We are so excited to let you know about all that is going on in our family. Many of you know that we have been praying, planning, and walking through the adoption process for about 2 years. God has really given us a heart for international adoption, and we are now in the registration phase. We are adopting a baby girl from Kazakhstan through an organization called Christian World Adoption. You can read up about this and even find links about Kazakhstan here http://www.cwa.org/kazakhstan-adoption.htm. The process is anywhere from 6-11 months, and at the end of this process we will have a little girl around 8 months old. Here are a few things we wanted you to know.
Heart:
We are so thankful to have people like you in our lives. Our lives are going to drastically change, as well as the life of our little girl. Having the stability of family and friends around us will help us in this transition. Through the process there will be days of joy and days of weariness. We want you all to be involved in the process and to join us in this adventure. Here are some simple but powerful ways for you to be a part.
- Pray for our little girl. Pray that she has great care while in the orphanage and that her delivery goes smoothly (just think she will be most likely be born in the next few months!). Pray for her emotional well being so that we may bond with her more easily. Pray for her physical development. Many of the orphans are not stimulated enough so they lag in their development.
- Pray for her biological parents. Pray for their emotional state. Pray that they will be open to the Lord through this process. Pray that they can heal emotionally from giving up their child. We are going to be eternally grateful for their sacrifice.
- Pray for our family as we prepare for this amazing transition. Pray for Merrick and Ethan as they being to think about and talk about being big brothers.
- Pray for the entire process to go as smoothly as possible. Pray that the Lord will guide the process and be very evident throughout - the paperwork, international pieces, waiting periods, finances, etc.
Financially this will be an incredible miracle that God will perform. The total cost of the adoption will be around $35,000. I know it can seem a bit crazy in 6-11 months, but these we truly believe that this is perfect opportunity for God to show off. We are planning to apply for help from some great Christian foundations, and we are planning to invite all of you to be a part as well. Here is how you can be a part:
- Give financially. This will be tax deductible. You can go donate securely here, and 100% of these funds go towards our adoption! Use this information:
On the "Specify Donation" - choose the General Fund
Under the "Optional" section:
Choose person - CWA Family
Last name - Donaldson
First name - Brandon and Christi
City - Edmond
State - Oklahoma
Under the "Optional" section:
Choose person - CWA Family
Last name - Donaldson
First name - Brandon and Christi
City - Edmond
State - Oklahoma
- You can also donate money directly to us, but note that these funds will not be tax deductible.
We cannot do this without you or your support. We are so excited and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new daughter. We will keep you in the loop. Please e-mail us with any questions, ideas, or concerns at. We will be updating our blog frequently with news and our ongoing thoughts. Thank you for being on this journey with us!
Brandon, Christi, Merrick, and Ethan (soon to be a family of 5:))