Back in Sophia

Here we are, back in the capital city surrounded by 2 million people, but feeling so lonely.  At this moment we are away from all of our children.  As most of you are sleeping tonight, we will be flying back to the states.  I'm glad that people speak English in Sophia and don't smoke in the restaurants.  Breathe...

Our visit today was wonderful.  We gave Dimitar his picture book filled with family pictures and recordings on each page for English and Bulgarian.  Excitement filled his precious face with each new page.  The orphanage has agreed to Skype with us using our wonderful new friend and translator Didi.  We also have paid to have him enrolled in English lessons twice a week.  Great stuff for while we are apart.  We explained the process yesterday and again today about WANTING him, just not being able to take him yet.  The social worker there is wonderful...she explained everything so lovingly - in Bulgarian.  Her daughter goes to his kindergarten class in school and now they will be the only 2 that leave for English lessons.

A friend came down the stairs to say hello to all of us.  He went right over and showed that boy the way back upstairs, closing the door behind him.   As our week unfolded, we were blessed to get to see the real Meete (shortened for of Dimitar).  Smiling.  Laughing.  Hugging.  He is all boy - running all over, loves electronics, building, and throwing balls.  Quite a little ham he is - full of spunk and personality.  He will fit in with our kids perfectly!!  He is our son.   We put glow-in-the-dark stars on his bed so he would know that we are thinking of him every night.  He hugged us, told us"chow" and waved good bye holding his Lightening McQueen and Mater matchbox cars.  Obeechum te Meete - We love you Meete.  We will come for you soon.  God's comfort until that time.   

2 Meetings Left in Sredets BG

Our week here has been long, yet rewarding.  I am ever impressed with the care at the orphanage (minus the rotting teeth).  The menu was shared with us and is very traditional Bulgarian food.  Take away all of the smoking and they are pretty healthy here.  No cereals, no sugary breakfast.  Eggs, cheese, meats, toast with butter and seasoning and breakfast sandwiches.  Fruit or "light breakfast" for snacks.  Lunch and dinner always provide a salad and often soup as well.  Salads here have no lettuce - unless you order a Caesar.  We've also seen "Texas" burgers in one restaurant.  We are very happy with the food, juices - peach - yum and coffee - espresso.

We were told at the Orphanage that Metko (Dimitar) cries after we leave every morning.  I can't even imagine on Friday morning after we leave for the last time until we get to come pick him up in a few months.  It makes me cry each time I think of him waiting.

He is so proud to show us off to his buddies.  Last night he took us on a tour of the rooms where his group "lives" and showed us his bed.  What a priss!  Arms out, head high - he marched up the stairs.  We loved it!  I wish we could've gotten it on video, but the other children are not allowed to be photographed...  We played soccer indoors - what fun.  It brought us joy to hear him laughing for the first time.  What a precious guy!  The social worker told us today that he only really started talking more last week.  Wow - prayers are amazing!  Please continue prayers for his heart and for those of the other children in the orphanage.  Tomorrow we leave our child and part of our hearts here... Only 2 more meetings - I pray he understands that we will return.

First meeting with Dimitar - God answers prayers

God answers prayers!  Our first meeting was scheduled for 10:30am today.  That's 3:30am EST!  We sat nervously in a room with some toys, 2 chairs and a footstool.  We were accompanied by Didi (DeeDee), and the director of the orphanage as the social worker went to get Dimitar.  We heard an excited exchange between an adult and child nearby.  Tears came to my eyes.  This little guy, who has only been a two-dimensional photo was just around the corner.  What would he think of us?  As they entered the room a small boy with dark brown hair, a shy smile and beautiful blue eyes came to me and hugged me.  A huge bear hug!  He was saying I've waited for you my whole life, I'm so glad you're here and don't leave all in this one moment.  The social worker told him that Santa brought him some guests.   We are the guests we were told that all of the children wait for.  What a special greeting - Stuart received the same never-ending hug with the look of "well, what do we do now?"  

We bought some toys, with the help or not so much of our kids to give to him.  He quickly went through the 3 we took.  He is all boy and very active.  Extremely detail oriented too.  He put everything away so nicely...even while we were in the middle of a game.  He repeated several American words that we said and communicated much better than I imagined.  His hair has gotten darker than the picture we have (posted in August) and his checks are swollen due to lack of oral hygiene.  I'm glad that Papa is a dentist and will be able to help.  He smelled nice and clean.  His finger nails were recently cut.  

We enjoyed our morning visit and returned at 4:30 for the afternoon visit - forget the fact that it was near dark already.  One of the care givers told us that Dimitar (Meet-a, as they lovingly call him) cried when he awoke from his nap, afraid that we wouldn't come back.  That broke my heart because now my sweet Ashlyn wakes up wondering why we left her and if we will come back.  Our visit again was filled with much love and curiosity as he loves electronics.  I'm not quite sure, but this 5-year old knows how to use a smart phone...hmm...

This week seems long as I miss my children in the US so much and we have a significant amount of down time.  I know it will mean the world to Meeta (no idea how to spell that).  Excited for tomorrow.  Thank you Lord for answering our prayers and opening his heart to us.

Dinner at BudaPest

Kristy and I just finished a fantastic meal at the BudaPest Restaurant and we are very excited to sleep in a bed before traveling across Bulgaria tomorrow.  I want to thank everyone who has been praying for us!  Please keep it up.  The trip has gone very well so far and I can tell that we are being prayed for.  Kristy is very tired of course from the long overnight flight and the time change but other than needing some sleep she is doing very well.  We decided to fly Air France just so we could say that we've been to Paris (and because it was the cheapest flight).  We left New York about 7pm EST on Friday evening and we arrived here in Sofia around noon local time.  Didi picked us up from the airport, escorted us to the hotel, and will pick us up again tomorrow to drive us to Sredets.

I can't imagine what Sredets is going to be like.  Driving from the Sofia International Airport to our hotel was a major surprise to me.  I'm not sure I saw a home that didn't have some large holes from the bricks collapsing.  Someone was having a wedding with balloons tied to all of the vehicles just blocks from the airport.  It was in the gypsy area and it looked like a tarp city.  Even adjacent to this nice hotel are a couple of houses that look like Charlie's before he took over the Chocolate Factory.  I wasn't prepared to see such a wide gap between social classes.  There are a few who drive the BMW's and Benz's but one common thread is everyone seems to be dressed very nice whether they are driving or walking from one shack to another.  The BudaPest Hotel is first class and is a great price.  I am very excited.  Kristy and I miss our girls and boys but we are so excited to meet Dimitar.  I hope he feels the same way!

Phase 1 Rescue Mission is a Go.

Wow- We leave on a flight at noon tomorrow.  The day is almost here.  For far too long the whole adoption process has just been paper work, talk, plan and more paper work.  Now here we are  - a few short days from meeting our son.  He will be more than the little snap shot we've seen.  I am thrilled and sad about leaving my other kids here.  Oh - I'm sure they will have a blast!  Play dates every day, yet home in their own beds at night.  I'm worried about Ashlyn - our little three-year old.  She is very attached to her Mom.  It's mutual.  I know that we are all in the hands of our Lord and savior though. 

With all of the packing and planning (we had our will made out yesterday) - It has been brought to my attention that we are on a rescue mission. Yes - that is exactly what we are doing!  We will rescue little Dimitar from a life of lovelessness, loneliness and deprivation.  We will bring him into a nurturing family and share things with him that he never knew existed.  God's love will shine.  That is so thrilling to me.  I never saw myself as the Navy Seal type.  As I think of it we are soldiers for Jesus and that's close enough to me.  We are the Body. We are the heroes here on earth.

My next blog will have pictures, happiness and tears of joy.  Thank you to our wonderful life group, family and friends for your prayers and words of encouragement when this sometimes doubting and scared mama has needed them most.  You have given me the peace of the Lord - the kids that passes all understanding.  You are a blessing to us, I love you and I thank God for you.

Thanksgiving

It's the night before Thanksgiving and as I started to head off to bed to get some rest for our big day tomorrow - it hit me that blogging has slipped my mind for a while.  We have so much to be thankful for, so I will just name a few...we are so blessed with 4 amazing children who do have their moments, but are never the less our wonderful treasures from the Lord.  We have all of our family in town as of Monday (2 days ago) when my brother moved back.  All 28 of us got together tonight for dinner - so nice!!   We are able to homeschool and travel - 2 of my favorite things.  The business is doing great blessing us and so many others as well.  Our life group is awesome and running strong with support.  The best part is -  we are leaving in 16 days to finally meet our son!    God can really out do himself with blessings.  We can never out give Him. 
I'm getting nervous, yet excited as the time draws nearer.  Sometimes I find myself questioning God's choice for us to be Dimitar's parents.  I mean - we have 4 healthy children, Bulgaria is quite a ways away from Florida and flying is far from my favorite - oh yeah and the 5 hour drive doesn't sound too thrilling for this motion sickness prone girl either.... we don't know his language, what if he doesn't even like us?, what if he does - then we leave after a week and when we are finally able to see him again to bring him home - he doesn't want to go because we already disappeared on him once?  I have so many questions for God, but I do know that the fear part is the evil one sneaking ideas into my head...right? 

great stuff

August 12, 2011

What a special day that was!  Our final sister and her kids pulled into town to move here for the year.  Stuart's parents and other 2 sisters and families moved to Ocala over the summer.  With my parents already here - our entire family is here (minus my brother)!  That's a crew of 27!  Chad - if the name sticks -will be added to 15 first cousins on Stuart's side!  Ages 11 down to 3.  Lots of family!  Lots of fun!!  We love it. 

The super super exciting thing about the 12th happened at 9:30 that night...Chase was baptized!  What a proud moment as a parent when your child decides that his life belongs to Jesus!!  Our families and the youth from our church were all there to witness this wonderful joyous event.  What a time for celebration and glorious praise...

As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

It's there!!

Our dossier made it to Bulgaria and was signed for today!!  Praise the Lord! 

Friday July 22nd - I called the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) to check the status of our I800a approval - the final document we had been waiting for.  We actually have a person (an officer)assigned to our file or case as it appears.  Our documents were sent to the USCIS on May 3rd and once we got our fingerprints completed in Orlando on July 1, I figured the 3 weeks was plenty of time to get our approval back to us...  Well, our "officer" said that she had been meaning to send out a request for more documentation.  Considering that it was a Friday, we were out of town and the paperwork she needed was from out of state - I just cried.  What a defeating time that was.  I could feel Satan at work.  Well let me tell you - that evil old thing ain't gonna beat me.  I have Jesus on my team and we are unstoppable.  AMEN!  We got home, got to work and 5 weeks behind schedule got our approval.  We shipped it out on Sept. 1 and watched it travel to Orlando, then to Kentucky, then to Koeln Germany and let me tell you - those weekends are torture... 2000 miles to go and they drove it.  Wouldn't you know?  For an impatient person like me, that was like a turtle was the delivery man.  So now - I can breath and rejoice!  We have to wait on translation, then authentication, then get scheduled to travel behind other families that are a little ahead of us in the process.  What a process it is.  I sure could write a book at this point on the ins and outs of international adoption.  I think the US has a few issues - but that is another story!  Bulgaria thinks we're great and they are waiting on our visit.  This is one Mama that can't wait to fly across the ocean to hold her little man. 

One last piece...

Our summer has been buzzing along and between camps, vbs, family moving to town and vacations - the time is passing more quickly than it was when we first decided to adopt our little man. I wonder what he's doing now?

We just picked up our oldest 2 from bible camp this morning. I was surely missing them, but what a blessing the week was to them. Madison was baptized last August and Chase now says that he wants to give his life to Jesus too! Praise praise praise God! We are so happy. This important decision will bless us all as well.

We finally received our FBI form back after 8 1/2 weeks. When they say 4-6 ... allow for a while longer. We went to Orlando for our 3rd set of fingerprints on July 1. That is the final piece of information we need in order to have a completed dossier that we can submit to Bulgaria for translation. So, now the wait is for that clearance document... I'm learning patience with peace for sure!

God is so amazing. Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.

A new calling

I know that's it's been a few years since I updated this blog. Life is taking a new turn for our family and this is one way to give the glory to God and show how He blesses us and opens doors for us that we never imagined. This new journey the Lord is taking us on will find us in Bulgaria adopting a 5 year old little boy ...

The journey began back in early March - One evening Stuart's company lost power and 2 of the guys taking sales calls came to our house to work. The Comptons decided to go out for a family fun night at Easy Street complete with golf, rock climbing and go carts. A fundraiser was taking place there for a precious little boy being adopted internationally as well. God spoke to me that evening and I knew that I had to give to helping that family was the entire reason He guided us there that evening. Determined to give financially at first, I got busy and life got in the way... I didn't give...

A few weeks went by and Stuart told me that he had been having bad dreams and knew that the Lord was telling him that we were leaving something undone. He had been racking his brain and couldn't think of anything that he overlooked, so he mentioned it to me. I knew right away that donating to that family was the thing that I had not done. On Saturday April 16, the calling to help that family was fulfilled, but God had plans greater than that for the Comptons....After giving - I clicked on the first link on the website that hosts special needs children needing families and there was the most precious little boy. His eyes spoke to my heart. He looks as if he could be one of our children. I then clicked on a link for children available to large families and there he was again! The first child to be seen. He was so adorable and I felt very moved by his short bio.

That and the next several nights were sleepless for me. Prayers for that sweet little face were constantly on my lips. Our own children were having so much difficulty in getting along. Prayers for their leading and help with raising them in the Lord were being said as well. Through tears, I shared the picture with Stuart and after our prayers for clear guidance together - we decided to take a step and ask about the little boy called "Chad".

The day that I found him was his 5th birthday! He was born in 2006 (our others are 00, 02, 04 and 08) and has a birthday on and even day, just like the rest of us! Turns out his special need is language delay - I'm a speech therapist. Wow - God spoke so loud and clear to me at that time...

Rescue him. Take him. Teach him. Love him. Love me.

We then began the crazy process of international adoption. Adoption is definitely not for wimps or for the impatient. I am both of those things, so at times I wonder what in the world do I think I'm doing? Each step of the paperwork and jumping through hoops feels like it takes an eternity and is torture to my heart and arms that long to hold our new son.

Imagine being taken away from anything and everything you've ever known. Your country, culture, language, housing, food, caregivers, and friends. I'm praying that the Lord will ease the transition for him and for our family. We are the good guys right? Is he better off where he is with those things he knows? Absolutely not! These are thoughts that scare me, but my biggest supporter - my wonderful husband -reminds me that "Fear is not from the Lord." This is God's calling on our life, His glory will shine!

Oh yes - "Chad" was a protective name given to him online, but that's still what we call him. His real name is Dimitar.

On June 3 we were approved by the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria to become "Chad's" parents! We will travel as a family to meet and visit with him for only 5 days (that's all we're allowed), then we will have to return home to do more paperwork, submit it then wait for a judge to let us come bring him home. We are officially 6 weeks into the process and still have a while to wait on our last two forms (immigration USICS and FBI). The papers then go to Tallahassee to be apostilled, sent onto Bulgaria and have to be translated there to be given to the Minister of Justice as our official dossier - then she gives us dates to visit.

Psalm 62:2 Truly He is my Rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.