Adoption Benefit Yard Sale Sept 6-7th

Application Accepted!

Across the World Adoptions notified us late Sunday afternoon that our application had been accepted into their program.  We will be using this agency for our placement at this time, and couldn't be happier.  They seem to be on the ball and well organized, so I am feeling much better about things.

Along with the acceptance came our first large invoice :) and also the preparation forms to begin assembling our dossier.  :)  YAY!!

Today I spoke with our social worker and it was very encouraging.  We essentially are at the top of the list for the next referral that meets our age guidelines.  (We would like to adopt from birth to two years, but we've expanded that a little with the parameters that we'd like to stick with a child at least younger than our Amelia.)

We also found out today that over the summer the judges they have worked with in the past in Uganda changed, so this is why they are unsure of the timeline for our stay in Uganda.  They have a couple of families traveling in September who will be using the new judges, so we should know more after they return.

Our home study (I think) has been completed by our social worker and sent to her supervisor for approval, so hopefully we will have that back soon.  We have finished our USCIS application, but have to wait for our home study paperwork to attach to it before we send.  (This gives us approval to travel for adoption.)

Now to start preparing our dossier as we wait for a referral!

All in God's perfect timing!

Application Received by Agency #2!

Today we received confirmation from our second adoption agency that they have received our application!  The first agency we signed up with at the end of July accepted our application and we are on the wait list (1st in line for a boy in our age group and 2nd in line for a girl.)  I'm not sure yet where we will be on the wait list with this new agency.  But, all in God's time, all in God's time.

We are busy now getting ready for our first adoption benefit yard sale to be held in September.  Chris and I have taken this week to go through our home 1-2 rooms at a time each night to search top to bottom for things we really could do without.  :)  It's been a fun exercise!

For this child we prayed...

Our First Fundraiser: Just Love Coffee

The Coffee:  "We source only the finest Fair Trade, Direct Trade, organic, and shade-grown coffee beans from the best growing regions around the world. We research the co-ops we work with and are diligent about sustainability. That’s all before the coffee even arrives on the Just Love Coffee doorstep. From there, we inspect the beans and do sample cuppings. Then our master roaster Jason works his magic, taking an artisan approach to create smooth, flavorful, specialty coffees of the highest quality."

How You Can Help:   Enjoy some great coffee; proceeds from your purchases come back to us in helping to fund our adoption!  

Website to Purchase:
https://justlovecoffee.com/shortfamilyadoption/

Lake Cumberland to Lake Victoria

Many of you know of my heart for adoption.  It was something God placed on my heart many years ago, back before I ever met my husband Chris.  As I was entering graduate school, I knew I had two passions for areas of social work concentration:  adoption or geriatrics.  To make a long story short, I decided to become a geriatric social worker and later, Lord willing, adopt!  When I met Chris, I learned that he also had a similar heart for adoption and was right on board with my desire to adopt!

Many know that I love to be organized and have everything go exactly as I've planned.  :)  So, my "plan" was to have two naturally born children and then adopt our precious third.  In 2009, I gave birth to my beautiful, amazing, joyous daughter Amelia.  We "planned" to wait a couple of years and have another child.  In the meantime, Chris kept saying "I don't know why we don't just start the adoption process."  But, you see, that wasn't in my "perfect plan."  So, we (I) kept putting it off.  Finally, in March of 2013, I had a visitor to my office who I knew had adopted two children.  I started talking to him and I believe he must've noticed my desire for adoption, and yet hesitancy.  He wrote down a phone number for me of a home study agency in KY and told me that I just needed to go ahead and make the call to get started.  He then told me he would be calling me in ONE WEEK to see if I had done it.  (Do you think God knew I needed this interjection?)  So, not to be caught not on the ball, I came home excited and talked with Chris and we immediately got in contact with the home study agency.

We spent a lot of time getting all of our paperwork together in perfect order, but then we were able to complete our home visit in July 2013.  We had originally planned on an Ethiopian adoption, but learned the wait time was becoming incredible.  I was so disappointed.  However, a friend of mine opened my eyes (and heart) to Uganda.  So, we are now in, head over heels, to this incredible adoption journey.  We ask for your prayers of support as we continue on this journey.

Every night we pray for the little girl or boy who is waiting for us.  Amelia can't wait to meet her baby "blother" or sister.

Wondering what the Lake Cumberland to Lake Victoria means?  We live on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky.  Lake Victoria is located in Uganda and is Africa's largest lake.