EPIC YARD SALE: SUCCESS!

We are exhausted but thrilled!

With the help of many, many friends, family, and church members, our yard sale is done!

And the results were amazing!

FOUR families came to our yard sale and shared that they too had experience with adoption.  

What a blessing and honor to meet these families and hear their stories.

 Some traveled over 45 minutes on a rainy Saturday to come to our sale, 

introduce themselves and even make a donation!

Speaking of rain... it rained!  

A Lot!

But God provided!  

We had over 9 tent canopies loaned to use, and we literally set up a "tent city". 

Volunteers came Friday to set up and prayed specifically for God 

to be in control of the rain, the sale and all that came from it!  

Saturday morning started for us at 5:30am in steady rain.  

I have to admit, my own heart was downcast. 

 It was dark, gloomy, wet and very EARLY.  

Yet God reveals His character when He provides for our needs. 

Dear friends, a husband and wife, appeared on our doorstep at 5:30am 

with smiles on their faces and hands ready to help!  

The wife burst into song, "This is the Day That the Lord has Made!" 

 True. So very true.

And after that... 

more volunteers came...

 things got busy...

 the rain slowed down...

 people appeared...

 stuff disappeared...

sales rolled in...

 and it was over.  

Clean up took a team of 4-8 people 

and about 3-4 hours 

which included 2 cars to Goodwill, 

bins packed with stuff for the next sale, 

and donation boxes made for a clothing drive through our church. 

So here are the totals:

SALES: $2100 +

DONATIONS: $600+

PRE-SALES on CRAIGSLIST: $600+

TOTAL: $3300+

AMAZING!  Thank you for all of your support, donations, prayers, advertising, time, effort, and kindness.  We are one step closer!

 Tents set up the day before the sale

 Amazing bargains to be found!

EPIC YARD SALE PICTURES and shameless plug...

This is Shameless Promotion... I know...

Here are some pictures of the amazing things that have been donated.  

Come on Saturday and check out the treasures to be found!  

Great prices, friendly people and awesome cause.  

Also, Starbucks coffee for sale, lemonade and home made goodies... all served by adorable children.

6906 Bronco Lane

Summerfield, 27358

7am - 2pm - RAIN OR SHINE

 JEWELRY - lots and lots and lots!

 This is our living room... and a small path!

 Boxes and bins... you never know what treasures you may find!

Baby gear, lamps, strollers, games, snow shovels, trees, and more!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1515340395365486/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

EPIC YARD SALE

I know I have to follow up about how we came to the decision to adopt.

But that will have to come at a later time.  Stay with me.

Right now, the all-consuming item in our life is the EPIC YARD SALE.

This Saturday.  At our house. 7am - 2pm.

It is quickly approaching.

We have already received donations from over 15 families

AND more are coming in this week!

Already, my sweet mom has come over twice for an all-day event of yard sale tagging.

Already, we have a team of volunteers lined up to help with Friday night set-up and Saturday morning sales.

Already, a darling friend is making shirts so we can all match.

Already, so many people have given.

Then... we hear it may rain. 60% chance. Ugh. Not good.

Oh dear friends... please pray.  Nothing is too big for our God... I recall many times when Jesus calmed the storms. Start praying that He will calm this impending storm, that He will hold back the rain with just a Word. Pray with me!

A few items have been too amazing to be only showcased at the yard sale.  Craigslist helped give them the exposure they needed!  Here are a few things that have come to our house... and are already gone (SOLD!)

(Yes, this is a GIANT High Heel Chair!  Sold in 12 hours!)

Fold away mattress - everyone should have at least one!  The man who bought the weight bench decided he needed one of these too! 

Thank you to all who have donated already.  

Please come to the sale and find something you can't live without! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1515340395365486/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Here is what my living room looks like!

Check out our progress on GO FUND ME!

Details.... part one.

We did not arrive at the decision to adopt easily, quickly, or

without much thought, soul-searching and prayer.

We became aware of  "Janie" through Reece's Rainbow (RR),

an advocacy site for special needs orphans around the world. http://reecesrainbow.org/.

It was close to Christmas and RR was trying to help raise awareness for these special children.  RR created a grant fund on "Janie's" page to help cover some of the expenses of adoption, which would hopefully help her adopting family more readily commit to moving forward.  We donated to "Janie's" fund, with the hope that a family would come forward.  And take her home.  And give her love.  And make her their own daughter.

No one came forward.

A few months passed.  

I walked to the mailbox one January afternoon and there was a package.  

(this is our Annabelle looking at the snow we got one January day)

A Christmas ornament.  

A picture of "Janie" on the ornament.  

This darling baby.

 Still  precious.

 Still waiting.

Christmas was over,

but in my hand was a little reminder

that this sweet baby did not have a family.  

Her second Christmas had come and gone...

without a mama.

Yet... what could I do?

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.” James 4:17

Piles of papers.  

Stacks of information. 

 Finances.  The stability of our marriage. How we parent.  

Our children's ages, likes, dislikes, weaknesses, strengths.  

Why adoption.  Why special needs.  When do we go. 

How much longer.  How much more money is needed.

QUESTIONS

So many!

I have been writing non-stop since mid-June!  

The adoption application required short biographies on EVERYONE. 

 That's seven people. 

 Plus I had to highlight how Matt and I met, 

why we liked each other then 

and how we still like each other now.

Pictured ABOVE are a *few* of the grant applications I am working on.  

So far, we have completed and sent in 3.  

I felt much better after I organized a bit.  Folders help. Labels, even better.  

Not the fanciest set-up for sure, but it works for me. 

Easy. Simple. Done. 

All the writing forces one to be reflective, 

to truly evaluate why we are doing what we are doing.

Honestly, there is not one ounce of doubt. 

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..."

 2 Timothy 1:9

So this is AJ...

AJ is smart.
AJ loves.
AJ is witty.
AJ has overcome open heart surgery.
AJ is observant.
AJ is sensitive.
AJ is compassionate.
AJ rides his bike in circles through our house.
AJ has 4 siblings.
AJ has a favorite toy named Woody the Cowboy.
AJ has a "secret lab" located in his room.
AJ also has Down syndrome.

AJ wants to be loved, included and accomplished, just like our other children.  We see ALL of his potential.
We also see it in every child we meet who has Down syndrome.  First, they are children. Second, they have Down syndrome.  We look at "Janie" and want to know...

Is she observant?
Is she sensitive?
Does she have a favorite toy?
Is she compassionate?
When will she learn to ride a bike?

She needs a mama and a daddy 

who will care about these things in her life.

We have a new fundraiser!  

It is an online party by a very sweet friend who JUST completed her adoption.  She is the proud mama of 2 boys and now a sweet little girl from China.  Deb has just completed this journey and it is a great encouragement to me that she wants to help us as we begin.

She is offering 100% of profits toward our adoption!

https://www.facebook.com/events/535069336615751/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming