Update on where we're at...

I just wanted to give you all a quick update on where we're at in our adoption process as well as what else has been going on in our busy lives!!!

First of all, adoption update...

We received the FINAL notarized copies of our home study last week!! Woo hoo!!! It felt really good to have that portion of the process finally finished! We have written a large check to the US Dept. of Homeland Security, filled out our i-600a form and mailed those together with a copy of our homestudy, and our birth & marriage certificates to USCIS!! (immigration) Woo hoo!! Please pray we'll receive our appointment for our biometric fingerprints soon - and for favor with USCIS, that our homestudy/paperwork has the sufficient information they need in order to approve us to adopt! (Basically we have to be approved by three governments: state, US and the girls' country - we've gotten through the state level and are moving on to the next two!!)

We are working our preliminary dossier paperwork and my goal is that we have that sent off to our agency by May 1st. We are also are able to begin applying for grants too.

Fundraising update...

Fundraising has been a little slow going lately, we kind of hit a lull, and to be honest that was a big discouraging. International adoption is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it's really hard. Sometimes there are days and weeks where you feel like you're all alone, and there are no donations coming in - and you don't want to bug your friends and family anymore, because they're just as tapped out financially as you are! And you feel like you just don't know how on earth you can raise $40,000+ to get your girls home.....and then someone (or several someones!) come alongside you and lift you up, exactly when you need it most. Yesterday, my friend Patti was SO wonderful to feature us in this blog post. Thank you SO much, Patti!!! Our ChipIn has gone up $300 in 24 hours and our FSP up $75!!! WOW!! A HUGE thank you to all who have given to us - we appreciate it SO much!!!

We have a few on-going fundraisers, so don't forget about those:

• We are Amazon Associates and earn 7% on your purchases when you order through our link!! So easy!!! Just click here when you're ordering from Amazon.
• I'm making nap/quiet bags and selling them for $15. (Including shipping) These are a super cute bag for your child to keep quiet activities in for rest time at preschool, during church, car rides or dr. appointments, etc. This started as a fundraiser for a preschool, and has grown from there! Shoot me an e-mail if you are interested!! Here is the flyer for those, be sure to let your friends and family know!!
• And of course we are still selling puzzle pieces!!! As of this morning we have now sold 761 puzzle pieces...which means we have just 739 to go!! We're over halfway done with our puzzle!!!
  

Local friends we have a couple of local fundraisers coming up as well:

• Saturday, May 19th - we will have a fundraising garage sale!! If you have donations for that, we would happily take them!!! Just let me know and we'll make arrangements!!
  
• Saturday, June 9th - we will be having a Flapjack Fundraiser breakfast at Applebee's. (W. 11th) We need volunteers to help with the breakfast (servers, etc.) - so please let me know if you'd be willing to help out that day! Or if you'd be willing to sell tickets for us! We are meeting with the manager from Applebee's next week to hammer out the details - but tickets will be $7 for all you can eat pancakes, sausage and beverages - and we will earn $5 for each ticket!!!
  

Updates on the rest of our life....

Adoption keeps us pretty busy, but it's not the only thing we have going on these days!! Brandon and I have been enjoying our new roles as the leaders of the Missions Leadership Team at church. We were able to spend 2 days with folks from our church serving in our local community during Spring Break!

I'm gearing up for end of the year programs at school - my 4th and 5th grade music class have been learning recorders and my 1st & 2nd graders are working on American folk songs and dances. Brandon is still studying martial arts - and loves it! We are looking forward to spring weather arriving - still waiting on that, come on Oregon! - so we can get our yard cleaned up!

We are however, mourning the passing of Brandon's granddad, last week. He had a stroke last week and we were able to go to Portland and visit with him, before he passed on Saturday evening. While we are sad - we know he is in Heaven, and wow what a day to enter....he got to spend Resurrection Day at the feet of Jesus!! Can you imagine what a party that must have been!?!? :) We will be celebrating and remembering his life next weekend.

This update turned out a bit longer than I thought it would...hope you made it to the end!! Thanks for your continued support - we appreciate each and every one of you so very much!!