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