Check Out How You Can Help Us G.L.O.W (Adoption Fundraiser)

G.L.O.W

Grow Love for Orphans Worldwide

Our AMAZING friend Kimberly and her family donated 200 of these bracelets to us to sell as a fundraiser to bring Ramya home from India.  Aren't they awesome!?!? 

They are made in the USA, high quality, and most importantly, they glow in the dark!

We are called to love and care for the orphans of the world; God's children. 

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

- James 1:27

Some people choose to adopt domestically, some internationally.  Some choose to donate to help support others adoption, some choose to support organizations that care for children.  It's not about how you choose to help, nor where you are called to help, but instead, it's about doing what God leads you to do... whatever and wherever that may be.  God has lead us to bring home Ramya, but we need your help!  You can G.L.O.W and help us bring Ramya simply by purchasing one of our bracelets. 

We are selling these for any donation to our adoption fund (with a minimum suggested donation of $5 each).  Shipping for two costs about $0.60.  Please consider sharing our fundraiser with your family, friends, coworkers, and Church congregation.

If we can sell each bracelet for $5, after the cost of shipping, we can earn over $800 for our adoption!!!!!!

All the bracelets are size medium, 7.5 inches.  Here is how it looks on Conner...

And on me...

And on David...

To order, please e-mail me at jamie_lugo@hotmail.com and include your name, the quantity you would like, your address, and how you would like to pay (check, paypal, cash, etc...).

THANK YOU FOR GLOWING!

Thank you to all of our friends and family who helped us with our fundraiser!!

• Carolyn (1)
• Kimberly (2)
• Frank and Nanette (4)
• Sarah (1)
• Grandma and Grandpa V (2)
• Kathy (aka mom and grams) (20)
• Leslie (2)

Total Raised: $295

Our Current Fundraising Adoption Goal

I just got our final bill from WACAP.  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean we are anywhere near done fundraising and paying for the adoption, but it does mean after we pay this bill, our WACAP fees are fully paid... WOOO HOOOO!  We will still need to raise/save about $5,000- $8,000 for a lawyer to do the adoption here in Arizona (I am hoping to find someone who will do it for less!!) and our travel fees.  Travel will be 4 tickets there times $1,500 a ticket, and then 1 return ticket home, about $750, for Ramya (about $6,500 for airfare).  We will also need food, transportation, etc... in India.  We also need money for her visa and the kid's passports.  The good news is, we have quite a few months to save it that portion up.

Here's what our current fundraising/saving goal looks like:

$2,300 Final WACAP bill
- 540    My babysitting money
- 100    From the Zupko family (THANK YOU!)
- 60      From the Merkel family (THANK YOU!)
- 65      Raised from selling bracelets so far
_______
$1,535 to go on our current goal
-210 bracelet sales
_______
$1325 to go!
-58 thirty-one fundraiser
_______
$1,267

To read about our current bracelet fundraiser, and to see an update on how many we have sold and our total earned, please click HERE.

Thank you for following our journey, praying for Ramya and our family, and for all of your support!!  We couldn't do this without you!

Our Easy Solution for the Day.... A Small Playhouse Make-Over

As I previously posted about, Madi and Conner got a playhouse for Christmas.  We got it off of Craigslist and specifically searched this model of Little Tykes house out because it has a side panel that opens up, making it wheelchair accessible.  There was a small issue with the playhouse; that issue being that there were cupboards to store things in, but madi can't reach down in to the cupboards in her wheelchair or mobile stander, and it's hard for her to even in her up-ups.

I went to Lowes and talked with a guy about what I was trying to accomplish (shelves inside the cupboards that are more easy to reach.  He was amazing and looked in a million isles with me, brainstorming a bunch of different ideas and options.  Finally he remembered a newer product they had, industrial strength Velcro that can stick to most any surface, even rough ones.  I went to the dollar store and found baskets that were just the right size.

Because the baskets I found had open slats, and I wanted the sticky back of the Velcro to be able to stick, after sticking on the Velcro, I used a thin plastic vinyl (found at any fabric store) for the inside of the basket (so the Velcro went on the outside with the sticky part facing against the outside slats.  Then, the Velcro went on the inside, across the slats and stuck to the stick part of the Velcro).  I used the baskets on the walls, so that they would be easy to reach.

Next I added our play cups, plates, utensils, and bowls, so that Madi would be able to reach them easier.

I'm not done yet, I just ran out of Velcro and baskets :).  My plan is to add a few more down below the others and also add a few inside of the cupboards that will open out when the cupboards are opened.  I'm glad to have such an easy and fast solution, though!  So far, it's working out well!









$58 closer to our goal (and a quick update)

I just wanted to say a big "thank you" to Amanda for hosting a thirty-one fundraiser for us.  Thanks to her (and the generous people who purchased from her for our fundraiser), we are $58 closer to our goal!!  YEAH!  I updated the ticker, and we are getting closer! 

We do have a small update on the adoption as well.  The i-800a information came back saying that my fingerprints didn't go through (because they stink and they can never get a good copy), so I have to, instead, send in a letter stating I have no criminal background.  I already had a letter written, but that one went to India, so I go tomorrow to get a new letter.  Once that is done, we will hopefully hear back on our i-800a.  Once the i-800a is approved, we can be processed/approved in India.  Our paperwork is already in India, but for now, it sits waiting for our i-800a approval.  So, another un-update, but an update none-the-less.

Thanks for following our journey and for walking it with us!

Our Snow Adventure

My parents have a cabin in Flagstaff and we went there to go sledding over the 3 day weekend.  We had a BLAST!  Just thought I'd share some photos :).

(Yup, that's a giant snow ball in his mouth :))

She wanted to sled by herself, so I took her up just a couple feet and she sledded down !



Need Valentine's Day Gifts? Love Avon?

Carena is still giving 20% of her purchase towards our adoption!! If you need anything from Avon, she's your gal! Here's the info...


I will donate 20% of all sales toward bringing Ramya home. Please consider placing an order- even a small one, to help support this amazing family in their journey to bringing Ramya home. Thank you!

http://cstamps.avonrepresentative.com/online_event/view.php?rep_spnsr_evnt_id=217566


Click on "online events" and shop from there to benefit Ramyas adoption.

Need Valentine's Day Gifts? Love Avon?

Carena is still giving 20% of her purchase towards our adoption!! If you need anything from Avon, she's your gal! Here's the info...




I will donate 20% of all sales toward bringing Ramya home. Please consider placing an order- even a small one, to help support this amazing family in their journey to bringing Ramya home. Thank you!



http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youravon.com%2Fcstamps&h=ZAQHL8K0fAQEIk0Jvg21si6kWRUOD1DDAJ9JNTHAyNNoQuA



Click on "online events" and shop from there to benefit Ramyas adoption.