Unbelievable Blessing

We received an unbelievable blessing about a week ago. A family made a $3000 donation to our adoption. I still feel like it's all a dream. I am so thankful to this family! Words can never describe how grateful we truly are to them. They had already donated $1100 so another donation was so unexpected.
We also received a donations for $100 from an unknown donor. We would like to thank them as well!
When we started with our adoption journey, we had no idea how we would be able to pay for it. All I can say is to be faithful to what God wants you to do and he will provide all that you will ever need. Thank you God!!!

Frustrated

I keep feeling frustrated about our adoption. I'm not getting much support from my fundraising endeavors. I advertised the raffle party we had more then enough, but still no one showed up except a few close friends and family. It's so frustrating to want something so bad, but know that you have to rely on the kindness of strangers to help you get there. Why can people who don't want kids or care anything about the ones they have pop them out like crazy. Yet I have to work and save and skimp in order to adopt and get very little support???
On top of all this I'm not sure how on board Kevin is. I know he is worried about the finances, but do I wait until I can actually afford it? Are you every really able to afford it? It's a big expense, but worth every penny!! How do I get him on the same page as me? We aren't getting any younger!!! LOL :)

Changing Directions

After long thought and talks we have decided to change direction in our adoption process. We are now going to be adopting domestically. Part of our heart will always long to adopt from Ethiopia, and maybe someday we will, but right now we feel this is the path God is leading us down.
We are going to be doing an open adoption which is exciting yet scary. We will know the birth mother and have contact with her while our child is growing up. The good news is we get to set the limitations on how open we want to be.
We will be getting a newborn!! YAY!! So we won't have to miss out on anything.
We will get put in the book around January, after we go to parenting classes. I'm so impatient!!! I just can't wait!!!!

Our First Fundraiser

We made our first attempt at trying to raise money for our adoption. We had a yard sale in Paducah, KY. at the Carson Park Labor Day event they had. We made $400!!!!!! We are so excited that our first event went so well!!!
Now me and my crazy excitement wants to do another yard sale this weekend at my house. I would love it if it would be as successful, but with no advertising it might not be. I am going to do alot of praying though and hanging out signs, so maybe that will help!!! I will keep you updated!

Moving another step closer

Today is the day we start our home study!! I am so excited to be moving one step closer, but nervous at the same time. We are using Catholic Social Services in Carbondale, IL. I hope everything works out with them. I have heard a few bad things, but if this is who God wants us to use then it will all work out. Please pray for us that all goes well. We will let you know more after the meeting.

Raffle Party

We decide to do a raffle party fundraiser in Oct. This week we started trying to get some local business's to donate services and product's to be raffled off. WOW, have I been amazed by the generosity of the people in Southern IL and some in Western KY. In just a few day's of phone calling we have managed to get 34 local business owners to donate to our cause. That is just so amazing to me!!! Thank you to all who have donated and to Shawn Roberts (Again) for all her hard work and help! I look forward to what lies ahead when the raffle actually takes place.

A Piece of the Puzzle

Hi Everyone!

This is our puzzle called waiting for the bus. I would prefer to call it waiting for my new family. Anyway, we are going to be selling pieces of the puzzle to help raise money for our adoption. The cost for a piece of the puzzle is $5.00. Your name and the date will be written on the back of your piece. We will put it together as pieces are sold. When it is finished it will hang in our child's room as a reminder of all the wonderful people who helped bring him/her home. If you are interested in buying a piece please contact me or Shawn Roberts. Thanks so much for your help! You will never know how much it means to us!

One step closer

We are so excited to be one step closer to bringing our child home. We finally decided on a home study agency yesterday! We have our first meeting on Mon. August 31. I just can't wait to get it all started!
We are also planning a fundraiser yard sale or auction for next month. Just want to thank everyone who has donated their items to us! A big thanks to Allen Ford and family. They have donated at least 3 truck loads of items to us! Also I need to give a HUGE thanks to my best friend in the whole world ever, Shawn Roberts. She has been right beside us every step of the way, doing more then her fair share of the work! I'm going to have to give her parental rights by the time we are done! LOL! But thanks girl, I Love ya!!!!
We also have a big fundraiser coming up on Sept 13Th. My wonderful friend Rebecca Canestrini is going to do a Sweet Bella Grace show for me and donate part of her profit to our adoption. I appreciate it more than you know. Please visit her website at www.sweetbellagrace.com .
Also I want to thank Laura Roberts with Starfish Orphan Ministry for donating her office for us to use for the show. She is a wonderful person who has helped us out greatly with advice. You can also visit their site at www.starfishorphanministry.com , they are doing some amazing things!
Again we just want to thank everyone for their support. We could not do this without the support and friendship of all of you! Thank you so much!!! We love you all!

The Journey Begins

Well this is my first time blogging, so forgive me if I don't have a clue what Im doing!

Our journey begins as we have decided to step out into the unknown and start our adoption process. It's so exciting yet so scary at the same time. We feel strongly that this is the path that God is leading us down and will not turn the other way. So as we talked it over we felt very lead to adopt an older child. Everyone wants a baby and very few want an older child. They need homes and want to be loved just as much, if not more, then a baby. So our decision was made, we would adopt a waiting child, ages from 3-6 years old, from Ethiopia.

Why Ethiopia you ask? I really can't tell you why. Their has always been something (God I'm sure) calling me too that country. Ethiopia has been in my heart for a very long time, long before our adoption was a for sure thing.

Now the paper work begins. On Wed. July 15 we submitted our application on-line to Holt international for a waiting child. On Fri. July 17 we were officially approved to start the process.

As of today we are still trying to figure out which home study agency is the best fit for us. We still have a long way to go, but it is so worth it. Oh how my heart aches to bring my child home!