A hand to the human race

 WE DID IT. WE RAISED EVERY SINGLE CENT WE NEED FOR OUR ADOPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it! People have been so extremely generous it boggles my mind.  Friends, family, friends of friends, and even total strangers have all helped us to reach this goal. Here is a little bit of how we got there.

In less then two years we have had 6 GIANT garage sales, recieved three grants, put together a 750 piece puzzle, had a jewerly party, had a very cool high schooler have a very cool raffle for us, had lots of personal donations, had donations from total strangers. scrimped and saved our extra money, had members of our church give above and beyond (like always).   And I'm sure a bunch of stuff I forgot.

At times it was a real stuggle and i felt like we were never gonna be able to come up with this extreme amount of money neeeded to bring our baby home, but it seeemed like always at those times something would come along to make my heart lift, so here are a couple highlights from our fundraising adventures.

We had a cousin of mine who was a senior in high school and just up and decided one day to make our adoption her senior project. She spent a good portion of her senior year selling raffle tickets for prizes with all the money going to our adoption. what a sweetheart.

Our church held an ice cream social in our honor. We spoke about adoption that day in church and it was great to share our story with our church family. They also set up a church fund in our name and everyone has been so generous. Furthermore it has just been wonderful to share this experience with them. they ask us every week how its going and are so supportive. They are so loving.

We had many family and friends give very generous donations. Thank you

I work about twice a month in a little christian book store and when  work I put prayer cards for our adoption on the counter so if people are interested they can take one and pray for us. This has been a wonderful experience just sharing adoption with so many people. I have had so many great conversations that have just lifted my heart.

I try to talk about the adoption a lot because I figure you never know who is listening and I want to spread the word that we are adopting. I have found this to be a fantastic experience 98% of the time. people are so supportive and so caring. it is incredible.

During our last garage sale I was so sick and tired of garage sales I could hardly bear to have another one, but I did it because we had to. At this time a man came and was shopping at our garage sale, he bought a few dollars worth of stuff and then as he was leaving he put some money in our donation jar. It was $440. from a total stranger, someone I have never seen before or since.

One of the things I found most interesting is the amount of people that have come out of the wood work to help us in this adoption and fundraising endeavor. so many people that i have not talked to in YEARS. There is one gril that I have not talked to in at least 13, I call her my biggest fan. She has helped in every single fundraising event we have had, she has had friends of hers that I have never meet help in our adoption. She is just one example I have had so many friends that we literally have not talked to since high school help us out. It has been great because I got to renew old friendships and that has been a fantastic experience.

Lastly I want to thank our family (and friends that are close enough to call family) for all your time, energy, support, hopeing with us and complaining with us. Thank you.

TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HELPED IN ANY WAY AT ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED ON OUR OWN, WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.

AND NOW...... PLEASE PRAY THAT A BIRTH MOTHER FINDS US SOON. HAVING AN ADOPTION PAID FOR MEANS NOTHING IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BABY TO BRING HOME.

And we wait!

      Really I have nothing to say, but I feel like I haven't written in a really long time and I have some time to kill so I guess I'll think of something. I talked to our case worker the other day. She informed me that we've been on the waiting list for a baby for 16 months. O is that all and here I've been telling people it's been a year and a half. She also said that two of our books were out right now with birthmothers who were considering us (I'm not sure that she was supposed to tell me that). So lets pray that one of them thinks we are as great of a family as I know we are.
       It has become apparent that we have a pejudice against us because we already have a child and birth mothers it appears, prefer to give thier child to parents who don't already have childern. This INFURIATES me. I feel like I'm being punished for already being a good mother (and father) and whats worse is your punishing my daughter who so despertaly wants to be a big sister (and will be the best big sister anyones ever had). It makes me so sad, instead of looking at us and saying "o look at what great parents they already are to India, they will be great parents to my child too" were not even considerd.
       According to my calculations we only need to raise about $4,000 more dollars before we have all the money needed for adopton. This makes me estatic! $4,000 is a lot of money but its a drop in the bucket compared with the total cost of $28,000. I can't believe we raised that much. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who helped us do so. And hey I need another great fundraising idea, anybody got any?
        And we wait! We wait and we wait and we wait. We wait for God's timing wich we know is perfect but we are not and it is hard to wait. And we wait. And it is frustrating to wait. And we wait. And I can't make a pretty tear off chain to count down the days because we don't know how long it will be. And we wait. And we reconsider if were doing this the right way even though we both really feel this is what God wants us to do. And we wait. I can't cross off days on the calander because we don't have a stopping point. And we wait. India and I play in the babies room that has been ready for months and we talk about how great it will be to have a baby. And we wait. I bought India a shirt that says "awesome big sister" and I'm worried it won't fit her by the time she is one. And we wait. People ask me everyday for good news about the baby and I have none. And we wait. I worry that my childern will be so far apart in age that they won't be close like I am to my siblings. And we wait. Why God do you make us wait when you know waiting is not my strong point? And we wait.
         Someday we will have a perfect baby, It will have parents that will love it with there whole heart and soul. It will have a big sister that will cherish it and fight with it and defend it, and get in trouble with it. It will have grandparents that adore it and think it can do no wrong, it will have aunties and uncles that will spoil it. It will have cousins to play with and get into mischif with. It will have the best most loving family ever. I know because it's already there, it's my family and we are ready for you baby. But for now we wait.

FINISHED THE PUZZLE!!!!!!

THE FINISHED PUZZLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO DONATED. THAT IS $750 DOLLARS TO HELP US GET A BABY. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. DID I MENTION WE RECENTLY RECEIVED A MATCHING GRANT SO ALL THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DOUBLED. THAT'S $1,500 TO HELP US TOWARD OUR ADOPTION.  WE ONLY HAVE $6,478 LEFT TO RAISE. (AND A BIRTH MOTHER TO FIND US.)

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!

Only 117 pieces left!

puzzle update

We are still waiting for a baby. While we wait we still need to raise just over $7,000 dollars to get to the goal of $28,000 which is the total cost of adoption these days. Friends and family have been awesomely generous and supportive but we still need help. If you would like to help click on the donate button and buy puzzle pieces for our current fundraiser. This is how the puzzle looks so far.

Puzzle Update

WOW look how far we have gotten on our adoption puzzle thanks to the generous donations given today! We only have 275 more pieces to go. If you want a puzzle piece or two, along with facebook acclaim and a great feeling in your heart that you have helped find a baby the loving home it so deserves.

click on the donate button on the right.

Surprise Blessings at a Bookstore

      I spent all last week working for my friend in his Christian bookstore while he was on vacation. Usally I am a stay at home mom but I like to help out in the bookstore every once in a while when my friend needs a day off. I have little prayer cards I made asking people to pray for our adoption with us. When I work at the bookstore I set these on the counter and people can take them if they wish. Usally one or two people a day will take one.
      Last week I think God was trying to cheer me up, it seemed like every other person wanted one and they were all so ethusiastic about are adoption it really lifted my spirits. I had several people tell me stories of how they adopted or knew someone who had adopted and how wonderful it was. I had one man tell me about his foster son and then the next day brought his wife and son back in to meet me.
        On Monday a lady came in with her family and was so excited for us she asked if there was anything we nedded and I said, "well of course we are going to need things like diapers, and wipes, and formula." She left and came back about twenty minutes later came back with a box of diapers and wipes, and a little gift bag of baby shampoo things. It was so sweet. It was the first present somebody other then us got for the baby. I almost cried and I gave her a big hug.
          On Tuesday a lady came in and we talked for a long time, she took a prayer card and then as she was about to go out the front door she turned around and said "can I pray for you right now" well of course. So we held hands and she started to pray. I'm sure it wasn't very long but it felt like about five minutes. It was such a powerful moment I don't know that anyone has ever prayed that intently for me before (at least not in my presence). It left tears in my eyes and made me fill great the rest of the day. I can't describe the feeling it left in me it was fantastic. I gave her a hug to.
           And then today, a lady wanted me to add her two dollars she had on her to our adoption fund saying "Every little bit helps" Indeed it does.
           What a great week.

Picture #7

O my goodness. Facebook is being difficult tonight and wouldn't upload the photos of our most recent puzzle. but here they are.

Puzzle Picture #6 I think

We are on a roll! Look how much we've got done! If you wanna get in on a good piece and not just a filler donate now!

Puzzle Picture #5

Look at us go! Please keep the donations coming!

Puzzle picture #4

We have completed the outside and moved to the middle. Only Dan and I know what it will look like cause we have the picture. It is a representation of all different kinds of families. To see the end product you have to donate.

puzzle picture # 3

Well we are moving along slower then I anticipated but we are moving. We almost have the outside done and then we can move onto the inside. it is a really great picture about different kinds of families I can't wait for everyone to see it. But there is only one way for that to happen. "buy" puzzle pieces by clicking on the donate button to the right

US

 Us

      Welcome to the Stults family: Dan, Jenny, and India! Dan and I have been married for twelve years and our daughter India is five years old. Dan is a counselor and I (Jenny) am a stay at home mom. We have lived in the great Pacific Northwest our whole lives and we love it here. There is a unique history and culture in the northwest that we enjoy being a part of, not to mention the opportunity to experience nature.  We are frequent hikers, especially if there is a waterfall involved, and we love camping, playing in the snow, or spending the day at the beach.  If for some reason we aren’t able to do that there is still a grand adventure to be had at a nearby park, which we do frequently.  One of our favorite things to do is explore antique stores or search for hidden treasure at a thrift store. Its lots of fun to see if we can “out-treasure” each other and India loves it too, although her treasure is generally a stuffed animal. We have a great love of history and cultures of all sorts and love finding places “off the beaten path” such as ghost towns or little family diners and finding unique experiences to be a part of like visiting pirate ships and searching for fossils.  If we need a more relaxed time we can always spend the day at the movie theater; that way we’ll be prepared for the yearly Academy Awards party with our family and friends. 

    
     We spend a lot of our time with our enormous family on both sides, who almost all live in the area. Dan has five
     brothers and I have two brothers and three sisters and we each have our parents. We are all really close and all
     love each other greatly.  In this day and age it is unusual to have a family that is so big and so close as ours both
     are and we are very grateful for them. We celebrate birthdays together; have dinner together every week and
     every now and again even travel together.  We have a church family too that we are very grateful for and enjoy
     serving with.  We have fun working with the youth group and help in the Sunday service as well, serving
     communion and Dan even preaches every now and again.  India runs around and is the cutest little four year old
     in the whole congregation (it helps that she’s the only four year old.) We love our church family and are grateful
     to have found a loving home with them. Every Sunday I have ladies ask me how our adoption is going and when
     will they have a new baby to love on.

    Our love story began in high school at church camp. It turns out we went to the same high school and the same
    church, but at the time our youth group was so large we didn’t realize that we almost knew each other. He says it
     was love at first site but it took a couple months to convince me. After being friends and then dating for a couple
    of years we got married, too young, too foolish, but too in love not to. The two of us went off on the adventure
    of college together and received our undergraduate degrees from Boise Bible College. In college we meet some
    of the best friends of our entire lives, two of whom became India’s godparents. After college we moved back
    home to Oregon and Dan went to school for a double masters degree in counseling and divinity. In 2006 we
   accomplished one of our lifelong dreams and went on a three-week tour of the holy land. It was the most
   amazing experience to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.  Traveling to foreign places and cultures has been a
    rewarding experience for both of us and one we plan to continue with our children.

 
   In May of 2007 we were blessed with our first child, India. She turned our whole lives upside down and it was
   fantastic. It was also hard, to be sure, but somehow we discovered there more love, strength, and perseverance
   than we’d ever known. One of the great mysteries of parenthood so far is how we could add even more love
   than already existed into our little family, but that’s what happened. Another mystery is how well we functioned
   on so little sleep, but we managed to do that too!  India is four years old and has such passion for, well, everything.
   Some of her favorite things are climbing and jumping and wearing princess dresses, sometimes all at the same
   time. We recently moved her up from a toddler bed to a twin bed and as we were setting it up she ran around in
   circles screaming, “I love my new bed!”  She really enjoys monsters and ghosts and pirates too, such a unique
   combination! She goes to preschool several days a week and loves it, and loves it even more when mommy or
   daddy are the parent helper.  India enjoys having a big family too, with lots of cousins her age to play with.  She
   loves to rhyme and sing songs she has made up. One time her and Dan sang an impromptu opera, which was one

 of the funniest   and most adorable things I have ever seen.  She cannot wait for a baby brother or sister and 

talks about it often,
  gng on and on about how she will help take care of it and sing to it when it cries.

  Even before Dan and I got married we knew we would adopt someday. It wasn’t even a discussion really, we
   both just knew. To us it was simple; there were hundreds of babies that needed to be loved, why wouldn’t we
   love them, at least some of them? We truly feel that our family was meant to be built in this way, that it is a calling
   from God.  Even though India is the love of my life and has been since the second she was born I did not love
   being pregnant. In fact it was just the opposite, I hated being pregnant. My body and mind did not respond well
   to the pregnancy; I was sick 24 hours a day and soon felt that I was not myself.  At 30 weeks I went into preterm
   labor and was rushed to the hospital.  After I was stabilized I was moved to another hospital with a neonatal unit
   where I stayed for two weeks.  Even after I returned home I was on bed rest.  I had been sent home with the solemn 

warning   that another pregnancy would likewise be high risk, perhaps higher risk than this one was.  This was a 

scary,
   painful time for me, Dan, and our whole family, but it was a sure sign also that now was the time to follow the
   tugging on our hearts that God had long ago placed there, to build our family in a different way.  Having a little girl
   who wouldn’t understand such a difficult ordeal, but somehow does seem to understand the idea of adoption in a
   way that is beyond her years makes the calling even more sure.

  So this is us, a family of adventurers and explorers, of movie buffs and history geeks.  Our hopes and dreams
   include leading a life of contribution to our family, our church, and our community, surrounded by nature and
   thanking God everyday for the peace and contentment He has provided us.  And, of course, we dream of
   adopting a child and experiencing that great adventure of love and caring with all the trials and triumphs that come
   with us. 

Prayer

I just wanted to remind everyone (especially me) that none of this is possible without God.  I have known since I was very young that I was going to adopt someday. This is one of very few things in my life that I have known without a doubt, without thinking about it or considering it, Ive just known I was meant to do this, that God wanted me to. The same is true for Dan. However God  and I are not in agreement as to timing. We were mentally ready to have another baby two years ago. Last year at this time I believed it would be a matter of months before we were placed with a baby and certainly before India's 5th birthday last May. Obviously God disagreed with us, only He knows why. We are starting to get very discouraged. People ask me for news on the baby and I say nothing, we have no news, no progress, it kinda feels like nobody wants us. And so I think we could really use some prayer. Here are three things we would really appreciate prayer on;


1) Pray for the birth mother (and father) that she finds peace in this extremely difficult decision, and that she finds us.

2) Pray that we do not get discouraged while we wait for a birth mother to choose us.

3) Pray that we raise the remaining $8,561 needed for the adoption very very soon. I have applied for several grants, pray that they choose to help us.

Thank you everyone for your love, support, and prayer.

puzzle picture #2

Slowly but surely our puzzle is coming together

puzzle day 3

Day three of our puzzle fund raiser and we have 25 pieces and have rounded a corner. I love the picture, if you want see what it is "buy" a piece for $1 and help us adopt a baby.

Puzzle Time

Hello everyone. I am sorry I haven't written in a long time. For one there has been no news to share. For two the fall and winter was very much preocupied with my grandfathers illness and death. It was very hard on our whole family and very stressful, but he is at peace now.

So lets move on to baby news. Well there hasn't been any, at least not any involving a baby. It has been a year since our home study, a year we have been waiting for a baby. Our last fundraiser was a raffle that raised $503. We are very blessed, we only have $8,561 left to raise. And so I am on to our next fundraiser.

I have bought a puzzle and am naming it "Every family is different" For every dollar donated to the baby fund (you can donate by clicking the donate button to the right.) I will add a piece to the puzzle. I will post a pictures as people donate so we can all watch the puzzle come together.  I think this is a great idea because it only takes a dollar (of course you can buy several pieces if you like)  and we all get to build something togther. I also thought I would write the name of the people who donated on the back of each piece just for fun. It is a 750 piece puzzle so at the end we should have $750 dollars. Thank you once again to all the friends and family who have supported us through this whole process. And please share this with all your friends. Maybe they can spare a dollar as well.

OK! READY! SET! LETS MAKE A PUZZLE!

This is the first picture: all the pieces in a big old pile waiting to be connected.