Saturday we had our Both Hands work day and it was fantastic! Here is a video that our super wonderful friend did for us! Totally worth the watch! We couldn't have done this day without our wonderful friends (especially one particular friend that worked her butt off to make this day happen, because I was just too overwhelmed to take it on....(she may, or may not, have been holding a riding crop in the video! Ha! Long story.....)
http://vimeo.com/64732085
Just the story of our little family that is slightly off kilter and just a wee bit strange...we laugh inappropriately , are super loud , we appreciate the small stuff and have a lot of fun doing life. Cause really , normal is so overrated anyway.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Give1Save1 Family of the Week~Eastern Europe
We are so lucky to be the Give1Save1 Family of the Week this week! I really love this organization and the idea that a little bit adds up to something big! Sadly, aren't independently wealthy and have had to depend on friends, family and strangers to help us with this adoption. We have had our fair share of crazy stuff that has happened that has set us back during this adoption as well and we have scrimped and saved as much as possible, but we still need help. I wish that wasn't the case, because I really hate asking for help!
But if you could spare a buck or two, it adds up quick! And if you wouldn't mind sharing on your FaceBook page, blog, etc.....that would be awesome! We really appreciate the help! And I know that Henry would thank you if he could!
Check it out....donate, share, and make a difference! Every dollar counts!
http://give1save1europe.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-week-welcome-saubers-family.html
But if you could spare a buck or two, it adds up quick! And if you wouldn't mind sharing on your FaceBook page, blog, etc.....that would be awesome! We really appreciate the help! And I know that Henry would thank you if he could!
Check it out....donate, share, and make a difference! Every dollar counts!
http://give1save1europe.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-week-welcome-saubers-family.html
Friday, April 12, 2013
What's Going On???
Well, it's been a long time since I have written a post.....like, January long! I had to back off for a while..... adoption is a long, hard journey and let's face it, not everyone is so nice and understanding about what we are doing. I had gotten too many nasty comments on my blog and couldn't take any more, so I quit. Like a big, fat, quitter. But I have heard from so many people that follow us and they want to know what the heck, so I'm back! Until another meanie says something, then I will probably be back in the corner in the fetal position, rocking and singing the Sesame Street theme. Happy place = Big Bird. Right???
We are still moving forward and still fundraising, (unfortunately!) and have a huge fundraiser happening next Saturday! It's through Both Hands and is truly living out James 1:27 and helping a widow and an orphan! Check it out! It's one of my favorite things.....if I were Oprah, people would be all over this thing!
http://bothhands.org/jeff-and-shauna-saubers
We have been given an official referral and Henry is OURS!!! Our facilitator travels to his orphanage this coming Monday to get new pictures (Squee!!! We have only ever seen one picture of him! ONE! I could possibly wet my pants!) and medical records! This is a day we have been waiting for, for a very long time! We look to possibly travel in June and if all goes well and we are granted a waiver, will bring him home that trip! We are praying that the funding will be there by that time and we can go when the say GO! I can't stress enough how much this little boy needs to come home! He's alone. In an orphanage. It's heartbreaking as his mother to think of that and go to sleep at night knowing that your child is in that situation. It is something that I didn't take into account when we started this process.....but again, adoption is hard stuff. Beautiful, but so, so stinkin' hard!
We also have a very sweet friend that has a little boy with Down syndrome, just like Henry! And it's his birthday tomorrow! And guess what his momma is doing??? She has asked that instead of presents for her little boy and his special day, to please bring a donation to Henry instead! How sweet is that??? How do you repay someone for that? I'm blown away by the kindness we have seen in our journey. There's that beautiful thing that keeps coming up!
We are also the Give1Save1 Eastern Europe Family of the Week coming up! I will post a link for that later!
I know we have a lot of fundraisers going on, but man, this process is wicked expensive! We are now on a rescue mission to bring Henry home.....what waits for him after the orphanage is a death sentence for him if we don't go get him. That, my friends, is not going to happen! So, when you see yet another fundraiser, please don't roll your eyes and think "Good grief! Another one?!?!". We aren't asking for you to fund a trip to Disney, you are truly helping save a life. And THAT, my friends, is a beautiful thing.
We are still moving forward and still fundraising, (unfortunately!) and have a huge fundraiser happening next Saturday! It's through Both Hands and is truly living out James 1:27 and helping a widow and an orphan! Check it out! It's one of my favorite things.....
http://bothhands.org/jeff-and-shauna-saubers
We have been given an official referral and Henry is OURS!!! Our facilitator travels to his orphanage this coming Monday to get new pictures (Squee!!! We have only ever seen one picture of him! ONE! I could possibly wet my pants!) and medical records! This is a day we have been waiting for, for a very long time! We look to possibly travel in June and if all goes well and we are granted a waiver, will bring him home that trip! We are praying that the funding will be there by that time and we can go when the say GO! I can't stress enough how much this little boy needs to come home! He's alone. In an orphanage. It's heartbreaking as his mother to think of that and go to sleep at night knowing that your child is in that situation. It is something that I didn't take into account when we started this process.....but again, adoption is hard stuff. Beautiful, but so, so stinkin' hard!
We also have a very sweet friend that has a little boy with Down syndrome, just like Henry! And it's his birthday tomorrow! And guess what his momma is doing??? She has asked that instead of presents for her little boy and his special day, to please bring a donation to Henry instead! How sweet is that??? How do you repay someone for that? I'm blown away by the kindness we have seen in our journey. There's that beautiful thing that keeps coming up!
We are also the Give1Save1 Eastern Europe Family of the Week coming up! I will post a link for that later!
I know we have a lot of fundraisers going on, but man, this process is wicked expensive! We are now on a rescue mission to bring Henry home.....what waits for him after the orphanage is a death sentence for him if we don't go get him. That, my friends, is not going to happen! So, when you see yet another fundraiser, please don't roll your eyes and think "Good grief! Another one?!?!". We aren't asking for you to fund a trip to Disney, you are truly helping save a life. And THAT, my friends, is a beautiful thing.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Landriebug's Puzzle fundraiser!
Our sweet Landriebug has decided to start fundraiser to help bring her brother home! She has bought, with her own money, a 100 piece puzzle of the world and when you "buy" a piece, she will write your name on the back of the piece. When all 100 pieces are sold, she will put it together and it will hang in Henry's room! It will be a reminder of how many people loved him home!
Landrie has decided that she would like to raise $10 per puzzle piece, because her goal is $1000! Not only are you helping bring Henry home, you are instilling the spirit of generosity and giving in an 11 year old girl.....I'd call that priceless!
Our PayPal link is on the top left side of our blog! Thank you!
Landrie has decided that she would like to raise $10 per puzzle piece, because her goal is $1000! Not only are you helping bring Henry home, you are instilling the spirit of generosity and giving in an 11 year old girl.....I'd call that priceless!
Our PayPal link is on the top left side of our blog! Thank you!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Matching Grant time!
We are so excited! We have been offered a matching grant of $300! If we are able to raise $300 by this Sunday the 27th, the grant will be matched another $300! That's $600! Woo hoo! We need this, friends! So please, if you can.....donate and share this post!
The best ways to donate are our Project Hopeful FIG fund...we can access these funds at any time and can use it for our dossier, which we really need to get done! AND it is a tax-deductible donation!
http://www.projecthopeful.org/waiting-kids/matched-children-and-families#Kael
You can also donate to our ChipIn...
Which, for the life of me, I can NOT get it to link here...but if you scroll down on the right side of the blog there is a label marked ChipIn that you can click on and it will take you there from back in the day when I could figure out how to link it! Sorry for the confusion! I am easily overwhelmed at this point!
There is also our PayPal tab on the top left of the blog!
Thank you so much for helping to bring our little man home! We are really to the point that we need to get this process wrapped up....it's time for him to meet his family!
The best ways to donate are our Project Hopeful FIG fund...we can access these funds at any time and can use it for our dossier, which we really need to get done! AND it is a tax-deductible donation!
http://www.projecthopeful.org/waiting-kids/matched-children-and-families#Kael
You can also donate to our ChipIn...
Which, for the life of me, I can NOT get it to link here...but if you scroll down on the right side of the blog there is a label marked ChipIn that you can click on and it will take you there from back in the day when I could figure out how to link it! Sorry for the confusion! I am easily overwhelmed at this point!
There is also our PayPal tab on the top left of the blog!
Thank you so much for helping to bring our little man home! We are really to the point that we need to get this process wrapped up....it's time for him to meet his family!
Help Henry Home!
Wonderful news....our time crunch/date/paperwork issue has been resolved and we are not working against that timeline any longer! BUT we still want our little man home as soon as humanly possible! So we are still working hard on fundraising and praying that we are blessed with some grants!
This week I would like to ask, okay, maybe beg...just a little, to share our family and our story with your friends on FaceBook, your blog, any way that you can! Several of our friends have already done this and our Project Hopeful FIG fund went up almost $800! In just a couple of days! We don't know if this will do any good, but we feel like it just might. Stranger things have happened!
So please, share our blog as many times as possible this week!
Oh and we have announced our little man's new name! We will be naming him Henry Jude (he is currently Kael on RR)...Henry means ruler of the home and Jude means praised and of course, St. Jude is the patron Saint of Lost Causes....which is just so appropriate for our family! Ha!
This week I would like to ask, okay, maybe beg...just a little, to share our family and our story with your friends on FaceBook, your blog, any way that you can! Several of our friends have already done this and our Project Hopeful FIG fund went up almost $800! In just a couple of days! We don't know if this will do any good, but we feel like it just might. Stranger things have happened!
So please, share our blog as many times as possible this week!
Oh and we have announced our little man's new name! We will be naming him Henry Jude (he is currently Kael on RR)...Henry means ruler of the home and Jude means praised and of course, St. Jude is the patron Saint of Lost Causes....which is just so appropriate for our family! Ha!
Monday, January 14, 2013
What's New
So I haven't posted in FOREVER. Mainly because I am busy and a little because I'm tired. Tired of this process. Tired of waiting. Tired of our boy being in an orphanage. Coffee doesn't fix this tired.
Some HUGE things have happened since my last post. Things I can't talk about....yet! But very good things! Seriously, don't you hate it when people do that? I do, yet I just did it. Hypocrite.
So, as of today I am finishing the last things up for our dossier. We are waiting for our blood work to get back. We had to re-do our physicals because we had them done almost a year ago and, apparently they "expire". Those should be all done on Friday. We will get all of the dossier papers notarized and then apostilled (come ON....we have to notarize the fact that our notary is real??? So weird!), which luckily, we can walk in to the Capitol and have done very quickly!
The kicker? We have to do this now. Like NOW. The dossier has to go ASAP! And we are $8000 short. Our homestudy approves us for a child "up to 3", well, the little Mr. turns 3 on March 3. IF we don't get the dossier in and get our referral back by his birthday, his country will say that we aren't approved for a child "3 and up". Makes me want to voh-meet, as my friend's son would say. We would have to re-do a lot of stuff.....homestudy update and a new USCIS approval. Which means more money and more time. We have applied for several grants, but it is a timing thing right now. We are gonna either have to put our little boy on a credit card or take out a loan. Sorry Dave Ramsey, we have completely failed you.
BUT a little boy's life hangs in the balance. He needs to come home. Soon. He's waited long enough.
And if you happen to know Dave Ramsey, ask him if he wouldn't mind making a donation to our adoption. I know he's good for it! And it's tax deductible! ;0)
Ways to donate to our adoption.....yeah, I hate this part too!
We are signed up to be a FIG Family with Project Hopeful! This is a tax deductible way to donate to our family. We are able to access this money at any time, so it could be used for immediate needs, like our dossier!
http://www.projecthopeful.org/waiting-kids/matched-children-and-families#Kael
Reece's Rainbow is another way to make a tax deductible donation to our family. We will get these funds when we are traveling to pick up our little man!
http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorsaubers
Paypal-
There is a link on the top left hand column of the blog. Not tax deductible, but we are able to access the money immediately.
You can also see the fundraising blog post for our Just Love Coffee fundraiser and 147 Million fundraiser!
THANK YOU! <3 We couldn't do this without your help and support. It truly does take a village! Our village rocks!
Some HUGE things have happened since my last post. Things I can't talk about....yet! But very good things! Seriously, don't you hate it when people do that? I do, yet I just did it. Hypocrite.
So, as of today I am finishing the last things up for our dossier. We are waiting for our blood work to get back. We had to re-do our physicals because we had them done almost a year ago and, apparently they "expire". Those should be all done on Friday. We will get all of the dossier papers notarized and then apostilled (come ON....we have to notarize the fact that our notary is real??? So weird!), which luckily, we can walk in to the Capitol and have done very quickly!
The kicker? We have to do this now. Like NOW. The dossier has to go ASAP! And we are $8000 short. Our homestudy approves us for a child "up to 3", well, the little Mr. turns 3 on March 3. IF we don't get the dossier in and get our referral back by his birthday, his country will say that we aren't approved for a child "3 and up". Makes me want to voh-meet, as my friend's son would say. We would have to re-do a lot of stuff.....homestudy update and a new USCIS approval. Which means more money and more time. We have applied for several grants, but it is a timing thing right now. We are gonna either have to put our little boy on a credit card or take out a loan. Sorry Dave Ramsey, we have completely failed you.
BUT a little boy's life hangs in the balance. He needs to come home. Soon. He's waited long enough.
And if you happen to know Dave Ramsey, ask him if he wouldn't mind making a donation to our adoption. I know he's good for it! And it's tax deductible! ;0)
Ways to donate to our adoption.....yeah, I hate this part too!
We are signed up to be a FIG Family with Project Hopeful! This is a tax deductible way to donate to our family. We are able to access this money at any time, so it could be used for immediate needs, like our dossier!
http://www.projecthopeful.org/waiting-kids/matched-children-and-families#Kael
Reece's Rainbow is another way to make a tax deductible donation to our family. We will get these funds when we are traveling to pick up our little man!
http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorsaubers
Paypal-
There is a link on the top left hand column of the blog. Not tax deductible, but we are able to access the money immediately.
You can also see the fundraising blog post for our Just Love Coffee fundraiser and 147 Million fundraiser!
THANK YOU! <3 We couldn't do this without your help and support. It truly does take a village! Our village rocks!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Funky Fish
Dawn at Funky Fish has graciously offered to do a fundraiser for adoption! For one week, 10% of the sales from her site will be donated to our adtoption fund! She has the cutest stuff and it is so reasonably priced! Great for Christmas presents! This is a one week only deal! It ends next Saturday!
Just mention "Saubers Adoption" at check-out and we get the credit! Thank you so much for putting up with another fundraiser from us!
Here is the link to her etsy shop.....she also has a FB page, so check her out and "like" her!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/FunkyFishJewelry
Just mention "Saubers Adoption" at check-out and we get the credit! Thank you so much for putting up with another fundraiser from us!
Here is the link to her etsy shop.....she also has a FB page, so check her out and "like" her!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/FunkyFishJewelry
Monday, November 26, 2012
Giveaway Update!
Huge news, friends! HUGE! The prizes for our giveaway have been donated to us! We do not have to pay anything out of pocket for these items! So all of your donations will go straight to our dossier fees! We really need this fundraiser to go well and this is a huge boost to us!
So keep sharing, tweeting, blogging and donating to get your entries! The "reserve" has been removed!
Thank you for helping us to bring home our little boy! It means so much to us!
Ok folks, I am really, really excited about this! We are having our first giveaway and I am a little nervous! I have never done a giveaway! If it was a silent auction for my favorite charity *cough*Best Buddies*cough*.....well, I help with that every year and could do it with my eyes closed! So this is a little new for me!
Here's the deal, we still need a lot of money to go get our little man! Like, a LOT. Right now we have a large chunk that we will need to have very soon to get our dossier on it's way across the ocean. We are doing everything in our power to raise this money. We don't like to ask for help. Ever. But this is a little different and a little boy is waiting in an orphanage.....waiting to come home and be loved.....waiting for his family.
So what better way to help bring him home and give you something in return to show our appreciation?
Here is how works.....
You can earn 3 entries a day just by sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. You have to then come back here, comment how you shared and leave a working email that I can contact you at if you win.
Want even more chances to win? No problem! Just donate to our adoption fund via the Paypal button or to make a tax deductible donation, use our FSP account. If you donate through the Paypal button we will double your entries!
Here is how you can earn more chances:
$ 5 = 1 chance
$10 = 2 chances
$15 = 3 chances
$20 = 4 chances
$25 = 6 chances
$50 = 15 chances
$100 =35 chances
Wanna know what you can get??? It's awesome.....really awesome! I feel like Oprah.....it's like Shauna's Favorite Things round here!
Oh, yeah.....you wanna know what we are giving away!
A brand spankin' new iPad Mini!
Squee!!!
Want more??? Ok, ok.....IF we hit $1500 in donations we will add another item! Did you hear that? Another. Item. This one is something that I use every single day and can not live without! I love it more than my luggage.....any Steel Magnolia's fans out there? No? Sorry, I'm easily distracted!
A Keurig Special Edition Brewer!
So get busy! Share away! Donate now! We are running this giveaway until December 12th! Make sure to come back and comment on this blog post so I know how many entries you have! Don't forget to leave your email address or I can't contact you if you win!
Thank you so much! It's really hard to put ourselves out there and ask for help and we want to know how much we appreciate all of your help and support!
So keep sharing, tweeting, blogging and donating to get your entries! The "reserve" has been removed!
Thank you for helping us to bring home our little boy! It means so much to us!
Ok folks, I am really, really excited about this! We are having our first giveaway and I am a little nervous! I have never done a giveaway! If it was a silent auction for my favorite charity *cough*Best Buddies*cough*.....well, I help with that every year and could do it with my eyes closed! So this is a little new for me!
Here's the deal, we still need a lot of money to go get our little man! Like, a LOT. Right now we have a large chunk that we will need to have very soon to get our dossier on it's way across the ocean. We are doing everything in our power to raise this money. We don't like to ask for help. Ever. But this is a little different and a little boy is waiting in an orphanage.....waiting to come home and be loved.....waiting for his family.
So what better way to help bring him home and give you something in return to show our appreciation?
Here is how works.....
You can earn 3 entries a day just by sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. You have to then come back here, comment how you shared and leave a working email that I can contact you at if you win.
Want even more chances to win? No problem! Just donate to our adoption fund via the Paypal button or to make a tax deductible donation, use our FSP account. If you donate through the Paypal button we will double your entries!
Here is how you can earn more chances:
$ 5 = 1 chance
$10 = 2 chances
$15 = 3 chances
$20 = 4 chances
$25 = 6 chances
$50 = 15 chances
$100 =35 chances
Wanna know what you can get??? It's awesome.....really awesome! I feel like Oprah.....it's like Shauna's Favorite Things round here!
Oh, yeah.....you wanna know what we are giving away!
A brand spankin' new iPad Mini!
Squee!!!
Want more??? Ok, ok.....IF we hit $1500 in donations we will add another item! Did you hear that? Another. Item. This one is something that I use every single day and can not live without! I love it more than my luggage.....any Steel Magnolia's fans out there? No? Sorry, I'm easily distracted!
A Keurig Special Edition Brewer!
So get busy! Share away! Donate now! We are running this giveaway until December 12th! Make sure to come back and comment on this blog post so I know how many entries you have! Don't forget to leave your email address or I can't contact you if you win!
Thank you so much! It's really hard to put ourselves out there and ask for help and we want to know how much we appreciate all of your help and support!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
The Black Friday/12 Days of Christmas Superfantabulous Giveaway!
Ok folks, I am really, really excited about this! We are having our first giveaway and I am a little nervous! I have never done a giveaway! If it was a silent auction for my favorite charity *cough*Best Buddies*cough*.....well, I help with that every year and could do it with my eyes closed! So this is a little new for me!
Here's the deal, we still need a lot of money to go get our little man! Like, a LOT. Right now we have a large chunk that we will need to have very soon to get our dossier on it's way across the ocean. We are doing everything in our power to raise this money. We don't like to ask for help. Ever. But this is a little different and a little boy is waiting in an orphanage.....waiting to come home and be loved.....waiting for his family.
So what better way to help bring him home and give you something in return to show our appreciation?
Here is how works.....
You can earn 3 entries a day just by sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. You have to then come back here, comment how you shared and leave a working email that I can contact you at if you win.
Want even more chances to win? No problem! Just donate to our adoption fund via the Paypal button or to make a tax deductible donation, use our FSP account. If you donate through the Paypal button we will double your entries!
Here is how you can earn more chances:
$ 5 = 1 chance
$10 = 2 chances
$15 = 3 chances
$20 = 4 chances
$25 = 6 chances
$50 = 15 chances
$100 =35 chances
Wanna know what you can get??? It's awesome.....really awesome! I feel like Oprah.....it's like Shauna's Favorite Things round here!
Oh, yeah.....you wanna know what we are giving away!
A brand spankin' new iPad Mini!
Squee!!!
Want more??? Ok, ok.....IF we hit $1500 in donations we will add another item! Did you hear that? Another. Item. This one is something that I use every single day and can not live without! I love it more than my luggage.....any Steel Magnolia's fans out there? No? Sorry, I'm easily distracted!
A Keurig Special Edition Brewer!
So get busy! Share away! Donate now! We are running this giveaway until December 12th! Make sure to come back and comment on this blog post so I know how many entries you have! Don't forget to leave your email address or I can't contact you if you win!
Thank you so much! It's really hard to put ourselves out there and ask for help and we want to know how much we appreciate all of your help and support!
*I HATE to have a disclaimer, BUT.....we are having to pay for these items out of our own pocket, they are brand new and have not been donated. We will have to have a "reserve" on the giveaway. We need to reach $850 to break even and make something to help bring our sweet boy home! Thank you for understanding!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Amazon fundraiser!
If you happen to be doing any cyber-shopping this holiday season, and happen to be shopping on Amazon, if you will pretty please use this link, we will receive 6% for our adoption! Super easy! Just follow this link and help bring our boy home! Thank you!
http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&l=ur2&linkCode=ur2&o=1%26%2334%3B%20width%3D%26%2334%3B1%26%2334%3B%20height%3D%26%2334%3B1%26%2334%3B%20border%3D%26%2334%3B0%26%2334%3B%20alt%3D%26%2334%3B%26%2334%3B%20style%3D%26%2334%3Bborder%3Anone%20!important%3B%20margin%3A0px%20!important%3B%26%2334%3B%20%26%2362%3B&tag=saubers-20">Name Your Link</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=saubers-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&l=ur2&linkCode=ur2&o=1%26%2334%3B%20width%3D%26%2334%3B1%26%2334%3B%20height%3D%26%2334%3B1%26%2334%3B%20border%3D%26%2334%3B0%26%2334%3B%20alt%3D%26%2334%3B%26%2334%3B%20style%3D%26%2334%3Bborder%3Anone%20!important%3B%20margin%3A0px%20!important%3B%26%2334%3B%20%26%2362%3B&tag=saubers-20">Name Your Link</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=saubers-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Another fundraiser! Yay!
We are now hooked up with 147 Million Orphans! If you place an order through them and use our unique code, we receive a portion of the sale! You must use our link for us to get the credit! Sadly you can't just go on their sight and enter our code, you have to use our link.
So, oh yeah! The link...
http://www.147millionorphans.com/?AffId=111
Now go get some Christmas shopping done! :)
So, oh yeah! The link...
http://www.147millionorphans.com/?AffId=111
Now go get some Christmas shopping done! :)
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
How You Can Help!
I have had many emails over the past few days and today, after posting a picture of a certain someone.....my email and FB has blown up! People want to know how to help and what they can do! I am beyond humbled! That has been one of the most unexpected parts of this journey.....the kindness and generosity of friends and strangers!
So, as of right now, here are ways that you can help!
So, as of right now, here are ways that you can help!
- Our Chip In widget is located on the right hand side of the blog. Just click and donate!
- If you would like your donation to be tax deductible you can mail your donation straight to our adoption agency! Please contact me for their mailing address and instructions! If you are wanting to do a straight, tax deductible donation, this is probably the best way!
- If you love coffee and NEED it like I do in the morning, check out: https://justlovecoffee.com/saubersfamily We will receive a portion of the coffee sales!
- Our dear friend is currently hosting painting parties for us! If you are in our area and would like to host one of your own, please contact me and I can get you set up! All of the proceeds, minus a small amount for supplies, will go towards our adoption! She is an amazing teacher and they are a lot of fun!
- You can donate straight to our little man's Reece's Rainbow account at: http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorsaubers
This is also tax deductible!
I am also going to be offering teacher gifts for your to purchase for your children's teachers, bus drivers, administrators, coaches, aides, etc! More info to come soon on this one!
We are going to continue to fundraise, so check back often! We will hopefully have something for everyone!
Thank you again for your support on this! We couldn't do this without you and appreciate your support, love and prayers so much!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Cha-cha-changes.....Ain't NO Mountain!
Well, it has been a veeeery long time since I have posted. But, boy have there been sum changes 'round here, folks! BIG changes! CRAZY changes! HUGE Changes! And let me tell you, I am just freaking giddy about them!
Firstly and most importantly....we have found a little man that we are in lovedy, love, love LOVE with! He is our son and we cannot wait to go get him! But, there's a catch......he's somewhere far, far away. Like L*thuani*, far away! But it's all good, because it is just absolutely meant to be! This is what all of this work/pain/time/money/heartache/wait has been bringing us to! Mommy and daddy are moving mountains to get to you, baby boy!
My heart breaks that he goes to sleep, alone, every night.....no mommy and daddy to read him a book, tuck him in and say his prayers with him. Does anyone come when he cries in the night? Can he walk yet? Talk yet? What does his voice sound like? So many questions, so many things we want to know! I thought the waiting before finding our child was hard? Haha! Nothing prepared me for this kind of waiting.
So, where are we in the process? We have been accepted by the agency and committed to this particular child. (Sorry no names or pictures yet! Until our dossier is accepted by his country, we can't publicly announce any specific details. Trust, me I want to scream it from the roof tops and plaster his picture all over the place! But, we can't.....just yet!) Our homestudy has been accepted and approved and we are currently working on our dossier. Our 1-800 immigration paperwork is ready to go, we just don't have quite enough money to send it in yet. Which is killing me.....money. Stinking money holding us up! As of right now we need $890 to send in our immigration paperwork and $6600 for our dossier.We are busy applying for grants and praying hard that some of those come through, because this is not a cheap process and sadly those amounts are just the tip of the iceberg. We are also trying to figure out some more fundraiser ideas, which I am sure everyone is really thrilled about (insert sarcastic eye-roll here)! He has some medical issues, so getting him home quickly is very, very important!
But we will do whatever it takes.....
We will cross seas and move mountains to bring this baby home.....because that, my friends, is what mommies and daddies do for their babies.
Firstly and most importantly....we have found a little man that we are in lovedy, love, love LOVE with! He is our son and we cannot wait to go get him! But, there's a catch......he's somewhere far, far away. Like L*thuani*, far away! But it's all good, because it is just absolutely meant to be! This is what all of this work/pain/time/money/heartache/wait has been bringing us to! Mommy and daddy are moving mountains to get to you, baby boy!
My heart breaks that he goes to sleep, alone, every night.....no mommy and daddy to read him a book, tuck him in and say his prayers with him. Does anyone come when he cries in the night? Can he walk yet? Talk yet? What does his voice sound like? So many questions, so many things we want to know! I thought the waiting before finding our child was hard? Haha! Nothing prepared me for this kind of waiting.
So, where are we in the process? We have been accepted by the agency and committed to this particular child. (Sorry no names or pictures yet! Until our dossier is accepted by his country, we can't publicly announce any specific details. Trust, me I want to scream it from the roof tops and plaster his picture all over the place! But, we can't.....just yet!) Our homestudy has been accepted and approved and we are currently working on our dossier. Our 1-800 immigration paperwork is ready to go, we just don't have quite enough money to send it in yet. Which is killing me.....money. Stinking money holding us up! As of right now we need $890 to send in our immigration paperwork and $6600 for our dossier.We are busy applying for grants and praying hard that some of those come through, because this is not a cheap process and sadly those amounts are just the tip of the iceberg. We are also trying to figure out some more fundraiser ideas, which I am sure everyone is really thrilled about (insert sarcastic eye-roll here)! He has some medical issues, so getting him home quickly is very, very important!
But we will do whatever it takes.....
We will cross seas and move mountains to bring this baby home.....because that, my friends, is what mommies and daddies do for their babies.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
We are doing the most awesome-est adoption t-shirt fundraiser EVER! These are honestly the best t-shirts I have ever seen! And if you know our little man, then you know this is right up his alley!
We have adult sizes S-XXXL and youth sizes XS-XL. All shirts are $20...XXL add $1.50 and XXXL add $
We have adult sizes S-XXXL and youth sizes XS-XL. All shirts are $20...XXL add $1.50 and XXXL add $
2.00.
Let me know your size and color! We have to have orders turned in on October 1st and we have to have a minimum order of 25 shirts...but we would LOVE to hit 100! :0)
Thanks so much for your support!
Let me know your size and color! We have to have orders turned in on October 1st and we have to have a minimum order of 25 shirts...but we would LOVE to hit 100! :0)
Thanks so much for your support!
Monday, August 27, 2012
White noise
Our kids all love white noise...each one of them sleep with a fan on or a white noise machine. Even I HAVE to sleep with a fan blowing in my face. Even in the dead of winter.....because that is what blankets are for. The Mr. hates it, but he endures it because he loves me. Right now I feel like everything is white noise right now.....the weather, the news, other people's problems, politics.....especially politics.....I feel like I can't focus. Or breathe. That nothing is more important than this horrible, searing pain that seems to take up most of my days and all of my nights.
I miss him. A lot. I know, I know.....we were only with him for a week, but a lot happened in that week and the dream of him had been planted so, so long ago. The loss of him is almost more than I can bear. The grief is this monstrous thing that comes to me, especially when I think I am "fine" and swallows me whole. The closest I can come to describing it is that he is like he has been kidnapped, which still isn't right either, but as close as I can come.....he's still out there, but I just don't know where he is or how he is. Is he being loved like I love him? Is he being read to? Sung to? I know he will never know the story of us.....the ones who loved him. And that we wanted nothing more than to bring him home to his brother and sisters and just love him. He will never know the plans we had for him. The wonderful things sweet friends had bought for him. How I have waited for him for years. How I was going to start pumping to breastfeed him and how his daddy was going to donate blood to have on reserve if he needed more....just so he would have a part of us.
The thought of moving forward feels like we are betraying him. Betraying his love, his memory. Betraying him. But we have to move forward. We don't have a choice. We have inquired about several children...all in different parts of the world. And we are praying hard. Praying for answers and guidance, that we can trust enough again to make it through this whole processand a boat load of cash to finance this whole thing! We don't really know what we are supposed to be doing, how we are supposed to be feeling, just that we are back to square one, starting this whole process over....the fundraising, the research, the waiting.
Don't get me wrong. I have wanted to quit. To throw in the towel and just be done! It would be so much easier to say, "we tried and it didn't work." This is hard. And it sucks. Big time. But there is that little voice that keeps saying, "you can't quit.....your child is waiting." So we have to keep going forward. Because someone is waiting. Waiting for a mommy and daddy to love them. To bring them home to their brother and sisters. To just love them. There are plans to be made.....memories to be made. And we want that so badly.
We love you sweet Theodore......we will always love you and will never forget you. Thank you for being ours.....even if it was only for a short time.
I miss him. A lot. I know, I know.....we were only with him for a week, but a lot happened in that week and the dream of him had been planted so, so long ago. The loss of him is almost more than I can bear. The grief is this monstrous thing that comes to me, especially when I think I am "fine" and swallows me whole. The closest I can come to describing it is that he is like he has been kidnapped, which still isn't right either, but as close as I can come.....he's still out there, but I just don't know where he is or how he is. Is he being loved like I love him? Is he being read to? Sung to? I know he will never know the story of us.....the ones who loved him. And that we wanted nothing more than to bring him home to his brother and sisters and just love him. He will never know the plans we had for him. The wonderful things sweet friends had bought for him. How I have waited for him for years. How I was going to start pumping to breastfeed him and how his daddy was going to donate blood to have on reserve if he needed more....just so he would have a part of us.
The thought of moving forward feels like we are betraying him. Betraying his love, his memory. Betraying him. But we have to move forward. We don't have a choice. We have inquired about several children...all in different parts of the world. And we are praying hard. Praying for answers and guidance, that we can trust enough again to make it through this whole process
Don't get me wrong. I have wanted to quit. To throw in the towel and just be done! It would be so much easier to say, "we tried and it didn't work." This is hard. And it sucks. Big time. But there is that little voice that keeps saying, "you can't quit.....your child is waiting." So we have to keep going forward. Because someone is waiting. Waiting for a mommy and daddy to love them. To bring them home to their brother and sisters. To just love them. There are plans to be made.....memories to be made. And we want that so badly.
We love you sweet Theodore......we will always love you and will never forget you. Thank you for being ours.....even if it was only for a short time.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
We aren't done yet.....
I really never thought I would be writing this. I never thought this would be how our journey would turn out. But after the heartbreak of having to leave him and come home and then meeting with our birth mom again and her deciding, again, that she would place with us...two days later we got the call..."Birth mom will not be placing the baby with your family...that is her final decision."
Her final decision.....I'm not even sure how to process all of this. What I am supposed to do. How I am supposed to act. There are days that I feel fine and then something as simple as the microwave beeping and triggering the thought of a NICU alarm, and then I'm right back to a blubbering glob on the floor. But, it's all right. Really. It is. Because you know what? I don't fault her one bit, because this......this is hard stuff. Beautiful, but hard. And that sweet baby? He's amazing. And I am having a horrible time moving on. Moving further away from him. God has big plans for that one, I tell you. Big amazing, miraculous plans!
Adoption usually doesn't turn out like this. But sometimes it does. And we are okay. We really are. Because there are good things that will come from this...I love my husband more fiercely than ever. I stood in a NICU for a week, holding his hand and watching him fall in love with a baby that wasn't his. A baby that almost died before our very eyes. A baby that we thought was ours. I saw that wonderful man break down and sob right along with me when we got the news and mourn with me. THAT my friends, is a real man. A real father.
And now I know just how strong I am. And how strong my husband is...even though our hearts are breaking, he picked me up and told me that it was ok to cry, but we have to move on...our children at home need us. The one that is waiting needs us.
Our children have learned to love and let go, as hard as it is. Sadly, they needed that lesson. This entire process has made us a better family.....a stronger family. A family that has walked through one of the most devastating experiences we have ever faced and we are still here. Still together. Still family.
Our family has seen love and support from complete strangers. People have stepped up to take care of us. We know that we are loved and what a blessing that has been during all of this.
I never thought our story would be a failed adoption. BUT I also know that our story isn't over yet. There is a little one.....waiting. A little one that may not be born yet or that may be in foster care or heck.....that may even be in another country...I don't know. Yet. But I do know that they are waiting. They are waiting for US and our family and our home and our love. I'm okay waiting for that.Although I secretly hope that it happens tomorrow. Just kidding.....not really.
So we carry on. We get up every morning and breathe in and out. We put on our pants and don't just lay around in our pajamas (which is what I secretly long to do, regardless of our adoption situation!) We are moving forward. But because we are grieving and mourning the loss of this sweet little man, it is so hard. Please don't think that this isn't "real" to us just because he wasn't really "ours". Because he was. For a week....he was ours and we were his. And we loved him just like we love all of our children. He. Was. Ours. Not legally, of course, but in our hearts at least......and we have lost that and it hurts oh so badly. So please, keep praying for us. I know that I may cry at really inopportune times right now, but I'm trying to keep it together. To still be a wife, mother, friend.....but I'm gonna need some time. And some help.
So please don't give up on us.....we aren't done yet!
Her final decision.....I'm not even sure how to process all of this. What I am supposed to do. How I am supposed to act. There are days that I feel fine and then something as simple as the microwave beeping and triggering the thought of a NICU alarm, and then I'm right back to a blubbering glob on the floor. But, it's all right. Really. It is. Because you know what? I don't fault her one bit, because this......this is hard stuff. Beautiful, but hard. And that sweet baby? He's amazing. And I am having a horrible time moving on. Moving further away from him. God has big plans for that one, I tell you. Big amazing, miraculous plans!
Adoption usually doesn't turn out like this. But sometimes it does. And we are okay. We really are. Because there are good things that will come from this...I love my husband more fiercely than ever. I stood in a NICU for a week, holding his hand and watching him fall in love with a baby that wasn't his. A baby that almost died before our very eyes. A baby that we thought was ours. I saw that wonderful man break down and sob right along with me when we got the news and mourn with me. THAT my friends, is a real man. A real father.
And now I know just how strong I am. And how strong my husband is...even though our hearts are breaking, he picked me up and told me that it was ok to cry, but we have to move on...our children at home need us. The one that is waiting needs us.
Our children have learned to love and let go, as hard as it is. Sadly, they needed that lesson. This entire process has made us a better family.....a stronger family. A family that has walked through one of the most devastating experiences we have ever faced and we are still here. Still together. Still family.
Our family has seen love and support from complete strangers. People have stepped up to take care of us. We know that we are loved and what a blessing that has been during all of this.
I never thought our story would be a failed adoption. BUT I also know that our story isn't over yet. There is a little one.....waiting. A little one that may not be born yet or that may be in foster care or heck.....that may even be in another country...I don't know. Yet. But I do know that they are waiting. They are waiting for US and our family and our home and our love. I'm okay waiting for that.
So we carry on. We get up every morning and breathe in and out. We put on our pants and don't just lay around in our pajamas (which is what I secretly long to do, regardless of our adoption situation!) We are moving forward. But because we are grieving and mourning the loss of this sweet little man, it is so hard. Please don't think that this isn't "real" to us just because he wasn't really "ours". Because he was. For a week....he was ours and we were his. And we loved him just like we love all of our children. He. Was. Ours. Not legally, of course, but in our hearts at least......and we have lost that and it hurts oh so badly. So please, keep praying for us. I know that I may cry at really inopportune times right now, but I'm trying to keep it together. To still be a wife, mother, friend.....but I'm gonna need some time. And some help.
So please don't give up on us.....we aren't done yet!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Today.....
Tomorrow is a big day.....the day that our birth mother decides if she will sign surrender papers. We had this same day, last Thursday.....the day our world imploded on us and we drove home in tears to break it to our children, that today.....he is not ours.
It has been a hard week of waiting and wondering. The little bunny has been refusing to eat and is convinced she is going to puke or die....stress, I suppose. But so hard to watch as her momma.... You never want to see your 4 year old sobbing that, "I no wanna diiiiieee!". Little Man is convinced that the baby died and we just won't tell him. We have run the gamut of emotions...from feeling dead and empty, to mad and pissed off at the world and how unfair everything is, to my cocky day when I thought I was "just fine" and then stayed up that morning until 4 am sobbing and missing that sweet baby so badly that I almost couldn't breathe.
Today, I have a little peace.....we are getting back into our routine of being home and not in the NICU. I realize that this is not about me or our desire to have this sweet little man come into our family and just bless our socks off. I realize that I have no say in this decision, no control. And, most importantly, I realize that maybe we were placed with this birth mom to support her during this time. To teach her that this baby is NOT a punishment from God, but a blessing. To teach her that people with disabilities are not to be pitied, but celebrated.....because they really are just like us. Maybe that was our role in her life. Maybe we were supposed to sit a week in the NICU and watch that sweet baby almost die and then turn it all around and stun a not-so-believing doctor that he maybe, just maybe, this little guy is a miracle! Certainly it's not the role we wanted or prayed for.....but then again, it just isn't about us.
And you know what? Today I am okay with that. Tomorrow when the call comes, I may feel completely different. But today..... today I am okay.
*We want to thank everyone for all of their thoughts, prayers and donations. You have all been so amazing! We are continuing to fundraise (that week, so far from home, hit us hard in the pocketbook!), because we KNOW that our adoption story is not over yet.....whether this baby or another.....there is someone waiting to come home! Thank you so much! We love you!
It has been a hard week of waiting and wondering. The little bunny has been refusing to eat and is convinced she is going to puke or die....stress, I suppose. But so hard to watch as her momma.... You never want to see your 4 year old sobbing that, "I no wanna diiiiieee!". Little Man is convinced that the baby died and we just won't tell him. We have run the gamut of emotions...from feeling dead and empty, to mad and pissed off at the world and how unfair everything is, to my cocky day when I thought I was "just fine" and then stayed up that morning until 4 am sobbing and missing that sweet baby so badly that I almost couldn't breathe.
Today, I have a little peace.....we are getting back into our routine of being home and not in the NICU. I realize that this is not about me or our desire to have this sweet little man come into our family and just bless our socks off. I realize that I have no say in this decision, no control. And, most importantly, I realize that maybe we were placed with this birth mom to support her during this time. To teach her that this baby is NOT a punishment from God, but a blessing. To teach her that people with disabilities are not to be pitied, but celebrated.....because they really are just like us. Maybe that was our role in her life. Maybe we were supposed to sit a week in the NICU and watch that sweet baby almost die and then turn it all around and stun a not-so-believing doctor that he maybe, just maybe, this little guy is a miracle! Certainly it's not the role we wanted or prayed for.....but then again, it just isn't about us.
And you know what? Today I am okay with that. Tomorrow when the call comes, I may feel completely different. But today..... today I am okay.
*We want to thank everyone for all of their thoughts, prayers and donations. You have all been so amazing! We are continuing to fundraise (that week, so far from home, hit us hard in the pocketbook!), because we KNOW that our adoption story is not over yet.....whether this baby or another.....there is someone waiting to come home! Thank you so much! We love you!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Because she's my friend
Because she's my friend, I've hijacked the Saubers' blog to tell you some stuff she won't tell you herself!
My name is Chrissy and I blog over at Injera and Chocolate Gravy!
I've known the Saubers family for 4 years now and I've grown to love this crazy bunch of people as much as though her children are my own!
Thursday night, a birth mom/first mom here in our area was admitted to the hospital to have an emergency C-section. Shortly after that, Baby T was born weighing in at a tiny 3lbs!
(Not sure how much info she wants shared at this point... so we will call him BabyT! Kinda like Mr. T... he's a fighter! More on that...)
Shauna and Jeff drove down the next day to go see the baby who was transferred to a hospital with better services for his specific needs. They have been there ever since.
Now... anyone who knows Shauna and Jeff knows they HATE asking for help. Shauna would rather die than ask me to pick up a gallon of milk for her... so I know this adoption-fundraising thing has her COMPLETELY out of her comfort zone. I'm here to tell you... you can seriously bless this family out of your surplus and help bring this baby boy home to the family who absolutely adores him!
He has some heart "stuff" going on and it was pretty tense earlier today. The phrase "make some tough decisions" was overheard, but we believe that only God can determine the number of days we have... and today was NOT Baby T's day! He fought those numbers on the machine and bounced back with vengeance! AMAZING!
So let me just say...
I have seen this sweet boy!!
The fact that he is HERE is a miracle of God.
He has the sweetest little face... the cutest tiny nose I've EVER seen (and I have 12 kids.. I've seen a bunch of noses!)... and a head full of blonde hair!
You WANT to be a part of the miracle in the making going on here!
You WANT to help this family bring him home...
because soon, she can share pictures on her blog...
and show the whole world how gorgeous this extra chromosome can be
and how loved this beautiful little boy is
and how much LIFE and JOY he adds to the world just by being here!!
You want to be a part of this in any small way possible!
Join in.
Pitch in.
Chip in... right there on the side bar.
Then leave a super sweet comment for Shauna to store up and treasure in her heart.
Baby T... Ms. Chrissy is SO proud of you for working so hard today!! You are one tough cookie!! Come home soon, baby boy!!
My name is Chrissy and I blog over at Injera and Chocolate Gravy!
I've known the Saubers family for 4 years now and I've grown to love this crazy bunch of people as much as though her children are my own!
Thursday night, a birth mom/first mom here in our area was admitted to the hospital to have an emergency C-section. Shortly after that, Baby T was born weighing in at a tiny 3lbs!
(Not sure how much info she wants shared at this point... so we will call him BabyT! Kinda like Mr. T... he's a fighter! More on that...)
Shauna and Jeff drove down the next day to go see the baby who was transferred to a hospital with better services for his specific needs. They have been there ever since.
Now... anyone who knows Shauna and Jeff knows they HATE asking for help. Shauna would rather die than ask me to pick up a gallon of milk for her... so I know this adoption-fundraising thing has her COMPLETELY out of her comfort zone. I'm here to tell you... you can seriously bless this family out of your surplus and help bring this baby boy home to the family who absolutely adores him!
He has some heart "stuff" going on and it was pretty tense earlier today. The phrase "make some tough decisions" was overheard, but we believe that only God can determine the number of days we have... and today was NOT Baby T's day! He fought those numbers on the machine and bounced back with vengeance! AMAZING!
So let me just say...
I have seen this sweet boy!!
The fact that he is HERE is a miracle of God.
He has the sweetest little face... the cutest tiny nose I've EVER seen (and I have 12 kids.. I've seen a bunch of noses!)... and a head full of blonde hair!
You WANT to be a part of the miracle in the making going on here!
You WANT to help this family bring him home...
because soon, she can share pictures on her blog...
and show the whole world how gorgeous this extra chromosome can be
and how loved this beautiful little boy is
and how much LIFE and JOY he adds to the world just by being here!!
You want to be a part of this in any small way possible!
Join in.
Pitch in.
Chip in... right there on the side bar.
Then leave a super sweet comment for Shauna to store up and treasure in her heart.
Baby T... Ms. Chrissy is SO proud of you for working so hard today!! You are one tough cookie!! Come home soon, baby boy!!
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