Great Weekend Away :)

We had a wonderful weekend!  We took a trip in state to meet our baby's birth mom, and it was a fun time.  Claudia, Gus, Joey, and I enjoyed our time together so much.  Joey's mom went with us, as well, and it was so good to have her with us.  We had an enjoyable time playing in the sand and water on the beach on Saturday afternoon and a fun filled Saturday night at Medieval Times.  Going to Medieval Times was a first for all of us, and it did not disappoint. 

Joey and I had breakfast with our baby's birth mom this morning, and it went really well.  We are thankful to have had the opportunity to meet her in person and get to know her better.  She is an amazing person, and I admire her so much.  We look forward to continuing to get to know her.  I feel so honored that she chose Joey and me to raise her little boy.  We are so excited to meet him in two months!  Please pray for all involved as the time for our sweet boy's arrival draws closer.

Below are some photos from our weekend.  It was an encouraging weekend, and we are so thankful for the time away with family.  :)



We continue to fundraise for our final adoption expenses.  We have $1,500 left to raise so we are very close.  Thank you to everyone who has helped us get to this point.  It means so much! We are looking forward to introducing the newest member of our family to you when he arrives.  We appreciate your continued prayers for our little boy, for his birth mom, and for us. 

So close!

We are only about $2,000 away from raising the funds we need for our adoption! We need to have all of our adoption funds in by mid-December so that we can make our last payment to our agency.  It will be a huge relief to reach our goal and focus on our final preparations for our little boy's arrival in late January.

If you are interested in giving towards our remaining adoption costs, there are several ways for you to do so:

1. T-shirt fundraiser--Our t-shirts are $20 each, and we receive 50%.  This is a great way to donate because you get a "souvenir."  :)   We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to purchase a T-shirt.  The last day to order a T-shirt is November 30th. We will receive the T-shirts the first week of December and get them to everyone who orders one. 
2. Lifesong for Orphans--If you would like to donate and receive a tax deduction for your donation, then you can go to the Lifesong for Orphans website or send a check to them with our account information on it (Goldsmith #4762). We get 100% of what is donated through this organization, which is wonderful! Normally an organization will take a percentage for administrative costs. We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to donate through Lifesong for Orphans.

3. Give directly to us--If you would like to donate directly to us, you can make a check out to Joey or Jennifer Goldsmith. 

We will let everyone know when we have reached our fundraising goal.  We recently got our puzzle framed from our puzzle piece fundraiser and will be hanging it in our den so that anyone who visits our home can see it.  It's really amazing to look at that puzzle and see so many people who have invested in our family through this adoption.  We look forward to sharing that with our little man and telling him about this journey that brought him to his forever family. 

We plan to travel this weekend to meet our baby's birthmother. Please be in prayer for us about this. We are excited and nervous at the same time! We hope that we make a good connection with her and that our relationship with her will continue to grow.

We will soon be a family of 5! This continues to be an amazing journey. Our adoption process has been interesting and we have learned a lot through it. We plan to adopt again in a couple of years, and we will be better prepared and know more of what to expect next time. There really haven't been a lot of surprises so far. It's just an interesting path to walk. We are thankful to have so many friends and family walking right beside us. We can't wait to introduce Baby Boy Goldsmith to each of you! (We do have a name for our little guy, but we aren't sharing it until we know for sure that we are getting to bring him home with us.)

Thanks again for loving our family, encouraging us, and supporting us!  We appreciate it more than we can say!

3 Months and Counting Down...

We are waiting excitedly, preparing for, and looking forward to meeting our little boy in late January.  We plan to make a trip in November to meet our baby's birth mother.  Please pray for a good time of getting to know each other and of bonding.  

We found out we were matched with our little boy on September 29th.  Less than a month later, we are only $3,200 away from our fundraising goal of $20,000!  We have two grants coming in that total $11,000, we already had $4,000 from fundraising and our own funds, and over the last few weeks we have had friends and family donate $1,800.  So we are almost there, and we are so grateful for everyone who has gotten us to this point!  Our goal is to have the rest of the funds raised and turned into our adoption agency by December 1st, before the Christmas holidays hit and everything gets busy. 

We have several ways to give if you would like to contribute towards bringing home our little guy:

1. T-shirt fundraiser--Our t-shirts are $20 each, and we receive 50%. The Graphic Cow has been wonderful about helping us with this fundraiser. We are thankful for businesses like theirs who support adoption and assist couples in raising money to adopt. We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to purchase a T-shirt. The end date for this fundraiser is November 30th. We will receive the T-shirts the first week of December and get them to everyone who orders one. 
 
2. Lifesong for Orphans--If you would like to donate and receive a tax deduction for your donation, then you can go to the Lifesong for Orphans website or send a check to them with our account information on it (Goldsmith #4762). We get 100% of what is donated through this organization, which is wonderful! Normally an organization will take a percentage for administrative costs. We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to donate through Lifesong for Orphans.

3. Give directly to us--If you would like to donate directly to us, you can make a check out to Joey or Jennifer Goldsmith.

We will continue adding puzzle pieces to our adoption puzzle until all of the pieces have names on them.  We don't have too many left.  For every $10 donated, your name goes on a puzzle piece.  When it's completed, we will have it framed between two pieces of glass and hang it in our little guy's room.  It will be a wonderful way for him to see how many people helped to bring him home to us. :) 

If you have any questions about our adoption, please don't hesitate to ask.  We are careful with what we are sharing out of respect for our little boy's birth mother, but we will be glad to talk with you about the process, fundraising, or whatever else you might want to talk about. 

Please pray for us as we move forward these next few months.  We have had a great experience overall through this adoption process, but we have had one difficult situation that continues to sadden us and break our hearts.  We have one family member who opposes our adoption.  We pray that this person's heart will change, but as of today, we see only a hardened heart.  Please pray for God to soften this person's heart and show this person the beauty of adoption and how it portrays our adoption into God's family through Jesus Christ.  Please pray for us to be gracious and loving. 

Thank you again for your support through praying and giving.  It is an exciting time!  We will continue to keep everyone posted over the next few months. 

Adoption Puzzle

 

 

Above is a photo of what our adoption puzzle looks like as of today.  Thank you to those who have recently donated.  You now have puzzle pieces with your names on them.  It has been fun to see our puzzle take shape over the last 6 months.  We will share a photo of the finished product when it is complete. 

 

 



Wonderful News!

We have a placement!  We aren't going to give a lot of details out of respect for the birth mom and for privacy reasons, but our baby boy is due on January 23, 2015.  We have a name picked out, but we are not going to share it until the little guy is born and we know for sure that he is going home with us.   

Our adoption will cost a total of $20,000.  We have about $15,000 raised at this point so we still need to raise $5,000 more before our little guy is born.  Our goal is to have the remaining $5,000 raised by December 1st.  We have several ways to give toward our adoption for those who would like to.

1.  T-shirt fundraiser--We are bringing back our T-shirt fundraiser.  They are $20 each, and we receive 50%.  The Graphic Cow has been wonderful about helping us with this fundraiser.  We are thankful for businesses like theirs who support adoption and assist couples in raising money to adopt.  We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to purchase a T-shirt.  The end date for this fundraiser is November 30th.  We will receive the T-shirts the first week of December and get them to everyone who orders one. 

2.  Lifesong for Orphans--If you would like to donate and receive a tax deduction for your donation, then you can go to the Lifesong for Orphans website or send a check to them with our account information on it (Goldsmith #4762).  We get 100% of what is donated through this organization, which is wonderful!  Normally, an organization will take a percentage for administrative costs.  We have a link on this blog that will give instructions on how to donate through Lifesong for Orphans.

3.  Give directly to us--If you would like to donate directly to us, you can make a check out to Joey or Jennifer Goldsmith. 

Any donations made will be given puzzle pieces on our adoption puzzle.  Each piece is $10 so if a donation of $100 is made, then your name will be written on 10 pieces, $1000 donation would be 100 pieces, etc...  We want our little boy to know how many people helped get him home to us, and we think this puzzle is the perfect way to do that.  Once it is completed, we will have it framed between two pieces of glass and hang it in his bedroom. 

If you have any questions about our adoption and/or the process, we would be glad to talk with you one on one. 

We have been so amazed at how God has provided financially for our adoption.  We have had family and friends give generously as well as our church and a group of local businessmen.  We are thankful beyond what our words can express.  Thank you for loving us well! 

New Fundraising Opportunities

We have two new fundraising opportunities starting up.  The first one is thanks to Amanda Hopper.  She has graciously volunteered to do a Jamberry Nails fundraiser for us.  We will receive 15% of the sales.  The fundraiser begins on Monday, September 15th, at 12:00 a.m. and will end the following Monday, September 22nd, at 11:00 p.m.  If you have never tried Jamberry Nails, this is a great time to do it.  This is an online fundraiser and all orders will be mailed to you.  So no matter what state you live in, you can participate in this fundraiser.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  The website to place orders is  www.amandahopper.jamberrynails.com. 

The second fundraising opportunity is through Lifesong for Orphans.  We found out this week that we are approved to fundraise through this non-profit organization.  Donations are tax deductible and 100% of what you give will go towards our adoption.  They will not take any administrative fees out of the donations, which is amazing!  If you are interested in giving towards our adoption and getting a tax deduction, as well, please click on the link "Lifesong for Orphans Fundraising" on the home page of this blog to see how.  Basically, you will need to go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate.  Select "Give to an Adoptive Family."  Complete the online form and fill in "Family Account Number" with #4762 and "Family Name" with Goldsmith.  You can also send a check directly to Lifesong for Orphans.  Make checks payable to "Lifesong for Orphans" and in the memo section, write "Goldsmith #4762" to assure that it goes to the correct account.  Please mail your donation to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL 61744.  More information is given about Lifesong for Orphans and donating towards our adoption through them on the link mentioned above.

We are thankful and excited for these fundraising opportunities as we continue this adoption process!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who love us and encourage us through it. 

Where We Are Now

It's been a while since we updated everyone on where we are in the adoption process.  At this point, it is just a waiting game while we continue to try to raise the funds we need.  We have a couple of grants/loans that will give towards our adoption once we accept a placement.  We have had a couple of calls for placements, but due to our family circumstances or the circumstances of the children needing placement, we were not able to accept them.  Those have been difficult decisions, and we hope that we make the right decisions along the way in this process.  Once we accept a placement (and the birth family chooses us), we will then have a limited time to raise the additional funds we will need.  As of now, we have about $3,500 raised and will probably receive an additional $10,000 in the grants/loans mentioned above.  So we are looking at still needing to raise another $5,000 or so.  We still have our puzzle fundraiser going until it is completed.  We don't have any other fundraisers going at this time, but we are looking at options.  If you have any ideas, please let us know. We are open. :)

It's been a busy season with Jen starting a new career and life being busy like it normally is ith Claudia and Gus.  Jen could use prayers for her business to pick up quickly.  Being a loan officer and building your business takes time and patience.  Jen is ready to get going with it so please pray for encouragement and patience during this time.

We would love to have Baby Goldsmith before the end of 2014, but we will have to wait to see what God has in mind.  His timeline doesn't always match up with ours.  We thank you for your continued prayers and support!     

Below is a photo of Claudia and Gus wearing the T-shirts we had made for the fundraiser.  They turned out great!  Once we get a placement, we will probably sell them again in case there were people who did not get a chance to buy one.

T-Shirts and Puzzle Pieces

Our T-shirts for our adoption should be in early next week.  We were supposed to be able to pick them up this last Thursday, but they had a mix up in shipping so they are going to get here later than expected.  We will be contacting everyone who bought one to let you know we have them and to find a good time to get them to you.  Thanks again to all of those who bought a T-shirt.  We appreciate it!


Our puzzle piece fundraiser continues.  We had 92 pieces bought this last week so it is really coming along.   Below is a picture of the progress so far.  If you are wanting to buy a puzzle piece, they are $10 each.  There is a link to our YouCaring site on this blog where you can buy a puzzle piece through PayPal.  If you would like to pay for it a different way, please contact Joey or Jen. 


We are in a waiting stage in the adoption right now.  We could get a placement call at anytime and are hopeful we will have the funds ready when that happens.  We are hopeful to have Baby Goldsmith by the end of 2014. :)


Your continued prayers are appreciated.  We are so thankful for our friends and family!  We appreciate your support through this process.  It is encouraging to have so many coming alongside us.  We feel very loved. :)

T-Shirt Fundraiser, Home Study, and More

Our T-Shirt fundraiser is almost finished!  It will close tomorrow night at midnight.  We have had friends and family buy them, and we are very thankful.  The message on the T-Shirt (Blood is thicker than water, Love is thicker than blood) has special meaning for us since we have had one family member oppose our adoption because we plan to adopt transracially.  We think the message on the T-Shirt is a good reminder of the Gospel.  We are God's adopted children, and we are deeply loved by Him.  The same will be true for our adopted children.  We are excited to welcome them into our family and be their forever family when that time comes.  I used the word children because we plan to adopt now and then adopt again in a few years.  So our plan is for a total of 4 children...we will have a full house for sure. :) 

We received our home study in the mail last week.  So exciting! We are approved for one or two children under the age of 12 months.  If we were to have the opportunity to adopt twins, then we would seriously consider it.  We shall see what God has in store for us...

Since receiving our completed home study, we have applied for 5 different grants and will wait to hear if we get any of them.  A lot of the applications take at least 90 days to process so we have more waiting to do.  If we get a placement offer in the meantime, then we will try to figure out another way to come up with the remaining funds that we will need.  We are hoping to get a loan from the ABBA Fund for $5,000-$6,000.  If we get that, then we will still need about $8,000.  So we have a ways to go, but we are confident that God will provide what we need to bring Baby Goldsmith home when the time comes. 

Jen is trying to get her business going so that once Baby Goldsmith comes, she will be able to work from home for the first 6-8 weeks and then as needed after that.  Prayers would be appreciated!  This career change is exciting and will be good for us in the long run, but it has been difficult for us financially in the present because it takes time to build up the business through networking and word-of-mouth.  For those who don't know, Jen now has her license as a mortgage loan officer and is working for Hanover Mortgage.  So if you know of anyone who is looking to purchase or refinance a home, please send them her way.

Jen's parents and grandmother are coming to visit from Texas next week, and we are all excited and looking forward to that.  We haven't seen Jen's parents since Christmas (except through Skype) and Jen's grandmother since last summer so it will be wonderful to be with them again.  We will have Claudia all of next week so she and Gus will get some quality time with their Texas grandparents.

Thank you for your continued prayers through this adoption process!  We have a lot going on right now, and it can get overwhelming at times.  The encouragement and prayers we receive from our family and friends helps us so much!  And we are so thankful for the adoption community that we have in our church.  We have a lot of different people that we can go to when we have questions.  We have  been reading and researching adoption (specifically transracial adoption) so that we will be as prepared as possible to assist Baby Goldsmith in attaching to our family and growing up emotionally healthy in regards to being adopted and having two sets of parents (birth parents and us). 

Thanks again for your love and support!

We have had many people asking recently where we are in our adoption and how it is going.  So we thought it would be a good time for an update.  We have all of our paperwork completed and turned in for our home study.  We are waiting for our social worker to prepare the home study for us to review.  Once we review it, we will receive a copy of it.  There are several adoption grants that we plan to apply for, but they all require a completed home study.  So once ours is finished, we will be applying for those grants and hopefully will be approved for some of them.  The grant process takes 90 days so it is not quick at all.  The adoption process definitely helps us work on being patient and trusting in God's timing.  

Overall, the adoption process so far has been a positive experience.  The one discouragement that we have faced since we began the process is one family member who is completely opposed to what we are doing.  This has made us very sad, but it has not caused us to question our decision to adopt because we know that this is what we are supposed to do...it is what we feel we have been called to do.  It has been a part of our plan together since we were dating and a desire that we each have had for a long time before that.  We pray for a change of heart for this family member because this family member will be missing out on Baby Goldsmith when we get to bring he/she home and become his/her forever family.  Thankfully, the rest of our family and friends have been very supportive and encouraging as we journey through this long process.  We can't say enough how thankful we are for our family, friends, and church.  We have a wonderful, supportive community (in South Carolina and around the world). 

So that is where we are today in the adoption process.  Our adoption will cost anywhere from $12,000-$20,000, depending on if Baby Goldsmith is born in South Carolina or in another state.  We have raised about $4,000 so far.  Our hope is that in the next couple of months, we can get a majority of the money raised so that when we get a call about a possible placement, we can say yes.  Once our home study is completed, we could get a placement call at anytime. 

Thank you to all who have given towards our adoption and who are praying for us during this process. We are reading adoption books and preparing as much as we can for bringing Baby Goldsmith home when the time comes. We are excited and hopeful! 

We are continuing to do our puzzle fundraiser until all of the pieces are gone.  If you would like to buy a puzzle piece for $10, please go to youcaring.com/goldsmithadoption and click the "Give Now" link.  Please specify in the message that you are buying a puzzle piece(s). 

We also have our T-shirt fundraiser going on until July 31st.  Below are the directions if you would like to buy a T-shirt.

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER T-Shirt Sign-Up

Thank you for using The Graphic Cow T-Banker.

(1) Click Here to View Your T-Shirt Proof: http://www.thegraphiccowcompany.com/tgccproofs/507825.jpg

(2) Click Here for Payment Help: http://www.thegraphiccowcompany.com/t-shirtbanker/paypal_payment/

Copy and Paste this Sign-Up Roster Code when Requested: TH610201432720PM30

(3) Click Here to Sign-up and Pay: http://www.thegraphiccowcompany.com/t-shirtbanker/signup/

Note: If for any reason the Sign-up and Pay Link Does not Function Properly on your Computer,
Note: Copy and Past the Link into the Web Address Box Located on the Main Window Bar.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact: Amy at 800-472-3269 or by e-mail: amy@grafcow.com


Please Report any Discreptancies in Your T-Shirt Order within (2) Two Business Days To Your T-Shirt Chair: JENNIFER GOLDSMITH - jengoldsmith22@gmail.com.

The Graphic Cow can not be Responsible for Any Discreptancies Reported after (2) Two Business Days.

 

Puzzle Fundraiser Update

We had some friends give $130 towards our adoption last week so we were able to add 13 new pieces to our puzzle.  I have included a photo so that everyone can see where we are in the fundraiser.  Puzzle pieces are $10 each, and your name is written on the back of each piece that you purchase.  If you would like to buy a piece, please click on the YouCaring link on this blog.  

We are also selling T-shirts until July 31st.   They are $20 each.  Thank you to all who have bought one so far.  If you are interested in buying a T-shirt, there is a link on this blog with instructions on how to do so. 

We have everything turned in and completed for our home study.  We are now waiting for our social worker to finish the home study and give it to us to review.  Once that is finished, our home study will be complete.  At that point, we could get a call at anytime to be placed with future Baby Goldsmith.  When that call comes, we will need to have the majority of our adoption funds raised and available. 

Thank you to everyone who continues to encourage and support us through this adoption process. 

Yard Sale Success :)

Our yard sale was a huge success thanks to our wonderful friends and church family!  We had friends come help us sort and price all day on Friday.  Then we had friends come help us set things out at 6:30 on Saturday morning.  We had friends help during the yard sale, and friends who helped us pack up everything left over and get it over to Miracle Hill Saturday afternoon.  We are so thankful for everyone who helped!  We had more items donated than we knew what to do with, which is part of why our yard sale was so successful.  I didn't have much yard sale experience coming into this, but from what I learned, the more items you have at a yard sale, the better your odds are of having a successful one.  So thank you to everyone who donated!  We made almost $2,600 from the yard sale.  We split what we made with another family in our church that is adopting so were able to put $1,300 towards our adoption expenses.  This is a lot more than we expected, and we are so thankful! :) 

It is so encouraging and humbling to see our friends and family come along side us in this adoption process. Thank you!  We cannot say that enough!  We could not do this without you! 

Our T-shirt fundraiser continues until July 31st.  If you would like to buy a T-shirt, please click on the page link on this blog for instructions on how to do so.  We are excited about our T-shirt fundraiser! 

Also, we are still selling puzzle pieces for $10 until they are all gone.  Our puzzle is starting to take shape, but we still have plenty of pieces left.  If you would like to buy a puzzle piece, please click on our YouCaring link on this blog. 

We had our last home study visit on Saturday afternoon after our yard sale.  So we are almost finished!  Once our home study is completed, then we will be able to apply for a few grants.  We have raised about $3,700 so far, but we still have a long way to go.  Our adoption will cost anywhere from $12,000-$24,000 depending on what state our baby is born in.  We would appreciate prayers as we continue to raise money for our adoption. 

Thank you, again, for loving us well!

Puzzle Fundraiser

Here is a photo of what our puzzle looks like at this point in the fundraiser.  It is starting to take shape! 

 



 

Home Study and Fundraisers Update

We are getting closer to completing our home study!  Gus has a doctor's visit next week and we have a few hours of education classes still to complete.  We have one more visit from our social worker, as well.  It won't be long, and we are excited!  Once our home study is completed, we can get a placement at any time.  So we are hoping to get going on our fundraising so that when we get the placement call, we will be ready with the required funds. 

We have two fundraisers happening in the next couple of weeks.  One is this Saturday, June 7th.  It is a drop-in Thirty-One Party at Redeemer Presbyterian Church from 11:30-1:00.  Our friend Becky Stone will be donating all the proceeds she makes to our adoption.  We are so thankful for her generosity and supporting our adoption in this way.

We also have a yard sale fundraiser that is a joint effort with another couple in our church who is also adopting.  The yard sale will be on Saturday, June 14th, at Redeemer Presbyterian Church from 8:00-1:00.  We are hoping for a big turn out for this yard sale!

We have had people give towards our adoption already, and we are so grateful!  It encourages our hearts to see people excited about what we are doing.  There is a lot of paperwork and time that goes into the home study and adoption process, and having people support us through encouraging words, praying for us, and financial assistance means more to us than you will ever know.  So thank you so much!  

We are in the process of a t-shirt design that we hope we will be selling soon to continue our fundraising efforts.  More details to come!  

We also are continuing to sell puzzle pieces, as well.  We had someone buy 100 pieces over the weekend, and we are so excited about that.  Our puzzle is really starting to take shape!  If you would like to buy a puzzle piece, they are $10 a piece.  You can go to our YouCaring site (youcaring.com/goldsmithadoption) and buy a piece or pieces using PayPal.  Please put in the message box that you are purchasing pieces for the puzzle fundraiser.  Your name will be written on the back of each piece you purchase.  I will try to post a picture of our puzzle soon to show you how it is progressing. 

Please continue to pray for us during this adoption journey.  This has been our desire and part of our plan since Joey and I were dating, and we have no doubt that this is what we are supposed to be doing.  We plan to adopt now and adopt again in another couple of years.  However, we have encountered a lot of financial setbacks since starting the process (heater breaking, car problems, unplanned/unexpected bills such as our dog getting hit by a car).  We trust that our heavenly Father will continue to provide for us financially as He has always done, but it can get discouraging at times.  Please pray for us to trust Him completely with our finances.  I (Jen) have an especially difficult time with this.  I share that to let you know that this is an exciting time but also one where we have at times felt like we were being attacked from all sides.  So prayers are much appreciated!

Then we have those joyful moments, such as Saturday night with Claudia, that lets us know we are not alone in this adoption journey.  She excitedly came up to us and told us that she wanted to buy a puzzle piece for the adoption.  She gave us her money and happily wrote her name on the back of one of the puzzle pieces.  She is also very excited to be able to help with the yard sale on the 14th.  It has been wonderful to see her as excited as we are to adopt a baby. 

Thanks again for all of the support and love!      

Home Study and More :)

Our home study is underway!  We had our first home visit last week from the social worker our home study agency assigned to us, and she is coming back this week to complete the initial home visit.  She broke it up into two nights of two hour sessions instead of one 4-hour session, and we are thankful for that since there are lots of questions during this interview process.  We are in the midst of getting doctor's notes, background checks, reference letters, and adoption education courses completed for our home study .  It is a lot, but we are getting things checked off and it is exciting! 

We have several upcoming fundraisers that we would love you to be a part of.  The first is a Thirty-One Party on Saturday, June 7th, from 11:30-1:00 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church.  A sweet friend of ours who sells Thirty-One offered to donate all of the proceeds she makes from the party to our adoption.  We are very thankful for our friends and family who are excited for us and want to help us through this process!  We will also have our puzzle fundraiser at this party.  If you don't know about the puzzle fundraiser, when you buy a puzzle piece(s) for $1o each, your name will be written on the back of the piece.  When the puzzle is complete, we will frame it in between two pieces of glass and hang it in our baby's room so that when he/she is older, he/she will be able to see everyone who helped bring him/her home to us.  

The second fundraiser is a yard sale at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 14th, from 8-1.  We are joining with another couple from our church who is also in the process of adopting to have this yard sale.  Everything we make from the yard sale will go towards the costs of our adoptions.  We are asking for donations for the yard sale so if you are spring cleaning and have items that you no longer want/need, let us know.  Beginning Sunday, May 25th, there will be an enclosed trailer at Redeemer.  If you want to donate, please contact one of us, and we  will schedule a time to get the items from you.  We are hoping this will be a huge yard sale with lots of fun stuff. :)  Our puzzle fundraiser will also be at this event if you are interested in buying a puzzle piece.

We also plan to have a t-shirt fundraiser beginning soon where t-shirts can be purchased to help support our adoption.  We look forward to sharing details about this soon. :)

Below is a picture of our puzzle fundraiser.  It is slowly beginning to take shape, and it makes us very happy. :)  Thank you to all who have contributed so far.  It means a lot! 

We have wonderful news!  We found out today that a local nonprofit organization is going to give us the remaining funds we still need for  our home study.  So we are going to get our home study started right away!  The home study process will take 6-8 weeks.  After it is completed, we could be placed with our baby at anytime!  We are excited! 

We are continuing with our puzzle fundraiser.  If you are interested in buying a piece, it is $10 per puzzle piece.  You can purchase a piece on our YouCaring website.  See the link on this blog.  We also have a t-shirt fundraiser planned in the near future.  We will also be having a yard sale this summer with another couple from our church who is also in the process of adopting.  We will split the proceeds from the yard sale to go towards our adoptions.  If you have anything you would like to donate for the yard sale, please let me know.  
 
We also have a sweet friend who is having a 31 Party on June 7th as a fundraiser for our adoption.  She is donating all the money she makes from the party to our adoption.  We are so grateful for our sweet family and friends who are supporting us through prayers, encouraging words, and donations.

Thank you to everyone who is supporting us in this process.  We could not do it without you!     

This is what our puzzle looks like as of today.  We are adding a few pieces each week so it is gradually taking shape.  Thank you!  :)

If you are interested in buying a puzzle piece, here is how the puzzle fundraiser works:

An individual or family will buy a puzzle piece (or pieces) for $10 each.  Each puzzle piece purchased will have the name of the individual or family written on the back.  As the pieces are purchased, we will begin assembling the puzzle.  We will be updating our blog with the progress of the puzzle as it is formed.  After the puzzle is completed, we will frame the puzzle between two pieces of glass and hang it in our baby’s room so that when he or she is older, they can see who helped bring them home to us. 

After a puzzle piece is purchased, the individual or family’s name will be added to our "Wonderful Donors" list on this blog. 

Three ways to buy a puzzle piece:

1.  Click on our YouCaring link below.  Just click on the “Give Now” link and in the comment box put that you are buying a puzzle piece (or pieces).   

https://www.youcaring.com/GoldsmithAdoption

2.  Write a check or donate cash and hand deliver to Joey or Jen (checks can be made payable to us).

3.  Mail a check to us (email me at jengoldsmith22@gmail.com for our address if you don’t have it).

This is what the finished puzzle will look like:

We have applied for a grant and a loan at this point and are waiting to hear back on both.  Once we complete our home study, we will be able to apply for several more grants.  We are about $375 short of the funds needed for our home study.  We are getting close! :) 

We cannot thank you enough for your support as we continue the adoption process.  We are patient in waiting and trusting in God's timing for the entire process.  It is exciting! 

Puzzle Piece Fundraiser/Home Study Update

We had a few more people buy puzzle pieces this week.  We still need about $450 in order to pay for our home study.  We are in the process of applying for an adoption loan and a local grant.  Hopefully we will have enough funds to begin our home study soon. 

Once our home study is completed, we will be able to apply for several more adoption grants.  Most grants require that the home study be completed before an application can be processed.  So we are hopeful to get our home study completed soon. 

We are trusting in God's timing during this adoption process.  We are confident that we will be able to raise what we need for this adoption and that we will get our sweet little baby in His perfect timing.  We don't know at this point whether it will be a little brother or a little sister for Claudia and Gus, but we are excited to find out! 

Sadly, we have had some negativity towards us beginning this adoption.  Join with us in praying for those who have not seen eye to eye with us on adoption.  The negativity has not swayed our commitment to the child that God is preparing for us and overall, we have had many encouraging words from friends and family. 

Adoption is a beautiful picture of how we are adopted into our Heavenly Father's kingdom through Jesus.  We are His adopted children.  We cannot wait to welcome our sweet, little one into our family just as God welcomed us into His family.

Thank you for being on this journey with us! 

Puzzle Fundraiser Update

We have 26 puzzle pieces so far in our puzzle!  That leaves 474 pieces still available.  :)

For those who gave towards our adoption before our puzzle fundraiser began, your name has been put on a puzzle piece.  We want our child to know every person and family who helps us bring him or her home to us.

We still need $474 for our home study.  We have almost two-thirds of the cost raised for our home study, and we are very thankful for that.  Once our home study is completed, we could get a call about a baby at any time.  So we will be starting several more fundraisers as we get closer to summer. 

It is exciting and humbling to be going through this process with our family and friends.  We are not alone in this, and it is encouraging and strengthening for us.  We really could not do this without you! 

This is the picture of our puzzle so far.  We look forward to updating it as we have people buy more pieces.  If you would like to buy a puzzle piece, click on our YouCaring link on this blog.  Thank you!  

Puzzle Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser is ready!  We are beginning a puzzle fundraiser that will continue until the puzzle is complete.  See below for a picture of what the finished puzzle will look like. 

This is how the fundraiser works:  An individual or family will buy a puzzle piece (or pieces) for $10 each.  Each puzzle piece purchased will have the name of the individual or family written on the back.  As the pieces are purchased, we will begin assembling the puzzle.  We will be updating our blog with the progress of the puzzle as it is formed.  After the puzzle is completed, we will frame the puzzle between two pieces of glass and hang it in our baby’s room so that when he or she is older, they can see who helped bring them home to us. 

We appreciate the support and hope to be able to begin our home study soon!  After a puzzle piece is purchased, the individual or family’s name will be added to our "Wonderful Donors" list on this blog. 

Three ways to buy a puzzle piece:

1.  Click on our YouCaring link below.  Just click on the “Give Now” link and in the comment box put that you are buying a puzzle piece (or pieces).   

https://www.youcaring.com/GoldsmithAdoption

2.  Write a check or donate cash and hand deliver to Joey or Jen.
             (Checks can be made payable to us).

3.  Mail a check to us (email me at jengoldsmith22@gmail.com for our address if you don’t have it).

Thanks so much for your support through prayers, words of encouragement, and donations!

 

Home Study and Adoption Portfolio

We continue to move forward in the adoption process.  We finished the draft of our adoption portfolio today.  Our agency will review it and recommend any changes that may be needed.  We also now have almost half of the funds needed to get our home study done.  Once our home study is completed, we will be ready to welcome a sweet, little one into our home for good.  It will just be waiting on the baby that God picked out for our family. 

We will continue fundraising after our home study funds are raised because the home study is only a small portion of what we need to raise for the adoption.  The total approximate cost for the adoption is around $18,000.  So we have a long way to go, but we are confident we can get there.

Thank you to those of you who have donated already.  We appreciate it so much!  It is encouraging and exciting!  Our donors are listed on our "Wonderful Donors" Page of this blog.  See the "Pages" link. 

Please pray as we continue to move forward in this process.  We are excited to be where we are.  Claudia is so excited that we have started this process.  She is going through her room and finding toys and other things that she doesn't need or use anymore to donate to our yard sale fundraiser that we hope to do sometime this coming summer.  She loves being Gus' big sister and is excited to be a big sister to another little baby sometime in the near future. 

We have had some financial setbacks in the last month or so (car repairs, home heating repairs, our dog getting hit by a car, unexpected medical bills) that have hindered us being able to pay for the home study ourselves.  We are trusting that the funds will be provided another way and in God's perfect timing.  I have a difficult time trusting God when it comes to finances.  During these last few weeks, I am slowly seeing myself start to give our finances over to our Father and not try to find my security in what we have.  I have a long way to go, but it's encouraging to see a little bit of a heart change for me in this area.  Please pray that I will continue to trust God to provide what we need in every aspect of our lives and for me to be content with what we have and where we are. 

Thank you again for the support we are getting from so many...through words of encouragement, prayer, and financial help.  We really cannot do this without others helping us, encouraging us, and coming alongside us.  That is what is so beautiful about this adoption process ...it's living out the Gospel in a real way.  So thank you! 

If you would like to give towards our adoption, click on the YouCaring link on this blog page.  Thank you again! :)

We paid the retainer for our adoption agency this morning so the next step is our home study.  We need to raise money to pay for the home study before we can begin.  I will be posting information about our first fundraiser in the next few days, but in the meantime, if you would like to donate to help us fund our home study, please go to our YouCaring link below and click on “Give Now.”

https://www.youcaring.com/GoldsmithAdoption

 
Joey and I have been talking and planning for this adoption for a long time, and we are excited that it is finally time to get it started.  We have so many people who have already expressed support in our decision to adopt, and we appreciate that so much.  The cost is overwhelming at times, but we know that if this is part of God’s plan for us, then He will provide the funds we need to bring our baby home.  We are not yet to the point in the process where we have been matched with a baby so we aren’t sure if our baby is a girl or a boy, but we can’t wait to find out. :)

Welcome to our adoption blog!  We are very excited to be starting the process!  We will be fundraising throughout the adoption process, including our home study.  We will be keeping everyone updated on where we are in the adoption and what fundraisers we are doing. 

To begin with, we have set up a website on YouCaring.com in order for friends and family to be able to donate if you would like to.  The link to our YouCaring website is below. 

We appreciate your prayers as we begin this journey.  We are excited, but there is much to do before we get to meet our little one. 

youcaring.com/goldsmithadoption