First Call...homestudy has begun!

We got a call from our case worker for our home study. She was so nice and just gave me a great sense of peace over the process. Having someone "inspect" every aspect of your life can be quite intimidating. She let us know that she was here as our partner to help us achieve our goal, not to try to prevent it. She is coming for the home visit in two weeks. Yikes! I have got to get on the ball and get my house "home visit" ready. Plus we have a ton of other things that have to be done before she gets there (TB tests, recommendation letters, drug tests, financial records, pet vaccinations, letters from our employers, criminal background checks, and tons more). I am so excited to finally be doing something. Even if it is super hectic, I'd much rather be doing something rather than just sitting around waiting. I thank God that the proces has truly begun and that he sent us Donna, our case worker, whom I love already!

Another yard sale coming up!

I'm posting this as my thank you more so than an announcement. I really don't even know where to start to be honest. I just want to thank everyone who is putting this together in advance. Shasha, Erin, and Denise (and any others that I'm not aware of), I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the time and effort that you guys are putting into this yardsale. I pray that one day I will be able to bless you guys, as you are blessing us way more then you will ever know. When we started this process, I always knew that God was going to provide. However, I never thought that he'd provide by so much effort from others. I just thought that the real estate market would pick up, a few good real estate sales and poof, the money would just be there. Never did it occur to me how many people that God had placed in our lives that were going to help make this happen for us. So for those of you who are coordinating this yard sale, words do not even begin to descibe the gratitude that we are feeling right now. You will always have a special place in our hearts, and we will be eternally grateful for your part in helping bring our child/children home!

The process has begun....

Today is marks the official beginning. We are mailing our initial paperwork off today! Coincidentally, it is our 7 year anniversary. Can you detect the excitment in my writing?
Below is a picture of the evelopes of our paperwork that will be in the mail momentarily. I hate pictures of myself but Renee and Ruthie forced me to do this one. HA! I fought them hard but they made me post this picture instead of a picture of just the paperwork (and the flowers hubby sent me for our anniversary...thanks babe...I love you!) It has been a good day! Just please keep us in your prayers that this adoption will move forward quickly and that the finances will be in place when the time is right. What we sent today is a drop in the bucket compared to what we need (but we know that God is going to provide). We still have a long road to travel, and we are praying for God's guidence, and thanking him for getting us to this point, as well as putting people in our lives to help get us to where we are today.

Another "Thank You" to add...

Our town had their Christmas Parade this past weekend. During the parade two ladies from our church were selling blankets. At their booth they raffled off a blanket and the money from the raffle was given to us for our adoption fund. Benji and I can't thank Carol J. and Deborah P. enough. It really meant a lot to us for them to do this and we are so thankful to have them in our lives. I always say that I have no idea how this adoption is going to happen but it is people like this and our wonderful family that is going to help make this adoption happen.

A family Catering job to help fund our adoption.

We had another opportunity to make a little extra money to apply to our adoption fund. Before I go any further I must give a huge thanks to my sister and brother-in-law, Staci and Dwayne. Staci set us up with a catering job (really our first) and it gave me the opportunity to do the wedding and grooms cake too. Everyone worked very hard as you can see below. Benji and Dwayne really put in a lot of effort to help us girls. Then mama and daddy came up to pitch in and help us out too. It was a ton of work but we all had a blast (at least I did anyway, Ha!) Benji and I can't thank y'all enough for all your hard work. Staci and Dwayne worked so hard and then gave the entire profit to our adoption fund. We are once again very humbled and words can't express our gratitude. We love you guys!!!!

Staci and Dwayne

It's a monkey in a tree! No it's really just my hubby goofing off. HA!

Mama helping with the punch fountain.

Daddy frying chicken strips.

The fruit display...great job Staci!

Dwayne and Benji working hard to pipe cheesestraws.

Yard Sale Day!!!

We had our yardsale this past weekend. As hard of work as it was, we had a blast. Plus we got a good jump on our adoption fund. Benji and I were so blessed to have such supportive friends and family who donated and worked so hard to help get this yardsale together. Mama, Daddy, Shasha, Erin, Melynda, Kathryn, Tal, Mema and Papa: we can't thank you guys enough for all the hard work that you guys put in. There is no way that we could have pulled this off without all of you. Shasha (my aunt) and Erin (my cousin) came up Friday night and spent the night to help us out. Melynda, Tal, Kathryn and Adam (Benji's cousin, her huband and their kids) came Friday night to help get things out then were back with us bright and early to help us get things together. Thank you Melynda for the sausage biscuits, they were awesome! Mema and Papa (my grandparents) came up Friday night to help us set up for the yard sale. Last but not least, my parents. They were behind the whole yardsale. Thank you so much for everything that y'all did. To each and everyone of you: We are so blessed to have you guys as family and hopefully one day we can pay you all back for all your hard work. Also there were numerous people who donated items to the yard sale: Sonny (my father-in-law) thanks for donating all but your kitchen sink. HA! To everyone else that donated: Mary and Jerry (Benji's mama and step father), Aunt Peggy and Uncle Charles (Benji's aunt and uncle), Joe and Mary, Donald, Martha, Dana, Penny...thank you guys, your donations were truly a blessing to us! To Staci and Ashley: Thanks for your text messages to check in and send your "text" support, HA! Thank you guys for thinking about us. We know that you would have both been there if you could have.

Here a a few pics to share of everyone who help us with the yard sale:

My mama with her cart hauling stuff from her house to mine.

Papa hauling stuff with daddy's lawnmower.

Mema and Papa, sharing a moment.

Shasha and Erin

Melynda trying to con Erin into buying some of Benji's grandma's lingerie.






Melynda cooking everyone sausage biscuits. Thanks for taking care of breakfast Melynda. It was much appreciated and enjoyed by everyone....especially your cuz. You have now set the standard for sausage biscuits in my house.



Kathryn trying some of Grandma B's lingerie herself. Daddy and Benji in the back. Thank you daddy for the fried oreos and the funnel cakes!

Mama and Aunt Peggy chatting.

Last but not least...Shasha getting her workout for the day. Erin and I will forever be haunted of this moment. HA!



Again, Benji and I can't thank all of you that helped and donated enough. Our child/children will forever know of your hard work and your generosity! You guys mean the world to us and we love you all very much!

A few exciting tidbits!

I just have a few things to note. Not much new going on in the process but the other day I went home for lunch and there was a box by my back door. I knew that I had not ordered anything so I had no idea what it was. As I opened it it was filled with baby items! My dear and wonderful friend Ashley had sent me a "box of fun" in her words. She had sent us a box of goodies to add to our baby box. It made my day and was just so encouraging. Thanks Ashley, you are truly the best and I love ya! That meant so much to me.

Also we are having an adoption fund yardsale in 2 weeks. We have been so blessed to have people that have already donated to the yardsale. My mama wrote a poem for the newspaper advertisement:

ADOPTION FUND YARD SALE!!!!

Saturday, Nov. 8
8am-2pm
Rentz family home
437 Sunrise Dr.

We're trying to raise funds
to adopt a "bundle of joy".
To us it does not matter
if it is a girl or a boy.
Stop by and see us...
buy something to own.
Every single dollar made
will help bring our child home!

We are praying and thanking God in advance for a good turnout at the yardsale because it could really help jumpstart the adoption process.

Last, Benji applied for Family Medical Leave today. He has been granted FML for a year. That means that anything to do with the adoption is excused at work. That doesn't not mean that it's paid but it is an excused absence.

So not much going on but a few exciting tid bits that needed to be noted.