Final Fundraising Efforts --- T-Shirts!!

It is surreal to think that we are actually in the home stretch of this mission to adopt. Some days it really has felt like it would take for-eh-vah! Time has always seemed to creep by as we have waited and waited for various steps to be completed. It has never felt like the time was speeding by, except when we have thought about Ivelina getting older in her orphanage. Every day that has gone by since we have known about her has been yet another day that she has grown older and bigger and taller without us being there with her. 

Now that we have a court date set 9 DAYS from today, I have sort of been in excited-panic mode in my mind thinking about all that needs to be done before we travel. I wanted to shampoo all the carpets before her homecoming and get the half-way standing maple in our front yard cut down. I wanted to deep clean the showers + tub and make some freezer meals for when we get back from our trip. I need to make a DVD of all of our Ivelina videos so that she can watch them herself, and I need to make a playlist of children's music for the airplane. Geesh! SO much to do, and now I feel like time is not going to allow me to do all these "essential" things before she is here.

Another thing to add to the list is fund raise. Since our return from Bulgaria, we certainly knew another trip was coming, so we have been saving like crazy and trying to work as many extra shifts as possible. Spring is an awfully busy time for us as we both have busy jobs in the spring and are in school full-time. We have only planned one fundraiser; it is a giant yard sale/bake sale that will happen April 26th in our town. We have TONS of donations coming in making this our biggest yard sale yet!  Plus, we have secured what we think will be a great location. We are definitely hoping for a beautiful day and an awesome turn out!  

However, this trip is more expensive than the first, so of course, I'm always a little worried.  "How are we going to do this, God?"  "Lord, we know you will provide for this adoption as You always have up to this point, but can you provide like....now, just to ease the stress a little?"  I'm sure all you adoptive families out there have felt the same pressure. So, our first opportunity to travel will likely be mid-May, and we are not yet fully funded. Like I said, though. God has provided everything else we have needed up to this point, so why should I doubt Him now?

We know that God has so often provided for this adoption through friends, family, and the body of Christ. We would like to provide an opportunity for anyone who cannot be a part of our yard sale/bake sale to help support our adoption in a different way. We have sold T-shirts before, but we are selling again and have a new company and a new T-shirt design that we both really love!  The process for these shirts will work a bit differently.  

Here are the details:  

The design:

very cool, huh?

This shirt was specially designed for us by Fund the Nations. We chose to offer it in red and green, two colors of the Bulgarian flag. The shirt reads, "ADOPTED." Then in smaller font, it reads, "no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir." This is taken from Galations 4:7.

Sizes:

Basically, the shirt comes in any adult, youth, or plus-size. 

Prices:

$15 per youth shirt
$20 per adult shirt

$22 per plus size shirt

Deadline:

May 9th, 2014.  That's two weeks after our court date. We should have our court decree by then and we will probably be making travel arrangements by that time as well.

How to order:

The easiest way will be through our PayPal button on our blog. Simply decide what size and color shirt(s) you want. Then, calculate the cost and donate that amount through Paypal. While making your donation, add a comment with the sizes and color shirt you want to order. Make sure you enter a valid mailing address in PayPal. We will place the order on May 10th and your shirt(s) will be shipped to you shortly afterwards. If you know us personally through church or family, you may just give us your payment in person or mail it to us with a note indicating which sizes and colors you need. (These could be great for Mother's Day or Father's Day gifts.)

How this helps us:

We will earn about $11 per shirt, and ALL profits will be used for travel expenses on our pick-up trip to bring Miss Ivelina home!  Also, once the orders are in, you will be wearing a cool shirt that is sure to raise awareness about adoption, both spiritual and physical!

So, what do ya say?  Let the t-shirt orders begin! Please feel free to share this fundraiser with anyone you know via Facebook, email, blogs, etc. Every t-shirt sold is important to us!  Thanks for reading and thanks so much for your support, prayers, and love!

-Shelly