Y'all, we have been just floored by the amount of folks who have prayed for us, asked us about our adoption, and who have given (Side note: If you missed our adoption announcement and are all like "WHAT?!?!?!" Click here and catch up). We are so thrilled to announce that since we've announced our adoption just a few weeks ago, many of you have GIVEN and our initial goal of 26,500 is now 25,000.

Yall. In 2 weeks time, we've almost raised enough to pay for our home study, and we are OH SO THANKFUL. Overwhelmed. Truly. So we wanted to say a BIG thank you and tell you a little more about our adoption now that the dust has settled a bit. A lot of you have asked some good questions & we really want to answer them over cups of coffee with all of you... but since that isn't possible I thought a blogpost might be the best for now. So pull up a chair & a cup of joe... and hopefully we'll do our best to answer them!

Where are we adopting?

We're adopting domestically, which means we're adopting in the United States. And we've narrowed our location a bit; we're adopting within our home state of North Carolina.

Who is our agency & why did we pick them?

We're adopting through Christian Adoption Services - and y'all, we have a lot of respect for this agency. We've been researching different agencies for over a year, looking for agencies that are ethical and offer a holistic approach. What does that mean exactly? It means that CAS is amazing. One of the things that attracted us to this agency is that they have a strong emphasis on caring for our future child's birth mother before the birth AND after. We love partnering with an agency that is not only playing a huge part in Orphan Care but in Orphan Prevention.

Are we specifying a gender?

Yes! We are adopting a BOY!! And we're super excited about the girls having a little brother. And we're open to any ethnicity. We're very excited about the opportunity for our family to be a visible picture of racial reconciliation. We're currently taking online classes and are enjoying learning about being an interracial family.

Do you have a name yet?

Ish. We're working on a it. (Read: Ben and I are still bickering over middle names). But trust me, we'll share as soon as he finally agrees that I am right.

What age will the child be?

We're not 100% sure, but he'll most likely be a newborn. The majority of children adopted domestically through our agency are infants. The one thing that we have specified regarding age is that we would like to stick to birth order, which means that the child we are placed with will be younger than our girls (who are currently 2).

Will the adoption be an open adoption?

YES! Most domestic adoptions are open, but the details of what that means varies with every adoption and we won't know those details until much later. But what you can know is that we are really looking forward to whatever our situation may hold. One thing we want to emphasize is that we are already praying for our child's birth mother. We know that birth mothers are some of the bravest women in this country. They experience all of the joys and pains of pregnancy, the first kicks, all of the strangers rubbing her belly, asking if it's a boy or girl. I mean come on, those of you who have given birth to children, you know that pregnancy and delivery isn't a cake walk. These women also endure family and friends pushing them to just "end it all" and "take care of herself." These girls, these women, are unsung heroes, giving life to a child in a culture that would rather silence it. And although we don't know what exactly our relationship will look like, we will always be tied together because we both are seeking the best interest of the same child.

Why does it cost SO MUCH?

Yall, I get it. We were SHOCKED when looking at the cost of adoption. I mean, kids need good homes - we have a good home - why the HECK does it cost $26g's to get kids into a good home? Honestly, I don't know. But in the United States, that's what it costs. According to Adoptive Families the average cost of an adoption in the United States in 2010-2011 with an agency was $33,793. Our agency is approximately $7,000 less than the average - Can I get an amen? What I can tell you is that our agency is honest, ethical, and every dime they're asking from us meets a real need. They are NOT making a buck off of us - that is for certain.

So how are we gonna raise all of that money?

First off, let me be clear on something. It's not our money - it's God's. Also - the same can be said of our current and future children. They are ours to raise and love and care for, but they are ultimately God's children. So call us crazy - but we believe God will provide & we're PUMPED to see how He is going to do it. Now, that does NOT mean we can sit back and do nothing. We're working our tushes off. Seriously, I'm monogramming my little heart out & the Bens (yes... the two of them) are working on all of the coffee pre-orders & my Ben has a little something special up his sleeve coming up in the next week or so (Get excited). We also know that MANY of you have a heart for adoption and are willing to give generously. So we absolutely believe that $25,000 is completely doable. $25,000 equals...

=50 people giving 500 dollars

=100 people giving 250 dollars

=250 people giving 100 dollars

=500 people giving 50 dollars

We have some fun events coming up this Fall. But for those of you who feel compelled to give already, here is our agency's website. At the bottom right hand corner you'll see a DONATE button. Click that button and then put "Ben & Brittany Salmon Adoption" in the line that says "purpose." Every little bit counts - so whether you have $10 or $1000 - we are extremely grateful!

Y'all. We can do this. God will provide & He's already used people from ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY to get us one step closer!!! We are so thankful for all of you who are praying for us and supporting us along the way. We're not very far into the process, & already we've seen God's faithfulness at every corner. Thank you for your orders, for your donations, for your questions and encouraging words. It is a joy to be on this journey with you, and our son is blessed to already be loved by such a great community!

Much love & #minusoneorphan.

You got questions... We got answers! #MinusOneOrphan