First Fundraiser – COMPLETE!

Hello everyone!

Well… our first fundraiser is behind us. Thanks to MANY friends and family, we were able to pull it off pretty well. Knowing that we’re done with the snowshoe/chili feed/raffle is kind of weird. We put so much into it and now it’s just… done.

We hoped for more racers, but maybe it’s best that we only had 30. We learned a lot and appreciated everyone’s patience with our first fundraiser. MN did not provide us with much snow, and there was nothing we could do about that. Thanks to those of you who attended the race. It meant a lot to Jeff and me.

The chili feed/raffle was great. Both rooms of the Phalen Rec Center were filled with people who were filling their bellies with food and beverages made by our friends and family. It was amazing for us to see it all come together. To think that you all took time out of your Saturday to hang with us at a Rec Center is AWESOME for us. You all showed us that our kids will be very loved when they arrive home. We are so very grateful for your love and support.

Many people are asking how much money was raised this weekend. We don’t know yet. We believe we raised enough to get us through our home study.

At this point in time it feels as if our kids will never be home with us. We have to pace this in such a way that makes financial sense. That is a hard thing to do when you want kids. It is possible that one of our babies is about to be born in the next month or so. The other may not even yet be conceived. This process takes time…

In the meantime, we will start to clear out the nursery. It is currently an office/storage room. I would like to paint it and begin decorating in the next few months.

Maybe then our kids will feel real.

Raffle Items – Update

I am feeling so grateful right now. I just got notified of the final items that will be raffled off at our chili feed/raffle in EIGHT DAYS! Please check here for the updated list. My heart is filled with joy! We hope to see you all at the race/chili feed/raffle. Some people have been asking if raffle tickets will be available on the day of the event.

YES THEY WILL!

You can also buy tickets online until 1/25. Click the ‘donate’ button on this blog and mention (before you submit your donation) that the money is for raffle tickets. I’ll get the message and will mail your tickets to you within 24 hours.

We can’t wait to see you all next weekend. Bring on the snow, Minnesota.

megan

Agency Application

Well, we’re applying with our chosen agency. We interviewed four agencies and picked the one that we are comfortable with. We will be submitting our application in the next couple of months. We originally wanted to apply by January, but have to wait for financial reasons.

The anxiety is setting in. It’s an anxiety of being judged; that we will be judged as “not good enough” to be parents.

I have faith that we’ll get through this and that our agency will help us complete our family. There will be bumps along the way, but our agency will see that we are good enough. We are good enough to give parenting everything we have. And that’s all for today, everyone.

megan

Lists

I’m can’t stop making lists. Here is a list of my lists:

1. Newborn supplies. We’re gonna need newborn(ish) stuff.
2. Toddler supplies. We’re gonna need toddler stuff.
3. Toys. I’m going to be picky. Shocker there.
4. Rearrange. Our house is not set up for a mobile kid (medicines, chemicals, etc.).
5. Nursery! Enough said.
6. More supplies.
7. Playroom.
8. Adoption stuff.
9. Adoption stuff.
10. Adoption stuff.
11. Clothes. Must hold off on this one until I know WHO we’re getting!!
12. Fundraiser.
13. More fundraiser.
14. Sign-up sheets.
15. More books to buy before kids get home (already bought at least 10).
16. Kwanzaa. Will celebrate this year.
17. Family. Which books do they need to read? Already purchased for our parents. Check.
18. Finish my name change.
19. Shots before traveling to Africa. How soon do we need to start?
20. Wow. Carseats.
21. How do (individual) people get things done (shopping, etc.) with two kids? This list item involves staring at people in stores. Don’t worry… I might be weird, but I’m harmless.
22. Everyone has started giving me advice. Filter, filter, filter.
23. I know I have more lists, but I have misplaced them. I am going to start a list notebook.

Snowshoeing 1 mile & 5k/5k Run/Chili Feed/Raffle

All proceeds from raffle and race go directly toward the expense of our adoption agency, orphanage, lawyers in the kids’ birth country, travel to pick kids up, etc.

**Please click the button (below) to register for snowshoeing or walk/run.**
***Last day for online registration is 1/27/2012!!***

Each raffle ticket costs $15.00! You do NOT have to be present to win the TV. You (or a representative for you) must be present to win the smaller items.

Flier of most raffle items: OurBirthStory Raffle Items

Raffle items: a 55″ Toshiba FHD LCD TV – 556310U (with 4 year protection plan), gift cards from Leviticus Tattoo, Dancing Fork art, and La Petite Fleur, Timberwolves tickets, Princess House items, 2 (individual) private golf lessons at Eagle Valley Golf Course, 5 – 1 hour massages at St. Paul College Student Clinic, $100 gift card to Grand Performance Bike Shop, a BeautiControl spa basket, a Pandigital (512 mb) 4000 image digital photo frame, a KangaCare Rumparooz diaper set (2 cloth diaper covers, 4 washable diaper liners, a changing pad and wet bag), a $100 gift card to Twin Cities Run Company, a scrapbooking basket, a Cuisinart 12 Cup Food Processor, a hair cut from Melanie Stephenson, a $50 Gu swag bag, a basket and drum from House of Talents (Ghana), and 1 pair of Louis Garneau snow shoes ($300 value).

Timeline:
AT PHALEN LAKE/PHALEN BEACH – *Snowshoes available for rent ($5.00) for those who register online.* Also available for rent on 1/28/12 on a first come-first serve basis.
1. Day-Of Registration – begins at 10:30 a.m. at Lake Phalen – (Please bring cash or check. We do not have the ability to accept cards on-site).
2. Snowshoeing Demo & Lesson (by Louis Garneau & Redfeather) – 10:00 to 1:00 p.m.
3. 5k or 1 Mile Tour (leisurely stroll) – 11:30
4. 5k or 1 Mile Run/Snowshoe – Noon (This is a timed race).

AT PHALEN RECREATION CENTER -
1. Chili Feed – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
2. Raffle – begins at 2:00 p.m. (Tickets will be for sale at Rec Center)

Good news about fundraiser!

I just got a voicemail that made me cry (no worries… happy tears).

I reached out to a local nonprofit organization yesterday. We need to find a nonprofit that is willing to “sponsor” us in order to hold a sweet raffle at our January 28th event. Well, the first nonprofit that I reached out to is IN!! Jeff and I have volunteered for this agency (East Side Neighborhood Development Company) in the past because we believe in their mission. They are trying to build up the neighborhood just south of us to be better for families and business. They hold events for families to get out in our community and they focus on making our area better for business owners as well.

So… they’re going to help us out! I am so grateful for them! Thanks John for meeting with us and believing in what we want for our family!

Here’s a link to the agency that’s helping us: http://esndc.org/?home

This is all I know for now. We’re just starting to work with ESNDC on all the details. Yay! More to come…

megan

Buy a Raffle Ticket…?

Jeff and I have great neighbors. They came to us a few months ago and said that they want to help us do a fundraiser to raise enough money to bring our kiddos home. Their idea was a snowshoe race and chili feed.

So… here I am. Planning a snowshoe race, chili feed, and raffle. Our event will be held on January 28th, 2012 at Phalen Park in St. Paul, MN. The chili feed will be at the Phalen Recreation Center. If you’re a facebook person, search for  OurBirthStory – 3k & 5k Snowshoe Race/5k Run/Chili Feed/Raffle and you’ll find our facebook invitation.

I will give you more details as soon as I have more solidified.

We are going to get a 51″ Samsung television to raffle off on the day of the race. Other raffle items include: $50 gift card from La Petite Fleur (St. Paul), a gift card from Leviticus Tattoo (Minneapolis), and a gift card from Dancing Fork art by Lauren Strom. There will be more in the raffle; just keep checking back. Please see this post for updated list of raffle items.

My question for tonight: Will you buy a ticket? I just found out that MN gambling law states that you DO NOT have to be present to win the item. That being said, it will be your responsibility to find a way to my house to pick up your TV if you win and are not present at the drawing. Tickets cost $15 each. We are still trying to find a nonprofit organization to sponsor us for this raffle. Gambling law requires that we have a sponsor… just learned that this morning. Please see this update about nonprofit sponsorship.

PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS POST WITH YOUR ANSWER!!!

Thank you everyone!!

megan

Couple waiting for their baby (video not made for us)

This video is about a couple waiting for their baby. This is the beginning of their birth story.

(PS: This video was not made for us. I just found it on YouTube).

Not knowing…

Well, we don’t know a lot of things. Let me make a (non-exhaustive) list for you:

1. Which agency to select.

2. Which country our babies will come from.

3. If that country will approve us.

4. How long this process will take.

5. How many roadblocks we will encounter.

6. How we will raise enough money to adopt our children.

7. How long this will take. When will we have a child(ren)?

8. What will the adjustment process be like for our child(ren)?

This list is in no way complete. Right now we are not thinking much about how the baby(ies) will adjust to us, though we have purchased about 20 recommended books. We need an agency. We need to try and keep saving money.

For now, we will trust that this process will happen naturally and that each and every roadblock will help us grow. In the end, we will have our birth stories and our family. I can’t wait to hold our first child!!

megan

Finding an Agency…

We are trying to figure out which agency to work with, and this is a very scary and difficult decision. We have read horror stories about agencies tacking on thousands of dollars of unexpected fees halfway into the adoption process. We are trying to avoid that by doing our research. Whatever that means. We are located in Minnesota and have not found any local agencies who specialize in African adoptions. So… it looks like we’re going to be signing with an agency that is out-of-state. Add more tension and anxiety here.

So far, the agencies on our list are:

1. Children of All Nations (located in Texas). Countries they work with: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda. Update: Phone interview completed on 12/9/11. This agency said we’re only eligible to adopt from Uganda. Agency was nice; information about Congo was not up-to-date.

2. One World (located in Georgia). Countries they work with: Kenya (not currently accepting applications & only 14 adoptions were completed there in 2010) and DR of Congo. Truth is, this agency might be out. DR of Congo requires that couples be married a minimum of 5 years before adopting. Update: Phone interview complete on 12/12/11. Congo’s policy changed and we are eligible to adopt from here now! One World was very nice and professional; have been working with DRC (Congo) for two years now. Yaay!! Feeling good about this agency!

3. MLJ Adoptions (located in Indiana). Countries they work with: Congo (DRC), Ethiopia. This agency tells us that there is not a marriage requirement (minimum 5 years – as One World and Children of All Nations told us).

That’s it folks. We have emailed two other agencies and will add them to the list if they actually end up being options. We’re hoping to get a contract signed within the next month, but we’re not feeling too good at this point. It seems that the options are so limited.