Here we go...

So after researching the refundable tax credit we found out that it's actually NOT too good to be true!  The government is going to help us adopt!  Amazing!!!

We have contacted a couple of other agencies and have made the decision to proceed with Christian Family Services in Rock Hill, SC.  This is the same agency that we used for our first adoption and are thrilled to be working with them again!

Right now we are in the process of filling out the application and getting our first bit of information ready to mail.  I have spent the majority of the day on the phone with agencies across the state of North Carolina in search of someone to complete our home study.  We have a couple of prospects and hope to get that ball rolling very soon.

As I've said before, we will need your prayers as we embark on this adventure.  Please pray that God will provide for all of the financial needs that will arise.  Pray for wisdom and guidance for every decision that must be made.  And pray for our birth mom, whoever she is, that God will protect her and give her strength and peace of mind in the months to come.

Adoption REFUND?!

Am I the last to find out that the old adoption tax credit is now more than a $13,000 REFUNDABLE tax credit???  I just found this out in an e-mail from the agency I spoke with in Virginia.  This was news to me!  So I checked it out with my accountant sister-in-law and if we are reading all of the IRS wording right, it looks like if you have adopted in 2010 or plan to adopt before December of 2011 then the former tax credit (which few, if any, people every got to use anyway) is now a refund!!!

If anyone has any further information about this, we would be interested to hear.  I plan to call our accountant next week so she can look a little deeper into this.  But if all this is true, then we need to get the word out!  If the government is willing to help this much with the cost of adoption, then it could make a big difference for orphans around the world!

Still searching...

After meeting a man by the name of Ken Coleman at Catalyst last week, Allen and I came home very encouraged about a new potential adoption path.  Ken and his wife adopted one of their boys through Family Life Services in Lynchburg, VA.  At the time they were accepting 20 families a year into a financial program that would cover the cost of adoptions exceeding $7,500!  That is a BIG deal!!!  $7,500 seems a lot more doable than $20,000!

However, after making the phone call today, we learned that they no longer have the funds available to continue this program.  Being a little bummed about another dead end, I am reminded that God has a plan for our family.  Because He has placed adoption on our hearts we will continue to seek and to pray until we bring our child home.

Yes... I know I need to post something!

October 3, 2010

Sorry to those of you who have been checking our blog for a new post only to see nothing!  I did good to create the thing!

Just to let you know where we stand at this point...
We are ready to begin the journey to bring a new addition into our family.  We are currently trying to decide on an agency.  While we thought we were sold on Special Link in Greenville, we are re-visiting that decision for a number of reasons.  Please pray that God will clearly lead us to the right agency for our family. 

At this time we are also saving for our home study.  This is the first of many checks we will have to write.  The cost of adoption is the very reason that we have not started this process before now, but we believe that God will provide when we trust Him in obedience.  I heard on the radio this week, faith is putting yourself in situations where if God doesn't come through you'll be in trouble!  We have faith that the money will come as we need it for this adoption.

We’ll keep you posted as the journey unfolds…
Carey