26 days!
I can not believe we are only 26 days away from Baby B’s due date! We are so excited. The nursery is furnished, new clothes washed and put away, packing lists made, car seat purchased; the only thing left to do now is wait….. waiting has been one of the hardest things about this process aside from fundraising. My anxiety has reached a new level this week, and I have to remind myself daily to trust in God’s providence. I can’t pinpoint what makes me anxious, but I know it has to be all the unknowns:
When will we get the call to fly to Utah, will there be any flights available, where will we stay? Will we have enough funds to actually bring him home after placement fees, legal fees, medical bills, and travel expenses? Will he come early/late? Will he have to stay in the NICU? The list goes on …
If you have never been through adoption before, you can not possibly fathom the expected and unexpected costs (this is our first time, and we have been shocked at the amount not covered by the agency fee and birth mom expenses that we are just now really becoming aware of). Many people have mentioned how outrageous the cost is to bring a child into a stable home; many have asked us why we didn’t just go through the state/foster care and have state funds cover the costs. Well, we have our reasons, but if you haven’t struggled with infertility or haven’t been on this journey yourself, it may be hard for you to understand from a blog post. Side note: if you want to know the answer to those kinds of questions, please feel free to reach out to me on social media, or if you have my number, call or text, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.
Aaron and I feel like broken records asking again and again for money, help, and support, but we have to keep asking if we have any hope of making it home with our son in 26 days. We trust that God will provide the funds needed to complete this adoption. One way may be through people like you.
Here is an update on where we are financially and what we have left to cover:
We used a personal loan to pay $30,000 for the match/placement fee and the birth mom’s living expenses and prenatal care at match back in November. We did not use any of the money we had raised in anticipation that we would need all the funds at placement; we anticipated correctly. So far, we have raised approximately $28,000 thanks to our family and friends' generosity, which will cover most of our remaining anticipated costs. At this time, we still need approximately $10,000 before Baby Boy arrives in February.
Here is a break down of costs, anticipated and not:
Anticipated costs $59,500-$61,500:
$20,000 first half of our match/placement fee + $10,000 mom’s living expenses and prenatal care (paid in November)
$25,000 for the remainder of our match/placement fee
$1500 for legal fees for the finalization of our adoption
$3000-$5000 for travel and lodging (depending on if he requires a stay in the NICU and other legal factors- we are told to plan for 2 weeks)
Unanticipated costs $8500-$12,000 (just found out about these this week):
$1500-$2000 flat fee charged by the Hospital (not billable to insurance)
$7000 to $10,000 mom’s medical bills (if mom is not accepted by medicare- she is NOT as of today- not billable to insurance)
Baby B’s medical care, hearing test, pediatrician visit (billable to our insurance)
How can you help us now?
Please GIVE to our adoption fund through our donate page (blackmonadoption.com/donate) via Venmo, PayPal, or by mailing us a check. At this time, we need approximately $10,000 before Baby Boy arrives in February. We’d be so grateful for any amount you can give.
Please PRAY for my anxiety in the coming weeks. Pray for Aaron’s stress as he plans to be away from work during a crucial time for two weeks. Pray that Baby B’s birth mom applies and is accepted into the Medicare program. Pray that God will provide the funds necessary to cover both seen and unforeseen costs. Pray for a safe delivery and a healthy baby who will not need to be admitted to the NICU. Pray for available flights and affordable places to stay while we are in Utah, and safe travel for us when the time comes. Pray for us as we navigate life with a newborn once Baby B arrives.
Thank you all so much for your generosity, love, and support. We can’t wait for you all to meet our son and celebrate his arrival with you.
With love,
Tiffany (and Aaron)
