Status report and a celebratory GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Well, we officially mailed in our referral acceptance last Friday, ON TIME, with a FULL referral fee payment THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! I thought this might be a good chance to recap and let you know what's ahead.

OUR PUZZLE FUNDRAISER

Since we put our need out there exactly two weeks ago today, God has brought in a total of $10,804. WOW. That's our referral fee PLUS $2,669! I'd say we're well on our way to raising our funds for our travel expenses!

Some stats from our donations:

• We had exactly 100 individual donations
• 49 donations (almost half) were for one $20 puzzle piece
• 86% of the donations were for $100 or less
  
• 55% of the donations came from people we have never met (Wow.)
  
• 100% of the donations brought us to tears as we marveled at God's glorious provision through all of you

Simply incredible. As I prepare to write all of those names on 500 puzzle pieces, I am blown away to think how many of you have been involved in my bringing my daughter home. How does someone say thank you for something like that?! Those two words just don't seem to express all I feel--how full my heart is with gratitude for you. I can't wait to tell Abby one day about all of you and the love you poured out on our family.

SO NOW WHAT?

Well, it just so happens that the timing of our referral has fallen on the exact weekend that the courts in Ethiopia have closed for two months. Their courts close during their rainy season, and will not reopen until September 27. We have to wait until the courts reopen to even be given a court date, which means we will not even know until October when our first trip will be. Our guess is that our court date could be late October but more likely will be in November. Then, we will prepare to travel approximately 6 weeks after that first trip to return to Ethiopia and bring Abby home (so that could be December or January).

So...we wait. We cling to God's sovereignty and know His timing is perfect. We trust little Miss Abby to His perfect care until we can hold her in our arms ourselves.

I am updating my thermometer to reflect our fundraising for our travel costs, which will be our next round of expenses. It is exciting to realize we are on our last round of fundraising needs! In the last year, God has provided close to $20,000! Really, all we have left is our travel costs for our two trips to Ethiopia and some post-adoption expenses with our homestudy agency. We have no reason to doubt that God will provide just what we need, when we need it.

TIME TO CELEBRATE!! A GIVEAWAY!!

We want to say thank you and celebrate all that God has done in the last few weeks!! Thanks to Gwen and Suzanne, the gals at 147 Million Orphans, I have a fun packet of 147 goodies to giveaway!! Who doesn't LOVE some 147 gear??!!!!


So here's how to enter:

1. Become a follower of my blog (if you are not already) so we can be friends. : )
2. One entry into the drawing per post on your blog, facebook, or twitter (You can post multiple times, up to three entries per day!)
3. Leave me a comment here on my blog or on facebook so I know how you've entered.

That's it!! This giveaway will run until Monday, August 16th at noon (EST). I'll announce the winner Monday.

Enter today and everyday until Monday! And be sure and let me know when you do!