Just a quick update to remind/let you know that we are still waiting on our TA, but we may just be waiting until our agency comes back on Monday (today is Thursday). They are in China, so if we already have TA, we don't know it simply because there is no one there to check. :)
I am SO SO SO excited about the possibilities for Monday and then for a quick turn around for our Consulate Appointment since we want it for the 13th of May!!!! :):):) Praying they still have CA's for the 13th!!!!
Then we get our final bill from the agency with all of our orphanage donations, etc! THE BIG BILL!!!!!
I am TOTALLY nervous about this one! We also get to purchase our plane tickets. As it stands we are WELL BEHIND where we need to be to be able to pay this bill and purchase the tickets!!! Please pray that we will be able to do so! We have credit cards (Discover), but no visa/MC to put things on if they don't take the discover. :(
Thanks for praying! :)
Terri for the Casebier's
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
3/17 Article V Received!
Monday (3/17) we received our Article V and began the wait for travel approval (TA)!!!
This is the 2nd to last step we take before getting on that plane! Times for getting it vary a lot, but it can go anywhere from 1 day to 4 weeks.................right now it's averaging a little over a week. :)
That would be terrific news, the best I could hope for............but our agency has decided to ALL go to China for the next week and a half. :) It's great news for them and the other babies there. What it translates out for our adoption though is that they won't be there to receive our TA when it comes in if it comes in before the 31st. Well, that's not so horrible for me because that's exactly 2 weeks from the start of this wait.............:) So, we definitely are waiting until AT LEAST the 31st to finish this step. :) It's like I have a specific timeline and know that until then I don't have to expect anything.
Once we have that, we will request our CA (consulate appointment) and within 48 hours we should have that locked into place. Then we will TRAVEL!!!!! This is pretty anticlimatic for me right now though as once we receive TA, we will wait 2 weeks to save $ on airlines (which is standard for us), but since the 2 weeks ends right BEFORE Easter, we will wait until after Easter to travel --- so that means about 3 weeks after TA. The awesome thing about that is leaving then puts us in Guangzhou (GZ) for our CA right after the Spring trade fair has ended.............which is perfect timing because the trade fair drives up the costs all over GZ.
Obviously, God's got this all planned out! I was hoping to leave the 15th, but that is before Easter.........that bummed me. Now I'm finding out that the better time to go is right after Easter anyway to avoid that tradefair................it all works out!!!! :)
But that also translates into more wait after TA. More time to get everything done here we need to, before I leave. :) This wait though (since starting the article V wait) has seemed to take a lot longer emotionally for me this time. I am SO SO SO excited to begin the flights and that part of the journey that it's harder to just sit and wait. :) And right now, that wait is about 4 more weeks.................ugh in the happiest sense. :)
Yes, I could fill my time better with fundraisers, but I realized yesterday just how much other stuff I needed to do before leaving (in about 4 weeks) besides fundraising that I know I need to focus more on it for the moment. Things I have put off to try and raise funds --- which I DEFINITELY still need to do ---- but are just as important, like getting my power of attorneys and the post placement reports taken care of.
So please pray that I can take care of a bunch of things in the next few days, to get them off my plate........and that I can go to the chiropractor and physical therapist to get all the kinks out (so to speak) before getting on that long plane ride. :) I don't feel horrible and am mobile, but I already have stiffness and aches that could just get a lot worse with the sitting for 18 hours on a plane in 1 day. :) Just need to make sure I'm prepared better for it. :)
Thank you for your prayers, and any help you can or have given. :) We appreciate it ALL.
This is the 2nd to last step we take before getting on that plane! Times for getting it vary a lot, but it can go anywhere from 1 day to 4 weeks.................right now it's averaging a little over a week. :)
That would be terrific news, the best I could hope for............but our agency has decided to ALL go to China for the next week and a half. :) It's great news for them and the other babies there. What it translates out for our adoption though is that they won't be there to receive our TA when it comes in if it comes in before the 31st. Well, that's not so horrible for me because that's exactly 2 weeks from the start of this wait.............:) So, we definitely are waiting until AT LEAST the 31st to finish this step. :) It's like I have a specific timeline and know that until then I don't have to expect anything.
Once we have that, we will request our CA (consulate appointment) and within 48 hours we should have that locked into place. Then we will TRAVEL!!!!! This is pretty anticlimatic for me right now though as once we receive TA, we will wait 2 weeks to save $ on airlines (which is standard for us), but since the 2 weeks ends right BEFORE Easter, we will wait until after Easter to travel --- so that means about 3 weeks after TA. The awesome thing about that is leaving then puts us in Guangzhou (GZ) for our CA right after the Spring trade fair has ended.............which is perfect timing because the trade fair drives up the costs all over GZ.
Obviously, God's got this all planned out! I was hoping to leave the 15th, but that is before Easter.........that bummed me. Now I'm finding out that the better time to go is right after Easter anyway to avoid that tradefair................it all works out!!!! :)
But that also translates into more wait after TA. More time to get everything done here we need to, before I leave. :) This wait though (since starting the article V wait) has seemed to take a lot longer emotionally for me this time. I am SO SO SO excited to begin the flights and that part of the journey that it's harder to just sit and wait. :) And right now, that wait is about 4 more weeks.................ugh in the happiest sense. :)
Yes, I could fill my time better with fundraisers, but I realized yesterday just how much other stuff I needed to do before leaving (in about 4 weeks) besides fundraising that I know I need to focus more on it for the moment. Things I have put off to try and raise funds --- which I DEFINITELY still need to do ---- but are just as important, like getting my power of attorneys and the post placement reports taken care of.
So please pray that I can take care of a bunch of things in the next few days, to get them off my plate........and that I can go to the chiropractor and physical therapist to get all the kinks out (so to speak) before getting on that long plane ride. :) I don't feel horrible and am mobile, but I already have stiffness and aches that could just get a lot worse with the sitting for 18 hours on a plane in 1 day. :) Just need to make sure I'm prepared better for it. :)
Thank you for your prayers, and any help you can or have given. :) We appreciate it ALL.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
You must be adopting
There is a saying in the adoption realm
"you must be adopting if"............. add what ever costly expense you can think of.
Well, in Feb '12 we were contemplating going back for a little girl. And then our house flooded. We were out of it for almost 2 months...............it was horrible. And in the mean time, we didn't pursue the adoption........stressful was putting it mildly.
Tonight, when Gary went to put the boys in bed, we found their room's floor filled with water! We have a broken pipe somewhere or somehow. :(
Back to square one!
SO, we're not only 9100 short for the adoption still, but we also now have a flood to deal with AGAIN!!!!
Please pray!
Terri for the Casebier's
"you must be adopting if"............. add what ever costly expense you can think of.
Well, in Feb '12 we were contemplating going back for a little girl. And then our house flooded. We were out of it for almost 2 months...............it was horrible. And in the mean time, we didn't pursue the adoption........stressful was putting it mildly.
Tonight, when Gary went to put the boys in bed, we found their room's floor filled with water! We have a broken pipe somewhere or somehow. :(
Back to square one!
SO, we're not only 9100 short for the adoption still, but we also now have a flood to deal with AGAIN!!!!
Please pray!
Terri for the Casebier's
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Taxes..................God will make a way
Well,
Yesterday we found out our tax refund was going to be $5000 less than anticipated because of cashing in what little Gary had in stocks last year. :(
All of the tax money is going to the adoption and had been planned as such. For the last few weeks or so I was getting more excited as our adoption "grant" at RR had grown to the point that we were less than $5000 away from being fully funded. Though our MANY fundraisers were pretty much all flops ---- I HATE fundraising for myself!!!!
But God is FAITHFUL and GOOD!!!! He WILL show His provision for our needs!!!!! I just don't know how yet.
We will probably wait until after Easter to go, so that our current kids get to do their Easter stuff, and it will give us more time to raise funds AND hopefully will mean that our costs will be cheaper booking so far out.
Please pray with us for funds to come in and for my heart to stay at peace.
Terri for the Casebier's
Yesterday we found out our tax refund was going to be $5000 less than anticipated because of cashing in what little Gary had in stocks last year. :(
All of the tax money is going to the adoption and had been planned as such. For the last few weeks or so I was getting more excited as our adoption "grant" at RR had grown to the point that we were less than $5000 away from being fully funded. Though our MANY fundraisers were pretty much all flops ---- I HATE fundraising for myself!!!!
But God is FAITHFUL and GOOD!!!! He WILL show His provision for our needs!!!!! I just don't know how yet.
We will probably wait until after Easter to go, so that our current kids get to do their Easter stuff, and it will give us more time to raise funds AND hopefully will mean that our costs will be cheaper booking so far out.
Please pray with us for funds to come in and for my heart to stay at peace.
Terri for the Casebier's
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
21 Days of Hope with Reece's Rainbow!
I want to make sure everyone knows about the 21 Day of Hope that Reece's Rainbow is doing. Basically we are focusing on 1 child each day to get the word out about them. To help find their forever family.
But this year is even more special. Because an anonymous donor has said that if we as Reece's Rainbow raise $1000.00 for each of the 21 days, then each of the 21 kids will receive $2100.00!!!!! for their grant accounts!!!
It's an incredible 10000% increase of a donation of just $21! That is AMAZING!!!! $1 for each of the 21 days for 1000 people will result in a $44,100 donation for the 21 kids!!! And most of these kids have really low grants of less than $100 each. These grants go to help a family adopt them!
Please consider giving. It's such a small amount for a big reward --- the biggest is that they might find their family. There is a picture of our child of the day in the right hand column of this blog.
The link to donate to this campaign is --- http://reecesrainbow.org/21daysofhope
If you donate, you will also be put into a drawing for a beautiful dress too! :)
You can see the dressmakers work at http://networkedblogs.com/UHocS.
Thank you! :)
But this year is even more special. Because an anonymous donor has said that if we as Reece's Rainbow raise $1000.00 for each of the 21 days, then each of the 21 kids will receive $2100.00!!!!! for their grant accounts!!!
It's an incredible 10000% increase of a donation of just $21! That is AMAZING!!!! $1 for each of the 21 days for 1000 people will result in a $44,100 donation for the 21 kids!!! And most of these kids have really low grants of less than $100 each. These grants go to help a family adopt them!
Please consider giving. It's such a small amount for a big reward --- the biggest is that they might find their family. There is a picture of our child of the day in the right hand column of this blog.
The link to donate to this campaign is --- http://reecesrainbow.org/21daysofhope
If you donate, you will also be put into a drawing for a beautiful dress too! :)
You can see the dressmakers work at http://networkedblogs.com/UHocS.
Thank you! :)
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Today We Will Celebrate
Today I celebrate.
I celebrate that we are 1/2 way through our 2 week Article V wait. That this coming week is Spring Break and after it is over, so will be my wait.
I celebrate that this week I get to travel to the Secretary of State in Austin again so that I can get the last of my documents (power of attorney's) certified, and then send them to Houston (ya I'm not going there again! :) ) to the Consulate.
I celebrate that there have been a lot of funds raised so far in Reece's Rainbow to help give $2100 to each of the 21 children nominated this year. There are many to go, but many have received their grants.
I celebrate because I have 4 beautiful and healthy children at home, along with a wonderful husband too.
I celebrate because I choose to.
This week has been HARD on me and on the family. Lots of frustrations along the road to adoption, lots of ups and downs. I still don't feel totally well.
But I choose to celebrate. I choose Joy..................Joy over anything else that may come along.
We have about 5 weeks left until travel (by my hopeful estimates) and I would leave in a minute if we could..........but until then, I will choose to find Joy............sickness, trials, stress, dieting (ya, I threw that in there), I will choose Joy.
Please pray for us as we get close to travel. We are still waiting on a check from a friends fundraiser, but when that comes, we should be at just less than $5000 to being fully funded.............that doesn't sound like alot, but with only 5 weeks............still intimidating. :)
Please pray that my health improves and that the girls a
I celebrate that we are 1/2 way through our 2 week Article V wait. That this coming week is Spring Break and after it is over, so will be my wait.
I celebrate that this week I get to travel to the Secretary of State in Austin again so that I can get the last of my documents (power of attorney's) certified, and then send them to Houston (ya I'm not going there again! :) ) to the Consulate.
I celebrate that there have been a lot of funds raised so far in Reece's Rainbow to help give $2100 to each of the 21 children nominated this year. There are many to go, but many have received their grants.
I celebrate because I have 4 beautiful and healthy children at home, along with a wonderful husband too.
I celebrate because I choose to.
This week has been HARD on me and on the family. Lots of frustrations along the road to adoption, lots of ups and downs. I still don't feel totally well.
But I choose to celebrate. I choose Joy..................Joy over anything else that may come along.
We have about 5 weeks left until travel (by my hopeful estimates) and I would leave in a minute if we could..........but until then, I will choose to find Joy............sickness, trials, stress, dieting (ya, I threw that in there), I will choose Joy.
Please pray for us as we get close to travel. We are still waiting on a check from a friends fundraiser, but when that comes, we should be at just less than $5000 to being fully funded.............that doesn't sound like alot, but with only 5 weeks............still intimidating. :)
Please pray that my health improves and that the girls a
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
National Down Syndrome Day
Ok everyone! Since I was one of the SUPER BLESSED last night, I have given another 25 beyond my original 21 (only 1% of what I was given and we won't starve giving up 1 take out meals cost, right?).
These are just SOME of the faces of children on Reece's Rainbow -- an organization that helps find families for children in orphanages overseas. It also provides grants for these children as people give to one specific child when one touches their heart.
A GENEROUS donor has offered to give EACH of these 21 children a $2100 GRANT (MANY OF THESE KIDS, esp the ones from C, have less than 1000 in their grants) IF we can raise $21000 in the 1st 21 days of March (it's National Down Syndrome Day and DS is what RR started out for). Our fb group has people, but I'm calling for your help as well. We've already raised $3000 and I know we'll raise more.
Every time we hit another 1000, the child at the top of the list gets their 2100.
Some of these children, like Don Michael are aging out soon and if they don't find a forever family (which is why we do the grants, to help them) these children can be put out on the street. In China, that age is 14. The day they turn 14 they have very few options.
1. Put out on street where people prey on them to turn them into the sex slave trade or to beg
2. Be moved into institutionalization if they have mental type issues
3. The lucky ones may stay on at the institution as workers in the orphanage -- but it is NOT common.
The boy in the blue jacket, in the last row below, is Don Micheal (RR name). He is aging out. He needs people to SHOUT for him. If you know of anyone willing/able to adopt him before he ages out, AWESOME..............if not, can you at least help someone else bring him home?
I'm not asking for a lot of $. Prayers DEFINITELY...............but ANY AMOUNT helps and in the 1st 21 days of March right now, giving to the voice of hope fund helps ALL of these children get a HUGE boost in their grant.
Please look below, see their faces. They are NOT NAMELESS............they ARE IMPORTANT and WORTH loving!!! Just like the tale of the starfish.............we can't save them all, but look we saved this one.
ok, now I sound like a save the children commercial and I didn't start out to. But please pray for them and give as you feel GOD lead you to. I never want to be that salesperson type person.....................but I wanted to bring your attention to a way you CAN impact an orphans life (and their future family's adoptions) without bringing one into your home.
Are you with me? This is less than a new pair of shoes/pants/purse you name it...........aren't they worth it????
http://reecesrainbow.org/21daysofhope
These are just SOME of the faces of children on Reece's Rainbow -- an organization that helps find families for children in orphanages overseas. It also provides grants for these children as people give to one specific child when one touches their heart.
A GENEROUS donor has offered to give EACH of these 21 children a $2100 GRANT (MANY OF THESE KIDS, esp the ones from C, have less than 1000 in their grants) IF we can raise $21000 in the 1st 21 days of March (it's National Down Syndrome Day and DS is what RR started out for). Our fb group has people, but I'm calling for your help as well. We've already raised $3000 and I know we'll raise more.
Every time we hit another 1000, the child at the top of the list gets their 2100.
Some of these children, like Don Michael are aging out soon and if they don't find a forever family (which is why we do the grants, to help them) these children can be put out on the street. In China, that age is 14. The day they turn 14 they have very few options.
1. Put out on street where people prey on them to turn them into the sex slave trade or to beg
2. Be moved into institutionalization if they have mental type issues
3. The lucky ones may stay on at the institution as workers in the orphanage -- but it is NOT common.
The boy in the blue jacket, in the last row below, is Don Micheal (RR name). He is aging out. He needs people to SHOUT for him. If you know of anyone willing/able to adopt him before he ages out, AWESOME..............if not, can you at least help someone else bring him home?
I'm not asking for a lot of $. Prayers DEFINITELY...............but ANY AMOUNT helps and in the 1st 21 days of March right now, giving to the voice of hope fund helps ALL of these children get a HUGE boost in their grant.
Please look below, see their faces. They are NOT NAMELESS............they ARE IMPORTANT and WORTH loving!!! Just like the tale of the starfish.............we can't save them all, but look we saved this one.
ok, now I sound like a save the children commercial and I didn't start out to. But please pray for them and give as you feel GOD lead you to. I never want to be that salesperson type person.....................but I wanted to bring your attention to a way you CAN impact an orphans life (and their future family's adoptions) without bringing one into your home.
Are you with me? This is less than a new pair of shoes/pants/purse you name it...........aren't they worth it????
http://reecesrainbow.org/21daysofhope
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