Full Financial Disclosure

I have gotten some well-meaning and good-intentioned questions about the financial ins and outs of international adoption. In the interest of full disclosure, I want to list out some of the costs and explain how this all works. I want people to understand what they are donating to and what I am contributing personally.


Costs and Fees:
1. On Reece's Rainbow, the entire cost of adoptions in this area of Latin America is listed as $21,000-$24,5000.

2. I did a lot of research before committing to a home study agency. The one that I found was by far the cheapest--$2,500. This has been paid out of my previous savings.

3. Immigration Fees - $795

4. Adoption Agency Fees - $16,350 - This includes Program Fee, Paper Work Fees, Foreign Service Fees, lots of legal work.

5. Country Fees - $4,800 - This includes Attorney Fees, Translation Fees, Document Fees.

6. Travel Fees are separate from this. This includes my round-trip ticket, Sara's one-way ticket, lodging and meals for both of us for 4-6 weeks. Estimates are around $7,000.


My Plan:
1. I have some savings that I am using for the upfront costs and will apply as much as I can towards the travel costs.

2. I am applying for every grant I can find. I can't complete these applications until my home study is complete and approved. This should happen around April 1.

3. I am planning a few fundraisers. I will promote these on my facebook, blog, and within the Reeces Rainbow community.

4. When I get a travel date, I will take out a loan for whatever funds I still need.


What you can do to help:
1. Pray! This is, by far, the most important contribution.

2. I am available for babysitting, tutoring, odd jobs, whatever I can do to earn a little extra money.

3. The coffee fundraiser will continue until August 1. These funds come directly to me to help cover the travel costs. You can purchase coffee here.

4. I am hosting a Give Away in the month of April. If you have any items you would like to donate, send me an email or leave a comment here. Check back April 1st for the first Give Away item.

5. Consider making a tax-deductible donation to Sara's Reeces Rainbow Fund. This money goes directly to pay the Immigration Fees, Adoption Agency Fees and Country Fees. You can do that here.

6. Please feel free to repost this blog, these links, Sara's RR page, anything that will get her story out there.


I have been truly amazed and blessed by all the support I've received from my friends and family, as well as strangers in the Reece's Rainbow community. I appreciate all the well wishes, contributions, advice, gifts, and love that Sara and I have received. I am brought to tears almost daily by this process and the response of the amazing people in my life.

And, just in case you are wondering, I am going on vacation to Mexico in June. Anna and I purchased this trip as a groupon back in October--long before I started this process. I wish now that I had that money back but the entire trip has already been paid for. So, I will go and thoroughly enjoy my last trip as a single, childless woman.