Where we're at, take two ...

today's BIG news:

we got our I800A approval!!!

(just as a little reminder what this is about, I found this info:  "The I-800A allows the USCIS to make a preliminary determination of the prospective parents' fitness to bring an orphan into the United States. The USCIS looks at the application, the attached homestudy report, and the other requested documents in making the determination.")  So, in simple terms, this is the US government saying we meet the criteria and have approval to adopt a child from a Hague country!

and ...

how about some fundraiser updates!

TEE SHIRT CAMPAIGN

we launched our first tee shirt campaign in the wee hours of the morning!

a little about that ...

Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, a feeling of trust.  Having hope has bee a huge part of this journey for me.  My hope began the moment I saw her precious face!

Saying yes to this girl was easy, knowing we are meant to be hers ... but also scary, not knowing where the needed finances would come from.  It was without a doubt the biggest leap of faith we've ever taken!

There are so many things in life that require that stepping out, taking that leap - holding on to the hope that it will all work out!  This is what inspired our tee design!

Please click here to check it out!

We must meet a minimum for these to print, plus the more we sell the more we make - so please also feel free to share!

Our Puzzle Fundraiser

last week we lowered the price to sponsor a puzzle piece,

this week was our second largest yet - with sixteen new pieces sponsored!

We now have 95 puzzle pieces sponsored - and 157 left!!!

I am so enjoying seeing the puzzle come together!

I can't wait for it to be complete so I can frame it and hang it on our wall!

would you like to sponsor a piece of our puzzle?

it's $10 a piece, simple click here to donate and we will add your name to a piece!

this puzzle is going to be such a treasure for us to have and for Ruby to see so 

many names of amazing people who helped to bring her home!

Nana's Yardsale

can we talk about the many amazing people who have come along side us on this journey, so eager to help in whatever ways they possibly can.

the outpouring of love & support is stunning, it takes my breath away.

when we said yes, we did so knowing we needed an army behind us ... 

but also knowing that having any expectations could be crushing.

again, a leap of faith!

we have been surprised to see so much support coming from strangers and people we only know through social media, such a testament to the power of community ... but we also have some friends and family that have gone above and beyond anything we could have dreamed!

this weekend my mom, aka: Nana, had a big yardsale fundraiser.

to the many people who pitched in - donating items, helping set up, helping during the sale, helping clean up, praying for success ... thank you!

our fundraising efforts will continue until we hit our fully funded goal.

I excitedly anticipate that day, not just because of the huge impact for us - to be at the top of this gigantic financial mountain ... but also because once we've met our goal and no longer need to put every extra penny towards our own adoption, we can pay it forward - I can't wait!!!

and ...

we've been offered another matching grant!!!

what's a matching grant?
it's when someone offers to match a certain dollar amount of donations!
for instance, if someone offers a $100 dollar matching grant:
that means that you now need to hustle to get $100 in new donations (often there's a time limit in which to meet this), and then they will match that - adding another $100 donation!
sometimes the numbers are confusing, it's just because we calculate the fees (so, for instance, $100 in donations would be a raise of $97 in our FSP)

our Reece's Rainbow FSP currently reads $2,828.74 ...

we were offered a $500 matching grant!!!

our FSP needs to read $3,313.74 by May 13

*EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS & MAKE A DIFFERENCE*

if you feel led to help us meet this matching grant, please click here:

Angel for the Job Family

prayers & shares are always welcome!!!

AND ...

how about we end this post with an updated fund-o-meter!!!

I couldn't believe it when I worked all the figures and saw we were at a little over $26,000 ...
so I'm sending in $1000 to bump it to over $27,000!!!

not quite $8,000 to go and we are there - at the top of the mountain, fully funded!

 keep up the prayers & shares, friends!
we can feel your love & support!
THANK YOU!!!

we are yours ...

oh sweet girl, we still have a ways to go until it is official ...

but you know I knew from that moment I saw you, that I was yours.

I hope I never forget how I felt that night ...

it was like nothing I've ever experienced before.  to see your little face and suddenly feel a

 connection that can only be expressed as knowing I was your mama.  suddenly I felt so sad 

and so scared, that I had a piece of my heart so far away ... that is when the hope began.

we have come SO far in just three and a half months.  I pray I never let myself forget how amazing it is to see God's mighty hand in this journey, and how touching it is to see the true beauty of so many good people reaching out to help us.  God is so, so good!

and now sweet girl, we have a name for you ...

it felt important to me not to take anything away from you, but equally as 

important that we give you a name just as we have the four children before you.

you are so precious to us,

Ruby ********* Sonya

We all agree, she is Ruby!  We are keeping her Chinese name as her first middle name and are giving her my mom's, her new Nana's, name as her second middle name!!!

... we are coming for you precious Ruby, just as fast as we possibly can!

so many things ...

a long over due update.
clearly regular blogging escapes me these days.

so let's see, where did I leave off ...

my last post was a lot about the aspects of financing an adoption, a huge undertaking for sure.  we continue to climb that financial mountain and we're a little over half way now.  so amazing!

where we're at right now ...

our home study is complete, woohoo!!!  our I800A has been sent in (this is the application for determination of suitability to adopt a child from a convention country) and we just got our official letter that it was received on March 22!  now we wait for our letter with fingerprint appointment.  once that's all done and we have our I800A approval, we can send our dossier to China - a big, huge piece of this journey!!!

and little sister ...

well, we were able to get an update (this came on the perfect day, 3/21 - world down syndrome day) through our agency.  this included a few photos, a new video, and answers to some questions we had.  we found out her favorite snacks are: milk, cookies, french fries, and candy.  the more we find out about her, the more we see that she's bound to fit right in around here!

then a few nights ago I received an email from the lady of the courier we used to send little sister's care package (we weren't allowed to send ourselves, we had to use a third party courier).  it was answers to the questions we asked as part of our letter to little sister and her caregivers.  so now I have two sets of answers to our questions, and though they are fairly short & sweet answers - I still adore a little insight.  so I was able to confirm that she did indeed get her care package.  my heart was so happy to know this!

and some super fun news - we've finally settled on a name for "little sister"!  we aren't ready to reveal it quite yet, but stay tuned because we're going to make the reveal extra fun.

please continue to keep us in your prayers.  specifically, please continue to pray for the funding.  also of utmost importance is to pray for the adjustment when she is finally home!  please pray for our sweet little one.  she needs to be with her forever family, but for her this will be so confusing and scary.  please pray peace and comfort for her when the transition arrives!

thank you all, many blessings