F.R.O.G.

Hard to believe that just 2 weeks ago this morning we were heading out to the airport for our 1st Russian adventure to begin. Now we've been home for a week and are beginning the next leg of our journey.

OK- for those of you that read the last post- when I said he, our son, had no idea how much his life was going to change- how many of you completed that thought with your own- "and neither do you Tim and Debbie?" I figure probably about 9 out of 10 of you, especially if you already have children. lol

I have been looking at pictures and watching video as we share our joy with our friends. I'm fine for the most part, but boy, do I miss our boy! I blew up some of the photos and printed them for the family album we have to complete (boy, there is a lot of paperwork still to do!!), and I'm finding it more difficult to not cry when I look at the "big picture".

OK- so here is a sneak preview, or 2.........

We were showing Elisha the photo album we brought for him- it has pictures of us, our house, the dog, his room. It was exciting to see him actually look at the pictures. We've been told that the Nanny's will go through the photo album with him. I'm not expecting this, but I sure would love to go back to the orphanage and have him recognize us and come running...... "Mama, Papa"..........AAAwwww!! OK, now that mental picture makes it hard to see the screen for me- how about you?

We found out he is very ticklish- just like his Mama- we had some good belly laughs together. I already mentioned what the sound of his laughter did to my heart. How am I going to be able to handle all this love I'm feeling for him so far away when I am able to hold and love and see him 24/7?

I love that these 2 photos have all 3 of our hands together!! We have been united into a family by such a loving God. He's been preparing our hearts for this for sooooo long. Hang on baby boy, God's working on our behalf to complete what He started!!

OK- so, for those of you wondering about the title of this blog- F.R.O.G. is an acronym for Fully Reliant On God. One would have thought that we would have learned this fully during the 14 months the whole process was shut down and the 21 months since we started this process. I am only now becoming aware of it in ways I didn't even imagine before.

I mentioned all the additional paperwork we have to complete. One of these papers is another criminal background check through the state of Ohio. Tim and I went on Wed, after I got off work. My AAARRRGhhhh moment came when I realized that my driver's license no longer has my SS# on it. Well, appears you have to have photo ID and your SS# to have a background check done. So- the process is delayed another week from even starting.

I tried to get a few hours off early Fri morning to at least get the process started. (this is where the FROG kicks in.....) It is hard for me to remember that everyone else has their own things happening and their own priorities. I look at our baby boy's picture and video and want to move mountains to bring him home. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same urgency. So, we wait.

Office closed Monday for the holiday, get printed Tues, there is a 10-15 business day back log right now, and Thanksgiving falls in the middle of that- so we will most likely not get this one document back before the beginning of December. Then we have to send it away to have it certified, and once we gather all 30 remaining documents, take them to Columbus, have them all apostilled and to our agency, then they go to Russia and we have a minimum 1 month wait from that point before they call us for court to go get our baby boy.

So, this is where I lean not unto my own understanding, which drives me crazy and says we'll never get him home. This is when I lean on God, the one who created the heavens and the earth, who goes before us and prepares the way. This is where I lean on His strength, His power, His amazing grace and love. This is where I become a FROG!!

Thank you, God, that we can be FROG's with you!! I think I may begin to wear green :0)