AUCTION TIME!!!

You can browse the auction here: Bring Kora Home Auction Facebook

If you do not have Facebook and see something you love you can contact me via email at elizabeth.g.hoos@gmail.com and I'll get your bid in.

We are trying to reach $3,000 to pay off our Dossier payment so we can get the court process started!

Share with friends :)

My favorite pieces are:

Greatest Gifts day #1

I'm going to do a 5 day post about the gifts we've been given.

Day #1: The Gift of infertility

Say what? How can I say this has been a blessing??? When I was a kid everyone always asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always replied, a mom. I've wanted to be a mom since I was a little girl... It's literally the only true ambition I had outside of being a professional goalkeeper. When I was young, the dream of being a soccer player inspired me to be a better person. I wouldn't trade the hours and hours of pressure training and broken bones, ambulance rides, and tears cried over tough losses. They've made me who I am today, fearless. Now the dream of being a mom is shaping me even more. Sanding down the imperfections and building in me the ability to love our kids unconditionally because we've had to fight so hard just to bring them home.

So, when infertility struck I took it by the horns and fought. Until I realized one thing: I would rather parent a child who needs parents, then spend years trying to bring one into the world. I have come to believe God knew we would find our children through adoption and we were too stubborn to realize it so he had to slap us with a 2x4 for us to get the picture. Now that we have a face and a promise of bringing our girl home I am more confident in this then ever before. Kora was born to be our daughter and we were created to be her parents. God sets the lonely in families.

My message to all you who experience infertility is simple. Listen. Listen to that voice in you that says you have the room in your heart to love a child not of your flesh. Listen to the support you have in any decision you make. Listen to that small voice at night when you are crying yourself to sleep that there is another way! Listen, and take action. Fight for a child who needs to know what love and a family is.

So that's my blessing for today. The gift of Infertility. Without the diagnosis we would never have started our journey to Kora. We would never have seen her sweet face. We would never be able to physically experience the overwhelming feeling of God adopting us into his family. Such beauty from ashes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWHJ6-YhSYQ This is the video that I saw that truly changed my mind... I hope it impacts you in a deep way.

Blessings

Our Facebook auction is almost all prepared for. We've got people donating things from A-Z and it's beautiful the way God's providing a great sale. I have noticed in our adoption journey there are times of great happiness and times of serious frustration, but all through there intertwined with everything is the blessing we are about to receive.

Holidays are a tough time in our house, but for me especially. I long for the day when the person waking me up before dawn to open presents and eat Mercer County Grits is under the age of 18 (Kevin....). Some moments I hold it together and am truly happy, some moments I'm a complete wreck. I think this Christmas will be more moments of me holding it together than of me losing it. This Christmas I am reminded in a tangible way of just how blessed we are, by our church, friends, and family. This Christmas there is only HOPE in the future! We don't know how long it will be until Kora is home. We don't know how many Christmases it will take to have her home and waking us up before dawn. But we have hope that it WILL happen!

This Christmas as you tuck your babies in on Christmas Eve and pray with them, pray for our baby who goes to bed without knowing her mommy and daddy are here just waiting to bring her home. Pray that God will hold her close and let her know she is being loved by hundreds of people half way around the world just waiting to meet that really adorable face (have I mentioned she is crazy adorable?!?!)! Pray that the time will come QUICKLY when we get to tuck her in on Christmas Eve.

Here's how you can bless our family this Christmas:

• Donate an item for our Facebook auction (needed by December 30th)
• Take a look at the preview album of our auction HERE and see something you can't live without ;)
• Pray for us (and let us know you are, it's one of the most encouraging and uplifting things you can say)
• Consider ways YOU can help children without families this Christmas. A quick google search brings up THOUSANDS (that may be a bit of an over exaggeration) of ways to help orphans here in the USA and all over the world!

Thank you to all you who have blessed us IMMEASURABLY! There is no better way for us to thank you than for us to fight to bring our daughter home! So fight we will!

How can we bless you?

My kitchen table

This has been the state of our kitchen table for about 2 years now... I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel! It truly has been easier the third time around... All those forms are completed! Now we are just waiting on the money to submit them! We are so thrilled to finally be done with this part of the paperwork (yes, there's still more...)!!!

We need $890 to submit the I-600A and get the USCIS side of things going (that's our immigration office).
Then we need $5,000 to get the dossier to the DRC and get it translated and started in the offices there!

So far we have $345. We just paid the big payment of $11,397.50 thanks to a bunch of you awesome people and all of our savings!!! YAY! So I know we can get this done!

We have lots of fundraising opportunities available and we've applied for about 15 grants. We're praying we can get this money raised up by my birthday on February 24th. We're really excited to get through the court process in the DRC as quickly as possible so if we get this raised up faster then YAY! So that's my update. I am currently compiling a blogpost with all our fundraisers in one place for a one stop shopping experience! I'll link it here when it's done :)

Thankfulness

Thankfulness is something it's easy to have on the inside for me but I rarely ever show it on the outside. So, today I am going to write down 28 things I am thankful for. (In no particular order)

1. Kevin. Tomorrow is our 5th wedding anniversary. We've grown up together and continue to grow each day. I am so thankful God had us cross paths!
2. Our daughter. Even though Kora is halfway around the world I am already so thankful for what our journey to her has taught me about myself and others. I wouldn't want to find parenthood any other way!
3. My house. Knowing people who don't have a home makes me appreciate mine that much more.
4. Honduras. My family there have taught me to be joyful in heart ache and ever encouraging. 
5. Jamaica. The laid back lifestyle is contagious and I still hold on to it a lot bit!
6. Haiti. Met my good buddy Nat Thomas through Haiti and I wouldn't be the same without him and his pretty wife Brenee :)
7. Good friends. There's nothing like an adoption that will show you who your friends are, and we are blessed with some great ones!
8. Food. Cause I love to eat. Our freezer is always full and our cabinets always stocked.
9. Pets. Nothing like a dog to cheer you up on a bad day!
10. My job. I LOVE caring for these kids, even if they drive me up a wall I love them each so very much!
11. Family. My family has been there for me through it all!
12. In Laws. I always say I have the best in laws, but you know what? It's so true! 
13. Engineering. Because without it we wouldn't know some of the best people in the world! (see #7)
14. My "sisters". Because blood may not connect us but inside we know we were meant to be! 
15. Lists. I am a list maker, in fact, I make lists of my lists (<- True fact)
16. Ice Cream. Whether its a liquid or a solid doesn't matter when you are enjoying its frozen goodness!
17. Clothing. Because I am cold all the time!
18. Cloth Diapers. They've helped me meet amazing people and are helping bring our daughter home!
19. Sewing. Without Serenity (and season 2) I would be an emotional mess! I sew to calm myself down.
20. Facebook. Because instead of talking to myself I can talk to stalking acquaintances! LOL
21. Journals. Because Facebook doesn't listen very well and my journals do.
22. Writing. I suck at punctuation but LOVE to write!
23. My relationship with my savior. Because I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the hope I have in Christ!
24. British Television. I may be a little obsessed with QI and Doctor Who. 
25. Firefly. Because Firefly.
26. My church family. They've helped my scars heal and gave me a place to feel at home again!
27. Soccer. The game that shaped my life and gave me purpose early in life. A passion that will never die. I'm still a goalkeeper at heart (and in my brain...)
28. YOU! You've read my blogs and been there for me when times were uncertain. Some days it felt like we'd never be parents and now that dream is coming real and you've been there to see it happen! So thank you! 

So there you have it, 28 things I am thankful for! That was easier than I thought it would be! I still have more! HAHA!

Have a great Thanksgiving! Praying we are a family of three by next Thanksgiving!

At Peace

You don't realize the weight of worry and anxiety you have in your life until it's gone. We sent our acceptance payment ($10,897.50) today to our agency. Such a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. When I saw that number standing in the way of us and our daughter the worry set in. I knew if we didn't come up with it quick we stood a good chance of losing our little Kora to another family. We did it, we payed it and she is ours officially officially, but not yet officially x 3 we have to pass court for that... The feeling of peace swept over me as I corralled the babysitting kids in the bank when I made the wire transfer to our agency. Peace in finally being able to put that payment behind us, and peace knowing that our daughter's paperwork is going to start to get gathered up and processed along with ours. We're a family in our hearts, soon on paper, and then in reality. Reality could not come soon enough!

I also think it's pretty cool how so many complete strangers can have impacts on our adoption and they don't even know it. That sweet girl at the bank who asked me about our adoption and got so excited to see a picture, the teller who gave the kids stickers so they would stop running around like wildebeests who also got really excited to see Kora's picture, the lady in the parking lot who smiled at me so compassionately as I dragged two toddlers kicking and screaming to the "magic school bus" at the bank, they all had an impact on this mama's heart and won't ever probably really know! So today I am thankful for the weight of 10k lifted from my shoulders, and the compassion of strangers that gives me the strength to keep fighting to bring our daughter home!

What To Expect When You're... Accepting?

Just wanting to keep everybody updated on the finances for our adoption of our little Kora. So many of you have donated to us in the past that we feel the need to keep you in the know of where we are with getting our sweet Kora home. In total her adoption will cost us $22,000 pre travel. The breakdown of that is as follows:

• 11,397.50 PAID on 11/27/2013!! WOO HOO!!!!
• 9,875 in fees to the agency and to the DRC
• 1,000 in a post placement agreement deposit
• 500 for registration fee (paid already)
• 22.50 for bank wiring to DRC
• 5,075 for dossier translation and submission
• 4,060 after adoption decree
• 3,000 in fees
• 1,000 in orphanage donation
• 60 bank wiring to DRC
• 4,162.50 when we get our travel date
• We're thinking $8,000 for travel, but that's a VERY fluid number. 

We are working on some fundraising still. Here's our plan (never seems to go as planned though...), we will be getting a low interest loan for the first two payments (referral acceptance and dossier) so that we can get the ball rolling on her case in the DRC. We will then be doing fundraising and grant writing to hopefully pay off the loan and then some before the adoption decree and travel fees are due. Then hopefully more fundraising and possibly a no interest adoption loan that can get us the remainder needed for travel!

Here's the fundraisers we have in the works:

• Diapers (plumberbums.storenvy.com)
• Craft Shows with all my handmade goodies
• An auction in the beginning of January (accepting items for this!)
• A Spring Fling here at our house, going to be a big party with games for the kids (and adults...), cornhole tournament, a doggie kissing booth, raffle, face painting, balloons, and more!
• Parent's Night Out's return monthly in January!!!
• I'm still babysitting and Kevin will be doing odd jobs on the weekends for a donation (when he has time)
•  Another (I KNOW) garage sale this spring (unless anyone knows of a free venue to do one indoors)
• Hoping to get approved to do a Both Hands Project with Lifesong For Orphans
• Christmas cards and ornaments

Things you can do to help:

• Donate items for us to sell at garage sales
• Collect items for our auction (new products, can be anything really!)
• Someone who can write to stores and ask for donations (gift cards or products etc...)
• Spread the word about our fundraisers, in particular the auction, spring fling, and parents night out. 
• Come over and help us clean our house (partially kidding here...)

With working about 80 hours a week, with a home daycare and a sewing business, things can get crazy. So if I don't answer/return calls please know it's not me ignoring you because i'm rude (although......). It's because I just don't have the time, text or email me instead as I can do that all the time pretty much (although it may take a day to respond sometimes). 

As always, pray for our little Kora. 

Sooooooo, here's an update on us!

Our Adoption Timeline So Far;

Starting trying to have kids naturally November 2008

Diagnosed with Male and Female factor infertility November 2011

February 2012- Took foster classes from Greene County

July 16^th, 2012- Contracted with AGCI Ethiopia

September 2013- Ended contract with AGCI, began exploring Taiwan

November 10^th, 2013- Chose to adopt a sweet one year old girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo!

That’s right, you read that right. We are VERY proud and happy to announce we're in the process of accepting a referral of a PRECIOUS angel from the DRC! Her first birthday was on Monday (if you want to send us birthday cards for her for her baby box feel free to do so!!!)!

Unfortunately the reality of adoption is WAITING. We will be waiting for about a year for all the government red tape to be cleared and to travel to get her. While she waits for us to bring her home we ask you pray for her and for us. Having half my heart in a country where making it to your 5^th birthday is a miracle is very scary! We will have lots of opportunities for financial help in the next year so keep your eyes peeled! We cannot share photos just yet so if you’re curious about how beautiful she is (trust me, she’s gorgeous) let me know and I’ll get with you about seeing her picture!

We're beyond excited, but cautious as well. Adoptions in the DRC are very fragile and fluid. We're putting our hope in the fact that God has brought us this far and He will see us through! 

Our next step is to get our Dossier and the payment that goes along with it to our agency! Then the massive wait game starts! 12 months is a long time in the life of a little girl!

Pack Pony Push, Pack Pony Pull

I wrote a big long blog post about pack ponies, and carts, and pulling and pushing. While I was writing it I get sidetracked like I usually do and came to this conclusion:

Some mom's have stretch marks on their bellies. Mine are on my heart and soul. Some dads have finger nail marks from moms in labor, Kevin's marks are inside where you can't see them.

Adoption is hard and we can't do it without the support of our friends, family, and church family. So please say a prayer for us regularly, share our fundraisers, and ask us how we're doing every once in a while (like legitimate "how are you's" not "how ru's"). Be prepared for legitimate answers too.

See how short that was!? My mind took about five pages typed to get to that conclusion! If you're curious about pack ponies the picture came to me when I was reading the kids this book:

Which, if you buy using the link above we get a portion of the sale directly to our adoption account! I smell Christmas coming :) (Amazon Affiliate Program- Hoos Adoption Fundraiser use this link to shop Amazon and we get a portion of your purchase! Feel free to share the link with your friends and family!)

Thank you to those who have been our "Pack Ponies"! (That's a legitimate "Thank you" not a "thx")

Red (well, ok, white...) Thread Fundraiser

In Chinese culture, adoptions specifically, there is a picture story of red thread. The red thread is tied to our hearts and to the hearts of a specific person. While some believe this to be reality I doubt it is, but when I have this ache in my heart I can't help but think of a red thread being tugged by an orphan who needs a family. I was reading about this this morning when I got an idea!

We've done all kinds of fundraising things, some successful, some not. This Holiday season I want to try something new. You all know I sew a TON for fundraising. Well sewing requires THREAD! So, I am asking you to donate thread! Here's the fun part, I have a amazon affiliate account now and if you buy the thread through that we get a portion of the cost straight into our adoption fund! Just use the link below, you can even have it shipped straight to us, just message me for the address! 

White and Black are the colors I use the most. If you have some just sitting around the house we will be more than willing to take that too! As long as it is polyester covered polyester! Half used up? I'll use the rest! 

Thanks for supporting us! You are all so amazing!

Parent's Night Out!

In the fundraising battle grounds of adoption it always feels like everyone is doing the same things... So I wanted to be able to do something different. We brainstormed and prayed and had very intense thinking sessions (don't try these at home lol). I remember doing a parent's night out at a church for a youth group fund raiser and it was a ton of fun for everyone involved! So it was settled. This way we were able to collect funds, give some really hard working parents a date night, and have a blast with a really great group of kids! Win, win, win!

We did a parent's night out in September but there was some sickness going around so we had just 2 munchkins.

This time around we had 5 kids, raised a total of $165, and had fun! We started the night by decorating pumpkins with stickers. This was a sort of ice breaker, it worked really well! Then we moved outside to eat donuts on a string, without using our hands, this proved to be really funny! The kids ran and chased each other around the yard for a bit and then we went inside and threw tape balls at a tape spider web, the boys especially enjoyed this. We had mummy hot dogs, mashed potato ghosts, and apple/peanut butter/marshmallow mouths for dinner. I was surprised when most of the kids ate everything! Then we cleaned up our messes and watched a movie and ate some popcorn.

It was a BLAST and I'm really thankful for a great group of families we have supporting us! We're taking a break and then picking back up with the monthly parents night out in February with a special Valentine's Date Night!

They stuck a eye ball sticker on my forehead! You can see the tape web behind me.

Intentional Selflessness

Being selfless is something that I think I do pretty regularly. Today I was reading some blogs and realized our culture is so very self oriented and selfish. We've been so very blessed in this adoption process by so many of our friends and family, how better to pay it forward than set out to complete some selfless acts of kindness? I encourage you to play along, make your own list, be selfless. I made a list of 10 things to be intentionally selfless in 2013 and then I made a big list of 52 to do in 2014 (one for every week). People are human and I may fail in completing some of these things, but that's part of the journey.

What's so good about selflessness? This is all my opinion so take it for what it's worth, but, I believe selflessness is all about encouraging those around you. I wasn't sure what selflessness meant to me when I undertook this list. As I brainstormed up these acts of kindness I realized a lot of things. As a Christian selflessness is being Christlike. Doing things with others in mind and not yourself. Sacrificing things you want or want to do in order to help or bring encouragement to others. Laying down your own needs and filling the needs of others. I know I'm going to learn a lot in this adventure and I hope it changes me for the better. As a human being selflessness is being different. It's thinking about others in everything you do. It's being a better friend, daughter, wife, mother, neighbor, and employee (or boss). It's taking the "me" culture and changing it to a "them" culture.

Here's my list of 10 in 2013:

1.       Send a missionary a Christmas gift
2.       Donate collars and dog food to the shelter
3.       Pay for the person behind me in the drive thru
4.       Send 4 letters of encouragement
5.       Babysit for someone for free
6.       Give a Christmas gift to someone in need
7.       Ask 10 people what I can pray for for them
8.       Give the mail man a gift
9.       Give our neighbor a gift
10.   Walk the dogs for a whole day for Kevin

My list for 2014 might change some still so I'm gonna hold off on posting it until 2014 comes closer.

If there's one thing you can do for me while I work on this goal it's pray for me or encourage me.

Realization

(I'm about to ramble. Just hold on, it's a bumpy ride)

The hardest part of choosing to adopt the way we have is not knowing "when". Most agencies have wait lists and the higher you get on the wait list the closer you know you are coming to your child. With this "private" or "independent" adoption we have no time frame. Our orphanage selects families through prayer (how cool is that) and so you can be chosen right after you get approved or months down the road.

I am a self admitted "planner". You could call me a prepper, I like to make sure I have everything I need in the what-if's. I make lists and use calenders and even though I still miss things I try really hard not to. With not knowing when we will be bringing our baby home I am on hyper drive. We haven't even really officially been put on the orphanage's list yet and I am already planning. I made a packing list, I figured out what we would do with the dogs while we are gone (any volunteers to house sit? lol), I planned out our departure and return (gotta stop in LA for a day or two so mum and pops can meet the so far faceless (not nameless HEHE, for now I'm calling him Ichibod, we'll reveal the name when we have a face!) child we have all been loving for so long), I even brainstormed what I want for a baby shower, and then I cried over my journal entry for the day.

Basically I am realizing this is actually going to happen. We are homestudy ready, our i600a (immigration paperwork) is ready to be sent, we are collecting what dossier paperwork I know we need, and we're also getting ready for an infant to live with us. Since we thought we would be fostering before we ended up with an adoption we got bunkbeds setup in the nursery, WELL long story short the fostering is being put on hold, so the bunk beds have to come down! Then I get to decorate the room we'll be bringing our sweet firstborn into when we come home (in pirates of course!)!

Then there's the finances. We still have no clue exactly how much this will cost (obviously less then our previous adoption attempts) so I am constantly worrying we won't have enough.

I'm fairly certain the above is just a snippet of what my mind has been like for the last month. I've been all over the place! I believe it's a condition I have named "Adoption Brain". Similar to pregnancy brain only more scattered and less mush. It's hard to think straight when half your heart is on the other side of the world!

Joshua 1:9.

Parent's Night Out Info!

Here's the Facebook event for the fundraiser.

If you can't see the event here are the forms in Google Docs:

Info Flyer

Registration Form

Looking forward to this one!!!

Lead Me, Be My Shelter

(deep post about to come your way) In 2004 I went on a mission project to Jamaica. While there we spent a lot of time bonding with the teenagers. We taught each other songs and games and just had a really good time. One of the songs they taught us was "Hear My Cry Oh Lord" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTJpvDmQyxc). I fell in love with the song. It's a simple song that just sings over and over again Psalm 61:1-3

 "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." (KJV)

When my heart is overwhelmed. In this process my heart is overwhelmed FREQUENTLY. My heart is overwhelmed by the children who will live on the streets and never know a family. My heart is overwhelmed for the children who will age out of care all over the world and chart a very hard road. My heart is overwhelmed that there are orphans in the first place, a truly painful reality. My heart is overwhelmed that we won't be bringing our children home as fast as I'd like. My heart is overwhelmed by the cost that is facing us financially. My heart is overwhelmed by the fact that we can only bring so many orphans into our family and there will always be so many more.

When my heart is overwhelmed Lord, lead me to the ROCK that is higher than I. Trusting that you God, are the strong tower. Hold those kids who live on the street that they may find some comfort in your arms. Help us be a light to the kids who age out of care that they might find a narrower and brighter path in you. Bring our children home in your timing! You supply for all our needs, show us how to bring in the finances to get these kids HOME! Most of all, plant the seed of orphan care in the lives of your people so that more and more orphans will find their home. Help us be a light in your world so that fewer kids get orphaned by violence and poverty. HEAL the wounds in the hearts of these children God and show them they have never been without a father! Heal our hearts in the process, teach us how to love and bring these kids up to be amazing people. Be a shelter, hear my prayers, lead me to you in all this God.

What Kimby, Dingo, and Hank have to say about getting little brothers!

We have three fur babies. They have been getting all the attention for three years now and so I interviewed the three of them about their feelings on our adoption. (this is a joke btw... For those without a funny bone, I don't really talk to my dogs about their opinions...)

First off is America's favorite Heinz 57 hound Kimby

Me: Kimby, do you want a little brother or 2?

Kimby: Ruff. Only if they let me sleep all day long and don't stick their fingers up my nose!

Me: Fingers up your nose?

Kimby: or clip my nails.

Me: Do you need to go back to bed?

Kimby: NO!!! But I want to sleep on the couch.

This is Kimby sleeping in a carseat on the way home from the Kennel

So Kimby seems to not care. He has always been the one who is only serious about not going to his room...

Next up was Dingo.

Me: Dingo, what will you do first when you meet your new brothers?

Dingo: I lick. I love licking. They need to smell like me so I lick them. A BUTTERFLY!!!

Me: Can we focus here Dingo?

Dingo: You need licked. Let me lick you.

Me: Dingo, I'm trying to ask you some serious questions here.

Dingo: Will they let me lick them? If not no brothers. I like to lick noses. Will they have noses? 

Me: I think we're done here

Dingo: NO! MORE LICKS!!!!

Protecting the house from evil butterflies!

Dingo has a slight obsession with putting his tongue on EVERYTHING.

Last, but certainly not least, is Hank.

Me: Ok, Hank can I sit next to you while we talk.

Hank: No. 

Me: Ok then I will be over here. What do you think it will be like having little brothers?

Hank: I think it will be glorious! I can protect them from bad things like the neighbor coming up the driveway, and fireworks. BARK AT ALL THE THINGS!

Me: But what if they are sleeping? If you bark they'll wake up!

Hank: GOOD! They must be alerted of the danger of a butterfly flying outside my window!

Me: What about playing with them, will you play soft?

Hank: Yes. Unless I am tired then I must be left to grovel in my pity. 

Me: Pity? Oh Hank...

Hank: BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK There's a squirrel within 10 square miles of the house. I must alert the troops!

Hank with the daycare kids

Hank is going to have so much fun with his kids. He's a healing puppy and who better to love a healing puppy than a healing child!

All things considered I think the dogs are going to love having kids to play with, herd, and have all kinds of shenanigans with. I look forward to the kids wearing the dogs out. I used to worry about them and how they would react to having kids here all the time but I'm not too worried about it anymore! We'll certainly have a full house! With lots of chewed up toys!

Fundraising!

It's been a while since I've posted! Our home study is complete (well almost, it's not finalized just yet) and we are just waiting to be matched with our little angel(s).

So while we wait, we FUNDRAISE!

First off on September 21st from 5-9 we will be having our first PARENTS NIGHT OUT! It's where you bring your kids to our house and we do dinner, a craft, and a movie while you get to do dinner and a movie, or sleep, or nothing at all who cares you're childless! You can email or Facebook me for more info! I'll have a flyer posted soon! (preregistration is required!)

Sometime in September (TBD) we will have a DOG WASH! You bring your furbabies here and we'll wash your dog! I'm going to have preregistration for that. It will be $5 for a small dog (under 30lbs) and $10 for a large dog. If you don't preregister it will be $6 and $11.  Flyer to be posted for this too.

AND on October 5th we'll be having our PHOTOGRAPHY fundraiser! 30 minute sessions will include a 10 photo CD of your edited photo's. Think Holiday cards or Fall family photo's! Perfect timing! Preregistration is required and I will have a form put together ASAP!

THEN we will be hosting a Chick Fil A spirit night at the CFA in Beavercreek! Details to be announced soon and flyers will be available. CFA spirit nights are where you take a flyer in to the Beavercreek CFA and 10% of your purchase goes to our adoption fund! Pretty awesome huh?

I WILL ALSO be making "handmade" Christmas cards! I'll post them up here when I have them done. Only making a certain amount of these one of a kind goodies!

AND I am still making cloth diapers! Plumberbums.storenvy.com and facebook.com/plumberbumssharkiepads!

WOOO!
That was a lot of information! Basically we have tons of ways you can get involved in helping us bring our angel(s) home! We've got some other things in the works that I'm not ready to share just yet, think BIG events and lots of fellowship! You all have been so supportive of us and I'm excited to share time with you during the above events!

New Beginnings

When we started on our road to adoption we were clueless. We had no idea what direction to go in or how we would bring home our children but we knew, without a doubt, it would be through adoption. After crossing many bridges we are now on our way to bringing an orphan home.

We started out to do Foster Care. After taking the classes we realized foster care was not right for us, not yet anyhow. We needed to parent a child who was ours to learn from. Personal choice really, some first time parents are great foster parents but we were scared and clueless and needed a foundation to stand on. So we chose international adoption. We started with an Ethiopian adoption and kept hitting road block after road block and 7 months in and no home study yet we decided God was telling us to change. (Read more about our first journey HERE) We got a Facebook message about an opportunity to adopt from Taiwan. An amazing opportunity.

God's blessed our so far short journey in adoption from Taiwan and we pray we are now in the right program and will be bringing home our first child soon!

Make sure you check back here often for updates!

As all adoptions cost money we do have some opportunities for you to help us with our costs. We are uncertain just how much this adoption will cost just yet but one thing is sure, airfare to Taiwan is expensive. SO here are our current fundraisers:

• I make cloth diapers, cloth menstrual pads, and now cloth doggie diapers at Plumber Bums
• We are still selling coffee over at Just Love Coffee
• You can donate directly to us by clicking the "Donate" link at the top left of this blog!

This has been a wild ride but we are happy to have crossed the bridges that have brought us here this far!

Don't Just Stand There. Got love? Adopt!

Beth and Kevin