It's time to try something NEW...

It's time to try something New for our adoption. We have been waiting for over a year and we want to do everything within our power to make this happen. We are depending on God that he will lead us down the right path but we know that we have to listen and go where He wants. So we have signed on and are officially clients of Christian Adoption Consultants. We are excited about this venture and look forward to working with Karalee and this agency.

You may notice as you read this post there are some new links to the right. We have added a few Amazon links and search boxes. These are going to allow us to make money that will go toward our adoption when you follow the link and purchase through that link. The percentage of the purchase will vary, but as we have said every penny counts.

You will also see that we have added a Donate button at the top. This organization is a 501(c)(3) non profit that is accepting donations on our behalf and accepts online credit card payments (both named and anonymous) and is helping us get closer to our goal of raising the $30,000 it is going to take to bring a new child into our home.

We get a lot of questions about why does it cost so much? Where does all that money go? Well let me try to explain it. Adoption fees fund a variety of professional services and enable an adoption to progress safely and legally. Here are a few of those services:

• Reviewing application to adopt
• Homestudy & Yearly Homestudy Updates
• Locating children available for adoption
• Locating prospective birth parents
• Professional counseling, education, and training for birth and adoptive families
• Pre- and post-placement visits to the adoptive home by an adoption social worker
• Paperwork processing
• Birth Mother expenses
• Travel Expenses
• Consultant fees

I could probably go on. It is expensive but to ensure a legal and safe adoption these are services we want to pay for. Each agency has different fees and different requirements. I hope this helps clear up a few questions people have had in the past.

We are going to have more information on a Pancake Breakfast to be held in Louisville soon. We are just starting to work on it and hope to have a location and date soon. We will be sure to let you know when anything new happens. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We know that God has a plan for our family and in His time it will be revealed to us.

God Bless,

The Lawsons

Trying a different path

It's now been a year that we have been waiting to bring a second child into our family. We have had our ups and downs, but we have held on to God's faith. The past couple of weeks have been great with the teaching and gospel that God has provided. He seems to provide exactly what we need when we need it. One of my favorite verses in the bible reads: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1.

God is going to bring us a child.

I titled this post, Trying a different path, because we have decided to begin working with a Christian Adoption Consultants. Our only delay is that we must raise the $1950 fee due with their application to begin. This organization works with agencies all over the country and will help us through all aspects of the adoption. Here are some of the reasons they say families should use a consultant:

Here are some of the Benefits for using Christian Adoption Consultants:

• Shorter wait time - Our adoptions typically take less than 6-10 months! (This sounds good to us.)
• Referrals to Multiple agencies in adoption friendly states.
• Financial advice - Knowing the resources you have available to you as an adoptive couple will help you make sound, wise financial decisions and save you time and money.
• Education and guidance for your adoption - Our individual consultations and step by step reference manual will guide you from your first questions about adoption until your adoption is finalized.
• Higher level of protection and security from adoption fraud - Let the experts advise you on the warning signs and help you find the right agency and adoption situation for your family.

We are looking at ways to raise this fee and the remaining amount needed to complete our adoption. We know that whether it is a small fundraiser that raises $10 or a bigger one that raises $1000, it is all because of God and I know that He will give us EXACTLY what is needed and when.  His plan is perfect and He has a plan for our family. We just have to pray believing, trusting and FULLY having faith that it will be His perfect plan. "But let him ask in faith, nothing  wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." James 1:6-7

Your prayers, thoughts, suggestions for fundraisers, donations or just being there for us are all greatly appreciated. We can not do this alone and we need the prayers of those we love.

More later,

Mandy