Garage Sale Time!!!

It's that time of year again.  Warm temps, lots of rain, the color GREEN!!!  I'm a sucker for Spring because for me it is the true beginning of the year, the beginning of life again as animals come out of hibernation or return home, plants that lay dormant wake up and put color back into our landscape.  And all of this is paralleled by Easter and Jesus' resurrection as well as my own birth which took place in April almost 32 years ago.  So needless to say, I'm in my happy time right now!

With the rejuvenation of Spring and the upcoming adoption of our son, I'm feeling very motivated to do something.  In many ways, I know it's nesting but I'm also inspired.  Dustin and I have tossed around all sorts of ideas on how to raise funds to bring our son home.  It has been our intent to do a garage sale in June but it was a fellow adoptive mother that truly inspired and lit a fire inside of us me.  She and her family had a garage sale over Spring break and they did amazing!!!  Not just good but truly A-MAZE-ing!!!  She was so very kind to share all of the details of their success with us and we are going to use every last bit of advise.  Thanks to several of our friends, we already have started collecting items for this sale.  We have faith we can make it BIG!

So, here's the plan.  SAVE THE DATE:  June 7-8!  We are going to have an incredible garage sale.  These dates correspond with the Tri-Lakes/Northland Estates/Karen's Cove yearly garage sales which equals free advertising.  The turn out should be great.  Friday is always very busy.

We are going to need help!  Here's a list of ways you can take part:

1.  Donate-clean out your house, garage, sheds and we will come pick up it up.  Tools, furniture, baby stuff, lawn stuff, pet stuff, clothes, collectibles, kitchenware.  You name it, we'll sell it!  And please share with your friends and neighbors, too.  We'll come pick up their stuff, too!  Items not sold, will NOT be returned.  We will donate all remaining items to local banks and community groups for less fortunate.  Regardless, items will be used for HIS purpose.

2.  Volunteer-here is a list of areas we'll need help.  We've been told we'll need about 15 people/day depending on the amount of items we collect.  We will do shifts.

     -Project Coordinator-This person keeps everyone organized and is in charge.  This person is the only person that will negotiate garage sale prices so that bargain shoppers can't manipulate all the volunteers for better pricing.  This person will thin the money regularly.

     -Pricing/Categorizing Team  (This will happen starting weeks before the sale)

     -Set Up Team  (Thursday all day)

     -Organize the Chaos Team-straighten as the sale goes on.

     -Tear Down Team  (Saturday afternoon after 12:00)

     -Cashiers  (Friday 7:30-5p and Saturday 8-12noon)

     -Baggers  (Friday 7:30-5p and Saturday 8-12noon)

     -Nutrition/Hydration Team (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)  This team will make sure our team    is fed and watered throughout this project.  We've even tossed around selling food as a separate fundraising idea with the garage sale?!  Theoretically, we could feed our volunteers from this if we decided to do it.  An idea might be sloppy joes, hotdogs, chips and a drink.  This is so not my area of expertise.

      -Signage Team-Makes sure that clear signage gets people to the sale and labels tables and cashier's tent for the sale.

      -Loose End Team-covers whatever I haven't already thought of.

3.  Loan-We could use some canopy tents and tables because we are hoping that it won't all fit in our garage.  We have a big yard and we plan to use it!

OUR GOAL:  $5,600!  My friend was able to raise more than that so I'm in full belief, God will help us do this.  Seems like a lot but this is the orphanage fee for Jordy.  It can be done.

Contact us via Facebook if you are interested in helping in any of the mentioned areas.  For those that volunteer in some way, you will have the opportunity to shop on Thursday as we set up.  However, if you choose to buy something that would be considered a big draw, we may ask that you leave it until the sale is over.  We still want to lure people in to shop!!!  ;)

I have to post a cute picture of Jordy that I found this week!  I love bath-time photos.

To be lifted up in prayer!

I'm sitting here checking my e-mail and I'm humbled by one single one of them.  Dustin and I have applied for a few grant opportunities in our quest to bring Jordy home.  One grant application we just placed in the mail last week and we received a simple e-mail about it today:

Dear Grant Applicant,

Thank you for applying for (this) grant. This e-mail serves as confirmation that we have received both the online portion of your application as well as your supporting documents.

Applications completed by the April 30, 2013 deadline (which includes your application)  will be notified via postal mail of our determination a minimum of 90 days from the April 30 deadline date. Please know that we will be upholding your family in prayer throughout this process. 

It's exciting to know that our paperwork reached it's destination.  However, that last simple sentence chokes me up and means so much!  To be lifted up in prayer is such an incredible blessing.  Knowing that people you have never met are making it a priority to pray for our journey regardless of outcome is downright humbling.  My heart is thankful.

And, thank you to all our friends and family whom are praying for us regularly.  We are so grateful.  It is obvious that we are showered in prayer because while grueling, this whole process has gone so well.  We aren't done yet but so far, so GREAT!

As you can see this grant application will take several months to process, and there are a few others that we have applied for.  Please continue to lift us up in prayer as we wait to hear about these grant opportunities.  No matter who these organizations decide to give their funds to, each family is deserving and I can't imagine how difficult it is to narrow down the candidates.  Regardless of outcome, these grants mean less orphans and very blessed families.   

We are already surprised at what God has accomplished regarding the financing part of this process.  While we still have a ways to go, I've managed to remain calm.  I don't usually do calm very well when it comes to money stuff.  However, there is a certain peace that comes when you accept that God already has this all figured out.  We are trying to listen for His cues and direction on what the next step might be for us in terms of raising funds and we can honestly say that when the money has been needed, it's has been available.  No accident there.

O Lord, you are my God, I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.  Isaiah 25:1 NIV

These four beautiful goofy wonderful kids are evidence of God's amazing plan.
Blessed, blessed, blessed we are beyond measure or understanding by the creator of ALL.
I <3 my Caydra, Gerik, Natalie, & Melina.  And just think, this is Jordy's last Easter without us!