Beads and Shirts and Sales, Oh My!

So I mentioned in our last post how we may have found a home study contact at a reduced rate, and how that next step sparked the next set of fees due to our agency.  We are trying to focus on the excited part, and not the 'what if we can't move forward because we don't have enough money' part.  I'm not going to lie and say that when we originally looked at the fees involved with this that we didn't have a little sticker shock.  However, God has given us a great sense of peace, and persistence, and we have been looking at some GREAT, fun fundraisers to do in the mean time.  

I wanted to give you all a heads up as to what is in the pipeline so maybe you can begin praying about how you might be able to support our adoption.  Really, anytime we've asked for help or mentioned something here, we come away with even more fantastic ideas or advice, so we'd love to hear what you think!  We've added a short-term goal thermometer on the right side of the blog.  Instead of posting the large, looming number that is awaiting us (we're being very transparent, if you want to know total fees, check out the page for our agency or just email me), we thought we'd break it into smaller, achievable goals.  And we'd love for you to cheer along side us as we reach each goal.  We will be adding in our money that I mentioned we are saving in a previous post, and updating as to all the fundraising efforts we have.  I don't want this whole blog to be about money, though it is all a story of God's provision and perfect timing, so I will try to limit the specific updates on that.  You can always email me if you would like to know where we stand.  

So, once I mentioned fundraising, Eric started researching a hundred different ways you can go about it.  He's found some amazing ideas, so we are in the beginning phases of LOTS of things!  Our lives are about to get even busier, and we love it!  Some have fallen in our lap and we are extremely grateful.  Some are pretty consistent with what we see that other adoption bloggers are doing (if you want to look at a pretty good list of Ugandan adoption blogs, check out this one).  And all are being prayerfully considered, we hope each one brings glory to God the Father first and foremost!  

T-Shirts

This is pretty standard.  We stayed up last night working on a design.  It's in the beginning phases, but we like where it's going so far.  We checked out one website that does shirts for fundraisers and the shirts were pretty steep.  So Eric is going to email the guy he uses for all his band shirts and get a quote from him.  We hope to have some pre-orders if at all possible.  This is what we came up with in just a couple hours.  I'm sure it will be tweaked a ton, but again, it's a start.  I could go on forever about what each part means to us, but I will do a separate post once we get the design finalized and have a plan.  So, in the meantime, tell us what color shirt YOU'D like for us to do.  Most of them we've seen have been black or white (I'm assuming that's less expensive!), but we're considering all options.  This looks pretty cool on a charcoal/gray color.  Vote in the comments! :)

Beads

One of my new friends, and a mentor on this journey so far, has been Tonya LaTorre.  I've been at her house a bit recently helping them with Quickbooks for their new non-profit.  It is such a joy for me to be able to offer help in things that come so easily to me.  And I'm not going to lie, the little girl they've adopted has a piece of my heart.  Their dog is pretty nice too :).  Anyways, when she came home from adopting Kira in January, she brought home boxes of awesome paper bead necklaces and bracelets that the women in Uganda make.   She's been selling them as a fundraiser for the orphanage they've adopted in Kyengera.  You can see pictures of them, and support their ministry, Kirabo Seeds, here.  We sold them at our spring Tot 2 Tot sale, and they were a hit!  

Yesterday she gave me a few bracelets to start selling and promised she'd purchase some necklaces and bracelets to bring back to help us raise more funds!  What a blessing she is.  So, I'm going to set up a page featuring those.  Here is a picture of what I have as of now.  

Garage Sale

You know how I said my last garage sale was my last?  I was wrong.  I used to love doing them, but when you have 3 kids under the age of 5, they get to be more work than it's worth :).  However, in unpacking our stuff that we packed up for when the house was on the market, we've found even more stuff we can part with.    And some friends have offered their things.  And someone that is moving offered to us what they didn't want to move.  So, our official plea is here: We'll take your done with items!  

I know it's crazy hot here, but we hope to hold a garage sale, probably in July, FULL of donated items, that will benefit our adoption fund.  I'm still talking with Cara about having a cupcake/lemonade stand as well, so we can send her proceeds to the orphanage Kirabo Seeds supports.  On the one hand she wants to make cupcakes and lemonade.  On the other hand, she doesn't necessarily want to do it for anyone besides herself :).  We're still working on that servant heart!  Will you please prayerfully consider donating some items you were done with anyway?  And we'd love for our local friends to come out and help us the day of.  We'll let you know that date asap!

A few other ideas we're throwing around are: 

Poker Tourney--Eric found an idea online that someone did where they held a poker tourney and all the proceeds benefited the adoption.  What a fun way to fund-raise!  We're looking into how we could host that, or where we could host it, and if anyone would be interested.  And also prizes for the winners, gift cards, etc.

Raffles--My friend Tonya said she'd bring back a beautiful painting from Uganda (they leave tomorrow for their 3 week mission trip!!) that we could raffle off to raise funds.  We are so blessed!  I can't wait to see the beauty!

I told you about my friend Mindy and her quilting/sewing fundraising for their own adoption.  If I could ever get the current quilt I promised my sister-in-law for Christmas last year finished, I'm going to make one to raffle as well.  Or maybe something else, I'm still considering all of it.   

If you have some great ideas, please let us know.  We set up a new email, newsomes4adoption [at] gmail dot com that we are using for all of our adoption correspondence with our agency, etc.  We both have it sent to our phones, so we get a little excited each time we get an alert.  If you have any questions or suggestions, we'd love to hear from you!!

It's all about who you know ;)

So yesterday I posted about searching for a local agency who does home studies.  Today, a friend emailed me (who was leaving for her 10 year anniversary trip to Hawaii TODAY) with a referral to a friend's sister who does them here in Houston.  I looked into her and asked if she'd done any for Uganda.  We've been corresponding all day and it looks like we'll get to use her.  The best part, with the friend referral, she's a good $300-$400 LESS than any other price we've heard of.  We are super excited about this, and getting the home study done soon so we can begin applying for grants.  However, with the cheaper home study comes 2 payment fees due to our agency in the next little bit.  So please continue praying.  We will be starting some fundraising efforts as soon as possible.  If you are in the area, we are going to be hosting a HUGE garage sale where all the proceeds go straight to fees like this.  Please consider donating some items you don't need or want anymore that are taking up space in your garage! And again, it's all about who you know.  We KNOW God called us to this, and we KNOW He will continue to provide, as long as we are prayerful, diligent and obedient!

Next step and dance steps

So we finished our application packet and Doctrinal statement and Christian questionnaire for our agency, Lifeline, last night.  We had decided that once Eric was out of school, we'd start the application process.  We sat down last night, assuming we'd work a little each night and submit by Friday.  But, we just kept on going and finished it last night!  Woohoo.  It felt like a weight lifted immediately.  Obedience is powerful and truly fulfilling.  I am just over the moon excited it's a bit hard to contain :).  

We submitted our application payment and already received word back that they received it and our social worker should be contacting us this week.  We are looking into homestudy agencies and I've began downloading a few grant applications.  So that's where we are.  

In other news, Cara had her dance dress rehearsal tonight.  It's so fun to watch how she's grown over the past year.  She really enjoys it, and we couldn't help but love Ms. Kathy (she teaches 3s and 4s only at Becky's Academy here in Katy.  I'd recommend her to anyone!) and be sad it's her last year as Cara's teacher at the same time!  Enjoy these pics of my sassy girl.

All my babies before dress rehesarsal

Cara ready to go!

My little ballerina

End of performance pose

Some mid-dance poses:

Her tap costume for Rockin' Robin

Standing in line waiting for her group picture, striking a pose! :)

I don't know why I've been putting this off.....

I could blame it on being busy, being summer, being focused on other things.  And those are all true.  I seem to take a hiatus from blogging when I have big news to share, or just don't know quite how to share something.  I want it to come out right, perfect even.  But God knows I'm not perfect.  And if I sat here and edited this post for hours (then had my really smart friend do it again), it still wouldn't be perfect.  Because it would be from this earthly being, who is fallen, though forgiven by grace, and not from Him.  So I've been praying and praying and praying, "God, give me the words to share.  They already probably think I'm crazy.  And some may TOTALLY not understand where we're coming from.  And that's ok, but let them feel YOU speaking through us."

So today's the day we've decided to share.  It's been decided for a couple months.  Since March 28, 2011 to be exact, though God started working on us long before that.  But I didn't want to share, and then have nothing to follow through on.  Kinda like this post.   Yeah, I'm still in Ephesians 1:5.  Don't get me wrong, I feel I've been parked there for a reason, and because I heard what God was ACTUALLY calling us to do this year, but read at the bottom of that post the two blogs I linked too.  That's a little clue.  And I have started out again great with the losing weight.  Read Made to Crave, it changed how I view food and really is a great read!  Started a bootcamp.  Have lost 8 pounds or so in the past couple of weeks.  God is working in lots of aspects of my life.

Ok, so I've strung you on long enough....what's the news already Misty???!?!?!?

God has called us to adopt.....from Uganda!!


And we are super excited!  I should just leave it there and share a little each day, but wanted to give just a little background story.  When I say God has called us to adoption, I truly mean that.  It was the the one thing Eric and I said we'd never do.  Especially international.  Never even really considered it.  Why would we?  Especially 5 years ago when we had our first child.  That's something people do that can't have kids right?  And yes, it's a great alternative, and I've been blessed by friends who have adopted, but it's not the only reason to adopt.  I really can't type up everything that has happened over the past 2 years or so, since God started working on our hearts.  It took that long for us both (we came to the realization on the same day!) to figure out where God was leading us.  I'll just share a few excerpts from my journal on 3/28.  The day Eric came home (after we didn't get to speak all day because he was busy at work, though I had been in tears and prayer, knowing what God was calling us to, and begging him that now I knew, that God would change Eric's heart SOON because I just KNEW he wouldn't be on the same page....little did I know, God had already done that!) and said, "I know, we're going to adopt."  With no prompting from me.  I'm sure my jaw on the floor and giddy smile probably creeped him out, but it was the exact thing I needed to KNOW what I know what I know.  That God called us on this journey, and we're in it together. I wrote this before Eric came home and we talked:

"God has been doing a work on my heart--and though some doubts have been there--I feel even more confirmed by God's hand.  As I got off the phone (with a friend that day, talking about adoption) and Anna started stirring, I picked her up and sat in the floor of her room in tears, praying and begging God to confirm what I think I'm hearing and to work on Eric--as he HAS to lead this journey for us.  The song, "I'm Forgiven" keeps going through my head and reminds me that I am adopted into Christ's family by his blood shed: I don't deserve it!.....I want to be different for His kingdom, not my own.  I want to start my eternity NOW, living as He wills for my life......One thing I am giving over to God is reactions.  I feel unsettled in how mine and Eric's families might react.  Lord Jesus--I give it to you!  It is your will for our life--I submit it to you.  How they feel about it can have no barring on my obedience...."


So there's just a brief glimpse.  I have so much more to share.  I'm sure most of you are wondering how we are going to come up with that kind of money.  I wish we knew!  We are being diligent though, and very prayerful.  Every extra penny that we earn (selling items on craigslist, JuiceintheCity money, Eric's gigs, etc) we are saving 50% for our adoption, and giving 10% to Kirabo Seeds.  God has been blessing us since we committed and said, Yes Lord, send us!  There will be a garage sale soon.  And things raffled off.  And beggings and pleadings I'm sure (mostly for adoption grants).  But mostly, we are begging and pleading with God to provide, and have complete confidence in His ability to do so.  And our hearts are for adoption, so if you'd like to help someone already on the journey, check out my friend Mindy's auction to bring home her next baby with down syndrome here!

So, if you feel so led, please pray for us this week.  Our goal is to have our application and paperwork submitted to Lifeline by Friday.  After that, we'll need to schedule a homestudy and do some things around here (passport application, fingerprints, etc), but we are focusing on one step at a time.  We want to have everything in order so as soon as our homestudy is completed, we can begin applying for the NUMEROUS grants available to adoptive families.  We hope to get approved by one.  If not, we know God has this for our family and will just keep on saving.  

In the meantime, please pray for the team going to Uganda, led by my new friends Tonya and Craig LaTorre.  They leave on Saturday.  Everytime they are there I revel in the pictures of our new baby's homeland, and how we yearn to travel there soon.

Psalm 68: 4-5  "Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds-- his name is the LORD-- and rejoice before him.  A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling."

Psalm 82:2-4 "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? "Selah"  Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

Before I forget.....Anna's 9 months! With pictures!

Went to the doctor last week.


Height: 26 inches I think?
Head: 17 cm
Weight: 17 pounds 14 ounces  33%.


I've never had a baby's weight be less than 65% :) .  I asked because I didn't think she had gained any weight in 3 months.  She looked and she was only 17 pound 4 ounces (not 14 like I thought) at 6 months.  We are not concerned at all, she's healthy and happy.  She says most breastfed babies slow down after 6 months, mine just never have!  I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the store bought baby food.  She's my only one who has been on exclusively that instead of homemade....hmmmm.....

As of now, shes not crawling.  I mean she is if you count moving in circles, and going backwards crawling ;).  She sat up by herself in her crib for the first time a week or so ago.  She loves baths, loves her brother and sister, still takes a paci, does not like being left in the floor (unfortunately for all of our ears, she's there often being the 3rd baby).  Gotta take advantage of the immobile thing.  She's taking more and more baby food.  Today she had pasta and broccoli with us.  She loves EVERYTHING finger food.  Haven't found something she won't eat.  She'll eat pounds of beans if we let her, crazy girl.

Ok, here are some pictures from the past few months.

At Easter, trying to crawl....

With her uncle Greg

After the easter egg hunt

Papa feeding her

My 3 loves

Our family on Easter

With Cara at her preschool party

Just because he's so handsome, even when the sun's in his eyes:

At Cara's preschool program

Before cousin Jack's baptism

At Eric's cousins wedding....

Before the rehearsal dinner:

First swing ride

9 months old and 31 months

Our sweet little miss was 9 months old today.  How sad!  She is getting to be such a big girl and I am grasping at tidbits of baby that are left.  She is scooting and trying so hard to crawl.  She crawls really well backwards :).  Today I found her for the first time in her crib sitting up after she woke up.  She has her bottom 2 teeth coming through and I think she's teething her top one because she has been fussy the past few nights.  She is such a laid back and easy baby, usually.  She's taking 2 naps a day (when we are home to nap in the morning), and nursing 4-5 times a day.  She's eating baby food and solids like a champ.  We are going more and more to table food as the days go on. She has the cutest little crinkly nose grin, but the most unattractive squeal when she's stuck somewhere and can't get out!  Like the high chair.  If there is no food to entertain her, she's highly offended she has to stay there!  She is full-on gonna be red headed like Micah.  So the next few years will be full of some drama.  But we will be prayed up and receive it with joy!


Speaking of Micah man, he is two-and-a-half and it shows.  He can be the most tyrannical boy one minute and then the sweetest thing the next.   He is mommy's little man and my cuddle bug.  He's just so lean and skinny, I can curl him up and he's next to nothing in my lap or on my hip.  But when you're doing or saying something he doesn't like, he gets big and will let you know.  He is such a typical boy and likes anything to do with balls or throwing or running or being outside.  And he has a pretty good big sister to him, she loves all things creepy crawly and will be outside for hours with him looking at worms and bugs.  From our first swim of the season on Easter, he seems to be a fish and loves to be in the water, be thrown in the water, try to let go in the water!  We will keep a keen eye on him this summer.  We found out through an unfortunate standing-in-an-anthill-moment that he is very allergic to fire ants and is now getting weekly shots for the next 3-5 years to build up his resistance.  We have an epi-pen if it comes to that, but he did get bit earlier this week for the first time since his bad attack and it wasn't needed.  Thank you Jesus, because I didn't even know he had gotten bit until bath time when I saw them.  His poor little right foot still has the pot-marks and scars from the awful attack.  I hope they go away as he gets older.

He loves ALL things music.  He loves when Eric plays his guitar or trombone, he likes playing around on the harmonica and ukulele and loves singing and dancing.  He's patient with Sissy (Cara) and plays Mommy & Daddy with her, and he loves doing puzzles.  He's growing up much too fast and the days are fleeting.  I was just talking with some fellow moms of boys the other day and though I feel the responsibility of raising my girls into God-fearing Christian women, I feel this new responsibility with my boy.  He will be the spiritual leader, and the head of his household some day.  He will be my future-daughter-in-laws protector and provider and father to my grandchildren.  It seems daunting, but we are parenting him like we began, with the love and grace provided us through Jesus.  And lots of prayer!


My computer is going too slow uploading my pictures to flickr, so I'll leave you just with these couple of my beauties!

Anna's first time in the swing

Cara and her first worm

Playing Mommy and Daddy, it's nap time with Gweny.

My 3 one morning :)

Daddy and his babies

I'll post soon about my almost-5-year-old and our family news!!

Quick baby brag

So much to post on...so little time :)

Anna flew by 8 months almost 2 weeks ago now.  I finally got her pictures taken eariler this week.  She is one of the most laid back happiest babies.  I guess that comes when you are # 3.  Of course, her reflux days weren't so laid back, but now that that seems to be past us for the most part, she is pretty content. 

She has been waving for over a month now.  At first I thought it was really early and she was just flopping her arm around, but if you say Hi to her, she immediate looks and starts waving.  She has the full on arm wave and what I like the call the "queen's wave."  You know the one.  :)  I also kinda consider hi as her first word.  If we say it over and over she'll start to repeat us.  She's been babbling for quite awhile.  She loves babababa, and today while visiting with my parents my step-dad swore she said papapapa.  It's so convenient that's he's called Papa ;).  She is super loved by Cara and Micah and just lights up when they sit down with her to keep her company.

She is still in my most favorite baby stage.  Sitting, playing and not going anywhere yet! :)  But, alas, that phase is almost past us.  She is trying with all her might to reach things.  She crawls forward with her arms, then just looks at her little feet like, "why are you in my way."  She just can't seem to climb over them!  I know we'll be in for it soon.  And I'll have to start keeping my floors a bit cleaner!!  haha. 

Here's a cute picture from a few weeks ago.  Still have about a month of pictures to download from my camera, I've gotten so bad about that.  Love my little bitty girl!

Totally forgot, she has had 2 teeth break through this last week! :)