homestudy complete *check*

Another milestone in our adoption journey has been reached - our state mandated home study is complete.  *Yea!*

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
Joshua and Jaclyn Cooper are a loving couple who have been married for nine years.  They are excellent candidates for adoption, as they have a vibrant marriage, stable employment, and a healthy child rearing philosophy.  They also have plenty of room in their hearts and in their home for an additional child.  Based on the facts presented...it has been assessed that Joshua Paul Cooper and Jaclyn Sue Cooper are suitable and eligible to adopt from the country of Lesotho.


We just wanted to share this good news with all of you, and to thank all of you who have and continue to pray for us as we journey together to bring our son home.  Y'all rock!

On a more personal [and related] note, our friends, Bryan and Anita, wrote on their blog [http:ourbeautifulmission.blogspot.com] that an infant unexpectedly died two days ago at their orphanage.  Even as I type, I get all choked up because this shouldn't be happening.  Yet, it's the reality that the Lesotho babies and children face each and every day.  Every day there is a battle between life and death.

Please continue to pray - not only for us - but for our friends and the children of Beautiful Gate.  And now...we wait.

As our paperwork makes its way to Africa.

As patiently as we can.

garage sale success

We are tremendously grateful to all of the 20-some families who helped make last week's garage sale such a huge success.  At the end of the day, we managed to bring in just over $900!  This is such a blessing and the timing couldn't have been better because we learned that our home-study is complete and has been forwarded to our placing agency in Indianapolis.

The kids made a few extra bucks selling granola bars and apple cider.

One of the coolest moments of the day was when a woman from our neighborhood stopped by because she had heard we were adopting (and it turns out she has 5 adopted children as well) and she gave us the name of an adoption grant organization of which her friend is the founder.  She insisted we contact her friend's organization and when we did we were to call her so she could recommend us.  Now - this stranger did not know who we were or anything about us.  Before this encounter, we were complete strangers.  I guess it was one of those moments where you "just had to be there" to get the full weight of the conversation.  Needless to say, we were deeply touched and tremendously grateful for the referral.  All in all, it was a really good day!

garage sale this saturday

Make your way to 43 S. Jefferson St., Zeeland this Saturday from 8 - 3 for our first adoption fundraiser garage sale!

We have hundreds of items for sale including:

• Men's, women's, & children's clothing
• Books, games, and children's toys
• Electronics
• Dishwasher
• Furniture
• Bed
• Printers & faxes
• 10-speed Schwinn bicycle
• LED Christmas decor
• Power tools
• Mirrors & coat racks
• Gaming chairs
• Much much more!

Hope to see you then!

garage sale fundraiser

We will be having an Adoption Fundraiser Garage Sale on Saturday, October 8.  If you have any items to donate to the sale, please contact us via email, facebook, or leave us a comment.  Also, if you have any sources to advertise the garage sale (school, work or church newsletters) please help spread the word for us. 

Here are the details:

Adoption Fundraiser Garage Sale

Saturday, October 8

8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

43 S. Jefferson Street

Zeeland, MI  49464

a little q & a

So...it's been a while since our last update.  Life has been pretty hectic, our days have been full, we're still getting used to writing blog posts together...AND, we've been up to our armpits in homework for the home study.  Lately, much of our "free" time is chewed up reading adoption-related books and working through online studies.  We are getting really close to having our homework done - so that's something to be thankful for!

One of the things I (Josh) wanted to do was to interview my wife (Jaclyn) to give all of our friends, our family (and the occasional random person who drops by) a sense of what is happening and what we are learning about at this time.

Q:  It's been a few weeks since the last update, what is the current status regarding the adoption process?

A: Our final home study appointment is tomorrow (Thursday).  We are completing our “homework” for the Michigan Adoption agency (reading books, completing online courses, etc.).  After this process is complete, everything gets sent to our Placing Agency in Indiana.  After they compile the paperwork, we pay our first ½ of the fees and then we wait to be matched with our son. 

Q: What is God speaking to you at this time?A: Patience.  I am at peace with the process and timeline. 

Q: Any concerns right now?A: I am praying for financial peace.  I don’t want our children to think that we are poor but I also want them to learn the difference between need and want.  We have been emphasizing that we are choosing to spend our money in different ways, but it is always difficult to say "no" to our children. 

Q: What are you celebrating?A: Our children are so excited about adopting.  It is wonderful to see them share with their friends that they will have a brother from Lesotho. 

Q: How do you respond when people ask you - "Why not foster care?  There are 4000+ orphans in Michigan, and it's less expensive than international adoption?"
A: We feel called by God to adopt internationally and not domestically through foster care.  It is what it is.  J