A few people have asked what would be the best approach in fundraising for a race, here's a letter to copy and paste, and fill in, to send to your family, friends, co-workers, church, etc.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Dear ______________,
As you know, I'll be racing (insert your race and date of the race here) this summer. I've decided to do it to race support for the Hansel Family's Adoption. You can read more about their journey here: www.hanseladoption.blogspot.com. Their story has touched me because _____________________. (Tell them about your race, why you race, your goals for the race.)
If you feel led to donate, I'm asking for a $____ per mile I race, which will bring them one step closer to bringing their little guy home.
Thank you for your support!
_________________________________________________________________________________
It means the world to us that you would take time to do this in honor of our adoption. We don't take it lightly. And would love to know what race you plan on doing to raise money for our adoption so we can be your biggest fans. Believe me, we'll be cheering the loudest.
The Hansel Family
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
we can do hard things
There is nothing we love more than our children. Jett, Maggie, and Faye have taught us to love challenges.
I thrive on feeling uncomfortable. I strive for workouts daily that exhaust me and leave me feeling every muscle for hours after. I'm also beginning to understand and appreciate recovery as a tool for getting stronger, where there is rest there is growth.
When you translate that to family life, Bob and I know that hard work, loving our kids well, staying up with a sick kiddo or to work, stretching ourselves for the needs of each other, constantly, does too, need it's rest time. We know what God calls us to do, and is calling us to do, is stripping us of our selfishness and our pride. And it's hurt, still will for awhile, or in another season with other challenges. But this kind of hurt is good. After all, he promises to bend, and not break us. He hasn't given us more than we can handle, though some times it's felt like it! I'd like to say our "on hold" time could be wrapped up in a nice little box and left there, but the truth is, it's been messy, and scarey, and exhausting, and well worth the place we are now. The lesson? We won't deny the mess of it, but be grateful He makes that mess beautiful.
We would love your continued prayerful support of our family, as we get back on this journey of adoption. And in the following ways if you feel led:
Our next class is May 4th, any takers for three fun kiddos for the day while we are in Fort Collins?
We'll be doing an online "31" bag party with details on my Facebook page.
Let's get the garage sale back and rolling!!!
When: Sunday, June 2, 2013
Donations appreciated up until Thursday, May 30
Are you doing a race this summer? Please contact me if you'd be interested in raising funds from your friends and family for ours!
I thrive on feeling uncomfortable. I strive for workouts daily that exhaust me and leave me feeling every muscle for hours after. I'm also beginning to understand and appreciate recovery as a tool for getting stronger, where there is rest there is growth.
When you translate that to family life, Bob and I know that hard work, loving our kids well, staying up with a sick kiddo or to work, stretching ourselves for the needs of each other, constantly, does too, need it's rest time. We know what God calls us to do, and is calling us to do, is stripping us of our selfishness and our pride. And it's hurt, still will for awhile, or in another season with other challenges. But this kind of hurt is good. After all, he promises to bend, and not break us. He hasn't given us more than we can handle, though some times it's felt like it! I'd like to say our "on hold" time could be wrapped up in a nice little box and left there, but the truth is, it's been messy, and scarey, and exhausting, and well worth the place we are now. The lesson? We won't deny the mess of it, but be grateful He makes that mess beautiful.
We would love your continued prayerful support of our family, as we get back on this journey of adoption. And in the following ways if you feel led:
Our next class is May 4th, any takers for three fun kiddos for the day while we are in Fort Collins?
We'll be doing an online "31" bag party with details on my Facebook page.
Let's get the garage sale back and rolling!!!
When: Sunday, June 2, 2013
Donations appreciated up until Thursday, May 30
Are you doing a race this summer? Please contact me if you'd be interested in raising funds from your friends and family for ours!
Friday, March 29, 2013
on hold
The rawness of this post has haunted me. I haven't known what to write, but I desperately want to. To live an authentic life we must be real, loved, worn, and genuine.
Bob and I have decided to put our adoption on hold and spend some time and energy directed toward our family now. We ask that you take your curiosity and direct it toward prayer for the path we are currently on.
The money you've so graciously given has gone to the adoption, and if you choose to give more in the upcoming months through races or the like, it will remain in our adoption fund. If, in the heartbreaking event, that we decide to not continue with this adoption, we will give it to another family pursuing their adoption and trust that Gods plan is greater than our own, we only walk in obedience where he leads.
Bob and I have decided to put our adoption on hold and spend some time and energy directed toward our family now. We ask that you take your curiosity and direct it toward prayer for the path we are currently on.
The money you've so graciously given has gone to the adoption, and if you choose to give more in the upcoming months through races or the like, it will remain in our adoption fund. If, in the heartbreaking event, that we decide to not continue with this adoption, we will give it to another family pursuing their adoption and trust that Gods plan is greater than our own, we only walk in obedience where he leads.
"We've learned so much, Siddhartha. There still remains much to learn. We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps."
Friday, February 22, 2013
GARAGE SALE
WE DON'T WANT YOUR JUNK :)
Date: Saturday, April 13
Drop off dates: now - April 11
We will be holding a garage sale to raise funds for our adoption on Saturday, April 13 starting at 7am.
Bring your gentle used donated items for us to sell (things you would buy yourself), we'll organize and price them and add to our jar!
If you want to volunteer to man the garage sale the day of, or come help price and organize the day before, we would sincerely appreciate it!
Also, are you a baker? Would you want to have a table with goodies to sell that morning as well?
Let's make this day great!
Date: Saturday, April 13
Drop off dates: now - April 11
We will be holding a garage sale to raise funds for our adoption on Saturday, April 13 starting at 7am.
Bring your gentle used donated items for us to sell (things you would buy yourself), we'll organize and price them and add to our jar!
If you want to volunteer to man the garage sale the day of, or come help price and organize the day before, we would sincerely appreciate it!
Also, are you a baker? Would you want to have a table with goodies to sell that morning as well?
Let's make this day great!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Jett's prayer last night
I felt this one last night, it hit me. And its one I pray most days, all day. I love this boy.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for a warm house and good food and great friends. Please help us not to get any sicker and stay healthy because its flu season. Thank you for Mom, Dad, Faye, and...................Maggie. Please take care of our new baby until we can get him. In Jesus name, Amen.
Can you imagine how that sounded in heaven?
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for a warm house and good food and great friends. Please help us not to get any sicker and stay healthy because its flu season. Thank you for Mom, Dad, Faye, and...................Maggie. Please take care of our new baby until we can get him. In Jesus name, Amen.
Can you imagine how that sounded in heaven?
Friday, February 8, 2013
here comes the... boom?
I wish I had a fun or clever way to present this... catchy phrases or one liners that looped you in and made you laugh out loud, but instead, I give you this:
OUR HOME STUDY PORTION OF THE ADOPTION IS PAID FOR.
In case your a numbers person, that's $5000.
That's a lot of friends, and friends of friends, and acquaintances, and complete strangers that have said they want to be a part of this and see our little guy be a Hansel.
That overwhelms me. We offer nothing more than willing hearts. We will do and go where God calls us. We will do anything. And God can do anything. So there ya go, you can cry, I did today, quite a few times.
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." Ephesians 3:20-21
What's the next step?
Now we finish the write up portion with our social worker and start to submit them, and 4 dozen other sheets of signed and notarized paperwork, to our placement agency. Then, we write grants, and pray for favor. And while we do all that, we hope that you'll continue to spread the story of our journey, to get this little guy home, debt free. We hope and pray that you'll enter a race and ask your friends to sponsor you, buy a bracelet, a barnwood frame, or think of some insanely creative way to support us through this. Most of all, we covet your prayers, to run this race with endurance, to wisely move forward, and to love and care for the family we are now, while helping us dream of the one we will become.
OUR HOME STUDY PORTION OF THE ADOPTION IS PAID FOR.
In case your a numbers person, that's $5000.
That's a lot of friends, and friends of friends, and acquaintances, and complete strangers that have said they want to be a part of this and see our little guy be a Hansel.
That overwhelms me. We offer nothing more than willing hearts. We will do and go where God calls us. We will do anything. And God can do anything. So there ya go, you can cry, I did today, quite a few times.
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." Ephesians 3:20-21
What's the next step?
Now we finish the write up portion with our social worker and start to submit them, and 4 dozen other sheets of signed and notarized paperwork, to our placement agency. Then, we write grants, and pray for favor. And while we do all that, we hope that you'll continue to spread the story of our journey, to get this little guy home, debt free. We hope and pray that you'll enter a race and ask your friends to sponsor you, buy a bracelet, a barnwood frame, or think of some insanely creative way to support us through this. Most of all, we covet your prayers, to run this race with endurance, to wisely move forward, and to love and care for the family we are now, while helping us dream of the one we will become.
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