The transition from having only one child to two certainly was not without its challenges, but we seem to be getting into the swing of things and settling in. Occasionally I work up the courage to ask a parent of 3 children how challenging it is. Part of me wants to know what I am in for while another part is afraid to hear someone say it how difficult it could be. Luckily the response has been mostly positive. Of course having more children means more responsibility, but I find comfort in hearing that the hardest part for many parents is the transition from one to two.
So where are we in adoption world? We have been on hold since the months leading to Elena's birth. Although on hold, we continue to move up the waiting list and currently reside at number 8. Just a few weeks ago, the couple at number 7 received their referral, so we are really on the cusp of the next chapter of this journey. We have a meeting with our agency planned this week to discuss going back onto the list starting June 20th (Elena will be 3 months old) and literally a referral could come at any time once that happens. Now don't go gettin' all excited. The time between referral and bringing "baby in Africa" home could very well be another 6 months, but we find it refreshing to put this long and arduous waiting part behind us. We can handle this next stretch for sure.
But with this new excitement and movement comes added cost and really the biggest chunk of financial strain in the whole process. As most know, it is not cheap to adopt. Whether international or domestic it does not matter. And at the time of referral a hefty chunk of money will come due to put the next chapter in motion. Since starting the process, we have had to commit to a different lifestyle and put a focus on saving, selling on Craigslist, and with the help of many family and friends, we also tried our hand at fundraising with an awesome garage sale last fall. We are also members of a Facebook support group that includes other adoptive families within our agency. It has proven to be a great resource and location for information-sharing that helps clarify how certain parts of the process work. It was also a great resource for how to find creative ways to continue to fund raise and find ways to not be overwhelmed with the financial strain of the process. It was from the idea of another friend that we decided to partake in a fundraiser that has proven most successful for many of our fellow adoptive families.
There is a company called Sanders Collection that is friendly with adoptive families. This company manufactures microfiber bed sheets which are sold to retailers and also can be used in fundraising programs. Jana and I gave the sheets a test run and we liked them. Comfortable, soft, and in good quality. They cost $40/set with no extra for delivery. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. For each set we sell, approximately $20 will go into our adoption fund.
After a few days of printing, packaging, stuffing, and mailing, we plan on mailing out info on the sheets to family and friends to see if this could help raise some funds while helping others get a good nights sleep! Keep a look out in your mailbox. We tried to send out to those people whom we can't reach through social media, so if you don't get anything in the mail don't fret. Shoot Jana or I an email or Facebook message if you are interested in some sheets, and we will take it from there.
Thanks to all who continue to read this blog and follow our journey. We appreciate the support through the process and general interest in our lives.
All my best,
Eric
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