We're Getting Closer!

Thanks to the generosity of some more friends, we have been able to add $100 more to our adoption fund recently. We are now in need of $550 in order to have our home study completely paid for. We are so thankful to God for His provision thus far, and we know He will continue to provide, in His time.

After much consideration and prayer, we decided to stick with our original agency, so our home study is being written by that agency's guidelines. It is being written in such a way that we are being approved for a special needs adoption or a traditional Chinese placement, so that we can go either way and not need to have anything rewritten. Please pray for our social worker as she writes the report, and for the additional home study funds to be supplied by the time it is finished!

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Home Study Interview

Thursday's home study interview went well--thanks for your prayers! Our social worker took a guided tour of our home, led by Mr. Benjamin, who proudly showed off all of the rooms of our humble abode. Then, she talked with our two older boys, who didn't really do much talking, but that's how it goes with 11 and 13 year old boys who would rather be outside playing--and that was fine with me! She then finished up with some questions for me and Dave, and we discussed the fact that our agency has not been very cooperative thus far with providing needed paperwork to our social worker, so perhaps we need to find a different agency. That is a little nerve-wracking to me, but we want to be open to God's leading, so we are taking this next week to pray about this decision and research other agencies. We would covet your prayers on this!

Our funds are coming in slowly but surely. We now need to work on gathering the second half of the home study fee ($750) so that we can pay that when our home study is done. I have a lot of recipes to type into the database for our cookbook fundraiser, which I hope to have to the publisher in November, so that is moving along. We continue to try and get the word out about the ornaments and other gifts available here...I have colored flyers coming in the mail to help me with that endeavor. If you would like to help us get that word out to friend and family, please let me know, and I will gladly send you some flyers!

We are so grateful to family and friends who are keeping us in their prayers. May God richly bless you all!

Sophia Elizabeth thanks you, too!

Updated Ticker!

I have updated our fundraising ticker...God is good! We have our final home study interview here at the house tomorrow evening, and I should be paying the first half of the home study fee. Now we need to save the next half ($750) so we can pay it when the home study is finally written. That way we can send the completed home study to grant agencies, in hope of getting some adoption grants to help us with the country fees and other agency fees. Don't forget our fundraising efforts via the ornament and other gift sales (there is a drawing going on this month for some great gifts...you are entered if you spend $50!) and look for information on our recipe book in the next couple of months!

Thanks for helping us bring Sophia home!

Ornament Fundraiser Update

Please check out the ornament fundraiser site...there are more specials going on, and with every purchase of four ornaments, you will be entered to win some great prizes. October is a great month to get going on your Christmas shopping with some unique international gifts! As always, if you make a purchase, please reference our family so that the profit can go towards our adoption fund.

Thanks for checking this out and helping to bring Sophia home!