Applications are in the mail!

It has been too long since we updated our blog. It seems life just gets busier and busier with two toddlers in the house. But life is good and we continue to see God's blessing and favor over our lives. God is so good!

This week we finally finished filling out applications to adoptions agencies and got them sent in the mail. We applied to four different agencies; one in Texas, one in Arizona, one in Utah and one in Kansas. All the agencies we applied to do not require any fees until we've been matched with a birth mother. By applying to several agencies, we will cut down on wait time. Then whatever agency matches us first will be the agency we adopt through.

Within the next few weeks, each agency should receive our application and other necessary paperwork from the agency that did our home study here. Then we will wait to hear if we are approved. Once approved, the agencies will begin showing our profile to their birth mothers. When we are chosen by a birth mother, it's considered a match. Then we begin planning for the birth of our child. This includes phone calls with the birth mom, updates on her pregnancy, and planning the hospital visit when the baby is born. The agency will also be drawing up the paperwork for the adoption.

It feels so good to be at this point because we've done all we can do up to this point. Now we just wait and watch God do His thing. We know He has already chosen the right baby and birth mother for us. During this waiting period please continue to pray over the safety of our child in the womb and over our birth mother as she makes some of the hardest decisions she'll ever make in her life. Thanks again for all your prayers and support through this whole process. We love and appreciate you all!

Home Study Completed!

Our home study has been completed! We had our last visit with Sandy Whitton from Littlest Angels International about two weeks ago and she has approved us for adoption. It's hard to believe we only started this process a few months ago and now we are closer than ever to adopting. There are a few more things that have to take place though before we can bring our baby home.

First of all, we need to put together our parent profile. This is basically a really nice and elaborate classified ad for birth moms searching for a home for their babies. We've been looking at lots of examples and hope to have ours finished in the next few weeks. Then we just pray that God leads the right mother to see our parent profile and choose us as parents for her baby.

Also, we need to complete 16 hours of adoption classes. We are taking a class this coming Saturday, so that will take care of half of those hours. We will complete the rest with online courses. After that, we should be ready to go! We just need a mother to choose us, and then the paperwork begins to bring home our baby.

This week the reality hit us that we could have a baby very soon. I think all along I've had this time line in my mind of when would be a good time for this baby to come into our home. Late fall or early winter would be good because Joab would be around 18 months. However, God has a way of doing things in His timing. With how fast everything has gone so far, we feel like God wants us to be ready this summer. At first, this scared me a little bit, but God reminded me that He never gives us any circumstance in life that's too difficult as long as we get a hold of His grace. I want and need to be open to His timing because I don't want to miss His best for us just because I want to be comfortable and have control of the situation. I think many of us can attest to God's goodness in times where things were out of our control or didn't happen in our timing. Through this process of prayer and letting go, I have found God's peace that passes all understanding. On top of that, I am getting more and more excited to hold this little one and start our lives together.

Thank you God for always wanting the best for us. Helps us to let go and give control to you in all circumstances. Amen.

Adoption Banquet was a Success!

We had our adoption banquet with Adam and Jodi Woodden last Sunday and it went well. All of us put in a lot of work, and we think everyone that attended had a great time. It was at Camp Robber in Montrose, CO and the food and service was fantastic. We were able to bless many with door prizes and raffle prizes. We also had over 85 silent auction items up for bids. They ranged in variety from pedicures to massages, oil changes to painting services, restaurant gift cards to Tiffany lamps, and beautiful art photography to family portrait photography packages. The community was very generous and made it possible for us to have such an awesome silent auction. All in all, including gifts from those who were unable to attend, we were able to raise about $6000 to be split between our two families. We are so thankful for those that gave and we know that God will multiply what was given 30, 60 and 100-fold and give it back to those who were so generous. Adoption is God's idea, so when someone gets behind that and supports it, there's no way God won't bless them back. I'm excited to see God do that in the lives of those who gave towards our adoptions.

Blessings!

Silent Auction on Facebook

So, I thought of this great idea the other night. I have been spending many late nights getting prepared for our dinner and silent auction. While browsing for some instructions to sort of copy and print out for our live silent auction I came across a site that gave people the opportunity to mail or call in a bid beforehand. I thought, why not do something like that through Facebook? So here I am spending more late nights getting photos of the items and then the way people bid is under the comments of each photo.
I thought it would give people who aren't attending the dinner a chance to bid on the silent auction items as well. I'm not sure how it will go over yet. I'm afraid people are thinking it is just one more invitation to our dinner, since people are saying they are 'not attending'? Maybe those 'not attending' just don't care...or they didn't read what I was trying to do. Who knows maybe this will catch on and could work neat. The idea is that as more people comment, or even say they're attending, or invite others, the more it shows up in news feeds and the more exposure it gets.
Fundraising is hard work. With Social Networking we have an opportunity to use a unique media, but also run the risk of just annoying people. I'm not trying to do that, just trying to do what I can to get the support we need. Sometimes that comes from the unlikeliest people, like for instance, the 50 or so businesses that donated something (most of them complete strangers to us). Not all are called to adopt orphans, but all are called to care for the orphan. It is neat to see that desire rise up in people that may not even know the Lord.
So, if you actually read my blog, pray that this online auction idea would make sense to people. And pray that what God is doing through us and for us would be a blessing and testimony of His goodness to us all.

Last Chance for Dinner Tickets- Price Lowered!

Our adoption banquet that we’re holding at the Camp Robber with Adam & Jodi Woodden on Sunday March 13 at 5:30pm is not sold out yet. We’ve asked people to RSVP by March 4, but we still have lots of tickets we can sell. Originally, we were asking for $50 a ticket, but now we’re wondering if that price was too difficult for many, especially those with families. So we’ve decided to lower the price of the tickets these last two days to $35 per person or $60 a couple. And for families, we’re willing to do a family deal. We want everyone that wants to come to be able to come, even if that means you just paying the basic cost of the meal ($20 per person).

It’s been awesome to see the community get behind us! The total value of all our silent auction items is over $5000! So with the auction and the raffle drawings you could be leaving with some awesome stuff! Everyone will be given one raffle ticket to put in the raffle of their choice and then you can buy more raffle tickets.

We need to know by Monday night, March 7th, in order to let Camp Robber know how much food to prepare. Call Steve at 970-209-7878 to reserve your tickets. Thanks so much for your friendship and support!

God's Favor

Today was our first day of asking for donations for the silent auction we'll be holding at our adoption banquet on March 13th. Jodi Woodden and I (Alyssa) met this morning and prayed for God's favor as we headed into the first of many local business to see if they'd be willing to contribute to our cause. It would make sense to not be shocked when we began to see God's favor because that is what we asked for, but I couldn't help but stand in awe of God's goodness as we went from business to business and not once were we turned away. Either businesses donated something on the spot, or told us to call next week after they'd had some time to look over the letter we had written explaining our adoption process. More than one business owner today had either adopted a child or knew someone who had. Others were excited about adoption and glad to support us. One woman even asked us to share why we had decided to adopt. It's neat to think that God was planting seeds in the hearts of those we talked to, all the while providing for us. All I can say is, God, You are AWESOME! For anyone who is contemplating adoption, but you're intimidated by the cost, or paperwork, or whatever, just trust God and go for it. Adoption is His idea. And if it's His idea, His favor will follow your obedience. I know when we're finally holding our baby in our arms, we'll see that every step in this adoption was more than worth it.

So, next week we'll take another day to ask for more donations from local business. I'm excited to see what God will do. If you're interested in donating anything for our silent auction, post a comment and let me know. It can be a physical item or your time or talent, such as music lessons, artwork, babysitting, etc.

God bless you all, and thanks for praying and supporting us in this. Yay God!!!

Fundraising Banquet Invitations have been mailed!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO Scott's Printing who graciously donated the printing for our dinner invitations and tickets! They did an Amazing Job! We were so blessed by this, because they said they get many requests for donations throughout the year and generally reserve them for their customers. They said they believed in what we were doing though. Yeah God!

You are cordially invited to the Moss/Woodden Adoption Fundraising Banquet!

Sunday, March 13, 5:30 pm, at the Camp Robber!

Full course dinner, silent auction, and raffle!

RSVP by March 4!

Tickets are $50 silver, $100 gold, and $250 platinum.

Many of you will receive a mailed invitation. For those of you who want to purchase tickets online, click the Paypal "Purchase tickets" button at the top right. Please let us know how many tickets you are purchasing so we know how many meals to reserve. If you have a paper ticket be sure to bring it to the meal, as we will enter your ticket into a raffle. When purchasing tickets online, we will reserve your ticket for you and hand them out at the door the night of the banquet dinner.

****There are only 100 seats available, so respond early!****

Your ticket purchases are not tax-deductible. If you would like to give a tax-deductible gift separately from the dinner ticket, you can write a check to: Solid Rock Foundation Ministries. Mail it to: Steve Moss, 18106 Woodgate Rd., Montrose, CO, 81403. They have graciously partnered with us to offer this.

Thank you!!!!