Insurance Red Tape

We have been trying to get Madilyn on our insurance, but the company is being slow and not liking that we do not have a SS# for her yet. So we had to pay for her well visit today. Hopefully we can get reimbursed, she should be added by the next visit that we have at the end of August.

She is now just over 9 lbs. and 20 inches. She is a little short. The doctors say she appears to be doing well. We had no medical information to pass on to them so they do not know how much she has grown since birth. The medical records should be here in a few days.

Lack of Sleep

I have forgotten what it is like to try to live with a lack of sleep. Madilyn wakes up about every 3-4 hours during the night. It has been a while since any of us have had a good night's sleep. Somehow we are making it through without being to grouchy with each other.

We can not wait for her to start sleeping longer during the night.

First week of New Job

So I started my new job in Cherokee County as the Career Pathways Coordinator. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I attended a conference in Marietta. Most of the information at the conference was information that I had already seen during the two week class I had to take earlier in the summer. I did get to meet a lot of my new co-workers.

On Thursday, all of the administrators in the building were out at a meeting. I spent the day unloading my car and unpacking things for my office. I had Caleb come and help me unload so that it would not take all day. I only worked until noon, because I had to take Caleb to the doctor for a check up. I did not want David to have to take him, because then he would have to also take Madilyn and we do not want her getting exposed to anything right now.

Friday I spent most of the day wondering what to do. My office phone was messed up and it took half the morning to make an outside call. I have no computer and no login so I pretty much could just sit and stare at the walls. I really felt like that most of the day was wasted.

Next week all the teachers will be back for preplanning. Most of the week will be spent in meetings. I am taking Thursday and Friday off so that we can go to South FL to Katie's wedding. Not really looking forward to the trip, but it will be good to see the family and let them see Madilyn.

Home

We received clearance last night to go home. We packed and left within 30 minutes of being cleared. We were planning on stopping after about driving 5 hours, but we just kept driving. We arrived home around 12:30 this afternoon. After 17 days of being away home has never looked so good.

We are so happy to be home with Madilyn. We will post new pictures in a few days.

ICPC Paperwork Recieved by GA

GA has received our ICPC paperwork from IOWA. However, the packet is incomplete. This Iowa adoption agency is driving me nuts.

Our Adoption Consultants in GA prepared a packet for us to give to any adoption agency across the nation. The packet is about 100 pages long and is apparently required by the state of GA to process any adoption. Well the adoption agency here refused to take the packet to add to their information. They said it was not needed and that they had everything we would need to clear ICPC in both Iowa and Georgia. Well Georgia requires much more than Iowa, so the packet can not be cleared by GA since it is incomplete.

Right now our consultants in GA are faxing the GA ICPC the missing pages. Maybe we will get a verbal that we can leave tonight or in the morning.

Lies of the Adoption Agency

On July 7, we were told a lie by our Adoption Agency here in Iowa. So the last 1o days have been full of frustration . One big lie they told us was that they sent our ICPC packet to GA. There have been other lies, but this post will focus on the big lie that has kept us here in IOWA for 17 days.

It has been a long 17 days.... and it just got longer last night. We are very frustrated but hoping for some good news today or tomorrow. Please keep us in your prayers.

Here's what happened:

Yesterday after waiting for 16 days we called our adoption consultants in GA to see if they could contact the GA ICPC to find out the status of our paper work. After going back and forth with them on the phone for hours we were told our paperwork has not arrived in GA. The GA ICPC contact was able to check the computer and found that a packet is coming from IOWA today. However, the GA ICPC were unable to determine if the packet was ours.

We were told by the adoption agency here in Iowa that the paperwork was sent on July 7. I called the adoption agency and questioned them about when the packet was sent. During the first call I got an "I am not sure when it was sent but you have been approved in Iowa, we are just waiting on GA." I called our contacts in GA again and they said they were still working on it from there end. I then placed a second phone call to the agency here in Iowa and told them that our packet had not arrived and I needed to know when it was sent. I was very upset to find that it had just been sent out over night a few hours prior to my phone call. We just do not understand why they choose to lie to us about the approval process of the packet.

I did not want to get into a fight with them at this point. I asked why it had taken 16 days to process paperwork that normally takes 3 days. I finally got some answers, I just wish the agency had been honest with us 2 weeks ago. It would have saved us a lot of stress and frustration.

Since the baby had been placed with another agency there was another ICPC packet floating around on her. When our agency sent our packet in the situation was red flagged for an investigation to make sure the baby was not being sold to the highest bidder. The BMom switched agencies because the agency she was first working with did not let her help choose a family, they did not keep any promises that they made to her, so she pulled out of the contract. Well they did not pull the paperwork from the ICPC offices, which led to an investigation, because there were two packets waiting approval for the same baby.

Our adoption consultants in GA are working with the ICPC in GA to get us cleared today or tomorrow. IF THE PACKET IN ROUTE TO THEM FROM IOWA IS OURS.

Please pray that our packet arrives in GA today and that we can be given clearance today or tomorrow. If we are not cleared tomorrow that puts us being out of town for another weekend. I am not sure how much longer we can survive being in such close quarters.

I guess we live in Iowa

Still no word as of today as to when we can leave this place. So I think we should just leave the hotel and find an apartment. This is killing me. I just want to go home. I called the adoption agency and they said probably Thursday or Friday, well what do they know. Last week they said Monday or Tuesday. I really just wish that we could get a date that we can leave.

The kicker is I am to start my new job on Monday. Right now I doubt that we will be home by Monday. I am not sure how understanding my new employer will be, I left a job due to too much stress, now I am going to start a new job with just as much or more stress, all because the states of GA and Iowa can not get our paperwork processed in a timely manner.

I hate this hotel. I hate eating out. I just want to go home. But for now it looks like home is this stupid hotel room.

Disappointment

I am disappointed that we did not receive clearance to go home today. I have been told that it will be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

David is planning on returning with Caleb on Sunday afternoon. Instead of flying he and Caleb will make a 14 hour drive. They will leave tomorrow afternoon after Caleb returns from Scout Camp.

We will return the rental car and just drive home once we are given the okay to do so.

Tired of Hotels

It will be a long time before I want to stay in a hotel again. Time seems to be passing by so slowly. There is really not much to do around here. So I have spent a lot of time napping, and just playing with Madilyn. The staff here have been wonderful, making sure that everything I need is in place. One of the employees bought Madilyn a cute outfit. She said she could not resist because she is so cute. Today, the dryer in the hotel laundry room broke, they took my wet laundry down to house keeping to have it dried, folded and then delivered to my room. I thought that was nice.

Paperwork has reached the ICPC offices in Georgia. Now all we have to do is wait for them to look at everything and sign off on the packet. I am hoping to be able to travel home this weekend.

Making Headway

Madliyn has some big feet. She is always curling and flexing her toes.

As of today at 11:00 am all birth parent rights have been revoked. Neither parent can ask for Madilyn back. That is one big stress that is gone. Now all we can do is wait for the paper work to clear all of the red tape obstacles that the government has in place.

Sunday-July 6

I am really bummed that I am not home so that I can go to Revolution. Our pastor has not preached for about 4 weeks because we were participating in the 1 Prayer series with churches around the world. I am sure that Gary will come out like a race horse out of the gate.

Early this week our children's storage trailer was stolen. So for the past few days all of the children's workers have been working together to get stuff for today. It is hard to have church in a movie theatre with kids. We manage due to the creative team and hard work. I wish I was there to help. But I know that they will pull it off.

All that being said, I would not trade spending this bonding time with Madilyn for anything in the world.

I am really hoping that the ICPC paperwork get finished soon.

4th of July Weekend

David and Caleb left around 4 am to go home. Madilyn and I are just hanging in the hotel. Our paperwork will take a little longer to process due to the 4th of July weekend. I am ready to go home. I am tired of eating out, and I just want to take Madilyn home where she belongs.

Paperwok

So now we wait.... and wait, and wait.

We have Madilyn but are unable to leave the state with her until paperwork is approved by both states. We are told this could be anywhere from 3 days to 14 days. Paperwork was filed with the Iowa ICPC yesterday, however, with the holiday weekend and government offices being closed we have a feeling our paperwork will be slowed.

David and Caleb are returning home in the morning. Caleb will leave for Scout camp on Sunday afternoon. David may come back here, if the paperwork is going to take a while, or he may just stay home and get the nursery ready. We will just play it by ear.

Keep us in your prayers.

Madilyn Rachel Lloyd

We have decided on the name Madilyn Rachel Lloyd. We should hear from the attorneys office anytime now. However, it could take as long as 14 days before we can leave the state. Pray it is not that long.

Caleb has already taken on the role of big brother and wants to hold and feed her all the time. Madilyn is a great sleeper and can handle the noise that happens in a cramped hotel room.

Baby Girl Lloyd

On July 1st at 11:45 pm our baby girl was delivered to our hotel room. She is a week old, born on her aunt Katie's b-day. She has a head full of hair and weighed in at 7 lbs 6oz and is about 21 inches long. She looks so tiny.

We will post pictures later today. Believe it or not Caleb fell in love with her, wanting to hold her, feed her. However, he did get as far away as possible at changing time. She slept very well last night (only waking 2 times), but went back to sleep very quickly.

Keep praying this is not a done deal until all the paperwork is signed.

Pictures coming!!!!

Not Really DONE

A few weeks ago I posted that we were done with the adoption process. Well we were. We forgot all about it, and now we sit in a hotel room waiting to meet our new daughter.

Last night we got a call asking if we were interested. We hesitated, but made the decision to talk with the adoption agency about this case. It seems perfect. We spent a long night packing and making travel arrangements, got NO sleep and boarded a plane around 6:30 am. We have been going non-stop since we got the phone call last night.

We are hoping that all will go well with the final paper work as we move forward with this adoption. We hope to post pictures tomorrow.

Keep us in your prayers during the next few days.