We start answering the questions

Through hours and hours of research we have learned a lot more about adoption. We have decided to adopt internationally and are looking at the program in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has over 1 million orphans and Americans adopted about 2,200 orphans from there last year. Our agency (yes, after careful research, we have decided to use the original agency we found!) has handled 30 adoptions from there and currently have 30 more adoptions in the process.

Ethiopia is a country with a rich history. They have been an independent nation since ancient times and the country was never colonized. Could the country that was the home to the Queen of Shiba be the home of our future child?

Our research discovered that there is tax credit (not a deduction but an actual refundable credit) of up to $12,500 for adoption if you complete it by the end of 2010. Even though the program moves quickly and we could have it completed by the end of the year, we know that this is too big a decision to rush into. There are no plans to continue the credit into 2011, but we are hopeful that this could change.

Our concerns about whether Jared and Laine would like to have another sibling were allayed when both kids started praying for a sibling. We have a good friend that has two kids the same age as ours and they are now expecting a third. This led Jared and Laine to ask why they can't have a brother or sister. Laine decided they should pray to God and maybe he would answer their prayers. All of this and they have no idea we are considering adopting! The only problem now is that Jared wants a baby brother and Laine wants and baby sister. Uh-oh.