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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Breaking It All Down...

So many of you may wonder... $28, 000-$32,000 is a LOT of money. Where does it all go?
All text highlighted have already been paid by us, we just need to fundraise for the rest. All fees are a rough estimate. The actual fees can vary depending on time of year for travel (traveling in the winter months is less expensive than the summer months), city of adoption, and travel needs in country.

$1650 Homestudy
$1275 Commitment Fee
$300 Adoption Classes (Required part of homestudy)
$110 Passport for Parents
$1000 USCIS paperwork I-600a & FBI Fingerprinting
$1000 Notary & Apostle Fees
$5000 Flights
$8600 Facilitator Fees
$3200 lodging while in country (one trip - around 7-8 weeks)
$1000 food/supplies while in country
$600 child's passport
$550 child's medical and VISA
$2000 transportation while in country
$1000 orphanage donation/dossier preparation costs

If adopting a second child in the same area....
$1000 flight
$670 second I600a fee for unrelated child
$2000 facilitator additional fee (from same orphanage)
$600 child's passport
$550 child's medical and VISA
$500 additional orphanage donation

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Somewhere Out There

In another country, there is a room filled with babies. Some have down syndrome, some do not. Some have heart issues, feeding issues, and the list goes on. So what do they have in common? They are ALL orphans. For whatever reason, their parents felt they were unable to care for them. They have put their child into an orphanage, in hopes that someone, somewhere, would find them, and love them.
Somewhere out there there is a nanny, she is working as hard as she can, trying her best to take care of the many children in her care, and knowing that it is not enough. There are just too many to be able to spend all day holding one or two. There are too many for her to rock them to sleep, or for her to carry them around in her arms all day. There are too many to sit down and have one on one time and play with them, and sing them to sleep. She is doing her best, but at the end of the day, she goes home, wishing it were more. 
Somewhere out there.... there is a little girl and little boy in a crib, wanting to be rocked to sleep, wanting to be held while they drink their bottle, wanting to be played with, talked to, and loved.
They have no idea that the life they are living is not what every other child's life is like. All they know is that they NEED more than the life they are living. The deserve MORE than to live a life as an orphan.
They have no idea that on the other side of the world, every single night, a mommy and daddy are saying a prayer that they will be safe until we can get them and bring them home. They have no idea that a nursery is waiting for them with beautiful bedding , soft blankets, and clothes of their very own. They have no idea that they have sisters and a brother who are so excited to welcome them to the family.
They have no idea that many nights, their mommy is doing her best not to cry, to be strong, and counting the days until she can go hold them, love them, and officially become their mommy. They have no idea that their daddy has worked tirelessly on their nursery to make it perfect for them, that he is trying to work over time whenever he can to help raise the money to get them home, and that he has even taken up making crosses and other items to sell on Etsy in hopes that it will be enough to get them home.
"And when the night wind, Starts to sing a lonesome lullaby It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky.

Somewhere out there If love can see us through Then we'll be together.
Somewhere out there Out where dreams come true...
" (lyrics from American Tale)


Somewhere out there, two orphans get closer every day to their birthday, and they are waiting for their family to come. Our paperwork is almost finished, we are so close. The only thing that stands in the way, is the funds to travel.
Somewhere out there, someone is reading this blog, and somewhere out there, a heart will be moved. Please help us bring them home!!