Support the Adoption Fund

I believed this was my journey and that I needed to do it alone, so I've hesitated in hosting a fundraiser or asking for help from others through this process. The word of God says that we have not because we ask not so I am asking you to support this mission through giving.

1. Shop 'Til You Drop - Use any of the shopping links found on the right-hand side. A percentage of all sales goes to the adoption fund.
   
   
2. Financial Donations - Accepted through ChipIn. You can use the link or the red chip box below. ChipIn uses PayPal and donations can be in the form of check or credit card.
   Click to ChipIn!
   

To get a better understanding of the adoption cost they include agency fees, government processing fees, fees to support the orphanage in Ethiopia. Also included is the trip to see the children before the adoption is final and a second trip to bring them home. Below are the approximate costs.

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ADOPTION EXPENSES
Those that are bold itemized figures have been paid.

Adoption Agency Fees ($15,450)

$ 1600 ~ Agency Application Fee
$ 1200 ~ Agency Processing Fee
$ 12,000 ~ Ethiopia In-Country Fee
$ 150 ~ Hague Convention Training (10 hrs)

Home Study & Dossier Expenses ($5150)

$ 1800 ~ Home Study
$ 750 ~ USCIS Approval
$ 500 ~ Document Preparation
$ 900 ~ Illinois Court Validation
$ 1200 ~ Post-Placement Reports

Estimated Travel Expenses ($7540)

$ 780 ~ Travel Vaccinations
$ 70 ~ Ethiopia Visa
$ 1,800 ~ Airfare, roundtrip, 1 adult
$ 2,400 ~ Airfare, one-way, 2 children
$ 1,500 ~ In-Country expenses, approx. 10 days

U.S. Visa for Children ($1310)

$ 400 ~ Medical Examinations
$ 800 ~ Immigrant Visa Fees
$ 40 ~ Visa photos
$ 70 ~ Ethiopian Passports

$29,450 Total Estimated Cost
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LEAVE of ABSENCE
The agency has a requirement that you stay home with the children for the first 12 weeks. Being self-employed I will not get the benefit of paid vacation time or family leave. I will lose about 3-months of income through the process.