Fundraising...The Home Stretch

Many of you have been asking where we are at with our fundraising. Great question! To be completely honest I'm tired. And maybe..just maybe you are tired of all the requests too. But, being pregnant is exhausting so its not like I haven't been here before. Right now I kinda have that, "I'm never doing this again feeling." But, as a mama who has three babies I carried I know I will forget all of it and just be thankful when I hold David for the first time. It's the "I'm so ready." feeling every third trimester prego lady who is about to pop can identify with. My symptoms just happen to be fundraising fatigue instead of heartburn.

So, in order to encourage myself (and you too) let's take a look at how far we've come. Shall we?

So far we have paid about $11,600 in bills. 

That has covered:
-Application Fees for both our agencies.
-Agency Fees for Children's Hope Int. (our home study agency)
-Our home study (a legal document we now own)
-Our Post Placement Visits (6 are required by our country, done later/paid now)
-Hague Training through Adoption Learning Partners (Online training required for Hague Adoptions)
-Agency Fees for A New Arrival (our placing agency)
- The I800a & Fingerprinting (government stuff)
-Dossier Authentication & Fees (more government stuff)
-Postage (so our paperwork can go from Missouri to Montana to Illinois/Iowa/Missouri back to Montana to Washington D.C. & back to Montana)
-Translation

We have about $8,500 in our adoption account.

We have raised this money by:
-Selling cupcakes from Sweet 2 the Soul (almost $2,000 raised so far!)
-Selling nativity blocks (the project that will never end we are still trying to get sets done...)
-Having yard sales (we've sold a lot of our friends and family's junk)
-Online Etsy Sale (our family donated $100% of the sales from their etsy shop for one whole week!)
-Valentine wreath sales (made and sold by a dear friend)
-Bookmark sales, tooth fairy money, and random change (our kids are constantly giving us any money they can get their hands on for David)

If you are adding that all up we have paid for/raised about $20,000! 

I am feeling much better. Typing that number is like therapy for my weary soul. We are getting closer.

Our best guess at the estimated cost of our adoption for the whole enchilada is about $33,000. (But, since we chose the path less traveled please don't miss the word ESTIMATE.) There are lots of variables. We were able to "bundle" our documents saving us over $1,000. However, we didn't get to send our documents for free with my friend who traveled to Guinea. So, you just never know.

You might be wondering what we have left to pay for. This is not an exhaustive list, but its the heavy hitters.
-Country Fees
-Attorney in country
-Donation to the Orphanage  (required)
-Visas
-Airfare
-Lodging/Food While Traveling
-Transportation in country

So, there you have it. We have about $13,000ish left to raise. 

Now, of course you want to know by what date? Great question. Try asking God because he is the only one with any real clue! But, let's say about 3 months. We are hoping come May (maybe!) to be travel ready. (I'm really hoping I don't look back at that sentence and laugh.)

So, here is what we have planned.

February:
Valentine's Cupcake Fundraiser
(Find more information HERE)

March:
T-shirt Sales
Be looking for a post very soon revealing our design and ordering information.

April:
Trivia Night w/ possible Silent Auction
Friday, April 5, 2013- Save the date for this one.
It's gonna be a whole lot of fun! More information coming soon.

So, if you are saying....I'm on board what can I do?
-PRAY!
-Order cupcakes.
-Order a t-shirt.
-Volunteer to help with the trivia night. We need babysitters, score keepers, concession workers, etc.
-Donate something for the silent auction.
-When these events are going on share them within your social networks. (Facebook/Twitter)

We have also been working on applying for grants. We are hoping to apply for the following three grants. So far, we've completed the one from Show Hope. They are time consuming!
Show Hope $3,500
Lifesong for Orphans Matching Grants $1,000-$4,000
JSC Foundation No Set Amounts

We are also hoping to apply to be a Give1Save1 family of the week. Which requires making a video about our adoption. We'll keep you posted on this one. You should totally check out their website. Its an easy tangible way to be giving on a regular basis to the cause of adoption. ($1 a week)

And finally we continue to be blessed by the generosity of God's people. Many of you have simply wrote a check. And that is amazing! Its such a blessing. Every one makes me cry. Every. Single. One. Because its one less cupcake I have to ice and one more book I have time to read my sweet children.

We recently received this note in the mail and God used it to touch me deeply. I want to "grow up" to be just like this couple. So generous.

"Jeremy and Jennifer, Earlier this fall we stopped Direct TV, wanted to do more with $50 a month. We plan to sponsor a child. We would like to "sponsor" David until he can come to your home! We will be sending you $50 a month until the adoption is finalized. Love, ?"

I have removed the couple's name because I know they are doing it for God's glory and not their own.

God is good, even  especially in the home stretch.

Valentine Cupcakes...The Big Announcement!

Our Valentine's Day Cupcake Fundraiser is 

back and better than ever!

Why is it better than ever you ask?

Because this year the money is going to help TWO children come home to their forever families. We are teaming up with Justin & Kathryn Martin to help bring baby Martin home soon. All profits will help the Martin Family and our family to bring David home.

As our daughter Grace would say, "That's thinking win-win!"

We sure think so and we hope you will too.

The Details:

Standard Package $10

You get two cupcakes in a decorative box. (1 white/1 chocolate)

 They will be hand delivered by us on Valentine's day.

Child's Fun Pack $5 (Must be added to a standard package)

Mylar balloon, pencil, eraser, & stickers

How to Order:
Order forms can be picked up from Jeremy, Jennifer, Justin, Kathryn, or at the Calvary Baptist Church office. You can pay with a check made out to Jennifer Humiston or by cash.

 **Please use one order form per recipient and make sure to fill out the note that will be attached to your cupcakes for delivery.

Need cupcakes for a school party or to take to the office? 

We can do that too.

Pricing:

$10 per dozen White or Chocolate Cake w/ Valentine Sprinkles

$12 per dozen Red Velvet w/ Cream Cheese Icing

$5 per dozen Mini Cupcakes White or Chocolate w/ Valentine Sprinkles Only

Musts be picked up on Wednesday February 13th or can be delivered on Valentine's day for a $10 delivery fee.

When both our babies are home it will truly be Sweet 2 the Soul! Thanks for helping make that happen.

My Little White Box

Do you ever struggle with something but you just can't put your finger on it?

Oh, you could describe a bunch of circumstances that are bothering you. But, that wouldn't really get to the heart of the matter. And changing them would just be like putting a  band aid on the bigger heart lesson God wants to teach you.

Well, I'm there. 

As I look back over the past year God has finally shown me what needs to change. Now, if you asked me what circumstance gave me fits and was the cause of much of my mental anguish in 2012  I could easily tell you what it was. 

Homeschooling. 

Many of our friends have chosen to homeschool. Many families who think like we do, value what we value, have kids our kids' age, attend the play group I hang around with and so on have chosen to homeschool. Every adoption blog I read seems to also be a homeschooling family. But, we don't. And I REALLY respect these parents and the priority they place on family. The same priority I felt like we held. And to be transparent it was making me crazy. 

What were we missing? Why did everyone else seem to "get" it and we didn't? Was I being lazy? Would my children pay for my choices?

The problem was I had prayed about it, considered it, and basically wore the conversation out with God and he wouldn't release me to it. So despite my feelings of inadequacy and doubt we chose to be obedient and continue with the public school route.

It was bothering me so much my husband bravely read some books, did some soul searching, and decided to really open himself up to the idea. We talked it over and in the end we were on the same page. For now, for this season, we felt this is where the Lord wanted our child. And it convicted us to be more intentional about teaching the Bible in our home as a public school family. (A wonderful bonus.)

Tadah. Problem solved.

Unfortunately no.

I was still feeling all those same feelings. Inadequate. Left out. And homeschooling wasn't the only area where I was having pains of feeling different. 

I had had enough of these feelings that God graciously showed me the thing I needed to work on this year was doing what he thought best for our family. Period. To embrace the family and children I had. They might be strong-willed. They might be energetic. They might be loud. But, they are mine and I am blessed. If I needed someone to tell me I am a good mom I should ask him. (Even though Satan was screaming otherwise.)

And then God showed me why.

I walked by this. 

There were pictures of my sweet babies.

And for the first time ever I felt a twinge of sadness at the fact that our family photo is no longer going to look like everyone else's. And I was scared to even admit it. Because you see I am head over heals in love with my son. I could care less what color his skin is. The end. 

And a part of me realized it was a very similar feeling that I felt each time I was pregnant. A bit of sadness for Grace having to share me. A fear of if I can love two. An uncertainty that I can be a mom to a B-O-Y. 

But, as adoption transitions from "this might happen eventually...someday" to "this is really going to happen! (with surprise)" it was also a realization from the Lord that I like my "little white box." I want my family to fit in. I want other moms to "get" my life. I'm not sure I want to be radically obedient. Oh, its fine if non-Christians don't understand. But, shouldn't I at least get to be part of the in crowd at church?

Do you remember that children's song?

If I had a little white box to put my Jesus in.

I'd take him out and (kiss kiss kiss) and put him back again.

That is how I want my faith to work. I want to take it out and give it attention and then put it back again.

And the truth is my white box is already splintered. I wouldn't want to turn back if I could. I am an adoptive mom. And while people think that is all the rage these days a "fad." The truth of the matter is there are no other transracial families through adoption in our church. (yet) There aren't any other moms in my play group that have adopted. My own mother, aunt, grandmother who offer so much godly wisdom can't speak to this new challenge from personal experience. There are no Guinean Adoption Camps.

And I can choose to dwell on that or I can embrace the story God is writing for our family.

I can praise God that there are other families in our church who are moving towards adoption. That within our own family we will soon have a "China cousin." I can remember that God gave me another Mama in Ohio who is waiting for a David to come home from West Africa. I can learn that "being alike" isn't the end all be all for my mom friendships.

From what I hear this is part of the blessing of getting old. Learning to be more comfortable in your own skin. But, I'm not sure I want to be comfortable. Rather, I want to radically embrace the uncomfortable for God's glory. And I know I have a long way to go. Somedays I'm not sure I even know what radical obedience looks like. But, God has shown me it might not look like everyone else. And I want to learn to be okay with that.