Two AWESOME fundraisers!

Life has been a little on the busy side right now and the first thing to get neglected is always the blog.  While I'm working on catching up (we have been having some fun times lately), I'm not there yet but I didn't want anyone to miss our on two awesome fundraisers we have going on. 

The first one is an online auction that started TODAY via Facebook.  We have some incredible items donated by some incredibly generous people:

The auction goes until Sunday night at 9:00pm (est).  If you have Facebook come on over and find me!  I'll add you to the group! If you don't have Facebook, well you may want to set up a dummy account just to get in on some of the action.  Who doesn't love an auction?!

The second is a very generous offer by one of my favorite jewelry makers!  Tracy from Junk Posse is donating 20% of ALL of her sales from now until April 10th to our family!!  While a lot of her jewelry is designed with an international mindset there truly is something for everyone!  Think Easter, Mother's Day, birthday... her jewelry is handmade and absolutely gorgeous.  I wear my necklace from her shop every day. 

We are so incredibly thankful for everyone that has come along side us to help with this final step of bringing our boys home.  Our boys.  I never tire of saying that! 

A Walk Down Memory Lane

10 years ago today Matt and I had our first date.

Who would have thought that a single date could change your life.  Not me.  Matt has said it was love at first sight for him... for me, it was that Matt was intriguing.  He was confident but not a show off.  He was a gentlemen but not weak.  It didn't help that he was incredibly handsome. 

10 years later.

Laughter, tears, so much fun, bumps in the road.... 

I couldn't ask for a better husband or best friend.

Brad Paisley concert

Wedding

Honeymoon.  I had "monica" hair and braids were a must. 

Indians Game

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

New Years Eve Wedding

Paris

Potted Potter! 

Indians Game

Another Indians Game

Summer Wedding.

.an introduction of sorts.

Today I woke up with an ache; 

an ache in my heart so strong it felt physical.

I just wanted to hold our boys. I want to pull them in my arms, whisper in their ears that they are loved, adored, wanted.  I want to rub my hands atop their sweet little heads, put my cheek against their cheek and feel their breath on my face.  It's hard to imagine loving someone so completely that you've never met but it's not only possible, it's very real.

The love that crosses oceans, languages and cultures is found right here in our home.

To get out of my funk I want to share about our boys!  While I can't share their beautiful faces here on the internet, be prepared if you see me in person.  It is highly likely I'll be whipping up their pictures on my phone before we even say hi.  So instead of seeing their beautiful faces, you can see the beautiful face of my middle son and hear his sweet voice as he fills you in on his brothers.

Introducing Gabe's brothers from Meredith LaGorga on Vimeo.

Thomas, Gabriel and Samsel...

Three brothers and three sons. 

loved, wanted and perfect. 

.Joining our army.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. 

 

We've submitted our referral paperwork and it was all correctly filled out, signed and notarized!  Eek!  We checked, double checked and triple checked everything but I was still a bundle of nerves at the post office.

 

Our hearts are overwhelmed with joy over our boys.  I wake up in the middle of the night just to look at their pictures on my phone.   Checking to make sure it wasn't all a dream, assuring my heart they were ours and whispering a prayer for their health and safety has become a nightly routine. 

 

We pray for Gabe's brothers with him multiple times a day and he is asking for them by name and wondering when they'll get home.  Having no concrete date we just tell him soon and then we pray and ask God to bring them home as soon as possible.

 

It's hard not knowing how long this part of the waiting will take.  So many of the details and much of the timeliness of getting the boys home depend on other's competency.  It's hard because no one works as hard to get their children home as their parents.  Trusting another person with the passion to get our children home is nearly impossible. 

As we wait for all of the paperwork to be completed and court dates to be set up on this side of the wait, we are preparing our hearts and home to bring the boys home.  We are making plans for Gabe's care during the times we will have to leave him in Ohio and travel to Ethiopia to meet our boys and then bring them home. 

As we make these plans, we are also trying to get creative.  Creative with funding this last part of our adoption.  Y'all know adoption is not cheap and neither is traveling to Ethiopia.  To offset some of these expenses we are hoping to have two or three fundraisers before we travel to meet our boys.  Not knowing when we'll travel complicates things a little bit. 

Our first fundraiser is going to be an online auction via facebook.  Not on facebook?  Make a dummy account and join just for our auction.  So far we have some really great items.  We've been overwhelmed with the generosity of those both near and far.  To make this the best, most enticing auction we can put on we are still looking for items to auction.  If you own a business, are in direct sales or know someone who would like to donate, please let us know.  We would be so grateful for your generosity.
Contact me here through a comment or at ourjourneyhome@hotmail.com

"It may take a village to raise a child but an army to free one"