Fingerprints Get Thumbs Up

FINALLY! My fingerprints clear and we received our I171-H Approval Notice today in the mail. I sent it off to Holt and we are ready for the next step...REFERRAL! Thank you to everyone who prayed for us through this funny, yet frustrating step in the adoption process. We are now ready to be matched with a child. YIPEE!

In the Top 10

We just got word from our adoption agency that we are #6 in line. It seems a miracle since we still do not have clearance from Immigration because of my worn off fingerprints. Please pray that our approval comes quickly! We also got word this week from Lifesong for Orphans that our friends and family have given more than enough for the matching grant. AWESOME! It is very exciting, yet humbling to see how God is working everything out for this adoption. This weekend, with the help of one of my best buddies, we are having a garage sale to help with adoption costs. We still need about $9,000 but it doesn't seem like much since we're down from $22,500!! Praise the Lord! I think this little baby is going to be special to a lot of people...so many have helped in so many ways! Thank you everyone.

Fingerprints... take 3! Posted by Dave

Long story short... we received notice that Kristen's fingerprints were not clear enough to pass the test...again. So last week she had to go to Coquille to have them taken yet again and the very kind woman working at the office tried her best (even worked up a sweat) trying to get Kristen's prints as clear as possible.
I'm beginning to wonder if my wife may have worked for M.I.B., had her prints removed, returned to civilian life and wiped my mind clean with one of those flashy things. :)
Travelling to Coquille isn't so bad... but we have to go to Portland once again because she (Kristen)needs to sign a paper in front of the officials at the Homeland Security office. The prints have been sent off to the State Police for clearance and once we receive all the documents back we send them to the Homeland Security office.
The deadline for being part of the matching grant (see post below) is September 17th. Thank you for prayerfully considering us in this.

Adoption Timeline - Posted By Talia

Feb. 12th - Application sent into Holt
May 20th - Home Study Complete
June 20th - Dossier sent in
July 23rd - Fingerprinting
August 8th - Mom fingerprinting again because it didn't work the first time. We might get matched with a child next month, and we might have our baby in December or January. Please pray for us!

Launching an Orphans Ministry in your church

One of the exciting things that our family is a part of right now, besides adopting, is helping to start an Orphans Ministry at our church. We first got the idea last November from a radio program called Money Matters from Crown Financial. They had a couple guest speakers, including Jason Weber, who wrote a book called "Launching an Orphans Minstry in Your Church". We ordered the book that day and it has started an exciting journey for our family. If you are interested in starting this kind of ministry at your church, I highly recommend getting this book. God is not asking all of us to adopt, but He is asking all of us to do something for orphans.

Matching Grant through Lifesong for Orphans - posted by Dave

Lifesong for Orphans is a ministry dedicated to helping orphans be placed into Christian homes. They have graciously given us a $3,000 matching grant! They will match donations up to $3,000 for our adoption... and any money given above that amount is still tax-deductible and will go toward our adoption. 100% of your donation goes toward the adoption of our child! We estimate our total cost for adoption fees, document preparation, home study, airfare, travel, agency fees, program fees, etc. to be $22,500... and at this point we still need $18,500.

It seems like a lot to us... but nothing compared to the price that was paid so that we could be adopted into God's family. Namely, the life of Jesus.

We know that where God guides, He provides. Would you please prayerfully consider whether He would like to use you in making this provision for the adoption of this child from Ethiopia?

The matching grant is only available for a limited time... until September 17, 2008. You can send your tax-deductible donation via check made payable to:

Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
202 N. Ford Street
Gridley, IL 61744

Please write "DeAndrea Adoption" in the memo section of your check.

Thanks and God bless!

http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/

*Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans who retain full discretion and control over its use.

Fingerprinting....again

Last week when we went to Portland to get fingerprinted, the official had a hard time with me because he said my fingerprints were so worn. I told him I needed him to go tell my husband I've been working too hard and need a maid! We got a good laugh about it. When we got home I was telling a friend at swim lessons about it and she said she read that a sign of low thyroid is worn fingerprints! I'd never heard of that, but those of you that know me know I've had troubles with my thyroid. I thought that was a funny connection...until today. Today I received a notice from the government that they couldn't process my fingerprints and now I have to go back to Portland next week and do it all over again. UGH! I sure hope they'll be able to see them better this time!!