Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
I need to explain these expectations and assumptions so that you can see, along with me, how God blew them completely OUT OF THE WATER.
Day One Total Raised: $843
Let me just say that again. Eight. HUNDRED. and Forty. Three. DOLLARS
More than DOUBLE our hopes for the week...in one day.
Our total raised to date: $2533
We are halfway to our first goal of $5000 -- to cover the home study and post placement visits.
. . . . .
I pull up to the house, the home I was born to, learned to walk in, the yard I played in, skinned my knees in, ventured with Bean and Ro' in. The garage, inside the walls I learned to hammer nails, learned to love the smell of sawdust and my dad's handiwork, hard work. And how blessed we are to come home to home.
A car crammed with selfless love and encouragement: donations from family and friends spoken over with calls to courage, reminders of His provision, and hopeful expectations. I ran to say hi to Mom and Dad -- and took a breath before getting to the work. Boxes unloaded and sorted and cleaned and priced and organized, rearranged and backs stretched again and again.
A smile breaks out, wide and bright. Bean arrives and the hot, sticky day, and all the work, seems so much more doable. I love my mom and dad, but there is something so wonderful about my sister walking in, strolling in, on a late August night, because she finally, finally, lives here again. And really, what would I do without her in all this?
More clothes sorted and folded and priced. And as the sun sets, we move into the garage and the boxes of...everything. Sorting, organizing, cleaning and it is late and dark and still the heat is building and we are tired.
It's almost midnight. The neighborhood quiet and dreaming, snoring. The brother and the dad have long since retreated to their beds. And the three women work on. Bursts of laughter erupt into the night air, down the street and into the wood. Countless boxes and endless things displayed, with loving care. This work is common, the goal is rare. We are working for a baby and we are all silently aware. And doing what we know best -- laughing, goofing, making each moment count.
. . . . .
The signs are out and the door is open. Vans and trucks and bikes arrive. It's early morning and already the heat is well above 80, soon climbing into the 90s. And still they come, with their friends and sisters and children and alone. Family friends, long time friends, and strangers flock. Some just happened to drive by, others saw ads, and still others walk up and ask, "Is this the adoption sale? We've been waiting all week!"
There's something for everyone and most do find a treasure. $5, $10...the totals are tallied. And on more occasions than I could count, a twenty dollar bill was offered, and change was waved away, "You keep the rest." My heart overflows, overwhelmed and made speechless. I choked back tears and learned the simple art of nodding gratitude.
A woman searched carefully through every table, every box, every corner, finding nothing. And still she walks my way, opens her wallet and smiles. "Couldn't find anything, so you can have it all." And slips the bills, secretly into our donation jar -- blue mason wrapped in twine borrowed from the wedding with a new sign (old, new, borrowed, blue -- because you're always building, creating family. It never stops at two.)
A family friend, who walked along side band concerts, graduations, birthday parties, weddings, births, and everything in between, shared meals, stories, jokes, late night laughter and prayers -- an unexpected large sum donation and the sunglasses must go on. Tears are shed in disbelief, humbled and covered in love, and realizing that this community is here -- waiting in joyful anticipation, for these babies, theses little ones they love completely and have yet to meet.
A little boy running wild while his mom asks the questions I eagerly answer -- about home studies, and future children, and fundraising, and all the exciting goings on. And this little boy finds a penny. And runs, full speed, to my side, "A penny! I found a penny, because every penny counts!" And I gush with honest and sincere gratitude for a penny. And I am so aware that I have never in my life been more thankful for a penny. Because, yes, little running wild boy, every penny is closer to our goal: 500,000 pennies.
A lifelong friend swings by, again, having already shopped and bought and donated, to take orders for iced coffee because, lo and behold, Caribou just happens to be having a coupon day. So in the heat of the afternoon when we are at our last bit of sanity, our friend, who decorated at my wedding, who prayed with me in college, who is one of the most selfless people I have ever known, again, comes to the rescue. And we are oh, so grateful. My heart overflows again and I wonder how many times this can happen in one day?
. . . . .
After the sale, after tallying all the proceeds of the day, I rush to meet a dear friend, longtime friend, practically family. I am still in shock. I counted and recounted and counted again. And told myself, "Count again, correctly! You went to college! You have a degree!" And after the fifth time, it finally occurs to this girl of little faith that the numbers are correct and God has just stopped by to show off. Because, after all, it was never our sale, it was His. My heart overflows with love, joy, gratitude, humility. And I have an answer: a heart can never overflow enough.
She asks how it went and I melt into tears. Unbelievable. Unimaginable. And He whispers, there in the cafe, "...Him, who is able to do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine..." And we talk of adoption, and infertility, and babies, and life, and God and everything under the sun and whatever parts of me were worried or doubting or afraid or scared or anxious...are gone and what is left is overflowing with love.
. . . . .
This was the first day of a simple sale to raise money to finish one step.
One step closer. And I feel like I am running now, to my kids, our babies. And we are finally close.
Thank you. To everyone who donated, brought a table, came, shared, liked, spread the word, bought, gave beyond the price, and gave simple words of encouragement and love. To those who are just as excited as us, who celebrate along with us.
Thank you for joining us on this truly, amazing journey. I hope you see, just like me, how God is moving.
And when asked why we are fundraising, making this usually private process so public, so out there, I will answer: "How could we not?"
How could we keep these adventures, answers to prayer, lavishing of love and care and community to ourselves? We'd later wonder, how selfish are we? And now you can see, adoption is not just an answer to infertility, a means to an end. Adoption is an adventure in trusting God, letting Him show off...because NOTHING can stand between Him and is kids.
To those who are waiting with us, we ARE one step closer. thanks to you.
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