I can't remember the last time I participated in a garage sale but, I can assure you that I had no recollection of it being such a huge task! But then again, I wasn't using the garage sale as a fundraiser for the adoption of our child either!
Wow! I am still so overwhelmed with everything that's happened in the last couple of weeks. Our first fundraiser was a success. We made about $1700 in two days of selling, selling and even more selling. We still have lots of leftovers but plan on making good use out of those items through donations and other fundraising efforts.
We are so humbled and thankful for the tremendous and overwhelming support we received from so many people. Many gave of their belongings; giving clothes, furniture, electronics, and special mementos for us to sell. Several folks came to help sort and price, and a few more helped during the actual sale with set up, tear down and giving us a few minutes of respite during both days. We truly couldn't have done this without them.
I must say that I am a bit surprised at the result. First, we certainly weren't expecting to make so much money! How wonderful!! And the people I truly expected to be there and help us weren't there. That saddens me greatly. But that sadness and disappointment is replaced with great joy because there were many unexpected helping hands, and we are so grateful.
Maybe I'm wrong for even noticing that aspect of things. But my emotions have been all over the place these last couple of weeks. And part of me wants to remember every single detail - good and bad - so we can one day share them with our little one. The tremendous effort put into making this a reality has been like giving birth. I will never know the pain of labor, but I have gladly labored in many other ways to bring a child into our family.
To add to the ups and downs, we were introduced to a potential match last week. We spoke with a birth mother who wanted to learn more about us and consider us as possible adoptive parents for her baby boy, due in December. The conversation was brief but exciting. We have no idea what's going to happen from here but it doesn't matter. God already knows the outcome, and we're at peace knowing it's all in His faithful Hands.
So, now we sort through the remaining garage sale items, look for other ways to raise funds, prepare for a home study, and wait for the redemption of God's chosen child for us.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Garage Sale Reminder
Well, we're one week away from the big garage sale. Our home is in complete disarray, and it's only going to get worse after this weekend when we pick up more furniture and other items being donated for the sale. We are SO incredibly thankful and humbled by the overwhelming support of so many people who have already donated items. Of course, we're always looking to add to the stuff we've already got, so if you want to give us some things you no longer need or want, just let us know! We'll gladly take whatever you've got.
And as a reminder, please tell all your friends about our sale. It's scheduled for Friday and Saturday of next week, August 21st and 22nd from 8 am until 4 pm (both days). We'd love to see you there, and we'd love for you to find an awesome new treasure (or several!). Donations will also be accepted.
Again, we are blessed and overwhelmed. And we give God all the glory!
And as a reminder, please tell all your friends about our sale. It's scheduled for Friday and Saturday of next week, August 21st and 22nd from 8 am until 4 pm (both days). We'd love to see you there, and we'd love for you to find an awesome new treasure (or several!). Donations will also be accepted.
Again, we are blessed and overwhelmed. And we give God all the glory!
Monday, August 10, 2009
New Colors
We've had a fabulous weekend! Our home is getting filled with more and more items donated from people for us to sell in our garage sale in a couple of weeks. Much of our living room is packed and now only one of us is able to park in the garage. But that won't last long, I'm sure!
We also had the opportunity to paint this weekend. We started with the office and, thanks to the awesome help of my awesome mother-in-law, we were able to finish it rather quickly and move on to the guest bedroom, which will turn into the nursery (hopefully soon!). Kurt and I are absolutely thrilled with the colors of both rooms. The nursery will need another coat of paint but that won't be a problem at all.
As my family knows, I'm not the type for much in the way of manual labor! But I must admit that I had the time of my life painting and moving stuff around. My back is still arguing with me but it just felt so good knowing that I was making some necessary changes in preparing for our little one.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for our garage sale/fundraiser, which is scheduled for August 21st and 22nd. And we're still taking donations for items to sell.
We continue to lift up the birth mother and unborn child in prayer!
We also had the opportunity to paint this weekend. We started with the office and, thanks to the awesome help of my awesome mother-in-law, we were able to finish it rather quickly and move on to the guest bedroom, which will turn into the nursery (hopefully soon!). Kurt and I are absolutely thrilled with the colors of both rooms. The nursery will need another coat of paint but that won't be a problem at all.
As my family knows, I'm not the type for much in the way of manual labor! But I must admit that I had the time of my life painting and moving stuff around. My back is still arguing with me but it just felt so good knowing that I was making some necessary changes in preparing for our little one.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for our garage sale/fundraiser, which is scheduled for August 21st and 22nd. And we're still taking donations for items to sell.
We continue to lift up the birth mother and unborn child in prayer!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Available For All To See
Our parent profile has been finalized and goes "live" tomorrow (Saturday, August 1st). We are now on display for all birth mom's to learn more about us and consider us as adoptive parents. Wow. This is such an amazing time for us. We're thrilled with progress so far, and we're humbled to know that God has already picked out our child for us.
Just because the parent profile is finished doesn't mean our work is done. Far from it! Now we need to prepare for our Home Study. But before we do that, we've got some decorating that needs to get done. We have to figure out which room will be the nursery. Which room will then become the guest bedroom? Can we combine my office and Kurt's and still let him have his "man cave"? Once we figure all of that out, we need to paint two of the rooms and lay new carpet. Then we need to rearrange the furniture.
We are blessed that we have a home big enough to have this dilemma!
Oh, and then there's the fund-raising. Our first big attempt at raising some cash comes on August 21st and 22nd with a gigantic garage sale. We've already gotten so many donations from so many people and hope to receive more. And, of course, we hope to sell it all and make some serious cash! LOL!
We'd like to go ahead and apply for loans and/or grants but that can't happen until we have our Home Study. But we can't have our Home Study until we get the rooms taken care of. And we probably can't get the rooms taken care of until we raise some cash! It's one of those never-ending circles.
There's so much going on, but we're so thankful we get to experience this. And I'm so thankful for Kurt and all he's doing to help in these efforts. He's going to be an amazing father!
Until next time...
Just because the parent profile is finished doesn't mean our work is done. Far from it! Now we need to prepare for our Home Study. But before we do that, we've got some decorating that needs to get done. We have to figure out which room will be the nursery. Which room will then become the guest bedroom? Can we combine my office and Kurt's and still let him have his "man cave"? Once we figure all of that out, we need to paint two of the rooms and lay new carpet. Then we need to rearrange the furniture.
We are blessed that we have a home big enough to have this dilemma!
Oh, and then there's the fund-raising. Our first big attempt at raising some cash comes on August 21st and 22nd with a gigantic garage sale. We've already gotten so many donations from so many people and hope to receive more. And, of course, we hope to sell it all and make some serious cash! LOL!
We'd like to go ahead and apply for loans and/or grants but that can't happen until we have our Home Study. But we can't have our Home Study until we get the rooms taken care of. And we probably can't get the rooms taken care of until we raise some cash! It's one of those never-ending circles.
There's so much going on, but we're so thankful we get to experience this. And I'm so thankful for Kurt and all he's doing to help in these efforts. He's going to be an amazing father!
Until next time...
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Profile
One component of the domestic adoption process is completing a profile which includes a variety of photos and details about the adoptive parents. The profiles are reviewed by birth mom's. The profiles are written in such a way that should give the birth mom an idea of who her child's potential parents could be. From the profile, the birth mom decides who she would like to meet and consider further for the placement of her child.
Ok, that sounded rather clinical didn't it? Well, that's sort of how I feel about this part of the process. As a writer, I have never written a more important document in my life! But how can I possibly tell the woman who may give up her child to my care for the rest of its life everything there is to know about our family in just a few pages of black ink? Kurt and I are so much more than what we put down on paper. Kurt said he felt like he was co-writing a resume. And just as in a job search, I am confident that, if you met me in person, you'd love me! You'd want to hire me immediately. Or you'd want me to be the mother of your child!
We have completed our profile, which took a lot longer than I thought. I'm an emotional writer so I was pretty happy with what was written early on. Kurt is the perfectionist so it took him a bit longer! But his additions were simply wonderful. It also took a long time to put our photos together. I look too big in that one. Ewww... I'm not wearing make up in that one. Oh, I like this, except he has his eyes closed. Why can't we find a picture of us with the dog and the cat together? Oh yeah, the cat doesn't like the dog so putting them next to each other long enough to take a photo would simply be... ugly.
But I think we finally got it. It's in the hands of the agency/lawyer now. Well, actually it's in God's Hands. I can't even begin to imagine having to make this type of decision in the first place but then to make the decision based on a few pieces of impersonal paper and fuzzy photos in what can only be described as marketing material. It's just beyond my wildest imagination, and in some ways, I grieve for the mother. The helper in me wants to make this an easier process but I know I can't.
Right now all I can do is pray that we have portrayed ourselves accurately without sounding superficial or sterile. And that what we have written will be intriguing enough to bring us to parenthood.
Ok, that sounded rather clinical didn't it? Well, that's sort of how I feel about this part of the process. As a writer, I have never written a more important document in my life! But how can I possibly tell the woman who may give up her child to my care for the rest of its life everything there is to know about our family in just a few pages of black ink? Kurt and I are so much more than what we put down on paper. Kurt said he felt like he was co-writing a resume. And just as in a job search, I am confident that, if you met me in person, you'd love me! You'd want to hire me immediately. Or you'd want me to be the mother of your child!
We have completed our profile, which took a lot longer than I thought. I'm an emotional writer so I was pretty happy with what was written early on. Kurt is the perfectionist so it took him a bit longer! But his additions were simply wonderful. It also took a long time to put our photos together. I look too big in that one. Ewww... I'm not wearing make up in that one. Oh, I like this, except he has his eyes closed. Why can't we find a picture of us with the dog and the cat together? Oh yeah, the cat doesn't like the dog so putting them next to each other long enough to take a photo would simply be... ugly.
But I think we finally got it. It's in the hands of the agency/lawyer now. Well, actually it's in God's Hands. I can't even begin to imagine having to make this type of decision in the first place but then to make the decision based on a few pieces of impersonal paper and fuzzy photos in what can only be described as marketing material. It's just beyond my wildest imagination, and in some ways, I grieve for the mother. The helper in me wants to make this an easier process but I know I can't.
Right now all I can do is pray that we have portrayed ourselves accurately without sounding superficial or sterile. And that what we have written will be intriguing enough to bring us to parenthood.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Adopted for Life
Our church, Zionsville Fellowship, has started an amazing ministry that cares for orphans. The ministry is based on James 1:27 which says, "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.”
This ministry offers people a variety of opportunities to help orphans whether it is through prayer, financial support or resources for those seeking to adopt. We are truly blessed to serve in this capacity. It has become especially poignant to us right now as we are in the middle of our adoption process.
One resource made available to us is a book by Russell Moore called Adopted for Life. The book explores the priority of adoption for Christian families and churches. I believe it is time for the church to recognize it is the only institution large enough – and the only institution called to deal with this issue.
Beyond that, the book explores adoption between our Heavenly Father and us as His adopted sons and daughters. Let me share a bit of the book with you in the hope that it will bring you great encouragement.
"Imagine for a moment that you're adopting a child. As you meet with the social worker in the last stage of the process, you're told that this twelve-year-old has been in and out of psychotherapy since he was three. He persists in burning things and attempting repeatedly to skin kittens alive. He 'acts out sexually', the social worker says, although she doesn't really fill you in what that means. She continues with a little family history. The boy's father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all had histories of violence, ranging from spousal abuse to serial murder. Each of them ended life the same way, death by suicide - each found hanging from a rope of blankets in his respective prison cell.
Think for a minute. Would you want this child? If you did adopt him, wouldn't you keep your eye on him as he played with your other children? Would you watch him nervously as he looks at the butcher knife on the table? Would you leave the room as he watched a movie on television with your daughter, with the lights out?
Well, he's you. And he's me. That's what the gospel is telling us. Our birth father has fangs. And left to ourselves, we'll show ourselves to be the serpentine as he is.
But the New Testament addresses former Satan-imagers with good news. It's not just that we have a stay of execution, a suspension of doom. It's not simply that those who trust in Christ have found a refuge, a safe place, or a foster home. All those in Christ, Paul urges, have received sonship. We are now 'Abraham's offspring' (Gal. 3:29). Within this household... all those who are in Christ have found a home through the adopting power of God.
We are here by the Spirit, not by the exertions of our flesh. We're here by grace.
The promise has dawned, and our identity is now found in him. All of us - whatever our background - have been liberated from the old order (Gal. 4:1-5) and from 'the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear' (Rom. 8:15). We now come before God as sons bearing the very same Spirit as was poured out on the Lord Jesus at the Jordan River, a Spirit through which we cry, 'Abba!'"
Wow! I don't know about you but I get a lump in my throat when I read that... and let it sink in. If you are in Christ, never doubt that you are adopted by God. And because God's got some experience in this adoption thing, never doubt that you will not walk this journey alone.
Are you adopted for life?
This ministry offers people a variety of opportunities to help orphans whether it is through prayer, financial support or resources for those seeking to adopt. We are truly blessed to serve in this capacity. It has become especially poignant to us right now as we are in the middle of our adoption process.
One resource made available to us is a book by Russell Moore called Adopted for Life. The book explores the priority of adoption for Christian families and churches. I believe it is time for the church to recognize it is the only institution large enough – and the only institution called to deal with this issue.
Beyond that, the book explores adoption between our Heavenly Father and us as His adopted sons and daughters. Let me share a bit of the book with you in the hope that it will bring you great encouragement.
"Imagine for a moment that you're adopting a child. As you meet with the social worker in the last stage of the process, you're told that this twelve-year-old has been in and out of psychotherapy since he was three. He persists in burning things and attempting repeatedly to skin kittens alive. He 'acts out sexually', the social worker says, although she doesn't really fill you in what that means. She continues with a little family history. The boy's father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all had histories of violence, ranging from spousal abuse to serial murder. Each of them ended life the same way, death by suicide - each found hanging from a rope of blankets in his respective prison cell.
Think for a minute. Would you want this child? If you did adopt him, wouldn't you keep your eye on him as he played with your other children? Would you watch him nervously as he looks at the butcher knife on the table? Would you leave the room as he watched a movie on television with your daughter, with the lights out?
Well, he's you. And he's me. That's what the gospel is telling us. Our birth father has fangs. And left to ourselves, we'll show ourselves to be the serpentine as he is.
But the New Testament addresses former Satan-imagers with good news. It's not just that we have a stay of execution, a suspension of doom. It's not simply that those who trust in Christ have found a refuge, a safe place, or a foster home. All those in Christ, Paul urges, have received sonship. We are now 'Abraham's offspring' (Gal. 3:29). Within this household... all those who are in Christ have found a home through the adopting power of God.
We are here by the Spirit, not by the exertions of our flesh. We're here by grace.
The promise has dawned, and our identity is now found in him. All of us - whatever our background - have been liberated from the old order (Gal. 4:1-5) and from 'the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear' (Rom. 8:15). We now come before God as sons bearing the very same Spirit as was poured out on the Lord Jesus at the Jordan River, a Spirit through which we cry, 'Abba!'"
Wow! I don't know about you but I get a lump in my throat when I read that... and let it sink in. If you are in Christ, never doubt that you are adopted by God. And because God's got some experience in this adoption thing, never doubt that you will not walk this journey alone.
Are you adopted for life?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
May I Have Some Whine with my Cheese?
Ok... this is where I start whining. The wait is too excruciatingly long! If I'm this annoyed with the wait this early in the game, I'm going to be bald by the time we have our first child.
The paperwork has been turned in. We were told that we'd be getting information on how to put our profile together but haven't heard a peep out of them for a week. I know... I know... there are bigger problems in the world. I am thankful for this awesome opportunity. Kurt and I have already started talking about ways to raise funds for the adoption. I guess that's why I'm anxious about getting our profile finished and "out there". But, I have to keep reminding myself that God has it all under control, and He knows what He's doing, even if I might disagree with His time line!
On another whiny note, I'm pretty discouraged with America World Adoption Association. As I mentioned in a previous post, we were inspired to submit our application with them for the Russian program after learning that previous "mental health issues" would likely not be a problem. But we learned that those issues were indeed a problem and that door was closed. We filed a grievance with the company but just learned that we're not going to get our non-refundable application fee back. Yes, I know that there is never a guarantee, and no one ever made a guarantee to us. But we wouldn't have applied had we not been inclined to think we stood a chance. Furthermore, the letter stated that the application fee "covers the compilation and review of your application by our staff, and because these services were rendered to your family, we are unable to issue a refund for the work that was done..." Really? It costs $250 for someone to look at my application? Wow. I'm in the wrong business.
As I said, I'm just whining over here. If I step back far enough and look at it from a neutral perspective, I guess I can understand things but I'm not neutral in this. I'm waiting for my child! I wonder if this is just a tiny glimpse into what parenthood will feel like.
Well, until God is ready to deliver our child to us, I guess I have to keep on waiting. Please excuse me while I go get some more cheese!
The paperwork has been turned in. We were told that we'd be getting information on how to put our profile together but haven't heard a peep out of them for a week. I know... I know... there are bigger problems in the world. I am thankful for this awesome opportunity. Kurt and I have already started talking about ways to raise funds for the adoption. I guess that's why I'm anxious about getting our profile finished and "out there". But, I have to keep reminding myself that God has it all under control, and He knows what He's doing, even if I might disagree with His time line!
On another whiny note, I'm pretty discouraged with America World Adoption Association. As I mentioned in a previous post, we were inspired to submit our application with them for the Russian program after learning that previous "mental health issues" would likely not be a problem. But we learned that those issues were indeed a problem and that door was closed. We filed a grievance with the company but just learned that we're not going to get our non-refundable application fee back. Yes, I know that there is never a guarantee, and no one ever made a guarantee to us. But we wouldn't have applied had we not been inclined to think we stood a chance. Furthermore, the letter stated that the application fee "covers the compilation and review of your application by our staff, and because these services were rendered to your family, we are unable to issue a refund for the work that was done..." Really? It costs $250 for someone to look at my application? Wow. I'm in the wrong business.
As I said, I'm just whining over here. If I step back far enough and look at it from a neutral perspective, I guess I can understand things but I'm not neutral in this. I'm waiting for my child! I wonder if this is just a tiny glimpse into what parenthood will feel like.
Well, until God is ready to deliver our child to us, I guess I have to keep on waiting. Please excuse me while I go get some more cheese!
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