Changes...Take 2

It seems like lots have been going on concerning the adoption. We thought we had found and settled on who we were suppose to use as our adoption/placing agency ( Adoption Associates). But things have changed AGAIN thank to my sweet friend Amy W. who introduced me to Elissa another AWAA mom.

Anyone who's adopted or is even interested in adoption always asks the same first questions....what agency are you using? How far along in the process are you? Healthy or SN? This is how our first conversation went. I shared my facts with her and she shared hers with me. She told me that they had considered Adoption Associates but chose FHSA for a few reasons. When I heard her reasons it was if I was talking about our family. She told me she has just signed on a couple weeks ago and that they had an opening for a healthy child. If you're not familiar with Nepal they just re-opened their doors for adoption last October and they are only allowing ten dossiers per agency per year. Every agecny I spoke with had filled their quota for this year and next year. So to find an opening was totally the Lord!

When Ellisa told me they found an opening for THIS YEAR I about fell over! I thought I had found and called every agency out there that worked in Nepal. Needless to say I didn't sleep well that night. All I could think about was....is there another opening for 2009? The next morning at 9 I called and spoke with Karen R. and she said that there were actually three openings! Again I about fell over! Anyway long story short (kind of) I loved speaking with all the ladies at FHSA. Every single one of them was so friendly and helpful. Mike and I prayed and decided we would see if CHCS our home study agency and FHSA could work together. Remember it took a few months to find out if we could work with AAI.... well it's only been about two weeks and we got the phone call today saying we're all set to move forward!

I am amazed that it all happened so fast! Stephanie told me that the contracts were being drawn up as we were spoke and I should get them in my hands on Thursday! Once I get them we'll set an appointment for our one and only home study visit. Also next week I'll be mailing in our payments (Lord willing) and beginning the collection of our dossier documents!

It's been almost 6 months since we said Yes Lord we will go to Nepal. I'm praying if it's the Lords will that it won't take long to pull our dossier together. It would be the neatest thing if the Lord allowed us the privilege to travel to Nepal with Ellisa and her husband to bring home our baby boys!

Agreement For Service

Today when we got home from hiking, the Owl, in our pile of mail was our contract from CHCS! We shall sign it and get it in the mail Monday morning! Things seem to be moving! Praise the Lord!!

Official Step One!

Finally something to report! We recieved an email yesterday from Stephanie from CHCS (our home study agency) letting us know things look good and we're moving forward!

Hi Tonya,

Yes, I do have an update. It looks like we finally have everything in place and are moving forward. The contracts are being finalized and will be mailed out to Adoption Associates and to you and Mike. Once signatures are in place, we can set a time to meet. I am looking at a four hour block of time. After that I believe any questions I have (if any) could either be e-mailed or discussed on the phone. Should be a very straightforward process as the length of the report they want is so short.

Stephanie

I contacted AAI and spoke with Suzanne this afternoon. She told me to fill out the International Preliminary Adoption Application and email it to her. DONE!

She sent us some stuff we need to read over and sign. WE'LL DO THAT TONIGHT!

Next step will be to mail our first program fee and within a week we'll be assigned a consultant (FC).

We are very excited to be started the paperwork to bring Jonah home!!!

Yard Sale....Fundraiser!!!

This past Friday and Saturday, May 15 & 16 we had a yard sale with some of our stuff along with some things given to us by family and one of my best friends......God is sooo good! We raised $1,587.15!!!! I am amazed! I've had lots of yard sales in the past and had lots of stuff, but never made this much! We have lots left over and will be planning another weekend sale in June!

On another note....we got an email from our home study agency on Friday.....

Hello,

We have finally gotten somewhere. My Regional Manager has reviewed the materials and sees no reason why we cannot move ahead. I have just three minor questions I have been requested to ask the adoption agency. If they are okay, we are okay.

Pending their answers, contract development should begin next week.

:-)

Have a great weekend.


So we're thrilled to be making some head way on this! I never imagined it would take so long for the agencies to come to agreements. Oh well this is all in the Lord's timing, not ours. I am however very excited to start this dossier!!! Soon very soon!

Thank You and Changes....

Thank you to all who helped with this Lia Sophia fundraiser and those who gave us generous donations to help with Jonah's adoption! We appreciate all of you! It's such a blessing having people in our lives who have the same heart for adoption...friends who come along side to pray, encourage and help in a practical way! I don't have a total that was raised just yet. Angel wants to keep the party open until Wednesday because she has a few orders still to get. OK...that was the Thank you part now for the changes part....

First of all our God is AMAZING! I got a call from Stephanie our social worker on Friday saying she had good news and bad news. The good news....she is coming to the Spirit of Adoption Seminar! The bad news....our home study agency can NOT come into an agreement with All God's Children International. That did seem like bad new for a few seconds but quickly turned into good news. The reason they can't work together is because of all the things they are requiring of CHCS...things like anyone who works at all with us or signs off on our home study would be required to update their resume and send it to AGCI??? That alone seems very intrusive for those individuals. Why do they need that?? Anyway that's just one example of 4 pages of stuff they want! CRAZY! Anyway Stephanie was feeling all bad because she didn't know how much money we had invested so far. The good news.....we've spent $0! NOTHING!!! OK this is where it turns into a praise report. We've been praying for the Lord to provide the money needed for this adoption and so far He has provided some but not enough to "run" yet! All those who have adopted know what I mean :) Anyhow....had all that money been there we would have "run" and paid this agency in the vicinity of $3,000.00 which would have been NON REFUNDABLE! We thought the Lord showed us what agency to use but apparently we were wrong. So how awesome is God to allow the funds to trickle in slowly so we wouldn't waste any money on an agency we can't use. I guess I shouldn't say we can't use them, but if we did we would have to use another home study agency and that's something we are not doing unless we hear from the Lord to do so. Stephanie has been a huge blessing to us and I can't imagine not using her! The interesting thing about all this is the Lord seems to be bringing us back to the first agency we looked at Adoption Associates. I couldn't remember why we didn't pursue this agency at first, but realized it was because they wanted us to keep birth order. Again something we've been praying about. We thought maybe we should adopt an older boy but wasn't sure. Anyhow if we use AAI Jonah would have to be 9 months younger than Noelle....which is fine with us. I contacted AAI on Friday. They sent us the home study agreement that CHCS would have to sign and I already heard from CHCS this morning! That was fast!! I didn't get the green light because they have just one question for AAI but I should know soon! I don't think it will be a problem. Also I'm waiting for a couple of my questions to be answered by AAI and I should hear back by Friday...I hope! So we think we're on the right path as far as agencies are concerned.

That's all for now! I'll post more when I know more! I'm excited!

By the way I hope you all have a wonderful Resurrection Day!

FIRST FUNDRAISER!

We are doing our first fundraiser to help bring Jonah home!

My friend Angel is a Lia Sophia advisor and she is willing to give up her ENTIRE commission (30%) to help bring him home! Thank you Angel!

Who knows how the Lord will provide...maybe with a bunch of ladies who love jewelry :)

Ok...here's how it will work....

1. Click HERE this will take you to Angel's Lia Sophia website.

2. Click on OUR JEWELRY found on the top of the page.

3. Click on Spring/Summer Catalog

4. Click on How To Purchase....this is a tap just above the right side of the catalog page. This will give you a spot to type in hostess name.....Tonya Davis

5. SHOP!

On April 11 I'll be hosting a show at my home with all my local friends and we'll put all the orders in at that time. Then we'll mail you your beautiful jewelry!

I feel a little awkward mentioning this but I'll get over myself and my pride and just let you know one more thing. Something that I believe the Lord has taught me is sometimes he wants us to humble ourselves and let others know of a need that we/they/you may have. Then it gives us/them/you the opportunity to be used by Him to bless another. So with that I've had a suggestion from a couple sweet bloggy, adoptive mom friends. They said they would rather just donate a certain amount than to buy jewelry so I have added a CHIP IN to the side bar so if anyone would rather do that they can.

We love you all and thank you for joining us in prayer to bring Jonah home! It will be an amazing testimony of how the Lord provides!

One more thing....

We thought we wanted to adopt a BABY boy age 0-12 months.....well the Lord is stirring our hearts and we're thinking more like 2-4 years old! How fun would that be! Noelle may just be getting an older brother perhaps or one her age! This should be interesting! Stay tuned!

I want to give a SHOUT OF THANKS to some of my sweet bloggy friends who are willing to help get some "outside" orders! Thank you so much Amy, Angie and Tina! Lenka thank you for ordering!

In honor of my sweet friend, Nicole's 1000 post!

I met Nicole in bloggy land while we were paper chasing for Noelle. She is also an AWAA mom. She adopted her Emmi Su only 7 months ago and she and her husband are going back to China for a 4 year old little boy! Very exciting!! She is celebrating her 1000 blog post by doing a giveaway! So if your interested in some wonderful Victoria Secrets perfume and lotion click here to enter. While you're there you should check out her blog.