Where we are

Just want to update everyone on where we are in this process.  We have our last homestudy visit next Wednesday.  We had to have an extra visit because we found out our first social worker would no longer be working there and her boss had to take over our file.  After his visit, he said it should take him 2-3 weeks to type up his report and send it to our agency.  It will then take them around 2 weeks to go over it and hopefully give us approval.  At that time, we will finally be able to start applying for grants.  Grants will become my life.

At this point, we have roughly $18,000-$19,000 to raise to complete the adoption.  This includes the $7,500 grant that Asher already has with Reece's Rainbow.  Thank the Lord for that grant. 
We have had two garage sales, a puzzle fundraiser (ongoing), a Thirty-One Fundraiser, an Usborne Book fundraiser, a t-shirt fundraiser, and we are currently doing a Give1Save1 fundraiser.    We are just at a loss right now and I am fighting overwhelming discouragement on a daily basis.  I have to have faith that God will provide if this is His will for us.  We are just pushing against deadlines and huge fees.  I am starting to worry about having our dossier to China by the end of April.  That date is quickly approaching and we still have much to wait on.  We have all of our paperwork, but we have to get it all notarized, then we have to travel to Indy to get it all certified, and then we have to travel to Chicago to get it all authenticated.  At that point we can send it to our agency to be reviewed.  That review process will take several weeks.  We also need to get our fingerprints for USCIS and file for our I800.  I've been reading that the I800 process is taking around 3 months right now.  That puts us SO close to our deadline that I can't even think about it.

What does this all mean?  It means we need prayer and we need help raising this money.  I still have a lot of hope in getting at least one substantial grant, but there is no guarantee.  Please pray with us.  Pray for Asher.  Pray for these obstacles to be removed so that we can bring our son home.  God bless.

~Carly