Partial Decision

We spent a good part of this weekend figuring out what we needed to do. Both Jack and I know in our hearts that there's a child waiting out there for us. We just have to find her.

After gathering a lot of information about Wisconsin adoptions and international, weighing out the pros & cons, we keep coming back to international.

I don't know that I can explain it exactly, but we feel that it's right for us. Thank you to those who recommended reading materials (I did read them all), told their stories and shared their feelings with us - it helped us make this decision and feel sure about it.

So why do I call this a partial decision? Well to be blunt -- we're working on the financing end of it.

We had hoped to claim the federal adoption credit at the end of the year and re-use that money to pursue Bulgaria, however, everything I've read seems to say that if you have a failed domestic adoption do this, or that. It sounds as if you do not qualify for a failed (isn't that a terrible word)international adoption. If this is true it means that we have lost about 1/2 of our adoption fund --- If anyone knows more about the adoption credit for failed adoptions (or places I can look or call), please let me know. I have read articles from agencies & the IRS, even talked with an adoption lawyer (who didn't THINK we could - key word think) -- but nothing states it in plain old english.

Our agency is working very hard with/for us to see exactly what the fees for an older adoption in Bulgaria would be -- also seeing if there would be grants we would qualify. Once we know exactly what we're facing we'll know if we can pursue our dream ........... why does it have to come down to this??????????????