Inspiration

As we start this long, rough journey it often helps to have some words of wisdom to help remind us why we are taking this route and to reassure us that we have made the right decision. They have been gathered from various places...

- Psalm 68:5, "A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation."

-James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress."

-Isaiah 1:17, "Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, plead for the widow."

-Matthew 18:5, "Whoever receives a child in My name, receives Me."

-"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." -1 Samuel 1:27

-"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth- everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." - Isaiah 43: 5-7

-"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and just because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do." -Edward Everett Hale

-"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life, but those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands." -Anonymous

-"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3

Living Through Others...for now...

Earlier I mentioned that I have been following quite a few adoption blogs. 5 are from here in Bismarck...this is a big week for these families!! 3 of them have court this week! The first family did not pass court and the other two are the 31st and the 1st!! They are in my thoughts and prayers this week!! Passing court the first time is a 50/50 shot...if you don't pass the first time you get reschedule for another court date! These families have not been far from my mind as I know they all want to bring their babies home ASAP!! The waiting is HARD...knowing you have a baby so far away and you just want to bring them home and you can't! Can you imagine?! These are all awesome families and I really hope the next two courts go through so they can bring their kids home! It's all in God's timing...He will not be late!

Spring is Here!!!

Finally, the sun is coming out more, the snow is almost gone, and the weather is beautiful!!! Spring is normally my favorite season, but this year it has special meaning! It means we are getting close to starting our adoption journey :) We are so very excited!! Our next step is a financial worksheet and pre-application for our placement agency (AGCI) and then our application and a letter to our home study agency (GCAA). We need to write them a letter telling them why we think they should bend the rules for us to start in June instead of September as they have a 12 month marriage rule. They are pretty sure, since we've been together for 4 years, they can make it happen!! I love that having adoption to look forward to gets us through the tough days. Lately at work I've been so busy, stressed, etc...not to mention this winter I've been sick several times and every morning I wake up and go to work I just keep thinking we're one step closer to our baby and that totally keeps us going! We know in the end it's all worth it!!

Also, we got HUGE news this past week. The Adoption Tax Credit has been extended through 2011!! I was supposed to expire 12/31/2010 and we were so bummed as we have been relying on that to repay any debt after the adoption. Not only was it extended, but it was increased by $1,000!!! The day before this happened I was really stressing out about this and thinking we probably couldn't start until we knew this would go back into effect...and what do you know? The next day our prayers were answered!! God is Great!!! I love when He pulled through on stuff like that :) So that has been a huge sigh of relief and a big sign for us to keep moving forward. I now know what my wonderful cousin told me when we first started talking about adoption...she said "if it's meant to be, He will provide"...she was so right :) He never leads us into something that He can't lead us out of!!

So all in all things are looking bright in the Faulk house lately ;) Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers!!
~Tasha & Chaske~

It's Been Awhile...

So, I realize I haven't posted on here in quite awhile, the reason for that is not much is happening. As I've said before our agency requires us to be married for 9 months before we start any paperwork, which takes us to June. So until then we wait, read, research, and just gather as much information as we can so that we are prepared when we start the process. The financial part of adoption is number 1 on our list right now. We don't want this process to be any more stressful than it already will be...we want to look back and have good memories of it...not financial stress, etc...so we want to make sure we are fully prepared financially. Just because we meet criteria doesn't mean we have to do it in June. Our agency requires us to have a positive net-worth...us being so young not much has been paid on our house, student loans, etc...so that's sort of holding us up right now. We know we can make it work through fundraising, loan, savings, and adoption tax credit, but for them the numbers need to add up first. So we wait :)... and man do I love waiting...NOT!!

The more and more I read everyone else's adoption blogs (THANK YOU by the way) the more inspired I get. I know we are not going this alone and that so many like us are stressed and looking for ways to raise money and I have gotten some really good ideas from everyone!! Selling T-shirts, making jewelry, spaghetti or pancake suppers, save save save, collect used cell phones and ink cartridges, etc....the list goes on and on. I find everyone's blogs so encouraging!!! They are by far our best, real insight into adoption. For them I am so grateful :)

Also, on Feb 27th in Bismarck there is a gathering for all families who have adopted, are adopting, or want to adopt from Ethiopia!!! We are soo soo soo excited for this! What a cool way to absorb information, see them interact with their littles ones, and just ask questions. I think it will be so comforting to know they all went through, or are going through, what we are about to begin! So fun! I'm sure many people don't know this, but adopting from Ethiopia is really becoming popular in Bismarck...middle of little ol' North Dakota :) Imagine that!!! The more the word gets out there, the more minds it's intriguing...you watch some of those "Gotcha Day" videos and you can't help but care for those little babies.

Anyway, that's all that's going on here...our next step is to fill out a Financial Worksheet for our placement agency and send that in and see if it get approved. If it does, we can send in our application in June and we begin!! Wish us luck :)

~Tasha & Chaske~