The Glory of a Garage Sale (It's A Long One)

Ok, so now that we're through with our latest traumatic event, i.e. the Adoption Garage Sale, I can take some time and reflect over the past few days.

First off, the sale was a tremendous success! We made enough to complete our homestudy and then with the money we have saved already, we will be able to pay the next chunk off with only an additional $858!!! Can't tell you how excited I am. In biological parenting terms, it's like I just felt the baby kick for the first time. I know that $8,000 seems like a lot, but compared to Soph's adoption costs, this feels like nothing!

I have to do my "Oscar Thank You Speech," now. Huge, Giagantic thanks to my mom and dad who helped soooooooooo much! They gave up their garage for a whole week (3 car garage), went and got donations & tables, helped clean up, and worked their tails off during the sale - well, sweated their tails off (who has a garage sale in the middle of July??) Thanks to Mom Romey who got up at 4 a.m. yesterday to come watch Soph. To Karen Sutton who helped take money, to Laurah Unruh who donated half the items & gave my sister a whole new wardrobe! To Jen and Kel who made the clothes tables look beautiful (even if it only lasted 30 seconds). To all who donated: Dave (btw, we sold EVERYTHING of yours!), Laurah, Brooke,Toni, Jessica, Grandma and Grandpa, Dawn and John, Heather, Kim (those jeans went like hotcakes), Kayla, Bethany, Brittany, Jess, Courtney, Mr. Chase and Miss Kelley, all the Aims peeps and probably more who I'm forgetting....whoever gave us the bags of baby boy clothes - see below!

Ok, so now for some highlights:

If you've ever done a garage sale you know how aw-ful they are. We had our garage filled a month ago and then had to start filling my parents. The logistics of getting ready, the panic of "what if we don't have enough stuff?" and the fear of failing had all been weighing on me for at least a few weeks prior; however, God (as alway) TOTALLY came through. Here are some ways:

• Right before we closed a woman drove up in a black SUV and walked up to me and said, "We don't want to buy anything. I'm adopted and want to support you. She handed me a $20 bill." This happened throughout the day too - but that one really stuck out!

• We had an entire table filled with little baby boy clothes. A very pregnant hispanic woman all-but cleaned us out! When she found out I was only charging her $8 this look of amazement and wonder shone from her eyes. Her friend told me she was about to have a boy & didn't have any clothes for him! (I guess God was answering some other people's prayers through this sale too!)

• 1/2 an hour before we closed, we started passing out Wal-mart bags and telling people to fill them for a dollar. There were countless children who ran excitedly through our sale and filled those bags until they were ripping. 3-4 moms also had bags busting at the seams with clothes for their kids. These were families who drove up in cars that were nearly falling apart! It felt so good to feel like our sale was providing for them in some way, so when one little girl (maybe 8 or 9) asked how much the bike cost, I told her she could have it for free! She told me she'd never had a bike before...and if I hadn't sweated out all the moisture in body already, I would have cried right then (don't worry, I am now!)

• I was able to have countless conversations about the blessing of adoption & hopefully plant a seed in some hearts that will reap a bountiful harvest for orphans everywhere.

God is so good to us & throughout both of these adoptions I tend to forget that it's HIS kids we are adopting. He loves them waaaay more than I ever could and He will provide every cent to bring our little one home.

The greatest moment I've had in this adoption journey was a few weeks ago at church. The teens had come back from CIY and when we were singing, "Oh happy day, happy day...." they all (plus the sponsors) came running in and danced before the stage singing. There was an African American girl that caught my eye and I watched her as she jumped and sang, "No, No, No...forever I am changed!" I flashed-forward 13 years imagning that it was Soph, and I suddenly realized the true reason for adoption: by choosing to adopt Sophie she will be raised knowing the love and saving grace of her heavenly Father. She will live a life filled with His Holy Spirit and some day rest in His love and peace. THAT is the redemption of adoption....not just that her life is redeemed, but that her heart is redeemed for HIM!!!

This is my calling and I am honored to answer it! Even if it means spending two days sweating in the heat fighting with people over $.25 for the price of a picture frame!