A few more prayers please...

Grant & I really appreciate all the prayers and words of encouragement and support from our family, friends and people we have never met before but are connected through cyberspace :) Your prayers must be working, but we could still use a few more - Grant & I heard back from our adoption recruitment worker today (I'm pretty sure we have officially become an annoying thorn in her side). She indicated in her email that she may not be able to advocate on our behalf to other CAS jurisdictions to complete PRIDE training with them (b/c technically Grant & I are not providing a home in an emergency situation), but, her office has a potential solution to be able to provide PRIDE training to the 5 couples who were bumped from the spring session - this is where your prayers would be greatly appreciated - please pray that the solution is feasible with the resources they have, not only for us but, the other 4 couples as well.

Grant & I did connect with a few private adoption practitioners in the area - what we learned was PRIDE training will be made mandatory for all adoptions - domestic public & private & international - by about December 2007/January 2008 (currently only public domestic adoptions require PRIDE training) and although we could pay to have a private home study conducted (average cost $2300+) it wouldn't be completed until August at the earliest, so it was suggested by one private practitioner that we wait to have it completed in the fall through our local CAS at no direct cost to us in conjunction with the PRIDE training. There are many pros & cons when looking at public vs. private domestic adoptions, but the most obvious difference is the cost to the adoptive family - going the public route (what Grant & I are trying to do) does not come with many fees for the adoptive family, compared to the private route, which is quite pricey b/c the home-study, PRIDE training, lawyers, care for birth mother, etc. are all financially covered by the adoptive couple.

So, Grant & I continue to practice the gift of patience and put our praying hands together for this slow process to continue with minimal delays and roadblocks.

Good night
Love, Janet C.