We have a matching grant! + a few other fundraiser updates (mmm...pralines)!

One:
Currently, my FSP is at $410.61. Once it reads $500 ($89.39 more), I will have a matching grant of $100, bringing the total in my grant up to $600. This means that for every dollar you donate, I will receive about $2.12. You will more than double your money! BUT!!! It will not happen unless I get $89.39 more! The money is tax deductible so you have the potential to claim it on your taxes.

Two:
I am still selling my bath salts and body scrubs. $18 each, including shipping. The link is at the top of my blog. If you're interested in purchasing more than one, please e-mail me directly.

Three:
The owners of the Etsy shop PlusOneAdoption are generously donating a portion of their sales of pralines to me. The family that runs PlusOneAdoption is currently in the process of funding their own adoption as well! These pralines are $25 for a baker's dozen and come in 5 delicious flavors: Emily's Original, Bayou Bourbon, Café du Mile, and Ragin' Cajun Rum. When ordering, please make sure you select "Obenauf" on the family to benefit option. https://www.etsy.com/listing/165089800/pralines-bakers-dozen-of-one-pralines?ref=listing-shop-header-2&show_panel=true

Four:
As always, I have my Amazon link. It doesn't cost you anything to use it but a portion of your purchase does help me out. A win-win situation! http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=obenfamiadop-20

Five:
In January, two wonderful ladies will be sponsoring an auction for both me and another lady (her and her husband are adopting FOUR special needs children from EE). If you have anything you'd like to donate, please e-mail me and I will put you in touch with one of the ladies putting the auction on. I will also update when I have the auction dates.

Time to get your bidding on!

The auction for Zola started last Thursday and will run until 8:00 pm EST on Wednesday evening (12/18/13). Please make sure to check the link and bid on something! There are still many items without bids!

The auction is on Zola's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HelpZola

And a few items:

Shop Amazon? Use this link!

If you shop Amazon, a great way to help support us is to use this Amazon link. It's free for you and I earn a percentage of the sales.

Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=obenfamiadop-20

Giveaway Winner!

Congrats to Bianca O., the winner of the afghan giveaway! Please get in touch with me as soon as possible so I can mail you your afghan!

Thank you to all who donated to Zola's grant and shared the giveaway. It truly means a lot to both of us!

TWO DAYS LEFT!!!! Afghan Giveaway!!!!!

Tomorrow I will draw a winner for my afghan giveaway!

1 share = 1 entry
$5 donation = 3 entries
$10 donation = 6 entries
etc.

My FSP is here: http://reecesrainbow.org/68871/sponsorobenauf

Please forward your RR receipt to skobenauf@gmail.com

Now selling the perfect Christmas gift!

If you click on the "Scrubs and Salts" tab at the top of the page, you will find a list of the body scrubs and bath salts I am selling. They're all homemade and come in pint size canning jars. They're the perfect gift for mothers, daughters, grandmothers, teachers, neighbors, etc.

Price is $18, including shipping.

http://snowandhotcocoa.blogspot.com/p/body-scrubs-and-bath-salts.html

Homestudy Update!

Tuesday (Nov. 12) will be my first visit with the social worker! I have to be honest - it's both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time! I am excited to be headed down this path with God's blessing and to be adopting this adorable little girl but I'm nervous that I will say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing. Any advice on how to handle pre-home study jitters?

Please don't forget to take a look at my giveaway! The afghan is so pretty and warm, too! Perfect for wrapping up on the couch and reading a good book or sitting in front of a fire with some hot chocolate on a cold winter's night.

Also, I will be starting my first fundraiser within the next week - stay tuned for details! This will be an ongoing thing that I'll be selling on my blog.

Our first giveaway - an afghan!

This is the afghan that I am giving away! If you donate $5 to my FSP, you get 3 entries into the giveaway. Sharing the giveaway will give you 1 entry.

-- If you donate to my FSP, please forward your RR receipt to me at skobenauf@gmail.com

-- If you share this, please e-mail me the link and/or take a screenshot just in case I don't see it.

My FSP is http://reecesrainbow.org/68871/sponsorobenauf.

Giveaway will be Friday, December 6.

I'm going to be a mommy!

What an exciting title, right?!

It became official today with this webpage: http://reecesrainbow.org/68871/sponsorobenauf

I am going to be adopting a little girl from Eastern Europe. Her name is "Zola" (not her real name) and she's 2. The reason she is living in an orphanage is because she was born with Down syndrome. In many countries, it's a shame for a woman to give birth to a baby with DS and is discouraged from returning home with her child so the child is sent to live in an orphanage. Zola doesn't have a mommy. She doesn't know what a mommy's love is really like. She IS lucky in some ways though. The orphanages in her country are a lot better than in other countries. They take good care of her and show her love and affection but it's still nothing like what she will know once she comes home.

I cannot walk this journey alone. I need your support, whether that support be through prayers or a contribution to her adoption fund. At the link above, you can donate money to help fund her adoption and all of the money is tax deductible. You can also follow my journey here, on my blog or on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HelpZola I will be doing a lot of fundraisers so make sure you check both pages frequently!

Thank you for your prayers and support. It truly means a lot to me (and Zola).

Missing Monday: Brett

What is "Missing Monday"? Every Monday, I will be posting about a special needs child that is available for adoption. They're "missing" because they do not have a family to call their own. Their forever family has yet to find them but by advocating for them and putting their picture and their story out there, I am hoping that their family will find them.

How can you deny this adorable face? Doesn't he look like a big ball of FUN?!

Meet Brett.

Brett is an adorable, lovable, and handsome 6-year-old. He was born with cerebral palsy and gets around on his own by crawling but isn't able to walk. Therapy will do wonders for him! His physical disability limits his lower body, specifically his legs and feet, but he is very strong in the upper body and crawls very quickly.

Brett is very smart and curious. Due to having an institutional life thus far, he does have some learning and language delays but he still speaks in complete phrases around people he trusts. He enjoys cars, coloring, and games. He gets excited by pictures of dogs and other animals (he might LOVE living in a home with pets). He plays well with other children, likes classes, enjoys making pyramids, and loves it when he is read to.

His ideal family should be prepared to deal with some institutional behaviors and traumas. He will need the most assistance in understanding rules, family, and nurturing relationships. More photos of Brett are available. Brett has a grant of almost $7,600, which would make adoption much more affordable!