Benton Adoption Update

Merry Christmas!!!

 

Ok, surely it must be time for an update on our adoption front.

 

First off, a HUGE Thank You to all who supported us in our Samaritan card fund raiser!!  We made enough to pay for the next phase of immigration (extra fee because it's 2 children) and for the boyz visas, along with some other fees due. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! We do still have about 10-12 left, so if you thought you missed out and wanted to pick one up (they're like the Entertainment Book from the 90's, but for the 21^st century – discounts galore, all online), they're just $20 and you can get it back in savings in no time.

 

Second – we got our RA on 10/24!!!  YAYYYYYYYY GOD!!!!  An RA (Referral Approval) is the next step in the paper-trail – the one prior to the TA (Travel Approval), and then we go!!!!  Well… then we (our agency) ask for an appointment at the US Embassy in China, and then we (our agency) make the trip arrangements, etc.  The TA should come around 10 weeks after the RA (can't think of a better Christmas gift) and then travel shortly after that – the agency guesstimates mid-January.  Yes, we really wanted to be home by Christmas, not January, but we know God's got the master plan well in hand and that He knows far better than we do. 

 

And third – in case you're wondering how we know He's got the master plan (besides the fact that He's never not been faithful) – if we were traveling before Christmas, we'd be in deep trouble because … we STILL don't have our tax refund. Yep, a full TEN months after we filed, and we still don't have it. Yep, Uncle Sam owes us more than $20k and if we were this late paying them, I can't imagine what the interest and penalties would be. You certainly can pray for dear ol' Uncle Sam, if you would.

 

We did hear rumor that it would be coming soon, but until it's in the bank, we're not shouting from the rooftops just yet. Of course, even when it does come, it's not going to cover it all, so if you're looking for some year-end tax deductible gift ideas, please know that our agency is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (and belongs to the ECFA), which means any adoption contributions in our name would be tax deductible for you. You can do so by clicking here, https://www.awaa.org/forms/payment.aspx, using the dropdown to choose "Eternal Family Program," and putting "Benton family" in the Notes box. Thanks so very, very much for considering it. 

 

Some folks have already done this, and again, a HUGE Thank You to all who have. We've even gotten 2 contributions from people we don't know, and on top of that, an anonymous gift too. If it was you, Thank You!! Those funds have gone towards paying the last of the US immigration fees for David and Andrew – thank you!!

 

Don't forget we've got a ton of books listed on Amazon.com, that were given to us for the yardsales. Check us out at our Storefront Link: www.amazon.com/shops/AdoptionMomma. If you're local to us, it'll save you some shipping and time to have a look and then just email and let me know what you want.

Prayer news:

And again, please, please pray for us and for Davey, and Andrew too. Please pray that they're both warm and well fed, loved on daily, and that they'll know their Momma and Daddy are coming… soon!  Please pray for our family - that we can make wise decisions about finances, about travel, about parenting and life in general.  Please pray that God will indeed provide the funds to get these boys home. Please pray we'll be able to properly care for all our kids and their needs. Please pray that our last round of paperwork will arrive soon so we can travel before Chinese New Year (when the gov't offices shut down for a week or more). Please pray for all the orphans in the world, over 143,000,000. We can't adopt them all (we're done [again;]), but we can pray for them all.  They each have a very special place in God's heart - He says to "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." in Psalm 82:3 NIV

                       

Oh wait – I almost forgot – with our RA, we also got updated pictures… of David and Andrew together!!! How cool is that, they're already getting to know one another!!!… already becoming brothers!!!  See attached.  :o)

 

Thanks for praying, and for all else you do/did to support our almost-controlled chaos.  Thanks for "Care[ing] for orphans and widows" with us.

 

Christmas lovin',
Toni for the crew
www.cantwaitbentons.blogspot.com
Storefront Link: www.amazon.com/shops/AdoptionMomma (Buy books/Help fundraise)