Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to each and every one of you! We were hoping we would be ushering in 2012 with our two new kids, but as is often the case in adoption, there is far less you can truly control than you'd like. OK, so later will still be better than never! At this point it looks like spring 2012 for us, so perhaps Easter will be the first major holiday we all celebrate together. In the meantime, we still get to start the year with the 3 best kids in the world, with our eyes still focused on finishing the adoption process, and welcoming Masha and Andriy into our family :)

Brothers and Sisters

We talk a lot about Jodi and I adopting Masha and Andriy and how they will soon have parents who want, love, protect and care for them. For our family, it's much more. They are also getting the absolute bestest brothers and sisters. Our three "biological" kids are really incredible people, and frankly have worked just as hard as us to prepare for this adoption. Watching how they cared for Masha this summer and how quickly she was embraced and nurtured into our family was an amazing experience, and a testimony to the truly wonderful people our kids are. These two orphans aren't just getting new parents, they're getting a whole new family!

It's The Simple Things

The Christmas season is crazy in America. Lots and lots of presents, coffee maker, iPads, you name it. We've been continually blessed as two families have gone before us in adopting a couple of Masha's friends from the same orphanage, so we've been able to send cards, pictures and gifts.

Perspective is an amazing thing. They wanted, or rather, needed, coats and gloves. So they could be warm. A sobering reminder that for so many, it's the simple things we take for granted that can mean so much. It will be cool to show Andriy how to use the Keurig though... :)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! Today is the day I start working on my 2012 goals for the year. 2012 is kinda fuzzy at this point as our world will be changing quite a bit this coming spring as we add two more children to our family with Masha and Andriy. We got to talk to Masha on Christmas which we were so grateful for (Andriy got to go to Italy to visit the family there that has hosted him for visits before). The time is rapidly approaching when we will get to travel to Ukraine to do our court dates and bring our new family members home! As of now, our dossier will be submitted on February 7th, which would probably have us traveling in March for our court dates. Thanks to all for your support and prayers, keep praying as we finish all of our preparations for adoption and family expansion, and to keep Masha and Andriy safe and sound until we can complete the adoption process!

Recalculating!

Just like the insurance commercial running nowadays with the GPS constantly changing directions, it's much like that in adoption. We've already lost count of how many times things change in what we're finding to be much more of a constantly fluid process! Sometimes however this is a good thing! Early this week we were told that the orphanage our two kids are in would be closing in January, and they would be moved to another orphanage. Odds are this would be bad vs. good. A big praise that this has now been changed, and it's back to the May closing date, so our kids will be staying put where we know where they are :) Continued thanks as well as we have been able to stay in contact with them, currently another family is over in Ukraine with their adoption so they have been able to spend time with Masha and Andriy and give them the messages and items we had sent over. We are grateful to pass along our words to them, hear what wonderful kids they are, and feel the peace knowing these two kids were meant to be ours!

Marco...Polo...Marco...Polo...

Well alrighty! Our adoption paperwork is on its way to Ukraine! The facilitator should have it shortly and it could be filed this coming week :) Our sincere thanks to everyone who helped guide us through getting it all ready to go, and for your continued prayers and support! More prayers are needed as we continue to get ready financially to do this, and special prayers for Masha and Andriy. For our adoption, the clock has been ticking for a couple reasons in that 1) Masha is 15 and close to aging out of the Ukrainian adoption system and 2) the orphanage they are in was scheduled to be closed this coming May. Well, one of those hit midnight early in that we have just heard that their orphanage will be closing the beginning of January. So please pray for their peace of mind in that, that they dont get separated for some reason, and that the new orphanage they end up in will be favorable for adoption!

S..k.....y.p....e....

Last weekend we got to Skype to Ukraine for the first time. Often the tranlsators computer wasn't working, and as we found this time, the internet service over there is, well, iffy! I think we had to reconnect like 9 times and the volume didnt work! So we're all bunched on the couch with video (sometimes) on the laptop and talking via the cell phone (which ironically works better calling halfway around the world better than locally). Masha wasn't there as she was in the hospital (for a routine check up we found out later), but we got to "see" Andriy for the first time.

Masha smiles a lot. Andriy, I think I've seen one picture with a smile and he was typically stoic on the video. While I think Masha is going to gel very fast, I also think Andriy may be a tougher nut to crack. Typically the boys get less attention there than girls to begin with, so I can already see that he will be a special mission given to Dylan and I to love on him and bring him out of his shell. His restoration will be very special to our family!

Dot the T's, Cross the I's...

We haven't posted for awhile, which means we're just chugging on through what I would define as the 1000 points of detail phase of adoption! One one hand, we really want to bring these orphans to their new home as quickly as possible. On the other hand, the adoption process is generally not designed to brng them home quickly! Lots of documents and forms, applications, notaries, appostilles, questions, revisions, etc. We are very close to knowing if we're ready to move forward as we put the finishing touches on our dossier and have the attorney review to ensure everything is ok to submit our dossier. The other part is finances, we're still awaiting word from the organization who would help out with the financial side of things. Feels like a roller coaster ride where you're at the peak of the uphill climb and just about to crest and then whoosh! down the other side you go. Thanks to all for your prayers and support, please keep praying for a positive response from the financial people and finishing up our papers, so we can go get Masha and Andriy!

We miss you too!

Today was a good day in which we were able to talk to Masha and Andriy on the phone. Alla, the escort on their hosting trip and translator, travels to the orphanage every two weeks to visit, and we try to connect on the phone. Talking is always funny as we say something in English, Alla translates into Ukranian, they respond in Ukranian, Alla tells us in English, so on and so on. Lots of gaps waiting in between. We're listening this morning, and then we hear Masha's voice in English..."I miss you". Sometimes it's those small moments that remind us how important this is. We want to bring these kids home soon!

Honey, have you seen the winter coats?

OK, so we're not cold weather people. Hey, we live in Texas! Average daytime high in Zhytomr is currently around 35 degrees fahrenheit. I am guessing that is really, really cold! Things are moving along in the process and we're getting to a key point. On the prayer side: we've turned in our financial support paperwork and it's being reviewed, please pray that we get good news! We're still fundraising and that has gone well, but still need the short term financing to seal the deal. We are still hoping to bring these two orphans home before year end!

On the praise side, like 3 things left on paperwork and we'll have everything we need to send to the attorney in Ukraine! We did hear that she got the docs back from the SDA (the entity that oversees adoptions in Ukraine) and Masha and Andriy are indeed available for adoption, there are no other sibling issues, and they are local to Zhytomr so that makes it logistically a lot easier (in Ukraine you have to travel to the orphans home area to adopt).

We are so thankful for all who have supported us so far in this process!

Marathon For Adoption

This past Saturday was the Marathon for Adoption. It's a wonderful event set up to help financially support families in the adoption process. Team Tansey had a great team of super duper people to register and run, or financially support our adoption of Masha and Andrei, a brother and sister set of orphans in Ukraine. Our son Dylan ran the half marathon and had a great run. We have been incredibly blessed with a great group of supporters, there are so many people who are helping us to bring these kids to their new permanent home! We're well down the road in the process, but there is still much to be done. Keep praying!

Connecting

We are so very thankful for being able to keep in touch with Masha and Andrei while we go through all the preparation for adoption. Since they are like on the other side of the world and don't speak English, this could be a challenge one would think, but we've been blessed by having a contact here and a contact there to help us communicate with them. First we've been able to talk to them on the phone with the translator, Alla, who visits them at the orphanage. Second, there are other families that have started making their trips over for their adoptions who have been able to pass along messages, take a warmer coat, etc. For us, it is so important that they know that they have not been forgotten, that we are still here working and praying hard for them, and are 111% on board in fulfilling our promise to bring them home soon to their new family!

Courageous

Our family went to see the movie "Courageous" on Saturday night. Without leaking too much of the plot for those who haven't seen it yet, one of the messages was the introspection of how much we invest in those we love, specifically our kids. If Jodi and I have done anything right with our kids, it's been to really invest into them so that there is never any question how much we love them, or how important they are to us. We've got the miles on the cars and bleacher backs to prove it! I can honestly say that if a tragedy occurred (not interested at all in testing this by the way...) I would feel like I didn't miss the mark on this with them. It naturally got me to thinking about the two orphans we want to bring home, who have probably gone without this, and how much we want to bring them home, be their parents, and give them (albeit a late start...) a childhood with parents who would love them, fight for them, provide for them and protect them, no different than we do for the three we have at home. I'm so excited for the, love, time home and future we will be able to give them!

Adoption Fundraiser

The friendship bracelets are $3.00 and the car/home/bag scents are $6.00. All proceeds benefit the Tansey adoption. Email ctansey@austin.rr.com to purchase. Thank you for your generous support.

15

Yesterday was Masha's 15th birthday. We will be so glad to have her here for her Sweet 16th next year! We couldn't be there or talk to her on her actual birthday, but we do have someone who is gracious enough to do something for her over there, and are hoping to get to talk to her and Andrei on the phone again very soon! It's the odd adoption conundrum of having two children who are already becoming an integral part of our lives, yet are still on the other side of the world! At least we have the peace of mind knowing there is someone who cares over there who can translate for us and tell them how much they are on our hearts and minds!

ZZZ... zzz...

This is the phase of the adoption process that probably drives most people nuts. We know what God wants us to get done. We want to get it done. There are a lot of man-made moving pieces in the process in the middle! Honestly, things are moving along probably pretty well. Home studies, immigration approvals, fundraising, attorneys, etc, passports, preparing our home for teenagers #4 and 5! It's not all done yet but we're chugging along through the process. We would love for it to be done as quickly as possible so we can bring these kids home!

Can You Hear Me Now?

We are very thankful for technology. It amazes me that we can pick up our cell phone and call the other side of the world ~ and that the connection is usually better than calling a friend down the road! Masha is back from summer camp, Andrei is back from Italy, and Alla (translator and amazing person in general) was able to make it to the orphanage for a visit, so we got to talk to the kids this morning. It was the first time we got to do that since Masha left Texas a month ago from the hosting trip. It was so great to be able to connect with them and be able to tell them that they are in our hearts and prayers every day, and most importantly, not forgotten. Masha still gets a laugh out of our family sense of humor, silly nicknames and our general craziness. The wheels are turning to bring them to their forever home as quickly as possible. For us, it can't be soon enough!

Ready When We Are!

Paperwork is flowing and fundraising is going. However, it's always important that the orphans you want to adopt, are there for you to adopt. In Ukraine, orphans have to be available for domestic adoptions for 14 months before you can adopt them internationally. Got confirmation this morning that Masha and Andriy are available for international adoption and ready to go when we are, which is great news. It is what we had been told but nice to get the official word. Thanks to all for your continual prayers and support that all the paperwork and finances line up as fast as possible, so we can bring these children home soon!

"Wow" is the word of the day

The past couple days have been really good. Paperwork is chugging along, and over the past week we've been sending out our adoption support letter. For those who know me, I'm not a big fan of paperwork, but can tolerate it for a good cause such as this. The biggest chunk of work in the adoption will be the financial side of it. Not that I'm really worried, because if God wants this to happen, it'll happen, and there's peace of mind in that. However, bread crumbs on the trail are nice. Both yesterday and today good things happened on the financial side of things that were really encouraging. So far this adoption thing has been humbling on both edges of the proverbial sword, in that 1) we have the opportunity to literally change these orphans lives, and 2) how blessed we are with so many wonderful and supportive people!

Back in the Shack

We had a great time with Masha while she was here on our hosting trip this summer. When she returned to Ukraine, she went to summer camp right after her arrival at the orphanage and will be returning there on August 27th. We have truly hoped she is well and miss her a lot. Since she left for camp right after getting back, we have not been able to talk to her since she left Austin. So, we haven't been able to say how much we enjoyed her being here, or how much we want her back for good. She hasn't been able to share her trip with Andriy or that we want to adopt them. So, it's like a time warp in that there's been this month gap between our asking her to come be a part of our family (she said yes :), wanting to hear that she's safe, that she has shared her summer here with her brother, and that he wants to come as well. We are so looking forward to reconnecting!

Happy Anniversary!

Friday marked the 21st anniversary for Jodi and I. I am very fortunate to have found a person who has changed my life for the better! I am also hoping this will be our last anniversary with 3 kids, and that we will celebrate our 22nd with our 5 kids. For those that know our family, you know how important our family and children are to us, how much we invest into their lives to build amazing people. For those that know our children, you know how that has paid off, we are incredibly blessed with the 3 most incredible kids on the planet. We are so excited to have the opportunity to welcome Masha and Andriy into our family, to give them the same love, guidance and encouragement, and to see the new lives that will flourish. In just the five short weeks Masha was with us this summer, it was so cool to see her blossom, imagine what can happen when they are ours forever!

It Takes A Village

Sitting here over the laptop evenings this week as we hit the ground running on our fundraising and reflecting on all the awesome support we've received, it's a great feeling! Our family has always had a large and eclectic group of friends, but we're being reminded every day of the wonderful people we've come to know over the years. We are very blessed!

Welcome to our blog!

Adoption has been on our hearts probably about as long as we've been married. We have been pretty occupied raising our three children for some time now, but it's clear that the time is now for us to turn the vision of adoption into reality! That door opened in the form of the opportunity to host an orphan from the Ukraine, a 14 year old girl named Masha. She spent five weeks with us this summer and it was a truly wonderful time. It was simply amazing how she came from the other side of the world but so naturally intended to be a part of our family!

It was very hard to put her on the plane to return to the orphanage once her trip was over, but also so very easy to see that we wanted to make her a permanent part of our family. So, we are moving forward with the process of adopting her and her 12 year old brother Andriy. We can't wait to adopt these orphans and give them a new "forever" home!