Strickland Sentiments: Someone Else's Contest & A Very Good Update.....

No, nothing good like a referral ( I could be discouraging in that department, but there is other good news to share---so I will be discouraging a different day (just keeping it real!).

What a blessed day we had! It was our 2nd Annual Love 2 Run 4 Love and it was so good. We had over 211 registered runners/walkers/kiddos and rasied $3005 for 4 orphans to join their forever family. Being that we have just a tiny ways to go to being fully funded and our friends (such a PRAISE), The Douglas' who have THREE waiting kids already needing to come home (Read about them HERE) have a bit more to go----we are granting $2500 (3/4) to them and & raised $800 for Chloe----which brings us to 98% fully funded.....just $700 to be 100%. Now, this can change if we have to wait too much longer, and repeat home studies, fingerprints, etc. Let's hope that we won't have to do too many repeats. :/ We truly hope & plan to make this an annual event, each year either benefiting a local family in the midst of the adoption process OR a non-profit (Sparrow Ministries, Lifesong, or ShowHope) that has helped several local families with grants etc. We received a ShowHope grant and are so grateful! Bear with me, as we make Love 2 Run 4 Love more "official". Also, please note that the Douglas' worked hard too---they helped make the fundraiser a huge success....so I guess it isn't a grant. But we are "saying" they are like our first grant recipients should we become all official and such.

One of our sponsors that helped make our race a success, isn't even a local buisness. Worthy of the Prize is an online ministry/shop that supports adoption/sports ministries and benefits anybody in their walk with Christ. They have been super encouraging to me on our journey. So all that to say.....they are doing a giveaway and preparing an e-book and you can find out all about it at the link below. Of course, blogging about it gives me more chances to win BEAUTIFUL art (that I am always trying to win on PitterPatterArt).....but it also means you have a chance too. Don't be too alarmed if I am a bit jealous if you win. (I will get over it soon). :)

http://worthyoftheprize.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-celebration-giveaways-find-joy.html

OK---the splurge of the evening was that I bought a baby/toddler comforter tonight.....whether it will go in a crib or on a toddler bed---I do not know. All I know is that we were wandering aimlessly in Walmart and I came across it (which I occassionally have been searching for the right "bedroom" decor for Chloe). It has all the colors that are painted in Eden & her room and has flowers (her name means blossom), butterflies (which are painted on the wall and symbolizes new beginnings), and a tree (symbolizing our family tree). I know you are thinking---SHE IS CRAZY and overthinking a baby blanket. I might be. But here is the kicker, embroidered in the comforter is the words "love", "home", "wish" and "dream". How I wish and dream about our love being home with us. So I bought it. :)