GIVEAWAY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED

I will be using www.random.org to draw the winners today.  I will post an update with the winning names soon.  Come back to see if you are a winner!

GIVEAWAY ENDS TODAY!!

LAST DAY TO GET YOUR ENTRY IN!
-Giveaway ends on October 31, 2012 at Midnight PST-

We are $4,353 away from being funded for our adoption.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

Prize Entry

1.  One entry for every $5 donated
(Click here to go to our grant fund)

**Once you have donated, leave me a note on my blog under the comment section.  Don't forget to leave your first name and last initial (ex-Sara E.) so I can keep track of your entries.**

2.  One additional entry for every friend that donates.
**Make sure that your friend leaves me a note letting me know who shared our giveaway with them. (ex-Jason T. shared by Sara E.)**

3.  One entry for sharing on your blog.
**Again, make sure you let me know when you shared.**

For example - If Sara donated $5 and got her friend, Jason to donate $5, Sara would receive 2 entries and Jason would receive 1 entry. If Jason gets his friend, Amy to donate $5, Amy would get 1 entry and Jason would get an additional entry.

We have $750 in Visa gift cards to give away!

First Prize - $500 Visa Gift Card

Second Prize - $200 Visa Gift Card

Third Prize - $50 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Prize - $25 Red Lobster Gift Card
(Can be used at Olive Garden)


Fifth Prize - $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card

Sixth Prize - 2 Regal Cinema's Movie Tickets

Seventh Prize - Autographed Blake Shelton CD

The Challenge

1.  Get 25 people to donate $5

2.  Get those 25 people to each get 15 more people to donate $5

3.  Get those 375 people to each get 5 people to donate $5

If we can meet this challenge - we will be FULLY FUNDED!

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

Christmas is quickly approaching.  Enter now for a chance to win $500, $200, or $50.

The more people you share this with, the more chances you have to win!

15 Year Ago Today.....

Today Curtis and I celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.

As we look back at what these last 15 years have brought, we see the hand of God on our lives and the provisions he has given us.  Three months before our wedding, I was hit by a drunk driver.  Although I wasn't killed, my life completely changed.  My short term memory was affected, my body was in pain, and being overstimulated sent me into a complete meltdown/seizure sort of thing.  We were advised that we may want to put the wedding on hold.  Curtis was living in Southern California while I was living in Oregon.  I had been waiting for almost a year to marry him and I insisted that I didn't want to postpone the wedding.  Curtis was employed with the Disneyland Resort and had just been excepted into their management program.  I remember how excited he was as this was not an easy program to get into.  Visiting me after the accident and seeing what I was going through, he returned home and thought about what our immediate future was going to look like.  He knew that I was going to need to continue seeing my doctors and keep in close contact with my lawyer.  He knew that moving me to California would take me away from all of those that I needed while I recovered.  Curtis called to tell me that he had informed his manager that he would not be able to continue the management program and would be relocating back to Oregon.  I cried when he shared this - I KNEW what this meant to Curtis and what he was sacrificing for me.  I was disappointed that I would not be living in sunny California, but was relieved that I would be staying near everyone that would be aiding in my healing.

Our marriage has been riddled with many challenges.  Some of them almost brought us to our breaking point where I did not think we would stay married.  But, it was because of these times that I believe we are still married.  We both had to change the way we approached our marriage and what we felt the role was for each other.  Curtis had to learn who I was all over again and I had to learn how to "back off".  We have sacrificed and lifted each other up when we couldn't lift ourselves up.  We are each other's biggest fans!

As we set out to embark on yet another journey, we look back at how God has had His hand on our lives.  He has allowed us to experience some really incredible times together.  Things that we have dreamt of, we have done.  Things that seem to crazy to believe in have become a reality.  We know that this journey will be no different.

Want to celebrate our day with us today?  For every $15 donated we will double your entries.  So, instead of receiving just 3 entries for a $15 donation, you will receive 6.

We are $5,793 away from being funded for our adoption.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

We have $750 in Visa gift cards to give away!

First Prize - $500 Visa Gift Card

Second Prize - $200 Visa Gift Card

Third Prize - $50 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Prize - $25 Red Lobster Gift Card
(Can be used at Olive Garden)


Fifth Prize - $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card

Sixth Prize - 2 Regal Cinema's Movie Tickets

Seventh Prize - Autographed Blake Shelton CD

The Challenge

1.  Get 25 people to donate $5

2.  Get those 25 people to each get 15 more people to donate $5

3.  Get those 375 people to each get 5 people to donate $5

If we can meet this challenge - we will be FULLY FUNDED!

Prize Entry

1.  One entry for every $5 donated
(Click here to go to our grant fund)

**Once you have donated, leave me a note on my blog under the comment section.  Don't forget to leave your first name and last initial (ex-Sara E.) so I can keep track of your entries.**

2.  One additional entry for every friend that donates.
**Make sure that your friend leaves me a note letting me know who shared our giveaway with them. (ex-Jason T. shared by Sara E.)**

3.  One entry for sharing on your blog.
**Again, make sure you let me know when you shared.**

For example - If Sara donated $5 and got her friend, Jason to donate $5, Sara would receive 2 entries and Jason would receive 1 entry. If Jason gets his friend, Amy to donate $5, Amy would get 1 entry and Jason would get an additional entry.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

Christmas is quickly approaching.  Enter now for a chance to win $500, $200, or $50.

The more people you share this with, the more chances you have to win!

-Giveaway ends on October 31, 2012-

GIVEAWAY ENDS IN ONE WEEK!!

Don't miss out on an opportunity to win cash and help bring Porter home.  We are only a month away from traveling and still need to raise $5,878.

Just one week left to enter our giveaway.

For every $5 donation to our grant fund, you will be entered to win some fabulous prizes.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

We have $750 in Visa gift cards to give away!

First Prize - $500 Visa Gift Card

Second Prize - $200 Visa Gift Card

Third Prize - $50 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Prize - $25 Red Lobster Gift Card
(Can be used at Olive Garden)


Fifth Prize - $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card

Sixth Prize - 2 Regal Cinema's Movie Tickets

Seventh Prize - Autographed Blake Shelton CD

The Challenge

1.  Get 25 people to donate $5

2.  Get those 25 people to each get 15 more people to donate $5

3.  Get those 375 people to each get 5 people to donate $5

If we can meet this challenge - we will be FULLY FUNDED!

Prize Entry

1.  One entry for every $5 donated
(Click here to go to our grant fund)

**Once you have donated, leave me a note on my blog under the comment section.  Don't forget to leave your first name and last initial (ex-Sara E.) so I can keep track of your entries.**

2.  One additional entry for every friend that donates.
**Make sure that your friend leaves me a note letting me know who shared our giveaway with them. (ex-Jason T. shared by Sara E.)**

3.  One entry for sharing on your blog.
**Again, make sure you let me know when you shared.**

For example - If Sara donated $5 and got her friend, Jason to donate $5, Sara would receive 2 entries and Jason would receive 1 entry. If Jason gets his friend, Amy to donate $5, Amy would get 1 entry and Jason would get an additional entry.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

Christmas is quickly approaching.  Enter now for a chance to win $500, $200, or $50.

The more people you share this with, the more chances you have to win!

-Giveaway ends on October 31, 2012-

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!!

Once again, we have been given some information about Porter that differs from what we were initially told.  BUT, this time we are REJOICING!!!

PORTER IS NOT A LOST BOY!

He is NOT at the mental institution!!

Apparently there are two orphanages in the rural village that Porter was transferred to.  The mental institution that we were told Porter was in was the only one that RR knew about.  We are close to traveling and our facilitators in Porter's country were able to find out exactly where he is and it was confirmed that he is at the orphanage in his village for typically functioning children.

Will you celebrate with us?  Today is Curtis's birthday and this is the BEST birthday gift he could have asked for!

We are right in the middle of our biggest giveaway.

For every $5 donation to our grant fund, you will be entered to win some fabulous prizes.

We have $750 in Visa gift cards to give away!

First Prize - $500 Visa Gift Card

Second Prize - $200 Visa Gift Card

Third Prize - $50 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Prize - $25 Red Lobster Gift Card
(Can be used at Olive Garden)


Fifth Prize - $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card

Sixth Prize - 2 Regal Cinema's Movie Tickets

Seventh Prize - Autographed Blake Shelton CD

The Challenge

1.  Get 25 people to donate $5

2.  Get those 25 people to each get 15 more people to donate $5

3.  Get those 375 people to each get 5 people to donate $5

If we can meet this challenge - we will be FULLY FUNDED!

Prize Entry

1.  One entry for every $5 donated
(Click here to go to our grant fund)

**Once you have donated, leave me a note on my blog under the comment section.  Don't forget to leave your first name and last initial (ex-Sara E.) so I can keep track of your entries.**

2.  One additional entry for every friend that donates.
**Make sure that your friend leaves me a note letting me know who shared our giveaway with them. (ex-Jason T. shared by Sara E.)**

3.  One entry for sharing on your blog.
**Again, make sure you let me know when you shared.**

For example - If Sara donated $5 and got her friend, Jason to donate $5, Sara would receive 2 entries and Jason would receive 1 entry. If Jason gets his friend, Amy to donate $5, Amy would get 1 entry and Jason would get an additional entry.

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**

Christmas is quickly approaching.  Enter now for a chance to win $500, $200, or $50.

The more people you share this with, the more chances you have to win!

-Giveaway ends on October 31, 2012-

$750 GIVEAWAY CHALLENGE & $1,500 MATCHING GRANT

****UPDATE****

THE MATCHING GRANT HAS BEEN MET!
This is incredible....THANK YOU!!

Our dossier has been submitted and we are now waiting for our travel dates.  

We still need to raise $6,300 before we can travel.

We are halfway through our giveaway challenge.
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to win CASH!

Don't forget to leave a comment when you donate.  That is the only way I will know to enter you into the giveaway.

So far, the odds of winning a prize are really good!

Only $5.00 enters you for a chance to win!

Entry Breakdown
$5 - 1 Entry
$10 - 2 Entries
$20 - 4 Entries
$50 - 10 Entries
$100 - 20 Entries
and so on....

Curtis and I are offering a fun challenge for the month of October to help raise our remaining expenses.

We have $750 in Visa gift cards to give away!

First Prize - $500 Visa Gift Card

Second Prize - $200 Visa Gift Card

Third Prize - $50 Visa Gift Card

Fourth Prize - $25 Red Lobster Gift Card
(Can be used at Olive Garden)


Fifth Prize - $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card

Sixth Prize - 2 Regal Cinema's Movie Tickets

Seventh Prize - Autographed Blake Shelton CD

The Challenge

1.  Get 25 people to donate $5

2.  Get those 25 people to each get 15 more people to donate $5

3.  Get those 375 people to each get 5 people to donate $5

If we can meet this challenge - we will be FULLY FUNDED!

Prize Entry

1.  One entry for every $5 donated
(Click here to go to our grant fund)

**Once you have donated, leave me a note on my blog under the comment section.  Don't forget to leave your first name and last initial (ex-Sara E.) so I can keep track of your entries.**

2.  One additional entry for every friend that donates.
**Make sure that your friend leaves me a note letting me know who shared our giveaway with them. (ex-Jason T. shared by Sara E.)**

3.  One entry for sharing on your blog.
**Again, make sure you let me know when you shared.**

For example - If Sara donated $5 and got her friend, Jason to donate $5, Sara would receive 2 entries and Jason would receive 1 entry. If Jason gets his friend, Amy to donate $5, Amy would get 1 entry and Jason would get an additional entry.

- AN EXTRA INCENTIVE -

We have been given an additional $1,500 in a matching grant!

What does that mean?

The first $1,500 donated will automatically be doubled!!

**Every donation made to our grant fund is TAX DEDUCTIBLE**


Christmas is quickly approaching.  Enter now for a chance to win $500, $200, or $50.

The more people you share this with, the more chances you have to win!

-Giveaway ends on October 31, 2012-

Just keep walking, just keep walking; walking, walking; just keep walking!

With everything going on, Curtis and I have been in prayer with how to proceed.  We both feel in our hearts that we need to continue walking out this path like we set out on.  We know that God has all of the details worked out and we need to rest in that.

On Friday, we took an hour drive to our local immigration office to see if we could get our fingerprints done early.  Our original appointment was for October 10th, but I had already made plans for that day to volunteer at the kids school.  Knowing that our local immigration office is not usually "friendly" to walk in appointments, we took a chance.  Curtis felt we needed to try and if it didn't work out, to look at it as a date day. :)

As we parked our car, Curtis found that our parking spot had already been paid for.  COOL!  Next, we walked in and were greeted by three security officers.  They wanted to see our paperwork with our scheduled appointment listed on it.  I proceeded to tell them that we knew we were taking a chance by walking in, but explained that I had already planned to volunteer at our children's school for the day we were scheduled.  I also shared with them that I knew I had the ability to reschedule, but that would delay us by another month and I was hoping we wouldn't need to do that.  One of the security officers took our paperwork to another room and quickly returned.  He motioned for us to come back - they would see us early.  HALLELUJAH!  No begging or pleading.  We were in and out of there in 15 minutes.  God is so good!!

We spent the rest of our afternoon/evening enjoying each other's company, good food, and the sunshine.  It was an incredible day.  After the week we had, we needed it.  I needed that confirmation that we were still on the right track.

Our last piece of paperwork has now been completed and we will be submitted soon.  Once all of our paperwork is submitted to the department of adoptions in Porter's country, we will anxiously be waiting to receive our travel dates.  That can be anywhere from 2 - 8 weeks after submission.

It is happening and FAST.  Tomorrow I will post an exciting opportunity for you to help us reach our goal.