Two donations!

This week again is filled with blessings.  We received two donations!  One donation for $30 came from a sweet friend and $100 came from one of Jason's co-workers.  Praise God!!!

Avon Fundraiser begins!

It amazes me how God keep providing!  This past week we raised $106 for our adoption.  $91 was from a local consignment sale.  Thank you Justine Gamble for allowing me to include my items!!!  $15 was from renting our clothing racks.

Last week we had two pampered chef fundraisers.  My sweet friend Jennifer Miller had one at her home Tuesday, September 18th.  The second one was at my home Friday, September 21st.  Both fundraisers were successful.  I do not know the official totals, however, I do know that the sales were over $1,200.  15% of sales will go to our adoption fund!!!

For the next two weeks, we are having an AVON adoption fundraiser.  40% of the sales will go to our adoption fund.  Attached you will find a PDF of the items available.  They are at a discount from the regular catalog.  All orders can be given to Ashton Gilbert at ashtonlgilbert@gmail.com .  If you would like to get some great AVON items, please place your order by Friday, Oct. 5th.

Our Discovery Toys fundraiser will be later in October.  Currently, we are still having the Xango fundraiser where you can purchase meal packs for starving children and 30% goes to our adoption fund.  Please read the previous blog for details.  Also, people can make a tax-deductible donation to our adoption fund at Lifesong for Orphans.  Please see previous blog for details.

Today, I received the final PDF file for our adoption cookbook.  It looks great and has some amazing recipes...even secret family recipes!  They should be in by the end of October.  Great for gifts!!!

I found out today that our grant application with Hope of Adoption was pushed back another month.  Our application will not be reviewed until late October.

Tomorrow, I will be mailing in our adoption grant application for HELPUSADOPT.ORG.  We have been denied all of our adoption grant applications due to lack of funds.  Please pray that we will receive this grant!

Please continue to pray that our Dossier arrives in China before our paperwork expires!!!

Dossier and Fundraising Update!

Great news! All of our Dossier paperwork has made it to Living Hope Adoption Agency!  We had one missing piece and it arrived Monday.  All of our money arrived, including the fundraising fund from LifeSong. 

I have to say...LifeSong is a well organized and is excellent in their communication!  We requested our adoption fund to be sent to Living Hope.  Within one hour they cut the check and sent it!  Amazing!  I wish our entire adoption experience would be that easy.

So the next step:  Our Dossier goes to Washington for authenticating, it gets translated into Chinese and then off to China!  Please pray for God's hand to be on our paperwork.  We have a deadline in October that our paperwork has to be in China.

Fundraising Update:

We made $86 at a yard sale a couple weeks ago and $30 from renting our clothing racks.  That is $116 just this week!  Praise God!!  I have some clothes and kids items in a local consignment sale this week.  Thank you to Justine Gambel for letting me put my items with hers...you are a great friend!  Pray they sale.  All profit goes to adoption!

My sweet friend Jennifer Miller hosted a Pampered Chef party last night as an adoption fundraiser for us!  Thank you Jennifer!  The sales were great.  Thank you for everyone that came out and ordered. 15% of those sale will go to our adoption.  When we know the final number we will post!

This Friday, Sept. 21st we are having a Pampered Chef Adoption Fundraiser at our home!!  They have a new catalog and have some great stuff.  GREAT for EARLY CHRISTMAS shopping!!!  If you would like to place an order support our adoption:  Go to pamperedchef.biz/oliviaodle under host "Karla Taylor" or call our Pampered Chef Consultant, Olivia Odle, at 615-478-0698. Have your order shipped to us and save at least $2 on shipping fees! Please place your order by Friday, September 21st!  Thank you Olivia for doing both of these fundraisers for us!!!

We are also having an AVON fundraiser going on!  You can order from a selection of items....all $10.  40% of all sales go to our adoption fund.  Please contact Ashton Gilbert to place an order (ashtonlgilbert@gmail.com or 615-579-0064). Please order no later than Oct. 6th.

Adoption Cookbooks are ordered!  They will be in around mid to late October.  Great for Christmas gifts!  The price will be $10 each.  Email me to pre-order yours...karlamtaylor@hotmail.com. 

We are also renting our clothing racks to raise money for our adoption.  Our consignment sale, That Consignment Sale, is for sale.  So while we are finding a buyer, we are renting our racks for $15 each.  There are 13 metal racks!  Rent one or all.  Email me at karlamtaylor@hotmail.com if interested. 

You can purchase meal packs for starving children around the world.  Xango will donate 30% of sales to our adoption fund.  The meal packs are $50 for a small pack and $100 for a large pack.  If you are unable to purchase an entire pack, you can make a contribution to a pack.  We will combine the funds to purchase a meal pack. Visit www.teamdivine.org to view a short video on this project. If you have questions or would like to participate in this amazing opportunity please contact Melissa Taylor (615-415-5575 or melissa.taylor@bellsouth.net).

You can make a tax-deductible donation for our adoption!  It will help your taxes and help us bring Melanie home.  This is through Lifesong for Orphans.  If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation toward our adoption process. Please see the two options below:
a. Visit www.lifesongfororphans.org. Click "Give". Click "Make a donation". Click "donate by credit card". Under purpose enter: "taylor/#2866"
b. You can send a check to: Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744...please enter "taylor/#2866" on the memo section
* "Taylor/#2866" has to be entered for our adoption fund to receive credit.

On October 18th we will be having a Discovery Toy Adoption Fundraiser.  You can purchase wooden, durable, safe and fun toys for your kids, for gifts....great for Christmas!  Details to follow on how to order or attend the fundraiser. 

Does anyone know a musician, a musical group, or comedian that would draw a crowd that would be willing to donate their time for an adoption fundraiser?  We are wanting to do a dinner and concert as an adoption fundraiser.  Email me at karlamtaylor@hotmail.com if you know anyone!

Praise God for our Dossier update!  Praise God for friends and family that have been supportive in our fundraisers and donations!  Continue to pray for Melanie in China!!!

We sent in our Dossier today!!!

What a fabulous day!  I feel a weight lifted off of me!!

Today, I mailed our Dossier to our adoption agency - Living Hope!!!  They should get it by 10 am on Monday.  Praise God!!!

The journey today started with printing the last two documents and double checking to make sure we had all of our papers and pictures ready to go.  Then, we took a picture of Cohen holding the Dossier and posted the GREAT news on Facebook.  Cohen was so excited!  At first he thought we were leaving with the paperwork and would return with Melanie in two weeks.  He is learning the art of patience during the process just like us.  Cohen is ready for his baby sister to come home.  Then all three of us prayed over the Dossier.  We prayed for God's hand to be on the paperwork everywhere it went...from Tennesse to PA, to Washington, and to China.  We prayed for Melanie to be well taken care of and to meet her needs before we able to meet her. We praised God for what he has provided!

So off to UPS I went...  First, I stopped by the bank for the Cashier's Check.  Second, I stopped by Walgreens to pick up the rest our six family pictures that were required.  Third, the final stop to UPS.  I have been in there so often for copies, mailings, overnights, and fingerprints, that they recognize me and ask about how the adoption is going.  It was so amazing...the entire UPS store, customers and employees, rejoiced with us when we told the regular employees that we were finally sending in our Dossier.  What a sence of support and rejoicing on such a remarkable moment in this adoption timeline!  My heart was full and content.  I felt like I could cry with happy tears of joy!

What a blessing of a day!  Thank you God!  Step 2 complete...now the adventure of Step 3 (our final step) begins. 

Please pray for the last amount of funding to come in!  We have five fundrisers through September and the first of October.  They are an adoption cookbook, AVON, Pampered Chef, Meal pack with Xango, and tax deductible donations with Lifesong for Orphans.  In October, we start a Discovery Toys fundraiser. 

Praise God we are sending in our Dossier!!!!!!

Just moments ago I received an email from Lifesong for Orphans....we just received an anonymous $1,000 gift!!!!  Thank you to whomever you are anonymous giver.  We thank you and greatly appreciate your gift.  Praise God!!!  We have exactly enough funds to send in our Dossier!!!!!!

We had a successful Pampered Chef catalog party yesterday at Jason's work.  There were $250 of orders.  We receive 10% of sales for the adoption.  Thank you Dodson Elementary for your continued support!

We are still waiting on the closure of our consignment business (That Consignment Sale) to officially know the exact amount of money we can transfer to our adoption fund.  We pray for the quick sale of the business!!

Next step...

• We have requested the $1,200 that has been sent to Lifesong for Orphans to be sent to our adoption agency. 
• We will send in all of our Dossier paperwork and $5,000 to our adoption agency this week. 
• Once our agency receives the paperwork and all the monies, it gets authenticated in Washington and then off to the Republic of China!
• We could get a referral within 30 days that China receives our packet!
• Once we receive and accept a referral...we will travel in 3 to 6 months!

We are starting the third and final stage of fundraising!  It looks like we will need to raise $13,000 to complete the adoption process.  Below are the upcoming fundraisers.  An email and facebook message will be going out within the next two weeks requesting participation.

• Adoption Cookbooks!!!  Approximately $10 each.  Option for hardcopy or digital. Ordering them in September and they will be available mid October.  Great for Christmas gifts for family, friends, teachers and co-workers.  Approximately 50% of purchase price goes to our adoption fund.
• Pampered Chef party - Friday, September 21st - taking catalog orders!!!! 10% of orders go to adoption fund.
• Online or Check donations to our Lifesong for Orphans account (Taylor/#2866) - Lifesong for Orphans, Attn: Jane, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744 or www.lifesongfororphans.org .  100% goes to our adoption fund (unless doing a paypal donation...there is a small percentage fee).
• Meal packs with Xango - you can purchase a small meal pack ($50) or large meal pack ($100) that will go to a child/family in a third world country.  If you cannot purchase a meal pack, you can donate money toward a meal pack.  Xango will donate 30% of donations and purchases to our adoption fund. 

This weekend (September 7-8) we will be participating in a large multi-mom yard sale.  All of what we sell will go to our adoption fund!

We are sending in a new application for an adoption grant within the next two weeks.  Deadline in the first of October and we will find out if we receive funds mid December. 

Thank you for your prayers and participation in our adoption adventure.  We give God all the praise!  He is our provider!  Jehovah Jirah!!!

Grant and fundraiser update! Prayers needed...

This week holds good news and not so good news for our family and the adoption.

That Consignment Sale (the consignment sale I started to raise money for our adoption) had its 2012 Fall/Winter sale during the week of August 16-18.  Our adoption fund raised $120 through this sale.  Because we are needing to come up with the funds to send in our Dossier and hopefully we will be traveling to China before the 2013 sale would occur, we have decided to sell That Consignment Sale.  We pray from the sell of the our business, we will be able to send in our Dossier and put the remainder in our adoption fund for the next $12,000 we will need to raise before we travel.  This was a hard decision because I LOVE my consignment business.  However, bringing Melanie home from China is more important!  Please pray that we sell our business quickly and for the amount we need to move forward and then some!!!

We did receive some great news from Lifesong for Orphans (our adoption fundraising account).  A family that is friends to us, has donated $200 to our adoption fund.  Thank you and Praise God!!!

We did receive some bad news this week and lost a four-legged member of our family this week.

We had to make the horrible decision to put down my cat Briley on Tuesday, August 21st. Briley was my main coon cat of 13 years that I rescued off of Briley Parkway 13 years ago this month.   He has been ill since May of this year and was suffering tremendously.  After multiple tests, vet visits, and being a nurse at home, we are not exactly sure why Briley got sick so fast.  It was narrowed down to either cancer in his abdomen/colon area or some sort of serious intestinal blockage.  I know he is not suffering anymore, but that was the single hardest decision I have ever made in my life and it has broken my heart.  I miss him so much!

The other bad news we received this week is in regards to our grant application to Show Hope.  We received a letter today stating that we were denied a grant from Show Hope.  This again is a huge set back because we were praying for this grant to send in our Dossier.  Earlier this year, I had contacted both Mary Beth Chapman and Stephen Curtis Chapman's booking agents to have them do an adoption benefit for our adoption.  We were turned down by both booking agents and strongly encouraged to apply for this grant.  Another door closed...

We have also heard back from the Gift of Adoption Grant program.  After our grant application was pushed back another month, I contacted them and asked why this keeps happening.  They pretty much said that if we do not have a referral or a travel date, we will not receive a grant.

We do have a few adoption fundraisers coming up...

1.  Adoption Cookbook - Monday is the deadline to email me recipes for the cookbook.  karlamtaylor@hotmail.com.  Unfortunately, we only have about 25 recipes.  In order for us to order the cookbook, we will need over 100 recipes.  Send us your recipes!!!

2.  Yard Sale - I will be participating in a Children's Yard Sale with a group of moms on Friday, Sept. 7th and Saturday, Sept. 8th.  Everything I sell will go to the adoption!!!

3.  Adoption Pampered Chef party - On Friday, September 21st, I will be having a Pampered Chef Adoption Fundraiser.  It will be at my home, but you can place a catalog order!

Please pray for an email that I will be sending out the first week of September.  Some people have asked how they can help in the adoption process.  We will be sending out an email of four different ways people can help with our adoption expenses.  It will include the cookbook, the pampered chef party, a way that you can purchase meal packs for orphans while 30% will go to the adoption, and our fundraising account with Lifesong for Orphans where people can donate a tax-deductible gift.

Please continue to pray for our adoption.  It seems like we are running into many road blocks.  We still believe that God is in control!!!

Show Hope and Gift of Adoption grant update and fundraiser next week!

Well we just found out from Show Hope that our grant review as been pushed back another month.  We will not know anything until the first of September. 

We also just found out that the Gift of Adoption grant review has been pushed back until September.

Grant update:
Gift of Adoption grant review is in September - pray we get approved!!!
Show Hope Grant review is in the next two weeks and we will know some the first of Sept. - pray we get approved!!!

It looks like it will be another month before we can send in our Dossier paperwork.  There are deadlines to adoption paperwork (Dossier) getting to China.  They have to be within a specific window of time or we have to do them over again...or get an "update".  This would delay our adoption process even more.  Please pray for the funding to come through so we can send in our Dossier. 

We are having our Children's and Ladies consignment sale next week (Aug 16-18) - That Consignment Sale.  The reason we started the sale was to raise money for our adoption and hopefully continue it after Melanie arrives for extra income.  Please pray that we raise the remaining $1200 needed to send in the Dossier with our consignment sale next week!!!!!!  Come shop for some great Children's and Ladies items....clothing, accessories, toys, equipment, books, costumes, coats, and more!!!!  I know that it may seem easy to raise this money with our sale since it has been successful, however, the expences with having a small business drains a large portion of the proceeds.  This is thanks to all the rules and taxes put on a small businesses.  Please pray that this sale is a HUGE success and we can send in at least $1200 to get Melanie home!!!!

So we need prayer for funding to come in and a successful consignment sale fundraiser!!!