Figuring Finances

One of the issues regarding our adoption that has been an unknown to us is the time line along which the finances would be due. By combining some info from the AWAA blog with financial estimates included in our first info packet we were able to lay out a sort of time line of expenses associated with our adoption. Since I'm a hopeless engineer, I made a spreadsheet and a graph (see the figure to the right) to help formulate a plan for paying the adoption expenses.

It turns out that about 40% of the costs are due in the first few months (up through dossier submission) and consist of two program fee payments, home study, and other documentation fees. There is a break while the dossier documents are being reviewed, translated, and reviewed again, and while the referral is being arranged. The last major chunk of money is due around the time of referral and travel to pay for travel expenses and child care program fees. All of this is based on our interpretation of anticipated costs - it is possible to work out a payment scheme with AWAA to facilitate different financial situations. Our plan (at this point) is to take out a loan for the first chunk of expenses and another one for the second portion, while specifically saving money for the process as we go along. By dividing them up we won't be paying interest on a large part of the loan which won't necessarily be needed until later. We managed to find a pretty good deal (interest rate) on the first loan, so we're off and running!

--cale

In process

I have had every intention of writing some posts this week about how we arrived at this point in our lives. Unfortunately, life has been too complicated for much of that. However, we did receive our big pack of info from AWAA on Saturday that literally gave me heart palpitations as I read through it. I was just completely overwhelmed in every way; the paperwork, the money, the home study, all the details. Not to mention that all of this represents what is standing in the way of us and our child.

But the Lord let me just take it all in, feel what I was feeling and then realign my focus back to Him. He's in control of this whole process. And it is exactly that...a process. It can't be rushed, it can't be forced and it will unfold in His perfect timing. I need to not fight that or be scared of it, but embrace the truth of Who is guiding this whole process and that He is working every last minuscule detail out for our very best. He's good like that.

We've spent the last few days making some financial decisions and are ready for the next step...and the one after that and the next one, too. All of them leading us closer to bringing them home.

-kate-

We're in!

I got a phone call this afternoon from a very nice woman at AWAA congratulating us on our acceptance into the Ethiopia program! We were not overly concerned about actually being accepted, but it is still a huge relief to have this first step out of the way. Only a million more to go til we actually get to meet whoever God is going to add to our family.

There won't be a whole lot of progress to report in the next few weeks so we plan to share part of our story and how we got to this point. We really want to record this process so we have a record to look back on of how the Lord moved and worked in our lives. I'm confident it's going to be an amazing story!

-kate-