One way that adoption is affordable to many families is through the adoption tax credit. This tax credit provides a refund to families who provide proof of a finalized adoption on their taxes up to the amount of $12,650. Families can then take this refund and pay off any debts that they took out to pay for their adoption fees and costs. This adoption tax credit is our lifeline. But it’s being threatened. Continue reading
We Finally Got An Answer
I feel so guilty about not writing in a while. It’s been a crazy few weeks. I wish I could say that we got the call that she has picked us and we’re planning on bringing home two baby girls in a few months. But unfortunately I don’t have any such news to report. Continue reading
Filed under Adoption General, Faith and Adoption, Personal Posts
I Set My Eyes on What is Unseen
Over the weekend, I was exhausted. I was tired of praying, tired of waiting, tired of wondering, and tired of jumping at every little beep and ring from my phone. Every time I started to pray on Saturday, I’d stop and fall silent. I just wasn’t feeling it. I wasn’t feeling the urge to pray, and I was too tired to try. At first I felt guilty and worried that if I wasn’t praying, then perhaps that either meant God wasn’t going to fulfill the desires of our heart, or that I’d given up hope. I did not want to be in a hopeless place just because it was taking a little longer for an answer than I wanted. That’s a terrible representation of faith. Continue reading
Filed under Faith and Adoption, Personal Posts
We’re Still Hanging In Here…
I wish I had something new and exciting to report, but unfortunately we still don’t know anything. Travis contacted our social worker yesterday to ask her if she thought we might have an answer by this weekend, but she said the young lady is still carefully reviewing all of the profiles and probably won’t make a decision until Monday or Tuesday. Not what we wanted to hear, of course, but at least we can relax for the weekend. Continue reading
Filed under Faith and Adoption, Personal Posts
Adoption Update- Month 8
Back in December, right before New Years, we were presented with a possible birthmother situation and asked if we wanted our profile sent to her. We said yes. She’s healthy, no drugs, no alcohol, healthy baby, gender unknown at the time, and the birthfather was known and on board with the adoption decision. It was down to us and one other family, but she chose the other family. When the social worker called to tell me her decision, she said that the young lady really liked us, but was concerned about our cats. She has another child who has asthma, and she was concerned that if this baby ended up with asthma, our pets could make it worse. Continue reading
Filed under Adoption General, Faith and Adoption, Personal Posts
Adorable and Inexpensive Easter Centerpiece
This week I decided to try something I saw on Pinterest. I had a huge bag of pink jelly beans left over from my friend Sarah’s baby shower Continue reading
Filed under Creative Ideas and Crafts, Easter Activities
Easter Book Recommends for Children
I’m actually really bummed right now. The number one book I was going to insist you have in your Easter book collection for kiddos appears to be completely out of print! 
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Filed under Easter Activities, Holiday Tips
Painting Flower Pots
Yesterday we spent the morning doing a two-part project in honor of this week of Spring weather. I decided we should paint these tiny flower pots I found at the Dollar Tree store {3/$1} and then pick out a flower together from the nursery and plant it later this week. However, I stumbled on a cute idea on Pinterest that showed how to make little stamps out of bottle lids and foam stickers {which we have a drawer full of.} So we added that to our project. Continue reading
Filed under Activities, Creative Ideas and Crafts
A Prayer from My Heart
Things with our adoption have been pretty discouraging lately. I won’t go into everything on here, but it’s been very frustrating and we seem to be moving backwards instead of forward. I am exhausted from this wait, and I know Travis is growing weary as well. I realize the wait is part of the adoption process, but we’ve had some other bumps along the way recently that have added to this already anxious time. Continue reading
Filed under Adoption General, Faith and Adoption, Personal Posts
Love Makes A Family {by mommyponders} 