Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Adoption Fiscal Cliff

So I work for the Government… as a contractor, an insignificant administrative assistant. Even though I do not consider myself political, the language of politics is one am comfortable conversing in… I do live in the nation’s capital after all – or close enough.
So while everyone at work is worrying about the “fiscal cliff”, it only seemed natural to think about my own dilemma in such terms. Our adoption is facing a “fiscal cliff”, not the first one, and probably not the last one. We have come to a point where the adoption agency will do no more work unless we give them more money. The second payment of $3500 was due to them when our homestudy was completed at the beginning of December. So it is past due.
We have some of it – quite a lot of it, in fact. We have in our savings just over $2000 toward this payment, and just need about $1500 more. We are hoping for Christmas bonus from Ian’s company, but they typically give them later on in the new year. I am knitting, knitting as fast as I can, to create little hats, scarves, etc. to sell as a fundraiser. I am even booked with knitting orders into the new year, thanks to some very generous friends. Some more friends, who know the ins and outs of adoption through their own journeys, have given, once again, very generously.

But we are still $1500 short.
The other day, I was pouring out my heart (perhaps you could read this phrase as “complaining” and come closer to the truth) to a close friend and she asked a very wise, pride-crushing question, “Have you told anyone yet that you need the money?” I stammered and said, “Well, yes, sorta.” She then said, “People want to help out; people want to give, especially at this time of the year.”
So I will swallow my pride and ask. Yes, I have not because I ask not.
If you are one of the people my friend was referring to – if you would like to help, if you would like to give, in this, the very season of giving, we would really appreciate it. We know that God will provide, yes, and are leaning on Him in faith. But we are also leaning on you, for we cannot do this on our own. 
Will you please help us? Every bit, little and big, helps bring our little one home to be an orphan no more.
We have a website set up to accept credit cards if you would like to give very conveniently. However, if you would like for your gift to be tax deductable, please choose the option to give via a check to our church orphan fund, All the funds will go to us but it will make your donation tax deductable. You can even buy coffee from our coffee fundraiser if you need a caffeinated way to give. Please check out the ways you can give here.
If you cannot give, please pray that God would help us with this “fiscal cliff” and that we would have peace and not give in to worry.
Thank you all – thank you very much!
P.S. We will be taking a break from the blog next week to celebrate Christmas with Ian's family! They are flying in on Christmas Eve and we are so excited to have them in our neck of the woods! So... until the new year, God bless and Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

All I Want for Christmas…

All I Want For Christmas

All I want for Christmas is you, my child -
You can throw a tantrum or be mild,
Blue eyes or brown, I don’t care
All I want is for you to be there.
I would give up gifts all wrapped in red,
If I could just see your pretty head.
I would set aside all parties and charms,
If I could hold you in my arms.
But my loving arms have no one to hold
And this waiting is really getting old.
Do you long for Mommy too?
Does it make your Christmas blue?
I want to know you, my cute little dear
To hear your voice and know you’re near.
To know the very beating of your heart,
Oh, I can’t wait for every precious part!
Your mommy misses you, my little one
And loves you very, very much – a ton!
If love could pay your adoption fee,
You already would be home with me!
Maybe next Christmas, there will be
Laughter and little toes under the tree.
If not, I believe my heart will break
Missing you is more than I can take.

by Melanie Elliott

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

We Have Been Approved!!!

Our homestudy has been approved!

We are now officially approved as adoptive parents by the State of Virginia. Which means we are finished with Stage One of our adoption process. Hurrah!!!

We are very happy, for this is one step closer to having our child in our arms.

The next step, Stage Two, is to get approval from the US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) to bring an adopted child into the United States. The form is not too bad... maybe 40 pages - but that includes the instruction packet. We will fill out the pages (I'm already working on parts of Sections 2 and 3 - Section 1 is complete!), attach our approved homestudy and away it will go! (Accompanied by a check for $890 - a bit steep of a processing fee in my opinion, but worth it to be able to bring our little one home!)

I hope to have the forms done in the next two weeks... but with all the Christmas business and people who go out of town just when I need questions answered... well, we will see. Then, I believe, it will take 6-8 weeks to get our approval from USCIS.

Only one thing has checked my celebration... I was surprised by a bill for the second payment to the adoption agency. I had forgotten that it was due when we had finished our homestudy. Quite a sinking feeling, because we don't have all the money yet to pay it. I will have to call the adoption agency and negotiate a new deadline. Blah.

But I put it in God's hands, and tried to go back to celebrating. Yea!!!!! This is a walk of faith, trips and falls are OK as long as you get up again.

Thanks for all your prayers, support, understanding, and love... keep them coming! Much love and thanks to all of you!