Fundraising Update

The title of this post should be: OVERWHELMED.  God is good folks! We raised enough for one plane ticket this weekend.  My best guess is that we had over 50 people show up to the trunk show.  Bracelets were purchased, items were raffled off, the beautiful African Mosaic Afghan donated by a family friend raised $400 and a check from Noonday will be sent to WACAP (our adoption agency) to be applied to our adoption expenses.  I don't know how many people ordered from Noonday online in order to support us but I know there were tons!  I am so excited about the fact that not only are we closer to getting our baby girl home...we, and by that I mean YOU, are supporting women and children all over the world in purchasing the beautiful Noonday merchandise! That is something to get excited about people! Read about these people! Check out the Noonday video on their website.  This is good stuff!

Do good. Be rich in good deeds. Be generous and willing to share. 1 Tim 6:18 You are living this out! Thank you!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some cuteness! Oh my, how I love these three!

2 Moments to do 2 Things on Tuesday at 2?

Pretty catchy slogan right? Thank you Lynne Friberg!

Some have mentioned wanting other ways to support us so we created the DONATE button on the blog.  It is over there. On the left. Just above our Timeline.

Maybe you can donate a dollar a week until we bring baby girl home? Maybe you would like to give a one time donation? This account is linked to our Adoption Savings account.  All money will be used for adoption related fees.

So maybe you can take 2 moments to do 2 things on Tuesday at 2! We appreciate your prayer support as well as your financial support.

Reality

Can I be completely honest? I am freaking out! I am SO excited.  The REALITY is that nothing has changed, not really. We are still waiting with no news of an impending match. Yet, something has changed.  Maybe it is just the fact that time has continued to march on and we are closer to a match by virtue of the fact that approximately 60 families ahead of us have been matched.  Maybe it is the events that we have on our calendar that pertain to our adoption that makes it feel more real. Fundraisers, classes to attend, books on my hold list that are ready to be picked up at the library.

Last weekend I attended an Adoption Fair through Adoption Mosaic. (Adoption Mosaic is awesome, check them out!) I walked away knowing that a great deal of resources are at my fingertips.  I have felt so overwhelmed by all that I have to learn. I have to learn about skin and hair. I have to learn all I can about her first home and keep it alive for her as much as possible.
Then there are the other pieces that have to come together...transitioning to a family of 6. Where will she sleep? Will she need to be in our room or will she share a room with Kylee? Crib? Toddler bed? What size of clothes do I need to have ready? What kind of foods? And the list goes on.

We are getting closer! Time to get busy!

Trunk Show

The Bracelets

We have bracelets! I have been blessed with friends who have helped me and now you have choices! They are $25 and all the money will be going toward our adoption fees.  Your support is very much appreciated! We will have more to choose from so if you don't see anything here that suits stay tuned.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Fundraising

We have started our first official fundraiser. I saw this idea online and even though my sewing skills are limited I thought that I might be able to make this happen.  I purchased fabric and found some D rings and voila!  We now have bracelets! Well a few anyway.
I made the first one and put in on my wrist and suddenly felt the doubt rush in.  Asking for help, well, it is not something I do easily.  We are asking for money.  Should I wonder at my uneasiness? It washed over me in a pretty intense fashion.  I know quite a few people who make things and sell them for a living so why is this different?
I am not sure if you realize this but we have embarked on a pretty incredible journey here folks.  We are adopting a little person.  This my friends, is one of those life changing events in life that mark you, indelibly. This is my heart on my sleeve for the whole world to see.  I have intense emotions that course through my body at the slightest provocation.  It really is no wonder the doubt rushed in and tried to take over. The truth is we are doing this and I need help. I need you.  Your support. Your encouragement. I need to know that you understand, on any level, why we are doing what we are doing. I need to know it is alright to cry for a little one I don't know.  When I feel frustrated I need for someone to tell me they get it.  I need you to ask me how the adoption is going...even if all I am going to say is that nothing has changed.  Will you invest in the life of an orphan? When you do any of these things that is precisely what you are doing.  You don't have to buy a bracelet, but maybe you would like to.
So, there it is then. The difference.  I am not just asking for you to buy a bracelet to support our adoption journey.  I am asking you to invest in the life of an orphan.  I am putting it all out there, a very emotional and rather private journey and asking you to join me.  I am thankful to be surrounded by such loving and generous people who have done just that.
In you the orphan finds mercy Hosea 14:3.

She was so beautiful he stopped in his tracks....

The other night as I read a bedtime story to Kylee and Jude my little boy said one of the sweetest things...

In the story there is a frog and a princess.  I am sure you know the story line.  At one point the prince sees his princess.  Completely overcome with her beauty he stops in his tracks and revels in the site of her.  Jude asked me what this meant so I explained a little further to which he replied, "I know Mama. It is like when we see baby girl, right? She will be so beautiful we will just stop in our tracks because she is so beautiful and we are so happy to see her and have her here."

Exactly.

I am so thankful for this journey that we are on.  I am completely overwhelmed by the depth of love that my little ones have for others. I am so blessed and encouraged by these little glimpses of their hearts.

The wait is getting long for my little people.  You remember the days when 1 hour felt like FOREVER. Feeling like summer vacation was never going to arrive... it could be a week away but it felt like months.  I suppose it will be harder when we are actually matched and have a count down until she comes home.

We are longing for the day that we stop in our tracks and revel in her beauty.