I know very few people who are pleased, happy, or excited when they come upon a detour. Most of us leave ourselves just enough time to get to our destination and a detour sign causes immediate stress and frustration. But, sometimes detours can lead us to something beautiful.
There is a road that we take when traveling to my family's home in southern California. It is actually a 'short cut' through a canyon. The road cuts back and forth through the canyon and the turns are tight. The speed we are able to travel is significantly slower than the highway we leave behind. But the canyon is beautiful and the back roads that lead into town are full of beautiful orange groves and strawberry fields. The smell is amazing and the drive just wouldn't be the same without that 'detour' from the main road. Driving this short cut for the very first time would likely feel slow and confusing. But after years of using this path we know it to be a shorter drive time and have come to enjoy this path much more than the main road.
Sometimes a detour can make a significant change in our lives. Ever heard of someone who's life was spared because they missed their plane? Or maybe someone who didn't get into a car with friends and missed a devastating crash? Or maybe someone who's life simply takes a different path because things didn't go the way they expected: like getting dumped one day and meeting a future spouse the next, or being fired one day and being offered a job with more pay the following week, or having a 'perfect' house fall out of escrow only to find something unexpected soon after?
Life is full of detours. And, admittedly, sometimes they are ugly and lengthily. But there is one factor that seems to make all the difference on perspective: faith. You see, I am one of those people that believes things happen for a reason. And I believe wholeheartedly that even my best effort to plan will not always be what God intends.
We have just come upon a detour.
After diligently mapping out the finances for our adoption and laying our plans at the feet of our Heavenly Father, we asked in simple faith that He would bless our efforts and use us as tools in His hands.
We had no idea what that would mean. He has something much bigger in the works. Our small ideas and expectations are being blown out of the water one day at a time. Each day this week we have been given a small glimpse of what's coming next. Each day we have been stretched to a new level we didn't think possible. And each day His grace has been enough.
This week have experienced the most unexpected employment change possible. And as Brad prepares to go to work for a new employer, we are eagerly rolling up our sleeves and jumping in.
We believe God's plan will always be better than our own, and we are excited to see our Father moving mountains as we watch in awe. As we pick up speed on this new path laid before us we are filled with the peace of the Spirit and know without doubt this will be for the Glory of our Father in Heaven. All praises be to Him.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
So, what's the plan?
If we had $30,000 today and were able to jump into our adoption at top speed, the process of international adoption from China Special Needs will still take about 12-18 months. We have some pretty serious goals for those 12-18 months. And since failing to plan is just planning to fail, even though this plan will likely need to flex and change, here is an outline of our goal:
Our projections show that we will need 10 months of concentrated effort to pay off our excess debts (everything beyond our home mortgage). So, over the next 10 months we will be slicing and dicing our debt through the power of our greatest asset: our income. I am fortunate enough to enjoy the world's greatest job of being a stay-at-home-mom, and while I wouldn't trade it for the world, the title "homemaker" does not come with a high salary... So when I say "our income", I mean Brad's pay. We will continue to cinch the belt on our family budget and make extra payments to our debts in a mighty way over the next 10-12 months.
Because we will not be contributing our personal income toward our adoption during that time we plan to hold numerous fundraising events to raise the monies we will need to get the ball rolling on our adoption paperwork. Here's what the fundraising goals will look like:
Goal #1: $300 for the application to our agency. The application ensures that we qualify to apply to the China Special Needs program. We did this for Russia also. The fee pays for our personal consultant to review our application, speak to us over the phone to verify information and discuss our eligibility, and begin our file for the adoption. We plan to submit the application to celebrate Jacob's 6th month home which would be May 3.
Goal #2: $3500 for our agency fee. This fee covers the costs of our placing agency who will be working on our behalf. From our consultant to the documents center to the referral department to the travel department to notary fees and license information that will be necessary for our dossier. We are hoping to have these funds ready before the 4th of July.
Goal #3: $250 for the application to our home study agency. This application ensures that our home study agency (different from the placing agency) will be able to provide the documents necessary for China. We hope to have this ready by the second week in July.
Goal #4: $2400 for the home study and $1300 for post-placement fees. The home study is the first major step toward our adoption. It is required before we can move forward in any way. It is kind of a jumping off point for the rest of the adoption. And the post-placement fees pay for our post placement reports which go back to China after the adoption. The fee is paid in advance to ensure we will actually complete the reports. We are hoping to have these funds ready and waiting by my birthday, August 12.
Here is where the timeline gets a little fuzzy. The home study is a time-sensitive document so it cannot be completed too early on. We need to be confident we can complete our adoption (from a financial standpoint) before beginning the home study. So the next goals do not have dates attached yet. The exciting part will be somewhere around December when we make our final payment towards our debts and can begin accelerating the fundraising by contributing a large part of our monthly income like we did for Russia. God will be putting the dates on these goals. If He asks us to move forward in faith before the money seems to be in place, we will start running in the direction He leads.
Goal #5: $890 for USCIS. This is a document we need from the US Government approving our international adoption.
Goal #6: $5750 for our agency administration fees. This will be due once our home study is done and our placing agency begins working directly with China. These fees cover reviewing our dossier paperwork and all the clerical stuff it takes to complete our adoption. This also covers post placement services. If you'd like a better view of what this entails visit my post about our fees for Russia.
Goal#7: $10,500 for our foreign program fees. This covers translation of all documents and notary, our in country escort and translators, donation to our child's orphanage, and everything else that happens in China before and during our travel.
Goal #8: around $7000 for all travel expenses getting us to China and back again. This includes: All visas for Brad and I and our adopted child, Chinese medical examination of child, passport for our child, and all traveling expenses from airfare to hotel, food, and other transportation.
We will likely start the home study when we've hit the midpoint of our fundraising goal at about $16,000 (total goal $32,000). All things are possible. So for now the only part of our plan that is certain is our effort to begin and work hard through the end no matter what the actual time line becomes.
Our projections show that we will need 10 months of concentrated effort to pay off our excess debts (everything beyond our home mortgage). So, over the next 10 months we will be slicing and dicing our debt through the power of our greatest asset: our income. I am fortunate enough to enjoy the world's greatest job of being a stay-at-home-mom, and while I wouldn't trade it for the world, the title "homemaker" does not come with a high salary... So when I say "our income", I mean Brad's pay. We will continue to cinch the belt on our family budget and make extra payments to our debts in a mighty way over the next 10-12 months.
Because we will not be contributing our personal income toward our adoption during that time we plan to hold numerous fundraising events to raise the monies we will need to get the ball rolling on our adoption paperwork. Here's what the fundraising goals will look like:
Goal #1: $300 for the application to our agency. The application ensures that we qualify to apply to the China Special Needs program. We did this for Russia also. The fee pays for our personal consultant to review our application, speak to us over the phone to verify information and discuss our eligibility, and begin our file for the adoption. We plan to submit the application to celebrate Jacob's 6th month home which would be May 3.
Goal #2: $3500 for our agency fee. This fee covers the costs of our placing agency who will be working on our behalf. From our consultant to the documents center to the referral department to the travel department to notary fees and license information that will be necessary for our dossier. We are hoping to have these funds ready before the 4th of July.
Goal #3: $250 for the application to our home study agency. This application ensures that our home study agency (different from the placing agency) will be able to provide the documents necessary for China. We hope to have this ready by the second week in July.
Goal #4: $2400 for the home study and $1300 for post-placement fees. The home study is the first major step toward our adoption. It is required before we can move forward in any way. It is kind of a jumping off point for the rest of the adoption. And the post-placement fees pay for our post placement reports which go back to China after the adoption. The fee is paid in advance to ensure we will actually complete the reports. We are hoping to have these funds ready and waiting by my birthday, August 12.
Here is where the timeline gets a little fuzzy. The home study is a time-sensitive document so it cannot be completed too early on. We need to be confident we can complete our adoption (from a financial standpoint) before beginning the home study. So the next goals do not have dates attached yet. The exciting part will be somewhere around December when we make our final payment towards our debts and can begin accelerating the fundraising by contributing a large part of our monthly income like we did for Russia. God will be putting the dates on these goals. If He asks us to move forward in faith before the money seems to be in place, we will start running in the direction He leads.
Goal #5: $890 for USCIS. This is a document we need from the US Government approving our international adoption.
Goal #6: $5750 for our agency administration fees. This will be due once our home study is done and our placing agency begins working directly with China. These fees cover reviewing our dossier paperwork and all the clerical stuff it takes to complete our adoption. This also covers post placement services. If you'd like a better view of what this entails visit my post about our fees for Russia.
Goal#7: $10,500 for our foreign program fees. This covers translation of all documents and notary, our in country escort and translators, donation to our child's orphanage, and everything else that happens in China before and during our travel.
Goal #8: around $7000 for all travel expenses getting us to China and back again. This includes: All visas for Brad and I and our adopted child, Chinese medical examination of child, passport for our child, and all traveling expenses from airfare to hotel, food, and other transportation.
We will likely start the home study when we've hit the midpoint of our fundraising goal at about $16,000 (total goal $32,000). All things are possible. So for now the only part of our plan that is certain is our effort to begin and work hard through the end no matter what the actual time line becomes.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Change For China: our first fundraiser
It's official, the ball is rolling. We have started our first fundraiser! We decided to call this one "Change For China". We are asking friends and family to spare their loose change to help change the life of an orphan by supporting our adoption.
We created these little containers with our 'Change For China" sticker and started handing them out this week.
The containers are plastic Gerber baby food containers. Since we are still feeding these to Jacob there is no actual 'cost' for the containers themselves.
We found the image for the top of the container on istockphoto.com. It cost a whopping $2 and was exactly what we wanted.
The sticker paper we printed the image on cost $12 online. And my super-handy hubby had a fantastic tool called a 'buscuit cutter' that made cutting the slot in the top of the lid super easy (it definitely could have been done with a box knife and more time). These should hold up pretty well and be able to recirculate several times.
The goal of this fundraiser is to fill 60 containers and raise the $300 we will need to cover our application fee to our agency. Each container will likely hold more than $5, but the 60 containers are just our shot at the moon so we can land among the stars. Submitting our application to our placing agency will be the very first step in our adoption.
So far our container at home collected $16.67 (thank you couch cushions, drawers and cupboards!) and we have had 5 family members volunteer to fill containers with us. Just 54 containers to go!
We created these little containers with our 'Change For China" sticker and started handing them out this week.
We found the image for the top of the container on istockphoto.com. It cost a whopping $2 and was exactly what we wanted.
The sticker paper we printed the image on cost $12 online. And my super-handy hubby had a fantastic tool called a 'buscuit cutter' that made cutting the slot in the top of the lid super easy (it definitely could have been done with a box knife and more time). These should hold up pretty well and be able to recirculate several times.
The goal of this fundraiser is to fill 60 containers and raise the $300 we will need to cover our application fee to our agency. Each container will likely hold more than $5, but the 60 containers are just our shot at the moon so we can land among the stars. Submitting our application to our placing agency will be the very first step in our adoption.
So far our container at home collected $16.67 (thank you couch cushions, drawers and cupboards!) and we have had 5 family members volunteer to fill containers with us. Just 54 containers to go!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Why Debt Free?
We are one of "those" families. The ones who know what they are supposed to be doing but haven't quite gotten it done yet. We know we are supposed to get out of debt and live debt free. God has been asking this of us for years.
Years ago when we first bought the house we are living in now we finally made a real effort to pay off debt. We focused on our car loan. Making the final payment several months later felt so incredibly good. A little piece of the big picture started to come into focus. We realized what we were capable of and what life would look like debt free.
We read a handful of books about financial freedom and living debt free like Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover". And, for a while, we made good progress.
But then life happened. The 'grey area' got a little more wide and a little more fuzzy. We started talking about a business loan being an 'investment'. Revolving credit (credit cards) became 'good for our credit score' as long as we paid them off each month. A car payment suddenly became necessary again because "we have to have a car" for Brad to get to work and customers don't want to see a hunk of junk. We 'invested' in a vacation club with full intent to pay the loan off quickly saying that we were investing in 'life experiences' for our children.
All of our justifications made sense in the moment. And all the while I am sure our Father in Heaven had his head in his hands wondering why we could not see. He knew what was coming. He tried to help us understand. But He also allowed us to make our own choices. He knew our son was coming. He knew we would need to go to Russia. And because we were able to wake up just in time He still chose to bless us despite our deviation from His plan. I am so grateful for a compassionate and merciful God.
Our first adoption was the wake-up call we needed. We have sprinted at full speed back to the path God has asked us to walk. During and after our adoption we eliminated debt by selling the items we had borrowed to buy and focused our energy on paying off loans.
Brad's car: sold
Disney Vacation Club: sold (there were tears over this one)
Adoption Loan (personal line of credit): paid in full
Just 16 months after committing to God's will to adopt and eliminate debt we not only had our precious son home from Russia, we had somehow managed to pull off a $50,000 adoption and simultaneously eliminate over $40,000 in debt. Now try to tell me that God cannot lead us through another international adoption without debt...
Does this mean we expect others to 'pay for' our adoption for us? Not in the least! We will be working our tushies off raising funds for this adoption. And we will be doing everything in our power to contribute in anyway possible to reach our goal. But we are trusting God to lead us and bless us in our efforts. And we have committed to completing another international adoption without debt.
Couldn't we just wait until our debts are paid to begin the adoption? Well sure, but that would not change the fact that we will need to compile around $32,000 to complete our adoption from China. The funds need to be raised whether we begin now or not. Our child is waiting for us. Why put off until tomorrow what we can do today? When God says 'move', we move.
Years ago when we first bought the house we are living in now we finally made a real effort to pay off debt. We focused on our car loan. Making the final payment several months later felt so incredibly good. A little piece of the big picture started to come into focus. We realized what we were capable of and what life would look like debt free.
We read a handful of books about financial freedom and living debt free like Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover". And, for a while, we made good progress.
But then life happened. The 'grey area' got a little more wide and a little more fuzzy. We started talking about a business loan being an 'investment'. Revolving credit (credit cards) became 'good for our credit score' as long as we paid them off each month. A car payment suddenly became necessary again because "we have to have a car" for Brad to get to work and customers don't want to see a hunk of junk. We 'invested' in a vacation club with full intent to pay the loan off quickly saying that we were investing in 'life experiences' for our children.
All of our justifications made sense in the moment. And all the while I am sure our Father in Heaven had his head in his hands wondering why we could not see. He knew what was coming. He tried to help us understand. But He also allowed us to make our own choices. He knew our son was coming. He knew we would need to go to Russia. And because we were able to wake up just in time He still chose to bless us despite our deviation from His plan. I am so grateful for a compassionate and merciful God.
Our first adoption was the wake-up call we needed. We have sprinted at full speed back to the path God has asked us to walk. During and after our adoption we eliminated debt by selling the items we had borrowed to buy and focused our energy on paying off loans.
Brad's car: sold
Disney Vacation Club: sold (there were tears over this one)
Adoption Loan (personal line of credit): paid in full
Just 16 months after committing to God's will to adopt and eliminate debt we not only had our precious son home from Russia, we had somehow managed to pull off a $50,000 adoption and simultaneously eliminate over $40,000 in debt. Now try to tell me that God cannot lead us through another international adoption without debt...
Does this mean we expect others to 'pay for' our adoption for us? Not in the least! We will be working our tushies off raising funds for this adoption. And we will be doing everything in our power to contribute in anyway possible to reach our goal. But we are trusting God to lead us and bless us in our efforts. And we have committed to completing another international adoption without debt.
Couldn't we just wait until our debts are paid to begin the adoption? Well sure, but that would not change the fact that we will need to compile around $32,000 to complete our adoption from China. The funds need to be raised whether we begin now or not. Our child is waiting for us. Why put off until tomorrow what we can do today? When God says 'move', we move.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Why China?
Part of the answer begins before we started our first adoption. So really, the story begins with how we chose Russia. During our many discussions about which country to adopt from we continually moved back and forth between Russia and China. I finally mentioned the idea that maybe we felt so strongly about both because we were going to adopt from both. An immediate peace came over us and we knew our first adoption would not be our last. We came home from Russia knowing full well that our hearts were destined for China.
Before we had gone to Russia we agreed our new son would need and deserved at least 18 months before we added another sibling to the family. So we figured we would wait until the 6 month home mark before beginning any paperwork for China no matter what.
With China securely on the 'back burner' we jumped in to our Russian adoption with both feet. We loved our experience and soaked up every moment in our son's birth country. Once our precious son was home from Russia the 'back burner' began to heat up. It was only one week after arriving home that one of us made mention of China. We both confirmed to each other that our next adoption was still on our hearts.
We loved our experiences from Russia and I will admit that, at first, we were thinking we should go back. Then the Russian Adoption Ban was passed and we realized Russia was not what God had in mind this time. Brad suggested Ukraine. He had spent so much time learning the Russian language and deeply desired to adopt again from a Russian speaking country. I even started doing a little research and considering if Ukraine was right for us. But that back burner just kept getting warmer. When I told Brad I could not let go of China he agreed to begin studying Chinese and we resumed the constant chatter about 'when we go to China'.
There is something about adoption that burns inside us when we are on the right track. Why are we choosing China? Because our child is waiting there for us. Last time our son was in Russia. This time our child is in China. We will go where ever the Lord leads.
Before we had gone to Russia we agreed our new son would need and deserved at least 18 months before we added another sibling to the family. So we figured we would wait until the 6 month home mark before beginning any paperwork for China no matter what.With China securely on the 'back burner' we jumped in to our Russian adoption with both feet. We loved our experience and soaked up every moment in our son's birth country. Once our precious son was home from Russia the 'back burner' began to heat up. It was only one week after arriving home that one of us made mention of China. We both confirmed to each other that our next adoption was still on our hearts.
We loved our experiences from Russia and I will admit that, at first, we were thinking we should go back. Then the Russian Adoption Ban was passed and we realized Russia was not what God had in mind this time. Brad suggested Ukraine. He had spent so much time learning the Russian language and deeply desired to adopt again from a Russian speaking country. I even started doing a little research and considering if Ukraine was right for us. But that back burner just kept getting warmer. When I told Brad I could not let go of China he agreed to begin studying Chinese and we resumed the constant chatter about 'when we go to China'.
There is something about adoption that burns inside us when we are on the right track. Why are we choosing China? Because our child is waiting there for us. Last time our son was in Russia. This time our child is in China. We will go where ever the Lord leads.
Fundraiser Review: Yard Sale Event
Yard sale
preparation time/effort: several weeks preparation/significant effort
event duration: as little as one day
cost: $50-$250 depending on location and advertising
potential funds: $1,000-$5,000
would we do it again: yes!
In June of 2012 we held our one and only fundraising event for our Russian adoption. I still don't know how we pulled it off in such a short amount of time. We had received our referral much sooner than anticipated and were facing the possibility of traveling several months sooner than we were prepared for. We needed money for airfare and in country expenses and weren't sure what we were going to do. I had a random thought to have a garage sale. So I got right to work putting it together. From the day I started planning the event to the day of the event was just 3 weeks. The result was absolutely God-lead (yet again) and we were overwhelmingly blessed. I would highly recommend this type of fundraiser to adopting families who have a limited amount of time but are willing to put in a large amount of effort.
Here's the basic idea:
-begin by asking friends, family, co-workers, and church acquaintances if they have any unwanted items they could donate to a yard sale (we ended up with over 25 families donations of 'stuff').
-choose a sale location. I have seen other families hold this type of sale in their own driveway. We chose to rent the local high school's parking lot.
-advertise, advertise, advertise. Use as many free advertisements as possible and consider spending a small amount on newspaper ads or other advertising for your event.
-get as many friends and family to help actually run the event with you the day of the sale as possible.
-be sure all patrons know your sale benefits your adoption and all proceeds will go toward bringing an orphan home.
Here are some tips:
-if you do not own a truck, ask a family member or friend for help. You will be able to collect far more for your sale simply by being willing to pick it up.
-if you have clothing items for sale be sure to hang them up. We had hundreds of clothing items donated and were able to sell more than I expected. But people don't want to sift through a bin, bag, or table. Your clothing items will sell much faster if they are hung on hangers and can be seen easily. Clothing racks can be rented (although they run about $10 a rack). We actually had friends who own a dry cleaning business that agreed to support our event by lending us 2 clothing racks for the day. If you don't happen to have that connection, your local dry cleaners will likely at least be willing to donate hangers.
-consider asking businesses to 'sponsor' your event to cover advertising, space rental, gas for the truck, insurance (if you rent a location), and other expenses. We offered our vendors on-site advertising and the option to have a 'booth'. Our vendors included: Mary Kay, Cookie Lee, a landscaping company, a realtor, a chiropractor, a dry cleaner, and a local home remodel company. This ensured that even if the sale was a bomb, all expenses were covered. The day of the sale we knew every penny raised would go directly to our adoption.
-advertising is key: part of the reason we chose to rent the parking lot was it's location. The high school is on a very busy road and we were able to place a sign advertising our sale the week leading up to the event on the school's marquis. Also, the day of the sale cars driving by could clearly see us and get a glance at what was available. Other advertising we used: craigslist, local newspapers, online garage sale finders (just google it, there are several), facebook, and pennysaver. We also contacted a local news station and asked if they would consider featuring our event. Another adopting family we know was able to do this. Our event did not make the news, but it is definitely worth asking.
-be prepared to put in a ton of time sorting through donations and setting up your sale. The more organised you can be before the event the smoother your day will go. Because we held our event at the school parking lot all of our saleable items had to be brought in the morning of the event and gone by nightfall. But even if you hold your event in your own driveway there will be an immense amount of set up and tear down.
-every penny counts: Don't be too concerned about getting the most out of your items. Selling your items for less adds up by the end of the day. I am not the type to put price tags on items. Not only did I not have the time, I want people to ask so I can gauge their interest. But be prepared to feel crazy busy if you don't tag everything and consider having someone else you trust answer the "how much?" question for you when you are not available.
-try selling items of higher value on craigslist or ebay. We had things donated like jewelry and fur coats that were not exactly garage-sale friendly. Everyone wants a bargain at a garage sale, so if you think you have something of real value don't bring it out the day of the sale.
-pass along unsold items to other charitable groups: if you have the time to hold another sale and the space to store left over items it is definitely worth it to repeat this event on another day. But when your sale is officially over consider donating unsold items to local charities. There are many organizations that would be grateful for large donations of used clothing and housewares. All of our left over clothing, bedding, and towels went to groups that help foster children, rehab homes, and crisis intervention groups. And there is always Goodwill. Be sure to pass the blessings on.
Because we had rented the parking lot and planned to be there all day we decided to try and add in a few other fundraising possibilities to our event. We had a car wash in the morning, a bake sale throughout the day, and attempted an evening 'party' event with a live band, bounce house, and BBQ. Unfortunately our event ended up happening on the hottest day of the summer (109 degrees) so none of the other components of our event generated significant funds. I would recommend keeping your events specific to one effort. I think a car wash, bake sale, or even party event would have been far more successful if held on their own.
Overall our yard sale event generated over $5,000 total. Many families who do this type of sale are surprised to see how much they can raise in one day. Yard sales require an immense amount of labor, but offer a large payoff. We would definitely do this fundraiser again.
preparation time/effort: several weeks preparation/significant effort
event duration: as little as one day
cost: $50-$250 depending on location and advertising
potential funds: $1,000-$5,000
would we do it again: yes!
In June of 2012 we held our one and only fundraising event for our Russian adoption. I still don't know how we pulled it off in such a short amount of time. We had received our referral much sooner than anticipated and were facing the possibility of traveling several months sooner than we were prepared for. We needed money for airfare and in country expenses and weren't sure what we were going to do. I had a random thought to have a garage sale. So I got right to work putting it together. From the day I started planning the event to the day of the event was just 3 weeks. The result was absolutely God-lead (yet again) and we were overwhelmingly blessed. I would highly recommend this type of fundraiser to adopting families who have a limited amount of time but are willing to put in a large amount of effort.
Here's the basic idea:
-begin by asking friends, family, co-workers, and church acquaintances if they have any unwanted items they could donate to a yard sale (we ended up with over 25 families donations of 'stuff').
-choose a sale location. I have seen other families hold this type of sale in their own driveway. We chose to rent the local high school's parking lot.
-advertise, advertise, advertise. Use as many free advertisements as possible and consider spending a small amount on newspaper ads or other advertising for your event.
-get as many friends and family to help actually run the event with you the day of the sale as possible.
-be sure all patrons know your sale benefits your adoption and all proceeds will go toward bringing an orphan home.
Here are some tips:
-if you do not own a truck, ask a family member or friend for help. You will be able to collect far more for your sale simply by being willing to pick it up.
-if you have clothing items for sale be sure to hang them up. We had hundreds of clothing items donated and were able to sell more than I expected. But people don't want to sift through a bin, bag, or table. Your clothing items will sell much faster if they are hung on hangers and can be seen easily. Clothing racks can be rented (although they run about $10 a rack). We actually had friends who own a dry cleaning business that agreed to support our event by lending us 2 clothing racks for the day. If you don't happen to have that connection, your local dry cleaners will likely at least be willing to donate hangers.
-consider asking businesses to 'sponsor' your event to cover advertising, space rental, gas for the truck, insurance (if you rent a location), and other expenses. We offered our vendors on-site advertising and the option to have a 'booth'. Our vendors included: Mary Kay, Cookie Lee, a landscaping company, a realtor, a chiropractor, a dry cleaner, and a local home remodel company. This ensured that even if the sale was a bomb, all expenses were covered. The day of the sale we knew every penny raised would go directly to our adoption.
-advertising is key: part of the reason we chose to rent the parking lot was it's location. The high school is on a very busy road and we were able to place a sign advertising our sale the week leading up to the event on the school's marquis. Also, the day of the sale cars driving by could clearly see us and get a glance at what was available. Other advertising we used: craigslist, local newspapers, online garage sale finders (just google it, there are several), facebook, and pennysaver. We also contacted a local news station and asked if they would consider featuring our event. Another adopting family we know was able to do this. Our event did not make the news, but it is definitely worth asking.
-be prepared to put in a ton of time sorting through donations and setting up your sale. The more organised you can be before the event the smoother your day will go. Because we held our event at the school parking lot all of our saleable items had to be brought in the morning of the event and gone by nightfall. But even if you hold your event in your own driveway there will be an immense amount of set up and tear down.
-every penny counts: Don't be too concerned about getting the most out of your items. Selling your items for less adds up by the end of the day. I am not the type to put price tags on items. Not only did I not have the time, I want people to ask so I can gauge their interest. But be prepared to feel crazy busy if you don't tag everything and consider having someone else you trust answer the "how much?" question for you when you are not available.
-try selling items of higher value on craigslist or ebay. We had things donated like jewelry and fur coats that were not exactly garage-sale friendly. Everyone wants a bargain at a garage sale, so if you think you have something of real value don't bring it out the day of the sale.
-pass along unsold items to other charitable groups: if you have the time to hold another sale and the space to store left over items it is definitely worth it to repeat this event on another day. But when your sale is officially over consider donating unsold items to local charities. There are many organizations that would be grateful for large donations of used clothing and housewares. All of our left over clothing, bedding, and towels went to groups that help foster children, rehab homes, and crisis intervention groups. And there is always Goodwill. Be sure to pass the blessings on.
Because we had rented the parking lot and planned to be there all day we decided to try and add in a few other fundraising possibilities to our event. We had a car wash in the morning, a bake sale throughout the day, and attempted an evening 'party' event with a live band, bounce house, and BBQ. Unfortunately our event ended up happening on the hottest day of the summer (109 degrees) so none of the other components of our event generated significant funds. I would recommend keeping your events specific to one effort. I think a car wash, bake sale, or even party event would have been far more successful if held on their own.
Overall our yard sale event generated over $5,000 total. Many families who do this type of sale are surprised to see how much they can raise in one day. Yard sales require an immense amount of labor, but offer a large payoff. We would definitely do this fundraiser again.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
What about Grants?
Most families who have learned a little about international adoption know that there are grants available for applicants. In case you are not familiar with how most of them work here's the basic idea: Once a family has completed their home study (I have not seen an organization that allows an application without a complete home study) they can apply to a number of organizations for a grant. The grants we saw ranged from $500 to about $5,000 and there were a couple organizations that accepted applications for interest-free loans up to $10,000.
We applied to over 10 different organizations. Some required a small (like $25) 'processing fee'. Some were free to apply. All required a detailed application including a financial disclosure, letters of reference, copy of the home study, and a completed questionnaire among other requested information. Many of the organizations are Christian groups and ask for personal testimonies and questions about the applicant's faith and beliefs. We only had one group require a photo of the prospective adoptive child (which we could not provide and were turned down for).
Because we have a healthy income (which most countries require for elligibility to adopt) and did not show a significant enough financial need (we could have finished our adoption without financial assistance if we had more time) none of the grants approved us. We were expecting this but wanted to show faith and effort by applying so that if God chose to bless our adoption through a grant it could be done. Again, God cannot bless what we do not begin.
The grant application process was long and tedious (especially after having completed home study, dossier, and travel paperwork). But if even one grant had funded, it would have been all worth it. I highly recommend that any adopting family at least apply.
The best recommendation is to go to resources4adoptoin.com and pay the small fee for a comprehensive list of grant listings. They offer other services and can coach you through the application process.
I have also seen this list posted on other blogs of grant resources and have added the organizations we applied to:
Affording Adoption Foundation
The Oath Ministry
International Adoption Resources
Lydia Fund
Gods Grace Adoption Ministry, Inc
Helpusadopt.org
China Care
National Endowment for Financial Education
Our Creator's Hope
Gift of Adoption Fund
LifeSong For Orphans
Tomorrow is a Gift
The National Adoption Foundation
Christian Advocates For Adoption
A Child Waits Foundation
The Abba Fund
If I could go back and make the choice again, I would absolutely take the time to apply even though we did not end up being approved. You never know who might say 'yes'.
We applied to over 10 different organizations. Some required a small (like $25) 'processing fee'. Some were free to apply. All required a detailed application including a financial disclosure, letters of reference, copy of the home study, and a completed questionnaire among other requested information. Many of the organizations are Christian groups and ask for personal testimonies and questions about the applicant's faith and beliefs. We only had one group require a photo of the prospective adoptive child (which we could not provide and were turned down for).
Because we have a healthy income (which most countries require for elligibility to adopt) and did not show a significant enough financial need (we could have finished our adoption without financial assistance if we had more time) none of the grants approved us. We were expecting this but wanted to show faith and effort by applying so that if God chose to bless our adoption through a grant it could be done. Again, God cannot bless what we do not begin.
The grant application process was long and tedious (especially after having completed home study, dossier, and travel paperwork). But if even one grant had funded, it would have been all worth it. I highly recommend that any adopting family at least apply.
The best recommendation is to go to resources4adoptoin.com and pay the small fee for a comprehensive list of grant listings. They offer other services and can coach you through the application process.
I have also seen this list posted on other blogs of grant resources and have added the organizations we applied to:
Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc
Katelynnsfund.orgAffording Adoption Foundation
The Oath Ministry
International Adoption Resources
Lydia Fund
Gods Grace Adoption Ministry, Inc
Helpusadopt.org
China Care
National Endowment for Financial Education
Our Creator's Hope
Family Builder Fund Grants
Shaohannah's HopeGift of Adoption Fund
LifeSong For Orphans
Tomorrow is a Gift
The National Adoption Foundation
Christian Advocates For Adoption
A Child Waits Foundation
The Abba Fund
If I could go back and make the choice again, I would absolutely take the time to apply even though we did not end up being approved. You never know who might say 'yes'.
1st Time Around
If you are not familiar with our story and would like to know how we came to the decision to adopt the first time you can visit our family blog here and read all about the beginning.
In October of 2011 we committed to the adoption of a little boy from Russia. We had just started to recover from a financial learning experience and we were admittedly hesitant to follow what we believe to be a call from God to go to Russia. There were several other countries (including our own) that would have allowed us to adopt with a fraction of the financial commitment. But we knew we needed to go to Russia and we needed to get to it quickly. Our son was born the very same month we began the process and we assumed that was why we had been prompted to adopt from Russia when we did. We had no idea the adoption ban was coming. We are grateful for the foresight and guidance of a Father in Heaven who knows exactly what and why in every situation.
We were humbled to see the hundreds of blessing unfold during our adoption experience. Every step was God-lead and every penny we needed to complete our adoption came at just the right time. We believed it was necessary to use a personal line of credit and small amounts on our credit cards to complete our adoption. In hind sight, knowing that we missed the ban by a mere 2 months, we are grateful to have had the ability to use our credit to bring our son home.
But now that we are continuing to follow the path laid before us, we believe it is possible to complete an international adoption without debt. We know it. And we have committed to it. Now it is our task to figure out how.
The first step is to take a good hard look at how things worked out the first go round. Russia is literally the most "expensive" adoption option. The quotations are because we are talking about a child. Could you immagine an amount too high for one of your children?
We were told to anticipate approximately $50,000 in total expenses (travel and everything) to complete our adoption from Russia. We are still in awe to look back and realize we managed to put together that amount in just 13 months.
We were able to accomplish this (through the grace of God) by cashing in investments and selling assets, contributing a significant amount per month from our personal income, fundraising, and using credit.
With our next adoption there are no major assets left to sell, investments to cash in, or significant savings to apply. In fact, although we have already paid off the personal line of credit we used for our first adoption, we still have a small amount of credit card debt to pay off from our final trip to Russia.
But, as I have said before: God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
So, we are hoping you will join us on this journey as we work to achieve the task laid before us: adopting without debt.
In October of 2011 we committed to the adoption of a little boy from Russia. We had just started to recover from a financial learning experience and we were admittedly hesitant to follow what we believe to be a call from God to go to Russia. There were several other countries (including our own) that would have allowed us to adopt with a fraction of the financial commitment. But we knew we needed to go to Russia and we needed to get to it quickly. Our son was born the very same month we began the process and we assumed that was why we had been prompted to adopt from Russia when we did. We had no idea the adoption ban was coming. We are grateful for the foresight and guidance of a Father in Heaven who knows exactly what and why in every situation.
We were humbled to see the hundreds of blessing unfold during our adoption experience. Every step was God-lead and every penny we needed to complete our adoption came at just the right time. We believed it was necessary to use a personal line of credit and small amounts on our credit cards to complete our adoption. In hind sight, knowing that we missed the ban by a mere 2 months, we are grateful to have had the ability to use our credit to bring our son home.
But now that we are continuing to follow the path laid before us, we believe it is possible to complete an international adoption without debt. We know it. And we have committed to it. Now it is our task to figure out how.
The first step is to take a good hard look at how things worked out the first go round. Russia is literally the most "expensive" adoption option. The quotations are because we are talking about a child. Could you immagine an amount too high for one of your children?
We were told to anticipate approximately $50,000 in total expenses (travel and everything) to complete our adoption from Russia. We are still in awe to look back and realize we managed to put together that amount in just 13 months.
We were able to accomplish this (through the grace of God) by cashing in investments and selling assets, contributing a significant amount per month from our personal income, fundraising, and using credit.
With our next adoption there are no major assets left to sell, investments to cash in, or significant savings to apply. In fact, although we have already paid off the personal line of credit we used for our first adoption, we still have a small amount of credit card debt to pay off from our final trip to Russia.
But, as I have said before: God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
So, we are hoping you will join us on this journey as we work to achieve the task laid before us: adopting without debt.
Did you say next adopton?
Yes, we are already preparing for our next adoption. Brad and I knew before going to Russia that we intended to adopt again. We had agreed to wait at least 6 months after bringing Jay home before beginning any kind of paperwork. And we agreed to not begin the adoption process again until our debts were paid. We are whittling away at out debts and awaiting direction from our Father in Heaven on when to actually begin paperwork. But we are also preparing ourselves in every way possible while we wait.
We have chosen to pursue an adoption from China. So Brad and I are learning Mandarin! It is so fun to practice language together. Brad learned to speak a significant amount of Russian when we went to Russia. He has several Russian speaking employees and has deeply enjoyed learning to communicate with them. I did not learn more than a handful of Russian words. I completed one lesson with Brad on the computer and decided it was not for me. But this time is different. I love studying. And I cannot wait to put the language to use.
We will be adopting a child from the China 'special needs' program and have been studying what types of special needs are common and deciding which ones are a good match for our family. In the China Special Needs program families specify what special needs they are willing or not willing to accept before referral.
We have put together a financial plan to pay off our debts and are working toward our goal. Once the debt is paid we will focus our personal finances toward a savings goal for the adoption. In the mean time we are beginning some preliminary fund raisers to get the ball rolling. God cannot bless what we do not begin. Choosing to put our adoption on hold for the purpose of paying off debt would seem to make sense. Until we consider our child who is waiting. If there is a chance we can accomplish both, why not begin today?
And so it is. We are doing everything in our power to both pay off our pesonal debts with our current income and raise the necessary funds to complete an adoption from China. One little step at a time.
We have chosen to pursue an adoption from China. So Brad and I are learning Mandarin! It is so fun to practice language together. Brad learned to speak a significant amount of Russian when we went to Russia. He has several Russian speaking employees and has deeply enjoyed learning to communicate with them. I did not learn more than a handful of Russian words. I completed one lesson with Brad on the computer and decided it was not for me. But this time is different. I love studying. And I cannot wait to put the language to use.
We will be adopting a child from the China 'special needs' program and have been studying what types of special needs are common and deciding which ones are a good match for our family. In the China Special Needs program families specify what special needs they are willing or not willing to accept before referral.
We have put together a financial plan to pay off our debts and are working toward our goal. Once the debt is paid we will focus our personal finances toward a savings goal for the adoption. In the mean time we are beginning some preliminary fund raisers to get the ball rolling. God cannot bless what we do not begin. Choosing to put our adoption on hold for the purpose of paying off debt would seem to make sense. Until we consider our child who is waiting. If there is a chance we can accomplish both, why not begin today?
And so it is. We are doing everything in our power to both pay off our pesonal debts with our current income and raise the necessary funds to complete an adoption from China. One little step at a time.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
What's this all about?
Welcome to the new blog!
The title should be clear enough. But in case you are wondering why I am starting another blog, here's the skinny:
We've been on quite the little journey since beginning our first adoption in October of 2011. We've learned so much and continue to learn everyday. We've also been richly blessed. As we continue on the path laid before us, we hope to share what we have learned with others. The adoption community is much bigger than we would have ever known. But the majority of the world has no idea what adoption is all about, what it means to bring an orphan home, and what it takes to actually do it.
We have decided our family will continue to adopt. And we have decided we will do it without debt. We are on a mission to prove it is possible and encourage others who are trying to accomplish the same. We are a family of faith. And we believe God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
This blog will hopefully become a resource to others looking for fundraising ideas, grant information, and encouragement from a family who has been there and is choosing to do it all again. And this time to do it better: without debt.
Our first adoption was a huge learning experience. Learn right along side us while we prepare for the second.
The title should be clear enough. But in case you are wondering why I am starting another blog, here's the skinny:
We've been on quite the little journey since beginning our first adoption in October of 2011. We've learned so much and continue to learn everyday. We've also been richly blessed. As we continue on the path laid before us, we hope to share what we have learned with others. The adoption community is much bigger than we would have ever known. But the majority of the world has no idea what adoption is all about, what it means to bring an orphan home, and what it takes to actually do it.
We have decided our family will continue to adopt. And we have decided we will do it without debt. We are on a mission to prove it is possible and encourage others who are trying to accomplish the same. We are a family of faith. And we believe God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
This blog will hopefully become a resource to others looking for fundraising ideas, grant information, and encouragement from a family who has been there and is choosing to do it all again. And this time to do it better: without debt.
Our first adoption was a huge learning experience. Learn right along side us while we prepare for the second.
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