Even while in Ethiopia meeting the boys, we knew we wanted to adopt again. We would have been out of debt last year probably if it hadn't been for the many, numerous repairs we had to do to the house. Ok, that being said, Aaron wants to get completely out of debt before we turn in our adoption paperwork and get on the waiting list.
It just seemed impossible that we would get out of debt anytime soon. No matter how hard we try, and it is going down. By the end of this month we will have paid down $4200 since August, but so much to go.
Without going into it too much, we have decided to get our paperwork done ASAP and get on the waiting list. I really, really need to have it done by Jan 14, because the notary at our doctor's office notary expires then. That would mean having to go back to the doctor to get this filled out again, which is ALWAYS a big ta-do. I am hoping to have it done by the first week of December. I have almost all of the papers filled out and ready to go down to the bank to be notarized. We are waiting for our 3 referrals to be done and I told them that I would like them by Thanksgiving. Nothing in our dossier can be dated after our cover page is notarized. Once everything is perfect, and I mean perfect, we will send our notarized cover page to the capital to be state certified. Then we can get our stuff sent in to the agency. The prediction of a referral of a baby girl is approx. 9-10 months. Of course, that could speed up or slow down. Plus, that will give us 9-10 months of paying off more debt. And fundraising and applying for grants.
We had a grand total of $38,000 of receipts for our adoption fees for the boys (100% worth it) Plus I would guess 2000-4000 in stuff we did not get receipts for.
Now with Ethiopia, we should only have to make 1 longer trip, which should shave about $8000 off those fees. And if we only get one child this time (haven't 100% decided yet) that would shave another $8000, which brings my estimate down to $22,000.. Wow, I hope that's right. Anyway, before you freak out about the fees....
#1 These children have a soul. Souls are worth it. Most people here spend more on a stupid, non-eternal vehicle than they are willing to spend to help a soul.
#2 Should people like social workers who do your home study, agency workers who match you with a child, help you with your paperwork, pick you up in country, etc, airlines who get you across the world and back, etc. Should all these people do this for free because adoption is a good thing? They deserve to be paid too.
#3 If you were to birth a baby here in the US, I can about bet that your hospital bill before insurance would probably match an adoption. So adoption is kind of like having a child without health insurance.
On a different note ...
Today is Ethan's 3rd birthday. He is excited. We are having a party for both he and Seth tonight. Yes, I am that Mom that takes shortcuts and cheapcuts when having parties. I will admit it. So, in order to make it easier for me around the holidays, we are combining the parties. Seth's birthday is on 12/23 and Ethan's is 11/22. So, Aaron's parents and my mom are coming over for supper and cake tonight and presents. That's it.
I went to 3 stores last week looking for some kind of toppers to put on cupcakes. Thomas the Tank Engine for Ethan and Spiderman for Seth> Could not find anything, so I finally looked in 4 different places in Walmart. Finally went to the cake section and asked the lady where to buy them. She asked how many I wanted. I said 5-10 each. She sold me 12 cupcake toppers of Thomas and 12 of Spiderman for .88c a dozen. So I bought some cheap cakes and white icing. And the girls have spent all morning decorating cupcakes.
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