FUNdraising!!!

So I know it may be a little early to be worrying about fundraising for our adoption, but when you're looking at a big picture of around $25,000...well, you start thinking about it pretty early!

Researching all of our options is not a problem--I love to research this stuff. My biggest issue (and I THINK The Husband's too) is openly asking for financial assistance. We're working from this idea in the back of our heads that it's our family and if we want to add to our family then, financially, it's our issue to work out. It's difficult to break free from that line of thinking. The funny thing is, we were totally happy to contribute financially to friends' adoptions because we truly see it as biblical and something the church needs to take part of and support. But when it comes to us, it's almost embarrassing to say, "Hey, we can't do this............can you help? For me personally, I see myself taking charge of this area of the adoption in the most candy-coated, roundabout way possible because I'm just not comfortable asking for help!! There's this little brat inside of me stomping her foot and saying, "Don't even post this, I can do it mySELF!"

The idea of fundraising for adoption, I think, is kind of new age-y. I mean, when we talked with family members about how much it cost them to adopt 30 years ago, they told us it cost them something like $2,000. Generally now, it IS much less expensive if you foster first and then adopt or adopt a waiting child in foster care (which we looked at). But adopting a newborn from someone you don't know...well, is just much more expensive now. Also, I think fundraising for adoption is accepted by the Christian community because we see taking care of the "orphan" as something God commands us to do.

But it's still out of my comfort zone.

Anyway, here are some ideas I've found so far (and I'm also wondering if the grants I'm finding on the internet are actually worth my while to apply for):

1) Grants
2) Sell tshirts (Adoptionbug.com is what we're looking at because there is no upfront cost to us)
3) Garage/Bake/Jewelry Sale
4) Asking people outright for some dough (not gonna happen with me!)

So...ideas for fundraising are welcomed. Also, I could use some help wading through all the grant stuff. I don't want to waste my time filling out grant applications if they're not worth it. :(

Oh, I also don't want to leave you with nothing fun from my day so:
Bubba didn't nap today. Instead, he pooped on the floor and then REALLY tried hard to clean it up...with lotion, cream, and a cd.

Revamp

There are some new things going on in our life so The Husband and I have decided to revamp our blog to keep our friends and family updated on our growing and transforming family. The biggest two changes are:
1) I am currently in school to get my master's degree in social work. When I am finished my goal is to fight for "the least of these," the kids in the adoption and foster care world. I have my first (unpaid-boo!) internship this summer with a foster care agency. I'm so excited-the agency and people there seem so great, working toward a better life for the kids.
2) We have decided that 2013 is our year to adopt! We are starting the process now! We have our first consultation with our agency this Thursday. We are incredibly excited, determined, and scared. But we are ready.......we think. :). Oh, there's that little matter of it costing more than double what we paid for our car...

A large portion of this blog is going to be dedicated to our process of adopting. We believe that the process of adopting is not just about the child we will be bringing into our home; it is about every member of our family. It is a life change that affects our family as a whole which is why this "revamp" is not to change our blog to be about the adoption only. We would like this blog to be an updated account of what's happening in our family, how God is working in us and how we are just trying our best to be a loving example of God's devotion in this broken world. Also, we cannot accomplish this adoption without the love, support and encouragement of our family and friends. So we want to keep everyone informed!

You will also be hearing a lot about The Husband's adventures as a stay at home dad this summer while I intern and go to school!

And the adventure of our family continues on...