Moved and Blessed

Laina's adoption was expensive (don't worry, this isn't a fund-raising post! Read on!), and God totally, completely provided. We have not a speck of debt from her $31,000+ adoption, by the grace of God. Here is how He provided:

--we got a $4000 no-interest loan from LifeSong for Orphans, which we paid back this year with our adoption tax refund.
--We held four (count 'em) massive garage sales, for a total of about $3300.

--My sister Jenna and brother-in-law Curtis hosted a mini-golf fundraiser.
--My sister Kelsey and the ministry she worked for, ACCESS214, held a worship-night fundraiser, and people from my home church and their ministry donated generously.

--Our agency (America World Adoptions) has a ministry that allows people to make tax-deductible donations. We wrote support letters (lots of them!) and people gave, generously, again.
--We sold Rwanda:Hope bracelets. And made very little money. Oh well, we tried. :)

--I made dresses, and my friend Phyllis made baby hats, to sell.
--We did a Valentine's Day babysitting day for couples in our church, and people let us watch their kids and then donated. Generously. (Do you see a trend?)
--Some dear friends in Florida, Joe and Jana, held a poker night, with proceeds benefitting our adoption.
--We got a $3000 grant from Show Hope.
--We sold stuff (that was mostly donated to us) on Craigslist.
--We scrimped and saved, cut our budget and our spending, and were very frugal with our money.
--Jeremy worked extra hours, and I took on some work, too.

There is a point to all this (besides just wanting to write it all down so I can remember God's provision): adoption is expensive, people are generous, fundraising is hard work, and God is good.

With this adoption, Jeremy and I have been blown away by the generosity of friends, not just with their money, but specifically with their talents and time. I've been planning to share three of them with you. As I reflected on these sweet people, I was hit by the fact that even though none of them are currently adopting (one has before, as you'll see), they are all involved in adoption and in orphan care, in caring for the least of these, by giving of themselves to help one already-loved baby come home. They are joining God in His work of placing the lonely in families. I love to see how He moves in people's heart to share His heart for children who need families.

Over the next three days, I want to share these stories with you. Come back tomorrow for the first. These friends have moved us and blessed us by loving our baby before they know her. We're honored to have them in our lives.

Okay, I'll stop rambling now. Check in tomorrow!