our front-row seats

In the midst of all the fundraising, I didn't get around to posting about our anniversary on the 18th.

In hindsight, a carnival wedding reception was the most fitting way to start our lives together. We certainly haven't followed other norms since then.

I guess we just don't do "conventional" too well.

Wild. Unexpected. Passionate. Unorthodox. Occasionally frenetic. All with a dash of crazy.

We're good at all that, dadgum it!

In eight years, our marriage has been nothing like we expected or planned.

It's been so much more wonderful than that.

Through every startling deviation from our own plans, God has shown up in surprising ways. Through the circumstances we never would have chosen on our own, He has offered front-row seats to amazing demonstrations of His glory and goodness in our lives.

Like the front row seats we've gotten in the past week.

Friends and strangers ate waffle fries and fried chicken and milkshakes with us at Chick-fil-A. They bought raffle tickets or paid to spin the wheel o' CFA prizes. More friends and strangers bid on items throughout the week. Some gave donations directly. Others helped spread the word about our auction. A few prayed with us over the grants we're waiting to hear about.

And have you noticed it yet?

The fundraising thermometer on the right?

Yep, it read $14,850 yesterday.

Today? After $550 in funds raised through meals and raffles at Chick-fil-A and the $3279.50 raised in the auction (if you won a bid, I'll be in touch today or tomorrow)  and another $3000 we were able to contribute ourselves through recent sacrifices we've made, the total is higher. Much higher.

We've passed the halfway mark for our fundraising to bring Patience, Philip, and Patreesa out of their orphanage and into our family.

We have $21,650.

And we have front-row seats to yet another of God's amazing demonstrations of His glory and goodness in our lives. 

Thank you to each of you to joined us in person, through prayer, or by bids or donations. 

Welcome to the front row with us. We don't know yet where the remaining $18,000 will come from, but we can guarantee that we're all in for an awesome show!