Friday, March 13, 2009
Baby Dreads
I love this hairdo. David doesn't like it. (Good thing I'm the one that does her hair...)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Fun Baylie Pictures
Leaving the scene of the crime.
This is called the orange peel. Sometimes I braid it and sometimes we just do the pom-poms. The boar's hair brush has been a big success in doing Baylie's hair. Yesterday she even fell asleep while I did her hair.
Front view
Pom-pom style
Baylie loves to crawl underneath her high chair. Unfortunately, she has a little trouble crawling out.
This is called the orange peel. Sometimes I braid it and sometimes we just do the pom-poms. The boar's hair brush has been a big success in doing Baylie's hair. Yesterday she even fell asleep while I did her hair.
Front view
Pom-pom style
Baylie loves to crawl underneath her high chair. Unfortunately, she has a little trouble crawling out.
Friday, March 6, 2009
A Very Pleasant Surprise
Today was one of those days where I felt like a slug. Everything seemed a little off. I didn't have time to shower, get dressed or even brush my teeth. I felt yucky. I got a call from another mom reminding me about our playgroup. I had completely forgotten about it and didn't want to go because I was yucky. I was bummed because I didn't leave the house yesterday and it would have been nice to get out today. In the midst of my apathy, a knock came at the door. I could only open the door a crack because Baylie had strewn shoes, an umbrella stroller and some boxes in front of it. Imagine my surprise to see my dear friend Beth!
Beth was one of my mission companions. I love her. The last time we saw each other was almost two years ago, but Beth is one of those friends that Anne of Green Gables calls a kindred spirit. Beth is also the kind of friend that didn't care I looked like a slug, overlooked Baylie's spit-covered onesie and sat right down and had a pb&j with us. I love her.
Beth and I lived together, literally at the end of the earth. We were in Rio Gallegos, Argentina, which is just north of the Strait of Magellan. It was cold and wet. The sun came up at 10 a.m. and went down at 4 p.m. It could have been a dark and depressing place, but because I was there with Beth, it was fun and I have great memories of that time. Beth's suitcase was like Mary Poppins's carpet bag. She pulled all kinds of things out of there. It was truly magical. (She even had stuff to repair our bathroom sink!)
Here are some of my favorite Beth memories.
For a while, there were three of us together. We always wore long dark trench coats and got in the habit of calling our selves "Cappi's Angels" (our mission president's last name was Cappi). We used to have to decide whether to sprint across the empty lot in front of our apartment or walk the long way around. We'd get in our Cappi's Angels poses and then sprint across the field.
I was with Beth when I saw my first penguin - a sorry little thing that had been caught in an oil spill.
We used to walk in water that came up over our ankles. On this occasion, I played the hero and carried her across!
This is one of my favorite pictures of my mission. The Spanish writing says "Get out Yankees!"
Even when we weren't companions anymore, we got to serve in the same city so we could still see each other regularly. Here we are enjoying some local transportation.
There are so many memories that come to mind. I love you, Beth!
After her visit, I brushed my teeth, took a shower and got dressed. Beth's visit was just what I needed!
Beth was one of my mission companions. I love her. The last time we saw each other was almost two years ago, but Beth is one of those friends that Anne of Green Gables calls a kindred spirit. Beth is also the kind of friend that didn't care I looked like a slug, overlooked Baylie's spit-covered onesie and sat right down and had a pb&j with us. I love her.
Beth and I lived together, literally at the end of the earth. We were in Rio Gallegos, Argentina, which is just north of the Strait of Magellan. It was cold and wet. The sun came up at 10 a.m. and went down at 4 p.m. It could have been a dark and depressing place, but because I was there with Beth, it was fun and I have great memories of that time. Beth's suitcase was like Mary Poppins's carpet bag. She pulled all kinds of things out of there. It was truly magical. (She even had stuff to repair our bathroom sink!)
Here are some of my favorite Beth memories.
For a while, there were three of us together. We always wore long dark trench coats and got in the habit of calling our selves "Cappi's Angels" (our mission president's last name was Cappi). We used to have to decide whether to sprint across the empty lot in front of our apartment or walk the long way around. We'd get in our Cappi's Angels poses and then sprint across the field.
I was with Beth when I saw my first penguin - a sorry little thing that had been caught in an oil spill.
We used to walk in water that came up over our ankles. On this occasion, I played the hero and carried her across!
This is one of my favorite pictures of my mission. The Spanish writing says "Get out Yankees!"
Even when we weren't companions anymore, we got to serve in the same city so we could still see each other regularly. Here we are enjoying some local transportation.
There are so many memories that come to mind. I love you, Beth!
After her visit, I brushed my teeth, took a shower and got dressed. Beth's visit was just what I needed!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Adoption Financing - Part 1
You can help us finance our next adoption when you shop online. It won't cost you anything extra, but if you do your online shoping at onecause.com, you can indicate us as beneficiaries and we will receive credit for your purchase. onecause uses popular merchants such as WalMart (wish I had known about this when I was developing all the pictures for Baylie's birthmom!) Amazon.com, Target, BabiesRUs, JetBlue and many more.
Here's what you do:
1. Go to onecause.com and click Join.
2. Choose the National Adoption Foundation to receive credit for your purchases.
3. Once you have registered, go to "My Home" and select "Supporter Crediting."
4. Click on "Enroll in the National Adoption Foundation Supporter Crediting Program."
5. Enter my e-mail: kristin.batchelor27@yahoo.com and we will receive the credit for your purchases.
The National Adoption Foundation gives grants to families trying to adopt, but they aren't able to provide them to everyone who applies. (We're trying to get a grant right now.) This new program gives them additional funding while also ensuring that we get some financial assistance. Please know that we're not asking you to donate anything to us, but just to purchase things you were going to buy anyway. If you do it through the onecause web site, then it can help us out. We've added a link to the onecause web site to our blog (see right margin).
Here's what you do:
1. Go to onecause.com and click Join.
2. Choose the National Adoption Foundation to receive credit for your purchases.
3. Once you have registered, go to "My Home" and select "Supporter Crediting."
4. Click on "Enroll in the National Adoption Foundation Supporter Crediting Program."
5. Enter my e-mail: kristin.batchelor27@yahoo.com and we will receive the credit for your purchases.
The National Adoption Foundation gives grants to families trying to adopt, but they aren't able to provide them to everyone who applies. (We're trying to get a grant right now.) This new program gives them additional funding while also ensuring that we get some financial assistance. Please know that we're not asking you to donate anything to us, but just to purchase things you were going to buy anyway. If you do it through the onecause web site, then it can help us out. We've added a link to the onecause web site to our blog (see right margin).
Adoption Financing - Part 2, Adoption Tax Credit
This post is primarily for someone who is considering adoption and has questions about the cost of adoption. It is information I wish I could have had more clearly explained to me earlier, so hopefully it will be helpful. I will outline cost information first and then some of the ways you can try and get assistance. I am basing this on Baylie's adoption. Different agencies charge different fees, but it should at least give you an idea. Also, because we were in Texas and Utah, we had some additional charges that may not apply if only one state is involved.
Costs
Physical exams - $15 co-pay x 2 parents = $30
Infant CPR Course (required in TX, but not in UT) - $30
Baby Care Basics class (required in TX, but not in UT) - $30
Fingerprinting - $101
Background check - $60.50
Birth certificates for adoptive parents - $36
Home study - $1,000
Home study Update - $350
Post placement visit - $150 x 2 = $300
Agency Match Fee (when they found us a birth mom) - $3,400
Agency Placement Fee - $15,100
Birth mother's airfare - $832
Gift for birth mother - $200
Attorney's fees (our attorney is less expensive than most) - $692
Nursery bill - $700
Copies of adoption decree - $20
Copies of birth certificate - $60
With all of the above, plus some additional fees related to a failed attempt to adopt through LDS Family Services and some expedited background checks and birth certificates, the total we paid for Baylie's adoption was $23,546. We have found this to be comparable to what other couples have paid for their agency adoptions. We did not have travel expenses as our birth mom came to Utah to deliver.
Note: LDS Family Services offers a much less expensive option; however, they get far more couples interested in adoption than they do babies. Consequently, many couples pay the up front fees without ever getting a baby. For example, we paid LDS Family Services $1,500 and will not get any of that back.
Child protective services is another much less expensive option. In fact, you often get financial assistance and health benefits when adopting through CPS. The drawbacks are that you may not be able to adopt a child you foster and it is more difficult to get an infant.
Financial Assistance
Adoption Tax Credit - One of the things I have been relying on was the adoption tax credit. Unfortunately, it turns out I was counting my chickens before they were hatched. I was under the mistaken impression that we would be getting $11,500 back from our tax return. Well, that is not exactly how it works. The adoption tax credit is just that, a credit. What that means is if we had paid $11,500 in taxes, we could get that all back. We didn't pay nearly that much in taxes. Fortunately, the tax credit can be spread over five years, so essentially now David and I will show ourselves as tax exempt until we have recuperated that amount. That's nice, but it doesn't give us the lump sum we had thought would be coming and which we thought would pay off Baylie's adoption, enabling us to adopt again. Had I realized this is how it works, I would have shown us as tax exempt once we brought Baylie home. It is wise to keep track of all your adoption expenses and have a professional assist you in filing your return.
State Adoption Indemnity - Some states allow an insurance reimbursement when you adopt. In the state of Utah, I believe it is around $4,000. This only applies if you have an insurance program that you direclty pay for. As our insurance is paid for by my employer and deducted from my salary, we did not qualify for this program.
Employer Adoption Programs - Many companies have an adoption reimbursement policy. The company I work for will give a $4,000 adoption credit. It is received after finalization and is taxed as income.
Gift of Adoption Grant - This company accepts grant applications with an application fee of $40. The grant must be applied for after a home study has been completed and before placement. We did not receive a grant for Baylie's adoption, but have applied again. Grants are approved monthly and range from $1,000 - $7,500 and average $3,500. Only about eight grants are approved each month.
National Adoption Foundation Grants - These grants are approved quarterly and range from $500 - $2,500. We did not receive a grant for Baylie's adoption, but have applied again. The foundation has a credit card available for 0% interest for six months. The foundation also has a program through onesource where online purchases can be applied towards adoption (see other post for more details).
Home Equity Loans - One of the most common methods for financing adoption is through home equity loans. Some banks even give 0% interest on home equity loans if they are for adoption. Unfortunately for us, we are trying to sell our home, so it doesn't make sense for us to take out an equity loan.
Retirement Accounts - If you decide to cash in a 401K in order to finance an adoption, any penalties that would be applied may actually be covered by the adoption tax credit.
I am certianly not an expert, and I'm learning as I go, but hopefully this information will be helpful to anyone who wants a better idea of the cost breakdown.
Costs
Physical exams - $15 co-pay x 2 parents = $30
Infant CPR Course (required in TX, but not in UT) - $30
Baby Care Basics class (required in TX, but not in UT) - $30
Fingerprinting - $101
Background check - $60.50
Birth certificates for adoptive parents - $36
Home study - $1,000
Home study Update - $350
Post placement visit - $150 x 2 = $300
Agency Match Fee (when they found us a birth mom) - $3,400
Agency Placement Fee - $15,100
Birth mother's airfare - $832
Gift for birth mother - $200
Attorney's fees (our attorney is less expensive than most) - $692
Nursery bill - $700
Copies of adoption decree - $20
Copies of birth certificate - $60
With all of the above, plus some additional fees related to a failed attempt to adopt through LDS Family Services and some expedited background checks and birth certificates, the total we paid for Baylie's adoption was $23,546. We have found this to be comparable to what other couples have paid for their agency adoptions. We did not have travel expenses as our birth mom came to Utah to deliver.
Note: LDS Family Services offers a much less expensive option; however, they get far more couples interested in adoption than they do babies. Consequently, many couples pay the up front fees without ever getting a baby. For example, we paid LDS Family Services $1,500 and will not get any of that back.
Child protective services is another much less expensive option. In fact, you often get financial assistance and health benefits when adopting through CPS. The drawbacks are that you may not be able to adopt a child you foster and it is more difficult to get an infant.
Financial Assistance
Adoption Tax Credit - One of the things I have been relying on was the adoption tax credit. Unfortunately, it turns out I was counting my chickens before they were hatched. I was under the mistaken impression that we would be getting $11,500 back from our tax return. Well, that is not exactly how it works. The adoption tax credit is just that, a credit. What that means is if we had paid $11,500 in taxes, we could get that all back. We didn't pay nearly that much in taxes. Fortunately, the tax credit can be spread over five years, so essentially now David and I will show ourselves as tax exempt until we have recuperated that amount. That's nice, but it doesn't give us the lump sum we had thought would be coming and which we thought would pay off Baylie's adoption, enabling us to adopt again. Had I realized this is how it works, I would have shown us as tax exempt once we brought Baylie home. It is wise to keep track of all your adoption expenses and have a professional assist you in filing your return.
State Adoption Indemnity - Some states allow an insurance reimbursement when you adopt. In the state of Utah, I believe it is around $4,000. This only applies if you have an insurance program that you direclty pay for. As our insurance is paid for by my employer and deducted from my salary, we did not qualify for this program.
Employer Adoption Programs - Many companies have an adoption reimbursement policy. The company I work for will give a $4,000 adoption credit. It is received after finalization and is taxed as income.
Gift of Adoption Grant - This company accepts grant applications with an application fee of $40. The grant must be applied for after a home study has been completed and before placement. We did not receive a grant for Baylie's adoption, but have applied again. Grants are approved monthly and range from $1,000 - $7,500 and average $3,500. Only about eight grants are approved each month.
National Adoption Foundation Grants - These grants are approved quarterly and range from $500 - $2,500. We did not receive a grant for Baylie's adoption, but have applied again. The foundation has a credit card available for 0% interest for six months. The foundation also has a program through onesource where online purchases can be applied towards adoption (see other post for more details).
Home Equity Loans - One of the most common methods for financing adoption is through home equity loans. Some banks even give 0% interest on home equity loans if they are for adoption. Unfortunately for us, we are trying to sell our home, so it doesn't make sense for us to take out an equity loan.
Retirement Accounts - If you decide to cash in a 401K in order to finance an adoption, any penalties that would be applied may actually be covered by the adoption tax credit.
I am certianly not an expert, and I'm learning as I go, but hopefully this information will be helpful to anyone who wants a better idea of the cost breakdown.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Uh, Dad...
...remember how Mom has been nagging you to childproof the bathroom? It's time.
And I'm posting this one just because I love it.
And I'm posting this one just because I love it.
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