I have been looking around at other families who are adopting from the same country that we are. It is so wonderful to hear of others opening their homes. While looking I found the following-
Did you know?
34% of Christain Families consider adoption
ONLY 1% actually do it
There are 163+ Million Orphans in the World who desperately need a Forever Family...
If ONLY 7% of Christian families would adopt...there would be NO MORE ORPHANS!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
I600 approval
I am so sorry for not updating sooner. I have been out of town and away from regular computer access.
This last week was a big week for our adoption! We received our I600 approval!! Now, if you are like my dad you will want to know what in the world is that. I sometimes forget that even though I have learned all the adoption lingo- not everyone has:) This approval is from US Immigration. It is the last BIG hurdle here in the states. So it is a very big deal in the adoption world. We had been told this could take up to 75 days to receive. Ours took 20! God is sooo good!!
We also received 3 new pictures of our munchkins last week. They are looking so much happier and more well nourished. In one of the pictures they were even playing with the toys that we sent in their care packages!
I am sure you are now wondering- What is next? When will these kiddos finally be home? Well that is a loaded question. We have made huge progress, but there is still a bit more to go. Our approval will be sent to the US Embassy in Africa. They will then set our embassy appointment, which could be 4-5 weeks out. After that appointment then several more weeks for exit approvals. Then... travel!!!
So, we still have quite a bit more to go. BUT- we are getting so close. We hope to know more about our timeline in the next few weeks.
We ask that you pray. Pray for everything to process smoothly and quickly. Pray also for finances. We will very soon be in need of our final monies. We don't know exactly how much we lack. It depends on a few fees and flight cost. But we estimate that we still need about $10,000. God has provided in huge and amazing ways. We know that He will continue!
Thanks for following our journey. We hope to have more to update soon.
This last week was a big week for our adoption! We received our I600 approval!! Now, if you are like my dad you will want to know what in the world is that. I sometimes forget that even though I have learned all the adoption lingo- not everyone has:) This approval is from US Immigration. It is the last BIG hurdle here in the states. So it is a very big deal in the adoption world. We had been told this could take up to 75 days to receive. Ours took 20! God is sooo good!!
We also received 3 new pictures of our munchkins last week. They are looking so much happier and more well nourished. In one of the pictures they were even playing with the toys that we sent in their care packages!
I am sure you are now wondering- What is next? When will these kiddos finally be home? Well that is a loaded question. We have made huge progress, but there is still a bit more to go. Our approval will be sent to the US Embassy in Africa. They will then set our embassy appointment, which could be 4-5 weeks out. After that appointment then several more weeks for exit approvals. Then... travel!!!
So, we still have quite a bit more to go. BUT- we are getting so close. We hope to know more about our timeline in the next few weeks.
We ask that you pray. Pray for everything to process smoothly and quickly. Pray also for finances. We will very soon be in need of our final monies. We don't know exactly how much we lack. It depends on a few fees and flight cost. But we estimate that we still need about $10,000. God has provided in huge and amazing ways. We know that He will continue!
Thanks for following our journey. We hope to have more to update soon.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Yard Sale Update
It has been a long, very warm day... but it has also been a blessed day for our Adoption Fund!! God blessed us with many things to sell and many customers to buy. At the end of the day we have added a little more than $1,000 to our fund!!! God is so good!!!!
Thank you so very much to all who donated items for us to sell. We had a little bit of everything. Thank you also to those of you who helped price and load. And a special thanks to the early risers who helped us set up and sell!! We are so grateful.
We also were blessed with a few individuals who have donated to our fund over the last few weeks. It is so exciting to see our fundraising thermometer going up!!
We are truly thankful to have so many people who are helping us bring our children home!!
Please continue to pray for us. Pray for our paperwork to process quickly. Pray for God's provision. Pray also for a new grant that we applied for last week.
Thank you for following our journey!
Thank you so very much to all who donated items for us to sell. We had a little bit of everything. Thank you also to those of you who helped price and load. And a special thanks to the early risers who helped us set up and sell!! We are so grateful.
We also were blessed with a few individuals who have donated to our fund over the last few weeks. It is so exciting to see our fundraising thermometer going up!!
We are truly thankful to have so many people who are helping us bring our children home!!
Please continue to pray for us. Pray for our paperwork to process quickly. Pray for God's provision. Pray also for a new grant that we applied for last week.
Thank you for following our journey!
Friday, May 13, 2011
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:)
-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:)
Monday, May 9, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
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!
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!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
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!
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!
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