Happenings in Our Home: An Invitation to Pray with Us

I'm 22 weeks pregnant with Joshua. He's kicking frequently now which is so much fun for this first time mommy. Praise the Lord and thanks to our family and friends, Nathan and I have made great progress in preparing to bring him home. The nursery furniture is purchased but not in his room yet. We have a rocking chair, travel system, pack-n-play, swing, high chair, several boxes of clothes, carrier (I can't remember what it's really called...it's the baby carrier that straps around you), baby blanket and pillow, bath towels, and a few toys. He is already much loved! I think my wonderful mom is going to come stay with us in May one weekend and teach me how to sew as well as sew some curtains and maybe even bedding for Joshua. (Thanks MOM!!!...or Gammy) I'm sure I'll include pictures later of the nursery when I get his things more organized. The due date is June 27th.

We're also making progress in saving for adoption. We are praying to begin the process of a China adoption next April (we invite you to pray along with us towards that end). Here are some of the methods of saving and raising we've implemented so far:

• We took savings from what was going to be for my tuition for the PhD at New Orleans BTS and put it towards the adoption.
• I've babysat, substitute taught, and ironed (and will be glad to continue for anyone in the Senoia, PTC, Fayetteville, Pike and Meriwether county area...for a donation towards adoption)
• I'm an assistant teacher on Wednesdays for New Hope South's Weekday Preschool.
• We had a very successful yard sale February 12th
• I'm selling books and movies on Amazon.
• Nathan has arranged a horse trade that resulted in being able to put some money towards adoption.
• God has enabled us to save each month through various means (rebates, low power bills, low grocery bills, etc).

Here are some of the fundraisers we have coming up (if you feel led, please pray for these coming up:

• I'm going to deliver a good number of spring items to a local clothing consignment store next Wednesday.
• We have another yard sale in Tallassee on March 3rd. --To all our Tallassee friends and family, the yard sale is advertized on and in Tallassee TV, Tallassee Times, and the Tribune for details if you're interested :) We'll also be posting signs.
• I'm continuing to sale books and movies on Amazon (Thank you everyone who have and are donating books and movies for us to sell.)
• Nathan is selling two horses on April 28th (Gus, the horse he has as a result of a trade, and Freckles). We've decided to keep Dudley. Dudley is the sweetest horse I've ever seen. I'm intimidated by most horses but I'm not intimidated by him at all. So, we're keeping him for our children to ride. As Nathan will tell you, he's for sale but for a higher price ;) He's less than three years old so he can live well into Joshua's twenties...not that we want to pressure our kids to ride in any way, but if they want to...Dudley's the horse they need. I'm getting off track. 
• POSSIBLE FUNDRAISER: We may have a location to set up a table in the Spring and Fall Cotton Picking Festival in Gay. I'm thinking of selling barn wood crafts and prints of the Olive Tree Painting.
• Tallassee Trade Day Booth: my mom and aunt have taught me to make these beautiful sugar cookies, so I'll be selling cookies, barn wood crafts, prints of the Olive Tree Painting and possibly raffling off an Auburn Football Basket and an Alabama Football Basket.

But the big fund raiser that I'm interested in starting by late spring (hopefully by April) is an art sale. I have a painting of an Olive Tree with a story as to how it represents those adopted into the family of God through Jesus Christ. I meet with a business in Fayetteville about the cost of printing. I think the prints of the painting will be offered in three different sizes all of which are very affordable. I'll be writing in detail about this one later.

So far we are 1/4 of the way toward the estimated goal total. If you have some fundraising ideas that you would like to share, I'd love to hear! I've been reading a few blogs with good ideas but I'm always looking for more.