Help Bring Our Son home!
Friday, September 28, 2018
2 years....Wow!
Hard to believe I have let time slip away and not posted to our blog in so long. Such is life without the internet and limited service due to rural living! For those who might be behind on the saga of our lives we returned safely from the Dominican Republic, not without our hearts, as we fell in LOVE with our sons country! We came back to find me pregnant, with a boy, sick as a DOG several times, dealing with our son who did fabulous until about 6 months home then the honeymoon was GONE!
It has been a rough two years but alas we have come up swinging! The "twins" as we call them being two months apart have done baseball and are now in soccer. Elias LOVED hitting and is a lefty so that was a HUGE plus, but he liked to just lounge around the outfield most of the time or lean on his coach out in the field (who . It was quite hilarious! Brianna had a blast and as always is such a sweetie! They work SO well together most of the time, only have occasional issues as siblings were they are SO normal. Elias language is coming along, one thing we are just learning is that the trauma of being orphaned and not having those first years of deep attachment really lend to some INTENSE behaviors and mixups. I have said for awhile now that he works SO hard to articulate things and seems to STRUGGLE to articulate his thoughts despite his language abilities. At first I thought it was related to language development, then as his language progressed and he STILL was having mixups on the most BASIC signs (bear in mind we are a Fluent Family. Deaf husband, Interpreter, Coda sister, my best friends are Deaf etc....he has MUCH access to language) yet he would still stutter, "Mom wants you...mom...no...dad..yes...dad wants you." "Brianna...no...Briann..no...hmmm...baby...yes baby hit me" even other things just confusing simple things that should be second nature as they are SO integrated into our routine. I cannot say enough HOW grateful I am to the group at Signs for Hope for the enlightenment and empowering they bring through their experiences that help put my mind at ease! There is SO little research out there in regards to Deaf children, especially those from hard places so the blessing of having a resource of those who have walked this road and can provide insight into my boys brains (now if I can just gain some insight on the youngest...LOL)
The youngest terrorizes everyone, wants to grow up to be just like his big brother and prefers to NOT communicate in any form other than pointing and gesturing which has worked well via the oldest two. He is an ACTIVE boy, wanting to play soccer at 1 and show his older siblings just HOW it is SUPPOSED to be done! He is finally signing a few small things, like eat, drink, more. He actually SITS at a desk while we are doing school and colors for quite a while at times.
It is a BEAUTIFUL, cool fall day and we are about to get busy with some farm projects. I am SO blessed to be able to do this life with my most amazing husband, he is such a support, wealth of wisdom, and so skilled in a vast array of things. I LOVE that he keeps me up to date on politics and weather as with the kids and housework that is one thing I rarely get to check in with anymore!!
Our lives are BEYOND blessed by adoption. Our son brings SO. MUCH. JOY to our lives! Yes the struggle is real, yes it is exhausting, and YES I would do it ALL over again in a heartbeat.
We VERY MUCH pray that God opens this door again in the future and if its HIS will we would LOVE to adopt Elias a deaf sibling, but all in HIS perfect timing! So keep us in your prayers as we press on!
Well chickens demand some attention so I am off... until I update again, here is hoping its sooner than another 2 years LOL
Pruyns
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Birth certificates, Elections...
As much as we've fallen madly in love with this country recent events have really given us a desire to go home. Losing a dear friend back home to a motorcycle crash was devistating, knowing we will never see him this side of heaven is hard especially when we didn't get to say our last goodbyes at a service. Jon was a great friend and was caring for our cats while we are here. Thankfully God has blessed us with other amazing friends who were willing to take on that burden. It has been 6 weeks tmw since our lawyer filed for our birth certificate. She has tried everything in her power, but with election prep last week and election cleanup this week no one seems in a hurry. Agency has sent an e-mail to embassy so prayers that will work. Also a dear friend stateside as well as here are trying people they know. Perhaps its just God telling us to be STILL! We are so ready as of late to get home, deal with paperwork, bills, routine things, and summer with our friends and family, but we all know Gods timing is PERFECT! We wouldn't have our son or this incredible experience under our belts that has forever changed our lives!
We have fallen in absolute love.with the schools here and their work in educating deaf children, our pastor and his wife has been gracious is open their hearts and homes to the HUGE need here and we've seen 3 schools (Brice 4 with our friend Ludwig from another great church here). Soon we hope to visit yet another in our area, God has used this to really show the need for education and the bible to be taught here! Our pastor works tirelessly and has a faithful group who attend church, he also teaches in the schools, disciples Deaf to take leadership roles and offers adult education classes. I encourage anyone visiting this great country who has a heart for deaf to really check out the work here! Back to our adoption once we get our sons birth certificate then we can get passport, medicals, and visa. At this point we don't think its very reallistic to make our end of May flight so come this weekend we will be making hard decisions to either split up (to save $$) or stay an extra week. I think in the kids best interest is staying together. Elias adores his dad and is gonna have a hard time when daddy goes back to work, but he is his sister's twin! If one says something the other copies! Yesterday they got little birthday party blow toys...you could see his little face go from mad to sad bc despite many on the spot lessons in the mall he couldn't figure out how to blow his and make the thing uncurl! He does everything his sister does and she follows him around like a puppy dog! I think splitting the kids up will be hard so prayers that God provides all that's needed as its needed! Pray for an extreme miracle and us to make our May flight if possible! Otherwise things are GREAT busy volunteering at our local deaf school, going to church, and chasing two kids. Elias has learned to sign E-L-I sign name Elias....he is so cute! But all little boy! He lives to swim, play with hot wheels and steal his sisters barbies! I have been SO grateful for the LONG time incountry bc it has really allowed us to bond without tons of distractions. Its only been the past month that we've done lots of extras! Well my happy boy is awake, sleeping in for a record at 9:30! He was WORN out thanks to a great day with friends yesterday! Hugs to all and prayers! Dios Bendiga!
Jess
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Dominican Downtime
We have been in-country for quite awhile now and have been blessed to be involved with several ministries here. The church at Iglesias Biblical del Jesus Cristo ( http://ibsj.org/) welcomed us with open arms and many great friendships have developed out of our time there! We are grateful to them for their support and understanding. While they have a great interpretive ministry we needed something a little bit different to fit our families needs and were pointed in the direction of another great ministry Iglesias de Convertidos a Cristo (http://iccsordos.org/) we have been attending there quite a bit and really feel at home there. We are praying about what God has in store throughout the rest of our time. We are now settled into our new home and spend lots of time doing household things, washing clothes, hanging clothes, washing dishes, cooking meals. I can easily say the thing I miss MOST is my dishwasher!
Things I already KNOW I will miss the most about the DR you may wonder?!?! Glad you asked... Avocados the size of LARGE softballs that taste absolutely divine! Chinolas: a fruit that might just be the most perfect blend of tangy and sweet in the WORLD! Carrots that actually make it WORTH peeling and taste AMAZING! And even better the fact that these things are discounted on certain days here! 36% when we go to Jumbo on Tuesdays! Meats are discounted on Thursdays and Fridays at La Sirena so it makes eating healthy more reasonable and desirable!
The kids LOVE the water and both have enjoyed the pool here much more than the beach to Brice and my dismay...haha. Alas the opportunities through play for bonding have been GREAT! Water, sand, and beach toys. Not to mention crafts...because I packed enough craft stuff to single handily start my own VBS! Fingerpainting, pipe cleaners, foam stickers, wiggle eyes, you name it! We have had a time! Last night we took inventory of what we had left and made a few games to work on sensory and matching activities for Elias and some writing/letter games for Brianna. Speaking of who...she has DELIBERATELY not spoken a word of Spanish while we have been here outside of the colors her Uncle taught here when he was here...then yesterday out of the blue I hear, "I want my agua." I was floored...apparently she is learning some Spanish even when I'm not looking!
We are so grateful for this time to bond with our new son. Having no language in a ACTIVE 3 yr old body is quite the challenge, but seeing the growth just THRILLS my heart. He pointed to his sisters marker colored hands and signed "dirty", he pointed when his sister was sleeping and signed, "sleeping". He can say, "I want more to eat." "I want a drink." "I want orange juice or I want grape juice." He can even sign potty and does go potty quite frequently but not consistently. This boy has completely stolen my heart and makes the months and years, the trials and tears, and every little heartache along the way completely worth every bit of it!
Prayers for wisdom. Language is increasing, but so are tantrums at times. He is understanding more boundaries and choosing to be a normal toddler and test the limits (think 2 yr old, not my favourite stage). It has been challenging and exhausting, but I am just grateful to have Brice here to partner with me through this process!
Well I must sign off...Brianna just woke up and Elias just went to sleep (watching signing time)...hopefully we will have MUCH happier kids this afternoon!
Hugs to all!
Monday, January 11, 2016
At Last
Cannot believe how time has flown! Alas are blessed to finally be with our son! It has been a journey for sure. Dealing with no language, behaviors, and twin syndrome (which I had NO idea even existed previously). It has been a challenge to say the least, but my heart is full! The fact that I even have time to sit down and write a quick update is a huge blessing. I LOVE it here, but the past few days with sickness hitting again has made it a little daunting. Hopefully we will all be up and running again tmw as we start back to our P90X workout again and try to get in better shape while we are stuck in the city!
God has been so good to us and we are LOVING the friends, support, and community that HE has put in place here. It has been so nice having his brother here for Christmas. We appreciate your continued prayers as we await more info on the possibility of a reduction on our behalf and official court dates. Prayers that God would bless us in this language and as we seek to reach out to the deaf he places in our path! So thrilled to be apart of all he is doing here!
Hugs,
Brice and Jess.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
September is our Fundraiser MONTH! We have a motorcycle ride on September 5th and then an incredibly exciting Both Hands Project Sept 19th where we have to chance to serve a widow while also helping raise funds for our Adoption! I have NEVER been so thrilled about a project! If you would be willing to send out letters and join us on this project please just email me! My email is jesspruyn@gmail.com
Thanks to a grant from Lifesong up to $3000 will be matched making it possible for us to raise more than $6000 to help with the remaining $20,000 of our total $40,000 adoption! Please consider how you can help by either joining the project or donating: http://www.bothhands.org/project/pruyn-5390
Watch the video here: vimeo.com/49870537 Consider joining our team contact me and help this sweet widow!
We are blessed to be one of the 5/5/5 families this month! Please consider donating! This is a wonderful organization that helps bring special needs children into Forever families!http://reecesrainbow.org/category/sponsorafamily/555-family
Or donate via reeces rainbow:
http://reecesrainbow.org/89456/sponsorpruyn
Please share our links with all you know and consider donating your time if not your dime! We truly feel that this child is meant to be ours and we are grateful for all the support we have received thus far, but we have so far to go and SO many details to work out! We are taking this day by day, trusting in faith that God opened this door and we are just walking His road...
Please take a moment to read through our information and share with your friends! If you have any questions feel free to join our email list at: ourdeafadoption@gmail.com
Facebook Ourdeafadoption page as well as our blog ourdeaflife.BlogSpot.com
Jess
Friday, July 10, 2015
Adoption update
We are blessed to currently have our dossier in country being translated, our i800 approved, and waiting on more recent paperwork for a few things. We have also been recently approved for a both hands project as we seek to raise the remaining $21,786.16 needed to bring our boy home! Keep you eyes open as we will be in touch about our both hands project! Thank you!
Jessie
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Exhausted and Pressing On!
Called insurance and discussed rental insurance, as well as reducing driving insurance on the cars while we are gone. Trying to figure out what to do with our pets, where Brianna and I will stay if we have to return early, making sure all our things are put away and only things left for renters, hosting a Yard Sale to raise money for our adoption as well as filling our grants and trusting that God is gonna supply the money!
On the upside I have been blessed to volunteer at CSS again this year with Brianna and looking into so many adopted children who have finally found their forever home I cannot help but press onward. Brice and I took a long step back last weekend and prayerfully sought God on what we were to do. Knowing that switching countries would allow such a shorter time in country and save us SO much money personally, but then it would mean a delay..backtracking and ultimately not getting the child God so clearly has placed in our paths. We just need a lot of prayers right now as we still haven't seen a picture and while we hope to by the end of the summer. I, Jessie, am just really at a place where I am struggling right now. Todays Bible Study lesson was amazing. Beth Moore referenced Paul and all the hindrances that he experienced that were to help him grow, not telling him to quit. Sometimes in the Adoption process it gets so overwhelming that you feel like just giving up! I have been at that place since last Thursday after our call to the agency, but now comes the real test. Walking by faith not by sight....we press on...trusting God will work this all out together for HIS glory.
Keep us in your prayers as we begin preparing for several more fundraisers in AUG/SEPT. The bulk of our funds are due by SEPT. So prayers are greatly appreciated. Also we just found yet another hurdle that God is gonna have to work through...so please prayers continually!
If you feel like donating we have a matching grant thanks to SIGNS for HOPE!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Trusting
Please if you haven't done so already take a moment to share our story, this blog, our facebook group Our Deaf Adoption. If you have collected a laundry jar then please make arrangements to drop them off with us! We have $3700 due before too much longer along with the needed $20,000 for in-country and $2887.50 due for agencies travel fee.
Please just pray that God would continue to provide as He has thus far! Pray also as we continue finishing our house and seek the final inspection, we will have to be able to rent it out for several months or take out a loan to cover at home expenses (if we even can). So many details....prayers are greatly appreciated! Pray for SUN SUN SUN so that we can have a successful yard sale next week!
Jessie
Friday, May 29, 2015
Update
This morning as I began my bible study I ran across a verse that really made me stop and think about Adoption. While Paul, Silas, and Timothy might have had a slightly different meaning I can't help but look at 1 Thessalonians 2:8 and think about our boy! "We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us."
Praying for our boy this morning and that God is preparing Him as well as us for the difficult journey ahead!
Update: great news on that only a few minor edits needed on our psych eval, we most likely won't have to pay for a repeat visit!
We have sent in several grants and are in process of registering for our required pre- travel training in July!
We also got our UCIS letter they received our application to make this boy our son! Waiting on biometrics!
Prayers we get a file and info soon!
Update
This morning as I began my bible study I ran across a verse that really made me stop and think about Adoption. While Paul, Silas, and Timothy might have had a slightly different meaning I can't help but look at 1 Thessalonians 2:8 and think about our boy! "We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us."
Praying for our boy this morning and that God is preparing Him as well as us for the difficult journey ahead!
Update: great news on that only a few minor edits needed on our psych eval, we most likely won't have to pay for a repeat visit!
We have sent in several grants and are in process of registering for our required pre- travel training in July!
We also got our UCIS letter they received our application to make this boy our son! Waiting on biometrics!
Prayers we get a file and info soon!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Dossier progress
Huge praise! We are in process of getting our dossier apostilled then it's on its way to Dominican for translation! I'm so excited! God is so good! I couldn't ask for a better anniversary gift! Praying that soon we get a file. Two more grants go in mail today. Prayers so appreciated as we focus this summer on n preparing our house to rent, getting final inspections, and getting last of paperwork and training to prepare to move and get our boy! I'm starting to get really nervous! We are studying Spanish allot but still so lacking! Prayers that funds will be provided so we can press forward!
Sunday, May 17, 2015
I800 on way
Our i800 is on its merry way! Come Monday we will be well on our way! We should get our information on biometrics in 2 weeks! So thrilled to finally be at a place where progress is steadily moving forward! Praying that by June we will be able to see a picture of the child we have worked so hard and prayed for all these months! This summer is going to be an amazing journey. Praying for grants as we submit yet another application trusting God to provide what is needed. Studying Spanish and packing stuff up to be stored while we are gone. Be praying for nice honest renters who will care for our house while gone! Continue prayers that we would be granted an exemption and only stay 4 months so that we can return to our chaotic life stateside if that is Gods will! Otherwise that the money would be available so that we can stay the whole 6 months without worry. Thank you for your prayers. Please share!
Www. Reecesrainbow.org/sponsorpruyn
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Dossier
While we still have some of the dossier to finish. The bulk of it is at last done! Mailed Tuesday and arrived today at our agency! We are praying that translation can begin soon so that we sure able to press forward!
Please pray that everything goes smoothly and that God would open hearts and prepare our son for the changes coming. Pray for us as we begin more on depth explaining to Brianna about upcoming changes in our lives.
Also pray as we earnestly fundraiser and prepare our house to be rented out while we are gone.
Lacking a few doors n touch up to being done!
Thank you for your continued support. Please share our links with friends.
Www.Reecesrainbow.org/sponsorpruyn
Www.Adopttogether.com/ourdeafadoption
Do you LOVE coffee?
Www.justlovecoffee.com/ourdeafadoption
Join our mailing list ourdeafadoption@gmail.com
House/progress
Spent the weekend working on our house, playing with our toddler and preparing to send our dossier to agency for review! Plumber came and fixed toilet on Friday so we finally have the kids bathroom semi functional again!
Last week our precious baby girl turned THREE! So hard to believe. Time has flown and I'm thrilled to be blessed to be this wildly independent girls mom! We have started mentioning her brother more and more as we inch forward in our process. Now as we prepare for me to be off work this summer and we send our dossier prayers are needed for funding. We begin grant applications this week and are trusting God to provide what is needed in His timing! Anyone without plans the 28/29/30 of May come hang out and help with our three day yard sale! We are still taking donations! Contact us for pickup! Prays that this nets our needs. Apostilitation is $5 per document. I think it will be about $56/60 could be more then $12,200 for remaining agency and legal fees! This is not including the $20k for travel! We are trusting God and taking it one day at a time but most of funds due by Sept/Oct! Please keep us on n your prays and start praying for grants!
Monday, May 11, 2015
God never ceases to amaze me! The brilliant timing of His is incredible. Watching Him in the details is just astounding! So after all the trials, fuss, and heartache with our house and everything as we sought to get our home study officially finished...guess when the official approval came? Brianna's 3rd Birthday! May 5, 2015 will be a date that sticks in my mind forever for even more reasons now! We are on a much more official playing field as we press onward. Our I-800A gets mailed out this week requesting permission to make this child our son and a U.S. Citizen! Pray that all goes well and speedy! We are mailing in all our official papers to the agency so that they can begin translation ASAP. Next we have biometrics and if I remember anything from 14 years ago with my brother this involves us going to immigration, but I am not completely sure about that as of yet. Brice and I are working hard on finishing the house so that we have it all ready to rent out by this fall to save a little money if we can at all.
At Brianna's recent well visit I asked about scheduling a visit to discuss adoption paperwork and review our sons file once its received! Prayers that this goes well and that we can get an exemption to only stay in country for 4 months so that we can get him stateside for services! I have also checked with the International Adoption Clinic in town and that review will cost us $475 so add that to the legal fees due this summer and we are in some serious fundraising need! God is working out amazing things! We have been blessed with many wonderful donations and are planning a massive Yard Sale for the end of the month! Even better a friend just contacted me that we can use her house for a community wide one this Saturday! Prayers that it goes well and that we earn lots of money for the adoption! Brianna and I are gonna spend lots of time this week getting things together! I am off to do the last couple of errands for today before going home to cook supper and prepare Yard Sale things.
Prayers for the grants we just sent off today and the ones we have yet to apply. Prayers for our boy who is getting older everyday, most likely without language and the love of a family. Prayers for Jessie as I continue studying Spanish. Thanks to a good friend I have been practicing on the way to work, but have spent several weeks on the 3rd cd...Prayers that I renew my gusto!
As I wrap up work for the year and prepare to stay home and catch up on the house and things this summer, prayers that God provides everything we need financially and otherwise as we seek to be wise with finances and time.
Prayers for success at the yard sale, and as we apply for several fundraisers for summer/fall!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Homestudy progress
Homestudy is signed and we are awaiting notary and our finally copy. Then are i800 will be submitted for permission to make this boy a US citizen and our son! We are currently finishing the documents in our dossier. Pictures of family, last required forms, and odds and ends as we wait fbi prints to come back.
Prayers appreciated as we press forward. Work wraps up for me in a few weeks and then it's summer break. We are planning a massive Yard Sale to help with adoption costs as our second legal fee will be due this summer. Prayers appreciated as we press forward!
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Dossier/homestudy
While most people have long since completed their homestudy we are still awaiting while pressing on with our dossier! It has been a ride for sure but God has proven faithful again and again! Today wraps up our pampered chef fundraiser and then we have Tupperware and thirtyone in addition to juice plus upcoming if anyone is interested. A dear friend is hosting another pampered chef fundraiser for me and we are planning a HUGE yard Sale the end of MAY! I'm super excited! Cannot wait for summer and fundraising! Outright Donations can be mailed to us, sent to reeces rainbow or www.adopttogether.com/ourdeafadoption
Check it out. Grab a money jar! We need $13,000 to finish paying agency and legal fees! We are inching forward so please help in any way you can!
Pray for our boy! Pray that soon we will see his file!
Pray our homestudy gets finished and that we get grants!
Pray that we find renters while we are out of country!
Please as you spring clean keep us mind!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Pressing on...
Life has been chaotic as we pursue the massive amount paperwork with the adoption. Chasing down references and letters to compete this phase and completing our i800 for permission to go get our son. Its been allot of work and almost overwhelming at times as we trade off childcare, grocery shop, cook, clean, and deal with life, but God in His wisdom provides every little detail. We get a grant rejection letter and a check comes in the mail. He has never failed to show us his hand in this process. We are prayerfully pushing forward. We now have a reeces rainbow account active in addition to abba fund and Adopttogether. Thanks to help from friends I am gathering assessments and slowly getting some basic school materials to take with us! Brianna and I have started doing 15 min of school everyday and talking about helping our brother learn. She is so excited and yet she has no clue. .. one day when he is stealing her toys I will remind her how much she wanted a brother haha.
Keep praying for those grants. As we wrap up our homestudy the time is getting closer that they will be needed!
Want to help? Send a check either to us or our reeces account (no fees withheld) or donate at our sites
Www.adopttogether.com/ourdeafadoption
Need Tupperware? Thirty one? Pampered chef?
Have things to donate for our yard Sale?
Know a place we could have a spaghetti supper or chili cookoff this fall?
Keep praying! Thanks
Sunday, March 1, 2015
I800
I'd heard over and over again in my adoption groups about this particular form but it never really hit me until this past week as we started our dossier process and filled out this form, but I've got to admit it has taken my excitement to a whole new level! Having a friend in country who is soon bringing her son home has made this even more real for me! We are just praying as we meet with a financial advisor and save what we can while finishing the last few things around the house, that God will provide every step of the way! We ask for your support through prayers, donations (we need clothes and yard sale items as well so donate to us instead of good will!), we lack around $33,000 total not to mention the expenses of covering our bills while out of work! This is a total walk of faith and we are taking it one day at a time. Pray as we begin applying for grants! We are lacking $680 paying dossier n $890 for the I-800 fee just to get US approval to adopt.
Specific prayers are for our sweet daughter as we begin preparing her for a brother. For our son as he waits alone with no clue that anyone is coming for him to make him apart of a FAMILY!
Prayers that God grants us the financial assistance and fundraisers to press forward!
In Him
Jessie
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Moving forward
As we move forward with our dossier and immigration. We embark on another journey. We have started applying for grants and trying to gain the last two payments to our agency! Worth a little over $4,000 for the dossier and travel due in a few months there is lots to be done!
Prayers are needed for a couple of big fundraisers. Like a 5k, pancake breakfast, or motorcycle rally!
For now we have two more small fundraisers. Goat milk soap all natural and made in the USA with ten different scents for $6 ea. Email or facebook me for details.
Another friend is donating her commission to our adoption with an initials ink party! Thank you Lisa! Personalization is FREE!
Check out their amazing stuff!
Http://www.myinitials-inc.com/22374
Check out their fabulous line of bags and jewelry!