YARD SALE TIME!!!!!!!

OH MY, OH MY!!!!

I prayed that God would fill my garage to overflowing ... and guess what ... he answered YES!!!!

WOW WOW WOW WOW ... that is A LOT of stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Entry Way ... saying goodbye to all our baby goodies to make room for Elliot goodies!!!!

My dear friend came today and helped me make signs. 

She hung them on the outside of our fence!

A few other signs to display during the sale.

This one still needs glued - excuse the letters that are all askew.

I placed our ad on Craigslist and already have people emailing! 

This is our ad ...

HUGE ADOPTION FUNDRAISER GARAGE SALE

10 + families have donated items to help us raise money for our adoption to bring home our little boy from Eastern Europe.

Location ~ My House!

When ~ Saturday, April 30 ~ 8AM – 2PM

SOME OF OUR MANY MANY ITEMS FOR SALE:

Over 10,000 Scrapbooking items – scrapbook paper, velum, stickers by the roll, scrapbooks, embossers, embellishments and more!

Sofa
Chair

Office Chair

Printer / Printer/Fax All in one
Weight bench and Weights

Recumbent Bike

Wedding Dress

Compact Refrigerator

Microwave

DVDs, Videos, Comp. software and games Baby Clothes

Boy Clothes

Girl Clothes

Women’s Clothes

Men’s Clothes

Shoes for all
Toys
Kid's books Adult books & Cooking Magazines

2Wire Modem

Vtech Vsmile + 10 games

Single Stroller

Double Stroller

Crib Set – Cream - Comforter, Dust Ruffle, Mobile, Lamp Shade

Giant Play Castle Blocks

Littlest Pet Shop Play Set

Car Seats and Auto Booster Seat Cuisinart Pots and Pans Set

2 gas powered string trimmers – both need repair

Edger attachment for string trimmer

Set of 29 Champagne Flutes

Decorative Lamps

Magic Bullet

Baby Bike Seat Child Carrier

Portable Exersaucer

Baby Jumpers – Johnny Jumper

Women’s Gulf Clubs

Men’s Golf Clubs

Golf Club Cart

Women’s Golf Shoes

Household items

Kitchen Items

Décor

Handmade Soap and Bath SaltsWe also have dining room table in need of repair for sale

Donations towards our adoption are gladly accepted. :) 

Each donation of ten dollars will give you an entry to win a $500.00 amazon.com giftcard.

Now we are praying that God will send the buyers!!!

Easter Fun!!!

He is risen!!!!

Happy Easter

All dressed up in our Easter Best!

Baby Boy found a football egg.

Then they went one at a time from youngest to oldest ....

They found their "BIG" baskets of candy and proceded to chow down!

Prime tatoo placement ;)

$500.00 amazon.com Giveaway!!! Happy Birthday Elliot! - Triple Giveaway Entries!

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

Mommy and Daddy love you and we are celebrating you today!

On your seventh birthday, we will throw you a real party.

Today we are celebrating your birthday virtually!

 In honor of Elliot's SIXTH birthday, we are tripling all entries received today and tomorrow for the $500.00 amazon.com giveaway.

$10 = 3 entry

$25 =  9 entries

$50 = 24 entries

$100 = 60 entries

You can see the full details of the giveaway here at my original blog post. http://letsfillthevan.blogspot.com/p/50000-amazon-gift-card-giveaway.html

 

How can you love a child you have never met in person?

I mean really, the questions some people ask. 

Christians at that ...

...........How can you love a child you have never met in person?.............  Really >>>> ????? >>>>

So, I ask you ...

How can you love a God you have never met in person? 

Do you love Him only for what He has done for you or do you love Him because that is what you are called to do? 

Do you love Him because you want to serve Him or only love Him because He sent His Son to save you?

I understand doubt and cynicism from unbelievers, but I am dumbfounded at what comes from believers.

Tonight, it is my prayer that hearts will be changed in the name of Jesus.

Psalm 68 ⁴ Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
   extol him who rides on the clouds^[b];
   rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.
⁵ A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
   is God in his holy dwelling.
⁶ God sets the lonely in families,^[c]
   he leads out the prisoners with singing;
   but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

God is really awesome

I love God! 

I love how He works! 

I love what He is doing in our lives.

I love that He is equipping us for this adoption.

I love that He is sending people to walk beside us in this adoption.

In the past days we have met people from all over the world that are touching us and  helping us bring Elliot home. 

We met a family from Italy that posted many videos on YouTube from Elliot's orphanage.

We met a woman whose father lives in Elliot's town.  Her sister lives in another town in Elliot's country, but has offered to come to the towns we will be in and help us any way she can.

We met people who run a school that will help us teach Elliot's his home country's culture.

Then today, we met another woman.  She is a mother through birth and adoption to over a dozen children.  She is a warrior for her special needs children.  She gets me and there are not many who understand the call.

We have doubts, everyday, as to whether or not we can do this.

We have heard form God and He has told us. 

"You need Me to do this and I am going to place people in your path to help you in this journey.  Trust me, I am God."

Thank you God.

Thank you God for loving us.

Thank you God for caing about the little details.

Thank you God for giving us strength when we are weak.

Thank you for making our path clear when we are wandering in circles.

I think of this scripture when I reflect on the events of the past few days.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~Jer 29:11

Festival Fun

Today, we had went to the

31st Annual Ukrainian Easter Bazaar.

It was a nice little festival. 
During the course of the day we met lots of people.  

Today, once again proved that our world is small and our God is great. 
I would love to share the exact details with you all but that will have to wait ... just awhile :)

Welcome!

Lots to eat!!!!

These breads were so pretty.

 

 There we many sweet treats.

The entree ...

cabbage rolls, sauerkraut and sausage, kielbasa, perogis and bread

A few decorations for the house

Dancing!! This was FUN to watch!!!!

Easter Eggs

The baby girls made two new friends.

 

 Cloth and clothing with beautiful needlework

A traditional necklace - so pretty

This was a beautiful linen.  I wish we could have purchased it!

Next Sunday, in celebration of Easter, we will proclaim

He is Risen

Pondering a thought

I have been thinking about the reactions that come after telling someone what the expected cost of this adoption is.  I am trying to understand the thinking behind a few statements that have been made.

$20,000 is definitely a lot of money, $30,000 is even more.  Yes, it is a significant amount. 


But ... I wonder ...


Why do many think that it is no big deal to go spend $20,000 or $30,000 on a new car?

and at the same time ...

Why do many feel $20-$30K is an outrageous cost to bring a child home?

Isn't a child worth more than a car?

Our Dossier Is On the Way!!

We mailed our dossier today.  It should arrive in Elliot's country on Thursday!!!!   

We are one step closer to having a few more passengers in the van!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had the opportunity to have 4 extra kiddos today, this meant that all of our seats were full. 

The van was FULL!  Woo weee!!

It was full and loud, full and joyful, full and amazing



Take a look at ALL these documents ~~

ALL OUT DOCUMENTS ARE BACK!!! AND ANOTHER NOW WHAAAAATTTT?!!!

WE ARE SHOUTING FROM THE HILLTOPS!

All our documents for our dossier are notarized, apostilled and in our hot little hands. 

We received the last of our documents in the mail yesterday.

We are calling USCIS and asking to be expedited because the government of out son's country has made an announcement that the ministry currently handling adoptions is changing.  At this point we really do not know how this change will impact the adoption timeline. 

My new motto is going to be this ....

We must hold fast to the Lord,

He is our only constant in this adoption journey.

$500.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!!!!!!!

We are having a giveaway away!!!   

You have an opportunity to be given a $500.00 amazon.com gift card if you are the blessed person who donates to our adoption fund...

Please help give me a family.

Entrance Details:

$10 = 1 entry

$25 = 3 entries

$50 = 8 entries

$100 = 20 entries

$250 = 50 entries

$500 = 110 entries

$1,000 = 225 entries

$5,000 = we will send you your own gift card J

*** If you donate and share this giveaway on your FB page or blog - you will receive an extra entry***   Simply leave a comment that you donated and shared and you will be given an extra entry.

Giveaway closes  4/30/11 at noon (CST), and the give away receipent will be announced on this blog.

Give away receipent will be drawn using a random number generating website.

Donate using either of these buttons

These ARE tax deductible

These donations are NOT tax deductible




... and ...

We realize not everyone can donate  …  

but ….
you CAN pray
and

you CAN share this giveaway on your blogs, twitter and Facebook pages.

A second drawing will be held for this plaque for those able to share our giveaway.

To be part of the plaque drawing, please leave a comment stating you have shared via FB, twitter or posted to their blogs about this giveaway – in your comment, mention the Philippians 4:8 drawing.

Where Oh Where

could our employment apostille be??????

I am updating our spreadsheet and checking off the documents that are required for our dossier.  We are down to a final set of documents to be rec'd back from here and this one document from New Jersey. 
We sent our employment apostille to the State of New Jersey on March 19th and have not received it return mail - boo!  We had one other document that needed to be apostilled in New Jersey and it was returned lickety-split.  The employment apostille is really long-over due.  Please pray it arrives soon!

Your USCIS application/petition has been received

Your USCIS application/petition has been received and routed to the National Benefit Center for processing.

This email came early this morning .... we are one step closer!!!! 

We are praying that our application moves through the channels swiftly and that all necessary paperwork stays together.  The initial application goes to a location in Texas and is then routed to a processing center in Missouri.  So there is a chance "something" could happen.  I am not trying to borrow trouble from tomorrow though :)

Please pray for fast processing, approval and for us to be assigned an officer that recognizes the urgency of our timeline.

Be still

We are now in the waiting game.      
     waiting on the return of apostiles from two states
     waiting on approval from USCIS
 
Verse 10 keeps going through my mind as I worry about the wait and the possible implications from waiting too long.
 
So, I will find stillness in knowing that He is God and ever-present, with us and with our boy.
 
 
 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]
 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
 ⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
 ⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”
 ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
                                   Psalm 46

Soaps for Souls - Fundraising Update

Soaps for Souls has been a great success!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!


To date E has raised $639.00
Do you know how much money that is to a ten year old?!!? 

E is wrapping up her latest creations to deliver to those who have donated.

There will soon be a few Easter designs available, including this Cross in Chocolate Oatmeal.




If you would like to donate to our adoption expenses, you can donate through PayPal by clicking the donate button BELOW.  This button goes to our personal account and will help with current expenses.  These donations are NOT tax deductible. 

This button helps with current expenses - NOT tax deductible


If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please use the Reece's Rainbow link on the right side column.


THANK YOU!!!!!!

Please comment - how many bars  and your scent choice

Current scents available

Honey Oatmeal with Vitamin E

Chocolate Oatmeal

Orange Peel with Vitamin E

We Are Blessed!

I just posted this on FB, so pardon the redundancy.  I just had to say it again!!

We are in awe of how The Body of Christ is showing itself to us!!!!!!

We are truly blessed by our brothers and sisters in Christ.   We would be hopeless without Jesus and without His love and example we would all alone.

I am so glad that The Church is more than 4 walls and a few rows of pews.

Thank you friends.

It's In The Mail!

Our

I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition to The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

is in the mail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please pray for an expedited processing of our application! 

When we verify it's receipt, we will be calling our senator and asking if they can assist in having USCIS expedite our application.

There is credible evidence that adoptions in Elliot's country may be stopped.  We need a fast timeline for this document to be processed.  We have come too far :)