Sunday, August 26, 2012
Movement
Finally a bit more movement on the adoption front I can share with you!
First though I wanted to update about our van. Which broke down on Olivia's birthday. Yuck.
Anyway, I love our van. We drive a twelve passenger van and even though it's just the four of us (for now) we have used it to the hilt: having extra foster children fill some of the seats, driving friends to Chicago with us to spend the day, driving to Florida at Christmas and having room to bring along scooters and all of the Christmas gifts, taking extra kids to and from school, etc. We purchased in 2009, buying a year old model at the height of the gas prices skyrocketing. They were practically trying to give these things away! :) We were able to get a GREAT deal (our mini van was in the last stages of usefulness) including low mileage, an extended warranty, and installation of TWO DVD players. And... it's paid OFF... NO debt! Which has been great!
So... when we limped our van into the dealership to drop it off on Aug 16, and then found out the next day that it was the transmission, and the transmission guy was of course on vacation until Aug 20, and we were renting a car in the meantime... well... it was disappointing to say the least. I've had a few people ask why not "get a new car"... but that just wasn't even an option. As I said, we have no debt on this! Buying something else, even if we got a good deal on trading, would have meant a car payment again, something I'm just not willing to do in the midst of an adoption. We have no savings right now, all of our savings is our adoption fund. If this had happened at the beginning of summer I can tell you that we wouldn't have done much of anything this summer. Our activities are budgeted in, along with a heavy deposit into our adoption fund, each month. Although we do quite a bit as a family, it's within our budget and I'm watching that money VERY carefully. We buy seasons ahead in clothes when we find great deals. We thrift shop. I have sold MUCH over the past couple years. But this was definitely not in the plan and was a hit I wasn't liking. BUT... we are still "rich" beyond measure. We serve a mighty God. I had the money, but am now VERY limited on what is in my adoption fund and (hopefully) soon we will be needing more... More to travel. Twice. and More to enable myself to stay home for a bit when they come home, assuming it's during the school year. I can take up to twelve weeks off, but it will not be paid leave.
All that to say, we may be doing some more fundraising in the near future... so stay tuned! :) But, I hope to have some FUN fundraisers where you could WIN!
Reminds me, we STILL have to get to that 100 "likes" on our FB page to give away $10 on Amazon!!! Get to it, share, blog, get the word OUT! :)
So... on the adoption front... As of Thursday all of my dossier was at my adoption agency! I only need to get a paper called the I171H which I'll get after my I600a is approved saying I can adopt internationally with Gov't approval. And Monday I'll FINALLY be able to apply for that I600a! Once they receive that packet, I'll await word on when I'm to go in to be fingerprinted. Two big things in one week, right after all the car issues... I think Satan KNEW something was going on! :)
That's ok... we're ready to do battle to find out WHO our little one is and WHEN they're coming HOME! Liam asks about her all the time... he is so excited!
So are we buddy, so are we!
First though I wanted to update about our van. Which broke down on Olivia's birthday. Yuck.
Anyway, I love our van. We drive a twelve passenger van and even though it's just the four of us (for now) we have used it to the hilt: having extra foster children fill some of the seats, driving friends to Chicago with us to spend the day, driving to Florida at Christmas and having room to bring along scooters and all of the Christmas gifts, taking extra kids to and from school, etc. We purchased in 2009, buying a year old model at the height of the gas prices skyrocketing. They were practically trying to give these things away! :) We were able to get a GREAT deal (our mini van was in the last stages of usefulness) including low mileage, an extended warranty, and installation of TWO DVD players. And... it's paid OFF... NO debt! Which has been great!
So... when we limped our van into the dealership to drop it off on Aug 16, and then found out the next day that it was the transmission, and the transmission guy was of course on vacation until Aug 20, and we were renting a car in the meantime... well... it was disappointing to say the least. I've had a few people ask why not "get a new car"... but that just wasn't even an option. As I said, we have no debt on this! Buying something else, even if we got a good deal on trading, would have meant a car payment again, something I'm just not willing to do in the midst of an adoption. We have no savings right now, all of our savings is our adoption fund. If this had happened at the beginning of summer I can tell you that we wouldn't have done much of anything this summer. Our activities are budgeted in, along with a heavy deposit into our adoption fund, each month. Although we do quite a bit as a family, it's within our budget and I'm watching that money VERY carefully. We buy seasons ahead in clothes when we find great deals. We thrift shop. I have sold MUCH over the past couple years. But this was definitely not in the plan and was a hit I wasn't liking. BUT... we are still "rich" beyond measure. We serve a mighty God. I had the money, but am now VERY limited on what is in my adoption fund and (hopefully) soon we will be needing more... More to travel. Twice. and More to enable myself to stay home for a bit when they come home, assuming it's during the school year. I can take up to twelve weeks off, but it will not be paid leave.
All that to say, we may be doing some more fundraising in the near future... so stay tuned! :) But, I hope to have some FUN fundraisers where you could WIN!
Reminds me, we STILL have to get to that 100 "likes" on our FB page to give away $10 on Amazon!!! Get to it, share, blog, get the word OUT! :)
So... on the adoption front... As of Thursday all of my dossier was at my adoption agency! I only need to get a paper called the I171H which I'll get after my I600a is approved saying I can adopt internationally with Gov't approval. And Monday I'll FINALLY be able to apply for that I600a! Once they receive that packet, I'll await word on when I'm to go in to be fingerprinted. Two big things in one week, right after all the car issues... I think Satan KNEW something was going on! :)
That's ok... we're ready to do battle to find out WHO our little one is and WHEN they're coming HOME! Liam asks about her all the time... he is so excited!
So are we buddy, so are we!
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Olivia - 14
Braeden - 11
Liam - 9
Macy - 5
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5 years ago
2 comments:
It always falls apart right before something big happens. At least that's the way our adoptions have happened!
Oh Yippee Jesus! I hope that you can bring her home soon! Praying that Haiti will be spared the hurricane! Janet