*5-4-5* FIVE FOR FIVE *5-4-5*

God called.  We answered.  We're figuring out the rest as we go!

We have completed our initial applications to our home study agency and our placing agency.

Our next step is to have our social worker come out to begin a home study.

However, in order to get things moving, we need to pay Lifeline a total of $2,000.  

This is just the first fee of many on this journey to Juliana.  

The expected cost of this adoption is at least $25,000.  

We are hoping to qualify for some grants but first need to complete our home study.  

SO, we're launching our first fundraising campaign 

 "FIVE FOR FIVE" or 5-4-5 !!!

Our goal is to find 60 friends who will commit to finding 20 friends

who are willing to "chip in" $5 or more toward our adoption.  

Juliana will be our fifth child so "FIVE FOR FIVE" seems fitting.  

We feel and hope that a $5 donation is something that almost anyone can help with.  

We will use this money specifically for our home study,

application and program fees and document expenses in the coming weeks. 

If you can help us bring Juliana home, we would sincerely and humbly appreciate your support.

Just click on the "Chip In" button on the sidebar of our blog to donate via Paypal.  

You don't even have to have a Paypal account. 

Then, share this post with 20 of your closest friends!  

Feel free to link our blog in an email or share on Facebook.

¡Muchas Gracias!

La Familia Nichols

EXCITING NEWS!!!

We are SO excited to announce that we are beginning another adoption! 

This past summer we learned of a precious little girl in Medellín, Colombia who needs a forever family.  Her name is Juliana and we are simply smitten with her!!!  Sadly, we cannot share her pictures online yet but believe us when we tell you that she is adorable!  She appears to be spunky and likes toys that make loud noises.  Sounds like she'll fit in perfectly around here!

Juliana just turned two years old.  She is a special needs orphan who has Down syndrome.  We learned about her through a couple of adoption lists we are connected with.  We were drawn to her immediately and began praying if possibly the Lord intended her to become part of our family.  We know from the world’s perspective, we have our hands full (and we do!) with our family as it is.  However, we desire a Kingdom perspective and we cannot deny the call the Lord has placed upon us (all of us!) to care for orphans.  We have asked the Lord to break our hearts for what breaks His.  And as absurd as it may seem,  we have a strong desire to care for this orphan!  We long for Juliana to be part of our family.

We have spent the last months praying and seeking the Lord for direction.  We seemed to be in a holding pattern because we do not have the finances to begin another adoption. We kept waiting to figure out a way to pay the fees on our own.  However, a few weeks ago, we sensed the Lord nudging us to step out in faith and watch Him provide for Juliana.  Very scary!  So, we're diving in and beginning the initial paperwork involved in an adoption.  We are gathering ideas for fundraising and trusting the Lord for each step of this journey.   

Also, we thought we would try to do things a little differently this time around and actually start the blog at the beginning of the journey instead of just a week before traveling like last time.  Can't promise how well we'll keep it up but our goal is to keep you faithful followers updated as we go along.  We covet your prayers as we begin the process of adopting again.

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 
God sets the lonely in families. . ."  Psalms 68:5-6