YAWL!!! Fundraising Friday Edition

Exciting news to report! As of 2/25, people have donated $1,375 to Lifesong for Orphans on behalf of our adoption!

I have to confess, I've started a post a couple of times to address my fundraising fears. It's one thing to do things like garage sales and bake sales (where you provide a good or service). I doubt anyone reasonable would have a problem with fundraising those ways. But outright fundraising? Another story.

There are people whom I love and respect (and whose respect I'd enjoy having) who do not think it's right to fundraise for an adoption. And I understand a lot of the reasons behind it. I feel especially vulnerable giving letters to people I care about and not knowing if they'll think less of me for having done so. It's painfully clear to me that I don't have $12,000 laying around to pay for our adoption ourselves. It's also clear to me that, due to the nature of our job, it's probably not wise to take out a loan to repay that sum over time (besides, my husband reacts to debt as if he has a fatal allergy; I know there would be no way to convince him it was wise to borrow money for pretty much anything except our house). So, although we will do whatever needs to be done to raise the amount we need to bring home our child, here I am, little envelopes in hand, a bundle of nerves.

So, as you can see, at least some people aren't offended by our letters! Yay! It's so... humbling. and overwhelming. Honestly. Here's my train of thought. I know what kind of mom I am: a normal one. I do some things well; I struggle in other areas. No supermom in this house! But to have people who know me believe in our ability to parent a child well enough to give money entrusted to them by God in order to make that happen? Crazy. Crazy. Srsly.

Also, generosity. My heart is whelmed. As my friend Macie says, "melty heart!" I have melty heart for my friends' sacrificial giving to make our dream come true.

So, $11,750 - $1,375 = $10,375! So close to being in the single thousands! ...the not-ten-thousands? the four-digits? Ah, you get it.