an update on us... and a different kind of {fundraiser}

Don't run up debts

except for the huge debt of love you owe each other.
You can't go wrong when you love others.
When you add up everything in the law code,
the sum total is love.
{Romans 13:8,10}

God has opened doors, closed doors, opened more doors and changed our charted course more than we could have possibly dreamed since we started walking along this road labelled "adoption"! When we moved to Tennessee, the "plan" was to attend the Empowered to Connect Adoption Conference in September, meet awesome people there like we did last year, choose our agency, and get the ball rolling in the Fall.  

In my life especially, it always seems like God's timing is a bit (a LOT) slower than mine.... but this time, it was clear to both of us that we were ready to "start looking" for an agency at the beginning of the summer instead.  We went to one Informational Meeting with Bethany Christian Services and just knew that we were in the right place.  Not only do they share our faith, our values, and our purpose, but they also provide lifetime counseling to birthparents and their families.  More on why we love Bethany in another post....

So, we went to a meeting in July and subsequently filled out a preliminary application.  When that was accepted, we were invited to fill out the formal application for and attend their Orientation Training.  We cut short our vacation two days to attend the Orientation and got another HUGE stack of paperwork, which we turned in 18 days later because that's how long it took when we did it as fast as we could! Crazy!  Now we are waiting on our home study appointments.  When the home study is completed (maybe by the end of this year...maybe), is when we "start waiting"...when our "profile" joins all of the others in our agency and waits for those special birthparents to choose our family for their baby.

In other words, this is the lull.  I cleaned out the guest room closet and unpacked the few baby things I have and set them up in the closet (that took a couple of hours... now what?!)  My prayers for our children have included prayers for their "first family" for quite some time, but now there is this depth of ache for the pain that our baby's birthparents will soon experience as they make the courageous heart-wrenching choice of adoption for their child.  Right now, we wait and we pray... for all of us.

It's not like there is NOTHING to do while we wait!  We also need to save a.LOT.of.money!  We definitely have already been saving money for our adoption and we are continuing to be amazed as God provides exactly what we need in our adoption fund just in time for each invoice.  We are committed to adopting debt-free and committed to trusting God to provide for us and for our children.  I cannot say enough about the book Adopt Without Debt by Julie Gumm.  Her story is truly inspirational and her book is FULL of ideas for how to raise money to pay for your adoption debt-free! Ever since I read the book, I have been selling items on ebay for a friend who is graciously sharing the profits!  We are having a garage sale next month and will put that money in our adoption fund.  And, we also became Amazon Affiliates.... which is where we could use YOUR help :))

Here's where you come in:)) We are also raising money for our adoption by purchases made at Amazon.com through our affiliate link.  It's actually so simple, that we've found it to be QUITE confusing for some, so let me try and hit on some of the FAQ: 

1. Here's our link: http://www.amazon.com/?linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393193&tag=ke027-20 (Our "affiliate ID" is right there at the end:  ke027-20)
2. Here's a shortened URL (still our link, but easier to share):  http://amzn.to/iVTHDU
3. How it works:  ALL you have to do is "enter" Amazon through our link.  Shop to your heart's content and somehow it magically keeps track and we will receive a small portion of each purchase which then goes into our adoption fund.  THAT'S IT!!!  You can bookmark the link and continue going back to it whenever you shop.  THAT'S IT!!  As long as you enter the site through our link (or anything that I link to, like the item below in #4...), then it keeps track and you support our adoption fund by just buying what you were going to buy in the first place!
4. We can't see who bought what.  However, we do see a list of what was purchased (thanks to whoever bought Princess "Tangled" Rapunzel Shimmer Deluxe Costume - Medium (7-8)... we made $2.29!!)

Please remember us when you shop Amazon!  Also, please share our link or this blog post!  Here are some ways you can copy/paste/share on your social media sites:

Facebook Post:  Help Rodney & Stacy ADOPT A BABY just by using this link when you shop Amazon! http://amzn.to/iVTHDU  The site won't look any different to you, but it will make a world of difference to their family!  Click. Shop. Help them Adopt!!!

Twitter Tweet:  Help @SacredHope & @KennedySells ADOPT A BABY just by using this link to shop @amazon! http://amzn.to/iVTHDU  #easiestfundraiserEVER!

Of course, going through the Amazon sidebar here on the blog will also get you in through our affiliate link!  I also have our link posted in the "Info" section of my Facebook profile :)) 

On a final note...according to our adoption training, I'm supposed to be journaling.  I totally understand how it could be helpful to me and to our children, so I suppose that means I should be writing here more.  There's no way I'll pick up a pen and a notebook, but I can type.... 

We'll see.... 

...hopefully, for the sake of the children, I'll be back sooner next time.  In the meantime, thanks for sharing our link and helping us adopt when you shop! :)