This winter, we had the immense joy of hosting "Annie" (name changed for privacy reasons) in our home for four weeks. We spent the month of December together, seeing Christmas lights, baking cookies, learning about Colombian holiday traditions, and getting to know this sweet and goofy teenage girl. One of our favorite moments was the morning she hopped out of bed HOURS earlier than normal and ran to her window because she knew it was supposed to snow all night. It was her first time seeing snow, and we could hear her from her bedroom gasping and saying, "Me encanta!" She lit up our world from the moment she entered it with her giant smile, and the more we got to know her, the more we loved her. She instantly became part of our family, and now we want to make it official! She has waited far too long for a home and family to call her own.
It might surprise you to hear that adoption-related expenses can quickly and easily add up to $35,000 or more. On top of that, hosting had its own fee. That fee helped pay for the kids' passports, Visa, flights, etc. Then there was travel to pick her up and the things she needed while she wintered in Ohio! (Do snow boots even exist in Colombia?) But we knew hosting was well worth it, and now we aren't going to let the cost of adoption deter us from bringing this girl HOME! That is why we've set a goal of $25,000 to help with all the adoption expenses. Some is paid to our agency, but more is paid to other things needed: immigration, a psychologist, a social worker, and many other little things you might not think about. On top of that, when we finally get to go get our girl, we'll have to spend about a month in Colombia. It will all be worth it when we get to finally hug her and see her big smile once more. She is worth it!
We have been so humbled and grateful for all the support we have had during all the ups and downs of this journey so far. It has given new life to the saying "it takes a village," and we are incredibly thankful to have you all as part of our village! Your support and prayers mean more to us than we will ever be able to adequately express!
