Travel is in Sight...and a Giveaway!

So, here's where we are!  We have received provisional approval, and it has been cabled to the US Consulate in China!  Once the Consulate issues what's called an Article 5, it will be picked up and expressed to Beijing where the CCCWA will process our Travel Approval!

In English, please?

Okay.  We could/should travel in 6 weeks!  As in mid-May, right after school is out!

So, although we've been working like crazy and have been so blessed by surprise gifts, we are still oh.so.short of the funds we need.  As in, $26k short.  There, I said it.  We trust the Lord's provision completely.  We are praying about a few fundraisers we may try in April.

In the meantime, my friend Ginna is hosting a giveaway for our matching grant!
It is an awesome package, including: 
 Tieks Shoes - donated by Troy & Ginna Hulett

Pretty tunic - donated by Mackenzie & Elise (FB group)

And this pretty necklace - donated by Kristin at ViBella Jewelry

We are so humbled and grateful for each of these donors!

So, how does it work?

  Everyone who gives toward our Lifesong/Karis matching grant between now and April 10th  will be entered in a drawing for this package gift!  That's it!

Just go to Lifesong's site and select "Give to an adoptive family."

Then, complete the donor form, and under the "Family Account Number" section, put 5903, and "Family Name," put Johnson.

You can either leave a comment or send a message to let us know you've given...or we can simply check our funding page.  

There are so many cool things about this:
* Your gift is tax deductible
* Your gift will be doubled due to the matching grant
* You will be investing in the life of a child

We are so humbled that God would lead us on this journey to our son, and we are excited to hold him in a few weeks!  Thank you for your prayers and your gifts!

TO HIM BE ALL GLORY!

She's a Winner...and a Champion

We drew for the smart watch giveaway October 15, notified the winner, and received an unbelievable reply!

First, we are so thankful for everyone who shared and contributed to our fundraiser.  When we said yes to bringing our precious son home, we were depending 100% on the Lord to provide the funds for the adoption costs.  A lot has happened since then, but our faith hasn't wavered.  God is good, all.the.time!

We are committed to work from sunup to dark-thirty, fundraise till the cows come home, and pray unceasingly to get our little guy home.

When we hold a fundraiser/giveaway, we are always always prepared to order the item from Am*zon and ship it directly to the winner!  So please know that when a winner chooses to pay it forward by donating it back, we are always always surprised and blown away!

All that to say, when we drew SAMANTHA'S name, I sent her this message: 
You won the watch! Congratulations! I need to know if you'd like the Apple or Galaxy and your shipping address😀

I was surprised to receive her reply:

I am going to try to sell it and give you the money.

Seriously?!?

We had a long conversation, and in the end she paid it forward, meaning that we now have another $450 to apply to our adoption costs!

Thank you, Samantha! You are a rock star!

As always:

TO HIM BE ALL GLORY!

Have You Got The Time - a Giveaway!

Have You Got The Time...

for a fundraiser giveaway?

The winner can choose either this

Original Apple Watch 42mm  - Silver Aluminum Case, White Sport Band Edition

·         Dimensions: Height: 42.0mm, Width: 35.9mm, Depth: 10.5mm, Case Weight: 25g (1.65 x 1.41 x 0.41 in inches, 1.05 oz)

·         Gorgeous anodised aluminium case; Ion-X glass

·         Retina display with Force Touch; Composite back, Splash and Water resistant in rain, exercising, etc (but not to be submerged in water, as it's not waterproof!)

·         Sport Band with stainless steel pin; Digital Crown

·         Heart rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope; Ambient light sensor

or this

Samsung Galaxy Gear S R750 Curved Super AMOLED Display Smart Watch - Black

·         2G: GSM 850 / 1900, 3G: HSDPA+ 850 / 1900

·         2-inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Multi-Touchscreen

·         Tizen-based wearable platform, Dual-Core 1 GHz Processor

·         S-Voice communication

·         Internal Memory: 4GB, 512MB RAM

To enter:
*$10 = 1 entry
*$25 = 3 entries
*Each FB, IG or blog share = 1 additional entry
*Runs from October 3 to October 15
*Winner's choice of Apple or Galaxy Smart Watch shown above (each valued at around $400)
*This item is not donated, and the cost will come from the funds raised
*Use the PayPal "donate" button under the watch in the upper right-hand corner of this blog (view in "web version" on your mobile device) or email me for other options

Our homestudy is complete, and now we need to submit our 800a extension application and 2 agency fees, totaling $3700

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

Phil 4:6

Sweeten Your Shopping With an Amazon Gift Card!

So, please don't tell me you're finished shopping!

And if you are that together, don't tell me :)

But, seriously, if you're like me, you've made your kids stay off the computer this week because you've kept the Amazon tab open!

So how about a shot at wrapping up your shopping with a $250 Amazon gift card?

We found out today that our dossier is in the final stage before LOA!!!  I've gotta admit that my heart is beating a little faster now, even though we're still at least 3 months from travel.

How can you enter the drawing for the gift card?

*Use the PitchInBox in the right sidebar or email me for other options.

*$10 gets you 1 shot
*$20 gets you 3 shots
*Each blog, FB, IG share gets an additional shot
*Runs from December 5 to December 15

Good luck and thank you!!!

It's 41 Days till Christmas - You Can Help Bring Kohlby Home AND Get a Shot at 1 of 3 Vera Bradley Bags!

*I updated the Widget to PitchInBox so the contributions are visible*

I just realized it's only 41 days till Christmas!  Forty-One!

And I'm estimating our travel in 90 to 120 days! *this is my best estimate only*

We've taken a break from fundraising because we sensed the Lord was asking us to wait.  Until now.  It is now time to move forward.  Not out of panic or anxiety.  But in peace. 

And I'm so excited to show you what we've come up with!!!

Just in time for Christmas gift-giving, or keeping for yourself, I've got a girlie giveaway.

And, because I couldn't decide which item I might like the most if I were buying one, there will be not one, but three winners drawn!

Vera Bradley Triple Zip Holster in Canterberry Magenta

Vera Bradley Trimmed Vera in Ziggy Zinnia

Vera Bradley Work Tote in Cheery Blossoms with Black Trim

So, how can you enter?

*Click on the Purse in the right sidebar called Bags for Our Boy (this takes you to PayPal where you can use your PP account, a credit card or a bank account) or email me for other options

*$5 for a shot

*$10 for 3 shots

*Each blog, FB and IG share gets 1 additional shot (don't forget to comment or email me to let me know, along with the link, please)

*First winner drawn chooses first, second winner chooses next, and well, you get the idea

*Runs from Friday, November 14 to Saturday, November 22

We thank you for journeying with us to bring Kohlby home!

Hurry and consider yourself ahead of the game in shopping this year :) 

TO HIM BE GLORY!!!

Can You Help? (iPad Mini Tonight!)

We love our adoption agency!
We have chosen them to help bring home 6 of our children!
We are expecting our final invoice today, and then we are to wire those fees to China.
We are the lucky winners of a slightly-higher-than-estimated cost list :)
This morning Karla called to share this with us, and let us know that she made sure it was correct.  We still have 10 days before travel!

Soooo... if you've been wanting an Apple iPad Mini, we've got it!
We will draw for it tonight!
*$25 gets 1 shot
*$50 gets 3 shots
*Blog or FB post gets an additional shot
Please email me if you have problems with Chip-In, if you've posted or for more information.

Have a blessed day!!!!

This is it!!! (Apple iPad Mini 32GB)

This is it!

We are down to the wire, leaving in 2 weeks!!!

Apple iPad Mini MD529LL/A (32GB, Wi-Fi, Black)

Here's the thing, God has blown us away with His provision, especially in the past week.

On February 10th we estimated we still needed $16,000+ to be fully funded.

Today, February 19th, we are within 4 to 6,000!!!

We are leaving in two weeks, and before that time we will wire our in-country China fees.

God has literally provided for Khloie to come home one dollar at a time, and last week the floodgates were opened.

~We are holding one final fundraiser to help cover our travel fees~

*iPad 32 GB mini runs from February 19 to   February 25

*Each $25 donation gets 1 shot
*Each $50 donation gets 3 shots, etc...
*Each FB or blog post gets 1 additional shot
*You may use the Chip-in on the sidebar
Please leave a comment or email me to let me know if you've posted.

God is so very good!  We never, in our wildest dreams, imagined when Khloie stole our hearts that we would bring her home eight months later!  That is GOD!

We have asked God to break our hearts for the things that break His, not in a way that makes us cry, but in such a way that it causes us to move.  It is often frightening and lonely, and always life-changing.  He is faithful, even when we are not!  To Him be the glory!

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21