$891.48

That is the amount that the car wash and yard sale brought in. That is almost enough for one plane ticket to Taiwan. Thank you so much to all that helped this past weekend with the car wash and garage sale. I know there were so many other things that you could have been doing, but you came out and helped us raise money to bring our baby girl home. We are so grateful and appreciative for all who helped, whether it was time, donations, or prayers. Thanks. Olivia, Logan, and Carson came to the car wash to help raise money for their baby sister. They held signs, waved to all the passerbys, and Olivia worked so hard washing cars. She didn't ever stop to play. I came to the wash after the sale and took her home to go to the bathroom. She asked me in the car how the sale went. I told her it was okay but that we would probably be doing another one. She told me that she had been working really hard and making lots of money. "Momma, I can keep washing cars and do another car wash to make lots of money to bring baby Leia home, so you don't have to do another yard sale," Olivia said.
We had so much stuff left from the yard sale that we plan to have another one on October 16 or 23. We have not set a final date yet. My mom has more items to out in the sale, and some others have said that they do as well. For all those who are local, Moe's in Benton has agreed to host a fundraiser for us. We will be doing that on Friday, October 16 from 5pm-9pm. We will be at the doors outside passing out little coupon/flyers telling customers that 10% of the sales during that 4 hour time period will be donated for our adoption. I have spoken with Larry, the owner of Larry's Pizza, about doing a fundraiser. I am to call him back tomorrow about what he might be able to do.
Logan has been praying by repeating after us for a month or so now, but tonight he started praying without being prompted for a few small sentences. Yay. He said,"Thank you God. Bring Baby Leia. Forgive sins. Daddy help me pray." It was so cute. Today was fun day at our house. So, needless to say, the house is a wreck. We went to the Fitness Center this morning, then had a picnic, played outside on their playhouse, did preschool work, watched part of Sound of Music, then we went to Chick-fil-A before church tonight. They had a very good time today. Wish all my chores would do themselves so I could do that everyday.
I found out yesterday that all of our documents have been translated and are in our file at His Hands. I was very excited about that. Not that it brings us any closer to getting Leia. But hopefully by us being completely paper ready before we get our referral, maybe we will get to travel quicker after we get referral. Anyways, that is all I have today.

Busy Busy

We have been so busy the last week an half. Last week Lisa, Aaron, Kevin, and Morgan were here visiting. We went camping over Labor Day weekend. I posted all the pictures on my facebook. The kids had a blast. David and I had fun too, but it is a lot of work to camp with three little ones. And there is no way to keep everyone clean for even a minute. Hopefully every camping trip will gradually get a little easier. We plan on making them more often. The kids loved being outside. All Logan wanted to do was ride in the boat with Pappaw or Papa, whoever would take him. Olivia loves to fish, so does Logan. And Carson, he just played in the dirt. We enjoyed visiting with everyone and wish it was more often.
David has had to work a lot of late nights last week and this week. So glad this doesn't happen very often. The kids and I are missing him like crazy. Feel like I haven't seen him in over a week. His project is due in the morning, so hopefully our family time will be back to normal.
We are busy working on getting our items priced for our fundraiser yard sale. I think we may have some more items coming. Everyone please pray that it will be a prosperous sale, as we really need to raise some money for this adoption. I have been looking at flights, and prices are higher than when I looked in the spring. Next week I am going to make our signs for the fundraiser car wash that is to be located at Ferguson drive in Benton. We really need some volunteers to help us run the car wash. All the ones I have seen there have always been really busy. And so far we have had no volunteers. Please, if anyone can, come out and help us.
I spoke with the manager at Moe's grill and he said they will help us with a fundraiser. We pick a date and a 4 hour increment, we hand out flyers that customers hand to the cashier, and 10% of all sales during that time period will be donated to us. AWESOME! I finally got an answer from the Sonics here, and they do not have any fundraiser cards to donate. While Lisa was here she told me that the director of the bank where she works own like 700 Sonics, so maybe we will have some luck that route. Once we get the yard sale and car wash done with I plan on making some items to take to a store in Sheridan to sale. We will see.
Our documents are being translated, should be finished. We paid for that this week, so one more thing down. Hopefully our baby girl will not have to stay in Taiwan for too long, and that will help with the cost as well. Keep praying for us that we will have all the funds to bring her home without having to put it on the credit card. Thanks to everyone who is praying for us.

Adoption Update

We are still waiting for a referral, but are actively trying to round up things around the house and from anyone who would like to donate items for our garage sale that we have set for September, 26. We are hoping to have a successful sale. I have contacted all the Sonics in the area, and am still waiting to hear back from them as to wether they will be able to donate any fundraiser cards. Also waiting to hear if we will be able to have a fundraiser car wash in the parking lot by our Wal-Mart. I have contacted the owner of Ferguson's furniture, and he has asked me to call him back tomorrow after he receives his water bill. If I have to pay $100.00 for the water for the wash then we will be unable to have the car wash, because I have no idea how much a car wash will bring in and wether that would be worth it after paying for the water for the wash. We will have to wait and see. I am thinking about making some hairbows and headbands to take to a store in Sheridan; my mom says they don't take very much of the commission. She has taken lots of things she has made in the past there, and has done very well.

On the layout are some bigger items that I have posted on Craig's List if anyone is interested. Please pray for us as we try to find ways to raise money for our adoption.

Papa and Logan

Logan getting ready to go back to

Papa and Nana's house. He was so

excited about riding in Papa's truck.

So, the kids are staying at Papa and Nana's house this weekend. My dad came over before lunch today to bring a free bed that I had him pick up. I found it on Craig's List and thought I could sell it in my fundraiser yard sale. When they got here I told Logan he needed to go to the bathroom before he left. He wouldn't let Papa out of his sight. He kept telling Papa, "No leave me." He made Papa take him to the bathroom because he thought Papa was going to leave without him. Papa and Logan were up at 6:30 this morning and outside washing the camper by 8:00. All three kids have ridden Papa's mower so much that he had to go get more gas. Logan worked all morning outside with Papa. He has been Papa's shadow this weekend. He told Papa at naptime to stay in the house until he was up from his nap.

Olivia, on the other hand, went outside rode the mower, started to rake the grass, then said,"I am getting sweaty. I am going inside." She and Nana made cookies and did things around the house.

Carson emptied a box of Kleenexes for Nana. I think he has been pretty good for the most part. if Kleenexes is all he gets into at her house then we are doing good.

Kids are having a blast at Papa and Nana's.

Smoothies

So, we had smoothies today after lunch. We needed to finish off the homemade ice cream that was in the freezer, some strawberries that were seeing their last day, and some bananas, some even sent to the freezer. The kids loved them, as you can tell from the pictures. Carson, as usual, finished his up before everyone else and was grunting for more.

One of these days I hoped to get all these pictures digitally scrapbooked. It will happen. I get a few pages done every once in a while. I need a full week by myself to make a dent in all the pictures I have.

So, we went to the library Tuesday afternoon and checked some new movies out. I think Olivia is obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninga Turtles. Who would have thought? I mean, I liked it as a child too, but that is all she wants to watch. She has watched it over and over. And, of coarse, Logan has no interest in it. Carson will watch whatever is playing.

Our early morning baby escape stopped this morning, because momma got smarter than the baby. He tried, but was unsuccessful. I out a dining room chair up against the opening, tied it with bakers towels, then stuffed the little hole that he was sliding in with stuffed animals and blankets. IT WORKED! He couldn't get out.

Adoption Update

We are still waiting for our referral. We are planning our fundraiser garage sale for September 26, so if you would like to donate something for the sale we would appreciate it so much. I have called all three Sonics in our local area and have asked if they would be willing to donate fundraiser coupon cards. I am waiting to hear back from their general managers. Hopefully they will. They did for our last adoption, and it was a successful fundraiser. We are wanting to have a fundraiser car wash as well. For you locals, I have asked Dr. Rosnermanz if I can have it in his office parking lot. Mr. Ferguson owns that. I called him today, and he asked me to call him next Tuesday after he receives this month's water bill. He allowed two different organizations to hold two last month, and that it usually raises the bill around 100.00 per car wash. Hopefully, he will allow us to have one. If not, I guess we will not have one. I don't know of another area that gets a lot of traffic where I know any of the lot owners. So, we shall see. So far, we have had several items donated from friends at church. Hopefully the sale will bring in some money. If anyone has any ideas for any other fundraisers please let me know. I thought about baking fresh homemade cinnamon rolls for the garage sale as well. We will see. His Hands is now outnumbered with boys, 4 boys to 3 girls. Maybe they will be getting some little girls soon. I pray for our referral, but then think how if I get a referral then there is a mother losing something wonderful, even if it is the best choice she can make. Something to ponder, as with anything in this life. Always some sadness somewhere. But one day there will be NO TEARS.

Boys Are Suck Little Stinkers...

So, Monday Carson decided at 4am he was going to get out of his bed, for the day. David and I put him back to bed 19 times. Finally I just got up. During the 19 times of putting Carson back to bed, I tried to doze. Apparently I did, because I woke up to Olivia telling me, "Momma, you have to come look at this mess." I walked into the living room where I found a pile of goldfish crackers (and I buy the box at Sam's). So, I clean that up, get the kids' breakfast out and take Carson to the bedroom to change his diaper. I come back to find Logan has climbed up on the barstool at the island and has turned over my storage container that my apple pie is in. Then, when Carson was taking a nap, or not I should say, he tore down the curtain and rod. He did this again this morning and climbed out of his bed multiple times early this morning. He is not getting the picture here. So, yes, these little boys are stinkers.

Legacy of An Adopted Child

Once there were two women
Who never knew each other
One you do not remember
The other you call Mother
Two different lives shaped to make yours one
One became your shining star
The other became your sun
The first gave you life
And the second taught you to live it
The first one gave you a need for love
And the second one was there to give it
One gave you a nationality
The other gave you a name
One gave you the seed of talent
The other gave you an aim
One gave you emotions
The other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile
The other dried your tears
One gave you up
That was all she could do
The other prayed for a child
And God led her straight to you
And now you ask me through your tears
The age old question through the years
Heredity or environment
Which are you a product of?
Neither, my Darling, neither
Just two different kinds of love
-Author Unknown

Monkeying Around Part 2

Olivia after we had the wrench removed from her finger at the hospital.

Logan and Olivia playing with scrap wood, aka "their toys."

Olivia

Logan

Daddy and Pappaw

"Play House Under Construction"

Carson & Mammaw

Monkeying Around

Busy, Busy week. I worked three nights this week......sigh. I was on-call. Will be nice when I get my paycheck; much needed for our adoption. Hopefully it will be enough to pay for our documents to be translated. I don't know how moms with children work full time or work during the day away from the kids. Needless to say, it has been a rough and different week around here.
Saturday the kids got their early birthday present from their grandparents. My parents and David's parents went in together for all of them, and bought them a playhouse/swingset. They are super excited. Their birthdays aren't until this winter, but thought they could be playing with their gift now instead of waiting til their actual birthday and it being too cold.
Pappaw and Mammaw actually went and picked it up. I think the thing must have a thousand parts, or more. The instructions said it would take 6-12 hours to assemble, depending on experience. Right now we are up to about 5.5hours, and we are more than halfway done. the kids keep asking when is it going to be done. Hopefully by next weekend.
The kids ran around outside and played with the boxes and pieces of scrap wood from Olivia's bed, that David is currently building. They had a blast. After dinner last night Olivia was begging her Daddy to let her help him with her swing set. So, he gave her a wrench, and told her to hand it to him when he asked. Well, the little girly girl in her thought it would be a beautiful ring. Apparently her middle finger is latger than a half inch in diameter. She put the wrench on there, and guess what, STUCK! Daddy and Pappaw tried to get it off. By the time she came into the house her finger was swollen. I tried to get it off with butter, pure soap, and then running it under cold water. By this point it wouldn't even turn at all. She was in hysterics, and her finger was a very pretty dark purple. So, out came the ice pack, and Mammaw and I headed to the ER. As soon as the triage nurse saw the color of her finger, we went straight back to a room, and I must say they were very busy. Fastest service I have ever seen in the ER. So, there is some truth that they treat the most severe cases first, not who came in first...lol. A female nurse looked at it with utter shock, she asked a male nurse to come to the room. He grabbed some KY-Jelly and shimmied it right off. I was shocked. I mean a $100.00 copay, and he did something I could have done at home, and he felt terrible that I was going to have to pay. he tried to get around us having to pay, but no luck. He said the ice had done wonders and had helped with the swelling. But really, I am a mom, I wasn't going to look at an eggplant purple finger for long. Only so long before that can turn into some damage. After the wrench was removed Olivia said she needed to use the restroom, I was walking with her to the bathroom andshe tells me, "Momma, i can't walk that fast. You are going to have to slow down because my finger is really swollen." Legs, finger, what??? All Linda and I could do was laugh; she was milking it.
So that was our story of the weekend. More to come this week, I am sure.

The To Do List is Shortening

So, I have this huge To Do list that I want to get done before our baby girl comes home. Slowly, but surely, things are getting done. Today I finsihed going through the entire house, with the exception of the boys closet. Now our garage looks like a bomb hit it. I will tackle that next weekend. I went through our closet, both bathrooms, Olivia's closet and bedroom, the pantry, the laundry room (or in my case, more like closet), kitchen cabinets, basement, and my sheet drawers. We are planning on having our garage sale in September, then I can get my garage back in order.

Hopefully we will start painting the girls' room soon, and get it all decorated. Can't wait to see the finished product. Still trying to figure out what I am going to do with the boys' room. I am thinking I might make their quilts. I have been looking, but cannot find what I have in mind. Katrina has inspired me to make their quilts. Hers are so cute.

Mammaw called this morning and asked if she could take the kids to a movie. They went, as you can tell I got a lot done. They went to see Ice Age in 3D. Olivia and Logan both said it was coming out of the TV. Logan now roars like a dinosaur. They had a "Fun Day," as they call it with Mammaw. Carson stayed home with me, and followed me around while I cleaned everything. He was such a good boy.

After the kids got done napping, we had our usual Saturday swim. I suer am going to miss this when it starts getting cooler.

Now, all is quiet in the house, and I think I will join in the Zzzzzzz as well.