A Night in Ethiopia SUCCESS!

6 days ago, we had our largest fundraiser yet. I wish I could say this all makes sense and that I understand the way the Lord provides. Even more so, I wish I could say I always believe the Lord will provide.

We've never been unable to pay an adoption fee. If you know and understand some of these fee amounts, you know that this is miraculous in and of itself.

With all that being said, we've spent the last week in shock at the way the Lord provides!!

Our day started EARLY EARLY EARLY with icing and bagging Africa shaped cookies! From there, the decorations at The Barn at Snider Farms began. Within 5 minutes of walking into the Barn, my husband FaceTimed me. Since he had been sick the previous 24 hours and had gone to the doctor that morning to get a shot, I assumed he would be calling me from the bed saying he wasn't going to work. BUT... of course, God knew that I needed a reminder that He provides more than we could ask or imagine. So... the call began with a picture of a check. Unknown to the ones who wrote this overly generous check, it was EXACTLY the amount of our next fee...for our referral!!! At that point, I knew that all the doubt and fear I had experienced over the prior 6 weeks were straight from Satan. God had this night in His control and would provide MORE than we could ask or imagine!!

So... the day went on and thanks to my parents, my sister and my precious friends Miriam and Melody, we had such a fun day prepping knowing that God was in control.

Ok.. get ready for picture overload. The evening was beautiful....

Well... there's the night in pictures. It couldn't have been more perfect. It was SUCH a special night spent with special friends and we even got to meet a few new friends!!

Now... you've all been waiting..... Drumroll please............. Over the course of the day and night, we raised a total of MORE THAN

$7,600!!!!!!!

If you understood the amount of time we've spent over the past 2 years trying to figure out how in the world we would save/raise the funds to bring our child home and how many small fundraisers we have had, you would know that this amount was only provided because of God!! 

You see, there's one thing that our family understands. Not a single person has to donate a single dollar to our adoption. No one is required to give us anything. Every time a new donation comes in or every time we complete a fundraiser, I'm just blown away at how generous people are. Seriously!! God has done so much refining in me on this journey. I never knew my heart was filled with so much fear and doubt. He has slowly {and it's STILL a work in progress} chiseled away at the fear, doubt and pride that has filled my heart and replaced them with a content heart knowing that I am not in control of any of this!

So... In my book, A Night in Ethiopia was a success!! There are A LOT of people that made this night possible!! My parents, my mother in law, my sister, Mark and Melody Benton, Miriam Parrish, Karl and Angela Snider, Bryan and Bethany Welborn, Rheagan Lovelace... We are more than grateful for all your work to make our fundraiser possible! AND... to all our donors, we can't tell you how you have blessed us! God has been so faithful and used each of you in beautiful ways! 

{Exhausted from the past week Frozen Yogurt trip with the Grandparents! Excuse the fact that Noah is picking his nose!}

SURPRISE!! AN EXCITING TURN IN OUR JOURNEY!!

I'll make you read the details prior to the exciting announcement!!

When we started this journey, we had an 11 month old baby boy and were 4 months away from giving birth to our second boy. Since we knew we would have boys, we decided we would proceed with our adoption with preference for a girl. We had already decided long ago that our first daughter's name would be Matsy Grace (with namesake to a MiMi named Matsy that is just precious!)

Well.. Twenty Six months past that initial application, our agency is giving very few referrals for girls. The wait is significantly longer for girls. And so... we prayed what that meant for our family. We prayed if we were specifically called to wait it out for a girl, God would reveal that to us. He revealed to us this... We didn't get to pick the gender of our bio babies. We have two rowdy little brothers who would LOVE a baby brother. We would save a significant amount of money due to our house already being full of all things BOY!

So through A LOT of prayer... WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that a few weeks ago we opened our adoption to EITHER GENDER!!

 

THAT'S RIGHT! If we have a boy, we will call him JUDAH!!

So what does that mean for a little girl named Matsy Grace? Well, we could still technically get a referral for a girl! If we receive a referral for a boy, we would still love to have a Matsy Grace one day, but we'll leave that up to God!

For now, we are excited at the thought of our boys having a brother! The thought of another boy getting to share in our boys' special bond of brotherhood makes my heart all mushy! The boys have been extra excited! We were driving down the road yesterday and Noah out of the blue said, "I'm ready for my brudder to come home. I'm gonna give him hugs and smooches, Mommy!" Boy or girl, they'll be great siblings!

So... there it is. The reality of the real push for our NIGHT IN ETHIOPIA fundraiser is that this process may go a (little) faster than we had initially thought. IF current patterns stand, we COULD have a referral by fall/end of the year! There's obviously never any guarantees with international adoption, but that's what current time frames and others with our agency would estimate.

We would LOVE for you to join us in prayer for our child. For our fundraiser. For our boys to understand all of this. For Judah or Matsy Grace to be protected from harm and endure as little trauma as possible. For our child's biological parents to be find hope in the Lord. For us to have patience and wisdom as parents.

A Night in Ethiopia

For the last 25 months, we have dreamed of having a BIG fundraiser!! We've had several smaller fundraisers.. which have been BEYOND a blessing.. but with the fees associated with adoption, there is no way we can financially fund our whole adoption (more on this in a minute). SO... We are hosting "A NIGHT IN ETHIOPIA" dinner, silent auction AND more on June 1 at the Barn at Snider Farms just outside of Jackson, TN. (Tickets Here!!)

Since there's probably a lot of questions, I'll try to clear up as many as I can! 

What should I expect the night of June 1? 

We will have a traditional Ethiopian dinner complete with traditional decorations and of course, COFFEE!! There will also be Ethiopian coffee, Ethiopian jewelry and scarves, kids books, LOVEethiopia Comfort Colors shirts, Noonday, and more for sale with proceeds going towards our adoption! 

Where do I purchase tickets?

http://powelladoption.ticketleap.com/a-night-in-ethiopia/ is the site we have chosen! Get your tickets early!! 

Can I bring my kids? 

Sure! You are welcome to bring kids! There are tickets available for kids at a discounted rate! Or.. get a sitter and enjoy a child free Ethiopian dinner! 

Where is the event? 

The Barn at Snider Farms is one of the most beautiful venues in the South! Karl and Angela Snider have a beautiful story with this Barn, but I'll tell you this... the night would be worth it to come hang out at this perfect place without the traditional ET dinner! So come join us! (Google Map Location)

Why are you having a BIG fundraiser? 

Due to many variables, we don't know an exact figure on our adoption. However, we have a good idea (barring any major unforseen obstacles) of the amount we need to save/raise. So.. as much as I hate sharing (and facing) the figures, I'll try my best to explain. First, what have we already spent on our adoption? We have spent around $16,250 on application fees, program fees, international fees, government fingerprinting, county certifications, state authentications, translation fees, home study review fees and our home study. While that number is SO overwhelming to look at, it is a testimony to how God has blessed this journey! I would have never imagined that God would provided exactly what we need to meet every single fee. God has truly used His people to bring our baby home!! 

So.. what's next? What else could we possibly need to pay for?! (No worries, I ask these questions often myself!!) When we accept a referral, we will owe a $4,240 referral fee. After that, there will be various fees including monthly foster home fees (starting once our child leaves the orphanage), medical fees, updating documents, updating home study, finder fees, and the big one...travel...for two trips for two people! So.. we probably still have a little more to pay than we have already paid. The range from people who have recently adopted is from $29K-$44K. So.. we are choosing to trust God that He will provide!! 

What if I want to donate to the silent auction? 

If you have a talent, a skill, or anything else you would like to donate, please feel free to e-mail me at tiffanipowell7@yahoo.com!! 

What time should I be there? 

"A Night in Ethiopia" begins at 6 p.m.

So... Now that I hope all I have answered all the questions, we really hope you will join us!! God has already been working BIG time and has His hand all in this event!! I wish I had the time to tell you all the God stories that have already happened!! He is such a gracious God! 

If I'm being honest, Satan has been attacking me BIG time regarding this fundraiser! Smaller fundraisers are awesome. But if they flop, they flop. I'm having to rely on the Lord to make this one happen! And it is HARD! Satan tells me that I've only lived in our city for a little over a year and this is crazy. Satan tells me no one will come. Satan tells me that we will never be able to fund this adoption. 

God tells me to walk by faith and not by sight. God tells me that He will use this work for GOOD if I stay faithful, being called according to His purpose. God tells me to quit relying on myself and to lean in to HIS promises!! 

I can't wait to see what God has planned for "A Night in Ethiopia" and how it blesses a lifetime with our child!! 

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

A Little Update and a Lot of Waiting.

I figure it's time for an update... Or maybe I shouldn't call it an update because there's not a lot of updating, but here goes:

We officially hit the two year mark last month from when we sent in our initial adoption application. Since then, we have experienced our bumps in the journey (by bumps I mean a change in agency, a move which delayed the process, and just the general delays dealing with that much paperwork). In the midst of all those bumps, there was a lot for me to "do." I was eye deep (LITERALLY, people.) in paperwork. I was running here and there to get this approved, this county certified, that state approved, this document to the government, that document to the agency. You get the picture.

But then the bumps cease. The paperworks is turned in. No more to do lists. No more constant emails. No more feeling like "I" am doing everything I can to bring Matsy Grace home.

And we wait. And wait. And wait. It seems like a never ending wait.
No 9 months and here comes baby. No "do" this and here comes baby.
It's just wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.

...And then wait some more.

So... we're here. In the midst of the waiting. I had a dream about a week and a half ago. One of those dreams that was too real and has made this wait increasingly difficult. We got the call for a referral and even got to hop on the plane a little before our "dreamed about" court date to spend a little extra time with our daughter. I woke up as we were walking in the foster home in Ethiopia. I immediately e-mailed our agency: "Any updates? I had this dream." Reply? "No, that's an awesome dream. But not reality."

So.. here in our reality of a waiting season, theres a few things I do know:

1) Based on recent trends, we could get a referral anywhere from later this year (2015) to way out into eternity.

2) God is faithful... Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9

3) But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:31

4) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. II Peter 3:9a

5) God wants me to work in my waiting. We will continue loving our boys, serving the Lord, being obedient, loving people, fundraising to bring home our girl and being refined in this season of waiting.

I know that's not much of an update. But there's where we are. I'm living on the words of this song these days. Take a listen....

If you're in a season of waiting, know you aren't alone. We are in the trenches of this together. Let's use it for HIS glory!!

Blessings!

Updates & New T-shirt Info!

There hasn't been many posts on the blog lately and I haven't given many updates on Matsy Grace. To be honest, it is mainly because waiting is hard and I don't know any answers. And some most days, it's just easier to just not talk about. If there is anything I have discovered, it is that most people don't understand adoption. People understand pregnancy. They understand that in 9-10 months, there will be a baby. The process to getting to the end of the 9-10 months may look different with sicknesses, scares at the doctor, easy pregnancies, etc.. But several things are certain... there is a baby, a specified time for the baby to be born, and ultrasound pictures to constantly look at. 

Adoption is different. There is never a timeline. (Any timeline you are given can change at any minute.) There aren't pictures until close to the end. And I don't know the answer to most of the questions people ask. If you ask me and I take a deep breath, don't be offended. It's the constant question... when is your little girl coming home? And to that question... I do not know the answer.

We filled out our first application to adopt in March of 2013. When we filled that out, I'm not sure what I thought. I can tell you that I never thought we would experience as many delays as we have. But, in all things, God is working for the GOOD of those who love Him. We feel very confident in being called according to His purpose. So... we wait. 

For now, I have two blessings that wake me up every morning that I am choosing to not miss out on. They deserve for their mommy to enjoy the joy they bring. I'm choosing to live in this moment. When God is ready for us to have an official referral for Matsy Grace, He will bless us with #3. Until then, we are excited to enjoy life with our 2 boys and (are being refined daily to) be content in waiting. 

So......... on the fundraising side. 

God has blessed us beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. I would never imagine that people would be so generous to us. It just makes me cry joyful tears thinking about the way God uses His people. 

To be completely transparent, we have raised about half the funds we need to bring Matsy Grace home. No, we don't know a timeline. But there are different stages in this process when different fees are due. We are prayerfully ready to get back on the fundraising train and be ready when these parts of the journey come! We are going to do one more set of t-shirt orders and then we have some other fundraisers planned for the fall! Please join us in praying for these!! 

So... for the t-shirt order info!! 

Our old design is back!! Yay!! Our last order was slightly different, but we got that worked out since changing printing companies. We are also adding a NEW COLOR AND STYLE!!!! 

I am super excited about it!! If you haven't seen our design before. This is it....

They are printed on SUPER soft Next Level Apparel Unisex t-shirts. The cost is $20 and the sizes run Youth XS-Youth XL and Adult S- Adult 3XL. Shipping (if needed) is $3 per shirt. If you are local, we deliver :) 

Ok.... ready for the big reveal???? I am SO excited!!! THE SHIRT IN THE PICTURE IS NOT OUR SHIRT! Our shirt will be a Front Print ONLY with the same design as the other shirts. However, the Africa will be gray. 

V-NECK TAHITI BLUE NEXT LEVEL SHIRTS! I am in love. I hope you are too :) 

They are $20 as well. And you will never want to take it off. I'm sure of it. 

So.... that's it! You can purchase t-shirts through PayPal on the right side of the blog (enter size/s by clicking special instructions) or by mailing a check to 345 Westwood Ave, Jackson, TN 38301. 

ORDERS WILL BE OPEN FOR 1 WEEK. I AM ORDERING JULY 30. Shirts will be printed in around 10 days and shipped within one day of being printed. 

Thank you for being a blessing to our journey to Ethiopia to bring home Powell #3! She is so blessed already. God has big plans for our youngest! 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

June 2o14!

June brought lots of excitement to the Powell household! 

Highlights:

•  Noah completed 2 weeks of swimming lessons! 
• Micah's thyroid levels at his check-up were perfect! 
• Aunt Megan came for a week long visit before their big move to TX! And... she passed nursing boards! Yay for a smart auntie and new adventures for Uncle Craig and Aunt Megan!! 
• We experienced our first MudFest... Tennessee style. 
• The boys had their first sleep over! We braved it with 2 of our sweet friends' babies overnight and had a BLAST!
• I think we may have set some type of record... we were in 2 wrecks... in 7 days. And neither were our fault. So... the minivan is on vacation at the body shop for about a month.
• I turned the exciting 2-7... It was so exciting that my beloved Wal-Mart birthday cake (the one thing I request yearly) had my name spelled T-i-s-s-a-n-i. It made for a good laugh since wreck number 2 happened on my birthday :)
• The boys have gotten old enough to play together. It has been such a joy to enjoy their interactions and watch their love for each other grow!! 

Happy July! 

Fun Month of May!

My blog updating has been spotty at best lately. But... We have had such a FUN month!!

Instead of writing a long blog that you could care less about reading about the past month, how about a picture collage!? 

Okay, great! 

So the highlights....

• My little sister, Hayley, graduates HIGH SCHOOL!! 
• 4 Birthday Parties (All my boys' best buddies are another year older!!)
• Our first trip to the Strawberry Festival in the huge town of Humboldt, TN
• Noah's End of the Year Mother's Day Out Program (He was the cutest, of course.)
• Mother's Day Cookout in Mississippi
• Micah's First Time to touch a FISH!
• Our College crew made it through their first semester with us! Yay Summer Break! 
• Uncle Craig came to visit us from Minnesota!
• More Trips to the friendliest USPS (seriously! They are so patient with me!!) for our adoption
• Trip to the TN River with sweet friends!
• We are surviving healthier eating habits.. and my boys have finally decided it's not so bad! 
• LOTS of play dates
• LOTS of backyard playtime!
• and..... the biggie.... my baby boy turned ONE!!! 

Okay.. so now you know where I've been. You can rest easy tonight.