Hannah,
I want you to know that I have not forgotten about you. I am still coming for you. My heart has been torn by the length of the time that China is taking to get me to you, but I also know that I've requested a child that is as young as possible, so knowing that China is about 2 years away from my log in date, I don't think you've been born yet. I am praying for your biological parents as I know that it will be a very difficult decision for them to give you to me. But it is a decision that I am very grateful for............you will bless our lives so much.
As I wait for you, I am getting a big sister for you to play, dance, and sing with.....to laugh and cry together. You will not always get along, but you will deeply love each other and carry the bond that only sisters can. I can't wait for you to meet Isabelle and I can't wait for her to meet you. I know that your friendship will start right from the beginning........
In the mean time, once we get her, she will be going through a lot of surgeries and becoming our first child.......learning all the in's and out's of having us for parents (even training us......lol).........so please know that you will both have special places in our hearts and we could never replace either of you.
Love,
Your Mommy...........:):):)
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Introducing Isabelle Hope
Hello everyone............as we neared the last few days before we had to return our domestic adoption contract on Thursday (6/7/07) we received a call yesterday (6/1/07) from our China adoption worker, Jaclyn. She called to tell us that, knowing we were open to a waiting child with special needs, there was a 10 month old girl in Russia that needed a family. Jaclyn said that she has cleft lip/cleft palate/cleft nose, but she wanted us to consider if she would fit in our family or not. Jaclyn emphasized that either way, it would not effect our chances to get Hannah from China. She also said that the costs were somewhat reduced and if we got all of our paperwork (dossier) together fast, we could bring her home by the end of the summer.................
We thought about it overnight.........I had some reservations, but Gary didn't. He felt that with the timing it was from God. Had Jaclyn called me the following Thursday I would have already turned in the contract and all of the money we saved for Hannah to the domestic adoption agency........non-refundable.
My reservations were based on
1. She's not a newborn -- though this is the case and my dreams are dying more, God could still send us a biological child if He so chose.
2. Fear of being able to raise enough money for Hannah after giving it up for Isabelle and then fixing Isabelle's cleft issues. God can and will handle that. (By the way, her fees were reduced and the cost -- except for travel -- was a little LESS than the domestic adoption)
3. Isabelle's cleft issues will be handled either by an organization called the Smile Train (for free), or by other doctors in the area from hospitals that help children regardless of ability to pay.
So, my reservations were fear based and totally unfounded..............so when I woke up this morning, we talked again and decided that she is to be our daughter. The 2nd adoption, but the 1st child..........and Hannah the 1st adoption, but the 2nd child.............
I will probably call her Hope because I like Hannah and Hope...........but Isabelle Hope means God's Promise Hope..................Hannah's is God is Gracious, Beautiful Grace
I will be opening a blog for her soon.........and this time I have PICTURES!!!!!!
Terri for the Casebier's
We thought about it overnight.........I had some reservations, but Gary didn't. He felt that with the timing it was from God. Had Jaclyn called me the following Thursday I would have already turned in the contract and all of the money we saved for Hannah to the domestic adoption agency........non-refundable.
My reservations were based on
1. She's not a newborn -- though this is the case and my dreams are dying more, God could still send us a biological child if He so chose.
2. Fear of being able to raise enough money for Hannah after giving it up for Isabelle and then fixing Isabelle's cleft issues. God can and will handle that. (By the way, her fees were reduced and the cost -- except for travel -- was a little LESS than the domestic adoption)
3. Isabelle's cleft issues will be handled either by an organization called the Smile Train (for free), or by other doctors in the area from hospitals that help children regardless of ability to pay.
So, my reservations were fear based and totally unfounded..............so when I woke up this morning, we talked again and decided that she is to be our daughter. The 2nd adoption, but the 1st child..........and Hannah the 1st adoption, but the 2nd child.............
I will probably call her Hope because I like Hannah and Hope...........but Isabelle Hope means God's Promise Hope..................Hannah's is God is Gracious, Beautiful Grace
I will be opening a blog for her soon.........and this time I have PICTURES!!!!!!
Terri for the Casebier's
Saturday, March 31, 2007
A New Day -- with prayer requests
Hello everyone.
I just wanted to share that Gary and I (though still waiting on Hannah -- probably another year or two, depending on the CCAA) have decided to start the adoption process for our 2nd child. We may get them about the same time, or we may get the "2nd" one about a year before Hannah. We want more than 1 child and know that we are not getting any younger, and that many adoptions are not allowed after a certain age.
We'd like to have our "2nd" child for a year before Hannah so that he/she has time with us by themself before Hannah comes. We haven't decided on a gender or age of this child. We also haven't totally decided on if this child will be domestic or international. We do want Hannah to have someone else that "looks" like her in the family. But, thankfully at the same time, I have Aunt Sadako, Ruth, Tonya, and Sherman for that as well. Please pray on our decision with us. We know that the child we receive will be the one that is to be ours, but we also need more direction from God as to where this child should come from.
At the same time, we also want to say that we're not fully convinced that God is NOT going to give us a biological child as well. Things on this front have also been hopeful, but we will not be fully relying on this either. It was always our intention to try and have at least one biological child, as well as adopt "several" other children. This "2nd" adoption may be our last, depending on finances and God's call/timing.
On the topic of financing, we have been very fortunate. We qualified for a grant from Shaohannah's Hope that will cover the orphanage donation. I changed school districts this year as well, so the money that I make from the pay increase has gone straight to Hannah's adoption. We have been able to cover the costs of her adoption almost fully at this time. We only have our plane costs left to be covered. I'm still hoping that we MAY get blessed with frequent flyer miles. I've found out that Hannah's ticket, alone, will cost at least $700 (one way). Our tickets, which we want them to be premium economy for the return trip with Hannah, will be about $8000. We don't know how much we'll be saving if we go regular economy on the trip there, but are going to find out as the trip gets closer.
Since we are doing the 2nd adoption, we will be starting to put money towards that instead of the plane tickets because it is such a long time away. We've already heard that our hotel costs will be rising before that (China hosts the Summer Olympics in 2008), so even though the rest of the money has been raised, there will probably be more needed before it's all over. Instead of me putting it aside continuously right now thinking I'm done and then have it go up anyway and frustrate me, I'd rather be using it towards the 2nd adoption until we get closer to Hannah's trip and can get an update on hotels, airfares, etc.
We're also praying that Gary gets a full-time teaching position for the Fall. We'd have to pay for his internship with the 1st paycheck, but then after that, we'd have his money to go towards paying some of our bills off and the 2nd adoption costs. I have NO CLUE how much he'd bring home, as a 1st year teacher, each month but I know that it'll be more than what we have now. We'll also be looking at more fundraising opportunities to help finance the 2nd one as well.
In any case, we'll be a family (not just a couple) soon. We look forward to play dates, hanging out with cousins, and going to the park with our children. I think they are going to love playing together and being a part of each others lives.
Have a wonderful day, we have a lot to pray about, but are having a great one ourselves.
Terri for The Casebier's
I just wanted to share that Gary and I (though still waiting on Hannah -- probably another year or two, depending on the CCAA) have decided to start the adoption process for our 2nd child. We may get them about the same time, or we may get the "2nd" one about a year before Hannah. We want more than 1 child and know that we are not getting any younger, and that many adoptions are not allowed after a certain age.
We'd like to have our "2nd" child for a year before Hannah so that he/she has time with us by themself before Hannah comes. We haven't decided on a gender or age of this child. We also haven't totally decided on if this child will be domestic or international. We do want Hannah to have someone else that "looks" like her in the family. But, thankfully at the same time, I have Aunt Sadako, Ruth, Tonya, and Sherman for that as well. Please pray on our decision with us. We know that the child we receive will be the one that is to be ours, but we also need more direction from God as to where this child should come from.
At the same time, we also want to say that we're not fully convinced that God is NOT going to give us a biological child as well. Things on this front have also been hopeful, but we will not be fully relying on this either. It was always our intention to try and have at least one biological child, as well as adopt "several" other children. This "2nd" adoption may be our last, depending on finances and God's call/timing.
On the topic of financing, we have been very fortunate. We qualified for a grant from Shaohannah's Hope that will cover the orphanage donation. I changed school districts this year as well, so the money that I make from the pay increase has gone straight to Hannah's adoption. We have been able to cover the costs of her adoption almost fully at this time. We only have our plane costs left to be covered. I'm still hoping that we MAY get blessed with frequent flyer miles. I've found out that Hannah's ticket, alone, will cost at least $700 (one way). Our tickets, which we want them to be premium economy for the return trip with Hannah, will be about $8000. We don't know how much we'll be saving if we go regular economy on the trip there, but are going to find out as the trip gets closer.
Since we are doing the 2nd adoption, we will be starting to put money towards that instead of the plane tickets because it is such a long time away. We've already heard that our hotel costs will be rising before that (China hosts the Summer Olympics in 2008), so even though the rest of the money has been raised, there will probably be more needed before it's all over. Instead of me putting it aside continuously right now thinking I'm done and then have it go up anyway and frustrate me, I'd rather be using it towards the 2nd adoption until we get closer to Hannah's trip and can get an update on hotels, airfares, etc.
We're also praying that Gary gets a full-time teaching position for the Fall. We'd have to pay for his internship with the 1st paycheck, but then after that, we'd have his money to go towards paying some of our bills off and the 2nd adoption costs. I have NO CLUE how much he'd bring home, as a 1st year teacher, each month but I know that it'll be more than what we have now. We'll also be looking at more fundraising opportunities to help finance the 2nd one as well.
In any case, we'll be a family (not just a couple) soon. We look forward to play dates, hanging out with cousins, and going to the park with our children. I think they are going to love playing together and being a part of each others lives.
Have a wonderful day, we have a lot to pray about, but are having a great one ourselves.
Terri for The Casebier's
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Lydia
Hi again..............
We waited and waited, but the dr. never got back with us. Neither did the social worker that was supposed to update our home study and talk to us about the positives and negatives of adopting Lydia.
On Monday night she was still listed as waiting. On Tuesday night she was pending. So, she is not to be ours. It's ok because of the concern I had over her being fully deaf.
However, not having the contact from my social worker or dr. doesn't give me much confidence in them. Though I know they're very busy, the turn over in waiting children can happen within a few days. So every moment is precious.
Thank you for praying and thinking of us in our journey to Hannah........
Terri
We waited and waited, but the dr. never got back with us. Neither did the social worker that was supposed to update our home study and talk to us about the positives and negatives of adopting Lydia.
On Monday night she was still listed as waiting. On Tuesday night she was pending. So, she is not to be ours. It's ok because of the concern I had over her being fully deaf.
However, not having the contact from my social worker or dr. doesn't give me much confidence in them. Though I know they're very busy, the turn over in waiting children can happen within a few days. So every moment is precious.
Thank you for praying and thinking of us in our journey to Hannah........
Terri
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