Update

We have a few updates. Nothing major, but wanted to pass some things along.

-Our Salsarita's fundraiser raised $152.67! Thanks so much to each of you who dined there last weekend. Every little bit helps!!
-We received notification that USCIS received our forms. So now the wait begins. We have been told it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 12 weeks to process.

Please be in prayer for our paperwork. Please also pray for God's provision of the rest of the finances that we will need to bring our children home. It still seems like a big amount to us, but our God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills... well we are trusting He will sell some cows for us:)

Several updates

We are so sorry for not posting sooner! Life has been a little busy.
I know many of you have asked about the grant we requested prayer for. Well, we heard from them last week and we were not chosen. We were disappointed. I especially had a tough time. I really wanted to get it. I guess more truthfully, I wanted God to provide for us that way. I had it all figured out and felt like THIS was how God should provide. I once again was reminded that Carrie's plans and Carrie's "math" are not God's. He has way bigger and way better plans. I just have to be patient to see what they are. So while the amount we still owe seems overwhelming, we are trusting that this is God's time and is God's way... He will provide!!
On another note- we mailed our I600 form this last week to US Immigration! That is a huge step. We have been told that it can take them 2-12 weeks to process. Please be in prayer for our paperwork.
And lastly- we are having a Yard Sale this coming weekend (May 14). Please let us know if you have items or if you can help us.
Oh and no word yet from Salsarita's-but thanks to all who ate there this weekend. We will let you know once we hear.

Prayers Needed

Calling all Prayer Warriors-
As you know we are nearing the end of our adoption journey... that also means we are nearing the time of needing our final payment. We are expecting to still need at least $13,000. God has been so amazing in HIS provision for us so far. We are waiting to hear from our last grant application. The grant committee is set to meet about our family on Tuesday, May 3. We are asking everyone to begin praying Monday and to pray through Tuesday regarding this grant.
Thank you so much for your prayers!

Fundraisers- Please help

Since we are moving closer to bringing our children home- we are also moving closer to time for our final payment. We believe we will still need at least $13,000 to bring our munchkins home. Of course that all depends on flight cost and if our baby girl can ride as "lap child."
So we have planned more fundraisers-

Salsarita's Resturaunt is hosting another weekend in our honor- Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 6-8). If you eat at ANY Knoxville Salasarita's and bring in a flyer or MENTION "The Thomas Family Adoption"- 15% of you ticket will be donated to our fund. It is an easy fundraiser- everyone likes to eat and this time... it pays:)

We are also having Yard Sale on May 14. As you are doing your spring cleaning please save any unwanted items for us. We would like to get all items by May 11 so we have time to price. We will take any items except for clothes and books (they have not sold well and are hard to display). Tools, furniture, sports equipment, bikes, knick-knacks- they all sell well.
We also will need help with pricing ahead of time. And then we will really need help the day of the sale with setting up and selling.

Please be in prayer for each of these fundraising opportunities. Pray that God will bless both weekends!

Birth Certificates!!

We are so excited- We received our children's birth certificates today!! We can't read them, but we have them. Hopefully they will be translated by later this week and then we can use them. We will use the certificates and the other documents to fill out forms for the US government.
Please pray that we recieve translations quickly!
Check back soon for more updates!!

Hopefully more to come

We have just a short update, but we hope to have more to come soon. So here goes...
-The grant that we wrote about in our last post is giving us the chance to "reapply." We are really excited about that, since it is the last grant that we have to hear from. They will be meeting about us on May 3.
-We hope to have birth certificates this week for the kids! This will allow us to continue on with the next step in the adoption process.
-We are working on some fundraisers. Check back tomorrow or Tuesday for a "fundraising update."

Not so great news- but still trusting!

I know many of you have been praying for us as we were awaiting word on a grant we had applied for months and months ago. The grant would have been a huge help toward the last of the finances that we need toward our adoption. And in my (Carrie's) plans seemed like it would be a great way for God to provide:) Well, we got word tonight that we did not recieve it. There were tons of applicants but only eight were chosen. I was a bit dissapointed. But I also was reminded that MY plans are not HIS plans!!
God has been so amazing in HIS provision of our adoption and in our daily lives. HE has provided each step of the way. He has provided every penny we have needed so far for our adoption. He has provided us a great vehicle to transport our growing family. And He has provided some additional space in our home. He is so very faithful. So even though this grant would have been great- I know God has plans. Plans that are so much bigger and so much better than mine! And I can not wait to see what they are.
Please continue to pray for us as we are getting near to the end of this journey. We are so hopeful to have our children home in June. However, we have much to do to prepare. Please pray that paperwork would go smoothly and quickly. Pray for us to trust God's timing. And then also- pray as we have one more grant that we are waiting to hear from. Pray for that commmittee as they make decisions.
Thank you so much for your love, prayers and support.