I'd like to say tomorrow is big day #1, but in reality, by the time I finish typing this post, it'll surely be more accurate to say "today." So, let's just say:
Big Day #1 has arrived!
We are ready to submit our applications. Well, not quite. We still have a few more pieces to finish up, (mostly the facts and figures that require me to look at actual paperwork to decide, such as exact income, etc.) but for the most part, we are finished, ready to submit applications, and they should be in the mail within the next 24 hours. Yay! That's a hurdle that took longer to cross than I had expected. We had a few minor inconveniences which delayed things, but that's okay, we're slowly moving forward.
On my current to-do list:
Getting a bunch of stuff notarized
Signing up for education classes
Sending off applications/paperwork to MOE, adoption agency, and homestudy agency, getting family photo and other photos taken
Prettying up this site a bit (is the small font driving anyone else nuts? I need to change that.)
The photos... how can they be so difficult? First request: Submit a photo of our current family. Sounds simple enough, right? Except that, if everyone is in the picture, who is going to take it? Today I decided to learn how to use the timer function on my camera; instead, the camera decided to crap out on me. It's not turning on, even after charging the battery and hitting the reset button. Now I guess we need to track down somebody local willing to take our photograph. I will need to get my camera working again soon, as I've got a list of photos that are going to be required when we submit our dossier.
Financially, we are doing everything we can to cut back. Unfortunately, the mister's job is not being terribly cooperative; his gross pay has remained the same, but our insurance hiked up an insane amount, plus our state raised our tax contribution, and I lost my babysitting job. Meaning extra pennies aren't in existence at this point in time! Still, I'm happy because I've cut my grocery bill literally in half just by choosing to go to the "far away" store (I think it's about 12 miles, nothing too serious) and being more selective about what we buy (food is always readily available, but the choices may be a bit more limited. The positive, as Mister pointed out, is that barely anything goes to waste! And I'm quite proud to say that even when I feel like I've got nothing to work with, I can whip up a pretty satisfactory meal. Take tonight's dinner, for example: Homemade Honey Dijon Salmon Patties, Homemade Sweet Potato Fries, and Broccoli. Healthy and under $2 per person total!)
But... regardless of the cuts we are making, we realize we are not going to be able to use the mister's paycheck to pay for the adoption expenses. The "extra" money just isn't there. So, I'm getting creative (something I love to do,) hoping I can convince people to help us along the way through a variety of fundraising opportunities.
Which brings me to the title of this post. I'm going to be trying a few different long-term ideas, hoping that it'll just be a steady flow of money that will help us with the adoption expenses.
Cupcakes- This will be local only, as I need to be able to deliver the cupcakes, but I thought I'd try a "Cupcake of the Week" venture. I'm not super fond of baking, but I do love exploring different flavor combinations with cupcakes, and I'm having fun learning new decorating skills, so hopefully this will be something people would be interested in. (Personally, I'd love to be on the receiving end of this; imagine a tasty box of cupcakes arriving at your door each week, with a new flavor every time. YUM!) If you know you are within my driving distance and would like to be one of my "Cupcake Friends", please leave me a message and I will get in touch with you soon!
Coasters- I'm not the craftiest person in the world. I'm more of a wanna-be, I'd say. I love doing crafts, I want to learn all sorts of skills, but I just haven't found the time to sit down and do everything on my wish list. However, I have discovered that I really enjoy decoupage art, and that is something I have been using as a creative outlet for years. Recently I've been creating ceramic coasters. I'm going to be selling these in sets. They make great gifts, so hopefully people will be interested in purchasing multiple sets (it's never too early to start your holiday shopping!) These will be available beginning in early March, so keep checking back to see what I have created!
Consultant- Kind of a dumb name, but I needed another C word, so humor me. I've recently begun (what I hope to become a career!) working as an Usborne Books consultant. I never thought I'd want to be involved in the "homes sales" type of thing (and even tried it once in the past, which was a total failure.) However, after only being a part of Usborne for a few weeks, I can already say I love it, I'm very happy I joined on, and it is most definitely worth joining. The books are very nice quality, there is a huge selection, prices are decent (comparable to any bookstore,) and every bit of money I earn goes toward our adoption fund. Whether you have your own children to buy for, or you have gifting needs for the children in your life, Usborne Books is the way to go!
Please take a moment to visit my Usborne website and consider making a purchase. You will receive a very nice gift for the child in your life, and at the same time, you will be helping us become a little closer to bringing our little one home.
Visit my Usborne Books site today!
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