The ABC's Of Coming Home

Have you guys seen this sweet book yet? If you haven't you need to go check it out.  One thing I've found as I'm preparing for our little ones is that there aren't a lot of books specifically for children on adoption.  This book has some great basic things that will be very new to adopted children, like pictures of an airplane, a mailbox, a family-all blank so that it can be colored by your new child, or maybe brothers and sisters can color it before you travel, what a great way to include the whole family right?! I just bought mine yesterday and I cannot wait to get it in the mail.  An added plus? The proceeds benefit the sellers adoption. What's more perfect?!

Go get your own book here

Go quick! Before they're gone! 

New Week, New Family

Hey guys,

hope you had a great weekend, did you watch the Superbowl? We live in the Bay Area so we were definitely rooting for the 49ers, sad night for them, happy night for the Ravens.  Anywho, I'm so excited to introduce you to this weeks family, The Rowdens! 

They're a sweet family adopting a little one from Uganda! They've been matched and are getting ready to fly over to meet their little one next month! As you can see from their video they're all so excited to go meet their newest little family member!  You guys can be a part of that too!



You know the drill, get your $1's ready and donate and share!

*** disclaimer, if when clicking this button you receive a "timed out" message, so please click

HERE

and go straight to the families blog and follow their donate button,

 thanks loves, our buttons been a little tricky lately!***

The Grace Project

This past weekend I was super sick, so I figured if I'm laying in bed what better thing to do than find new fun blogs to read, so I did! And I stumbled across this blog called Twirl, written by a gal named Laura. I was reading and oh you know blog stalking (don't judge, you know you do it too ;) ) And I was reading and reading I stumbled across this post labeled The Grace Project. Basically Laura was on a trip to Tanzania to 2 weeks, and had this God ordained interaction with this woman named Grace who owned a shop "a mere 9x7 structure of wood and dirt, harboring her family's livelihood."  and had a conversation with her, and few days later she went back to visit Grace at her shop and learned more about her...

OK and I just can't do it justice you need to go read the story for yourself HERE

Did you read it? We're you totally getting goose bumps like me?? I LOVE how this family surrounded a family on the other side of the world, and support them in the best way they can, so I'm extending that invitation to you,  I give you...

Laura started an online shop where 100% of the proceeds go to Grace and her family, and the scarves are made by Grace herself. So. stinkin. awesome. 

The scarves are only $25.00, that's an awesome deal, because you know $25.00 in Tanzania goes way farther than $25.00 here...Plus, they're totally springy and you can wear them through different seasons! And if that's not enough to convince you...meet Grace..

There she is! In her little shop! Now, I know we ask a lot of you sometimes, BUT I also know you guys have amazing hearts. Will you join us in the Grace Project?

Click on the "Grace Project" button up there and check out their shop!!! 

One Mango Tree

I recently discovered One Mango Tree, it is an awesome clothing site that provides jobs to women in Uganda to create sustainable income (we love that!) these are fair trade pieces and they are GORGEOUS! Oh my goodness, and you know how usually fair trade=kinda pricey (well, you want that because that means the person was paid fair) but One Mango Tree is totally affordable! 

Head over to their website and read more into their vision, I love it

These are my faves...

The Beach Tunic

I love it because you could totally wear it as a dress, or with a pair of jeans 

(ps, it's only $22.80, yep a steal)

The Beach Hoodie

I kinda have a beach theme going, I'm ready for warmer weather I think, but it just looks to comfy

The Canteen Bag

I just love the colors, and the design

Here's a link to their site, I mean seriously such great stuff, how did I just find out about them. 

Who else did some shopping after seeing their site? ;)

Chrome Buffalo...

I have a super fun fundraiser to share with you all today, it's called Chrome Buffalo, first check out their video, then we'll share the details...

So cool right? I know when we were starting our adoptoin fundraising I really wanted to sell shirts, which we totally did but I wanted a super cool looking shirt, and well-I'm just not that savvy so I would have LOVED to pick a pre-done design, and you get $11.00 of every shirt you sell for your adoption (or whatever you're fundraising for) so cool right? So here are some of the FAQ...

What is Chrome Buffalo?

"Chrome Buffalo™ is an online crowdfunding platform utilizing the concept of individual Drives. And since we’re defining here, a Drive is our fancy word for campaign - an united effort on the Chrome Buffalo platform directed towards the goal of raising funds for your specific cause. Each shirt sold raises $11 for your cause! Buffalo Up!"

Who is it for?

"we're talking about anyone who needs to raise funds for a specific cause. That means organizations, adoptive families, schools, sports teams, faith groups, families with medical expenses, bands, voluntourists, youth groups, et al. We won't waste your time, but you get the picture! With the Chrome Buffalo™ platform, hundreds of individuals or organizations can run Drives for their specific causes simultaneously."

Why?

"Because there is a need! There are millions of people out there who have a need to fundraise for their cause and quite frankly, gone are the days of soliciting funds through door-to-door sales or letter-writing campaigns. Honestly? Who needs more wrapping paper, breakfast breads, chocolate bars, or tubs of cookie dough? That all goes straight to our luv handles or the garbage. But something wearable (and with unlimited use) that supports a family member, a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, or someone across the globe? Now that’s worth $22!"

How does it work?

"Because if you are anything like us, we know you are busy and pulled in thousand directions so we’ve tried to make it as simple as possible:

1. Create a log-in with ChromeBuffalo.com
2. Submit your ‘Important Info’ (so we can get you your funds after the Drive ends)
3. Choose a T-shirt design, set a funding goal, and submit a Drive by uploading your photo, story, video, and a personalized note to go on all your Backer’s shipping receipts.
4. Pending approval by Chrome Buffalo, you will be sent an activation code for your Drive – simply activate your Drive on your desired start date and your 10-day Drive is launched!
5. Send people to your Drive and watch your cause’s dollar amount rise, remember, the more you sell, the more you make!
6. Within 10-days after your Drive ends, Chrome Buffalo will fulfill your orders and send your dough through Paypal!"

When can we start?

"Couldn't leave out the last W, but honestly we don't have much to say other than: "There's no time like the present - start your Drive today!"

Ok, so I think this is super cool! And such a great fundraising idea, we're going to do one to raise money for our high school student's missions trip to Ecuador this spring (my hubs is a youth pastor) and I'm so excited! I don't know about you, but my closet is quickly becoming full of adoption shirts, missions shirts, project hopeful shirts, you name it! I love shopping for a cause and can't wait to put YOUR shirts in my closet! So, who's gonna sign up?!

In the mood for a giveaway!

So today I have a special treat for you today...a giveaway! Lora over at EagerHands has generously offered this beautiful necklace to giveaway to one of YOU!

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18

"God places the lonely in families..." Psalm 68:6

{may you have grace and strength in the waiting}

"The verses above are the inspiration for this beautiful ready-to-ship handstamped necklace featuring a small hammered and domed copper disc that is stamped with the word "WAITING", as well as the outline of Africa. Dangles on a pretty sterling silver plated ball chain with a lobster claw clasp."

This is a special necklace and I know it will hit home to many of the waiting mama's out there.  And even if your little one is already home, I'm sure you remember parts of the wait that seemed to never end.  But as you wear this necklace around your neck it can be a constant reminder of the little one your heart is ready to meet! 

Lora, the designer has a special place in her heart for adoption, and I'm so thankful that she wants to bless one of you with this sweet necklace!

This giveaway is for everyone! Not just waiting mama's, because I know in the adoption community everybody knows somebody who's waiting.

Here's the details on how can win:

This giveaway will begin Tuesday Jan 29th and run through Friday Feb 1st

The winner will be announced Sunday Feb 3rd 

-Donate to our family of the week (1 entry)

-Share the family of the week post on your

-Facebook (1 entry)

-Pinterest (1 entry)

-Twitter (1 entry)

Make sure you comment below and let us know what you did :)

For each entry please leave a separate comment 

(so if you do all of the above you could get 4 chances to win!)

I can't wait to see who wins! 

Make sure you check out Lora's blog too (she's the one who's donating the necklace :) )

New Week New Family, The Gilliams!

Hey guys!
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend, I planned on spending mine at Created for Care, but my body had other plans and I spent it recovering from the flu...  yuck! Anyway, moving on to the good stuff.   I'm so excited to introduce you to this weeks family, they're so sweet! Check out their story, they are so cute and I just LOVE them, so I'd like to introduce you to, The Gilliams!

 

Here is a little note from mom:

"We aren't anyone special; just ordinary people who's lives have been radically changed by our glorious God and his heart for the orphan.  We started this process in Jan. 2012, and right now we've been on the waiting list for almost 5 months.  We can't wait to be parents one day soon, to love on our little boy (and hopefully a brother or sister too!), the way we've been dreaming of for years..."

Don't you want to be a part of their story? Give and share! Ready...GO!