Manna from Adoption Financing Heaven

I think I mentioned in one of my previous posts that we delayed submitting some of our paperwork until after Christmas because we couldn't exactly write the check that was supposed to accompany it (It's not as if I'm gonna look back to see if I actually told you this.  Besides if I didn't tell you, now I did).  This was a little tough for us.  For one reason, it only slows down the already slow process of adoption.  The other reason this was tough is a little harder to describe, but I'll try.

We believe that if God calls you to do something, He'll make it work.  In the case of adoption, we believe God has called us to adopt.  As such we believe that He'll make it work, including funding it.  As such, it's not for us to worry about where the money will come from but to just do what He's called us to do.  However, there's a chance that we're just mistaken and God hasn't called us to adopt at all but rather we're just doing what we want to do.  If this is the case we can't expect Him to fund it.  Taking this into consideration we continually keep an ear to the ground in regards to how and where God is moving just to make sure we aren't out in left field.

With Joshua's adoption, we felt called to adopt so we did.  When it came to the money we just kept writing checks and trusting that the money would be there.  This wasn't too difficult since we had some savings to fall back on if money got really tight.  In the end we did fine even though we did have to use some of our savings - that's fine, that's what it's there for.

With this adoption we still feel called to adopt.  However, this time we don't really have much (any) savings to fall back on, for a handful of reasons.  So when the money gets tight we find yourselves asking "is the money tight and God just wants us to trust Him" or "is the money tight because God is saying this isn't what I called you to do?"  Well this is the dilemma we were in around Christmas time.

We prayed about it quite a bit, still felt called to adopt, and so as soon as the money was available we wrote the check and sent in the paperwork.  Since then, there has been more checks to write and we've been writing them just trusting that God will see us through.  We've also been looking under every couch cushion for more lose change...

Last week Heather opened the mail to find a check for $60 from the insurance company.  Payback from our flexible spending account.  Forgot all about our FSA, that's sweet.  The next day she opens the mail to a check for $591 from the hospital where we delivered Scott.  No explanation provided, there must've been an accounting error somewhere?  The next day Heather goes into Ace Hardware to mail a package (they have a mini US Post Office in there) and they're having a spin-the-wheel-and-win-something day.  She wins $77.

For sure, these amounts don't go very far in terms of paying for an adoption.  But for a couple of people that were feeling some doubts about whether God was with them or not, this was a glorious reminder that God can make money come from anywhere he wants to in order to accomplish His purposes.

Poor for His Glory,
The Shanks'

Progress Report

Since my last post....

We filled out a bunch of paperwork for the agency.  Didn't send it in for a while because it needed to be accompanied by a check, our first payment to the agency...  Got past the holidays and in a position to write said check and now we're just waiting for the agency to receive and process our paperwork.

In the meantime, we are applying with a second agency for the purpose of completing our home-study.  Our primary agency doesn't do home-studies in Texas so we need a second agency to do that.  Another application process, more paperwork, and another check will soon be in the mail to them.

Tonight I filled out an application to renew my passport, it expires next month so that won't do.  More paperwork, another check.


Based on our past experience I would say there are two phases to adopting internationally from China.  The first phase I like to call the "paperwork and check-writing" phase, which is where we are now.  The second phase I like to call the "waiting impatiently and wearing out your credit card" phase.  Being matched with a child is the event that separates the two phases.  Prior to that moment all your adoptive dreams and plans seem kinda nebulous and distant.  Once you're matched with a child there's a real person out there that you're going to go meet, and bring home, and raise.  It changes your outlook a bit.

We did find out today that it's possible for us to lock a file on a special focus child no matter where we are in the process.  I think we might request a few files...

Our prayer is consistently that God would direct this adoption in regards to timing and who we're eventually matched with.  We're trusting Him to provide the funding, provide the patience, and lead us to the child He's chosen for us.  We would love it if you would join us in praying for the newest addition(s) to our family.