End of April Update

ACCOMPLISHED:
We have been busy this month with the first wave of requirements for our adoption and have seen God's provision as we move forward in this first phase. I think we broke a speed record at Bethany! In the last few weeks we have:
- Completed our self study form (35 questions each)
- Completed our family of origin forms
- Completed our questions for inter country applicants form (17 questions each)
- Completed our applicants with children in the home form (35 questions each)
- Completed our parent and child medical examinations and forms (blood draw on us.. yuck!)
- Completed our affidavit of health insurance form
- Completed our personal financial form
- Completed our employer reference form
- Completed our guardian information sheet
- Completed our statement of understanding form
- Completed our realities and risks form
- Completed our medical needs questionnaire (one of the most difficult forms to complete - you basically let the agency know what medical needs you are open to and which ones you are not)
- Completed our "making a transracial adoption a success" form
- Completed our parental discipline policy form
- Completed our foreign country informed consent form
- Completed our permission/consent form
- Completed our certificate of identity form
- Completed our criminal record statement (Rica's former thug life was cleared - haha)
- We applied for Rica's passport renewal (Chad's passport is currently valid)
- We completed our second interview with our social worker
- We read one of our two books for our mandatory read requirement
- We have begun the mandatory 8-10 hour Hague adoption course

FINANCIALS
And some real exciting news... God has provided all the funds needed for this first phase
- Initial donations covered the first $550.00 to Bethany Christian Services
- A wedding honorarium paid for Rica's passport ($75.00) and the Hague course fee ($175.00)
- And we were confirmed that God's Grace Adoption Ministry has funded us $2500.00 toward our adoption and Bethany is allowing us to move forward with their process knowing this grant has been funded! GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!
- Waiting on the Lord's provision for fingerprinting fees and fees related to next phase.

TO DO: - Left to complete for this Phase:
- Complete second book for mandatory read
- Complete Hague course
- Fingerprinting (hopefully in next week or two)
- Third meeting with Social worker - our individual intake interviews
- move into next phase to prepare for Dossier (more documentation and notarizations)

We are also Two weeks out from our Adopting Faith Benefit event on May 8th - we currently have 60 tickets sold, and are hoping to at least double that in the next week. Just a reminder to buy your tickets from Dianne (209-480-4012) and it is an open event... meaning anyone is invited :)

Thanks for your prayers and support! We're moving forward!

Love Chad & Rica

First Interview

This Friday, April 10th, we go to Bethany for our first intake interview. It's one of the first steps in the home study and will take a couple of hours. We are not sure when Bethany will request the next payment for moving forward with the home study, but because they are familiar with GGAM (grant agency) and our affiliation and past funding with GGAM, along with knowing we are having the fund raiser on May 8th, they seem willing to begin the process with confidence that we will be able to make payment when needed - thank you God!

Step One... Check!

Objective #1 Has Been Accomplished!

April 6, 2009 marks the date we turn in our application to formally start the process of adopting the little girl God has for us in China!!! Through special gifts and a wedding honorarium, God provided the $550.00 we were waiting upon to turn our application into Bethany. We praise Him for His provision!

We will now wait for Bethany to contact us and initiate the home study. This could be anywhere from a week to four weeks from now. It will consist of interviews, a home assessment and... you guessed it... more paperwork! The home study will cost $2500.00 (document processing, social worker fees and other home study expenses). Fortunately, we will not have to pay this in one large sum, but in 3-4 increments. This next step involves a significant financial hurdle and we depend on God for every dime of provision.

We are excited to see how the Lord will provide at our ADOPTING FAITH BENEFIT EVENT - FRIDAY, MAY 8TH. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome! We have been overwhelmed by the efforts and support so many have offered to make this event happen, and extremely grateful! We hope you can join us! The silent auction should be a big hit - The generosity of the donated items is amazing! Here's just some of the incredible items:

• A week at a beach house in Kauai
• A weekend at a home on the coast of Cambria
• A weekend at a cabin near Pinecrest Lake
• A side of beef
• His and her bicycles from Oakdale Bike Shop
• A cord of firewood
• and many, many more...

So our next steps consist of:

(1) Waiting on Bethany to engage us on the home study

(2) Waiting on a decision from our first grant application (GGAM).

(3) Waiting on the results of the Benefit Event to provide the funds needed to move forward.

Did you notice the word "waiting'? We know that word will be a regular part of our journey :)

Psalm 37:7 - Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him...

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Love,

Chad & Rica