A Tough Post

I've been struggling with whether or not to share this here on the blog.  I am not one to share the gory details of the hard part of our adoptions or life to the general public.  I am not that way in person either.  Unless you know me really well, I just don't share a lot of personal stuff about myself or my family. It's just the way I am I guess.

When it comes to our adoptions, I just love to talk about what amazing blessings God has given us.  We have so much to be thankful for!!!  I just like to share about that. I want people to know how great it can be to adopt.  And how great it is to have a child with Down syndrome.  It truly is such a blessing!!


I am passionate about orphans and trying to make people to understand what is really happening outside the safe and easy borders of the U.S.  I'm not saying life is just peachy all the time and people don't have real (and big) problems.  I just think people don't know.  I didn't...  But now I do, and I just want people to know that children are suffering and people are dying and things outside of suburban America are far worse than we could ever imagine.  And one way I try to do that is through this blog.  


I hope in some small way people are encouraged, and would consider adopting a child with Down syndrome or some other special need.  I hope they can see that what we are doing is a blessing to us.  Not a burden.  We are the ones who are blessed to have these kids.  It's not the other way around. 


Anyway...back to the original point of this post.  We have done a few fundraisers, and we have been amazingly blessed by very generous people who have donated to our cause.  And we are so very thankful for that!!!  I've always been a bit nervous about asking for money.  I'm not sure why.  I've never really had anyone say anything negative to me.  Except for the once in a while person who leaves a not-so-nice comment about how we are not being responsible with our money if we don't have every penny saved before we started the adoption.  But I am not really worried about that. I  guess I don't like to burden people with what I feel is our responsibility.  We chose to move forward with this adoption.  So why should we ask other people to help us pay for it?  


That being said, Mark and I firmly believe that God brought us here.  Without a doubt, He opened doors for us that we thought could not be opened to be able to adopt Hailey.  And we also have faith that He will provide the finances.   The problem for me comes in when I have to start asking for help.  I don't know why, but it is super hard for me to do that.  


So I am sure you are thinking.....get to the point.  Lol


I am here to ask for your help.  We are only about 7 or 8 weeks away from traveling.  That is super exciting!!  But there is one problem. 

We ain't going anywhere unless we come up with the rest of the money we need!  
And as much as I hate to admit this, we are pretty far off from what we need.  I am going to list our adoption expenses, so you can see what we have paid for and what we still have left to pay.  I know people who have not adopted wonder why it is so expensive to adopt and where all the money actually goes.  


I am asking if you would please pray for us.  Please pray that we will be able to raise the money we need in the next 7 weeks.  Please pray that we will continue to have faith that God WILL provide what we need.  That we won't start to panic (me specifically...Lol).  That we can remember that He IS faithful to help us finish this and to provide what we need to bring our daughters home.


If you feel led to help us, we would be so grateful!  If you could share our story and help us get the word out, that would be awesome, too!  I have plans to start a new fundraiser.  Maybe an Ipad fundraiser again. Or something similar. If you or anyone you know, would be willing to donate one or anything else for that matter, that would such a help and a blessing.  


Wow, I sound kind of desperate.  But I guess I am.  


I am desperate to get to my daughters.  My daughters are sitting on the other side of the world...waiting.  And I have to be willing to go out of my comfort zone and do everything I can to get to them.  Which I am.   


Even if it brings a negative comment or two.  These are our daughters.  They need to be here with us.  


I know you would do the same for your child.  :)


Where the money goes:

Agency Application Fee: $275 (paid)
Background checks/ local sheriff dept.fingerprinting: $53 (paid)
CPR training: $50 (paid)
Agency Homestudy Review fee: $300 (paid)
Agency Pre Approval China (child) fee: $500 (paid)
Homestudy Fee: $2000 (paid)
State of CO Homestudy approval fee: $175 (paid)
USCIS 1st child and fingerprinting: $890 (paid)
medicals, birth certificates, vital records (Mark & I): $100 (paid)
Passport (Daniel) : $125 (paid)
1st Agency Fee: $2500 (paid)
Authentications for Dossier: $449 (paid)
Postage/FedEx/Courrier services (all): $440 (paid)
2nd Agency Fee: $3610 (paid)
USCIS 2nd child fee: $720 (paid)
Chinese Entry Visas (me and Daniel): $280
Flights to China (me): $2300 estimated
Flights to China (Daniel): $1900 (paid) - Praise God (in our FSP)
In Country travel/flights/hotels: $3500 
Adoption fees in China for 2 girls (passport,registrations, notaries, visas): $1800 approx.
Orphanage donation (required) for 2 girls: $11,500 approx.
Post placement Agency fee: $1650


Black = funds already paid   Red = working and trusting that God will provide.


As you can see, we still have a long ways to go.  So far we have paid $12,187. We still have $20,030 dollars to go.  When I look at that number and realize we only have 7-8 weeks to come up with it, that's when I start to panic.  We do have a matching grant of about $6000 that we have had some trouble getting when it was expected, but it is still supposed to come at the end of June.  So that leaves us still needing $14,030 to raise. That number does look a lot better than the other one.  Lol  :)


We cannot take out a loan for this adoption.  We already have one from our adoption in 2010 that we are still paying on.


If you feel like you could help us with prayers or donations, we would be so thankful!  (Remember, any donations toward our RR FSP are tax deductible). If you would like to donate towards a specific expense that you want to help us with, please let me know.  I will also have a Chip-In set up so that there is another option besides just our FSP to donate to.   


I am going to leave you with this video.  It's very moving and it helps to explain why we do what we do.  God bless you!!