Update!

While I felt like we would be a bit closer than this, we are still making progress. There was a week long holiday in China that shut everything down for that week and the US side is going a bit slow. I am patiently waiting for our next paperwork to process and get approval. We just have a few steps left before we should be issued TA (travel approval)! I know it is all in Gods timing and He must be giving us some time to get our finances and selves prepared! 

We have I800 approval (permission for us to adopt and bring Rowen & Rylen to the USA), we have already wired over the money for the boys Visas and mine and Alicia's came in the mail yesterday! Our next step is Article 5, which tells China that US has approved us to adopt the boys and for them to come to the USA. After that is travel approval, which then gives us the dates we need to travel and permission to book our flights, hotels, etc! Not much left now! 

This chart shows you the steps of our adoption! 

The boys medical needs can not be fully known until they are home and evaluated. I have scheduled them an appointment with the International Adoption Clinic at St Louis Children's Hospital and we will be able to get some more answers and be pointed to the correct specialists who will help with their care. The diagnosis and symptoms are so different for each person, so there is really not much of a way to have a for sure idea what it will be like. From what we have seen in the few short videos and pictures and what we have learned about schizencephaly, they will need speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, most likely will need leg braces, frequent checks of their brain, and possible a surgery for Rylen early on once home. We have a great team of doctors ready for them and we are so happy that we can provide such wonderful medical care for them! 

We have been so fortunate to have a few wonderful people who have held fundraisers for us and have donated proceeds to go towards our remaining adoption expenses. We are so thankful to each of these people! While the total of the adoption expenses are very high, we have worked our way down to around $20,000! I know that sounds like a big number, but our God is bigger! Just think we started around $55,000. Here is what we have left to cover:

Orphanage donation $5800 

Child’s medical exam $ 140 

Child’s passport $ 400 

Airfare for 2 adults & 2 children $8000 

Lodging in China $2000 

In country transportation $2000 

In country travel fees $3500

Some of these fees may vary and we hope to get the best possible price for those we can, 

such as airfare and in country travel!

We are preparing an online auction and hope to have it ready to go super soon! It will be held on our Face book page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1000528550027746/  If you are not already in that group, please feel free to request to join! This is where I keep more updated posts, share more photos of the boys and plan to update while Im in China.  

If you would like to pray for us, here are some needs we would like you to pray for:

1. The boys medical situation. 

2. The finances to be there when needed. 

3. Home prepared for the boys.

4. Our children (and Brock) for when I am gone.

5. For Alicia and I to remain healthy and have safe travels. 

6. For all children still waiting and may forever be waiting for a family. 

If you would like to financially help us with the remaining fees to get them home, we have several ways you can donate to us! 

1. Use our PayPal link: https://www.paypal.me/PaulAdoption

2. Send or drop off a donation to our bank at: 

First Federal Savings & Loan

800 West Lincoln Avenue

Charleston, IL 61920

ATTN: Paul Family Adoption Savings Account

3. Tax deductible option, mail or drop off a donation to our church. 

**Please note if you do this option, we ask you to email us our our preacher to let them know to keep an eye out for the donation. If they do not know, we might not receive it.

Also be sure to write ADOPTION FUND on the envelope and in the memo line of a check. 

Our email: bp042900@consolidated.net

Scotts email: ssims@salisburyonline.org

Church address:

Salisbury Church

2250 Madison Avenue

Charleston, IL 61920

Not much longer until we will be blessed with these two amazing boys! I can not believe we will be a family of 8! CRAZY! Our lives and theirs are about to be forever changed, all for the better! Thank you for being a part of our journey, weather you have prayed for us, shared our story, donated, we appreciate each of you! Rowen and Rylen....not much longer boys, Ill be seeing you soon!