Featured Auction Item: 2 CD's by Laura Hall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rexz2On32b8


This very talented singer songwriter played the piano for the television show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" for many years and now performs with her husband Rick Hall and their good friend, Kelly McLeod.  Check out this sound byte of one of her songs and then bid on this for a good time!

Note:  A Woman of Faith is the song I played and sang to and cried over the whole day that Marlana left for college the first time. 

Today's featured auction item: Baby gift set

Wow!  Thanks to my pastor's wife for donating this neutral baby gift set.  It includes 3 long sleeve onesies, an outfit with socks and bib, a Precious Moments figurine, an Artaffects collector plate with certificate of authenticity, and a baby blanket.  So sweet! Retail Value: over $120.

Feliz Navidad

As we try to anticipate how to prepare for travel to Colombia to get our little prince, and how to manage in the first few months of his transition, we are getting a little overwhelmed.  Trying to think ahead, I thought, “I should send Christmas cards now!” 

Because you see, we’ll be busy pretty soon.  We’ll be busy teaching a little boy what a family looks like.  We will tell him that there is a Father that never leaves.  What’s a father?  Jeff can show him that: patient, loving, firm, playful, wise, responsible, providing, protecting.  We will be teaching him that there is a mother who loves in a different way; not more or better, just different.  A mother who has the blessed privilege to stay at home to comfort him, teach him and meet his needs.  The kids will all teach him about the love of a family and the one who sticks even closer than a brother.  And as Matthew said, we will need to teach him that he can call for us in the night if he has a bad dream.

And I know that we will learn from him.  I know that we will be busy learning patience, joy, contentment and forgiveness.  Somehow I think he will be another protector of our girls.  He’ll be busy learning it all.

Yes, we’ll be busy, but not too busy for friends.  So, after we’ve been home a few weeks, please call or come by.  We’ll cherish your help, your friendship, your love, your prayers.  And just in case it’s worse than we think—Merry Christmas!

Featured Auction item: Kayak rides for Two!

Thank you for the generous donation of our friends Mark and Audrey!  A kayak ride for two with their excellent added service of transporting the kayaks for you!  They did this for our family last year and wow--it was awesome!  You'll just schedule a date that works for all of you and they will send you on your way across Lake Springfield for an afternoon or a whole day!  Retail value:  $50-$90

Today's Featured Auction Contributor Jamberry Nails by Jessica Bergschneider

Check out this "Jam jar" inside you'll find a mini manicure application kit (everything you need for your mani/pedi except a heat source), enough wraps to give yourself a full pedicure and some accent nails so you can compare Jamberry to your favorite coordinating polish! You'll also get FREE SHIPPING on your first order! What's not to love? Jamberry wraps are a thin vinyl wrap that you apply with heat and pressure. They last up to 2 weeks on fingers and up to 6 weeks on toes! One sheet will get you 2 pedis and 2-3 manis! That's less than a Starbucks run for each manicure or pedicure. Super good deal, especially with the FREE shipping offer you'll recieve. Contact me with any questions and check out our hundreds of designs at www.jessbergs.jamberrynails.net

 

Today's Featured Auction Contributor is Just Love coffee

We are auctioning off a bag of "Just Love" coffee. By purchasing this gourmet fair trade coffee anytime, you are contributing to our adoption (you select our name on the last checkout page). But we auctioning off this bag for our silent auction. You can select your grind and type when you order from www.justlovecoffee.com but this is the Colombian type, ground for a French press. Retail value is $12.

Today's Featured Auction Contributor--Authentic Colombian Breakfast with my friend Pilar!

I have had the pleasure of eating a Colombian breakfast with my dear friend from Bogota.  These delightful cheese-bread rolls were a highlight as well as the hot chocolate, which Colombians have instead of coffee!  There is a special pitcher where the milk is heated on the stove and stirred with a special wooden stirrer and the fabulous chocolate bars are added and melted and "frapped" in.  MMMMM!  And I won't tell you what else they put in it, but YUM! 
Marlana is entertained by the fact that Colombians have their own word that means "to eat breakfast".  It is a very special meal of the day.  You can bid on an Authentic Colombian breakfast for 4.  And I am sure I am free which ever morning you choose to have it;-)

Featured Auction Contributor--Loose Ends by Renee Lyons

Our first auction contributor is my favorite hairdresser, Renee Lyons with "Loose Ends" salon at 987 Clocktower. She is a miracle worker, fun and has a stylish new shop. It's always such a treat to see her. Thanks, Renee for this shampoo, cut and style.

It's official

Well, friends, it’s like Matthew said, “We are so glad God chose “Eddie” to be our boy!”  It’s official!  If you would like more information, visit and subscribe to our blog at boysbecomekings.blogspot.com.  If you would like to support us in the expenses of the adoption, please visit our page at Village to Village International where your gift can be tax exempt:  http://www.villagetovillageintl.com/the-jackson-family-family-95.php.   This fundraising goes towards travel expenses and something called "In country expenses" which includes translator and legal fees.    If you would like to bid on silent auction items through a facebook auction held July 14-16, visit "investing in the least of these" on facebook.  Be sure to check out Matthew’s artwork for sale.  Thank you so much for sharing our joy as we bring home our new son! 

We will know more details on when we will travel in the next week or so.  Still praying for a summer travel date.  More soon!

Still waiting...

We are hopeful to hear about our official match with Eddie by around Father's Day, according to our agency person.  We have been told to prepare pictures and videos to send.  I have made a canvas drawstring backpack with our family photo on it (Matthew's idea) and have almost finished a photo book introducing our family.  And Matthew has prepared a script.   We are hoping to echo it in Spanish, but he tells about his first favorite color and his second favorite color.  That was hard to translate.  We're having a little trouble getting a clean cut on video.  Such pressure!  And family pictures are always fun...Thanks for the effort, mom. 

 This is so much like that last month of pregnancy, which is somehow the longest month.  At least I don't have that desire to take off my arms at night to get a good night's sleep and then replace them in the morning, or sleep on a raft in pool so I could float.  Still thankful we got that experience at least twice.  Enjoying Matthew as a newborn while feeling good was very unique, but this international adoption is a whole new ballgame. I feel like they can't really judge your parenting ability objectively so they set up this marathon obstacle course of paperwork and hoops to jump through to see who can make it til the end. 

It feels like our lives are in suspension as all plans are tentative and we try to co-ordinate fund raising efforts.  Just trying to enjoy our family as it is now and get all those little jobs done around the house that get put off.  It's like that last 2 months of  "nesting" I suppose.  Trying to get ready to hit the ground running when we get the call. Still believing God know best, but desiring to travel yet this summer.