Donations

We owe the world an attitude of gratitude! For lots of things, but this week, it's for this:

Yard Sale
Last weekend, we hosted a yard sale at my parent's house. It was a combination of our old stuff, plus theirs and all proceeds we made went towards our adoption. My parents were more than hospitable, letting us bring over loads of stuff the week before and my mom went as far as to organize everything in boxes and piles so we could efficiently price the night before. My friend Laura also participated in the sale - she had a lot of great clothing and home accessories to sell and make a killing!

Overall, we made about $270 in five hours for Baby M. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us take over your house for a week, your front yard and driveway for most of Saturday and for taking the rest of the clothing we didn't sell to Goodwill. You are too good to us.

Beads for Baby M

My darling friends Tonya and Jessica are both jewelry artists. Earlier this summer, they proposed that they host a jewelry sale as a fundraiser for our adoption. Jessica offered up her home, which she and her husband recently purchased in a great historic neighborhood in our city and we set up Friday night, bringing over our long card tables, and decorating them with tablecloths, accessories and laying out each piece. Tonya had these great black shutters she hung her earrings on too!
Here are some photos:

A little Hipstamatic action for you...

I wanted every earring Jessica made on this little hangy-thingy.

My favorite necklace. I wore it to work a few weeks ago and didn't want to give it back. It sold, along with a custom order for one just like it but with green and yellow beads.

We provided some beverages, courtesy of Trader Joe's.

And some snacks prepared by my sweet friends Tia, Krista, Jennifer, Tonya and Jessica.

The party was drop-in style and it was a great turnout! They sold about half of their merchandise in just a few hours. What I loved the most was the buyers reactions to their work - they absolutely LOVED everything and oohhed and aaaahed about all the pretty little things. I was praying the whole time that this would really bless them in return - that this sale, which was also the debut of their work, would create a lot of interest and a following for many sales to come. I'm sure they won't have any trouble selling out at their Christmas Sale!

Tonya called me tonight to tell me the grand total - $840 in sales, $40 in donations! That's $880!!!

I am blown away. I told Tonya and Jess yesterday that I felt like this fundraiser, this amazingly generous idea come to life, was helping make a way where there was none before. THIS is the idea of community, of living out the grace and mercy of God in a real and tangible way. I only hope that I can show that kind of generosity and grace to another and continue to pay it forward.

Here are my darling friends, Tonya and Jessica:

Lord bless those amazing women and their talent! Let them be fruitful in their work!

Please be sure to visit their websites - they take custom orders!

www.flickr.com/LolaBreenBoutique/collections and http://picasaweb.google.com/JettJonesDesigns

So to date, we have received/raised $9300! Can you believe it?!?!

All thanks to YOU, you generous, amazing, wonderful people!!!