Search & Win

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Feeding the Multitude



I'm a bit late in getting this posted...but life has been a little crazy lately...imagine that! ;) First of all, I'd like to say a HUGE Thank You to David's brother Chuck for taking the pictures and video in this blog...David and I were a bit busy dishing out dinner, so without Chuck serving as "event photographer" we would have no documentation of this event! :) So...huge thanks to Uncle Chuck! :)


On Monday, December 5th, we had our first BIG fundraising event...a spaghetti dinner and silent auction. Chef Sebastian Mazzotta, a local personal chef, donated his time to prepare an amazing spaghetti dinner for us - complete with an amazing salad, spaghetti with choice of meat or marinara sauce, and garlic bread! Connie Marner baked and donated a delicious cake for dessert! If you live in Southwest Florida and have need for catering or a cake for an event, I would highly recommend these two! We had soooo many compliments on the food!



Christopher really earned his dinner that night! He helped the Chef by bringing things to him and helped set up by setting the tables, including salt and pepper on each table. He got to eat spaghetti with Grandma Jansen and Uncle Chuck and play with his friends during the dinner.

In addition to a super yummy dinner and dessert, we had many friends and friends of friends donate items from their businesses for our silent auction! So many great items to choose from - if it hadn't been an auction to support our adoption, I would have wanted to bid on them all!

HUGE THANKS goes out to the following for donating items to our Silent Auction (in no particular order):

  • Bradd Konert, Jr. of Gamma Tech - Complete Computer Protection Package with Setup
  • Square Head Playground - Gift Certificates for Birthday Party and Passes for Full-Day Play
  • Jodi Carroll - Lia Sophia Ring & Earring Set
  • Christine Wheeler, Photographer - Original Framed Photography Print
  • Sandee Kozlow, Artist - Original Painting
  • Goodyear of Naples - Gift Certificates for One Year of Oil Changes
  • Always Fun Fishing Charter - 1/2 Day Fishing Trip/Sightseeing Charter
  • Bradd Konert, Sr. of American Tax Service of Naples - 2011 Income Tax Return Preparation
  • Bug Stop Exterminators, Inc. - Initial Residential Pest Control Service
  • Kim Buckly, Zumba Instructor - Zumba Gift of Fitness Package
  • Michelle Jack - Pink and Blue Burp Cloths & Matching Pacifier Holders
  • Karen Strang, Hair Stylist - Beauty Bundle
  • Michele Rearden - Avon/Tiny Tillia Mother & Baby Bundle
  • Driftwood Garden Center & Florist - Gift Card
  • Bria Bare - Four Voice Lessons
  • Jami Collinsworth - Music Memories DVD slideshow/video
I just can't help but share with you a cute video of the end of the evening! Christopher was such a huge helper all through the dinner....all the way through clean-up! He even recruited a few helpers in his mission! The cute factor is just so over the top! I cannot wait to see what a great big brother he is going to be!


As we were getting ready for the dinner and several people were calling and texting me, asking if it was too late to come to the dinner, I started praying that there would be enough food to feed everyone! We had figured in a few extra meals for last-minute attendees...but I was starting to worry it might not be enough. But, just like when He fed the multitude with one little boy's lunch, God made sure we not only had enough for everyone there...but we also had leftovers - LOTS of leftovers! We estimate about 100+ people were in attendance at our fundraiser...which is about what we planned for. But the leftover spaghetti probably would have fed another hundred...so we decided to pay it forward and took the leftovers to St. Matthew's House so they could feed those less fortunate. They were very appreciative!

I'd like to thank EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of you who took time to come out and support us that evening, as well as those of you who couldn't come but supported us in other ways! Because of your support and generosity, we will be able to make about a $4,000 payment to the agency this week. :) David figured if we raise a little over $4,000 each month, we will have what we need to bring Christopher's sibling home! Yes, that's a huge order...a God-sized order, to be exact...but as we've seen lately, nothing is too big for God! :) I'm looking forward to seeing all He has planned to bring our baby home this summer!

We do have a few thoughts about future fundraisers...some of which are in the works! We will be having a yard sale in January...so if you have things you'd like to get rid of, we'll be taking donations for the yard sale after the holidays! :) We had some dear friends, Ken & Libby Sessions, offer to do a smoked BBQ dinner fundraiser for us...just thinking about that makes my mouth water! As soon as we work out the details with them, I'll let you know when that will take place so you can put it on your calendar! We are also working on trying to organize a pancake breakfast and golf tournament. So...if you have any connections, let us know! :)

Of course, our Avon fundraiser is still in full-swing. All proceeds from online orders and a large chunk from other orders will go toward our adoption until we have raised all we need to complete this adoption! If you are interested in helping with this, I can print or email you fundraising flyers so you to collect orders for us. Just let me know! :)

In addition, my friend Deanna Coulter has offered to do a Thirty-One thermal tote fundraiser for us in January and my friend Kaycee Mays (who by the way was the one God used to bring us to the agency we used to adopt Christopher and now his sibling) has offered to do a Premier Jewelry fundraiser!

And last, but certainly not least, my friend Jami Collinsworth, who creates personalized video slideshow DVDs from your pictures/video and choice of music, says the $50 fee for anyone who orders a DVD as result of a referral from us will go toward our adoption! So, check out Jami's Musical Memories on Facebook and let her know we sent you...especially if you decide to order a DVD! :) Your Musical Memory DVD will help us bring our baby home!

I'm just amazed and overwhelmed at how many people are coming together to make this adoption happen! God is so good! This could not happen without Him! So, most of all...I want to thank God for His faithfulness and for bringing His people together to accomplish the work He has for us in this adoption! :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Kara and David, I enjoy reading your blog updates. They make me cry each time I read a new update seeing what God is doing in your family. I will continue to pray for not only Christopher's sibling's forever family, but also his birth family. God sure is an AWESOME God! Thank you for sharing the miracles that he continues to perform in your loves.