Let the paperwork begin :)

We are approved and officially have our Adoption Agency!  

This is such a milestone in the process and I feel like it's really happening now.  We still have a long road ahead but we are moving right along :)

Next Steps for us:
- Complete Homestudy Contracts (already in progress)
- Mail in Homestudy Contracts
- Submit first Homestudy Payment ($1000)
- Plan our FUNdraisers!  We have so many exciting ideas
- Research Adoption Grants

Once these items are completed, we will be assigned our social worker and will begin our Homestudy process.  I've heard lots of mixed reviews on the Homestudy, some say it's as simple as completing a check list and other say it's brutally painful.  We'll see how ours goes, but I think we'll be OK. 

After talking to our agency about our adoption, it looks like our adoption expense will be somewhere between $20,000-$25,000+/-, this does not include our travel fees, legal fees, birthmother expenses, or post placement fees.  To better prepare for these expenses, we have opened a special account at our bank for our adoption fund.  The folks at our bank were so kind and even gave us a piggy bank to start filling up for the baby fund!  (We are really hoping for a great year in real estate)

We are excited to be able to incorporate some great people and great ideas into our fundraising planning.  I will fill you in on those ideas as we go along and if you have ideas you would like to share, please feel free!  So far we are planning to organize a huge yard sale and do a t-shirt fundraiser.

We have set up a "Baby Garner Fund" donation site for anyone that is interested in supporting our journey, it is a fee free site and goes straight to the baby fund.  It can be found here:
http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/garner-party-of-3-adoption-fund/130587



Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support!