Update on Fees, Remaining Adoption Costs, & Status

First, I just wnat to say thank you to A. We received a $100 Blessing from A this past Wednesday! Thanks so much, A!!!! We will put this toward the next CHI fee of $500. We are only $300 away from that goal!

Remaining CHI Fees Include:
Referral fee = $500
Lawyer fee = $1200
Interpreter fee = $300
Paperwork fee (in country passports, birth certificates, med approval, etc.) = $600

Homestudy Agency Fees Include:
Post Placement Reports = $920
(Four reports are required at different periods of time after we adopt. Each report is $230. This must be paid before we travel.)

Travel Costs:
Approximate Costs for Airline, Hotel, Transportation & Food for about a month = $8 - 10,000
(We hope to fly directly to Cali when we go to Colombia. However, we will have to fly to Bogota from Cali to get the okay from the MD to allow her to come to the US before we can leave Colombia.)

The costs are real. It isn't always easy, but it is so worth it... to give a child a home, love and care for them... well, it not only changes your life, but theirs and the community around you. God is good, and He is faithful! He owns a cattle on a thousand hills, I've been told... and I know the numbers above- well, that's just "chump change" to him! How will we get it paid? Who knows! But we are confident and we move forward...

BUT HOW LONG WILL WE HAVE TO WAIT??? WHO KNOWS! I spoke with Nichole a few weeks ago to ask her if she heard if our dossier was approved. She told me there were dossiers submitted back in December that still weren't approved yet! It usually takes 1-2 months for approval. She said they are moving REAL slow and it might be because of a BIG conference that ICBF was having in July. After that, hopefully, they will get back on track. Regardless, we know that God is still in control, and a little more time for us and our daughter just gives Him more time to work in us what we need to have for when we meet each other...at least that's my prayer! We were told that it might be up to 6 -12 months after we are approved. With international adoptions, however, anything could change at any time! It might work out best for us the longer the wait... we are still need about $13,000 to make it to Colombia as a family, and with my job that I recently started...I will not be eligible for FMLA until Feb...so, I'd only be able to leave for about 2 weeks! So, as much as we would like to meet her TODAY, we do understand the logistics of things and have faith that God will work it ALL out in the end! Please pray with us that in the waiting period that our daughter is cared for...that she have someone there to wipe away her tears, someone to feed her when she a grumbly in her tumbly... and that God prepare our hearts for another little one in the Wood home! Thanks for listening.