Desperate Times Require Desperate Measures!

We have not heard yet how our package is doing as it travels across the world but we are continuing in prayer that it will make it on time.

We continue to fundraise! You are probably tired of reading about it but it is what it is! We are still a bit short - we may have to have medicals in Moscow which will cost about $860 each and require us to spend an extra night in Moscow. Sooooo, we continue to fundraise pray that when it is time to leave we have all the money we need as well as a little bit of a buffer.

I have decided to sell a ring that I have had for about 26 years.

I had it made when I graduated from nursing school. Here are several photos of the ring.

The ring is 14KT yellow gold with royal jade cabochon and diamonds. Twelve prong set baguettes total weight of 0.76ct.

Eight round brilliant cut diamonds total weight .40ct.

I recently had the ring appraised by a well-known and reputable

jeweler in Fort Myers, FL. My ring was appraised at $2,910.00.
I would like to sell it for a reasonable amount and plan to put it on E-bay but thought I would post it here first. If anyone is interested in making an offer on my ring, please email me at murrayadoption@yahoo.com

We have several other fundraisers coming up as well as our online fundraiser store. You can visit it at http://www.heartforadoption.net/ We will be updating our webstore with new items frequently so please check back often.

Thanks for following our journey,
Elizabeth

And the Fundraising Goes On and On and On and On...

It has quite a while since I posted. Mainly because we have just been busy but also because my computer crashed! I never really realized what a creature of habit I am. My computer is set up just the way I like it. I have my bookmarks, my favorites, all my folders with all my stuff in them including photos, documents for the adoption, and other important stuff. But it CRASHED! I have been praying the auto back up worked prior to the nosedive! Apparently, the mother board died and it will cost around $400.00 to repair it. Well, that might as well be $1,000,000 - we just don't have it. And if we did, the money would go toward our adoption not my computer. I will just use my husband's old computer until we can figure out what we will do. Anyway, being without my computer has just sent me in a tizzy. Perhaps I should seek counseling - naw, just don't have the time these days.
Let's see, what have we been up to since the last post.

The end of May, we went to Orlando to meet up with some of the America World staff. It was nice to finally meet these wonderful people. I think a special bond develops between adoptive families and those who help them through the various stages of the adoption process. We also met some of the Florida families who are in various stages of adopting from Russia. I know many names from the blogs but again, nice to actually meet the real people. It was a great day.

The first week of June was our little Angel's birthday, we sent money to the facilitator in NN to buy her a gift and some goodies to share with the other children in the home. We heard all went well. I must admit, it broke our hearts not to be able to be with her on her birthday.

Last Saturday, the social worker was here for another home visit - our homestudy expires later this month - this was our 4th update. Hmm, I wonder if there is a record for this?

We are still fundraising, thus the title of this post. We really need to raise enough to get back to Russia before July 20 - apparently the judge will be going on a month-long vacation that day. We feel somewhat desperate to get the rest of the funds needed to travel. Here's information about our current fundraisers. Please check them out:

• Magazine Fundraiser – quit buying those magazines at the grocery store support our adoption by buying through us (you’ll also find the magazines are less expensive through our site) http://magfundraising.com.MurrayAdoption.
• Shop through our online mall site - you can shop at over 150 online stores and we receive a percentage of all purchases visit http://www.krymus.com/5361.
• Purchase photo prints, share photos with family, store photos, and create beautiful gifts at http://www.cmphotocenter.com This is similar to snapfish but easier. Be sure to use my CM ID #4529885 so we get credit toward our adoption fund.
• Are you into celebrating memories – visit my website at www.mycmsite.com/bethmurray for creative ways to share your memories. June Special: purchase $100.00 of product, have it direct shipped to your home, and you will receive a gift worth $25.00 Plus, you’ll support our adoption.
• Our chat group friend, Heather, set up a e-show for us at Usborne Books and More Usborne has educational and entertainment books for children of all ages. You can shop online through July 1, 2009 and your purchase will help us bring our Angel home.
• We are still working on our fundraiser website and will be updating it as new activities launch.

We are so grateful for the help we have received so far. We ask that you please keep us in your prayers and consider participating in some of our fundraisers. Our time is running out and we still need funds to be able to travel. We are on our knees praying and know that God will make a way.

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25.

Praying Without Ceasing,
Elizabeth

Wrapping Things Up!

We have been quite involved with our fundraising and updating our homestudy. I have to admit, fundraising can be a lot of work and not always as productive as we hope. But then I have to remind myself that it is more than just raising money. Every fundraiser we've done has resulted in meeting wonderful people and learning great lessons. Don and I have also learned to really work together. There is no way either of us could do all this alone.

Here are some photos of our house preparing for my scrapbooking open house, boxing up the flowerbulbs from our flowerbulb fundraiser, and organizing items for our silent auction Saturday, May 16. Actually, it was total chaos for a day or so! And it will be chaotic again with all the silent auction items - but we are not complaining!

The scrapbooking open house was very nice. Not as many people came as I hoped but we were still able to add some money to our adoption fund. Both fundraisers went quite well, you can see the thermometer is almost to $4,000! We were hoping to make it to $5,000 by the end of the month. We are praying without ceasing!

Now, all we have to worry about is our benefit dinner and silent auction. We've had some great donations but not many have sent in their RSVP; we are praying it will be a great success.

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to work toward bringing our Angel home.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12

Faithfully,

Elizabeth

Did I Mention We Were Fundraising?

I was looking at the calendar today and realized we could be leaving for Russia in about 6 weeks. We are not even half way to where we need to be with our fundraising. I started looking for more ideas for fundraising. Don is picking up extra work but my schedule is such that extra work outside the home is unrealistic.

Here are additional fundraisers we are embarking on:

• Recycling ink cartridges
• Selling online coupons
• Scrapbooking open house - decided not to have so much inventory

I even set up another website for some of our fundraising activities. It is still under construction but you can check it out at http://ejmurray.webs.com/ I am hoping to have it up by this weekend.

For those following our journey to get our Angel, you will note that our fundraising thermometer is starting to creep up! We just need it to jump up!

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7.

Faithfully,
Elizabeth

Here's the Scoop on our Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction

Well, plans are firmed up for our event. Don and I are both quite nervous about it. However, we are praying and trusting that God will provide.

I am one of those people who many perceive as outgoing and extroverted. I am here to tell you, I am not! Truthfully, I am very introverted and would rather spend time alone than in a group. I would rather stay home than go to a party. I am just not good at it. Until recently, I even had trouble returning something to the store - I've worked my way through that one.

Anyway, where I am going here is that to get this dinner off the ground, I had to do some foot work. I prayed and prayed and God told me what to do. Boldly, I called the Crowne Plaza hotel (they always advertise on Way-FM) and made an appointment with their banquet director. I told her exactly what we wanted to do but that we did not have the money to pay for anything. In other words, the event had to pay for itself. I also asked that they waive their room fee (which was $500-$800 depending on the number of people!). She said she would see what she could do and get back to me.

Several days later, I heard from her and she worked out a great price for us and even threw in a hors d'oeuvre pass during viewing of the auction items. It turned out to be a great deal! Now all we need are the auction items and people to attend. We sent invitations to about 200 people and we are hoping for 75-80 to attend.

We are still trying to get auction items, if anyone out there has suggestions or would like to donate please email us.

We are praying that our benefit dinner and silent auction will be a great success.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:19

On my knees,
Elizabeth

More Fundraising For Our Angel

Well, we are racking our brains for more fundraising ideas. See our list to the right. We've done a lot of events but nothing big ticket! We've decided to have a benefit dinner and silent auction. We have some friends who said they will help us get auction items. Don's stepfather donated two beautiful water color paintings to start us off. So, it's a go. Now we have to find a venue and decide how we are going to pull it off.

Those of you following our journey, please pray for us that we can make this a success.

I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. Psalm 119:58

Blessings,
Elizabeth

We Believe in Miracles

What should be good news is somewhat distressing for us. We heard from our family coordinator yesterday. Apparently, our region wants us to come back to Russia to get our little Angel sooner than we expected. Now, there are may adoptive parents who would be doing the happy dance and praising the Lord. We wish we could.

Unfortunately, we are still short funds to complete our adoption. She informed us that the Officials will not wait long for us to raise the money to get back to Russia and that we may lose our little girl. This was devastating news for us.

Since our return from trip one, we have been involved in fundraising activities such as a scrapbooking business, yard sales, selling entertainment books, selling flower bulbs, selling candles, and a spaghetti dinner. We have raised about $2400 so far. We are far from what we need.

We are desperate to bring our little Angel home. We humbly ask that anyone reading our blog consider helping us. Please pray for us, please ask your family and friends to pray for us, and please put us on your prayer lists at your church. If you feel inclined to help us financially you can email us at murrayadoption@yahoo.com or donate through paypal via the button on the right.

We are not giving up! We have faith that God wants us to bring our Angel home and that He will provide for us. He has the power to perform miracles.

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Mark 11:22,23

Thank you in advance for your support.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

It's More Than Just Raising Money!

Whew! We just completed 20 days of fundraising! We had 4 yard sales. One yard sale was actually organized by our good friend, Pam. What a great friend. She had people from everywhere donating things for the sale. There was so much that we carried it over for another day then brought what was left to our home and held two more sales. Overall, I think we brought in close to $900.00. Amazing! Notice our thermometer is climbing :0)

Another good friend, Debbi, had a spaghetti dinner at her home and collected donations for us.

We are selling Entertainment Books for the southwest Florida area - some great deals! We also sent out flower bulb catalogs to family and friends. We are waiting to see how that goes.

Last night we had a spaghetti dinner at our church. Honestly, we did not have as many people as we hoped. However, we were able to visit with everyone who came and met some very nice people. One lady we met has adopted 5 boys with special needs and 3 are from Russia. We exchanged information and Don and I look forward to talking to her. Others came because they received fliers at our yard sales. It was a very enjoyable evening and we made enough to pay for 1-2 hotel nights! Can't complain about that!

Don and I have started to look at the finances needed to bring our Angel home in bits and pieces. So, instead of thinking we need $25,000 to complete this adoption, we look at what we raise in fundraising as: this will pay for our Angel's visa; a hotel night in Moscow; an outfit for our Angel; etc.... It makes it seem more manageable.

We've often talked about our faith and that we believe God wants us to bring home this little girl (see archived postings). Today, I was asked this question, "Is there anything that you have doubts about related to the adoption?" I thought a moment and said, "No, nothing!"...."I've not even thought about stopping the adoption because we don't quite have the finances. I strongly believe this is what we are supposed to do." Don and I really do believe that God has directed our adoption and He will make it happen. Of course, it will be in His time not ours.

Our fundraising experience has really made me think. I am beginning to realize that it is not always about the money. Honestly, sometimes I can get a bit obsessed with money - is money my idol? Sounds like another blog topic. Anyway, I came across a book at one of our yard sales and began reading it during down time. The book is The Prayer of Jabez for Women: Breaking Through to the Blessed Live by Darlene Wilkinson.

Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Our adoption has truly helped us become more committed Christians. Don and I can apply the Prayer of Jabez to our adoption process and our growth as Christians:

• We see God's blessings in our lives daily - Oh, that you would bless me indeed....
• Our fundraising has placed us in various situations where we have been able to witness to others as well as talk about adoption as a ministry - ...and enlarge my territory....
• We learned that we cannot do life alone nor our adoption alone, we need God. We learned to cry out for His help, blessings, guidance, provisions, and to glorify Him through our accomplishments - ...that Your hand would be with me....
• As we have increased our committment to adoption and moved along in the process, we noticed more challenges and struggles. It all makes sense - we are a threat to Satan! The more committed we are and the further we proceed in the adoption process, the more territory we are taking from Satan! Satan doesn't want us to commit to the adoption, Satan doesn't want us to start an adoption ministry, Satan wants us to lose faith and give up! Satan wants to tempt us to sin!- ...and that You would keep me from evil....
• We know that the consequences of sin can consume us and those around us. With God's hand with us, Christ in the center of our lives, and being filled with the Holy Spirit we will sin less. If we sin less, we will cause less pain to ourselves and others - ...that I may not cause pain!

I just love practical applications of the Bible! I thank whoever donated that book to be sold in our yard sale. We didn't sell it, but I believe God wanted me to read it!

Blessings,
Elizabeth