Blown Away

Wow!  What a day!  We began our yard sale around 6:30am with coffee, early morning shoppers, and family.  Throughout the day the store was filled with people shopping, friends and family laughing, and kids running around and having fun!  So many people came out and supported us today by purchasing t-shirts, jewelry, and lots of donated yard sale items! THANK YOU to everyone who donated items, shopped, and gave encouraging words and hugs!  What a wonderful day!  Let's just say you guys ROCKED it....we had an amazing monetary total for the end of the day!  We were totally blown away by your generosity and God's provision!  In addition to that, I was reminded today how awesome it is to be a part of the body of Christ.  Friends and strangers came together for the common cause "to look after orphans and widows in their distress",and not just any orphan, but one that they will one day get to hold and play with and watch transform from lost to found.  How encouraging to know that we are so loved and cared for by our community.  All honor and glory goes to our Great God for all His many blessings!

The lovely models in our NEW ADOPTION SHIRTS!  We have plenty still in stock for $15 each!  Please let us know if you would like one, or stop by Perfect Blend to purchase.

Our little nephew Davis with a stuffed dolphin he found at the sale...and our little niece Sophie (about to fall asleep from all the excitement today!)

Great God

I just wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts....

As we go through this difficult but joyous process, we feel a roller coaster of emotions.  Sometimes, we are overwhelmed with happiness and joy as we think about the sweet sweet baby that we will one day hold in our arms.  Sometimes we feel stressed and worried about how we will get everything done and everything paid for (we are working on this and on building our faith, but I'm trying to be honest here!).  Other times we think about the fact that the sweet baby we will soon be holding is half way around the world right now.  In order for them to end up in an orphanage, they must have been or are going through some very dire circumstances.  Its hard to explain how this makes us feel.  Although we are not "technically" parents right now, our child is growing in our hearts and our love for this child grows everyday.  It is really difficult sometimes to feel totally powerless to help our child right now.  Its in times like these that we have to totally trust in our Heavenly Father who not only loves and cares for us but for all the lonely children around the world.  Though we feel so far away from our baby, God is right there holding their hand and giving them strength just like he is doing for us.  We heard this song a couple of weeks ago, and it really put into words how wonderful our Great God is and how is holding the hurting ones around the world in His hands.
Part of the song says,


From the farthest corners of the earth
Still His mercy reaches
Even to the pain we cannot see
And even through the darkness
There's a promise that will keep us
There is One who came to set us free

Great God
Wrap Your arms around this world tonight
Around the world tonight
And when You hear our cries
Sing through the night
So we can join in Your song 
And sing along
We'll sing along


Passion 2012, Sing Along

This song brings comfort to us as we are reminded that our great God is so much bigger than we can ever imagine, and yet he loves each and EVERY person on this earth so dearly.  He is the true Father to the fatherless who offers comfort and peace. He will hold our baby in His arms and comfort them while they are without a family, but he will continue to hold them and comfort them for the rest of their lives, even after they are with us...their forever family.  

On a lighter note...we are still planning on having our yard sale/sidewalk sale at Perfect Blend Coffee Shop on Saturday, April 28th.  Check out the event on Facebook here, and PLEASE share the event on your page to help spread the word!  Also, if you have any items you would like to donate, you can e-mail me at mprevatte113@gmail.com

Yard Sale!

Just wanted to give everyone an update. We are currently working through the paperwork for our home study. We are moving through pretty well. To help with the cost of the home study, we will be have a big yard sale just in time for spring cleaning! If you or anyone you know would like to donate items, please email me at mprevatte113@gmail.com
We have a trailer and are able to pick up items. The yard sale/side walk sale will be on Saturday, April 28th at Perfect Blend Coffee Shop (1 North Main St Lexington) We will have lots of great stuff and yummy baked goods!

On another note, I just want to say that I am so grateful for the people that God continues to place in our path through this journey. We are continuing to be uplifted and encouraged by others who share our passion for orphans and for following Christ. We are also strengthened anew everyday by Gods love emanating from family and friends.

Home Study Time!

     We have received approval from the agency that will be doing our home study last weekend and have since received our packet from them to begin working on.  Wow...exciting but a LOT of stuff to do!  And I, being a planner, and so overwhelmed!  I'm planning on sitting down today and making lists and plans for how and when to complete it all.  But I know that if we take it one step at a time, we will get it done.  Anyone who has adopted or know someone that has adopted has heard about "The Paper Chase"...well, that's what we are about to begin!
     Along with our packet, we received the invoice for our home study.  The money side of things can definitely be stressful and scary.  As Tyler and I were discussing it last night, we were both kind of stressing about it.  But you know, as we were talking I was reminded again...God doesn't call us to something and then say, "Okay, now figure out how to do it, plan it, prepare for it, and make it happen."  He simply calls us to be obedient to His Word, and then He asks us to trust Him.  How beautiful and peaceful life can be if we just trust Him instead of trying to figure it all out on our own.
     I once read a devotion that has stuck with me for many years since reading it.  The lady who wrote the book was describing her time on a retreat to a lake.  Their large group decided to take a boat ride in which they all had to row the boat out into the open water.  It was tiring, hard, sweaty work.  But just when they thought they couldn't row anymore, their guide explained that is was time to put up the sail.  To all of their surprise, the boat they were own was actually a sailboat.  They put up the sail, sat back, and enjoyed the beautiful view and the warm breeze.  She explained that our life in Christ should be like a sailboat, but many times we try to row and work our way along.  It is our own fault if we keep rowing and rowing and trying to make it using our own pitiful strength.  It is our own fault if we don't put up the sail and let God carry us through it all.  I want that for my life.
 
   On another note, we had our book fair at school this week.  How does that relate to the adoption?  Well, one of my kids bought the most precious book and I had to get one for myself!  It's called Little Pink Pup.  Its a sweet little story of a piglet that was adopted into a family of dachshunds.  The book is dedicated to all the children that may look different from their families and says "Your families love you just the way you are."  So sweet!  Click on here to check it out.

So, as we continue to this wonderful journey, we are filled with joy for what God is teaching us and how He is growing us up in Him.

Bracelets Galore!

We are continuing the journey as we have been in contact with our adoption agency as well as the agency that will be completing our home study.  We hope to begin the home study and the "paper chase" very soon!  We have been so grateful lately for the opportunities that God has given us to share about our journey with those we meet.  We continue to be thankful for all the encouragement that God has given us through his people.

So, I continue to toss around different fundraising ideas that I can do.  A while back I began making beaded jewelry to sell to help with the cost of our adoption.  I've come up with some cute designs, but I've been wanting to come up with a more signature piece that I can make a lot of.  While perusing Pinterest (haha, that's where all my "creative" ideas come from!) I stumbled across a DIY wrap bracelet and I thought, "Hey, I could make that and its really cute!".  So, my dad ordered me some supplies through his shop Missions Pottery, and I have made my first few bracelets.  I really love the style of the bracelet.  I make them with leather and bamboo cords in cheery colors.  I have posted some example pictures below.  I have light and dark variations of the leather cord, as well as multiple bamboo cord colors like purple, green, orange, pink and blue. They will be sold at Perfect Blend Coffee Shop and Missions Pottery and More.  Also, you can contact me via e-mail at mprevatte113@gmail.com.  The price will be $6 for the single band and $8 for the double band.  They are also really cute stacked so grab up a few different colors!

Quick Update

     I wanted to take a moment to give you all a quick update.  As we all know, this journey we have started on is a long one, but I hope to keep friends and family in the know as much as possible.  We are so grateful for you continued prayers and support. 
     We are getting ready to send off our home study application this coming week.  The home study involves gathering documents and completing paperwork that must be compiled in order for the adoption process to continue.  We will also have a couple of visits from a social worker and have some education on how we can best meet the needs of our child.  We look forward to the next leg of our journey and welcome your prayers and encouragement.
     Our coffee sales continue to rise thanks as word is getting out about what we're doing.  Thanks to everyone that has purchased some and thanks to those who have been selling it for us!  We continue to have handmade jewelry for sale at Missions Pottery and More and at our coffee shop, Perfect Blend.  We have a few fundraising things in the works for after we finish our home study.  Once we finish the home study we will be able to apply for grants and some of those grants are matching grants.  In other words, if we receive the grant they will double whatever we make at our fundraiser up to a certain amount.  So we're trying to plan some larger fundraiser soon!  We are hoping to have a BIG yard sale where all proceeds will go to the adoption.  If you are getting ready to do some spring cleaning, we will take your cast offs =)  Also, we are planning to have a fundraising night at the coffee shop with a silent auction.  If you or anyone you know owns a business or could get an item donated, that would be awesome!  We also have some friends and family that are helping to plan a benefit concert.  Through this process, we are definitely finding out how much we are loved and how much our little one is already loved (even though no one has even met them yet).  I can't wait to tell them of stories of how VERY wanted they were and how a family and community came together to bring them home!

If you have any items for the yard sale or any silent auction items, you can e-mail me at
mprevatte113@gmail.com

       

A Bit About Uganda

I realized today that although many people know we are adopting from Uganda, there may be some that would like to know more about the country of Uganda and where exactly we will be traveling to in the country.  So, I thought I would do a blog post giving some info about Uganda and the city where we will be traveling.

Uganda is a small landlocked country that rests on the banks of the beautiful Lake Victoria.  Uganda is known as the "Pearl of Africa" for its beautiful landscapes, lakes, and mountain rims.  It is considered a tropical climate with average high temperatures 77-82 degrees year round.  The national language in Uganda is English along with the local language of Luganda.  The capital city of Kampala is where we will be traveling.  It is a more modernized, bustling major city with museums, theaters, government buildings and schools.

There are approximately 2 million orphans within the country of Uganda and it is considered to have one of the largest populations of orphans in the world.  The need is great, but many people within the country and around the world are reaching out to help these children.

Below, I have added a map of Uganda, with the capital city starred.  I have also added some pictures of some wildlife and beautiful landscapes of Uganda.  These images were found on the public domain of "The World Factbook".

The shore of Lake Victoria

                                  

Part of the Nile River