Adoption Donation Opportunity

Up until now, we have not had any way to offer a tax deductible receipt to anyone who wished to make a donation to our adoption fund.  However, for the next month or so, our church is taking up a special offering for our travel expenses--the final amount needed to bring Sophia home--and is willing to add any additional gifts that might come from people outside the church.  The church will then issue you a receipt.  If you would like more information on how to do this, please e-mail me at tfisher83@myexcel.com.  You can follow our fundraising progress on the sidebar of our adoption blog...thanks!

Happy Birthday, Sophia!

Today is our daughter's third birthday.  Unfortunately, we are not with her on this special day, but we know she is being well cared for by a foster family who loves her very much.  We are still in need of over $6000 to make the trip to Taiwan to bring her home.  Please continue to pray that this need would be met, and check out our adoption blog for ways you can help support us on our journey...perhaps you would even consider a donation in honor of Sophia's birthday!

We love you, Sophia!

Getting Closer...

I just wanted to remind everyone about our name doily adoption fundraiser, as Christmas is getting closer, and perhaps you would like to order a name doily as a unique gift and at the same time, help us meet our orphanage fee goal!  We also have our Forever Family cookbooks available for $15--these have received rave reviews from everyone who has used them!  Lastly, we have a limited amount of beautiful hand painted Chinese glass ball ornaments available for $20.

They come in their own special Chinese box and are also great for gift giving.  Any one of these items would bring us closer to our orphanage fee goal which we hope to have to pay soon!  If we can help you check off some gifts on your list, leave a comment, and I'll get you the information you need...thanks!

Handmade Doilies by Brenda - New Adoption Fundraiser!

Are you looking for a unique, handmade gift for that special occasion coming up? Well I have just the idea for you, and I can bet that no one else will give the same gift! My mother-in-law, Brenda, makes beautiful, handmade, crocheted name doilies. She is offering her talents as a fundraiser to help us bring Sophia home from Taiwan.


Now for the details...these unique doilies are available in white or ecru/tan, horizontal or vertical, with a lacy shell or pointed edge border. They are beautiful matted and framed, or as a pillow top, and are usually ready in 1-4 weeks. They make great holiday, graduation, wedding, birthday, teacher or baby shower gifts and are excellent for first and/or last names, nicknames, slogans or favorite sports teams. The doilies cost $25 for up to 5 letters and $3 for each additional letter. You choose the color, edging, and of course, the personalization. This is a fundraiser for our little Sophia with a minimum of $10 per doily being donated to Sophia’s adoption...and you get a unique, personalized keepsake for yourself or to give as a gift!

We are taking orders on a first-come, first-served basis, so get your holiday orders in as soon as possible! To place an order, e-mail me at tfisher83@myexcel.com with your desired color, edging, and personalization. I will then send you an invoice via Paypal. As soon as I receive your payment, your order will be processed and filled! (For those orders requiring shipping, an additional charge of $5.00 will be added to cover priority shipping costs.) Please help us pass the word around about this fundraiser, and thanks for supporting our family and helping us bring our daughter home from Taiwan!

Grandmom's Pound Cake

Grandmom Christian's pound cake was a staple in her house growing up.  And because we lived overseas, when we were home, it was a really special treat.  I grew up hearing how ornery the cake was, because sometimes it didn't turn out as a pound cake--but as a ten pound cake--way too heavy and a waste of precious ingredients.  I have always been a little afraid of trying it, but I just got a hankering for it and, after calling Grandmom and getting some last minute advice, I tried baking it today for the very first time.  And, I'm proud to announce...IT TURNED OUT BEAUTIFULLY!  

just out of the pan

ready to be eaten...yum!

If you would like this recipe, it's in our Forever Family cookbook that we are selling as an adoption fundraiser...check it out here!

Adoption Update

It is July already...hard to believe that half of 2010 is in the history books!  By the end of this month, we are hoping to have a HUGE milestone completed toward our adoption of Sophia...our referral dossier in Taiwan awaiting our court date!  God allowed us to complete all of the paperwork on our end in record time during the month of June, but we are still waiting for some legal paperwork to come from Taiwan.  When that arrives, we sign, date, notarize, and state authenticate everything--and then it can be out of our hands and on its way to Taiwan!  There is only one thing that can slow that down at this point...when we send our dossier back to Taiwan, the orphange fee needs to go with it.  Right now we are still needing about $3000 to cover that expense.  We know God is able to provide, and will provide in His time.  Would you like to play a part in ransoming a child from a life as an orphan?  Help us bring Sophia home

HERE!

Sophia's 100 Good Wishes Page

I'm excited to announce that we have launched a 100 Good Wishes Campaign to support Sophia's adoption from Taiwan!  Through the link to the right, you can visit our 100 Good Wishes page, and leave your good wishes for Sophia.  This is based on the idea of the 100 Good Wishes quilt, a Chinese tradition that spans generations.  The 100 Good Wishes folks have set up their organization specifically to help adoptive parents in their efforts to raise the necessary funds to bring home their children.  Please feel free to pass along our information to any friends you might have who would be willing to support our endeavor as well.  Thanks, and God bless you!

Where...

...has the time gone? I figured I should at least try to figure out an answer to that question for myself, so let's see...in the last of half of March (in no particular order):

- I held my Pampered Chef show and it went very well. Thank you to all who ordered to help bring Sophia home!

- I finished out a reading emphasis month at school with various weekly activities. I kind of spear-headed the whole thing, and was very pleased with how it went. And, my K5 class tied with the High School for the most participation, so they get a special lunch as a reward!

- I dealt with a sick hubby and sick kids and ended up sick myself. I'm trying to get rid of a very stubborn cold/sinus infection and am running on near empty every day...ugh!

- I had the girls from our Grantville Girls Bible Club over for homemade pizza and a movie. It was fun!

- I taught my grad class at LBC, worked my last few hours at The Children's Place (I'm now per diem) and of course taught K5.

- I went to DE to attend a Stamp Camp with my mom and had lots of fun being creative.

- I read a variety of books including Jana's Journal by Jeanette Windle. I really like her books, both for kids and adults!

I'm sure there are more things, but that's all my foggy brain can remember at this point. Suffice it to say, it's been busy around here! I'm glad for a mini Spring break this weekend, and time to meditate on Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made on my behalf.

Happy Easter!

Pampered Chef Adoption Fundraiser

I am hostessing a Pampered Chef party next week as a fundraiser for our adoption of Sophia. In lieu of hostess benefits, a percentage of all purchases will go towards our adoption fund. If you would like to order something (it can be shipped to you!) please visit my consultant's website, and click on my show! The deadline to order is Friday, March 26. Thanks!

Grand Opening: Hatch Studio and Gallery

Please join me in congratulating my friend, Bethany Hissong, on the Grand Opening of her dream, Hatch Studio and Gallery! I am so excited for her! If you live in the Lancaster, PA, area, you might want to come on out on Saturday, May 2, between 5 and 10 p.m. to check it out for yourself! All of the Grand Opening information is on her website, as well as information about the first adult photography class and the summer children's classes--of which my sons will be a part for sure! Beth is a fantastic artist in her own right, as well as an Art teacher. She is displaying and selling creative works from her friends around the world, including some adoption fundraising cards made by me and my mom. Please join me in congratulating her by visiting her blog, Red Yarn, and leaving a comment! Hope to see you on Saturday!

Yard/Bake Sale Update!

Check out our adoption blog here for an update on this past weekend's yard/bake sale fundraiser. God provided in a huge way! Thanks for praying!

The Cookbooks are Here!

Visit our adoption blog to find out how you can help support our adoption by purchasing one of these great cookbooks! Thanks for helping us bring Sophia home from Taiwan!

Adoption Fundraiser Opportunity

We have been blessed with so many donations to our upcoming garage and bake sale...continue to pray for good weather and lots of buyers! In this process, a couple of ladies from our church have also offered to help us do a "fundraiser within a fundraiser" through their home businesses. One such opportunity is through Avon. If you are interested in purchasing some items from Avon to help us with our adoption expenses, please leave a comment with your e-mail address, and I will send you a listing of what is available. Special combos of items have been created for this fundraiser in all the categories we know and love from Avon...perfume/cologne, makeup, lotions, etc. We will receive up to 40% of the retail price of anything ordered during the fundraiser, and all of it will go towards our international adoption expenses. Items can be sent anywhere as long as you are willing to pay the postage! Thanks in advance for your support and for helping us bring Sophia home from Taiwan!

Help Another Adoptive Family

I have come across so many families doing so many creative things to raise money to bring their adoptive child(ren) home. On my Taiwan adoption yahoo group, the adoptive mom behind this fundraiser asked for prayer because at this point, she will only break even, if that, with her fundraiser, and it only has two weeks left. If you are interested in helping this family bring home their little Josiah, a special needs child, please check out her blog. Even if you are not personally interested in the prizes, they would make great gifts. Thanks...and don't forget to scroll all the way down on the blog to see a photo of little Josiah!

This and That

Tonight I had a "Mom's Night Out" with a friend from church. Our whole play group was invited, but it ended up being just the two of us. We went to a Japanese steakhouse where I had my first experience with a hibachi. It was yummy! Then we mosied around a couple of stores and chatted well into the evening. My hubby deserves a special thanks for allowing me to go, as we have the flu bug going around our house right now, it seems, and Benjamin waited until Mommy left to get sick again...I'll spare you the details!

I have been really blessed by some great friends in our new town. Most of them have come through church, but some have not. They are helping me plan a big adoption benefit garage sale in April...stay tuned for more details on that...and are so excited to see our adoption come to fruition. I'm very grateful for the support they, and so many other friends from all over, are giving us on this journey.

Tomorrow Jonathan has a basketball game. He has been playing for three years now, and this year is doing very well. Both he and Sabastian brought home decent report cards today, for which we are also thankful. They continue to work hard and do their best (most of the time!) and we are really proud of them.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Adoption Holiday Gift Fundraiser Updated Below...

"Good Fortune" Ornament

9/12/08 Update: You can now order much more than these ornaments and support our adoption efforts at the same time! All items for sale are so unique and would make one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends. There is jewelry, tableware, art work, and so much more...visit

http://holidayadoptionfundraiser.blogspot.com/

and check out the links on the top right hand side for two slideshows full of gift ideas! As always, when you order, remember to reference our family so that we get the profit for your purchase. Thanks for supporting us, and other adoptive families, in this way!

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Chinese artisans are world renown for their intricate artwork. The ornament shown above is one of several ornaments you can purchase to help us in our quest to adopt from China. These ornaments are painted on the inside, a technique that has been perfected in Chinese handiwork. In addition to "good fortune", you can choose ornaments containing the Chinese characters for "peace", "love", and "double happiness". Click here to check them all out! The way this works is you place an order from the website, and designate "The Fisher Family" as the beneficiary of your order. At the end of the sale, we will receive the profit from all sales where we have been designated, as well as a portion of the proceeds that may not have been specifically designated to any one family. There are many families participating in this fundraiser--you can read all about it on the website. These ornaments would make very unique and beautiful Christmas gifts, but you want to order early, as they do come directly from China and last year we sold out. There are a couple of specials running in September which you can also read about on the website. Thanks for taking the time to check this out and for helping us on our journey to Sophia in China!

Calling All Cooks...Recipes Needed!

Do you like to cook? Do you have a favorite family recipe or two? Then we could use your help! We are going to publish the "Forever Family Cookbook" as an adoption fundraiser. I need at least 250 different recipes from at least 150 different individuals, so...please pass the word to families, friends, Sunday School classes, women's groups, etc., etc.! I would love to receive recipes from around the world...in fact, it would be really neat for people to submit favorite family recipes that highlight their family's heritage. You can send recipes to me via e-mail at tfisher83@myexcel.com, or, you can click here for a .pdf file that you can print, fill in, and send to Terri Fisher, PO Box 146, Jonestown, PA 17038. Please include your name and, if you know it, the "heritage" of the recipe (english, german, chilean, etc.) so that they can be included in the cookbook. Feel free to print several forms and pass them to friends and family, and if you have a blog, please help us get the word out...we need all the recipes we can get! Recipes can be for anything edible, so pull out those recipe boxes, old cookbooks, and tattered pieces of paper, and get typing...or writing...so we can bring Sophia home! (And stay tuned to our blog to learn how you can order a cookbook soon!)