OUR IPAD FUNDRAISER ENDS AT MIDNIGHT!!!!!

I am so excited to type those words.  This has gone on too long.  It has been going on since August 14th and this has been a very busy 8 weeks.  During this time:  we started home school, way too many speech, developmental, physical and occupational therapies (and I am lucky enough, they come to our house) for Hannah, weekly speech therapy for Aaron, ballet, older kid activities (each has at least 3/week), Boy Scouts, doctor appointments, taking mom to the ER and then cardiologist, fingerprinting appointment, a couple of ear surgeries, Fall Harvest and a garage/bake sale.  I am sure there is more, but I am already tired just typing what I can remember.

I have struggled so much with this fundraiser.  I have questioned myself so many times, why, why, why did I decide to do this.  How can I just end it as if it never happened.  Then one very beautiful day in September I called the immigration office to see if we had an Officer yet.  To my amazement we did and that was really all I wanted to know, but the receptionist quickly transferred me to our Officer.  I spent 5 very long and disheartening minutes on the phone with her.  I tried to digest what she had said and then called the only person I knew, who may have had this same issue.  But no, they had not experience it.  I just spent the rest of the day thinking about it.  I got up the next morning and called our agency to see if they had any insight into this problem.   I really thought my citizenship papers would have held up my passport process, but know, I got mine before my husband got his.  One little sheet of paper that simply says I am an American Citizen is causing so much trouble.  A paper my parents got to protect me.  See, Turkey recognizes dual citizenship (or at least did in 1968), and I was born there, while my dad was stationed there with the US Air Force.  They had thought about letting me retain both, but then found out, at that time, women could be drafted into the military there.  So, we move back to the US in 1975 and they declared my US citizenship, simply to protect me!!!!  Anyway, my agency has never heard of immigration looking for someones "Alien" file, since only one parent has to be and American citizen and my husband was born and raised here.  They called the Officer and tried to straighten this out, but to no avail.  The Officer was/is not the friendliest, so we are not going to push our luck and contacting her again.  I got our local representative to contact her and they called back and said she was not going to budge or move forward until this "Alien" file is located, which we were informed could take 6-10 weeks, which is past our deadline to have our paperwork to China.  She also was "kind enough" to tell the representative, that we should just start preparing the paperwork to ask China for an extension or have our home study updated to include a new child description.  

When they told me that I really lost it.  Another child and just leave my sweet baby there, as if she never existed????  Is she crazy?????  Obviously she has never adopted.  When you find you child, that child becomes apart of your family.  I love this little girl, even though I have never seen her in person or held her.  I have dreams for her.  A home study update is totally unacceptable!!!  I hung up the phone and started to cry.  Then I realized this was way bigger than me and I just couldn't do it anymore.  I finally just gave it to my Lord and told Him to deal with it all.  I just didn't have the strength anymore.  This all took place in about a minutes time.  I felt this great peace come over me.  I hadn't felt that relaxed in months.  This is a common problem for me and I have been trying to work on it, laying it ALL out before God and letting Him deal with it.  I am hoping all of this teaches me a lesson.  I have been praying better and boy do I know that my prayers are being heard.  I am completely at easy about most of this.  I am just really not very happy about going out and getting the mail right now, I wish I could just stop doing it until November.
I know everything is in Gods time and there is a reason for all of this, what I don't know and probably never will.  But I am willing to wait for my little butterfly to come home.  I WILL NOT or don't plan too, this too is in God's hands, get an updated home study.  I will just keep waiting and praying and knowing that when God is ready, I will get our I797 in the mail.

I want to tell you all about the blessing He has laid upon us.  As of 2:42 am, the time I am typing this, you have all donated $1575.00 towards our $2000.00 goal.  Wouldn't it be a blessing if we passed our goal.  Everything above that will go towards our travel to China.  Each penny gets us closer to the fully funded amount of $28,000.00.  Please, Please, Please keep praying, sharing and donating!!!  I can't wait until Tuesday, when we announce who gets what!!!

Ipad II

I pod Touch

  Handmade leather purse

This purse is made by Clare's new DADDY!!!

or a handmade dress!!!

Super adorable pillowcase dress panda applique

This item was donated by:  Frida's Closet

Visit her store at:  http://www.etsy.com/people/fridascloset1?ref=ls_profile

Red Thread Stitches

"Just Stay Little".  It is a size 3/4.  She has also donated the shipping cost and will mail the dress directly to the winner!!!

 

This fundraiser will run from Sunday, August 14 to Saturday, October 8th at midnight.  Winners will be chosen by: random.org and announced on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011.

With every donation:   $10 gets you 1 chance and 1 freebie option.
                                  $25 gets you 3 chances and 2 freebie options.
                                  $50 get you 8 chances and 3 freebie options.

Freebie--is a way for you to earn extra chances.  Once you make a monetary donation, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, I am begging here, share this blogpost and that will earn you another chance.   If you donate enough for 3 freebies your can also Facebook, tweet or post on your blog about this fundraiser for your other freebies.  I hope that makes sense.  After you blog or post come back here and let me know you have shared and I will add your extra chances to the fundraiser.  If you donate money multiple times over the fundraiser you will earn freebies for that also.  YOU must leave your NAME, do not post anonymously because I won't be able to find you, if you are selected.

You can donate to our FSP by using the button on the top right hand of the page or by mailing a check to the address listed above ( be sure and write "CLARE FOR THE FRISTOE FAMILY" on it).  BUT, if you donated using the CHIP-IN button, you will earn an extra chance, for being kind enough to help us with our out of pocket expenses.

I am challenging everyone to help me pray and spread the word for the next 2 days.  I truly believe we will make the $2000.00 that will be so helpful to us.

God Bless everyone that reads this and everyone that acts.

Suzanne