January Saving and Fundraising Progress

January was a little stressful as far as finances go! We were very blessed to have so many donations, and we also had a lot of checks to write! We're just not used to having so much cash come and go so quickly, BUT....we're making progress!!! :) This month we paid our first agency fee of $3600, which pays for: - Orientation (the meeting we went to in Atlanta on the 17th)
- Home study
- Child abuse records search and USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) filing
- Dossier assistance (the Dossier is all the documents we send to China)
- 12 hours of parent training required of all international adoption parents
So it feels good to have all that paid for! Other things we paid for this month that weren't directly adoption related (ha!): $110 for my passport renewal, $24 for passport photos, and $40 for certified copies of our birth and marriage certificates! Our heads are spinning! :) So here is our progress for January:

Adoption expenses left to pay, carried over from last month: $28,500
Paid in January: $3,600
Left to pay: $24,900

January fundraising:
Quilt donations: $1,015 (WOW!)
Necklace donations: $340
Stella & Dot earnings: $108.98
Savings account for Mei Mei: $1,745.96

So we have $21,690.06 to go! That's great for only two months in! :)

By the way, all fundraising from previous months will go into Mei Mei's savings, and that's the account from which we pay all our adoption expenses. The Hoffmanns are making sacrifices to contribute to that account each month too! For all of 2014, we are not eating out, I'm not getting my hair done (it may look kind of scary by Christmas!), we're cancelling cable (after the Superbowl, haha), the grownups are skipping holidays and birthdays, no clothes shopping except for maybe some kids' school uniforms in August, and just penny pinching and couponing in general. So don't think that we're not working hard too. :) The sooner we're fully funded, the sooner we can breathe easy! THANK YOU for all your support!

If Anyone Needs a Good Book to Read...

Just a few months ago, when the idea of adoption started percolating again in the Hoffmann house, I searched on Amazon to find SOMETHING that would tell me more about the whole situation in China that has gotten their orphanages in such a dire state, and I found The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans. This book was pretty life changing for me. From the way women in China were treated centuries ago, to decades of famine and the One Child Policy, to modern stories of international adoption, by the end of it you'll have such a greater understanding (and heartache!) towards Chinese adoption! It was written by a journalist, so it reads really well, and it also includes interviews and scientific studies (which this science nerd can appreciate), all of which are cited. You can find it on Amazon, or I have a copy you can borrow too!

Why is Adoption So Expensive?

I have already had several people ask me the obvious question, "WHY does it cost SO much to adopt?" It's a good question, since nearly $30,000 isn't exactly pocket change, that's a life changing amount of money (quite literally in the case of adoption!) So here is the breakdown from our adoption agency. A huge chunk of the money is paid at the end, between paying the orphanage $5,000-$6,000, and the cost for two adults to take a two-week trip to China. The rest of it is agency fees (which are VERY low with CCAI, one reason why we chose them), background checks, service fees to China's government, and PAPERWORK. We've paid the application fee, and on the 17th when we go to Atlanta for the orientation we'll pay the first program fee (which for us was $200 and $3,600, they must have just recently increased them, glad we beat that cutoff!) :)

Ranked the best adoption agency in the world by CCCWA, China’s central authority on international affairs, our service fees are also among the lowest.        
CCAI is proud to be a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable adoption agency. We strive to keep adoption affordable so more children will have the blessing of a loving and permanent family.
We are financially accountable to you as the American public and as an adoptive family. Our solemn promise to you is: Absolute integrity with no hidden charges, no last minute surprises.
Please select your state below for a clear and comprehensive list of the fees and expenses necessary to complete your China adoption:

Select a State:  -- Select One -- Colorado Florida Georgia All Other States International

Adoption Expenses & Chronology For Families in Georgia   

Expense	Amount	Pmt Method	Pay To	Due
Application Fee	$250	Check	CCAI	Application submission
First Program Fee (Includes Home Study)	$3,700	Check/Credit Card	CCAI	After App Approval
USCIS Filing & Fingerprinting	$720 plus $85/adult	Check	US Dept. of Homeland Security	Upon I-800A submission
Dossier Preparation	Approx. $450	Check/Money Order	Secretary of State(s), Chinese Consulate(s)	As preparing Dossier
Second Program Fee	$2,450	Check/Credit Card	CCAI	Dossier Submission
CCCWA Fee	$1,165 if not matched with WC ($775 if matched with WC prior to LID)	Check	CCCWA via CCAI	Dossier Submission
CCCWA-WCP Service Fee	$125	Credit Card	CCCWA via CCAI	Prior to Letter of Intent (LOI) submission, WCP only
Third Program Fee	$3,100	Check/Credit Card	CCAI	Prior to receiving child match
CCCWA Post Adoption Translation Fee	$360	Check/Credit Card	CCCWA via CCAI	Prior to receiving child match
CCCWA Post Adoption Translation Fee	$360	Check/Credit Card	CCCWA via CCAI	Prior to receiving child match
Visa to enter China	$140 per person (plus courrier fee)	Check/Credit Card	Chinese Consulate via a travel agency	Approximately two weeks after child match
US Domestic & International Airfare	$1,200 - $1,900 by coach/per adult plus $200 return lap ticket for child under 2 (child over 2 requires full ticket)	Credit Card	A travel agency of your choice	Approximately 7-10 days prior to China departure
In China Travel & Accommodations	Approx. $3,500-$4,000 for two adults	Cashier's Check	CCAI (wired to China)	Approximately 7-10 days prior to China departure
Adoption Registration and Notarization	$400 - $800	Cash	Local government in China	In China
Child's Passport	$100-$150	Cash	Local passport agency	In China
Orphanage Fee	Up to 35,000 RMB (Approx. $5,700-$5,900)	Cash	Local orphanage	In China
Food	$700 - $800 per couple	Cash/travel Check/Credit Card	Hotel(s), restaurant(s)	In China
Child Physical & Photo	$130-$150	Cash	Clinic	In Guangzhou, China
Child U.S. Entry Visa	$230	Check	CCAI (wired to China)	Approx. 8 weeks prior to travel
Child's Birth Certificate	Varies by county		Your state	After U.S. Return
Court Validation Fee	Varies by county		Your county court	After U.S. Return

CCAI PROGRAM FEE TOTAL: $9,500.00
Grand Total (including travel expenses for two adults): $25,700 - $28,800

Agency Application Approved!

Today I got a phone call that our agency has approved our application! So now the real work begins, ahhh! Nick and I have to go up to Atlanta for an orientation required of all Georgia residents who are adopting, just to make sure we understand the process and paperwork. Then we begin our home study, which involves at least four meetings with a social worker and a home visit! For some reason, the home study is the part of the process that I am most nervous about! I feel like they must have a crazy long checklist of dos and don'ts, and we have the typical home of five people sharing about 1400 square feet...nothing horrifying, and it's clean if you squint, just don't look under any furniture or expect things to NOT fall out of a closet when you open it! :) So wish us lot of luck and sanity! All through this process, we could get matched with a little girl at any time, so keep sending those prayers up for us too!