Starting the countdown! 26 days!

I was hoping to blog each day until we leave as a final countdown but here we are three days into the month already!  ACK! 

So, today marks 26 days to go and yes, I am feeling a bit scared and nervous.  The weird thing is, when we started this adoption, I would look at the beautiful pictures of the area where we are traveling and I would get so excited to imagine going there.  Now, every time I see a picture...I pause and think....oh my gosh, I am actually going there!

Today's activities are many but the main focus other than selling our industrial sewing machine (anyone need an Adler upholstery sewing machine?) is that we need to find an apartment to stay in while we are there.  Which, in turn got me really looking at a map and led me to start looking for fun things to do with the twins while we are there.  Hmmm, staying focused....fail!

But, I did find one apartment I really liked that was close to everything and walking distance....well it would be walking distance in California.  My husband pointed out that walking distance in the snow and freezing cold might be a bit different.  So, we'll wait and see once everyone is back in their office at midnight our time but morning their time. 

This is the living room...isn't it cheerful and pretty?  Of course we also have to find out how the costs compare......
Robert is also inquiring at the bank to find out about how far ahead we will have to order the clean bills to take with us.  I guess that the banks in foreign countries will charge more to exchange used and dirty money.  

On the fundraising forefront we are having another yard sale and a restaurant fundraiser on January 14th.  Yes, both on the same day.  We are just truly running out of time.   If you are in the Yuba City area, please email me and we will send you a flyer...as long as you have the flyer,  the owners have been generous enough to offer us 20% of the proceeds all day long! 

We are also continuing the Ipad 2 drawing and will be holding the drawing on the 23rd as promised.  And, I promised that I would tell you the odds of winning.....this is not exact since there will hopefully be more donations between now and the 23rd but as it stands you have a 1 in 36 chance of winning an Ipad 2 for a very sweet after Christmas gift! ;-)  Those are some great odds!!! 

So, let me recap the rules:
You may enter in several different ways....
1. Donate via the button to the right of the blog-no amount is too small...it truly does all add up and matter!
2. Go get some wonderful Mexican food at Costa Vida in Yuba City on 2/14 (*with* a flyer) and then email me to tell me that you went
3. Share our blog via Facebook or post on your blog and then let me know
4. Pray for our family-we welcome and truly appreciate all prayers because we know more than ever that we need them! 

I have thought a lot over this last year, about the blood, sweat, and tears it has taken to try to bring home the twins.  I remember from the very beginning hearing that a family should not choose not to adopt because of the extreme costs associated with adoption.

 It is said that the money will come....Heavenly Father will see to it that the children will make it home if it is His will.

 I have to admit that there have been many times when I have wondered about this and questioned our ability (not God's) to make this happen.  I read about so many adoptive families and the miracles that came about to help them succeed.  I would feel twinges of jealousy and worry.  Yes, I know, two things that are not of Christ. 

And, I am here to say that I *have* seen many miracles working within our adoption to see that we didn't lose hope and that we would indeed be able to make it.

So, then I would wonder....if God wants the children to be in families and He knows that He can make it happen....why doesn't the money just come in one big lump sum and fall into the adoptive family's lap?    An anonymous donation in the mail perhaps?

Well, I think it is probably a very complicated and multi-faceted answer but one reason that I know without a shadow of a doubt is that fundraising forces a family to crawl out of their shell, to require themselves to be vulnerable, and to sincerely, passionately, and loudly get the word out....as widespread as possible.  And, what does that do?  It helps other children to find families at the same time that it helps them. 

How huge is that?!?  That is *precisely* how we are here today.  I saw an ad in Craigslist about a family that was doing a fundraiser yard sale because they were adopting a child with special medical needs.  The fact that they already had a good sized family of three or four children made me turn my head in surprise...enough surprise and curiousity that I wanted to learn more.....certainly not to planning to adopt!  A few years later, here we are! 

So, I'm working hard to no longer be cautious or afraid to fundraise or get the word out because it is so important....yes, important for us and for the twins....but also important for all of the other children who so desperately want what so many of us take for granted.  Family, is essential....no institution will ever come close to providing what a family can.  

Here is the latest little sweet child that came through an email today:

This is Hope....

Her name and her sad face seem to contradict each other.  You can find more information about her by visiting Positively Orphaned listed below.  Please consider helping us with our adoption and consider other ways that you might contribute to other children...whether you are considering opening your home or whether you might sponsor a child to make it easier for them to find their forever families....Check out these websites:
Positively Orphaned
Project Hopeful
Reece's Rainbow

Til tomorrow.....