What a weekend!

As I sit here getting ready to type, I can't help but think of a verse that, to me, sums up these last several days the best:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

We are just jars. Sinful people with nothing special in and of ourselves. But the ways in which God chooses to use us to display His glory and His power are both humbling and beautiful. And that is how this whole weekend has felt...both humbling and beautiful! Our prayer, above all, echoes the words of John the Baptist when he said of Jesus, "He must increase and I must decrease!"

Our "weekend of blessings" really started Thursday afternoon with an email from CWA. There is hope that the necessary paperwork may have been obtained concerning the boys. We will, Lord willing, know more next week but that was a huge encouragement. A few hours later we got the mail and found a letter from Shaoahnna's Hope ( an adoption ministry founded by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife). They have given us a grant in the amount of $5,000!!!!!!! My heart was pounding as I read the letter, tears filling my eyes! It's a moment I will not soon forget!

Fast forward to Saturday night and the fundraiser. What a great night! We rejoice in God's grace and mercy throughout the day! We estimate there were around 125 people there...many whom we met for the first time! The potatoes tasted great :), Bryan and I got to share a little bit of our heart for adoption and the process we have been going through, and we had so much help with set-up, clean-up and everything in between. I have yet to get a picture of all the dear ladies that headed this whole thing up...but when I do, I'll be posting that picture!:)We also had the joy of meeting a pastor and his family that live in our town who are adopting a 4 1/2 year old boy from Ethiopia! They should be heading over in May or June to get him and we are SO excited at the thought of Samuel and Caleb and their son getting to play together!

The icing on the cake of this fundraiser was the $2,800 that it brought in. But the true "cake of it all" for us was seeing people fellowshipping with each other, serving others and encouraging our hearts as they came alongside us last night in sweet support! Having said that, we have sought to be transparent throughout this process...not because it is easy or comfortable...but because we want others to see the surpassing greatness of God and the fact that what He calls you to do, He will equip you to do...and that means giving you a financial update!:) To date, we have raised:
$11,500 of "our" personal money (it's really God's, right?!)
$13,000 through love gifts from family and friends and fundraisers
$7,000 in grants
GRAND TOTAL: $31,500 of the estimated $33,000 for this adoption (assuming air fare stays down!)
PRAISE THE LORD!!!!
We believe, wholeheartedly (though some may disagree), that even if there had not been a penny in our savings account, that God would have provided a way, "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (cannot be undone)" (Romans 11:29) both in salvation and in anything else He calls us to do!

Thanks for taking this journey of adoption with us, whether it be through prayer, financial giving or being apart of last night's fundraiser! We look forward to keeping you posted on how God continues to move and work and, Lord willing, brings these precious boys into our home! Hope you enjoy the pictures...and just click on them to make them bigger!:)


There are so many pictures that I want to post...but they have pictures of the boys in them somewhere...whether it be the little flags on the centerpieces or the kids and the shirts they had on. One of my girlfriends from California made t-shirts for my kids with pictures of Samuel and Caleb on them!!! They are precious!

We had our fundraiser at the the church from which our church was "planted", West Side Baptist Church. They had an amazing room that worked perfectly for the potato feed! Each table was decorated with red, yellow or green table cloths (the colors of the Ethiopian flag!) and on it was the "vase" you see in the picture. All the flags had the Ethiopian flag on one side and the American flag on the other side with an oval shape hole with a picture of the boys in it! We also put out Andes Mints and Ethiopian themed coloring pages and crayons on the tables which were all big hits!




This is the start of the long line of silent auction items...51 items to be exact!!! I was able to put a few pictures down below but there were SO MANY other items I just couldn't take pictures of all of them....from a "men's golf basket" to a floral arrangement, to 4 hrs. of electrical work, a free haircut and style, a one hour message, Cookie Lee jewelery, to a "Fitness" basket...and ones for boys and girls, to a pie a month for a whole year gift certificate...and I could go on and on!!! Know that even if I didn't list your donated item...it was very much appreciated and made our evening a reality!!!


This counter top was FULL of desserts by the time of the fundraiser. It didn't stay full long at all. I am pleased to know that there are MANY people with a sweet tooth as big as mine! :) There were beautiful pies, yummy bread, cupcakes, muffins, cookies and even Milkshakes that could be pulled out of the freezer for them (Thanks Major's and Carrie!!!). The hours of work that went into baking on our behalf was amazing...THANK YOU ALL!!!


My sweet girlfriend from California made a couple of dolls like this for my girl's birthdays and she also made one for the auction...I think I should become her advertising agent...isn't the doll just precious?!!!!


Thank you Aunt Sharon, Christi and Trish for the beautiful purses you made!!!!! I would have bought them all had it been up to me :)




These items, among others, were made by people we didn't even know!!!! Our hearts were blessed beyond measure by the outpouring of love and care and the body of Christ, at large, took on a whole new meaning last night! One gal, Sue, offered her time in the churches kitchen for the whole six hours we were there. She scrubbed the dishes, cleaned up messes, loaded and unloaded potatoes...and we had never met each other until yesterday. My eyes well up with tears just thinking about the sacrifice she (and so many others) made on our behalf yesterday!




This is Anne Marie. She is one of the gals in our youth ministry who helped us out with the fundraiser this weekend (thank you to the other dear gals who helped too..and for giving up time on your sweet 16th Birthday, Kate, to help us!!!!). Anne Marie was a extra special gift from the Lord this weekend. She stayed the night on Friday with us and took care of the kids all day on Saturday...and at the fundraiser. I can't tell you the blessing it was to be able to leave my kiddos in Anne Marie's very capable hands and not worry about a thing! Thank you Anne Marie! Your servant's heart was a huge blessing to Bryan's and my hearts this weekend (and my earrings will forever remind me of you!)!