Sharing...

I've been a little surprised at the shock that most people express at the idea of fundraising for an adoption. And....a little bothered. I mean, we send our kids throughout the community to sell chocolate, cookie dough, Christmas wreaths, pizza kits and fancy bread to generate funds needed to send them on fancy trips to Belize...our to fund the community baseball team and other fun, worthwhile causes. But an adoption? I know...its not the norm. Its taken me a little while to come to terms with it myself. And now it bristles me a bit when I KNOW people are complaining and criticizing our efforts here.
And not that these people will ever read this...and even if they did, I don't care. I don't feel the need to justify our decision to anyone! But I do want to record my own feelings on this.
Buy your braided bread. Perhaps you could throw in a tub of gourmet cookie dough. Do it happily.

We are saving. a. life. A child, living entirely across the world from us, in an institution, is unaware that we are mortgaging what we can to bring her here. She has no idea that we pray for her EVERY single night, for her safety, for Heavenly Father to start to soften her heart to a family...to ease the transition. She doesn't know that we are planning Christmas presents for her the same as our other children. Sweet girl Claire has never known a family. She's never been snuggled to sleep...wrestled by siblings...or raced to the car for dibs on shotgun. We WANT to give her these things. We WANT our 5 biological children to know the blessing that she will be in our home. We WANT this.

It just so happens that its going to cost over $35k. And one person's $20 contribution is in no way going to to eliminate our sacrifice to get her home. But EVERY one person's contribution helps. And we have some incredibly generous friends...that have donated BIG donations of money...and some that have given their time....and some that have basically FILLED our garage sale with things to help us in this pursuit.

I am always amazed by those who criticize others. There are so many opportunities to better someone's life; to serve and lift another; to KNOW the peace that comes from living a Christ-like life. I am not saying my life is always just this. I'm a work in progress too. But it is so sad to me to hear bits/pieces of criticism aimed at us. Why waste your precious time? I for one, have so many better things to do!

Now, that said... take  a look at this amazing adoption fundraiser for our friends. Its wicked! And, there's something for everyone. So...consider the cause!

I stole this from her:
"There are only TWO DAYS LEFT in our adoption fundraiser. There are awesome prizes (iPad, $200 Amazon card, Blendtec blender, Kitchenaid mixer, & 30+ others) and not very many entries. Your odds are great, and entering will help us get our little girl home!. :) A $10 donation gets you two entries!"
http://bringthaliahome.blogspot.com/