Tomahawk Projects...Besides Adoption

Adoption is not the only thing that Mike and I enjoy.  :)  While we wait for our sweet boy, we (mostly meaning me) find lots of ways to get into trouble around the house.  This spring, I had the crazy idea that I wanted a flower garden across the back of the yard.  How hard can this be, right?  HA!  Mike was agreeable to this project seeing as our weeds were taking over his well manicured lawn.  With visions of beauty in our hearts and ignorance in our heads...we began the project...

...this is our yard before 3 pallets of brick, 20 bags of sand, 24 cubic yards of dirt, lots of rain, a little snow, and LOTS of helpful hands from my family...

...and...drum roll please...the final project!!!  Beautiful right?  Missing something??

...yes,  we neglected to realize that we needed LOTS and LOTS of dirt to fill in our "garden".  So this was delivered to our house (on the hottest weekend of the summer)...

...it turns out that 2 dump trucks of dirt is a LOT of dirt...24 TONS of dirt to be exact.  With the gracious help of family and friends, we managed to move all of this dirt in a single weekend.  In case you were wondering, we used wheelbarrows and manpower, not a Bobcat...despite the helpful advice given to us by multiple random strangers who stopped by to admire (and laugh) at our pile.  I have to say that our pups were especially helpful in our process...

...they were primarily supervisors on this "bathroom renovation" as Zoey called it.  But, in the end, it was all worth it and we LOVE our new garden!!  Now the fun begins!!

...THE FINAL PRODUCT!!!

...Zoey adding the final touches to her bathroom renovation...

...the first fruit of my new garden!!  I transplanted 3 Rose of Sharon bushes this spring thinking they wouldn't survive and here we are at the end of the summer enjoying their beautiful flowers!!

Adopt Together Fundraising Tool

Adopt Together is an online organization developed to assist families with the cost of adoption.  Over the last several years, the cost to adopt has continued to rise which prevents many orphans from finding forever homes.  Home study fees, dossier fees, documentation fees, and travel fees can reach upwards of $35,000 which discourages many families from pursuing adoption. This website allows adopting families to create profiles with their stories and through donations from family and friends, raise money towards the cost of their adoption.

Mike and I have gone back and forth on whether to use this fundraising tool.  Our choice to adopt is our own and we do not expect family and friends to foot the cost.  We trust fully in God that if He wants us to adopt, the funds will be available.  However, since making our adoption public, several people have asked how they can support us.  Honestly, outside of continual prayer, financial support would be greatly appreciated for those who feel led.  This website is set up as a non-profit organizations which allows us to receive 100% of the donated funds in the form of grants.  To donate to our adoption, click the "Donate with Adopt Together" tab to your left.  To learn more, watch this video: