Fundaraiser Update and Other Happenings

There is only a few more days to get in on the Matilda Jane Gift Card and beautiful headband. The second release of Matilda Jane's House of Clouds line will be released on March 1st, so I am going to do the drawing for the gift cards and headband on Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. So, there is still time to get in on your chance to win.

Mandie's Thirty One fundraiser was a success as well. She was able to get enough sales to donate $100 for out fundraiser and I was able to pick out a $30 item for free. I decided that since the fundraiser was for Keliah I would pick out something for her. I chose the Demi Purse in Onyx Medallion (pictured) and Mandie threw in free monogramming so I got the letter K in hot pink. I plan to take this to China with us and fill it with all kinds of girly things to give to Keliah. Of course Emma will help me with that task. I figured I will have a Emma and Mommy day when it gets closer to leaving and she can help me pick things out as well as an outfit or two to take with us.



So, this is where we stand right not with the totals for the fundraisers:

$1975.00 Matilda Jane Gift Card giveaway
+ 25.00 ABC INC headband giveaway
+100.00 Thirty One fundraiser
= $2100.00
- 400.00 To purchase the 2 MJ gift cards
= $1700.00 Total raise to date
- $2500.00 Fundraiser goal

-$800.00 What we need to meet our goal

I will be completely honest in saying that when things got tough Matt and I seriously sat down and discussed the possibility of stopping this adoption. We both just felt like there was so much going on and that maybe, just maybe, God was telling us that now just wasn't time for us to bring home another child. I literally felt ill just thinking about not bringing Keliah home. The thought of making the call the our agency was sickening. The thought of having to tell the kids that we just couldn't adopt Keliah because we couldn't afford it was unbearable. I knew that this would just crush Emma and Jaxon the most. Emma has asked for a sister closer to her age for so long, and Jaxon is so looking forward to going back to China. BUT, after a few days of really thinking, talking, and praying about it, we decided to move forward, knowing that just like the three times before, God would provide all we needed to get Keliah home. As much as I did not want to, I went ahead and started another fundraiser and within days, we had our immediate need of $890.00 to get our I-800A sent out. And now, just days before the fundraiser ends, we are only in need of $800.00 to meet our $2500.00 goal. Once again, Matt and I are truly amazed at the generosity of complete strangers and the power of prayer.


I also wanted to share a couple of things that have happened with Jaxon over the lat couple of weeks. As much as I would LOVE to announce that he is calling me mom, I can't. He continues to refer to Matt and I as mom and dad with the other kids, but has yet to address us directly as mom and dad. At first, it really bothered me, but now I just keep telling myself that when he is ready, it will happen, and when that day comes, I will be jumping for joy.



He is really starting to come out of his shell as you can see from the above picture. The protective wall is starting to come down brick by brick. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely days when bricks are put back up, but overall, he is really showing us his personality. Jaxon is very smart and is doing really well in school. The only class he struggles with is Science and that is pretty much because of the comprehension. He has also signed up to run track this spring which is something that shocked Matt and I. You can tell he really wants to do things and fit in, but is scared and unsure of the perceptions of people around him. So, when Blake came home and told us that Jaxon had signed up for track, we were so excited that he was finally feeling comfortable enough to participate in something.

The other day we were at the store and he asked if he could get a necklace. I said I didn't care, and he came over with a trendy cross necklace. I asked him why he wanted that one and he said because he like it. I then went on to ask him if he knew what the cross meant and he said that you believe in God. Religion and spirituality is not something Matt and I have pushed with Jaxon because he is older. With the smaller kids, it is easy to just immerse them in our religion and they pretty much no nothing different. Jaxon being a bit older has been influenced by the Chinese culture so, we decided that we would wait to see if he approached us about Church and God. So, I took this opportunity to probe a bit more. I told him that crosses are what Christians wear in honor of Jesus dying for us on the cross. He said he knew and that he believed in God. I asked him if he wanted to be Christian and he first said, I don't know, then quickly changed his answer to yes. So, I kind of let it go at that and bought him the necklace. I do not want him to think we are pushing him to do anything, Matt and I decided we would let him come to us when he was ready.

We normally go to Church on Saturday evenings. Trying to get 6 kids out the door on a Sunday morning is nearly impossible and not good for my insanity, so we just go Saturday evening unless we have something going on. Anyway, we are Catholic and for Communion we go up to the alter to receive Communion. In the Catholic Church kids cannot take Communion until they are in second grade. If they are not able to accept Communion, they still go up with us, they just fold their arms against their chest and are blessed instead of receiving Communion. In all the trips we have made to Church with Jaxon since he has been home, he has just waited in the pew while we all go up until last week. Last week, I got up and positioned Mylee and Drew in front of me to walk to the alter, took Communion and started back to the pew, and was a little surprised when I didn't see Jaxon sitting there waiting on us. I turned around to see where Matt was and just in front of him was Jaxon who had decided on his own to go up with the rest of the family to be blessed. Once we were all back in the pew, Matt and I just looked at each other and smiled.

Every evening when we sit down to dinner, we always say a prayer. All the kids make the sign of the cross, and say the prayer as well. Andrew is so cute when he says it because he tries so hard to be just like everyone else. Well, usually Jaxon just sits there and waits for us to be done. The other day as we were saying our prayer, I noticed that Jaxon had folded his hands and was bowing his head as well. I tapped Matt from under the table so he could see too, and we both just smiled from ear to ear.

And if all of that wasn't enough, last night I heard the most wonderful sound coming from Blake and Jaxon's room. We were not expecting for there to be school today because we were supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow, which we did, and the kids are home for the 4th out of 5 days this week. The boys had both already went to bed because we weren't 100% sure they were not going to have school. It was about 11:15 when I headed up to bed and as I was walking up the stairs I heard something coming from their room and thought it was a radio that was left on. But, the closer I got to the top of the stairs, I realized that it was Blake and Jaxon talking. I admit I stood outside their door for a few minutes to see what they were talking about, then went inside. They were both in their beds, in the dark just chit chatting away about anything and everything. Jaxon was asking Blake why here in America people have so many good opportunities, and why our standard of living is so much better than in China. They were also talking about girls, school, sports, and other more light hearted topics. I sat in there for a few minutes and left them to chat. Let me just tell you, this was music to my ears. I have waited along time to hear these two talk like this. Don't get me wrong, they get along, but Jaxon has never really opened up to Blake so I was quite excited to know that they too were getting along so well. I fell asleep last night to their muffled sounds.