shirt(s) shipped to you.

We are going to try to gather as many orders as possible so that we can ship them quickly and have them arrive by Christmas, but we need at least 13 t-shirt orders to make up a full order and have our t-shirt start printing and shipping. So lets get going and buy those shirts so we can bring this kid home! Thanks again for all of your love and support. It means more than you know!

 

Religion that is pure and undefiled before, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

Lesson of the Week...We Can't Do This Alone

This is what I am learning this week. I hate hate asking people for money. Even growing up when I was expected to sell candy bars, restaurant coupons, etc., I cringed at the thought of asking people for their money in exchange for overpriced candy/coupons/etc. But here we are...

Originally we had thought we would be traveling this October/November but found out the Korean government reached their passport quota early and that it would be 2012 before we would travel. We were awarded an interest-free loan from Lifesong (an orphan ministry that helps fund adoptions) that does not have to be paid until May 2012; however, we are no longer receiving the tax credit we would have received (because we are not traveling this year) that was going to be used to pay back the loan. In addition, we have not been able to raise/save enough to cover the remaining expenses needed for travel and program fees. The task for us now is to raise about $14,000 so that we can afford to travel to South Korea around April of next year to bring home our little boy. For us, this means we have a lot of working and praying to do. In addition, we have put our home on the market and decided to sell our car. We are also selling random things around the house to make some extra cash and prepare us for downsizing to apt living (i.e. tools, exercise equipment, movies, picture frames, entertainment center, etc.). Basically, ebay and craigslist are our new friends ;) We are going nuts with filling out adoption grants from agencies/ministries who lovingly give to adoptive parents for financial support to make adoption possible. This is the scripture that keeps replaying in my mind...

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8

 

So this is where we request your help. I am opening a donation feature on the right-hand side of this blog for those who would like to give whatever amount they are able or feel led to give. We are so grateful for whatever you offer on ours’ and Taylor’s behalf so that he can be in our arms next spring/summer and promise to keep you updated along the way with lots of pictures during the journey ;)

 

More than financial support, we would greatly covet your prayers for Taylor and for us as we go through the next several months and are all being prepared for a HUGE transition us being parents and Tay having a new “omma and appa.” I am praying for his little heart to be at peace when we meet and during the times of attachment and bonding that will follow as we bring him home.

 

God has called us to adopt this sweet little boy from halfway around the world, and we have tried in vain to raise all of the funds on our own. We know that where God calls, He will provide, and we trust Him in this. But God has shown us that He is not calling us to do this alone. All throughout scripture, God clearly emphasizes the importance of community with brothers/sisters in Christ and how He has uniquely gifted us to support and encourage one another and to “carry each other’s burdens.”  I am starting to get it, like this week. And we are very humbled knowing we cannot do this on our own and grateful for our friends and family who love us and have a heart for the orphan.

 

Another opportunity to support our adoption will be coming up next week in the form of a t-shirt sale. Yay! I love t-shirts. We are having them specially designed for our little guy and are super excited about the idea of having people all over wearing a symbol of their love for our family. We are so blessed. Details to follow (probably next week)….

 

And here are a couple of pictures of the cutest little guy in all of Korea (sorry to any other adoptive moms reading this...This just happens to be my totally unbiased opinion ;)

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Acts 4:32-37

Nesting...

So what is the world do you do after all of the paperwork is done and everything else is outside of your control, when just waiting for 4-6 months to pass by quickly? Well, this is what we are doing...I say we...Michael and I worked together to sand and paint some shelves a hand-me-down toddler bed, but I was definitely the one organizing all of his toys with the greatest of precision ;) Sometimes Michael goes looking for me and just shakes his head when he finds me in Taylor's room playing/organizing his toys and clothes (almost all donated by wonderful family members). "I'm nesting" is always my response when I feel caught hanging out in his room again. So here is a glimpse into our lives of nesting and waiting for Taylor to come home.

And yes, I actually sat on the floor in his room and played with those mega legos. Michael even identified my masterpiece correctly...a dinosaur. This is probably the neatest his room will ever be!

And, as always, we appreciate your prayers for us as we wait longer than expected to travel to bring home our walking, talking, running, silly toddler! All in God's sovereignty and timing...