The First of Many :)

So, I'm assuming this will be the first

of many posts in the near future ;)

From here on out, we will be receiving

more information, getting more accomplished,

and getting closer and closer to bringing our son home!

I have learned a whole lot this week! 

There is an INVALUABLE Facebook Group

that has been created exclusively for parents

adopting from Compassion for Congo.

 (It's private...sorry:0)

A mom that has had her girls home for a year

is still providing very important 

information for the rest of us and

assisting us with what documents are required!

It is SUCH a help!!!

One thing I have learned.

We will NOT be sharing our son's picture on here :(

I was looking forward to sharing it after our fundraiser,

however, the reason makes sense.

We want to protect any and every child.

This IS the WORLD WIDE web,

and therefore people anywhere (including Congo)

can see this and know what our son looks like.

We also have to protect Pastor Didier and 

the orphanage down there.

So that is why we will not be sharing his photo

until he is safe in the U.S.

(more incentive to come to our dinner!)

Buuuuuttt, 

I'll tell you his name!

He was given the name Chrinovic (K sound)

But we have named him Tobias.

We'll call him Tobi for short :)

 It means God is good, or the goodness of the Lord!!!

We love it and we think it fits our beautiful little

African boy! 

I'm also working away at planning our 

benefit dinner!

I love making these beauties here in all 

different shapes - painted and unpainted:
(btw, I am SO not one of those bloggers who takes great pictures!)

Selling the jars, not the chalkboards!

There will be a variety of different sized jars

and dishes decorated as centerpieces 

at each table!

They will also be for sale :)

Then I'll be making other varieties that I 

will sell as-is with no

goodies in them.

They are so cute for candy, candles,

and other fun decor!

They can be changed up with each season :)

Anyway, I've been diving into 

some paperwork lately.  Trying to keep 

it all organized.  Chris and I have a different 

opinion of how well I do ;) 

I've already run into some mistakes from a while 

back that will require us to get an 

updated home study AND an updated I-600A.

Ugh.

But I hear it isn't that difficult...hopefully it 

won't take too long!

Something else to pray about.

It looks as though our cost may be 

significantly higher than we thought.

Talking with other moms who are just about to 

bring their little ones home,

it looks like we were quoted at least 

$5,000 less than what it will actually cost!

We'll see how it goes.

Our opportunity to apply for grants doesn't

look promising.

This technically being an "independent" adoption,

we do not qualify for the grants that we have found!

We DO know that The Lord WILL provide...

we are trusting He will!

I don't find myself really stressing out about it.

It is just such a large number, 

and we don't have anything 

CLOSE to that!

This is why we are working so hard 

to make this Benefit Dinner a success.

We'll continue to fundraise in other small ways as well,

but probably not on a large level like this.

So please consider coming.

We'd be SO grateful!

It's November 11, 5:30 p.m.

Church at the Cross

Pine Grove.

More info here.

(please let me know if that link doesn't work!)

Let me know in some way if you are planning to come!

(email, Facebook comment or message, or rsvp to the event on FB)

I look forward to sharing much more as we get 

closer to our dinner,

and closer to bringing Tobias home!