What's the plan? Our next, ongoing fundraiser.

Hello again everyone! I just wanted to give you guys an update on where we are in the fundraising department. We have been so overwhelmed with the generosity of our loved ones including friends and family and also the generosity of people we hardly know. It is so amazing. Thanks to everyone's amazing donations our adoption fund is sitting at just over $13,000! We still have another $22,000 to raise, but we know that we will get there in time. We have a few ideas of fundraisers being tossed around in our house, and I just wanted to make an announcement about our puzzle piece fundraiser. Here is how it will work.

Justin and I are going to buy a puzzle. We are still looking for one that we both like and will kind of relate to the USA for the baby's room - we will find a puzzle soon! We are then going to sell each puzzle piece for $5. When you buy your puzzle piece for $5, your name will be written on the back of that puzzle piece. When our puzzle pieces have all been claimed, we will put the puzzle together and frame it in a two way frame so that we can see everyone who was involved in getting our baby here with us. We will be able to see how each individual worked together so that the big picture could come together - the puzzle will literally come together with each piece, just like our adoption with each donation! We are going to include all people who have given us a donation already in on this fundraiser. If you have given us just a monetary donation (not including banquet tickets or silent auction items) - we have kept track of our donations and will be writing the names of everyone who has given us a donation greater than $5 on a puzzle piece.

I look forward to being able to explain this puzzle to my little one one day. So they can visually see all the people that helped get them to us. That will be such a cool experience.

I will announce and post a picture of a puzzle when we find one. In the meantime start encouraging others to consider buying a puzzle piece. It's only $5 per person, but in the long run - that could make us a lot of money!! I will be starting a spreadsheet to track our puzzle piece sales and I so look forward to putting that puzzle together. Sounds like the best puzzle ever.