Bringing Kennedy Home

I want to first thank you for visiting our page. If this isn't your first visit to this page, you may notice things look a little bit different. I have said from the beginning of this that fundraising is not easy for us. We completed our first adoption strictly from savings. But last year we saw the face of a little girl in China that we just knew was going to be our daughter. And we were scared. Because as strongly as we knew/know she is our daughter, we knew/know we did not have extra money lying around to jump into another adoption process so soon. Let me also say, adoption is not all sunshine and butterflies. It is ugly and messy and for us to even see this little girls face, she had to go through a huge loss, a traumatic event. Her birth parents faced a huge loss. They still do. I am certain they think of her daily. I do not believe all of this loss was so that we could have another child. I believe all of this loss is the result of a fallen world, and sometimes things just suck. I don't know why God allows things to happen. I don't know why our son had to lose his birth parents, or why our soon to be daughter had to lose hers. But the reality is they did. And we do not want to see this tragedy become an even bigger tragedy with these precious kids never knowing a family, never knowing having someone to give them undivided attention and encouragement to reach their potential. We are not adopting for us. We are just answering a need. This girl needs a mama and daddy, and we are ready to be that. We love a child already that we haven't even met. That is what this journey is about. With that said, in the interest of being transparent, I want to make it clear exactly where every donation is going. And how everyone is contributing. Including us. We are currently running a puzzle fundraiser. Anyone who donates any amount will have their name written on the back of a puzzle we have chosen. When the puzzle pieces are all completed, we will assemble the puzzle between 2 pieces of glass for our daughter to see all the people who had a part in God's story of redemption for her life. Not who helped "pay" to bring her home. But who helped speak into her life and meet a need. People who were God's hands and feet to a child in need. The amount you see that we are trying to raise reflects the cost of the entire adoption process. But I want to break it down further. I want to be transparent and faithful with all that God is blessing us with. 

1. Application Fee to Our Agency: 350.00
2. Homestudy Fee: 1400.00
3. Required Adoptive Parent Training Classes: 135.00
4. Homestudy Review Fee: 350.00
5. Dossier (China Paperwork) Preparation Cost: 700.00
6. Pre Approval Paperwork Submitted With Our Intent to Adopt Kennedy: 500.00
7. USCIS (Immigration) Application: 890.00
8. CCCWA (China Center for Childrens Welfare and Adoption) Fee: 1450.00
9. Agency Fee # 1 to prepare our file for China: 3300.00
10. Agency Fee #2 and #3 to prepare our documents for travel: 2200.00
11. US Visa for Kennedy: 350.00
12. In China Legal Expenses: 1200.00
13. Post Placement Transmittal Fees: 660.00
14. Orphanage Donation to Support Continued Care of Orphans in Kennedy's province: 5833.00
15. Travel Expenses to China for 2 weeks for 2 adults, our youngest son, and new daughter(Our older children will be going but will be raising their own money ) including mandatory guide services: 13000.00

Total Legal/Travel Expenses: 33000.00


As this fundraiser continues until we travel, I will be updating on every penny added to our fund, including our own contributions. I want each of you to know how very much every contribution is deeply appreciated and what a difference it is making. No amount is too small. And I want to honor every single person and opportunity God brings into this process. To Him be all the glory. None of this is us. Below is our puzzle for the  puzzle fundraiser. Because I do not want a bunch of empty pieces and want to fill it with love and support, it will be left open until we travel. I want to bombard her with love, support, and prayers. Again, thank you for being part of this wonderful love story between God and his beautiful daughter. Beauty for ashes. Joy for mourning.