LOTS of updates!

I got many exciting updates to share regarding my adoption journey for my new son in China!!  I know I’ve been a bit quiet on the process, because it’s all hurry up and wait.  So here’s some updates if you are interested. :) 

1.)  I got TA (Travel Approval) form China today!!! That was my last piece of paper I needed to travel.  So soon I’ll have exact dates, details; but it will be in July when we go to China to finalize the adoption!!  I will be booking the flights and hotels soon.  *Now the real stress and organization begins for me! HA

2.)  I also received a grant of $1,000 from Rollstone Foundation to go towards my adoption expenses!! I’m THRILLED to qualify and actually receive it!!.

3.) I have 6 t-shirts/hoodies left to sale if you want one!  *3, XL Hoodies; 1 Large hoodie, 1 medium hoodies, and 1 Small T-shirt.*  I was asking $25/shirt and $35/hoodie.  Now, I’m asking if you want one, to donate whatever amount you want.  If you want me to mail it to you; please consider adding more for shipping fee.

4.) I also have some bracelets left over as well!  If you would like one, let me know!

5.)Along with the shirts and bracelets, I still have a gofundme page up (https://www.gofundme.com/help-bring-my-son-home-from-china&rcid=r01-153014099264-0364b7da6e564526&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w) if you would like to donate to help with the expensive travel costs - airplane tickets to and from China, in-couuntry hotels, in-country adoption fees, etc., I would still take any donations via gofundme page, PayPal, cash, check, etc.   I’m not FULLY funded, but very close!

6.) If you want to follow my adoption journey, I have a Facebook Page called: Adding One More Panda- Adoption Journey.   I will only post there daily updates of our time in China, and I will make it a “closed group” right when I leave.  https://www.facebook.com/onemorepanda/

7.) THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU all for all your love, support, encouragement, prayers, donations, buying my silly things I made, etc.  I truly couldn’t have done this without all your support!!

Approvals and Updates!!

After about a 30 day delay, I finally got the YES from China approval!! (In adoption lingo, LOA!)
So now it is looking like we will travel around the end of July.  I'm still processing on the Immigration paperwork and travel paperwork.
I have had several mini fundraisers, that have been successful!!  I am only lacking around $5,000!! SO good!!
I have been filling out more adoption grant paperwork as well.  And, reading up on adoption books, and getting his room ready!!
The waiting is SO long and boring!!  I just try to keep myself busy while waiting.
Since I got the approval from China, I can now reveal his photo!
His new American name will be Aaron William.  He is named after my late grandpa Benton, William.
Aaron was born in February 2011, so he is now 7 years old.
More updates to come as we get closer to travel!

Awarded $9,000 Adoption Grant!

I have super exciting news to share with you all!!  This week, I was notified that I am the recipient of a $9,000 adoption grant from Brittany’s Hope Foundation!!

I have to raise half ($4500) via donors, fundraisers, and then I will be awarded the $9000 that will go to my adoption agency for my adoption fees!!!  

I am and will be continuing my fundraisers (ie, selling chocolate covered strawberries, red velvet cookies, t-shirts, Valentine’s weekend babysitting, and many more that I am working on).  Or, my gofundme page is always open for any donations.  Any amount that raise will go towards this grant.  You can donate any amount (big or small) or “pay” for your items that I sell using this link:https://www.brittanyshope.org/seedling/benton/

You maybe wondering, “How much is this adoption, anyways?!”  Good question!  International adoptions are VERY costly.  It will be about $30,000 out of my own pocket BEFORE I even travel and meet my son! (No, there is no government assistance or anything like that.  It’s all on my own, from my own pocket book.)  Yes, I said $30,000!  Hence, why you see me doing fundraisers ALL the time, to get to my goal, so I CAN bring him home.  I cannot do this without you all!!  

So, as you can imagine, this grant is VERY beneficial to me and my family!  This grant still won't cover the entire costs, so even after I reach my $4500 goal, I will still continue to do fundraisers.  

When I adopted Ashelynn, I applied for MANY grants, and was denied on all of them because I was a “single adopter” and not “married.”  I’m so blessed to actually be awarded one!! And, for this big of grant!! <3 

I have raised about $8,000 so far!!! So, THANK YOU whom have donated already!! 

Be on the look out for my fundraiser!  Right now, I’m currently, selling my last order of t-shirts and hoodies ($25 or $35), chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cookies (see my previous posts for details), and my newest one, I’ll be posting about later today - Blaze Pizza is giving me 20% of their sales on Feb 4, 11:30-4:00 (Superbowl Sunday!) at their location on Memorial in OKC.  Which, all of these will be applied to the Brittany’s Hope Foundation grant.  

Thanks so much for all your support!!  I’m hoping to have my funds and travel to China to get my son this summer (or sooner!). 

We did it!! House move!!

Miracles do happen!
I closed on my 2 houses today!  :)
I sold my house, bought my neighbors (bigger, 4bed) house, and moved!!  So ironic and crazy how it all came to be....
I had 2 contracts on it.  The first one was a single, elderly lady moving from out of town, paying cash.  I immediately accepted her offer.  Then, a few days later, she randomly backed out.  I was a bit shocked and saddened, but at peace with it all because I know Who was in control of it.  Then, no joke, 30 minutes later, I had a 2nd offer in!! WOW!!  And, long story short, it's an Asian family with kids my kids' ages!!  Ecstatic, I accepted it all with no counter offers.  I knew with my growing Asian family, I would love to have a neighbor with Asian kids as well! 
So, lots of fingers crossed and prayers, inspections, appraisals, boxing up things, moving, clean, and closing; it has ALL worked out!  And so smoothly and uneventual!
At the closing today, I met my new neighbor, they one buying our old house, and already exchanged phone numbers.
I'm so excited to have them in our family neighborhood and to be their neighbor!

My previous blog entry of how it started at an earlier date: 

In short, I'm selling my house and it's on the market!!  I'm trying to move to 4 bedroom (bigger house for a growing family), and I already "have" the house, but need mine to sell first.   If, I can get it all done within about a month or so, the address changed wouldn't mess up my adoption paperwork and I wouldn't have to the pay extra for the addendum fees.  So.... maybe, in hind-sight, it's good that my OSBI report got delayed to buy me a bit more time of selling and buying a new house??!?  Who knows....  Because my house is still up for sale, and getting some showings.  If it sells quickly, than I'll know it IS a God thing for sure.
But, I have a funny feeling the whole story IS a God thing.  Back story on the house situation and why I decided to do it NOW!
When I was a Realtor, I sold my neighbor's their house a few years ago.  I always liked their house, and over time, we become friends and good neighbors.  Borrowing sugar, eggs, whatever, our kids going to each other's birthday parties, etc.
About two months ago, I was out walking my little dog in the neighborhood, and I saw them outside. I stopped and kind of jokingly said to them, "Hey, if you ever decide to sell, I want first dibs on your house!  I haven't told anyone yet, but I'm adopting again, and I will need a 4 bedroom."
We all kind of laughed and went about our ways.
About a week ago, as I was driving to the Panhandle to see my Family, she texts me a random text, "Hey, this is random and maybe a God-send, but we are selling our house, and wanted to know if you would still be interested in it?"  Ummmmm, "OMG!!! YES!!!"
Without giving too many personal details, they have to sell NOW, and in return, I need to sell my house NOW so I can buy their house.
I told her I needed to make some phone calls and think about it.
I talk to my lender, and we talked numbers.  If all goes well, I could take the profit from my house and put down on the new house, and in turn, my monthly payments would be cheaper!!  What?!?!  Wow!!!  "God, is this another way you are providing for my family, and confirming this is what I am supposed to be doing?!"
So, I immediately get my house on the market and up for sale.
Now, I'm waiting and having showings on my house.  Praying it sells so soon!
I would love for my new son to already have his own room when he gets to America so he doesn't have to have the trauma of moving again and more changes.
I would love for Cade not to have to share a room with a "stranger" whom is he new little brother.
And, I would love for my monthly payments to be less.

I know it's not the best time to put a house on the market for sale - around the Holiday, winter season, but if it's meant to be, it will be.

And, who knows.... maybe this is all part of God's big plans.

And, yes, I'm a bit overwhelmed trying to: sell a house, move, keep a house clean, do the adoption process, fundraise, raise 2 kids that have activities and school, and work full time, and do it all by myself.  And, pretty soon, add the holiday chaos on top of all of that.
I'm just trying to stay focus on the end goal, and see my life in 5, 10, 20 years from now.  It will all be worth it!!

What's in a Name

I think I have finally decided on an English name for my son!!
Naming my kids is a bit difficult for me doing it all alone.  So, I'm glad I have finally settled on one for him!

He shall be called Aaron William.  And, he will have his Chinese first name and my last name.

The story behind my kids' names:

Cade James - Cade was just a name we both liked at the time, before it became widely used.  James is my dad's first name, and my great-great uncle's name, and a family name on both sides.  James is also a Biblical name, Jesus' brother.

Ashelynn Hope Yue - Ashelynn is actually named after my late grandpa Karber.  His name was Leonard, but a lot of people called him Lynn.  So the "lynn" in Ashelynn's name is actually my grandpa's name, hence why it is spelled that way.  They also share the same birthday, October 27.  Hope is a Biblical name, and she told me she always "hoped" to have a forever family (being adopted at age almost 8).  Yue is her Chinese first name - the name she went by for almost 8 years.  I never want to take away her heritage.

Aaron William - Aaron was a name that I couldn't get out of my mind and fell in love with when I started his adoption process.  Aaron is a Biblical name, Moses' brother.  William is my late grandpa  Benton's first name.  He went by Bill, or W.H., which stands for William Harvard.   He will also take on his Chinese given name and my last name.

So all three of my kids have a family name (my dad's and grandpa names), Biblical name, and their Chinese names.  Yes, I did this all on purpose, and it was a bit difficult on deciding.

I can't wait till I have Cade, Ashelynn, and Aaron all together with me!!

Update on Fundraiser Status! And a big update

Update on Fundraiser status: 🎉🎉🎉❤️💙

In about 2 short months, I have sold:

💙126 tshirts/hoodies
🐼49 pumpkin pies
💙31 31 Elf on the Shelf Kits
🐼made about $1300 at my fundraiser event

This week is Thanksgiving, and I want to give THANKS to all of you who have donated, bought my crazy things, supports, loved, and prayed! 

I can't do this without you all!! You are appreciated!! 

I have a LONG ways to go, and still processing for a lot more months, but this is a terrific start!!
I'm looking forward to see how this all unfolds as you are, and just watching God write this story, as I'm taking baby steps in Faith. 

Thanks for joining me in this wild ride!!

Also, as of this week, I have now gathered all my documents for my Dossier!!  Eeeekkkk!!  I have them all, I just need to get them reviewed, approved, state certified, and authenticated.  I'm also waiting on the approval from I800.  I did my Homeland Security fingerprinting this week.  Now, I wait the 2 months for the approval.

So things are moving along!! Fast.  Great.  It will all be here before I know it!! 

Updates and Fundraising!!

So the process is moving along.  I have submitted my Immigration work and they are processing it now.  In the meantime, I'm working on fundraising!!

I have a new fundraiser coming up soon!!! SO excited for it!!

So what I am selling now to raise funds (all $25,000) are the following:
T-shrit - $25
Hoodies - $35
Homemade pumpkin pies - $10 now through Christmas
Wristbands - $2
Christmas ornaments - $10 (I have 100 to sell!!)

My first fundraiser "event" (and only one during the winter) is a Open House Holiday Fundraiser!
It will be at a Open House, but while there, I will be selling the above items, plus some holiday items, and a bunch of things at the Silent Auction.

Silent Auction items included, so far:  Christmas and Thunder wreath, gift certificates, Mary Kay, Jamberry, Salon product basket, Lipsense, etc.