moving things along...

Adoption is a series of steps and waiting. Complete one step and wait for someone else to complete their part of that step.

Look what we got today ...

2:15 AM (5 hours ago)

Dear Applicant/Petitioner:

Your USCIS application/petition has been received and routed to the National Benefit Center for processing. Within 7 - 10 days by standard mail you will receive your official Receipt Notice (Form I-797) with your Receipt Number.

Well, they have it and are now working on it. Please stand with us in prayer for quick processing!

Fundraising Fundraising

It takes a LOT of money to adopt. One child adopted internationally or domestically is Approximately $30,000.

Crazy money = to pull a child out of abandonment / poverty / abuse (you name the affliction - it goes with being an orphan.

Most people, simply do not have that kind of money.

Most people cannot just take out a loan to afford it.

Yet the cause is right. The result is good. It is love of a higher form. It is acceptance. It is a form of pouring oneself out longterm for another human being (to raise them).

It is Worthy.

Worthy of the blood, sweat and tears it takes to bring an orphan into their forever family.

that is our cause. that is what we are doing. Being a Forever Family.

We do not have the money, or the means to have the money it takes to ransom these children out of their situation. (ransom is a strong word, but you get my point)

We have the means to support the child(ren). Adding another mouth to feed is simple. Clothing is simply (we don't wear name brand here unless we find it at Goodwill!)

We live simply to add our meager funds to the (growing) adoption fund.

We are blessed in many ways and bringing these two girls into our lives will bless us further.

We need help (financial gifts) to get there.

We need fundraisers and the helps of financial donations.

If you have given, THANK YOU! We mean it sincerely. Our fund is growing.

If you haven't yet given, please consider.

Consider the hearts of the two girls we are bringing home into a forever family. It is all they want. To be wanted, needed and loved. To have a mommy and a daddy that loves them.

There are many ways to give, some are tax deductible, some let you purchase an item and give a small portion toward our need. All are worthy.

Thank You.

October's Blooming Here

This is my orange tree,
with tiny oranges on it.

This is actually the orange tree...
with the garden behind it...

Pineapple Plant

Bloesser Tomato
covered in baby tomatoes

I went out the other day and picked collard greens.
YUM

Another view of the entire garden...

The eggplants

Green Beans in earthbox.
second try this year.

Turnips

Hillbilly potato leaf tomato
going into the basement this weekend to finish up under florescent lights.

Broccoli. mmm.

Raised bed, with an almost ripe Black Brandywine tomatoe

It's about time we got some maters round here!

and some serious eggplant too
(made 2 batches of eggplant parmesan!)

Collards, regrowth since I cut the other day

That's about it for pics tonight. The garden is about to be torn up and put to rest. We are expecting the nights to dip into the 30's early next week. It will be a busy weekend around here.

1. SHARE walk
2. Benefit Concert
3. Fall-ify the garden :)

Talk to you in a week or so...

Worthy Watermelon

We finally got a watermelon!! I planted Stone Mountain Watermelon in one earthbox this year, after planting seeds THREE different times (yes, I did consult and follow the farmers almanac best planting days) they finally germinated and 3 of 4 plants grew. We had a tiny watermelon in early July, that was not finished yet. The plants kept wilting in the extreme heat we were having, so I finally figured out they needed to be watered twice a day from like 4 foot vines on up. It gave up new blossoms in late July, and now on October first we had a full size, perfectly ripened melon. It was incredible!! Sweet and Perfect. There are some smaller melons still out on the vine, I was hoping they would get bigger, but it is getting so chilly at night, I may have to pick them soon.