Could this be the month??

We are missing this sweet little girl...

We can't wait to return to Bulgaria to pick up little Mahaela,

and leave the doors of this orphanage with our daughter, an orphan no more!

I feel some relief that the month of October is over. We realized fairly early in the month that October would not be the month that we would be able to return to Bulgaria. We are still holding out hope that November could be the month. So I am happy to see November finally here.

Saturday ended the football season for both Ryan and Jake. Aubrey continues to play basketball, but life will be a bit more simplified. Still a lot of driving, but less stress, and maybe a few meals at home in our future.
My to-do list is very long...as you would know if you just stepped one foot into my house. Too many loose ends to call my life anything but UNRAVELED! I am hoping to methodically tackle as many items on the list as I am able the next week or two.

I did receive something that makes me smile...an email from a caregiver of Mahaela. I had sent M. a package and I also emailed the caregiver a little note. I had an email address from the caregiver sending me some photos of M. from her phone. So I had a new friend translate a letter for me that I sent on to the orphanage. The response I got was sweet and friendly. They said they were speaking every day about Mahaela's mom and dad coming to get her and taking her to America. Now, she has no idea what that really means, but I like knowing that they are preparing her as best they can. We also sent a photo of our family and a photo of M. that I "scrapbooked." She said they liked the photos.
I intend to send another package this week for M. Birthday. Not sure what to send, but it will include candy for her to perhaps share with the other children in her group. I just need to think of some other things???

Still no word on traveling. We do have another week of waiting for the mandatory 14 day wait after the court hearing. Then birth certificate will be applied for.
Can't wait to hear dates of when we can travel!

We Passed Courts

Bill said, "...and then there were 5!" We have successfully passed court in Bulgaria. It is official, Mahaela is a Hauter!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Jesus!

We are so blessed and thankful. Today is a great day, but now I just want her home.

John 14:18, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." I am constantly reminded through this whole adoption that Jesus has done this for me. He has adopted me into His family. He sought me out and made me a child of His...a child of the KING.

God provided for us the seed, the willing heart, the willful obedience, the perseverance, the stamina, the guidance, the opportunity, the blessing--all that has culminated into Mahaela joining our family. Praise the Lord!

I am posting a video of photos from our first trip to Bulgaria. We left Bulgaria 3 months ago today. Now, we anxiously await our travel dates.

Mahaela JoMae Hauter given to us October 25, 2010...

Court Date Scheduled

October 25 is the day our little girl will become a Hauter, Lord willing!
We are still working out travel details and praying hard that it all works out as there are many details to work through. Life is just complicated with work and 4 other kids and all it requires to leave it all to travel half way around the world. I know it will "work out." I just want to feel completely at peace with it.
We are really excited to have this court date. Bill has said many times..."I can't believe I am going to be the father to another little girl" and she won't know it and we won't even be with her again for some time after. But, she will legally be ours. I would love to walk up to that orphanage on that Monday evening and take her out for ice cream to celebrate!

Our little girl has a name! (and a blankie)

This blankie belongs to Mahaela JoMae Hauter!

That's right. That is our little girl's name. While in Bulgaria, we signed the papers necessary to give her this name. Jo and Mae are her grandmother's middle names. I have rolled this name around ever since I took driver's ed and heard the name of my instructor's little girl, Nashira JoNae. The name JoNae stuck with me and I began writing baby names even back then--over 20 years ago and well before I would marry Bill. But I knew that if the dream of living happily ever after with Billy Hauter ever came true, that the name JoMae would make perfect sense, someday. Now we finally get to use it. Her first name has a little story behind it that I will share later.

This blanket was a work of love that I really enjoyed doing for our little girl. My grandma, who's name was Joanna made all of her great-grandchildren a blanket. She crocheted one for each of my kids. I looked at each blanket that she made my other children and wondered what she thought about as she worked each one. She died a few years ago, but I thought of her a lot as I made this. I really loved each one and wanted one for our littlest girl also. So, less than two weeks later, here it is completed. Now what am I gonna do with my spare time??
I've been praying for Mahaela and thinking about her so much. We are trying to be so patient in waiting for our court date. Hoping the next week or so brings us the news we have been waiting for.

A few photos of our first 4 children!

A few snapshots of the kids...something to fill these pages until I can post adorable photos of our Bulgarian Babe!

Ryan, who is a die-hard Cardinal fan, played as a Cub during summer baseball league. His team got first in the play-off tournament and it was so fun to see him play and win. The last 3 games were intense and Ryan pulled off some amazing plays. So fun to WIN!

Jake sitting at his desk in 3rd grade. My little boy is getting too old, too fast! Third grade feels so old as he seems to have more responsibility and is taking it so seriously. Lindsey is bringing home papers now that I remember just doing "yesterday" with Jake.

Aubrey taking a self-portrait. She got a perm this summer and we have blamed everything on that perm. She is so grown up, notices boys alot, has occasional teen attitude, etc. Don't let your teen daughters get a perm--everything changes after that!

Lindsey...Moxy-girl! She is so big, I can't stand it. Here she is first day of Kindergarten! She is so excited and ready to go. She says something everyday that I should be writing down that is just worth remembering for a lifetime. Here's one from yesterday...she said a "not-so-nice-girl" at recess on the "black top" told her that her shoes were ugly! I asked her what she said back. She said to the girl "I was thinking about getting different ones." I thought that was pretty clever..."sticks and stones may break my bones" kind of a come-back. By the way, they are adorable maryjane purple crocks--not ugly! (And yes, she is missing a tooth, but it was well overdue to come out after repeated trauma.)

Back to School 2010. They all are in school, full day. Now waiting for a new little one to fill my time!

Waiting to hear a little longer...

I was informed that it will be after October 1st before we hear of our court hearing being scheduled. There is a bit of a backlog, as I understand it, due to judges taking their vacations and courts slowing down. So after judges return to work they have to wade through cases that are waiting to have their turn in court. I expect to hear something after Oct. 1. They will hopefully get a quick court date, but it could really be scheduled even a month or so down the road. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is still a bit too dim for me! I can't wait to see our little girl again--our little Hauter girl--and have her all to ourselves--to attempt to meet her needs and just love on her.

For some reason, I have really given up on learning Bulgarian. Maybe I am wrong, but I feel I won't be that effective with it anyway. I'm sure I will come home in a complete panic and be searching online for how to say all kinds of things. But for now, I have misplaced my Bulgarian Phrases CD and the wind is out of my sails about it all. Can I get by with...It's ok, yes, no, sit, thirsty, hungry, pee, and Mommy and daddy love you?! Isn't that about all any 3 year old needs to know?? I guess after the first trip I got a good feel for how we communicated. There wasn't that much translating going on between us. We were just content being and playing together. I hope hugs go a long way! (Someone needs to talk some sense into me if I am completely wrong!)

So it continues to be a case of "hurry up and wait" a little longer. And all along I have been overnighting every mailing...(do you want it there by 10 am or 2 pm? Oh, 10 am for sure, because that could make all the difference in the world...and in the end it is sitting in the same pile as those who saved themselves the extra bucks and skipped the overnighting--oh, the irony!) There is something comforting about doing everything you can in your control to make it happen sooner, even if it doesn't really help at all.
I hope to post again in a couple weeks that we have a court date and it is much sooner than later...stay tuned.

Missing my girl

More and more I am thinking of her. She is woven like a thread through my day. I think of her at various times just as I do my other kids. I am looking at her picture and wishing I knew more of her. I really can't wait to know all the details of her personality--that which makes her unique. I can't wait to hear her sweet voice again and see her cute little walk. The weather is turning cooler and I am longing to snuggle up with her.
Baby, I'm missing you tonight.