Entering the Second "Trimester"

Well we have finally arrived! It is time for the "feel-good" trimester. The time where you start to feel like things are getting a little more real. The trimester where we would typically have an ultrasound to determine the sex of our baby, maybe even getting a 3D picture of the little one growing in my womb. But this trimester is going to have a little different feel!

Month One: NOVEMBER

Our home study is officially in review and will be complete, supposedly, within a week. In November we will send off our first Grant Application, apply for immigration, and collect all official documents needed for our dossier.

Please Pray

We are applying for a grant with the JSC foundation. This is a wonderful grant that could cover well over $6,000 in adoption fees, unrelated to travel costs. Please pray that we are not only awarded a significant amount of grant money, but that we would receive the money BEFORE our next agency fee is due (when our dossier is sent to China). That way the money can be applied toward that fee, and others unrelated to travel, which is the bulk of our remaining expenses.

Month Two: DECEMBER

In December one of two things could happen. Our immigration could come back at the very beginning of the month and we could be DTC (Dossier to China)!! If this happens, we could be Logged in and start receiving referrals of our daughter by Christmas (what a gift!) The other thing that could happen is that we could be waiting on immigration well into the month of December and send our DTC more towards the end of the month.

Please Pray

We would love to have immigration go through in just 4 weeks time and get DTC as soon as possible! Please pray things go swiftly, but mostly pray for God's perfect timing. Remember, the grant money could possibly line up with agency costs associated with this timing!

Month Three: JANUARY

The final month of this trimester is a mystery. More than likely we will still be receiving referrals, but it would be so amazing if we would be in the official matching process at this point. This is the part of the process where we have viewed referrals, "found our daughter," sent a letter of intent to China and wait for their approval.

Thank you for reading, praying, coming and giving! God is at work. Thank you for being a part!

The First Snag and Fall Fun

Thanks for following along with us as we move closer everyday to meeting our daughter in China! If you are in a hurry, please skip down to "While we wait" to see the "Second trimester" of fundraising events!

Well we have never been so thrilled to see a month come and go! The beginning of October marked the end of our Home Study paperwork and interviews and the end of our elementary school Hike-a-thon event! After much planning and lots of help, our Hike fundraiser was a great success. And after a very chilly morning field day, God smiled on us and brought the sun for the Hike!!

We are looking forward to this new season, which ushers in cool breezes, autumn colors and favorite Fall festivities like "cabin-ing," a visit to the pumpkin patch and "Trunk r'Treating!" It also ushers in a new ADOPTION season. This is the EBB and WAIT season.

Though we finished our final interview and paperwork for the Home Study last Wednesday, we learned that we were missing some needed clearances for the states where Larry and I served as camp counselors and summer missionaries. We are now waiting an additional 3-6 weeks for clearances to come back from AL, ME, SC, FL and NM! Wow! Honestly, I am thankful, because I was starting to feel a little rushed to make payments and send off new forms. I am sure this is God's way of slowing me down and giving me his Sabbath rest. Hallelujah!

The good news is, once these forms come back, our Immigration forms are ready to go! We also have the money needed for this process already in our bank account, thanks to previous fundraisers!

Next Steps

We anticipate that our dossier will be ready to go to China by December. While we wait for paper work to go through over these next 8 weeks or so, we will be doing some intense fundraising. It costs approximately $6,000 to send our dossier to China: a little over $2,000 in fees for the actual process, and a little over $3,000 for our 3rd agency fee that is due at the same time.

Fundraising Update

During the "first trimester" of our paperwork pregnancy we raised $7,000 to cover all fees thus far. Thanks to all who donated on our Youcaring.com/teamsecrest website, supported us at the Chic-fil-A night, our Adoption-ade stand, through the Mary Kay fundraiser and by purchasing a Team Secrest tee-shirt! Totals from the tee-shirt sales and Mary Kay fundraiser will be coming in soon!

While we wait

It's time for round two of our Fundraising wave! Welcome to the "second trimester" of our paperwork pregnancy!! The goal is $6,000 to get our dossier to China. Please view the following ways you can get involved!

1. Buy Mary Kay

My friend Autumn, who hosted a Mary Kay party for me this month, has graciously extended this fundraiser through December. Just click on the link below to purchase wonderful products from Mary Kay and 40% of your purchase will go straight to our adoption funds! When you check out, be sure to type "SECREST ADOPTION" in the comments so she knows to flag the funds for us!

http://www.marykay.com/amitchell58855

2. Comedy Night Tickets are still on sale!

Please contact ASAP for tickets. The more we sell the more they will give us to sell!

3. Adoption-ade stand: October 24th from 2-4pm at our house!

Join us for an afternoon of Fall goodness featuring home-made hot chocolate, cookies, breads, scones, donuts, muffins and more! You can also purchase "S'mores" in a bag and roast them right there in our fire pit!! Mark your calendars now and get ready to stock up on your baked goods!

 

We will also be offering Rainbow Loom bracelets and our featured adoption bag tags and necklaces from Pop Top studios!

 

4. Shop Thirty-One

My friend Amanda will be hosting a Thirty-One shopping event in our honor on Tuesday night, November 17th from 7-9pm. The new Fall catalog will be available at our Adoption-ade stand if you want to browse and even place an order then! Christmas is coming! Think Thirty-One!

 

5. Adoption dinner

 

A Tuesday night dinner is in the works for Tuesday night, November 10th from 5-8pm! Mark your calendars and let us cook for you. Details to come.