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

Determination - Firmness of Purpose

Webster defines determination as, "a determining or being determined...a firm intention...firmness of purpose."

Yesterday, I had one of those moments. I don't quite know how to explain it. It was the end of the day and I was walking back to my office after my class. Campus is quite nice this time of year and my walk took me by one of the small lakes. I saw several woodstorks on the shore - I looked for alligators but didn't see any. Usually, I see one or two sunning themselves. It was a very peaceful walk and I was quietly praying the Prayer of Jabez - my daily prayer these days.

But once I walked into my office, I flopped down on my chair and tears filled my eyes. I was overcome with a sense of "will this wait ever be over?... how much longer?... could we lose her?"I guess it was finally hitting me - I have tried to stay positive and faithful throughout the past few weeks but my footing was slipping at that moment. I was having a bit of a "pity party" because our little angel won't be with us for a few more months. Then, I reached over and picked up a scrapbook** I made of some of our time with her and started flipping through the pages. Soon my tears were gone and I could feel my determination return, my firmness of purpose return - we will raise the money, we will get back to Russia - it is not an option to lose her!

I started thinking about all we've been through over the past 3 years - see our blog archives if you have a few hours. Amazingly, Don and I have grown so much in our marriage and in our christian walk. Perhaps, that is what God wanted from us. Who knows, maybe we have a little more growing to do.
Thanks for stopping by,
Elizabeth

**Oh, by the way, I put a button to my scrapbooking website on the right side of the page. When you click on it, you will be taken to my secure website. You can shop online and have all items shipped directly to you.