Another RAFFLE!

On Monday we received our next step, our I-800 (approval from Homeland Security).  This means that if things keep moving and we don't get hung up anywhere, we will be traveling to China around the middle of September...in about 4 weeks!  Eeeeeekkkkkk!!  We still need about $5000 to finish our adoption costs (flight costs are rediculously expensive) and will need this amount in about a month from now so we can book our reservations.  My sweet, dear friend Christy has arranged a pretty amazing raffle to help us raise our remaining funds to get to China!  It will work the same way the last raffle worked... $5 per entry or 5 entries for every $20 you donate.  Plus once you donate, every time you share this information on your Facebook or Twitter, you will get an additional entry (just let me know where you shared it). Except this time, there's many more chances to win because she has collected lots of prizes for us to give away!  We have to give away:I
*TWO $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR 31 BAGS
*TWO GIFT CARDS FOR CUSTOM T-SHIRTS FROM DAZZLING ANGELS
*$25 GIFT CARD FOR SCENTSY
*$25 GIFT CARD FOR VELATA CHOCOLATES
*$100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO SLATES IN FRESNO
*$500 TOWARDS ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT AT KUBO ORTHODONTICS
*26 OUNCE FRESH ORANGE GOLD CANYON CANDLE
*BEAUTIFUL NECKLACE AND EARRING SET
*FREE SET OF GEL NAILS
*PRIME RIB (OR WHATEVER YOU REQUEST) DINNER FOR FOUR DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR...MADE BY MY MOM WHO IS A DELICIOUS COOK!
*ONE $25 AVON GIFT CERTIFICATE
*ONE $25 COOKIE LEE GIFT CERTIFICATE
*FOUR $20 GIFT CERTIFICATES TO YUKON JACK'S (GOOD IN FRESNO OR KERMAN)
*ONE $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO COOL HAND LUKE'S (GOOD IN CLOVIS OR MADERA)
*ADORABLE WOODEN BLOCKS (PICTURED BELOW) MADE BY KRAFTY KERRI
*TWO AMAZING CLAY SCULPTURES (PICTURED BELOW) MADE BY LINDA GREENE
*THREE GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR A FREE STORAGE UNIT FOR 6 MONTHS AT PACIFIC STORAGE IN FRESNO
*GRAND PRIZE WILL BE ANOTHER KINDLE FIRE!!

So you have at least 17 prizes you have a chance of winning!  Please help us out with a cash donation and by sharing this with your friends and family. To donate, click the donate or Chip In link on the right side of this blog (or contact me if this doesn't work). If you have an item you can donate to raffle off, let me know. We're almost to the finish line and I am confident we will make it with God on our side!  Please keep us in your prayers.

 The sculpture below is based off of Matthew 19:14

And here is a picture of Laura who won the last
Kindle Fire Giveaway (WE ARE NOT RAFFLING HER OFF)!

LOA!

Today we finally received, after 69 days, our Letter of Approval from the Chinese Government.  This document gives us official approval from China to adopt Brayden and now allows us to apply for our Visas.  It is one of the longest waits in the process and I'm glad it's one that is now behind us.  The average wait right now from LOA to travel is about 10 weeks!  10 weeks and we will get to meet our boy!  We are hoping to leave around September 20th and returning around the 1st of October, putting us back home in time to see Katelyn show her pig Paisley at the Fresno Fair and in time for her 16th birthday.  If we are delayed at all, this puts us in a sticky situation because China has a huge, month long, trade fair during the month of October and prices for flights and hotels double during that time.  Will you join us in praying for mid-September travel?
Thank you to all of you who entered our drawing for the Kindle Fire!  We ended up making $500 on the fundraiser because of all of you!  Please continue to pray that the funds continue to come through for us within the next two months. 
I will leave you with a couple of the new pictures we recently received of Brayden.  Can't wait to hug him and see his sweet face in person!  Please keep him and his heart in your prayers as well, as he prepares to leave his friends, care givers, and the only life he has ever known.