Lost in Translation

So here's the scoop.  Our dossier is STILL being translated.  Yep, apparently a month is just not long enough.  So there will be some more waiting.  BUT....our agency decided to give us a bit of new information to keep us happy while we wait....and it worked.  We are rather easy to please at this point....any info will do.
They sent us Olivia's medical/psychological evaluation.  I know this doesn't sound like an exciting read but it was...it really, really was. 

We now know that although she was born premature she is on target for her size.  She is only 2 inches shorter than Orrin. 

 

She is walking, climbing and playing like a normal toddler. 

 

She knows her name and responds (this may pose a problem considering her real name is not Olivia). 

 

She does have a few health issues we will need to deal with when she comes home. Nothing too severe, though.

 

We now know which city she is located in and the picture on the left of my header is an actual photo of the town she lives in. 

 

 

There was this one line near the bottom of her evaluation that caught my eye.

 

"In the present situation _______ most of all lacks constant, individual contact with close to her caregivers. The girl would feel best in a home that can provide her with love, care and natural stimulation, which consists of various experiences and developmental stimuli. These factors can significantly impact ________ independent functioning as an adult."

 

Oh, yeah! That's us!  Now if they would find a little bit of urgency...I wouldn't mind.



 

No News ( is hopefully good news)... Right?

So I have no news!  Our dossier is still out there somewhere getting translated and whatever else it is that they need to do to it. Time is just dragging and dragging and...oh right, you get the point.
 
But before I begin to bring all of you down, I will tell you a little of the crazy things I have been doing around here.  I know you probably wouldn't call it nesting....but it is something to that effect.  I am doing weird and crazy prep work around here.

#1 - I turned my laundry room into a family closet.  Yep, it is wonderful.  No more folded laundry on the couch for days on end.  No more vomiting closet (you know, where your kids just yank clothes out and stuff clothes in).  No more rewashing clothes because the kids didn't want to put them away, so they stuffed them in the hamper.  This really has made my life so much easier.

No, it is not beautiful, but it is very functional.

#2 - I keep rearranging my kitchen.  Still haven't made it any easier to clean, but it just makes me feel better to do it.

#3 - Still working on the girls room.  I know I said I would put up pictures, and I will.  Unfortunately, just like all my other painting projects, I have run into the problem of having to repaint because I can not get a proper match of existing paint.

#4 - Yard work, yard work, yard work...it never ends.  I did get my husband to finally replace our back steps.  After 8 years of those nasty, rickety trailer steps, I now have a very sturdy (albeit ugly) metal back porch.  No more falling down the back steps because I couldn't quite get over the pile up of snow/ice or because my kids randomly set a paint can in a place I couldn't see it.  And I even have enough room to set my chicken poo shoes outside!  Hurray!

See, it is ugly! (the other one was uglier - yes, that is possible)  Going to have to whip out the old spray paint.  Oh, and if I lived anywhere else I would not have my chickens in my back yard.  This is called "making do". They are lovely ladies, though!

#5 - I keep purging closets, cabinets, and underneath beds.  I can not believe how much stuff I have crammed in this little house!  I really need to have a yard sale...unfortunately I live in Luna (the town on 199 people). So I guess I will just have to make another trip to the thrift store.

#6 - Oh and don't forget the oven cleaning.  Uck!  I don't even want to talk about that.

So there you have it.  That is what I do to pass this rather frustrating silence.  Hopefully, we will hear something soon.  And until we do, you get to listen to the pretty background music "Be Thou My Vision" (one of my favorite hymns) and read about all the weird stuff I do to keep me from going crazy!    I will say this...nesting (or whatever you wanna call it) is way easier without an extra 30 or so pounds nestled tightly between my ribs and hip bones. 

Psalm 55:22

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Perceptions

So we are still in the "waiting" phase of the adoption.  Sometimes I feel like this is much easier than the "paperwork" phase.  I guess no matter how easy or hard, both are a fact of adoption and they are learning experiences.
 
The other day at church a friend (gonna call her "A", so I don't confuse you), said to me, that she thought I was taking this waiting phase so well; if she had been the one waiting she would go crazy.  In fact "A" said that even waiting for our adoption was driving her crazy.  I just laughed; because it reminded me of another conversation I had with my sister a few days before.  Holly had mentioned that "A" (yep, same person--hence the reason it was so funny) had stopped by and had been talking about a big change in her life. Holly mentioned to "A" that she was taking it so well; Holly felt she would have handled this change much worse.  "A" just laughed. 

So what am I getting at?  Perception.  I find it a wonderful thing that people often overlook who we think we are.  And even when they don't, we have an awesome God who does.  He looks at all our personality flaws, attitudes, fears and He sees...Christ!  Yep, He sees Christ covering all those things we think we are hiding.

I watched a video today that a friend recommended about perception.  It was made by Dove (soap).  A police sketch artists brought in a lady and drew her based on only her description of herself and then he brought in someone who knew the lady and drew the  lady based on the other person's description. The results were absolutely amazing --the drawings looked nothing alike. The lady realized that the harsh view of herself was just a hindrance. So often we don't want to be who we really are --whether it be personality or looks or whatever. Aren't you glad God is gracious with us.  He uses with us despite our perceptions of our self.

I know that when I first started wondering whether I could really adopt a little girl with Down Syndrome my perceptions were really off.  I was looking at myself through my eyes. (Weird, right?...I know, this begs the question "whose eyes am I supposed to be looking through?"  Well, I really feel we should look through God's....Still sound off? Here's what I am talking about.)

I saw a mom with 5 kids whose house is generally a complete disaster, who always feels over commited and races to get to said commitments on time (ps. I live in the middle of nowhere and have no idea what "over commitment" is), who doesn't make a meal unless it can be planned and on the table in less that 45 minutes - God saw a mom. (Bet you didn't know that an orphan isn't looking for a super hero - they are just looking for a parent. Yep, it's true.)

I saw a person with little experience with down syndrome - God saw a person that if they relied on Him (Matthew 19:26) could learn.

I saw a person who hated paperwork, talking on the phone, and just basically talking to strangers (yep, I am that girl) - God saw someone who needed to learn that sometimes the hard things are the most rewarding.

I saw someone who had very little patience - God saw someone who really needed to work on that area and found the best possible way to teach her how ...adoption.

I saw a person who wasn't really sure she was tough enough to handle all the judgements and ..."you already have 5 kids, why would you want to adopt"; "down syndrome?...why would you adopt a child like that?"; "why are you adopting from another country?" - and to this, God said to me....

2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in My infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon Me.

 

See it's not about us and who we think we are!  It's about daily letting go of who we think we are and letting Him make us into who He wants us to be.  

 

PS. I will leave you with some pics of us just being who we are...the crazy Johnsons.