Heartstrings

We are so excited to share that we've partnered with an organization called Adoption Bug that facilitates fundraising efforts through the purchase of adoption-themed t-shirts.  

If you (or anyone and everyone you know) would like to show your support of our girls, and adoption in general, please consider shopping for inspiring t-shirts using the link below. You can purchase other great items from Adoption Bug, but only the t-shirts featured on our page are included in our fundraising efforts.
http://www.adoptionbug.com/hockett/

Please tweet the link, post to your facebook page, or share with others in any way you'd like.  In addition, we'd love to post pictures of our family and friends wearing the adoption-themed t-shirts.  We'll get one up for ourselves as soon as we can.  

As always, thanks for reading and joining us on our adoption journey.

"Expanding Families"

Every so often I come across something incredibly helpful as I search for ways to articulate this journey we're experiencing.  Today, this "something" was a white paper written by the Christian Alliance for Orphans.  

--17.8 million children worldwide have lost both parents.--

There are many inherent limitations to any data that claims to be truly "global" in nature.  One of the greatest weaknesses in these global orphan estitimates is that they include only orphans that are currently living in homes.  They do not count the estimated 2 - 8+ million children living in institutions.  Nor do current estimates include the vast number of children who are living on the streets, exploited for labor, victims of trafficking, or participating in armed groups.  Thus, global orphan statistics significantly underestimate the number of orphans worldwide and fail to account for many children that are among the most vulnerable and most in need of a family.

In addition, the CAFO utilized the term "Expanding Families" to describe when orphans are placed in permanent, loving families.  Phrasing like this so beautifully defines our feelings and beliefs about our current situation.  These amazing Haitian sisters are a family.  They have a family history.  We are not replacing that family history - we are becoming part of their "Expanding Family".   What a miracle.


If you'd like to read the complete CAFO white paper, please see the link below.
Understanding Orphan Statistics

Heat Wave

The desert-like temperatures of the heat wave we've just experienced provide an effective analogy for the current state of our adoption news.  High temperatures buckle pavement, scorch lawns, and force all creatures to seek the support of shade and hydration.


Similarly, monetary challenges, the uncertainty of governmental actions, and timelines outside of our control create their own weathering wave.


The expense of adoption is impacted by many variables; country, agencies, number of children, etc.  Funds we've invested in our adoption process of the past are of no use - A new journey equals new fees.  Our hope has been to raise the $50,000+ necessary to complete the adoption and bring the girls home.  Through a series of grant applications, networking, fundraising, and saving, this will hopefully be a reality.  


We sincerely want to thank those of you who have supported the girls to date.  Please know that the immense need remains.  Although we've sought support from outside sources, responses have not been as encouraging as we'd hoped.  We remain steadfast and continue to search for opportunities to gather together the funds necessary for continuing the journey.


Heat waves pass as fronts roll in.  Rains can soothe, average temperatures restore, and a sense of normalcy returns.  Whether you are keeping us in your thoughts, saying a prayer on the girls' behalf, or sending us ideas for fundraising, you are helping to calm and sustain us.  Many thanks.  

"Wait Time"

We have no love for the phrase "wait time".  Throughout our adoption journey, we have experienced an incredible amount of "wait time".  Agencies use this phrase to describe how many months are between the submission of certain paperwork and the acceptance of a referral.  Or, how many months are between all the paperwork and being able to travel to the the children.

Initially, we were hoping to travel to meet the girls in May or June.  With the Haitian government deciding to reorganize their adoption processes, they are not accepting dossiers until August 1st.  This means that our first trip to the girls will not be until at least the range of August-September-October.

The positive aspect of this is that Haitian government officials want the best for their children.  They want to increase the efficiency of their processes, and ensure that children are safe by enhancing the sets they have in place.  We are in full support of these efforts.

What we've learned over the years is not to count on any particular timeframe until official word/travel details are in hand.  We've also learned to use the time in ways that make sense for us.  Continuing to read, learn, plan, stay firm in our faith.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers as we all engage in this "wait time" together.

What a week!

Amidst the ordinary hustle and bustle of a week, we experienced two moments of unexpected joy.


With another visit to the Index department downtown, our final documents for the dossier were approved by our government and officially authenticated.  We quickly hand-delivered those documents to our agency in Oak Park.    
     
On the heels of feeling the relief of one completed task, we were given our referral for the girls.  In adoption lingo, this means that we are officially matched with the girls!  We wrote our letter of acceptance, and signed on the dotted line.  


While this may seem like just another paper task, this step is our formal commitment to the girls and to becoming a family.  Adoptive families wait for months, and even years, to finally receive word of a child or children who have been referred to them for adoption.  


In all honesty, we are stunned by the fact that we've actually come this far after so many years.  We exist in a world of emotions - relieved happiness, cautious optimism, tempered anxiousness.  As always, our faith, family, and friends are a tremendous support.

To Do List

1. Tie up some paperwork loose ends.
2. Practice patience.
3. Keep learning.  Learning new words, reading expert perspectives, taking classes.
4. Remember that we are never in control.
5.  Interview counselors to find someone with the right blend of knowledge, compassion and expertise.
6. Continue to pursue grants and other fundraising efforts. 
7. Find a travel clinic to begin rounds of shots.

While we continue to work on the things we can control, we are often met with news of what we cannot control.  For instance, the U.S. State Department recently posted news that the IBESR (Haiti's governmental entity overseeing adoption) has ceased taking in new dossiers and will open the process again on June 1st.  Last week, we received word that this timeline has changed to August 1st.

We don't really know what this will mean for us.  We hope that we will still travel to meet the girls in the next few months.  In the meantime, we’ll continue to have faith and focus on learning along the way.

Paper with Purpose

You might remember that we had a few documents that were rejected by our government's authentication department.  We received word today that our final document needing revision had been completed.  So, we can now take these several documents to be authenticated.  At this point, the documents move on to be translated, and make their way to Haiti.  


In the meantime, we need to work on picture pages that will be given to each girl to introduce who we are.  On 8 1/2 X 11 pieces of paper, we need to provide a glimpse of who we are and seek to establish that first bit of connection.  While we know the few pictures we'll probably use, our more important task is determining how we will personalize the picture pages for each girl.  


-What should we write?  
-How do we make each of the girls feel unique and special?  
-How do we communicate all the hopes we have for their futures through such limited vessels?     


Our current plan includes trying to harness the tiny bit we know about their interests and talents in an effort to express our hearts and begin to add on to their definition of family.  We'll let you know how it goes.