Happy Birthday

Yeeeeeees.  If you are a friend on FB I'm sure you are by now aware that this past week was I had my birthday.  I don't say that with any disdain for the day and I certainly do not dread the annual event.  In fact, I LOVE my birthday and all that it entails!  Who doesn't like a day to get spoiled and pampered and loved?!?  I certainly do!  I only...occasionally...get a tad bit embarrassed by all the attention.  ME?!?  I know, it must shock you.  But somewhere deep down inside is the shy little girl that used to cling to my mother's leg and look at the floor with any mention of my name.  I try my darndest to keep her at bay, but she still appears on occasion in the form of butterflies in my tummy, sweaty palms, or a beet red face.

But instead of celebrating myself right now (because really, that would be just a little weird) I want to celebrate a few ministries that inspire me to be more than myself...to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Ordinary Hero

My love for this ministry is no secret.  Through teaming up with them for fundraising our precious Cocoa's adoption, I learned more about the heart behind this ministry.  Kelly Putty founded this organization, which started out by helping within their own community, seeking to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.  It quickly opened their eyes to needs of children around the globe.  Ordinary Hero is now involved in seasonal mission trips to Ethiopia, South Africa, and Haiti.  They put on community outreaches including Project Backpack, a Halloween event, Christmas Stocking Stuffers, and Mother's Day celebrations with Rescue Mission.  They help countless adoptive families fundraise to bring their children home.  And that just touches on the many ways they touch others' lives.  Our family was so blessed by Ordinary Hero and we will forever be grateful for their assistance in fundraising.

Steadfast Love

Again, anyone who knows me probably knows about Steadfast Love.  Our dear friends Ian and Brittany Bentley are the family behind the name, sacrificing the comforts of an American life to touch lives of the least of these in Ethiopia.  They have given it all away, in the world's eyes, to pour into the lives of orphans, street children, and women escaping a life of prostitution.  Working with Women At Risk, FashionABLE, and No Ordinary Love Ministries Children's Home, they have already made a difference for countless families in less than a year that they have lived in Addis.  Their stories about these women and children touch my heart in a way I cannot describe, due in part, I'm sure, the the hold the country of Ethiopia has on my heart.

One Child Campaign

Founded by Caleb and Becca David, this ministry facilitates short term mission trips and connects individuals with families and ministries around the world.  They partner with Steadfast Love, No Ordinary Love Ministries, Children's Hope Chest, Embracing Ethiopia, FashionABLE, Noonday Collections, and Bring Love In....just to give you a glimpse into the many ways they are impacting lives around Ethiopia and beyond.  Through child sponsorship, orphan advocacy, and mission trips I believe they are reaching their goal of breathing hope into the orphan crisis.

147 Million Orphans

This foundation was created to impact the lives of children in a positive way.  The founders, Suzanne Mayernick and Gwen Oatsvall, met during their first adoptions 9 years ago and since then have accepted the call to speak up for orphans everywhere.  With projects in Ethiopia, Haiti, Uganda, and Honduras they are helping provide food, water, and medicine to those who need it.  They are showing the love of Christ and impacting many lives by providing medical clinics, water wells, and storage facilities housing food!  On top of that, the 147 Million Orphans Store aids adoptive families in their fundraising.

LACC

Latin America Child Care has been helping children since 1963.  LACC is involved in over 300 projects, affecting over 100,000 children in 31 countries, including Mexico, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Columbia....just to name a few.  Our good friends Randy and Lynne Forsyth (and their daughter Jenny) have joined the mission field and will be moving to Panama shortly (for the last several months they have been living and training in Costa Rica).  There they will be working along side the local pastors and administrators to develop future schools for the program.  They will also be assisting in the construction of a regional training center for the teachers and administrators, located in Panama City, a convenient and cost effective location for them to receive their required credential updates.  

Obviously there are many, many more ministries out there doing amazing things for God's kingdom.  I have barely scraped the surface.  These are just a few that are close to my heart.

I have many people tell me they don't feel called to adopt, but want to help in someway.  Supporting an adoptive family with prayer or financial aid is a HUGE part of that (and being a recipient of such support, I can personally tell you how appreciated it is and can take such an enormous load of stress off of you).  But as you can see, there are many organizations reaching out beyond adoption and making a difference both in our communities and globally.  I hope this can be used as a tool to get you involved in one way or another.  Educate yourself and ask God how you can make an influence and begin changing the world.  Many people are out there doing it one person at a time.  You can be part of that!  Let me know what you decide =)

WOWEE!!!! POUR On The GREAT News!!!!!

There are SOOOOOOOO many things to be grateful for right now, I don't even know WHERE to start.  I guess I'll start here!!!

TODAY marks the ONE MONTH count down until we hop on that plane to meet our sweetie!  (I don't know why our count down on the top of the page doesn't agree...  Whatevs!!  We leave on May 18th which is one month from TODAY!)  I can't tell you how elated we are to have that trip coming on so quickly (and yet SOO far away..don't get me started on that).  Fortunately, this past weekend was our LAST free weekend until we leave.  Next week we have Easter plans, then I have a baby shower, then it's Mother's Day weekend (and possibly ANOTHER baby shower), and then that last weekend is only 3 days before we leave...so I think we'll be PACKING!!!!  Ahhhh!!!!!!  Even though a month from now FEELS like an eternity, I know time will pass quickly.  So YAY!!!

SECOND piece of good news is that our friends Chad and Tarah are in Ethiopia RIGHT NOW picking up their little L & M to bring them HOME!  Last night, Tarah got to meet OUR little T and send lots of love her way....so of course NOW I am looking forward to pictures and video of our little sweetie once Tarah makes it home. =D  You should DEFINITELY go check out their blog and congratulate them =)

THIRD piece of good news is that I have tallied up all the entries for my Ordinary Hero GIVEAWAY and picked a WINNER!!!!  There were 32 total entries (WOW!) for this awesome freebie....THANK YOU to everyone who entered!!!  So fun to be able to give something back - you all give SO much to me in prayers and encouragement and even in fundraising!!!  Love it!!!!  So I cut paper into evenly sized little pieces (and threw away any crooked or torn ones...just to make it EXTRA fair!!!) and wrote each entry person's name on them...and MONKEY was SUPER DUPER excited to help me choose a winner!!!  (Just ask Brittney, who was on the phone with me as Monks was pulling the bowl off the counter and tossing names on the floor just for fun!!! =)

Monkey mixin' up the names (after I did a bazillion times, of course)!

Pickin', pickin'!

"This one mama!"

Congratulations Rhaut @ Just Love Orphans!!!!  

I will be contacting you shortly to get your address!!! =)

Our winner is a HUGE supporter of Ordinary Hero and has even met the founder herself!  I think that's pretty awesome that after all she's given to help raise awareness for this amazing ministry (and even served in Africa with Project 61 and visiting orphanges) that she gets an amazing freebie like this!!!  Go check out her blog and be blessed!  

Thank you "Rhaut" for what you do =)  (P.S. I feel lame that I still don't know you're REAL name =)

And THEN of course Monkey wanted to get a little CRAAAAAAZY!!!!!!  He started diggin' his hands in that bowl and picked out three more names for me (but sorry, I have no more merchandise to give away =) before throwing them all over the ground!!!

Using a cloth to pick up his mess ;)  What a SILLY BOY!

One-by-one

And last but DEFINITELY not least piece of AMAZING news......................................................

.................................................IS...............................................THAT....................................................................................................................................................................

...........THANKS TO YOU.........

WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE WON THE ORDINARY HERO GRANT!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU made us the #1 SELLER!!!!!

From Wednesday through Sunday you bought $1199.04 of merchandise, in which we received a commission (towards our adoption) of $479.62!!!!  That put us in the #1 spot (only $60 in sales above the next affiliate) earning us the $500 grant!!!!!  

I am BLOWN AWAY you guys!!!!!  I never actually thought it was possible for us to win that.  I thought I had already pestered the poo outta you with my shirts and headbands and that YOU had felt has "done" with this whole fundraising thing as I was.  But you guys responded in an INCREDIBLE way and lit a FIRE under my butt!!!!

Our goal before this weekend was to raise another $2000 so that we can be DONE fundraising...and you guys got us almost halfway there....IN JUST ONE WEEKEND!!!  So after you get all your fun new Ordinary Hero gear...come back for MORE - because O.H. is coming out with a new SPRING LINE!!!   (And I just KNOW you are going to love their comfy clothes as much as we do!)

AHHHHHH!!!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU

THANK YOU!!!!!

.....PHEW!  That is a lot of great news for one email.  =D

TOP TEN!!!!! Pour It ON!!!

WOW!!!!  Received news this a.m. that I am still in the TOP 10 to win the OH grant! Less than 16 hours till the contest is over! Please shop today and help us win that $500 grant! Thanks Mom and Dad, Laura, Brittney, Ashley, Allanna, Cheri, Angela and Dani for being Ordinary Hero's for our adoption (and many more I'm sure to get us here....these are just the families I know of!)! They have sweatshirts, tshirts, toddler gear and more!  You guys are going to LOVE the merchandise that is coming your way!!!  Don't forget...some of you mentioned you don't need anything, but you can purchase shoes, blankets and raincoats for the kids in Africa who DO need them!  Please shop today!  A few more sales could make all the difference...can 10 more people step out and shop today???
Here is another favorite tshirt!!!!


For those of you who have purchased....could you help us out and continue to spread the word by reposting something like this???


I helped Megan @Domesticated Diva by purchasing an Ordinary Hero tshirt! They are fundraising their adoption and they get 40% of what they sell in the OH store today! They are trying to win a $500 grant and they received news this am that they are selling among the TOP 10! Will you be an Ordianry Hero and check out this store and make a purchase? Select their name at check out (Domesticated Diva) so they receive credit! Less than 16 hours left to help this family!  SHOP here today (before midnight and help them win!)
http://www.ordinaryherostore.org/cart.html

Thanks y'all!!!!  You blow me all away with your love and support!

P.S. If you need more details please visit our fundraising blog {bringourangelhome.blogspot.com}

Two Reminders

Hey guys!  I have a busy weekend so this will be quick.  Just wanted to remind you about two big things going on in MY blog world today!

Business first - I think I've mentioned to y'all how CLOSE we are to our fundraising goal!  We are just $2000 shy of what we need to get T home!  We have enough for my husband's flight for the second trip...but as of NOW, if we can't raise the rest I just might have to stay home.  Obviously that is not Plan A for either of us...but we have to do what we have to do to get T home.  And going into further debt is not an option right now.  SO - we've been presented with a HUGE OPPOTUNITY to double our efforts through our fundraising with Ordinary Hero!  So please check out our FUNDRAISING BLITZ going on over at our fundraising blog and get shopping - there are some AMAZING products available for purchase for you (and things to fill those Easter baskets, for those of you who need to!) as well as footwear and other things that go directly to orphans in need.  It's a win-win really!  Please go and check it out and see what YOU can do to be an Ordinary Hero in our lives!  THANKS!

Now this is for YOU - we have a GIVEAWAY going on right now!  Many of you have already entered, but in case you have forgotton or just missed the post, I wanted to send out a reminder!  It's a chance to win a toddler Ordinary Hero shirt...so go CHECK IT OUT!  You don't need to do anything to enter but leave a comment.  Easy peasy, right?!?! ;)

*Giveaway Is Now Closed*

And that's all folks!!!  Be back Monday with the giveaway winner! =)

Special Delivery & OH-so-exciting!!!!!!!

Since I have a series of posts to do on post-referral stuff, these are going to be back-dated a bit.  But not only have I been receiving REQUESTS to get these out, but I want them for T's baby album someday.  But bear with me, I've got some potentially exciting news tagged on the end here! ;)

March 10, 2011

While mama was preparing dinner, Monkey got excited after hearing a knock on our front door!  We don't often have unexpected visitors, but we have been getting an awful lot of mail lately.  My suspicion was correct...no one was at the door.  Instead - a hefty package!  HOW EXCITING!  {I always love receiving packages, don't you?  It's always good fun!}

Seeing AGCI's address as the sender, I immediately got out the camera.  What could this be?!?  I might have forgotten if my friend hadn't recently told me she received HERS so I kinda knew what it was...but exciting nonetheless!

I tell ya, this is such a sweet gift to receive!  Such a small detail in the grand scheme of things, but shows how much our caseworkers care about each child and each family.  I truly was touched to receive this.

So what was inside???

A sweet stuffed animal for baby T, {But surprisingly, still not her first!  We received a stuffed bunny a few days after we got our referral from one of my husband's co-workers!} an AGCI calendar, {which I've been wanting} a journal to keep track of our spiritual growth through the final waiting process, our copies of the contracts, and our travel packet!

The travel packet was kind of exciting to read through - it had a run down of what each trip would be like and a rough itinerary.  It was exciting, overwhelming, and just a little cRaZy!!!  It's still a little hard to believe either of those trips will actually be happening - that we will actually go to AFRICA!  And yet...it can't come fast enough.  {Those are some crazy mama emotions going on right there!}

Well, then it was just back to dinner with Monkey's help!  I can't tell for sure if he liked it, can you?!?  ;)

Thank you AGCI {specifically Kiersten!} for the thoughtful package!  The little duckling is already propped up in T's nursery, the calendar hung up, the journal written in, and the travel packet read {and "already" may not sound too impressive there...except it all happened the day/evening I got it ;)  Promise!}.  Can't tell you how much we appreciate all the little things you do to make each step of this journey exciting and a moment to remember!

****And now for the "potentially exciting" news, as I once put it =)****

Okay, okay...so you already knew that!  But OH {Ordinary Hero} just announced TODAY that they are giving a $100 grant to the first affiliate family to earn $100 in proceeds TOMORROW through their store!!!  Now, that's PROCEEDS not SALES {meaning the 40% we make off their items, not the sale price}.  BUT!!!!!  I think we can totally do it, but we need YOUR HELP!!!  

**Make sure the credit goes to us by choosing "Domesticated Diva" as the affiliate in the drop down menu during checkout**

In all honesty, this whole fundraising thing has exhausted me.  I hate that we KEEP having to ask for your help.  But we're so close...and seeing T's face, we can't give up now!  So please, you can DOUBLE our efforts by supporting us by purchasing through OH tomorrow.  Would you please consider going to their store and purchasing something under our affiliate name {Domesticated Diva - names kept private for our protection} and spreading the word!  

I am SO THANKFUL to each and every one of you for supporting us through this journey.  Regardless of what you decide, we are CONFIDENT God will provide every penny.  That's why we can't just drop it.  We need to take advantage of every opportunity we have to get our sweetie home!!!  Join us!!!!

You can read more about our fundraising HERE.

Smitten

This morning Monkey woke up a little earlier than usual - 8:00am!  I know...most of you are thinking we are insanely LUCKY that that is considered early for us...but if you knew our schedule, you might not be so jealous. But regardless...this morning we tried the whole cuddling-in-mama-and-daddy's-bed thing, but as most of you know...two year olds aren't big cuddle buddies {usually}.  So what ended up happening is he ran around the house playing while mama and daddy snuggled {with the door open so we could hear him, of course}.  It was wonderful really!  But after a while he came in and begged us to get up...something about breakfast...but I don't remember! =)  Well I got up and quickly put on some socks and a sweatshirt (brr...62 this morning in my house!) to go make Monkey some breakfast.  As I walked out into the living room I was surprised that he was nowhere in sight!  I looked around until I heard a rummaging sound in the kitchen.  Just because I wanted to see what he was up to, I didn't say a word as I peeked around the corner.  He was standing around the kitchen looking for something.  When he spotted me he asked, "where my baby go mama?"  I noticed my Africa fridge magnet was on the counter {which had the stepping stool by it}.  That magnet normally holds up T's picture, which was missing from the fridge.  Ahh...Monkey  must of took the magnet off to grab sister's picture to carry around and the photo fell down!  Aww....I love how even my two-year-old is smitten by Lil Miss T!!!

Well, we're nearing the last stretch of this adoption journey.  We've entered a new waiting phase as we anxiously await to hear about a court date so we can book our flights for our first trip to meet our daughter!  Some have asked if this part of the waiting is better or worse than the "waitlist waiting".  I guess my answer is that its both better and worse!  Overall, I think it is much easier having a name and a face that we are praying over, longing for...rather than just the idea of a little girl we could someday call our own.  But at the same time, there is a whole new level of longing that we've experienced now that we have seen her face.  And I must admit, it's a really odd feeling to NOT know what your three-month-old daughter's cry sounds like, or what her belly button looks like, or what size her hands and feet are in comparison to yours, or how much formula she is drinking every two hours.  She IS mine, but she doesn't feel like it.  I don't know what size clothes she wears.  I don't know how much she weighed when she was born.  I don't know how she prefers to be held, or what soothes her to sleep, or how she reacts to those strange white faces that keep visiting Hannah's Hope and snapping pictures of her.  =)  And THAT makes it harder.  But at the same time, it drives me.  In everything I do and with every breathe I take she is in my thoughts and prayers.  We have to get her home.  We are smitten by our girl and we dream of having her home.

{Today is the official launch of our new fundraisers with "Worthy of a Prize" and "Ordinary Hero".  Please check it out on our fundraising blog and see how YOU can help bring our angel home!}

Pics + NEW Shirts!!!

I know Halloween is behind us, but I had to share a few more photos from our fun weekend!!!  =)  {Just please excuse my dying flowers in the background...hehee!  A green thumb I have never claimed to own...but I wouldn't mind blaming it on the time of year.}

never so happy about the picture posing =(

His baby sister's pumpkin...we sure do miss her!

not so happy AGAIN - what's the deal Lil Man??

***Please don't forget about our fundraising going on right now!!!  As always, our "Heart For Africa" shirts are for sale - custom design your own shirt!!!  Christmas cards are hot off the press (so to speak) and I'm adding new designs daily...check out the newest designs HERE!

*****NEW Ordinary Hero Shirts for sale TODAY at their site!  Purchase any shirt for $24.95 and mention "The Rossi Family" in the notes to seller and they will give us $10 per shirt for our adoption!!!  For the month of November only...please don't miss this opportunity to help us in a BIG way!!!  Read about all the details HERE.

Little Way To Make A BIG Difference!!!

November is Adoption Awareness month...did you know??? And the first Sunday of November (the 7th) has been set aside as "Orphan Sunday"...something that each year more and more churches are participating with! It's so excited to watch the church encourage more and more families to fulfill God's calling.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

In celebration of Adoption Awareness month....for the month of November only one of our favorite ministires, Ordinary Heroes, has graciously offered for their proceeds to adoptive families! We feel honored, not only to partner with such a God-honoring ministry, but to be supported by one as well.

Please consider supporting us by heading over to Ordinary Heroes now and purchasing one of their shirts. The shirts are super-comfortable and send a message and I just love them! Check out some of the designs you can choose from:

Men's Grey OH

Rust OH

White Change The World For One

Kid's I'm Gonna Change The World

Indigo Change The World For One

Coffee Change The World For One

So here's how you can help!!! Purchase any one of the above shirts on the Ordinary Heroes site for $24.95. When you purchase, add in the message to seller that you want it to support "The Rossi Family" and they will give us $10 for each shirt sold!!! What could make this even BETTER?!? The top THREE adoptive families who sell the most shirts by the end of November will get a matching grant for the amount they made in shirts!!! How amazing is THAT?!?! It's a LITTLE way to make a BIG difference! So go and get your shirt now, and please don't forget to spread the word! And keep checking back because Ordinary Heroes will be adding more shirts throughout the month!

To read more about this and how Ordinary Heroes is changing the world, one life at a time, click HERE.

Lil Miss,
We're counting down the days until YOU are ready to join our family and we get to gaze at your sweet face!  Each step we take towards you has taught us so much about how much our God loves each of us.  It's comforting to know, as we scrinch and save to raise the money for your adoption into our family, that OUR adoption into Christ's family has been paid in full!  No matter how painful and stretching it can be (and at times, IS), we know each step is worth it.  We know God hand-picked you for our family, and we know that just as he called us to this journey to you, he will provide the way there.  I'm so thankful for that.  See you soon, love.  Soon!

Love, Your Mama

Somethin' About Christmas?!?

I know that you may think it's a little early to start thinking about Christmas...but at least in my case, I am determined to have my Christmas cards go out on time this year.  Unfortunately, the online selection seemed minimal and overpriced to me this year (and every year).  That's why I decided to create my own!!!  But THEN I thought...maybe everyone was feeling a bit bored with the basic template options ...and THAT'S how I thought of our newest fundraiser!!!

I am EXCITED to announce that as the newest way to raise funds to Bring Our Angel Home, I have decided to sell my Christmas Card designs (customized, of course...just for your family).  Hop on over and browse the selection for an affordable and unique card for your family this year!  All proceeds are going towards our adoption fund!  =)

***all names have been changed to protect identities***

Shopping For A Cause

Since returning home from Ethiopia with my niece, my sister Laura wrote this touching post.  God really stirred my heart through this post.  I not only wanted to do what she suggested, "buying with a purpose"...but to help others do that as well. 

Sometimes it takes some real effort to search out a blog for just the right shirt or a piece of jewelry to give someone.  Or you think...I know I saw a cookbook for sale on someone's blog!  Well, in effort to support these families and ministries, we need to make things as easy as possible for people to find them.  (Not to mention this will make MY Christmas shopping just that much easier this year!)

So that's what inspired this list.  I started compiling it the day my sister wrote that post and I STILL haven't stopped.  Because even now after posting it, I've received MORE emails of people wanting their fundraisers added as well!  I couldn't be more thrilled. 

The LIST

So please....I encourage you to go check it out.  Maybe compile YOUR Christmas list from this list.  Shop for your family off of the list.  Share this list on your blog, or share the link so someone else can come look at the list for their shopping needs.  PRAY that through this list and all of our COMBINED efforts, that ALL these fundraisers would be beyond successful and that the families and ministries behind them would meet their financial goals.  Let's bless the socks off of all these fundraising families and amazing ministries by supporting them as they fullfill God's calling for their lives!  And keep checking back!  Because the list is not finished.  As MORE people feel God's nudging on their hearts for the plight of the orphan, we'll have even more fundraisers added!

Processing...

So much has happened this weekend, its been hard to process exactly how it has changed me. Yes, you heard that right...a yard sale changed me. Or rather, God changed me through our yard sale.  Let me see if I can put this into words...

This weekend was a lot of work.  A LOT.  There were times (might have been the majority of the time) when I was overwhelmed, emotional, and on the brink of tears.  After a long day setting up on Thursday (9am-midnight) I had a hard time settling down before the big day.  And by hard time - I mean impossible.  Hubs had to literally drag me to bed, eyes wide and head spinning.  I might have cried.  He pulled me into his arms and started praying....we spent probably a half an hour praying for the weekend ahead of us, for my ability to let it all go and sleep, the hearts of those who would be at the yard sale, and each and every helper who would be there.  I am so so SO grateful for friends who pulled us through this week!  I could not be more serious when I say that we could not have done it without you!

(Warning, I was really great with the pics in the beginning and got worse and worse as the weekend progressed so I didn't get pics of even half of our helpers...sorry guys. :( )

Hannah

You think she's be crying...

But Jodi's still rockin' the positive attitude! ;)

...and lovin' the snuggles from Monkey! ;)

Elise

Some of the guys...

Just some of the set-up crew!

"Look mama!  A dollar for baby sister!"

Mama and Monkey by our Ethiopia Info area!

Jodi - you were my rock this weekend!  I know I did not have my stuff together like that when I was 9 months pregnant!  Thank you for your massive organizing skills.  Thank you for literally being a go-getter and collecting all those donations.  Thank you for all your help setting up.  Thank you for manning the cash register.  Thank you for praying us through this weekend.  Thank you for your uplifting spirit.  Thank you for reminding me of God's promises when I was drowning in stress and losing sight of the end goal.  You are an incredible friend and I am so thankful for you!  (And thank you Ryanne for putting up with your mama this weekend and staying put - we did NOT want to be responsible for your early arrival!)

Jessica - you are such a shining light!  You had a million things on your mind this weekend you could have been focusing on instead of our fundraiser, yet you were there...and you brought TREATS!  Yes, you brought amazing cupcakes for the bake sale, but more importantly you brought a possitive attitude - and it rubbed off and everyone you came across!  Thank you for your smiles, for your laughs, for your hugs, for your food (which was a huuuge hit), and for bringing your wonderful kids to play with mine! =)  So thankful for you friend!

Lindsay - you are an amazing mother (and you and your preggo belly are so stinkin' cute)!  It was way too hot of a weekend to ask preggo to stand in the hot sun!  Thank you so much for being there anyway - and with a smile on your face!  You were such a huge help with the kiddos!  You amaze me with your ability to keep...what 5+ kiddos (?) relatively calm and organized.  Thanks for keeping them in line, and kissing away the boo-boos, and reapplying sunscreen when needed, and making sure they drink plenty of fluids and fill their tummy with snacks!  It was so wonderful not to have to worry about Monkey, because I knew you had it under control.  Way to go super-mom!  Love you to pieces (and your sweet girls too!) - thanks for being there!

Annika - you are my heart twin...seriously!  If hearts could be twins, ours would be!  I know that sounds wierd...but you know what's really wierd?!?  How everytime something is just on my heart, you call me about it!  Or you bring up something that God placed on your heart as I'm thinking about the same thing!  Our hearts must be on the same wavelength or something, lol!  Even though H needed her mama's milk and E needed you to play referree...I am so thankful you were there this weekend!  Sometimes a heart to heart is the biggest encouragement of all, and I appreciate you always being willing to share yours with me! 

Mike - you are a rockstar!  Thanks for coming straight from work and being a major part of our set-up crew without one complaint (well, except maybe the heat ;) !!  We so appreciate your dedication to our family and can't thank you enough for all your hard work and help!

Bear - you are so generous!  Thank you for all your amazing electonic donations which flew off the shelves (or desk, whatever).  And thank you for your generosity with your time.  We know you guys had such a busy weekend and we so appreciate all your help!  It was so nice to have some muscles (because believe me mine are rubber) to move things around without complaining! ;)

Kristen - you are so selfless!  Thank you for dropping everything to help us the night before the big day.  I was so overwhelmed and didn't know who to turn to and appreciate you being there in our time of need!  You were so great at just getting things done...thank you for all your suggestions on how to set things up and where things should go!  Don't know what we would have done without you guys this weekend!

Karmen - you are a God-send!  I'm so glad that God told you to call me Friday night because YOU were exactly what the Great Physician prescribed!  Thank you for conversations to get my mind off of things and lots of laughs.  And THANK YOU for blessing our family with a night off and great food.  Thank you for being there when I thought we were just gonna have to tough it out alone.  You are an angel! ;)

Josiah - you are an amazing go-to guy!  Thank you for be willing to do anything and everything this weekend!  You were such a great help whether it was at the cash register, folding clothes, helping customers, watching the kids, carrying things into cars, ect. ect. ect...  The list could go on and on and on!  So thankful for all your time and energy spent with us this week (and to your beautiful wife and daughter for lending you to us) and so thankful for your friendship!  We SO appreciate you!

Erik - you are a muscle-man!  Thank you so much for all your heavy lifting this weekend.  I still am in awe that you spent your whole day with us.  It was so nice to have some extra hands to help customers load away the huge furniture.  Thanks for giving me relief from my mental exhaustion ($2.50...what?!?!) my emotional exhaustion ("Why are you crying?"  "I dont know...I'm tired") and my physical exhaustion.  Thanks for letting me off the hook (or forcing me off the hook, lol) and cleaning up for me!  You rock!!!

Lori - you are an idea wizard!  Thanks for all your great organizational ideas and for making our yard sale look that much more prettier (and yes I know that is not proper English, lol)!  You didn't even ask, you just did...and that was exactly what we needed at that exact time.  I love that you "get it" because your sister has gone through it....its so wonderful to have someone to talk to who understands.  You are an excellent listening ear and I'm so thankful for your frienship!  Don't know what I would do without you! =)

Tarah - you are a life-saver!  Thank you so much for making the drive and showing up to help us in those last few exhausting hours!  And POPCYCLES?!?  Would have NEVER thought of it!  Thank you for knowing what I needed even when I didn't!  It has been beyond a pleasure walking with you through this adoption journey and I hope I can be as much of a support to your family as you have been to mine!  I love love LOVE that our children will have each other to lean on and play with and relate to in the coming years.  Your friendship has been a wonderful new addition to our lives and we are so thankful for it!

It started out as just a couple boxes (which at the time I was proud of)...but with a little request on FB it quickly turned into....

Piles and piles and piles of donations!!!  Thank you to each of you who donated something, no matter who small...it all added up to a very wonderful display!

We loaded everything under the carport....and with lots of help it actually started to turn into this...

Have I mentioned how blessed we are???

God brought some pretty amazing people to our yard sale.  It was so cool to hear their stories, to share ours, and to see them open their hearts.  God is good! 

The first was a woman who strolled up with her teen/pre-teen son pushing an empty stroller.  I honestly didn't think too much about it at first until she told me I couldn't look at her funny because she just dropped her 3-year-old off at pre-school!  Well that started us off laughing and somehow we ended up talking about our adoption.  She told me she had just met a fabulous Ethiopian family at the Ethiopian market up the street.  Say what?!?  There's an Ethiopian market?  Here?!?  She described to Hubs and me exactly where it was and a bit about the amazing family who owns it (and their beautiful young daughters who I had to meet - her words ;).  God just totally placed this woman in our driveway to connect us with some Ethiopians IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!  And on top of that amazing revelation, this family just blessed the socks off us!  They not only loaded a stroller full...but they showed up just as Jess was setting up the bake/lemonade sale and realized she had forgotten the cups.  This wondeful woman insisted on running home (just down the street) to get some for us.  I gave her our email/blog address and insisted we get our kids together for a playdate.  She sent her son back soon with a bag full of cups.  He rolled up on his bike and handed the bag over...and his bike too!  Seriously?!?  Seriously.  He said he had just got a new bike and wanted to donate his to our fundraiser.  TEARS!  For real!?!  That mama raised her boys with HEART!  Hubs insisted on trading for the camp chairs we had for sale when he heard that the boy's mom was drooling over them earlier.  THEN the kid sent over his older brother later to browse for shoes!  Seriously - this whole family was just wonderful!  Thank you Jesus for letting us meet them!

The second encounter was a man who my husband knew somehow (never did ask how they had met before).  Apparently his wife owns an Italian restaraunt downtown here and they have (get this...) 21 adopted children - 19 of them from Ethiopia!  Ages range from 6-32!  Is that not incredible?!?  And because of the restaraunt they are pretty well-known.  I can't tell you how many families came through our yard sale since him and told me about his family!  Its so amazing to have such a well-known figure in the community setting such an example of Christ's love.

The third family had a silent entrance, yet I expect will become very good friends in the near future!  Out of the front seat stepped out a blonde-haired, fair-skinned woman and her mother (I assummed).  Out of the back seat, she pulled out her daughter, a toddler girl with thick head of gorgeous black curls, chocolate skin and big brown eyes.  I knew in an instant she was Ethiopian.  I just knew!  I told her that her daughter was gorgeous and asked how old she was (17 months) and called for Monkey to introduce him.  Those two hit it off right away!  Monkey ran around showing her where all the cool baby toys were stored.  We got to talking about her adoption (her daughter came home at 4 months old, from Ethiopia) and then I told her that all the proceeds from our yard sale were going to our adoption. We started talking about more specifics and found out (get this...) that they ALSO adopted through AGCI!  Talk about a small world!!!  They live just down the street, just moved in, and are trying to devolop a network of adopted families to connect with!  I immediately invited her to join our Seattle AGCI Group and shared with her my email/blog address for details.  (She emailed me the NEXT DAY to find out more).  I showed her our Ethiopia Info poster board I had made, which had tons of pictures (thank you Janice) of Hannah's Hope (AGCI's orphanage) and the special mothers (caregivers) and she instantly recognized her daughter's special mother in the photos.  It was such an amazing connection to make!  Its cool enough that we have a network of families from our agency in the Seattle area, but to have a family, with a daughter close in age to my son, JUST DOWN THE STREET?!?  Only God could orchestrate something like that!

The whole weekend blew my socks off!  I laughed at how some people would barter you down by nickels and dimes and others would round up to the next dollar or add on an extra donation just because...(well, its a great cause, right?!?)...  I was amazed how it all came together, but amazed at how hard it was.  I'll tell you something - I don't think I would ever do a yard sale just because!  I must really love my daughter! =P

Our total hit...

Ooops, try again...

(Monkey was NOT digging the picture taking)

Really about $1,500 now....and we're still counting!!!!! 

Friends and family were FBing and texting in what they wanted to buy, and we're still waiting payments on a few things.  We have a couple big items we're still going to list on craigslist and I sold a couple of my "Heart of Africa" tshirts and got a few orders too! 

PLUS!!!  Two days before the yard sale, we got a call from Lifesong for Orphans that we were accepted for a tax-deductable account with them!  Meaning...they are accepting tax-deductable donations on our behalf!  It was an amazing extra we could tell people about.

If that wasn't cool ENOUGH!!!  The Nix family set out business cards, offering their window washing services to our customers and donating 10% of the proceeds our adoption as WELL!  Seriously you guys....as if you didn't do enough already!  We feel so blessed!

Just one more amazing thing - some friends (who may =P have been our inspiration/trigger to adopt) threw a yard sale the same weekend up in L-town (our hometown) donating some of THEIR proceeds to us as well!  You guys...that is beyond generous!  Thank you for being so selfless!  You are amazing!

Could we BE more blessed?!?!  God is so good!

When we finally finished up on Saturday (an hour and a half AFTER hours) my hubby got called into work right away.  =(  Just when I thought Monkey and I were left all alone with the overwhelming clean-up, Erik and Lori (who were helping ALL DAY) offered to do it for me.  That's right, not HELP me, but do it FOR me.  Erik did all but tie me to the couch to force me AWAY from the clean-up zone.  I asked them to just put it all under our carport and back our van up in front of it and we would get to the rest when Hubs got off of work.  Has yet to be done...but hey!  We're tired, ok!?!  =)

I spent most of the rest of the evening crying from pure exhaustion.  Well, that and the sweet gift I received in the mail from one of my BBC friends...

The very next morning I headed to church early...still in that crying-because-I'm-tired mood but SO filled with joy and feeling so blessed!  I dropped Monkey off at nursery (which made him burst into tears, because let's face it...he's been a little deprived of his parents this weekend) and sat down next to Erik & Lori in church.  Cried my way through every song during worship...and then just when I thought I had pulled myself together, we had communion, during which we sang "How Deep The Father's Love For Us".  OH the tears...  Because you see...no matter how difficult this weekend was physically and emotionally, it doesn't even compare to the price Christ paid for our adoption into His family!  HE died on the cross for ME (and you!)...measly little me, who sins on a constant basis and forgets to tell Him how much I love Him...and paid the ultimate price so that I could be with MY forever family!  Nothing could have put it more into perspective for me than that.  So when I think that this process is hard...when I'm losing patience in the wait...when the cost seems too high...who do I need to turn to?  No wonder HE is my only comfort - HE knows how hard adoption is because He achieved the impossible to adopt me!  HE knows how hard the wait is because He waits on me over and over and over again, just for me to screw it all up again.  HE knows the cost, because it cost him HIS LIFE to bring me to Him.  No one "gets it" like He does. 

Let this be an encouragement to all of you in your adoption journeys no matter where you are at.  Whether you can't quite take the leap of faith because the cost is terrifying...whether you are having problem after problem with your paperwork...whether the wait is seeming unbearably long...whether your separation from your child is breaking your heart to pieces...lean on your Heavenly Father who has walked it all ahead of you!  All of our adoption stories are different, but Christ knows them all and will ultimately be the one to bring you comfort.

As you listen to this song below (pause the music at the bottom of the page first) please join me in prayer, wherever you are today thanking and praising our Heavenly Father for His unfailing love!



Almost there baby girl!