July Update (a few days early)

Just writing to give you a quick update on our adoption.

As of July 6th, we will be on the waitlist for 14 months. We received a pretty disappointing letter from our adoption agency just a few days ago saying that, because of lots of changes in the adoption process in Ethiopia, the wait times have continued (and are projected to continue) to get even longer. Just a few months ago, they were saying probably about 14 months wait time. Now they are saying probably much longer. They really have very little idea as far as projected wait times, so this is just their best guess at this time. I am trying to be patient, but I have to be honest that it is pretty difficult to do that.

Here is a break down of what is going on, financially, with the adoption.

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
Dossier Update Fee – Holt	$255.00	6/28/12	7/6/12
Program Fee – Holt	$9,890.00	saved	Upon Referral (have $6,000 in Show Hope Grant for this).
Post Placement Fee – LSS	$1,300.00		Upon Referral
Trip 1 to Ethiopia	$8,000.00 (estimated)		Upon Scheduled Travel Date (have $65 in the bank for this)
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.

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser

You can order t-shirts from this site: www.adoptionbug.com/thomasadoption. You can order and pay on-line and the t-shirt(s) will be shipped directly to you. We make anywhere from $5-$10 (depending on the t-shirt) per shirt sold toward our adoption. Check it out! They have some cool, high-quality shirts for sale! This fundraiser will be on-going until we bring our child home.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• -          Finances to continue to come through and successful fundraisers.
• -          Patience and faith for both of us in this process.
• -          Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard. He has begun the recording process but it is taking longer than anticipated.

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family

Home Study Updated

Our new social worker (still with Lutheran Social Services, but this part of the state) came out the other day to do our updated home study at our new house. It went well. Each of the kids just blurted out, "Mom, I love you." to me about 3 times each while she was here -- and I didn't even have to pay them!! :) And Drew pulled his little sister around the family room by her ankle (seriously, this was a first) in front of her. But, I'm pretty sure we passed none the less!! :) Jaden and I had the chance to once again explain the reason we decided to adopt and the reason we decided to adopt from Ethiopia. As I told our social worker, I have seen many people, over the past 20 months since our application was approved, decide to adopt from a different country instead of Ethiopia. But, we have just become so attached to Ethiopia - I just can't imagine switching. There is no doubt I think about our next baby and Ethiopia many, many times a day. Anyway, it got us excited all over again. She has no insight into what the time table may be for us, but she did say this happens with international adoption. They aren't lying when they say it isn't for the faint of heart. A friend of ours who have been waiting about 17 months knows another couple that just got a referral after waiting about 17 months. We have been waiting 14 months as of July 6th. At least we are (hopefully) on the tail end of the waiting! Anyway, just a quick update. :)

June Update

Just writing to give you a quick update on our adoption and to tell you about a GREAT fundraiser we have going on.

As of today, we have been on the waitlist for 13 months. We haven’t received any updates from our adoption agency in some time now. I am a member of a yahoo discussion board of couples adopting from Ethiopia through Holt as well and one of them said Holt told them it could be another 6 months to a year of waiting… This is not something I fully understand and it’s really got me down lately. One couple, adopting from Ethiopia as well but from a different agency waited 27 months for a referral (and then you still have about 5-6 months before bringing your child home).

Here is a break down of what is going on, financially, with the adoption.

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 (have $6,000 grant and an additional $3715 in the bank for this).
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.

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser

You can order t-shirts from this site: www.adoptionbug.com/thomasadoption. You can order and pay on-line and the t-shirt(s) will be shipped directly to you. We make anywhere from $5-$10 (depending on the t-shirt) per shirt sold toward our adoption. Check it out! They have some cool, high-quality shirts for sale! This fundraiser will be on-going until we bring our child home.

PRAYER REQUESTS

-          Finances to continue to come through and successful fundraisers.

-          Patience and faith for both of us in this process.

-          Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard. He has begun the recording process but it is taking longer than anticipated.

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family