Fundraising

The unfortunate side of adopting is the cost of everything. It varies from case to case but could end up costing us anywhere from $17,000-$30,000. I wish we had this kind of money just lying around but we don't. That's okay though because Grant and I have complete trust that God will take care of it! He has already given us so many blessings and I know they will continue.

With that, there are a couple of things that we will be doing in order to help raise the funds we need for the adoption.

First, we have officially started collecting items for our garage sale! We are going to have the garage sale March 14th in Lake Forest and we're hoping to make it HUGE. As of now, we have a few items but we are in need of more! We are collecting things from all over. If you have anything, and I mean anything (toys, clothing, furniture, games, etc.) that you want to get rid of, send it our way! We will gladly accept and help haul off any junk you have! We're planning on doing another garage sale later around summertime so you can't give too much stuff!




Second, We will be doing a baby bottle fundraiser. This is where I send you home with a baby bottle and you fill it up with any loose change you have. You can then return the bottle to us or we'll come get it from you! You can take as many bottles as you want and share them with friends! We'll continue this as long as people are willing and able to help! Let me know if you want a bottle, we appreciate all the help we can get!


Thank you for all of your support!




"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered"
Proverbs 11:24-25

A Birthday Surprise

So today was a pretty amazing day. It was my birthday and at work the parent's in my class put together a very special gift for me. They put a beautiful bouquet of orange Gerber daisies (my favorite) along with flowers made out of money! The money was donated toward our adoption and attached to each money flower was a little green paper petal. On each petal was a Bible verse.

Each verse reads as such:

Proverbs 31:8-9: "Speak up for those cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Hosea 14:3d: "For in you, the fatherless find compassion"

Isaiah 1:17: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."

Matthew 18:5: "And whoever welcomes one such child in my name, welcomes me."

Psalm 68:5-6a: "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling."

Matthew 25:40: "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"

I am truly blessed by these families. After receiving the flowers and feeling the blessing of that, one mom handed me a handmade necklace (in the picture above). It says "In His Time" with two little foot prints in the center. I definitely had some tears in my eyes when I saw it. It is so sweet. She told me that she was all ready to stamp the word "waiting" but "in His time" kept coming to her mind. This is something the continues to be my reminder through this process and really through my life. Nothing is in my time but always through His. What better thing then to wear it around my neck as a constant reminder. I have to let go and trust that God has this whole plan under control and that it is IN HIS TIME.

Thank you to all the parents in my class! This has been one of the most special birthdays I've had!

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
Psalm 27:14