AND WE'RE OFF!

It's here, it's here!!!  We have finally come to the end of the beginning!  All of our hard work has paid off and now we begin our journey to meet our new son.  Curtis and I thank all of you for your support and prayers.  We can't wait to share with "Porter" just how many people have loved and prayed him home. 

We will do our best to update our blog while we are away.  As long as I have internet service, I will let everyone know how we are doing.  I will not be able to post a lot of detailed information to protect our adoption process.  But, I will post what I can. :)

That's all for now.  Next time you hear from me, we will be halfway around the world!

Blessings!

Curtis and Sara

THREE MORE DAYS AND COUNTING!

4 1/2 months ago our paperwork was sent to Reece's Rainbow committing to "Porter".  In just three days, we will be boarding the plane to go get him.  WOW!

As Curtis and I prepare for our trip, we are overwhelmed by the wonder that awaits us.  We have been busy gathering items to take with us to give to the children in the orphanage as well as the caretakers that give of themselves everyday to watch over these precious children.  A very talented and gracious lady has donated over 70 handmade hats to give to the children in "Porter's" orphanage.  We can't wait to hand them out!

We have been told to pack lightly.  How does one do that when they are preparing to travel to a foreign country for 5 weeks in a remote area that does not have access to a lot of stores?????  HA!  We aren't taking many clothes, but what we are taking will get to be shared with many special children.  As I stop and think about how God has orchestrated this whole process, I wasn't surprised that He has us traveling during Christmas.  There couldn't be a better time of year to go and share the love of Jesus, but during His birthday!

So, yes...Curtis and I are going to be stuffing our bags full of treasures.  We have found that an extra bag will be needed to get these goodies over there.  We are flying United Airlines.  If I read their baggage policy right, we will have to pay $100 for an extra checked bag.  So many of you have been more than generous and helped Curtis and I gather the finances needed to get to "Porter".  We are asking again if people could come together to help raise the extra baggage fee.  We have nothing to give away this time....just simply asking for help.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!!

MATCHING GRANT WINNERS!

OUR MATCHING GRANT WAS MET!

I used www.random.org to pick the winners for the following prizes.

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant
WINNER IS:  LORI ANTHONY

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick). Retails for $46.00

 

 

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt
WINNER IS:  ANNIE TRENDA

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person. Retails for $45.00.

 

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

LAST DAY TO MEET OUR MATCHING GRANT

LAST DAY to meet our matching grant goal and we ONLY need $135.70!
(Our Reece's Rainbow Grant needs to be at $12,055.70)

We leave in 11 days to travel to Porter!!

Once the matching grant is meet, we will only need $830.76 before we are fully funded!

Go to our Reece's Rainbow grant fund here.
All donations are tax deductible.

$1,000 MATCHING GRANT

We have a donor that wants to donate $1,000 as a matching grant. We had ONE WEEK to get it matched!

In addition, we have been given two cool prizes to give as an incentive.

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick). Retails for $46.00

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person. Retails for $45.00.

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

MATCHING GRANT ENDS TOMORROW

We have until tomorrow to meet our matching grant goal and we ONLY need $205.55!
(Our Reece's Rainbow Grant needs to be at $12,055.70)

We leave in 12 days to travel to Porter!!

Once the matching grant is meet, we will only need $1,036.31 before we are fully funded!

Go to our Reece's Rainbow grant fund here.
All donations are tax deductible.

$1,000 MATCHING GRANT

We have a donor that wants to donate $1,000 as a matching grant. We have ONE WEEK to have it matched!

In addition, we have been given two cool prizes to give as an incentive.

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick). Retails for $46.00

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person. Retails for $45.00.

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

2 DAYS LEFT TO MEET OUR MATCHING GRANT

ONLY 2 DAYS left to meet our matching grant goal and we still need $665!
(Our Reece's Rainbow Grant needs to be at $12,055.70)

We leave in 13 days to travel to Porter!!

$1,000 MATCHING GRANT

We have a donor that wants to donate $1,000 as a matching grant. We have ONE WEEK to have it matched!

We need $3,485.76 more before we travel.  If we can meet the matching grant donation goal, we would reduce our remaining expenses in half!

In addition, we have been given two cool prizes to give as an incentive.

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick). Retails for $46.00

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person. Retails for $45.00.

 

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

3 DAYS LEFT TO REACH OUR MATCHING GRANT GOAL!!

We just received the exciting news that we leave in 2 weeks to travel to Porter!!

We have JUST 3 DAYS to meet our matching grant goal!

$1,000 MATCHING GRANT

We have a donor that wants to donate $1,000 as a matching grant. We have ONE WEEK it have it matched!

We need to raise $4,1736 before we travel (which should be by the end of the month). If we can meet the matching grant donation goal, we would reduce our remaining expenses in half!

In addition, we have been given two cool prizes to give as an incentive.

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick). Retails for $46.00

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person. Retails for $45.00.

Our grant account needs to reach $12,055.70 to get the matching $1,000.

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

$1,000 Matching Grant!!!

$1,000 MATCHING GRANT

 

We have a donor that wants to donate $1,000 as a matching grant.  We have ONE WEEK it have it matched!

 

We need to raise $4,1736 before we travel (which should be by the end of the month).  If we can meet the matching grant donation goal, we would reduce our remaining expenses in half!

 

In addition, we have been given two cool prizes to give as an incentive.

 

Origami Owl Necklace and Pendant

 

This is a large size locket, silver in color (stainless steel so that they don't ever tarnish), with the crystal cross. Whoever wins, will also get three other charms of their choice (go to www.cutehoot.origamiowl.com/ to pick).  Retails for $46.00

 

Hand Painted Infant's T-Shirt

 

This is a light blue, 100% cotton shirt size 3-6 months. It has been hand painted (no stencils). The colors are more vivid in person.  Retails for $45.00.

 

Our grant account needs to reach $12,055.70 to get the matching $1,000.

Thank you for helping get us to our goal!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

With November jammed packed and hopefully traveling by the end of the month, Curtis and I decided to break out the Christmas decorations and get a jump start on this glorious holiday!  Our family loves everything about Christmas.  Our house fills up with the sounds of Christmas music and the smell of delicious morsels being baked for weeks.  The kids love to help decorate the house and look forward to putting up their very own Christmas tree in their rooms.  Since Curtis and I will most likely be gone during December, we did not want to miss out on enjoying doing all of Christmas preparation as a family.



 The kids know that Christmas will look a little different this year.  Some of those changes are exciting and some leave them a bit reluctant.  We have prepared ourselves with the fact that Curtis and I will most likely be gone during Christmas day.  If that changes, we will be more than thrilled!  Before we leave, we are trying to make things around here as "normal" as we can during our absence.  No matter what, this Christmas is going to be one for the memory books.  At the beginning of 2012 I told Curtis that this year was going to be a year of change.  I didn't quite know the magnitude of what I was speaking when I said that. :)
 
As I previously mentioned, November is jammed packed already.  This coming weekend I will be a vendor with La Mia Bella at a local Holiday Craft Fair.  At that same bazaar, Curtis will be setting up a concession stand outside as another fundraiser for our adoption.  This week will be busy preparing for both.  If you are in the area, we would LOVE to have you stop by.  If you are able to lend a helping hand, that would be appreciated as well.  Right now it is just the two of us. :)
 

 

Our last fundraising event is scheduled for the following weekend, November 16th and 17th.  Again, I will be a vendor at the Holiday Bazaar and Curtis will be setting up an area doing another bake sale.  We already have a couple of people will to help donate baked goods and if you are in the area, please let us know if you are able to make something yummy and we will be more than happy to enjoy it with some coffee use it for our fundraiser.

 

 

Thanks again to all of you who are supporting us.  Your prayers and encouragements mean the world to us and "Porter".  The financial contributions that have been given....well, we couldn't do this with out you.  We are forever grateful!

 

The theme that God keeps giving me through this journey is "peace".  I stuggle with the unknown.  I struggle with trying to make this happen on my own.  I stuggle with resting.  This song is one of Curtis' favorite Christmas songs.  As I sat and listned to it again today, it's message was perfect for me.

 

Be Blessed!

 







GIVEAWAY WINNERS ARE......

Curtis and I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who shared and donated to our giveaway fundraiser.

We raised $3,635!!

The winners have been picked at random using www.random.org.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING:

1st Prize $500 Visa Gift Card - NDH

2nd Prize $200 Visa Gift Card - Cathy H.

3rd Prize $50 Gift Card - Michelle E.

4th Prize $25 Red Lobster/Olive Garden Gift Card - Michelle E.

5th Prize $15 Jamba Juice Gift Card - Karla H.

6th Prize 2 Regal Movie Tickets - NDH

7th Prize Autographed Blake Shelton CD - Karla H.

If you are a winner, please leave me a comment (it will not be published) with your contact information and I will get your prize to you!

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!