OFFICIAL REFERRAL & Yard Sale Fundraiser

WE HAVE our OFFICIAL REFERRAL!! An adorable little boy named Moise. So we are very busy trying to raise the funds needed to accept this referral and begin paperwork to bring him home. So last weekend we had our first big fundraiser. (other then our coffee link (which we are still doing) & the Jordan Essentials party) A garage sale. Thank you to all those that helped out, donated items, and baked cookies.

Our garage sale had a very interesting start.... It decided to pour down rain, so much so that our garage started flooding and I had to try to rescue many items that were sitting on the floor. As our first customers arrived I was bailing water out of the garage with a dust pan. But, as I did so I was humming "Praise God in this Storm" I quickly swallowed the negativity I felt brewing. I had resolved to trust God with whatever the day had in store.

Well needless to stay... the weather stayed gloomy and wet. We went for a hour and half with not a single person arriving. The sun finally came out right before we closed up. God stayed my heart every time I wanted to fret or complain. I admired Aleigh tearfully from afar. She stuck it out in the weather in her rain jacket all day - never complained once. She sold her cookies and an occasional glass of lemonade. She was so professional at her important job to raise money for her little brother that even I had to pay for my glass of lemonade. She explained to me how it wouldn't be fair to charge other people and give me one for free. So I dug out my wallet to find some quarters. :-D

Many Thank Yous.....Thank you so much Jenny for sticking with us the entire day and eating all those cookies. Thank you to all of you who baked cookies. You were a great help!! I just have to thank Lynndel and Lauranna again also who helped out a ton as well. Of course thank you for all of you who donated items, especially Marilyn. I am so thankful for my friends and family. Thank you for each of you who prayed - I needed those prayers to keep the negativity away and the joy in my heart.

When my dad stopped by he told Aleigh that she should be selling coffee and hot chocolate on such a cold rainy day so after he left we were discussing selling warmed up lemonade and if it would be good or not. Then Aleigh grins and says "I think it would be too much like pee then" We all got a good chuckle at that.

So I know you all are wondering where we are at...On Sunday we reached the $500 mark. We are inching closer... I know God will provide. I just have to trust in His timing... It just important to get this chunk of the foreign fee raised as soon as possible due to the time frame of the paperwork involved in the steps ahead. So the sooner, the better. I thank each and everyone who are rallying with us to bring this precious little boy home. If you would like to see his picture - please message me privately as I am not sharing his picture publicly at this time.

Some of you have asked how can we pray? Just pray that God will continue to strengthen our hearts as we wait. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

Psalm 27:14 -- Pray that our home study wraps up soon (May have a first proof on Monday) Pray that our family will get some of the adoption grants that we will be applying for soon.

Please pray that the rest of the funds that we need at this point ($2,000) will be provided. We are working on T-shirts for our next fundraiser.

I am praising God for what He has provided so far. Humbled by the love of people, moved by the love my children already feel for their brother, thankful for joy in a day others would deem a disaster.

Keep praying..... :-D

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Exciting Father's Day :-)

We went to the farm to spend time with Pom-Po (my dad). I made him a peach pie, his favorite. I made Craig raspberry cheesecake, his favorite. The kids were enjoying the outdoors and were siked to be at the farm.  A few days at the farm with Pom-Po this next week meant lots of fun.

Dad said I needed to check out the berries, as the rain had helped them along. Many were ripe and waiting to be picked.  I put on my brother's pants over my shorts and pulled a pair of his long socks up over them (to fend off ticks and posion ivy) and went picking. I was quite the sight :-) My gallon coffee container filled up quickly after Pom-Po showed me a prime berry picking spot in the shade.  A cool breeze blew every once in awhile and it was just beautiful.  I was startled by a buzz in my pants. I had forgotten that I tucked my phone in my pocket. You know how I am with my phone, I never have it with me.  Here I was out in the middle of the woods and it was a miracle in itself that I even had my phone with me.  I saw it was from our agency.  My heart started beating...

I answered.....and it started out a little something like "Remember how we said we had a possible referral?" Butterflies fill up my stomach.  I continued to listen as she told me about a three year old little boy.  I asked a few questions.  She answered.  "Do you think you would be interested in this referral?" 

I tried to conceal my emotions and not shout..."Yes, I am very interested in learning more about this referral!"

We chatted a bit more and then said our good-byes.  It was then that it all hit me and I sat in the raspberry patch with tears streaming down my face, praising God for working in a way that only God can work.  I skipped, Yes skipped back to the house excited to gather the family together and share this incredible news.  It was a way better gift for Father's Day then raspberry cheesecake. 

I have a name.  I will soon see a face.  Will you please pray as we wait anxiously?!  As we scramble to come up with the rest of the funds that we need to accept this referral.  Our yard sale fundraiser is this weekend.  Our home study is being wrote up as we speak.  Things are moving forward.  In the next few weeks we need to come up with at least $2,500.  I know God will provide the means, since He has opened this door before we ever expected it.  In the next 4-5 months we will have to also raise the rest of our foreign fee.  For now we are concentrating on the funds needed to accept this referral.  One step at a time.

Thank you for your prayers and all your support. This is so exciting for this mommy's heart. If you live locally, hope to see you at our yard sale. The kids will be selling cookies and lemonade. If you don't live locally and it is on your heart to donate we have a chip-in button below that will go directly to our pay-pal account. Thank you for investing into the life of a child through your prayers, support, encouragement, time etc.... This is a God sized journey we are on and what a peace and comfort it is to know we are not going at it alone. We are surrounded by family, friends and people I have not even met that are marching along with us.

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.-- Psalms 68:5-6

I added the thermometer to keep track of the total funds from chip-in plus donations we have received. (Sold a few yard sale items early)

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Once upon a time......

 Once upon a time there was a wise man

who used to go to the ocean

to do his writing.

He had a habit of walking

on the beach

before he began his work.

One day he was walking along

the shore.

As he looked down the beach,

he saw a human

figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think

of someone who would

dance to the day.

So he began to walk faster

to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw

that it was a young man

and the young man wasn't dancing,

but instead he was reaching

down to the shore,

picking up something

and very gently throwing it

into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,

"Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused,

looked up and replied,

"Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked,

why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out.

And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that

there are miles and miles of beach

and starfish all along it.

You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely.

Then bent down, picked up another starfish

and threw it into the sea,

past the breaking waves and said-

"It made a difference for that one."

New Fundraising Page --

Added a new fundraiser page to our blog :-)

Look over there on the right ----------->
Do you see those links?
Those are the other pages to our blog....
Now check out the new Fund-raising Page to read an update....
Kinda big news!

Don't want to miss a post?
Make sure you type your e-mail address into our feedburner and all updates will be sent to your e-mail!

My heart is longing for an array of pixels

So excited for so many in our Connected by Congo group that are nearing the finish line. My heart and prayers are connected to faces and people I do not know. Yet, I stand on the sidelines as they run the race... cheering them on, praying for endurance and mercies along the way.... Praying for smooth appointments, piles of paperwork that will not need revision, VISA's issued without delay, and safe traveling mercies....

And as each new picture pops up here and there my heart squeezes a bit with a hope that soon I will receive an array of pixels that come together to show me a son that God has chosen for our family far before I even knew it. I find myself without words so many times to even grasp that He chose us for this. Some can not see past the price tag of adoption... I am probably blind by love but all I see is this amazing gift that God chose for our family and I am just accepting it... humbled, awed, and overwhelmed at what God is giving to me.

I must admit at the beginning of the journey I was a bit naive, thinking I was somehow saving a child. This is simply not so. If anything this child is saving me. Opening my eyes, stripping off my layers of ignorance, engaging me in divine moments that without him I would have missed.

My blood work finally came in. All our physical papers are in the mail for the home study. References are trickling in one by one - just a few last things on the check list for the home study....

Phase 3 of Home Study Complete!!

We had our home inspection on Friday - our last home study visit with J. until post placement.  We had a very nice visit.  My kids adore J. and had so much fun showing her our home.  Ryan gave her quite the show -- trying on every single super hero dress up outfit he owned -- and at times running by in just his whitey tighties.  Well, I can honestly say she got a great glimpse of how our normal life usually goes.  Aleigh even strummed her a few chords on her guitar.  Just a few paperwork things to wrap up and our physcials which are scheduled this week and our home study is very close to completion.  Is that not wonderful? 

Do you know what is so exciting!?.... Around 16 families will be traveling in the next few months from my agency to bring home their sons and daughters to their forever families.  How awesome is that?  Will you join with me praying for these families.  There already has been some unexpected complications with travel dates.  This can be a very emotional and trying times for families as they go in not knowing what to expect.  Especially pray for our director J. as she has so much she carries.  I seriously, very much, ask you to pray!  I totally believe in the power of prayer and my heart shares a burden with these families who are waiting...waiting...waiting... to bring their child/children home.

 

Interviews tomorrow!

Phase 2 of the Home Study happening tomorrow - Interviews!  I get to share my life story.  :-)

These little steps forward.... keep me going.....

I am not nervous as all get out like I was the first time around.  J. our caseworker was so nice.  She did her job and was professional but I instantly liked her. 

I thought of my little boy yesterday as the kids and I played down in the creek bed.  I just thought it might be a little more fun if there was another little boy there with us. 

It is Ryan who keeps getting my heart.  The other day snuggled up in my lap he told me he couldn't wait to get his new brother.  He then looked at me ever serious and said "Mom, I just wish I had lots of money to give to you so we could go get him right now!"  It was so sweet.  My heart melted all ooey gooey.  He just does not understand the process of adoption.  To be honest sometimes I don't either.

I am not the best at waiting.  Or being patient.  Just ask my husband.
I live in the world of instant gratification.

Yet, I have had such a peace through everything thus far. 
I am thankful for that.
Trusting in God's timing.