June Update

Hello Family & Friends,   

                                                                                                               

Just writing to give you an update on our adoption. . .

May was a BIG month for us! On May 5^th, we sent in our dossier to Holt International. On May 6^th, it was approved and we were OFFICIALLY added to the wait-list for our next baby! On that date, we were around number 75 on the list (they don’t give specific numbers anymore and they don’t just match right-on down the list, so…) and they were currently matching families that had turned in their dossier at the end of October. That means that if everything stays the same (I think that would be a first in the international adoption world) we could maybe be getting that call that they have a child for us? Who knows, could be much sooner, could be much later. On that note, there was a statement released on June 2^nd from The Department of State saying that the MOWCYA (the organization that keeps things going on the Ethiopian side) has cut back their case load to 5 per day.  That is really sad, considering there are over 5 million orphans in Ethiopia alone just WAITING to be matched with forever families. We just have to keep praying that God will move everyone’s process along quickly and being these children home.

Turning in your dossier is the last big thing we can do until we receive a referral. For now, it is TOTAL waiting. I’m not super at that, so I’m praying for patience and trying to keep busy! To everyone who has helped us get this far (financially, emotionally, prayerfully) THANK YOU so much. I really don’t know how to thank people enough. You will all be a big part of this baby’s story to tell!! And ours too. Thank you so much!

Our next big step is referral. Once we get that call (and a few pictures and any medical information they have) and we accept, then we wait for court submission (this means that fees have been paid in full, paperwork returned, and dossier and has been received in Ethiopia). I guess, at this time, the average wait time for this to happen is 24 days. Then, we will receive a notification of a court date – and that is when we start making travel plans! The average wait time for that process, at this point, is 27 days. This is all just an average. Ours could go quicker or take longer… Oh the unknowns!!!

Also, in May, we received a letter from Show Hope (an adoption grant organization that Steven Curtis Chapman started). We’ve been awarded a grant, from Show Hope, in the amount of… are you ready for this? I sure wasn’t… $6,000.00!!! Amazing. I can’t tell you how moving that was. That is amazing. We are SO thankful! Matthew 17:20-21 says, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” As if God had not already revealed this to us… He sure did even more with this letter!

Here is a break down of what is going on and fundraisers.

Step	Cost	Date Paid	Due Date
Application Fee – LSS	$420.00	10/25/10
Application Fee – Holt	$300.00	10/27/10
Home Study Fee – LSS	$2,780.00	1/14/11
USCIS	$890.00	2/2/11
Program Fee – LSS	$1000.00	5/20/11
Remainder of Program Fee – LSS	$750.00		Upon Referral
Dossier Fee – Holt	$3,000.00	5/6/11
Program Fee – Holt	$9,890.00		Upon Referral
Post Placement Fee – LSS	$1,300.00		Upon Referral
Trip 1 to Ethiopia	$8,000.00 (estimated)		Upon Scheduled Travel Date
Trip 2 to Ethiopia	$8,000.00 (estimated)		Upon Scheduled Travel Date

FUNDRAISERS

Just Love Coffee: $5.00 to us for each bag of coffee sold  www.justlovecoffee.com/TheThomas. This fundraiser is on-going until we travel to Ethiopia to bring our child home.

Lifesong for Orphans: Make a tax deductable donation. We have been told that they will continue to accept donations in our name up until we travel to bring home our child. Make checks payable to ‘Lifesong for Orphans’. In memo section: ‘THOMAS #1855 ADOPTION’. Send to Lifesong for Orphans  PO Box 40  202 N Ford Street  Gridley, IL  61744.

PRAYER

• -         Finances to continue to come through. Successful fundraisers. Grant money awarded.
• -          Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard and hoping for a CD release date of early August!
• -          Our child (requesting 1 child age 0-12 months, either gender). He/she will go through mourning at the loss of his/her biological parent(s). We pray that this is a smooth transition and that he/she will stay safe and healthy in the orphanage until we are able to bring him/her home!!
• -          Our child’s birth parent(s) who will suffer a HUGE loss in relinquishing their child. That they may know God’s love for them and find some comfort that we are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to meet our child and bring him/her home!

Thank you so much!

The Thomas Family