LOI, PA, and home study visits

OK, well my cousin Jennifer seems to care what is happening in the world of Gavin (ZZ) so I will share even if she is my only reader:) Anyway, We sent in LOI finally and received PA on March 2. Saturday we will have our last of four home study visits and then we just have to wait on the social worker to finish typing it up and the adoption agency to approve it. Then I can sent the I-800A in to USCIS (immigration paperwork) and start on the dossier. I hope to be DTC (dossier to China) by May or June. We really want to travel by December!

Don't forget to visit my Etsy shop that we have set up to raise the funds to bring Gavin home:

http://www.etsy.com/people/ShannonsSugarFree?ref=ls_profile

Thanks!

Background checks and fingerprinting

Rick and I went to the State Police today and got our background checks and fingerprints done. A step in the right direction! I am so excited that this is finally going to happen!

ZZ is an 8-year-old orphan in China. He is hearing impaired, but has been tested and found to be exceptionally gifted, both mentally and athletically. He also has a wonderful personality and disposition. The only negative found so far about him is that he doesn’t like vegetables! In China, because of his disability, he will not be considered worthy of an education. The Fields family would ove to adopt him so that he can be loved,
educated, and come to know about Jesus.

We have been given some wonderful items for the silent auction. If you have an item you would like to donate it would be very much appreciated!

Tickets are $5.00 a person. Children 3 and under are free.
You can buy tickets through Paypal to alexaoutgrown@comcast.net
Please send as a "gift" and put ZZ's Fund and name of guest attending.
You can also mail a check to:
ZZ's Fund
1404 Marsha Drive
Jacksonville, AR 72076

Saving up for our next Adoption

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShannonsSugarFree?ref=seller_info

If you are eating gluten free, sugar free, or low carb these days then take a look at my etsy shop. We are currently in the process of saving up for another adoption. I know other people can jump into an adoption both feet first but I just feel much better if I have the money saved up ahead of time.

We want to eventually adopt another special needs boy from China. I feel that is where the greatest need is. Hunter has been such a tremendous blessing that I can not imagine not doing this again. In fact, I would be happy to do it several more times if possible.

November is Adoption Awareness Month and it really is something that is heavy on my heart. There are over 147 million orphans in the world. Sometimes, to me that is so overwhelming. Here we are in America worried about where we are going to eat, if we can get that new car, what we are going to wear tomorrow, and so many other things that do not really matter. All this time there are children in orphanages all over the world that have nothing. We are so selfish. I know I should be doing more to help these children. Once you have seen these children, held these children, and loved these children it is so much harder to ignore the problem.

CA and travel dates!!!

Well, we finally got our CA (consulate appointment) and will be traveling to pick up Hunter from Jan 21-Feb 6. Gotcha day will be Jan 25. We are so excited. A little bit stressed since we only got a week's notice to get our travel done and get packed and go, but we are doing it! We have all our tickets bought and travel arrangements made. They were a little more expensive, but we are glad that we did not have to wait until after Chinese New Year. Hopefully, we will get everything done and be in China soon! I have heard it is hard to get on blogger in China so I have signed up for a Shutterfly account to record our pictures and time in China. Here it is:
http://journeytoourlittlehunter.shutterfly.com/