A few months ago, back in May to be exact, we decided we would like to check into our long-time desire to adopt. We looked at websites, talked to adoptive parents and even talked to those who had been adopted as a child. Realizing the possible waiting times, extensive costs and the many bumps in the road that can occur, we asked ourselves: Why are we adopting instead of having another child biologically? We both felt the Lord leading us in the adoption direction. There are so many children in the United States and internationally that are born without hope. In Romans 8:15 and Ephesians 1:5 we are reminded that we have been given a place in God's family through adoption, and James 1:27 asks us to care for the orphans of the world. Through this conviction in our hearts we have begun the journey of adopting our own child. Please pray that the Lord will grant us wisdom in the direction we are moving.
So, here is where we are in the process. We have completed our state required Home Study, and will be attending our Agency Orientation on Dec. 15th. As many of you know, adopting is a very expensive process. We are estimating that at the very least, we will spend $21,000 (To date we have spent $5,000), and we are currently applying for grants and interest free loans to help offset this cost. It may seem like a crazy amount, but it seems crazier still for us to allow that baby to be neglected or placed into the foster care system. Some mothers would even choose to abort their baby if they didn’t have adoptive parents readily available.
The purpose for this post? We wanted to ask each of our family and friends to consider having a small part in our adoption by purchasing a shirt or cinch pak from the catalog at the right side of this page. We have listed the amounts that WE will pay for each item—anything above that amount will be donations toward the adoption. If you are local, delivery will be pretty simple; however if you will need your items shipped, please also consider shipping charges when sending your payment. We have tried to make this as easy as possible for those who don’t live in the Cincinnati area by accepting Paypal payments and checks. Of course cash is also accepted for those in our area. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about the fundraiser or the adoption itself. Just ask!
