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Dear Family and Friends,

You have been in our prayers throughout this year…and we believe that we have been in yours because we have been so blessed! We started out last holiday season with the “Bless to be blessed” theme and we can honestly say that the blessings flowed freely throughout the season and continue while we write this letter opening the new season. We are excited as we approach our 25th Christmas. God is so good! God is alive! And, He is blessing AIM still.

It comes as no surprise to any of us that non-profit organizations exist on financial donations. AIM is no different. Your donation is vital to the work that this agency does with young women and children. Christians have been commissioned to feed and care for the widows and children. We have provided an addressed envelope for your convenience. If writing a check is a nuisance, we have a PayPal button on our website at www.aimadoptions.org. Fast and easy. Some may want to help and find that it makes more sense to them to budget their annual donation in with their monthly bills and send a monthly tithe. If that is you, please let us know the amount you budget so we can use the information to figure our budget….and we will send you eleven addressed envelopes for the remainder of the year.

Your financial contribution will cover services and items that we are not allowed to take from the general fund…by licensing standards and state law. Such things might be: GED classes and testing, Family Christmas Party, Client Christmas Party, deposits for client apartments, general household goods for clients, clothing/diapers/formula/medications/food for children of clients who do not have/qualify for community assistance, eye glasses, dental, etc. The law is specific that we are not allowed to provide for the client anything that does not directly or indirectly provide safety and care for the unborn child….from funds received as adoption fees. So, if a client is able to give birth, get a job, and qualify for an apartment…we can’t help her with deposits unless we have donated funds. We can’t buy eye glasses for a client because that does not provide for the unborn child…directly or indirectly. We can’t buy diapers for her 2 year old. All must come from donated funds. We have a separate bank account for donated funds to budget those needs.

Over the past 24+ years, we have touched the lives of so many persons as the Lord blessed our work. We need your help to continue to let the Lord shine through us. Most of the same women whose sacrifice has blessed (or will bless) your desire to grow your family will continue to have needs throughout their lives. While your child has every security within your ability…his/her biological siblings may have nothing. Most of our birth parents are parenting children. We don’t want to turn a blind eye to them simply because 6 weeks have passed since the mom relinquished her child and we certainly don’t want to forget the women who are now pregnant and considering an adoption plan. We consider all of them family…just as we consider you to be a part of our family. As family we are committed to try to make their path a little easier during the holidays. We can’t do it without you. Financial donations are important and your check is needed. There are also many other ways to help us financially by simply designating Alternatives In Motion – Houston, Texas as your charity of choice:

• Shop for Christmas gifts online through iGive.com
• Perform all Internet searches using GoodSearch.com or iGiveSearch.com
• Texas families can take the Kroger letter (on back of newsletter) to their local store and have our barcode linked with their own Kroger Plus card
• Shop eBay through MissionFish.com
• Randall’s Remarkable Card
• One of our adoptive dads just gave AIM’s information to his job (HP) for a possible donation from that company….surely there are many opportunities that you never even realized were available. Please check with your company. Call Anne for any documentation that is necessary.
• Will your company match the amount of donation you make to AIM? Ask. Please.

Physical help and tangible items are also needed to make this a special time for many birth mothers:

• Used furniture, household items, clothing, toys, Christmas decorations, etc. are needed for the free garage sale that is held for birth mothers attending their Christmas party. Remember that everything offered in this garage sale goes directly to our clients…for free. They have many, many needs that will never be met…but being able to “shop” for free will meet several of their needs on the spot. They will shop for clothing for themselves and their children, maybe find a few things to make their homes a little homey-er, find like-new toys to brighten their kids Christmas and make the moms feel like they are providing something for their children.
• Used furniture is needed throughout the year to help set up apartments for birth mothers.
• We need hosts for the Client Christmas Party on Saturday, December 13th.
• Traditionally, adoptive moms bring homemade candy/cookies/cakes to serve for dessert at the Client Party
• Setting up the garage sale is an overwhelming task….especially for elderly women (most of AIM staff). We need lots of help on Friday, December 12th to sort/set everything out and to decorate the hall for the birth mothers on Saturday.
• Hold a food drive! Please. We especially need soups and canned meats (spaghetti sauce, tuna, chicken, Spam, Vienna sausages, etc.) and juices during the upcoming cold months.

IRS AND THE ADOPTIVE PARENT:

The IRS issued Rev Proc 2008-66 today, the 16th of October 2008, and set out the limits for the Adoption Tax Credit in 2009.

The Maximum Credit will increase from $11,650 to $12,150, as will the maximum amount that may be excluded from an employee's gross income as a result of receipt of an employer adoption assistance program.

The phase out begins with an AGI in excess of $182,180 and is completely phased out with an AGI of $222,180 or more.

The text of the Rev. Proc is reproduced below.

Rev. Proc. 2008-66 – October 16, 2008

Adoption Credit. For taxable years beginning in 2009, under § 23(a)(3) the credit allowed for an adoption of a child with special needs is $12,150. For taxable years beginning in 2009, under § 23(b)(1) the maximum credit allowed for other adoptions is the amount of qualified adoption expenses up to $12,150. The available adoption credit begins to phase out under § 23(b)(2)(A) for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $182,180 and is completely phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $222,180 or more.

Adoption Assistance Programs. For taxable years beginning in 2009, under § 137(a)(2) the amount that can be excluded from an employee’s gross income for the adoption of a child with special needs is $12,150. For taxable years beginning in 2009, under § 137(b)(1) the maximum amount that can be excluded from an employee’s gross income for the amounts paid or expenses incurred by an employer for qualified adoption expenses furnished pursuant to an adoption assistance program for other adoptions by the employee is $12,150. The amount excludable from an employee’s gross income begins to phase out under § 137(b)(2)(A) for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $182,180 and is completely phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $222,180 or more.

NEW ARRIVALS:

Throughout the year, we enjoy the supreme pleasure of watching God’s precious children join loving, stable, Christian parents. Since we reported just before the picnic, we have rejoiced when….

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

We are required to stay current with laws, trends, and news in the adoption field. We search out trainings that will help us as adoption professionals and as adoptive parents…since that’s what we are. One of our favorite trainings is the AKA Conference. Adoption Knowledge Affiliates is an adoptive parent/adoption professional operated organization. Every November, adoption awareness month, they host a conference in Austin. We will be attending this year, again, and want to be sure that any adoptive parents who may be interested can get more information on their website at www.adoptionknowledge.org. Their focus is large and covers pertinent subjects from pre-adopt to adult adoptee.

WE WANT TO STAY IN CONTACT:

We have enjoyed the opportunity to keep in touch with so many of you through emails. Today’s technology (email specifically) is a wondrous thing. It has been an excellent tool to let you know how things are going, current needs, and chatty comments just to keep in touch. You are important to us and it is so easy to loose touch. We want to make the effort to keep the ties that bind strong. Often, when we send out an email, we get notes back updating us on your happenings. Many responses are your offers to help when we have a certain concern….and lots of them are statements of encouragement that are a blessing to our efforts.

Unfortunately, not all of you have sent us an email address so we can keep you “in the know”. Some have changed providers and failed to give us current addresses. If you aren’t receiving at least monthly notes from Anne, you probably have been bounced off the email contact list. Take a minute, look back at your inbox….if there is not one from aim_news@aimadoptions.org in the month of October, you are off the list and should send an email to alandry@aimadoptions.org. Be sure to include your email address in the message portion of the email.

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS:

Charlotte had this correspondence thing down to a fine science during the holidays. However, this is Denise’s very first season and we want to be kind…and gentle. We need her to get through this experience with most of her nerves intact…after all, she keeps Jan sane. We need Jan sane. So, we are including a couple of tips to make her job easier and get your packages to their destination in a timely manner.
• Double wrap packages in brown paper. Address the outer package to us, Denise opens and discards first layer…then addresses second layer to your birth mother.
• Include postage whenever possible. We ship hundreds of packages during the year and it adds up to a large chunk of our budget.
• In the return address, please include your full name (we have no less than 6 families with the last name Landry….none related) and the agency’s initials with the year you received placement and your birth mother’s first name. Your envelope should look like this:

• Do not send cash for postage. It’s not safe in the mail. If you are mailing from the post office, they will be happy to run you a second tape with the postage on it.
• Be sure that we have your correspondence in our office before December 15th to ensure that it reaches its destination BEFORE Christmas. We are off Christmas Eve thru Sunday then our office hours are very limited between Christmas and New Years…only an hour or two a day to check on things.
• Christmas cards intended for birth families should have an outer envelope addressed as above and an inner envelope with the card in it. If you are including a gift card inside of the envelope…please, please let us know so that we can be aware in case it comes back.

A HUGE, GIANT, HUMONGOUS THANK YOU:

Several weeks ago, we mentioned that our over-worked computers were giving us problems. Time to update! We were overwhelmed when three special adoptive dads made it possible to completely replace three computers, provide a scanner/copier/printer, two laptops, and two portable printers. We feel like we are flying through our work….efficiently, too. Now when we go out of town for a delivery and adoption placement, we won’t have to fax confidential information…we can prepare the papers right there in the hospital or hotel room. You can never know how much easier that makes it for us to function. Didn’t we tell you that we were blessed? Jesus has put so many people in our path that are generous and concerned about this agency.

ANOTHER SPECIAL THANK YOU…

…goes to the staff and students at Carlton Center in the Cy-Fair ISD. The played a big part in getting this letter put together and ready for you. Thanks Trish for thinking of us.

AIM ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY:

We really do want to hear from you….it is often a necessary factor in our survival. You remind us of why we are here…that the work we do matters…that it’s not “work” in the traditional sense. The annual Christmas party and picnic are two opportunities that provide us the opportunity to be refreshed in our commitment. We get so excited at both functions that we often miss speaking to some…then we regret it and have to rely on another staff member to fill us in on your family. Be sure to pull one of us aside…we really, really want to visit with you. See the attached sheet for information about when, where, and how.

STAFF NEWS:

Last year, Jan’s son (Westin) thought it would be a good idea if Jan cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Jan doesn’t cook…but in her old age she thought she probably should try on the image of “Granny-in-the-kitchen”. Anyway, she didn’t know where to start so Anne wrote a book for her, Grandma is Suppose to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner…Not Krogers. She even included a shopping list! The day before Thanksgiving, Jan’s teens decided they would take a little trip to Midway to visit with Anne’s kids while Jan cooked the traditional dinner. Then they decided to spend the night because a couple of families of teens were staying. Then, it seemed rude to run off after Anne had cooked all that food. They stayed for dinner. Jan’s not cooking this year. She’s going to Midway with the kids.

Malinda is becoming even more domesticated. She and Doug moved to a house just north of Humble. It has a country-like setting with a little land and a duck pond in the back. Malinda says she has never worked so hard in her life! She actually comes to work to rest. Can you imagine it being less stressful here? Ahhhhhhhh country life!

Please continue to keep Dee in your prayers. She has had a terrible time these past months and is unable to determine when she will be able to return to work. We are really missing her.

Remember we shared that the only damage any of us experienced was when a tree destroyed Toby’s carport and roof? Well, she has been able to make the house livable and is slowly getting the work done to restore it all. God is so good. She was told that her insurance did not cover this sort of damage…but it looks like everything’s going to work out after all.

Many years ago, Jan said that her grandchildren were the reason she wanted children. She wanted to see her family extend beyond her. Well, Denise is living that statement. Twenty-three years ago, she and Dave adopted Matt because one day he would present her with Tristan, Kylie, and now…a new little surprise next year.

And, one more…Melody. You may remember Melody…she worked for us about 18 years ago as a service provider. When we recently swamped Malinda with a promotion to Maternity Director, we had to get her some help. Melody was tried and true … and available. So, she’s now our newest old staff person.

HOLIDAY WISHES

It is our prayer that you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving full of love and family and friends, a Christmas filled with the joy of His gift of life, and a prosperous New Year. We love you.

The A.I.M. Staff