Here is our Adoption Journey so far…
We started this process of adopting 2 little girls from Liberia in April of 2022.
After visiting Liberia for 5 months in 2024, we decided to additionally adopt a little boy. This little guy, already bonded to our Liberian daughters, also became very close to our entire family during our time in Liberia, and now, life without him with us is unimaginable.
We chose Liberia because we are impressed by Liberia’s resilience and progress as a war torn country that is healing from so much. Liberia works hard to allow adoptions when necessary and to reunite families whenever possible. We are grateful Liberia is allowing us to adopt our daughters, and hopeful as we watch Liberia grow as a country.
We started this journey in April of 2022.
In May of 2023, with the help of our friends and family, church, community, and organizations like Noonday Collection, Phill the Box, Funds2Orgs, and Adopt Together, we reached our fundraising goals to make our adoption possible. At that time, we anticipated our Liberian daughters would be joining our family in 3-6 months time.
We did not get any solid updates for months, until November of 2023, when adoptions for multiple agencies, including our agency, were suspended in Liberia, which prompted our visit to bond with our kids and explore all avenues in person in February of 2024. We returned home in July of 2024 after exhausting all resources to unite our family permanently.
There are multiple political conflicts that brought adoptions to a halt in November of 2023. Although these political conflicts put Liberian children at risk, the layers of the conflicts are multifaceted and complicated beyond the adoption process itself.
As we continue to wait, we are committed to intentional international parenting. We will continue to visit as much as we can and continue to pursue every avenue to unite our family on one continent. We appreciate any encouragement as we continue to walk this road.
As our adoption of 3 Liberian orphans continues, I would like to take the next 90 days to focus on the facts of the American child welfare system. I am also taking suggestions for friends and family of mine that would like to suggest what the name of my memoir should be. I have an idea of what the title should be, but I am accepting suggestions. I am also taking suggestions on what word I should get tattooed on my upper back over my well healed surgical scar. Words that I thought of so far our resilience, propagation, relentless, and rockstar. I did have a word that starts with a Z in mind, but that was quickly shut down by my dear friend, Tia Irminger. Since Tia felt so strongly about the Z word, that will remain our secret.😎😂 Gotta give shout outs to good neighbors that definitely deserve lots of shouts. 💙
To shop noon day in support of our son’s adoption and Liberian orphan care in general, email me here for the link.
Adopt100more@gmail.com
To make a tax deductible donation to our private crowdfunding adopttogether account, click here.
This family got approved!! We are waiting on finishing touches by USCIS so all 3 of our kids can come home, before we make our next step.
If any of you could send $5 to the Bruce family, at this link, I would appreciate it. The Bruce family lived alongside us in Liberia for a few months while we advocated for and supported all of the children at the Small World Children’s Home. They are missionaries by trade in Indonesia, so they could use a boost of financial support!
https://adopttogether.herokuapp.com/families/the-bruces
Water Fountain Project is Fully Funded!! Thank you to all of you who helped make this miracluous project possible. 2 of our Liberian children will celebrate birthdays in May, and they will do so with clean, cold water, free of any debris or insects, from their personalized cups with lids and straws.
While we wait for battles to continue in the adoption world out of our control, we are grateful for this opportunity to serve the children at Small World Children’s Home with unlimited cups of clean cold water. May God continue to bless these kids through the willingness and generosity of the adults that choose to love them unconditionally.
Please contact us for ways to help with more miraculous projects!
#orphanismpanacea
Keep…. …going.
Yesterday was discouraging. We received a letter from USCIS (United States Immigration Services) that they have added a fee for us to pay for our son’s adoption. This additional fee did not exist 2 1/2 years ago when we paid our “tax” to USCIS for our daughters’ adoption. It’s supposed to be a one time fee of $775.00 (which we paid in 2022).
So, Jeremy pulled out our old checkbook that we only use for adoption fees and wrote the check, filled out the form and I fought back the urge to vomit at yet another fee that only hurts the kids these agencies claim to want to help.
It is an extra $455.00 fee because Liberia is a non-Hauge country. Those of you that know about Hague, know it’s a problem as well.
Both the U.S. government and the Liberian government continue to find ways to hold our children hostage in this perpetual state of orphanism.
This week, Jeremy decided to wear an adoption tshirt to Easter Sunday church that we created and sold for a friend’s adoption (Deszoe) a few years ago. I read this statement out loud that I wrote and had printed on the back of the shirt. And I believe it still. Because no matter what happens or how long this takes or if we end up parenting internationally until they are adults, the people around us will do this.
ADOPTION SUPPORTER
=
A PERSON WHO INTENTIONALLY
ENABLES A FAMILY TO REACH AN IMPOSSIBLE SS$
GOAL THAT FAMILY
PURSUED ON PURPOSE
WITH THE FIRM
BELIEF
THAT PEOPLE ARE GOOD WITH
GOOD INTENTIONS AND THERE WILL
ALWAYS BE ENOUGH
GOOD INTENTIONS
AVAILABLE FOR JUST ONE MORE
KID TO BE ADOPTED.
NO MATTER WHAT THE $$$.
Thanks for being here.
Keep…. …going.
I wish that $455.00 could have been used for a water fountain for our kids, instead of a ransom for what can only be described as a hostage situation at this point.
Update:
A couple of months ago, the Liberian Government expressed its desire to resume working with our agency on adoptions. They outlined tasks to be completed by our agency within 30 days and asked to formally inspect the Children’s Home where our kids live.
Our agency notified us that they have completed all the tasks set by the Liberian Government over a month ago. The Liberian government did not completely their inspection within the 30 day timeframe, but did finally complete it before April 15th. Our agency needs a letter from the Liberian government stating they are in good standing and can resume adoption activities. This letter will then be sent to IAAME, the US agency that oversees adoption activities.
We are hoping and praying every day for a letter of clearance from thr Liberian government so we can resume our adoption process. Next steps for our daughters’ adoptions are simple. Our son’s paperwork will take more time.
In the meantime, we have the opportunity to assist with a project to install a water fountain at our children’s home. They do have well water that is safe, but this will provide a cleaner source, and keep mosquitoes out of their drinking water.
We appreciate your continued support for our family, both on this continent and in Africa.
Matched by Marilyn and David
Matched by Marilyn and David
Matched by Marilyn and David
Matched by Marilyn and David
