Join Angela, Axel, Abel, Amos, Audrey and Asher as they welcome their new sibling home.

Friday, January 4, 2013

You know you're adopting when....

This is probably post number 27 in what should just be an ongoing series. It seems, once families start the adoption process, stuff happens. Most of the time it's stuff that affects the much guarded adoption budget!

When we started Axel's adoption, it seems as soon as we sent our dossier to Serbia the engine in my SUV seized up while I was driving down the road. We needed to purchase another car.

When we started Asher's adoption appliances started to die. The refrigerator died just a couple weeks after we got home. In fact, from September 2011 to March 2012 we replaced every appliance in the house.

So here we go again. I was excited for today. I was going to bring a big check to our homestudy agency so we can get that process done and over with. First I needed to get the kids out the door. Angela left first, then Axel. I went down to talk to Axel's bus driver because there have been some...ahem...issues on the bus that needed to be dealt with.

I went back to the house to take a shower while Asher watched Sesame street. (Ok, really the TV is on so he CAN watch Sesame Street, but what he really does is constantly stick his hand into the shower to touch the water spray. ) Got out of the and switched loads of laundry around. When we went back upstairs there was a text on my phone...sigh...I needed to pay a visit to Axel's school, which meant not putting Asher on the bus but dropping him off later instead.

We got to school and made our way to Axel's classroom. While Asher flirted with Axel's teacher, Axel and I had a bit of a discussion about behavior on the bus. Then it was back to the van to get Asher at school. I strapped Asher in then turned on the ignition.

Click click.

OMG no not today.

click click.

Dollar signs started flashing before my eyes. I have EXACTLY the amount I need for the homestudy and the household bills.

Click click.

Dear Lord. Pretty pretty pretty please make this an easy fix.

Click click.

I'm glad I chose to add the roadside assistance option to my auto insurance plan. They were there within a few minutes. They guy said something about needing a new battery, and I replied with something about this being the wrong day for that. He asked why and I explained. He laughed and said, "You know, when you're going the direction the Lord wants you to go, the Devil will do whatever he can to make you trip and fall."

My van back on the road, I dropped Asher off at school then went to the auto supply place to get a new battery. The sales guy was kind enough to put it in for me, asking about my day and where I was headed. I told him of our adoptions and our hope to get our new son home this spring. "Ah, the Devil has thrown a speed bump into your day. I'll pray he leaves you alone the rest of the day."

The homestudy agency has shortened hours on Fridays, and I made it just before they closed. Sadly I learned that the social worker who does our home studies has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be having surgery next week. Please pray for her and her family!

So today's "speed bump" only cost $100 but I know, almost to the penny, how much is needed along the way. I know just how big those speed bumps can get as we move closer to bringing our son home. They always seem to get bigger....and more expensive. We're at the point in the game where I'm starting to obsess about money, constantly recalculating how much each step will cost, watching airfare and currency exchange rates, planning what week various steps need to be completed in order to travel when we're hoping to.

Here's to hoping any additional bumps don't do too much damage!


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