Update on Life and Adoption

Much has happened since our successful garage sale! To start with we have an exciting life update- we're moving!  For the last two years I (Stephanie) have been commuting over 80 miles to and from work, five days a week.  In May, Eric accepted a teaching position in the same school district.  This was a huge blessing in many ways but left us with the dilemma of deciding that we would either both need to commute that far every day or we could carpool, though our work hours would be slightly different.  Or another option was that we could move.  I have loved working in this smaller town and we've known for a while that we would like to eventually move farther north at some point anyway.  Over the last several weeks we contemplated the idea of selling our house and moving to be much closer to our work.  With the home study being the next piece of our adoption process we needed to either make the decision to move right now or not for a long time (moving shortly after bringing an adopted child home would just be even more transition we don't want to put him/her through). Recently we have felt strongly that moving now is what we were supposed to do.  Our house will go on the market next week, so now we wait and pray that all will go quickly and smoothly with one more unknown (but exciting!) process and outcome added to our lives.

Now for an adoption update!  This week we were able to make another payment to our adoption agency and apply with our home study agency!  Since our adoption agency is located in a different state, we needed to find an approved agency in our state to do the home study.  The home study process will likely take 3-4 months.  The first couple of months will be gathering background checks and other paperwork that is needed, along with some education courses.  One of the last steps will be having a social worker come to our home.  This is why we need our house to sell quickly and smoothly!  We are prayerful that we will be settled in a new home by the time we get to this step in the process so that nothing will be delayed. 

We are still short on funds to cover the entire cost of our home study.  Once our home study is finalized we will be able to start applying for adoption grants (we already have some applications stacking up), but we need the funds to get through the home study first.  We are working on trying to come up with some more fundraising ideas- if anyone has any they would like to pass on, we would greatly appreciate it! In the meantime we are always collecting donations through our YouCaring page: Growing in our Hearts, for those who may feel led to support our adoption financially.  Please also consider sharing the link with other friends, family, coworkers, etc.  And we continue to collect those cans and bottles and sell coffee here: The Zander Adoption as well.  We are incredibly grateful for all of the support we have received in the beginning of our adoption journey.  We know that God will continue to provide the funds we need, when we need them through so many different people and ways.

Please pray with us that our house would sell quickly, smoothly, and at asking price, that our home study process would go as quickly and smoothly as possible, and that funds would continue to be provided as we need them.