Mark and I have started the adoption process with Bethany Christian Services!!! We have about 90% of the paperwork done, and our goal is to have all our paperwork turned in by the day after Labor Day.
After that, we will have our homestudy interviews and visits, and once that is finished, we will be on the waiting list. The average wait at our agency is less than a year. However, since we are open to any race, the wait could be significantly less. There's just no real way to know how long it will be.
I am working on putting together our family profile--a scrapbook of us and our life for birthparents to look at. I've already written our "Dear Birthfamily" letter that goes in the cover of the book and gets put on Bethany's website (http://www.bethany.org/). It have been a bit stressful putting them together since that is what birthparents will see and choose us based on.
Obviously, this costs a lot of money. Bethany works on a sliding scale (only place we've found that does that), so that has helped with the costs. We are having a fundraising garage sale in September and are considering other fundraising options. If you have any great fundraising ideas (or any donations for a garage sale!), let me know.
Please pray for us--it is easy to get overwhelmed and, at times, even discouraged by all the paperwork, tests, and other things that we have to do. We really appreciate your prayers!
I will keep you updated on our progress!
Rebekah
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5 comments:
I am so excited for you two! :)
You're going to be amazing parents. I wish we lived closer- I am sure I could furnish your whole garage sale, with things in our garage. I'll brainstorm for fund raising ideas.
You can also try posting to craigslist.com. It's like a garage sale but you can ask more money. (Also post about your sale on craigslist to help get the word out. I'll be praying for you as you move into this process. A couple we knew at Master's College just adopted a little boy from Africa and it was amazing to read about their struggles and the blessings from the Lord as well.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for you and Mark! I thought that you had decided to wait until you had all the money! I am glad that you are goin ahead. What made your change your minds? I am so sad that Bethany does not do anything in Ohio. I really loved what I read about it and it seems like such a wonderful agency! Have you done things on EBay? I have become an expert seller.....in my opinion it is MUCH easier to make lots of money on EBay than with garage sales. I just sold a book for $12 that would have gone for $.50 at a garage sale. Just a though! :)
Hi, I just found your blog completely at random - I was looking for another Mark and Rebekah... anyway, congrats on the adoption process!! www.hannahsprayer.org has a good adoption forum on it :)
hi, u dont know me but i have raised lots of money for different causes and the fastest and cheapest way to raise money is to have a bake sale. make sure its in a busy place. hospitals, churches ect. also for this i am sure your church wouldnt mind helping to raise money...
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