Tuesday, September 27, 2011

day 2 of the sale. african childrens choir!!

Well, considering our sale was only open for 3 hrs on Saturday( due to very limited customers!!)we still managed to fundraise around $350!! Our grand total for the weekend was $1744.00!!! Wowzers!! We were once again blown away by friends, family & complete strangers....their generosity was over the top!! Thanks again to all of you who gave to our garage sale, sponsored a puzzle piece, donated $$, and so on. We appreciate each & every one of you. We love your hearts. God loves your heart.
On a totally different subject...We are so thrilled to be going to an African Children's Choir Concert this Friday!! We are also totally thrilled that we will be hosting a couple of the kids from the choir!! Friday can't come fast enough...the kids said this morning.."how many more sleeps until The concert & our new friends are staying with us??" And new friends they will be. So, if you are in the Bis/Man area...come to the concert at 7pm...Friday night at Century Baptist Church!! You will be blessed.
xo

Saturday, September 24, 2011

blown away blessed!!!!

before we start day 2 of our sale...I just had to tell you all how amazing day 1 was!!! Incredibly amazing!! It's so hard to believe how successful the day was...well, not really...considering God is just that BIG & Incredible!! We had a beautiful day...sunshine & smiling(for the most part!!) customers!! God has a way of putting some very incredible people in one's path. For example...I met a woman who actually stopped here twice...her & her husband are foster parents...currently they have the most precious 19 month old twins...we visited for quite some time... she shared that some of her friends think they are just crazy...not crazy for being foster parents, BUT crazy for being foster parents AFTER their kids were all grown & away in college..WOW! I'm guessing they are in their 50's..that is incredible! That's not crazy people...that's GOD! The love she has for her sweet foster children was undescribable!! Another cool part of the day was when a girl & a guy came ...no older than 18...They found a handful of items...came to the table & said..."Is $65.00 enough for this??" My mouth dropped...I said.." Oh my goodness, you guys, that is just way too much..." They refused to give me any less. By the smiles on their faces...I could tell how much they loved to be giving. They commented that they had been to our lemonade stand the kids had a while back...& they just thought it was cool, so they came back & gave again. WOW!!! I hope all of our kids will have that same giving, compassionate, generous attitude when they are that age....Their parents should be sooo proud of them!!! When they left I thanked them again, told them how inspiring they both were...young people with incredibly giving hearts. Ok, gotta get ready for our day...but have to share one more story...
A woman probably in her mid 30's...shopped the tables for a good hour...she brought her things to the table, asked me who to write a check out to...& then handed me a check for $100! Like I said in my last post...I'm getting better at receiving gifts from people...but being a mom with children...i know how much $100 is & I know how many groceries I could buy, or gas in my car, school clothes...etc....so, I said...well, thank you so much, but $100 is wayyy too much...I really appreciate it, but I just can't take all of this...she said..."I am going to give you this...We recently had a fundraising benefit dinner for our family & we were so thankful to those who gave, so I just want to help you in the same way others helped us! I said" would you mind If I asked what your fundraiser was for?" She said "My husband needs a heart transplant." WOW! My heart sank. How can she give to my family, when they could use this money?? They are a family of 4...two of them age 3 & 5..the other two their God-loving parents. I still sit here just amazed. Amazed at God's goodness & faithfulness. Amazed at how this woman could so graciously give when her husband is fighting for his life. I believe that her husband will receive the absolutely most perfectly matched heart for his body. You see, he can't receive just any heart..she explained that it needs to be just right...right for his weight & height. God is so Good & so Faithful...I know This family will be ok. Would you please join me in praying for this family?? Each one of these encounters & hearing someone's life story..has blessed me in a new way... I love getting to know new people & who they are.

OOps...almost forgot....drum roll please....yesterday our grand total was........$1,408.00.....Yes, you read that right....One Thousand, Four Hundred & eight dollars!!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

peace.

Just have to tell you about a day I had about 2 wks ago.... Normal Thursday...besides having to have my teeth cleaned( which I never look forward to, but Love it when it's all done...I love super clean teeth!) Oh, & I had my oh, so fun MRI of my brain...yep, my brain! Crazy...I know...But I was at peace...and that's something to celebrate. YOu see, with having MS..even though mine is very mild...it's good to have yearly or in my case...since I love getting them done like alot...well, then it's more like 2-5 years!! I'm a procastinator with things like that!! Anyhow, I went into it..knowing & feeling how nervous I was...I always get myself so worked up before I go...while I'm in that Clausterphobic(sp?) small tube..I wonder the whole time what the tech's & nurses are seeing on the computer. BUT.Not. This. Time. Nope.. I laid there as calm as can be...I was so peaceful...it was really unexplainable!! For the 45 min laying there...God was just speaking scripture to me..." I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me." Phil 4:13
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you & help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Ok, on with the story... So, after being in there about 30 min..the nurse brought me out...gave me a little poke & while we sat there, we talked. She had asked if I had children, how many & If we were done yet. Hmm. Nope, we aren't done. The Lord is not done. I explained to her that we are waiting for our little girl from ET. She immediately teared up. She explained that she & her husband tried IVF 4 times...& by the grace of GOD she was able to go through 2 pregnancies!! WOW!! BUT, The Lord is working in their hearts..they are very interested in adopting...but you know what..the one thing that they worry about is the FINANCES!! Yep, That's how we were too...& still are. I encouraged her. I mentioned that we struggled with the finance stuff too. We hated the idea of fundraising. I was proud. too proud. And through our process of bringing our boys home...I learned how to receive. Receive from giving people. Friends, family & even complete strangers. God is Good & so very faithful. He funds what He favors. So, after my MRI was completed I had another gal ask me questions about adoption...you see, if I wouldve been my normal, anxious self at the MRI center...they probably wouldnt have felt comfortable asking questions...God was all over it...I left, and on the ride home.... i was literally shaking my head & saying" God, you are so big, you are always right there...right when I needed you most...please give these 2 women strength, peace, comfort in their decisions regarding adoption!" So, my prayer is...that the woman I visited with would step out in faith...knowing, trusting & believing that God will provide. So, I sit here today...2 days before I'm about to have a fundraising Garage sale...peaceful. I'm not panicking about where the funds will come from. They will come & not a minute too late. God is faithful. And, that my friends...is good news!! I've been thinking about the most frequently asked question or obstacle regarding Adoption...And, I don't know about you, but I'd say that finances is a big one... I used to say..." We can't afford this." And now, I know with all of my heart.." these children, whether from here or there..."THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, if we continue to let the finances hold us back!!" They can not afford it if you & I would turn & walk away. they can not afford it. So, today I stand in peace. Peace that really passes all understanding. Good stuff people!!
So much going through my head, so, sorry for the jumbled post!!! xo

Monday, September 19, 2011

better late than never.....

Well, with our summer coming to an end....who am I kidding ( our fall coming to an end is more like it!!!) Thought we better have our rummage sale sooner than later!! You never know when it will be toooo cold to be outdoors for longer than 10 minutes:) Anyhow, this coming Friday & saturday...we will be having a fundraiser rummage sale!! We will have coffee, lemonade, refreshments & hopefully a ton of goods!! As many of you probably all know...we'd love to take all 4 kids with us to ET to pick up their sister & our Daughter...so, anything you donate & somebody buys...it all goes towards bringing her home!!!! OUr sweet girl has been on my mind all morning:) Can't wait to see her face!!! Oh, and don't forget our Puzzle piece fundraiser!!! Buy a piece of the Africa Puzzle for $10 & your names will go on the back of the piece & it will be a beautiful piece of artwork on our wall....displaying God's goodness & faithfulness to us!! We appreciate the prayers:)
xo

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Ageze's 1st day of Kindergarten!!!!







So sorry for such a late post....long story short...I received a cd in the mail of where our sweet girl first was brought in ET...the orphanage...region etc.... I was so crazy excited to see it...I shoved it in our disk drive...damaging the computer & the disc....ooops!!

Anyhow...I couldnt wait to post pic's of Agezes first day of school!!! He wanted to go to school soooo bad...so with the help of the school psychologist, superintendant & my perserverance...he was able to start!!! Why was it so complicated you ask??? Well, Agezes Et birthdate is 11/26/06....so, that would mean he wouldnt turn 5 until November 2011...hmmm. After much evaluation from doctors, dentist, school psych...etc... everyone has agreed he's more like almost 6!! So, Ageze's wish was granted...and he was able to start Kindergarten!! He is loving school!! He told me the other day..."momma, I ask a little boy...will you be my best friend??" And I said,"what did he say??" Ageze said,"of course he said yes!!" So, he has many friends & is just lovin it!! xo