<Kristin talking here...>
My dear sweet bff Lisa has coined the funniest phrase ... "farting rainbows." When there is a situation that calls for one to fart a rainbow, I apparently do so well. For example, someone or something bad happens, and you create a usually fake but cheery response. Some people say that is lemonade out of lemons, we say it is "farting a rainbow!"
Sometimes, there are just farts. Forgive me for my crass language, it is just part of my reality right now. Right now, there is no rainbow in the farts happening right now, and I am just generally upset.
I hope that this rambling will draw someone closer to the reality of adoption, because as you can see by all the other posts here I have gotten really good a farting rainbows. I make things look clean, easy, and happy all the time ... and there are moments that I am just taken to tears. Infertility took me to those tears often, it reminds me of this post from my infertility blogging days. I titled that "Waves of Infertility." Today I could write a novel about the "Waves of Adoption."
Today was a wave. Not a monsoon, not a downpour, not a sprinkle, and not a shower. A wave. I am waiting to see how I ride it, if I get swallowed whole or if I crest ... it is an unknown right now. But I do know I will be writing that book. I have to.
Wednesday
Thursday
Taking a breath!
Well, as you all know our fall fundraiser was stunning and amazing. Click here to see the amazing pictures ... we had a BLAST! We had a wonderful group of friends that hosted this amazing event and silent auction, and all in all raised almost $4,000 from this event!
Since then, we met with our agency and did our final set of interviews, and our case worker is working hard on our Home Study write up. We have finished our profile books, it is FABULOUS! They should arrive tomorrow!!
So from here, we meet with Nancy on Wednesday the 19th for our final meeting and to look over the Home Study, hand over our profiles, and wrap this side of the work up! Then, it is waiting, praying, hoping, dreaming, saving, saving, saving time!!!
We are so excited and ready for this step ... it is giant. In the past month our lives have been turned upside down with adoption ... one month ago today we were obsessively cleaning our house and freaking out about the study! Since then we have had a beautiful party, raised $4,000, done all the home study work, created a profile, and laughed. We have laughed a lot =)
I pray and hope that we can stay happy and excited about this after next week. When the projects stop, and the constant "something to do for the agency" slows down ... when it is just the two of us and the wait. Yes, we have PLENTY going on that will occupy that time, but it is still something we have to work toward. Staying positive and happy takes work ... but it is so worthwhile!!
Since then, we met with our agency and did our final set of interviews, and our case worker is working hard on our Home Study write up. We have finished our profile books, it is FABULOUS! They should arrive tomorrow!!
So from here, we meet with Nancy on Wednesday the 19th for our final meeting and to look over the Home Study, hand over our profiles, and wrap this side of the work up! Then, it is waiting, praying, hoping, dreaming, saving, saving, saving time!!!
We are so excited and ready for this step ... it is giant. In the past month our lives have been turned upside down with adoption ... one month ago today we were obsessively cleaning our house and freaking out about the study! Since then we have had a beautiful party, raised $4,000, done all the home study work, created a profile, and laughed. We have laughed a lot =)
I pray and hope that we can stay happy and excited about this after next week. When the projects stop, and the constant "something to do for the agency" slows down ... when it is just the two of us and the wait. Yes, we have PLENTY going on that will occupy that time, but it is still something we have to work toward. Staying positive and happy takes work ... but it is so worthwhile!!
Monday
Financial Update!
So the Garden Party was wonderful ... We had the best time in the world. Thank you all so so much for donating, participating, supporting, praying ... it was all we hoped it would be!
So you look over there to the right (--->) and you see that we just broke the $10k mark of fundraising! WAHOOO!! But wait, didn't that total say $22,500 yesterday? Not $18,000? Why yes, yes it did.
We had our first homestudy visit on the 14th of September, and it went smashingly well. Aside from adoring our caseworker and having a wonderful time talking on the couch for what felt like hours, we got a wonderful surprise. If our adoption is done within one year of our homestudy being finalized, our total fees will be $18k!!! The fees with our agency are on a sliding scale based on your last 3 years of tax returns, and 3 years ago I worked for the board of education so my salary was quite a bit lower. So we have 12 months from the end of the study, and at that moment our final payment will be $11,500 when we receive our little Pea!
So we are now around $7,000 away from all of our fees being raised. We are so thrilled and in awe of the love we have experienced and the ability to save save save on our own! It has only been 9 months (ironic!) since we started the adoption fund, and we are well over half way there! We are actually 65.53% there =)
So, now we go into a world of slowing down, no big events, no insane deadlines ... just living a nice quiet fall season with all the other aspects of our cooky life =) Preparing for Christmas Cards is our next big fundraiser, can you BELIEVE that?!?!!?
For pictures of the event, take a look here!
So you look over there to the right (--->) and you see that we just broke the $10k mark of fundraising! WAHOOO!! But wait, didn't that total say $22,500 yesterday? Not $18,000? Why yes, yes it did.
We had our first homestudy visit on the 14th of September, and it went smashingly well. Aside from adoring our caseworker and having a wonderful time talking on the couch for what felt like hours, we got a wonderful surprise. If our adoption is done within one year of our homestudy being finalized, our total fees will be $18k!!! The fees with our agency are on a sliding scale based on your last 3 years of tax returns, and 3 years ago I worked for the board of education so my salary was quite a bit lower. So we have 12 months from the end of the study, and at that moment our final payment will be $11,500 when we receive our little Pea!
So we are now around $7,000 away from all of our fees being raised. We are so thrilled and in awe of the love we have experienced and the ability to save save save on our own! It has only been 9 months (ironic!) since we started the adoption fund, and we are well over half way there! We are actually 65.53% there =)
So, now we go into a world of slowing down, no big events, no insane deadlines ... just living a nice quiet fall season with all the other aspects of our cooky life =) Preparing for Christmas Cards is our next big fundraiser, can you BELIEVE that?!?!!?
For pictures of the event, take a look here!
Sunday
Saturday
Thursday
GIVEAWAY!!!
Well, friends, it is GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Chad has been working on this one ... something that would drum up some ticket sales for our upcoming Little Pea: Giant Love Garden Party Fundraiser ... and HERE IT IS!!!
Chad has been working on this one ... something that would drum up some ticket sales for our upcoming Little Pea: Giant Love Garden Party Fundraiser ... and HERE IT IS!!!
AN APPLE TV!!!
To be entered to win, you simply have to purchase a ticket for $25 to our Garden Party, or make a donation of $25 or more if you are out of town or unable to attend! For every $25 you spend, you are entered into the drawing!! (You must pay via paypal, check, or cash ... payment must be received by 9/24/2011)
Then, post a link to the Garden Party Facebook Invite on your facebook wall. (Tag us in the post so we know you did that part, or leave a comment below stating you posted!!)
That is IT! We will do the drawing at the Garden Party, you do not have to be present to win!!!!!
Fall Fundraiser!!
Good morning, sweeties!
As you may have known by being directed here, we just announced our Fall Fundraiser and the ticket sale kick off starts TODAY! For more info, click here.
I wanted to share a little background about WHY we are fundraising so much, and what the end goal is. Enjoy!
Much love,
Fundraising Mommy
As you may have known by being directed here, we just announced our Fall Fundraiser and the ticket sale kick off starts TODAY! For more info, click here.
I wanted to share a little background about WHY we are fundraising so much, and what the end goal is. Enjoy!
Much love,
Fundraising Mommy
We hope this finds you well and you are enjoying your summer … we are busy, busy, busy preparing for our little Pea to arrive, and it is so fun!
As you might know, we had an amazing Yard Sale Fundraiser in the spring and it was a great success. We were trying to think of another fundraiser to do when our great friend Joe approached us about a party. That idea has quickly developed in to the ….
This fundraiser will be a ton fun, and we would love for you to be a part of it and get your ticket to the Little Pea: Giant Love Garden Party September 24th, 2011 from 4 to 8pm. It will be a wonderful event with music, food, drinks, silent auction, and time to celebrate together all while having a LOT of fun!
For this fundraiser, donating is the key and the party is the celebration. So think simple … can you donate $10 or $20 to the cause? If so, that is a huge success! We need every dollar, and as soon as that baby pea is ready to roll we need to have the cash in hand!
Our entire adoption will be around $22,500, with the final portion of around $15,000 due when we take the baby home. You can help us get that lined up right now with this event, so when our little one is ready we are too!
Thank you for your love, your support, and your encouragement! This little pea is going to come into a world that is filled with giant love for them!!
Chad & Kristin Clark
As you might know, we had an amazing Yard Sale Fundraiser in the spring and it was a great success. We were trying to think of another fundraiser to do when our great friend Joe approached us about a party. That idea has quickly developed in to the ….
Little Pea: Giant Love
Clark Adoption Fundraiser
This fundraiser will be a ton fun, and we would love for you to be a part of it and get your ticket to the Little Pea: Giant Love Garden Party September 24th, 2011 from 4 to 8pm. It will be a wonderful event with music, food, drinks, silent auction, and time to celebrate together all while having a LOT of fun!
For this fundraiser, donating is the key and the party is the celebration. So think simple … can you donate $10 or $20 to the cause? If so, that is a huge success! We need every dollar, and as soon as that baby pea is ready to roll we need to have the cash in hand!
Our entire adoption will be around $22,500, with the final portion of around $15,000 due when we take the baby home. You can help us get that lined up right now with this event, so when our little one is ready we are too!
Thank you for your love, your support, and your encouragement! This little pea is going to come into a world that is filled with giant love for them!!
Chad & Kristin Clark
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