Mug Shots

Why do passport pictures have to look like mug shots? We went to Rite Aid this past Saturday and had our pictures taken for our passports. It is offensive in some cultures to show your teeth. I don't know how to smile without showing my teeth! What I ended up with was a picture that looks like a criminal mug shot. It's awful. Kory and Ash don't look so bad. But really, I don't care. I mean who is really going to see it except the overworked person at customs who really could care less what my picture looks like. So, my mug shot is going on my passport. We have to fill out the paperwork and go pay for them yet. So much to do, so little time. Especially this time of year!

Adoption Dinner at our Church

We are so blessed to have so many wonderful family members, friends, and a wonderful church family. We had an adoption benefit soup and sandwich luncheon at our church the first Sunday of November to help us with adoption expenses. So many people helped us make this day possible. We appreciate the support, prayers, and love from all of you! It was a fun day!

In this picture, Ashleigh and my friend/co-worker Linda are making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids. A personal favorite of mine, too!

Here they come!

Friends from church

Rhonda, Amy, Tonya, & me

Our recently engaged friends Valerie and Brandon

Our families joined us for the event. Here Kory and I are with Ashleigh, our nephew Riley, and our neice Kelsey.

Since we are adopting from the Philippines, we included some Filipino food to sample such as jackfruit (which I learned is the largest fruit in the world), pomelo Tang, mango jam, & purple yam jam to name a few. I found these foods at an Asian grocery store in Toledo.

Me and my friend/co-worker Pam.

Me and my friend Darlene

Adoption Dinner

Me and my friend Tonya

Lessons from a Pup

How can one little puppy change our life so much? The other night I was trying to pack for the Activity conference in Columbus that I had to attend for work Weds-Friday. Franklin kept stealing my socks, picking on Kody, our 9 year old black lab, chewing on Ashleigh's stuffed animals and Barbies (Barbies don't stand a chance against puppy teeth!), and then peeing on the floor. I took him outside. As I sat there in the dark, a little chilled, under the starry sky, as the little guy romped around in the yard, I realized maybe Franklin is trying to send me a message. I like my life structured-you can ask Kory-I have a million to do lists floating around the house. It helps keep me organized-maybe a little too much at times. I realize as much as Franklin has upset my normal routine and changed my life, more changes are ahead. I am excited about the adoption, but I realize it will change our family forever. I'm anticipating it to be a good change, but none the less, there will be many things we will all have to adjust to in order to learn to live together and be a family. So, maybe this little puppy who just so happens to be sleeping soundly on the floor right and looking oh, so cute, can teach me a thing or two about living life more spontaneously. I'm sure Kory wouldn't mind one less to do list!

Keeping Busy

We're hanging in here-waiting. The social worker advised us to keep busy while we wait. And we are with work, coaching Ashleigh's soccer team, hobbies, that sort of thing. But, what has occupied a lot of time lately is this little guy. He entered our life Tuesday. Kory found him while he was mowing the yard. He was just wandering around the street and it was getting dark. So far, no one has claimed him, so we are taking care of him. It's a full-time job between him and our black lab Kody. The little guy, who my friend Carolyn named Franklin, likes to play a little more than the older guy. They are developing a fondness for one another, though. Time will tell what happens. At this point, we are all attached. And definitely keeping busy. I had forgotten how much endless energy puppies have. But isn't he cute?

New Friendships

Since we started our adoption journey in February, we have met so many wonderful people. People who have adopted, people who are somewhere along the process like us, and people who have an interest in adoption. Since we have chosen to adopt from another country, it is extremely important to us to help keep the Filipino culture alive for our child. One of the most exciting things along our journey is that we have met a wonderful group of Filipino people from our community who are excited for us and willing to help us. They have answered our cultural questions, introduced us to some Filipino foods, and welcomed us into their homes. What wonderful people and a wonderful connection for our child to his or her culture. We just got home a little awhile ago from a cookout at one of their homes. It was a wonderful evening. We feel so blessed to have met some new friends. Adoption is a wonderful thing in so many ways. Meeting new friends is just one of many blessings.

Officially Waiting Now!

We received a phone call today from the social worker at our agency. We've been officially approved by the intercountry adoption board of the Philippines! Yes!!! Ashleigh called me at work to tell me the agency had called and then she played the message so I could hear. I was so excited I had to leave work early. The feeling was similar to finding our you're pregnant-I can't really explain it any other way. When I got home, Ashleigh and I gave each other a big hug! She was so excited, too. In her prayers tonight, she thanked God that she would finally be getting a brother or sister even if she had to wait a year or two. We're all so excited. Please continue to remember us in your prayers as our family prepares for this wonderful addition to our family!

We're on the Way!

Hey Everyone!!!

We just received word that our dossier has been sent and is on its way to the Philippines!!! We are so excited!! Now, the waiting begins! The next step for us is to obtain our passports. From what I've heard that is a big waiting game, too. Such is life!

Meanwhile, while we wait, we research. Ashleigh has been checking out hotels in the Philippines. She's our little travel agent. If you can't tell, we're all excited!

We'll keep you posted! Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and love!
The Allison Family

Major Accomplishment Along the Journey!

Okay, I wish I had a picture but Ashleigh was visiting grandparents and Kory was sleeping so I don't, but I made an important journey this past Saturday. I traveled first to the library to make $5.00 worth of copies. (At 10 cents a copy, you do the math). Then, across the street with my white envelope tight in hand, I marched up to the Post Office. I have never in my life been so exicted to go to the post office. When I handed over that white envelope containing our dossier (a.k.a important packet of papers detailing everything you could possibly want to know about us that is very helpful in helping the adoption foundation learn about who we are), I was ecstatic! I walked out of there feeling a huge sense of accomplishment. And it was. It is. Since Feb, we have been making trips to the health dept for birth cert. copies, the psychologist for a psych eval, the doctor for med. exams, the police dept. for fingerprint checks, to Cleveland to the Fed. building, and to parenting classes. We tracked down our marriage certificates because we somehow forgot the county we were married in. Yeh, you can imagine my surprise to learn that Knox county in TN had no record of our marriage. I was getting worried for a moment until I discovered Gatlinburg isn't in Knox county. Oops. Just one minor detail overlooked. Yes, we've done all sorts of things these past few months. But you know, it is all worth it. We would do it all over again knowing what the end result will be. And we know there is a very good reason all this information is required (a.k.a. the paper pregnancy). So, the dossier is on its way. And now we wait. If anyone has any creative ideas on things to do while I/we patiently wait, please let me/us know. Yes, I plan to read up on the culture of the Philippines but other ideas would be appreciated, too. I think God is teaching me patience!

Pictures

Sorry, I've been so wrapped up in this adoption stuff so long I just expect everyone to know what I am talking about. What do pictures have to do with adoption paperwork? The pictures we are waiting on are for our dossier, the packet of papers and family and home photos that gets sent over to the Philippines. The pictures are the final step before we submit our dossier so you can imagine our frustration when 5-7 days is turning into a month! We'll keep you posted...

Getting Closer...

Hello Everyone! It's been a while. We've been busy with 4-H, work, vacation, and just life. We spent the first week of July vacationing in West Virginia. We visited my 4th grade penpal and her family. It was a wonderful week and a great escape from the stress of everyday life. The picture is of us atop Spruce Knob, the highest point of West Virginia. It was a rainy, cold, windy day but we had fun! It was hazy the day we were there, but I guess on a clear day, you can see 4 states. It was hard to come back home. We love mountains, and it was fun to spend time with Mandy and her family.

Back to life...our adoption paperwork is almost done. Ashleigh made her trip to the lawyer to sign her form that was required stating she understood she would share her inheritance should the unforseen happen to her parents. She looked so grown up signing her name on official business. Kory told her not to get too excited about the form because at this point, we don't have too much for her to inherit! :) While we were in WV, the form from the government called the I171H came that we have been waiting on. Of course, the pictures I ordered on 6/25 aren't here yet. My order was somehow lost. Such is life! So we wait. I guess we ought to get used to waiting...

Hello Everyone! This is our family, July 2005, at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It's one of our favorite family pictures except for one thing-something is missing. Around January of this year, we finally realized what was missing from our family and thus began our journey into adoption. After much prayer and discussion, we have decided that a child between the ages of 2-7 from the Philippines would be the perfect fit for our family. We are almost done with the paperwork-finally! Then, we will begin the official period of waiting-one to two years! But, it will all be worth it. Many of our family and friends have expressed an interest in our adoption journey, so we thought this would be a great way to keep everyone up to date. You can all wait with us...