In addition to beginning the home study, this summer is filling up with fundraising to help cover the costs for the adoption. It is definitely a humbling experience to be a fundraising family. I would love to be able to say we had all the money for the adoption saved up and ready to go. However, we know we cannot cover the expense on our own, but we also know God will provide every penny we need to grow our family. If that means finding creative ways to fund-raise, then so be it.
A few people have asked about the ways we are raising funds for the adoption. Right now we currently have five:
1)Ben is using his mechanical skills to fix cars - from minor repairs to complete engine swaps - he is using the labor cost to add to our adoption fund.
2)I am working with Compass USA as a Youth Program Coordinator working with host families and host students from France and Spain during short-term stays in MN this summer. All the money I am earning with this summer position is going towards our adoption fund. It has been a fun way to meet new people and connect American families with international students. Having been both an exchange student and a host mom myself, it is interesting to be part of the exchange opportunity as a coordinator now.
3)We have an online store through Adoption Bug (there is a link on the right side of the blog). If someone buys a t-shirt through our "store" we get $7-$9 of the purchase to put towards our adoption fund.
4)We have a CoupAide website (also linked on the right side of the blog) where people who donate $20 to CoupAide will receive a $50 e-certificate to restaurants.com. Ten dollars of the $20 donation goes straight into our adoption fund from CoupAide.
5)We are planning a GINORMOUS garage sale in August. We started telling people we are planning on having a garage sale and we would love items they would normally be donating to GoodWill. I knew God would provide the items we would need to have this sale, I did not know He would make people so eager to get rid of their stuff to help us raise funds to bring our kiddos home. My family room and spare bedroom are quickly filling up. I am feeling overwhelmed, but blessed. Slowly, but surely I am going through all of the items and organizing them for the sale planned for this August 1-3. I've uploaded a couple pictures of the current state of our family room to help you understand why I feel like we belong on an episode of Hoarders :) My prayer is that God will provide the customers for the garage sale needed to sell all of it and make it a successful sale.
Above all, I have to stress we are busy, but blessed beyond measure. God has been with us every step of the way and provided us the funds and the resources we need so far and I am confident He will continue to do so.
Beyond the fundraising blessings we've had this summer we are also blessed by having Ben's sister Marianne living with us for the summer while she is in transition from retiring from the Air Force and leaving for the Seychelle's this September. Our girls are thrilled to have her here and so am I. I truly appreciate all the help she is providing, from watching the girls while I am doing home visits for Compass to moving boxes, pianos, TVs into the house for the garage sale. She is a true blessing.
I am also excited to be in contact with two families familiar with adopting from the Dominican Republic. One family adopted about a year and a half ago and the other family is in the DR right now for their cohabitation period with their adoption. It is a blessing to be able to hear from families who are farther along in the process than we are and I value their insight.
Life feels like we are moving in fast forward and I know it will only get busier from here. However, I am grateful to be on this adoption adventure and above all blessed to be mom and wife to the family God has given me. I cannot wait to see what His plan is for my (growing) family :)
