Profile Complete!

PRAISE THE LORD!
Our profile is done done done!  So exciting I can't even put it into words.  And yet, I'm feeling really nervous too....this makes it more real.  Just trying to lather our family, new baby, and future birthmother in prayer!

Here are some pages from the profile.  A lot of you have asked to see the final "product"...enjoy!

Thank you for your prayers and loads of encouragement.  We really feel the "hurry up and wait" right now, but are trusting in God's perfect timing for our family.

Profile Mania

Our days are FULL.  Full of God's goodness demonstrated through the generosity of so many families and through the time to complete our profile!  We are so thankful for all the people who have joined us in bringing our new baby home...friends, family, clients.  THANK YOU!  I just really feel like we can't say that enough...through your help we have raised the $6000 we need to get on the waiting list and are beginning to chip into the $10,000 of legal fees.  WOW!  In September 2009, these numbers seemed impossible.  But as we know, with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

As I mentioned, we are furiously working on finishing our adoptive family profile.  This is a mini-scrapbook showing who we are and what our family is like.  It has been such a blessing (and FUN!) to go through all our old pictures and pick the ones that tell our story best.  We found some "gaps" in our pictures, though, and asked Sarah (Ben's sister) to take some couples pictures for us.  She did such an amazing job....a very talented and artistic eye.

When we finish the profile (our goal is Sunday night!), we will post some of the pages for you to see.  Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement!  Please pray for our birthmother as she may already be pregnant, for our unborn child as he/she is growing, and for us as we continue to trust in God's perfect timing.

Fundraiser update

Thank you to everyone who came out for the Mountain Mike's fundraiser!  It was so encouraging and FUN to catch up with so many people who love us and care about our new child.  Thank you for your support!!

*drum roll please*
The grand total from the pizza fundraiser was $500!
We now have $4500 of the $6000 we need to get on the waiting list!  Please know how deeply grateful we are to each and every one of you who has helped us along our journey.  We could not bring our new baby home without you!

Some of you have asked how you can donate to our adoption fund.  While we know its easy to set up an online account, we would rather have 100% of your donation go to our fund than a portion of it pay for the ease on online payments.  We would be happy to send you our mailing address if you are burdened to donate.  Please know that we also covet your prayers and really truly need that protection and encouragement even more so than any financial contribution.  Thank you!

Also wanted to update you on the two other items are currently working on.  First, we continue to create our family profiles.  This is a 6 page "scrapbook" about our family and is the booklet our potential birthmother will look through to choose us!  Rather than cut and paste 8 copies of the same scrapbook, Ashley is creating a digital album with Photoshop.  Such a blessing to have access to wonderful technology!  Pray for us as we carefully (and PAIN STAKINGLY!) choose the pictures to include.  We are thankful that our letter is already written out, but sorting and re-sorting through all our pictures seems just a difficult right now....ha ha ha ha ha!

Second, we are filling out the application for an interest-free loan through the ABBA Fund.  This is a wonderful "covenant loan" program specifically designed for adoptive families.  Our hope is to qualify for $10,000 to pay for the legal fees due when we are matched with our birthmother.  We should be able to pay the loan off quickly with our $10,000 adoption tax credit.  While we are waiting to be matched, however, we will still continue our fundraising efforts to "bite off" bits of this remaining fee.

Our hearts are heavy to meet our new child.  We truly ache to hold him/her in our arms and pour out our love!  It breaks my heart (Ashley) when 3 year old Ethan sighs and asks, "When is our new baby coming home, mama?"  I know that God is doing a good and perfect work...but the waiting and working wears you down when you see its effect on your children. Nevertheless, we trust in our all-powerful God and cling to the truth we know: He is GOOD and He loves His children.

Thank you for sharing in our joys and praying us through our struggles.  Thank you for helping us in big and little ways....we are so thankful for you!