Praise the Lord from who all 

BLESSINGS flow.

Our family and AMAZING friends survived the Rummage Sale Fundraiser!  I know you are all anxious to know how much we raised.  So, we won't hold you in suspense any longer.  Drum roll....are you ready for this?

 $6719.54

Adam and I just laughed together when we counted the earnings at the end of the day.  Our goal was $2-3,000 and that was with hopeful hearts.   AGAIN....the Lord has taught us that when we put our total trust in him and take a GIANT leap of faith, that he PROVIDES for his children.  

Some pretty awesome things happened to us this weekend.  We had people who didn't even know us offer to help bring out stored items to be priced, sorted and sold that we just couldn't get to.  There were people who threw in large dollar amounts to our donation bin who didn't buy anything.  Others shared about their own adoption stories.  By the end of the weekend, we couldn't feel our bodies but we felt very blessed and we could see how many people LOVED our new son.   
 
We want to thank our working crew: (not all are pictured above)
JESUS, Oz & Sandi Hespe, Denny & Wyonne Kaemingk, Adam & Lindsey Bauerle, Gene and Leola Ligtenberg, Kim Nelson, Wes and Kim Roth Family, Shelley Cumella, Kim Hague, Margaret Skillman,  Sarah & Jace Wortman, our extended family at Simpsons Printing, & Cole & Ashley Hektner.

As we continue to get closer and closer to a possible referral please keep our family in your prayers.  

THANK YOU sincerely from deep within our hearts!!!  We DID it!!  GOD is GOOD!
Here we come, China!!

Adam, Hayley, Eliot, Anders & Reese 

  THIS WEEKEND. 

It's almost here.  The big rummage sale! Our largest fundraiser that we have been busy planning for months.  The process of prepping for an average sized yard sale is tedious.  When you have family, friends and complete strangers donate enough items to fill 4 garages full of stuff it becomes more than an "average- sized" sale.  It's becomes a "WHAT DID WE GET OURSELVES INTO? - Sale."  It's SO BIG, that Adam had to take time off work to help me and 6 other volunteers get all the items set up.  I am pretty sure all we need now is a ferris wheel, carousel and a couple of clowns.  

So here is your update:

Our Angel Bins Shoe Fundraiser is almost to a close and we have met our goal of 500 pairs of shoes.  Actually...we have went OVER that number and they continue to show up on our doorstep and at our drop off locations.  The shoes will be shipped to South America and Africa to their new "feet" that will put many more miles on them.

Premier Jewelry Party - Our little group of 10 ladies had a fun night of sipping homemade Italian sodas and trying on jewelry.  We raised $250 ! Thanks to Karen Springer, Premier consulant, who donated her net profits to our son's fund.  

Raising Arrows T-shirts - The t-shirt design holds a special place in our hearts.  This mama-designer worked hard on them ;)  Our shirt design showcases the awesome verse -
Psalm 127:3-5.  My Sunday school teacher that led me to the Lord sent Adam and I that verse early on in our adoption process.  She also told us to be patient. And while that is a pretty hard thing to do while adopting, we know we can't get ahead of ourselves.   We hope that some of you find this shirt to be inspiring and wear it proudly.  We will be putting the order in on Sept. 25th and it will take 1-2 weeks to get them turned around.  We hope to sell 50 shirts.

Adam and I are deep into our training hours.  Eliot is not the only one in this household that has went "back to school" this month.  So far, we are pulling good grades. 

Our home study is projected to be complete end of October.  We then move onto our dossier and our actual referral of our son.  Patience is a virtue.

We hope to see you all browsing our sale this weekend.  We have said this before, but will say it again. THANK YOU.  We feel the prayers.  The Lord has given us a peace about finances.  We are able to focus more on preparing ourselves to parent a child with minor special needs.  


Hayley (Writing on behalf of our grateful family.)