I just recieved word from one of the families currently in Zambia that it is nearly impossible to find kids there.  She strongly encourages anyone hoping to adopt from Zambia to get a referral before making the trip.  As my readership knows that is not an option for me. 

After much prayer I paid for the tickets this morning despite the warning.  I called the Social Welfare person and she said she would look into the situation.  I hope that she will see my willingness to purchase the tickets as an act of good faith in her.  Maybe that can help to repair the damage to our relationship.

 Please pray that somehow we will be able to find children to adopt when we go there…and also that if we can’t that we will be able to handle it with grace and without bitterness and be happy for the chance we had to live in Africa for a few short weeks.

I can’t believe I am leaving for Zambia in two weeks and one day!  Every time I start thinking about it I starting feeling like I’m going to hyperventilate.  Holy cow this is a jump into the unknown.  I’m excited, and scared, and just plain crazy! LOL

I haven’t even started packing yet.  I have NO clue what I’m going to wear while I’m there.  All I own are jeans and tees.  I also have absolutely no donations to bring either. 

Also we lost Finn’s passport EEEK and had to spend another $230 to have another one expidited! 

My main worry is finding the girls.  Please please please pray that I can find them quickly!

I booked a room today at The Reedmat Lodge!  They were very generous and it seems like a great place!  Wow!  I’m so excited now!

I spoke with the person in Zambia who was helping us and it seems she would rather work with us in person when we arrive rather than start the process for us before we arrive.  I’m afraid I must have offended her in some way with my ignorance and questions and now she isn’t as interested in working with us as she was before.  I’m so sad, but I haven’t lost all hope.  She seemed sure that we would find children when we arrive….she just didn’t seem to want to do us any extra favors.

Oh my stupidity!  

 Hopefully this will not be too much of a difficulty and we will still find our girls.  I am going to pay for our tickets this week so there will be no going back.  Please pray that she will accept my apologies and have a change of heart.

We leave in 23 days!

Our I-171h came today after five weeks of waiting(from our fingerprint date).  We were so lucky to find out about Rwanda before our paperwork was sent to Nairobi.  And about four weeks ago we were able to send in a letter to change countries without paying an extra fee.  So this means that we are approved by the US to adopt two girls under 60 months old and this is the #1 thing needed for an adoption in Zambia.  Our paperwork is heading over to the Embassy in Lusaka as we speak!

Oh and I was able to wire the fostering money over today as well, so hopefully the Social Welfare person will be able to start trying to locate our children.  Dare I say that I’m hopeful?  Maybe this whole thing is going to work out after all!  Maybe I better start studying up on doing African hair. :-0.

Well, the Social Welfare person emailed me back today asking for the foster care fee.  I guess this means she approves our family for adoption in Zambia?  I hope so!

Woohoo! I’m off to Western Union!

We have found out recently that it is possible to recieve referrals from Zambia before we actually travel there.  A friend I originally met in cyber space and have since met in real life has just recieved a referral for a baby girl.  She gave me the number for the Social Welfare worker who she was working with.

 I got brave and called her tonight.  I was so nervous and kept running forth at the mouth.  She wanted me to email our homestudy to her as soon as she discovered that we have five children.  I did it right away and I hope that’s not a bad thing!  Please pray that she will see how dearly we want to adopt and will help provide a way!  I’m starting to have hope again!

Just wanted to let everyone know that this blog is quiet because there is nothing to say.  The plan right now is to persue Zambia in spite of the fact that we may not find children to adopt.  Two couples from our group are leaving on September 17th to start the process for themselves.  If they find children within 1-2 weeks then Dave and I will go ahead and go on the 13th of October.  If they find it extremely difficult we will likely give up on Africa and choose another route, though we have no idea what that route will be.