Thank You!!!

Today we noticed that our Family Sponsorship Grant increased substantially. I don't know if this was one person making a large donation or several people making small donations. Whatever it was, I am truly grateful. I'm not sure words can describe how much this means to our family.

 I am in shock. Really humbled, feeling extremely blessed. Just overwhelmed. I mean, I got all giddy at the Strawberry festival each time someone bought a $5 pair of earrings. Can you imagine how I feel now? Truly, honestly overwhelmed with gratitude.

I don't even know what to say, but thank you to everyone who has donated.

Updates!

I feel like I have to give a short update just because it has been awhile, but honestly there isn't much to say. We are finally nearing the end of our paperchase and hopefully within a few weeks our dossier will be in China. After that happens, there are still a few other hoops to jump through, none of which are interesting enough to post here until the time actually comes, so that is about all there is to say as far as the adoption process is concerned.

We still have lots of money to raise to get Lily home, so we are still making and selling jewelry. This past weekend I set up a table at the Strawberry Festival in Calera. It was so much fun and I think I did pretty well for my first booth ever.

In just a few days, I'll have another booth at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church's Mayfair Festival. If you are local to the Birmingham area, please come see me. There will be kids activities, a yard sale, music, and food.

Also, I've made a facebook page for our jewelry. Please consider sharing this page with friends and ask them to "like" us. I will post information about new items, events, and giveaways.

 http://www.facebook.com/WiehlOfFaithJewelry

Success!

We made enough at the yard sale to cover one of our many adoption fees! I am so extremely grateful for each dollar earned, every item donated and every minute my friends spent working to make this happen for us. A few weeks ago, when I posted on Facebook asking for a place to have a sale (we can't have one here), I wasn't expecting people to want to help. I was prepared to do this alone. Ha! Thank God for my friends, because it never would have happened without them.

My friend Kim is just amazing for putting up with me the past few days. Really really amazing. Her garage is still stuffed with donations that didn't sell. I couldn't fit it all into my car so we chose a few things to pass onto Hannah Home. The rest will be taken to another friend's house to another yard sale in 2 weeks.

Susan made a great selection of jewelry and herbal concoctions- oils, salves, lotions, bath salts and ointments.

My mom, of course, has been working hard at making jewelry for me to sell and I sold a necklace and several pairs of earrings. Thanks Mom!

And my friends Brandy, Erica and Ryan helped with organizing, pricing, sign posting, and probably lots of other things I'm too dense to notice.

Thanks to all of you for helping. I really hope I didn't forget anyone. I am dead tired. If I did forget to thank someone I am sorry.

Yard Sale!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

4816 Pinehurst Dr., Helena, AL

6 am to ?

Televisions

Furniture

Bathroom Cabinets and sinks

A Freezer

Homeschool Books
Classroom school books
Handmade Jewelry
Tools
Light Fixtures

Clothing

Toys
Vintage Sewing Patterns
Craft Supplies

We'll also have new handmade herbal concoctions made by my friend Susan of Motherly Creations!

And handmade jewelry made by me and my mom :)

Lots and Lots of other items!

We will be taking donations until Friday evening. If you'd like to contribute, please email me at kathywiehl@gmail.com 

Please share this with your friends and help us bring Lily home!!

Moving forward!

You know how I thought the home study would be finished by the end of January and then it took longer because Lillian captured our hearts, so we decided to adopt her in China instead of going for a blind referral in Eastern Europe, which meant we needed a Hague approved home study, which meant we needed additional background checks, which meant more waiting?

Meanwhile I pitched a few fits because things weren't happening fast enough for me. 

I just need to say that in the long run it was a blessing that the home study took longer than expected. As painful and stressful as it has been for me during the past few months, it could have been much worse. God really knows what he is doing. The timing worked out perfectly.

Silly me, I thought I knew how this was supposed to work out. I thought I knew the perfect time line for this adoption. I even had a timeline written out with dates that things were supposed to happen according to my plan even though each step in the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months and there is no way to tell how long certain things will take. If things had gone my way, it would not have been good. God's way is the only way.

Please promise to remind me of that next time I get stressed because something isn't happening fast enough.

Okay. so my good news-

1. We are reviewing the first draft of our home study tonight. After that it goes to our home study agency and our placement agency and when all approve, we'll get the final copy!

2. I'm working on some little fundraisers. In 10 days, I am going to have a yard sale at a friend's house and on May 5, I'll set up a table at a local library's craft show. I'm also working on signing up for a space at a local festival in mid- May.

Speaking of jewelry, take a look at what we have in stock. Please consider making a purchase. All payments are securely made through paypal, which offers buyer protection.