Dave and I rarely talk about money with other people so this post is a bit out-of-character. However, we want to give God credit for the work He did/is doing in Carmen’s life.
Carmen’s adoption process cost roughly $28,000. When we started the adoption process in January 2006, we did not have $28,000 sitting around. We had purchased a home recently and spent everything we had on a down payment. So, there we were, starting an expensive international adoption with no apparent way to pay for it. I remember feeling stressed about the whole situation and thinking that we were dumb as dirt to jump into this. But, we felt God’s leading so we forged ahead.
We talked about getting a loan or doing some fund raising to pay for the adoption. We started feeling that we shouldn’t do either but should simply wait on God because He had something else in mind.
And, wow, did He ever!
In March 2006, Dave (who was contracting at the time) was unexpectedly paid for some extra work he had done previously. His contract stated that he would be paid for 40 hrs/week but he actually worked a LOT more during the previous months. $12,000. Later in the year, after Dave transitioned from contracting to a full-time position with the same company, Dave asked someone in his HR department if the company offered adoption benefits. It didn’t. However, the HR representative did mention that they were thinking about adding that benefit in 2007, which would at least be nice for the next adoption. Wouldn’t you know it, his company did implement adoption benefits beginning in 2007 but…decided to make the benefits retroactive to the fourth quarter of 2006 so that we would receive the benefit for Carmen’s adoption, which was finalized in December 2006. $5,000. Finally, since Carmen’s adoption was finalized before the end of the year, we were able to immediately file for the adoption tax credit for both the IRS and Maryland in February 2007. $11,000.
$12,000 + 5,000 + 11,000 = $28,000
Sometimes I think God likes to show off. He could have provided half the money and we would have found a way to pay the rest. Or He could have provided more than we needed. But, no, He provided exactly what we needed.
Whenever I start having thoughts that we sure could use that $28,000, I remind myself that it was never our money to begin with. God specifically provided it for a little girl named Carmen. And I think He provided it to give us yet one more proof that He took care of us then, is taking care of us now and will continue taking care of us into the future.
