Home Study Update!

Today was SUCH an exciting day for us. Around 10:30am we received a phone call from Connie Landen, the rep from Gladney who will be conducting our Home Study. We were originally told that it took approximately 30 days from the time the Home Study is ordered until we would be contacted about scheduling. (From our previous post, you will recall that our Home Study was ordered on January 12th so we were not expecting to hear anything until mid-February at the earliest.) To make a long story short, Mrs. Landen informed us of an opening in her schedule for NEXT week! So, please be praying for us on Thursday, January 29th as we will welcome this sweet lady into our home and begin our Home Study! WOW! God is oh so good!

Long, Lost Update!

First of all, please accept our apologies for not posting in the past month or so.  We trust that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and are experiencing an awesome start to 2009. Needless to say, we are pretty excited about 2009!  This new year is going to bring lots of changes for our little family from graduation, a new job, and moving (and all that entails!)!  However, all of these changes pale in comparison with our biggest change in 2009 - a precious new addition to our family.  If everything continues to run as smoothly as it has thus far, we should be able to bring our sweet baby home towards the end of the year.

Speaking of the adoption, God is continuing to do great things.  As of this past Saturday (January 10), God has provided the money for all of our blood work.  Thankfully, the Wake County Public Health Department gives free HIV and Syphilis test which saves us about $500.  However, we still have to be tested for a few other diseases and the cost for these tests are totaling around $400-$500.  God has been so good to provide this money through the sacrifices of some of our dearest friends and family.  We could not be more excited!  (Well, except for Dustin who is SO THRILLED about the numerous needles that are about to enter his arm!)  Once we get these test results and a few more forms filled out, our application will officially be complete!  WOOHOO!  

Also, we received confirmation today that our Home Study has been ordered.  As mentioned in the last post, this is HUGE!  We are so hopeful that once this Home Study is completed, we will be able to receive some financial assistance from different organizations.  Gladney has been so awesome to work with us on the numerous fees that are due with the adoption.  Because Dustin has been ordained and we are adopting from Ethiopia, Gladney is waving HALF of their organization fees!  This brings our program fee to $2100...which still sounds like a whole lot but God is SO able!  Basically the first funds we receive from this point forward will go to pay Gladney and then progress through the other fees.  Please be praying that we are diligent in our search for grants and that God continues to provide.  We desire, more than anything, for Him to be glorified!

In our quiet time together the other night, God gave us this verse that we ask you to join us in praying over our family throughout this year.

"For if I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold onto me."  Psalm 139:9-10

Thank you so much for checking in on us!  You are dear to our hearts!