Monday, August 27, 2012

Online Tupperware Party!!

Guess what???

I am here to announce a new fund-raiser we have going to raise funds for our adoption costs!



A friend who desires to help us fund-raise has set up this online only Tupperware Sales Event! 
                                                                 THANKS, SUSAN!


                                           Tupperware is a trusted name featuring great products.

To make a purchase:

TUPPERWARE ADOPTION FUND-RAISER


For any and all items that you purchase, our family will receive 40% of the sale to put towards our adoption fees. That is nearly half of the profit, and would be a great way to help us with our process while purchasing home items that you need. All sales will first be applied to our home-study funding needs, and any amount over that will go towards our commitment fees!

And don't forget, Christmas is coming soon! Get some of your shopping done early, while helping out a great cause. All you have to do is make a purchase through this specific Tupperware Party and you are on your way. But hurry, this party ends on September 17th!

To make a purchase and help our family give an orphan a loving home, click this link:
http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/!twx$eparty_ctl.p_guest_welcome?pv_eparty=04760d18156363f84b6bdf36f971f8ab

Even if you cannot make a purchase at this time, please share with friends and family so that we can get this information out there! THANK YOU!



Oh, and one more _small_ announcement. 
There is a certain little boy in Eastern Europe that we are waiting to see if we will be officially matched with for adoption. It will be a little bit before we know for sure, but I will share more when I can! So exciting!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Small Update On Our Adoption Process!

Today I have a small update for you on where we stand with our adoption plans!

We have received preliminary permission to proceed with pursuing adopting a child with special needs from a country in Eastern Europe. We got this permission from the child placing agency. We are just in the beginning stages, but we are thrilled that they will be working with us! We have filled out our application for them, and they will be contacting us after they review and approve it. Our next task is to schedule a phone interview with their staff. After that, we will begin completing our required adoption education classes. It feels so good to be making some progress and heading down the right path that will lead to our future child, who will be an ORPHAN NO MORE at the end of that path!

Soon, we will be knee-deep in all of the paper-work associated with international adoption. Especially since we plan to complete our home-study update in October...that is not very long from now!

Which brings me to my next topic...FUND-RAISING! So far, we have raised a little bit more than $200 of the $750 we need for our home-study. That will be followed by commitment fees/agency fees soon after, so we really need to get serious about raising funds. But, one step at a time. To meet our first goal, we need to raise approximately $550 more by October 1st.

Here are some opportunities to help us raise this money!

1) My home businessHomecomings, Headbands, and More 100% of all proceeds go toward helping us fund our adoption. You can also visit my store on Facebook.





2) Check out my Starfish Poem Prints that I put together hereHome-Study Helper
These prints make great gifts, and are available for a donation of $5 or more!



3) For my local friends, we will be having a garage/yard sale to benefit our adoption on
Saturday, August 25th, from 8am-4pm. If anyone has anything they would like to donate, please let me know! We will have lots of toys, household items, furniture, etc. I will also be featuring some of my store items!



4) We have a Chip-In Event set up to run until October 1st. You can find a blue donate box on the upper-right-hand side of this blog. Secure donations can be accepted via PayPal/Credit Card by clicking here. I will also post it below:







Please consider helping us reach our 1st goal! Our home-study goal! We are currently $550 short, and I know that together we can get it done! Also, please pray! Pray for our process, for our fund-raising, and above all, please pray for our to-be-adopted child. An orphan's life is not an easy one. We want to get to our child and bring them into a home filled with God's love ASAP. We will be working as fast as we can. Every day matters, there is no time to waste! To those who give/pray/support/encourage we say...


AND....


Thursday, August 16, 2012

From Bad....to More Bad. :(

Today is Thursday and I have quite a TLC post for you today. It is a very difficult entry.

Most often, I feature three or four waiting children each week, but this time I feel led to share only one.
One child who has been through so much that I am compelled to focus only upon him. I am going to shout for him today because he is worth it. He deserves it, even if he most likely does not know it himself.

Meet Thad:




This poor sweet angel. He is 9 years old. He has severe brain trauma from physical abuse. Thad’s disabilities are a result of trauma that he experienced while being abused. He was removed from the abusive environment and placed in an orphanage where he still did not receive the proper level of care for his needs. He’s considered significantly delayed and is extremely small for his age.

Imagine it, if you can. Abused and mistreated so severely that your brain is injured. Then, imagine being sent to a place where you are neglected, starved, and left miserable and alone.

This little boy has had no rescue, he has had no refuge. Just heartache. Somehow he is still fighting and surviving. God must have an amazing plan for this little fellow's life. Thad needs a chance. He needs a family to step up and whisk him out of the place where he is. He needs someone to show him what love feels like. What it feels like to be safe, well-fed, and comfortable. He is waiting for someone to see his potential and his value. Someone who is willing to step up and say, "NO MORE!" No more of this life for this precious child that was created in God's image. He is waiting for someone to share God's love with him. Please, help me find Thad a family so that he does not have to wait any longer than he already has. 

Share this post! Share his profile! Let's get his face out there so that his Mama and Daddy can find him and bring him home! Help me yell for Thad! Help me rally around this child. He is waiting...while we go to sleep in our cozy beds. He is waiting...while we sit down to dinner. He is waiting...while we go to the park to watch our children happily play. He is just waiting....for us to ACT!


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Home-study Helper!!

Would you like to help us raise the money we need to pay for our adoption home-study? If so, I have a great opportunity for you!

I have put together some prints featuring the "Starfish Poem". This poem is very popular within adoption circles.
Each print is mounted on card stock and is frame ready! Also, each print comes with your own little starfish to add a beautiful finishing touch! These would look lovely in any home, and also would make a great gift for your special friend or family member who has adopted, or is currently in the process of doing so.



You can get one of these prints by making a donation of $5.00 or more to our Home-Study Fee Chip-In Event below. I have 20 of these available and waiting for you!




You can make an eternal difference in the life of a child! Please do not miss out on "making a difference for this one"!

If you would like one of these lovely prints, make a donation of $5.00 or more to the Chip-In Event  listed above, and then leave me a comment on this post so that I can get one right out to you! 



Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Standing Up For What You Believe In!

Today, many Christians have gone out to support Chik-Fil-A restaurants in their stand for Biblical authority. They are lined up and waiting in line for hours to spend their money in an effort to encourage this company's right to free speech. I am happy to see it. I stand behind this franchise's choice to stand firm in their convictions. It is so refreshing to see, and rare these days.



 But, with that said, I wish that those SAME Christians would choose to put their $$ where their mouths are in terms of orphan care. Just think of how fast we could get families funded to adopt if that many people put that same amount of money towards helping the children waiting in orphanages as it cost them to fill up on waffle fries, chicken nuggets, and sweet tea!

I am not trying to take away from this event in any way. But there is a difference. Let's face it. Treating the family to a meal out may be a bit of a financial stretch, but it is still in some ways serving ourselves.
To give to the orphans is sacrificial. They have no way of paying you back, but their need is great. It is HARD to think about children being left in cribs, hungry and alone. It is PAINFUL to look at pictures of children that are teenagers that are thrown away because of their physical needs or differences. It is not always an easy thing to do, but Christians, we MUST DO IT! James 1:27 was written to all of us.



I would just like to see the same kind of passion be displayed in such a large outpouring for waiting children.
I am not trying to belittle those who have participated in this event, I just want to see a burden for these little ones.



I am not writing this post to try and cause division among believers. I am sharing out of the deep burden I have upon my heart. This event has proven, it has shown, that under the right circumstances, we can come together and make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Please, won't you join with me in making a difference for the least of these? The ones that have no voice? They cannot ask for help, so I am asking for them. Join me in prayer for the fatherless. Share this message so that more can be awakened to this need.
Donate to support waiting children or families who have stepped out in faith to be a difference to one or more of these children. And consider adoption, your son or daughter may be waiting for you!