Fundraising

The Fundraising Still Continues

A couple weeks ago, we had our 2nd Adoption yard sale!  It was a beautiful day with perfect weather.  We had wonderful help from The Sams and Nora Hubbard.  Thank you for your amazing help! 

 

I thought for the amount of yard sales that day in our community and around Spring Hill, we did pretty well.  We brought in $600.00 towards our adoption!  That is amazing!  Every little helps! 

I had no idea how difficult fundraising was going to be.  It takes a lot time, effort, organization, and support.  Drew and I appreciate all our friends and family that have helped us during the time of fundraising. 

The fundraising continues on.....if you would like to help donate visit our site:
http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/baby-hubbard-adoption-love-is-waiting-/155570

Love is Waiting

Love is Waiting

Trying to become a Waiting Family:

It has been a while since we have got on here and posted an update on our process.  Our life has been pretty busy with the preparation of a baby.  In September, we had our first fundraiser in October.  We had gracious friends and family that donated items towards our adoption.  It was very successful!  We were able to take check off several adoption fees with the money.  Below are a few pictures from the event:

 

 

Thank you to the Sams, Donna Campbell, Jill and Larry Vaught, John and Becky Vaught, Nikki and Andrew Cropsey for your help and support the day of the adoption yard sale.

Thank you to Martha for the signs and Amanda and Ella for advertising for the event. 

It would not have been such as success without you!!  Thank you!!!

 

God's Light Shining Through The Storm

After our yard sale, we took a break from fundraising and prepping for the baby.  We decided to spend some time with family and friends. It was a joyful time and sad time.  It was sad due to the death of my grandmother, but joyful in knowing that she is in heaven with God. 

It was a joyful time and sad time for me to see other of friends and family having babies and getting ready for their baby to be born.  I am happy for them, but it is also a sad time for me because it is a reminder that I might not be able to experience.  Even though we are excited about adoption there are times of mourning that I go through due to not able to go through a pregnancy.  Even though there were some days of great sadness, there was some great joyful time with family. 

God and Drew were with me through every moment.  I am so glad to have a comforting and supportive husband.  This experience had grown us closer together and to God.  It has also showed us God's little miracles.

 

 

We are a Waiting Family

In January, everything was final!!!  We were a waiting family!!  We were done with paper work, home study, interviews, and all those small things our agency wanted us to do.  Now we wait! 

We decided to celebrate and God provided the opportunity to go on a "baby moon" trip with my brother Aaron and his wife LeAndra to California.  It was amazing how God provided such a great trip for us at the perfect time.  Thank you Aaron and LeAndra for a trip that we will always cherish!

We can't wait to explore the world with our child and have many family vacations together in the future.

  

God's Perfect Timing

Several months have pasted.  We are four months in the waiting process.  Over spring break I started getting a little anxious and curious if there was any news from our agency.  I contacted our adoption counselor and she informed us that we had three birthmothers look at our mini online profile.  She also told us that we had one birthmother look at our extended profile which was our photo book.  We thought it was great news due to knowing there are 50 waiting families in the waiting process currently and some of the birthmothers were looking at us. 

I know that God has a specific birthmother and child out there for us.  God has perfect timing and we will have to be patient.  I feel that God wants us now to enjoy the little things he provides us.  Pray for the birthmothers because this is a hard decision and a wonderful act of love.

 If you are interested to look at our mini profile you can go to Bethany Christian Services.  Click Tennessee under waiting families, and then search under Drew and Laura.  You can also see the other families that are waiting. The link below should take you right to the page:

http://waitingfamilies.bethany.org/home/tennessee/page2

House Prep

We have started getting the house ready for the baby. We have not started on the baby room yet because I feel God will let me know when I need to start that project.  I have felt that I needed to wait.  We are however fixing small things like painting bathrooms, etc.  We know when a little one is in our life there will not be enough time to get those little things done.

 

We have been enjoying spending time with our godchildren,  getting more connected with our church, and enjoying the outdoors now that it is getting warmer. 

Here are some pictures of things that have keep us busy:

 

 

 

What does Waiting Mean?

I have had a lot of people ask me what does "waiting" mean.  "Are you on a list?"  "Are you next on the list?"  These are good questions when you have not gone through the process.  There is not a list nor is there a certain time that you get chosen.  Waiting is out of our hands and into God's hands.  The birthparents choose who they think would be best fit for their child.  The wait could be three months, a year, or four years.  The wait also depends on what type of child you chose for your family.  For example; if you wanted a white baby girl the wait will take longer.  If you are more open to race and gender, your possibilities of your profile being shown will be more.  We are open to any race or gender.  We are also semi-open with the birthparents and would love to get to know them.  We feel our love should not stop at the child, but  to the birthparents as well if they feel comfortable letting us into their life. 

 

 

I Heart Adoption

 

We are now working on our next fundraisers.  We will be having a Spring Yard Sale on April 26th. to try and sell more of the donated yard sale items.   We are also going to have a T-Shirt fundraiser.  We have about 12,000 left to raise for the last part of the adoption process.  This is the largest portion of money we will have to provide to the adoption agency.  This money will go towards the birth of the baby, adoption agency fees, and court/ lawyer fees. If you can help buy purchasing a shirt(s) or donating.  We would greatly appreciate it. 

 

Thank you to all the supporters that have donated or helped with our process so far.  You are thought of and remembered.  You are also part of our story that we will share to our child one day.  Be apart of our story!!  Thank you!

 

Thank you for reading our blog. Check for updates!

 

Laura

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

A New Journey

I remember even before we were married, Laura and I would paint these magnificent pictures in our minds of how life would play out for us.  Oh the smiles it brought to our faces thinking of what life would be like.  The hope of one day owning a small farm with a home and a rocking chair front porch, a couple kids to wrap our arms around in love, and the comfort of stability (family and financially) to live out our lives with each other.

Even though these pictures still hang on our walls, God has shown us that he has another picture to hang.  This was a picture Laura and I painted, but it was years down the road, and we never expected it to be the "struggle" that it is.  I say "struggle", when in reality it was a gift and blessing from God.  It just took us some time to understand God's will and direction. 

"Change" is a word that defines many moments in this Hubbard family journey.  From the very beginning of our marriage, Laura and I had to hold on tight, as the rollercoaster of life started quick.  Since marriage, Laura and I have changed the pictures on our wall many times.  We have moved a couple times, both changed jobs, and had to start from scratch in finding and cultivating relationships with new family and friends.  Even with all the "change", God has proven himself faithful and loving, and taken care of Laura and I the whole way. 

But what about the picture that God placed on our wall?  What about the "struggle" and "change" that was a blessing?

Laura and I have always talked about potentially adopting a child into our family, but our plan was to have a couple of our own first.  We have always wanted to hang the picture of us with a couple kids above the mantle for everyone to see, or send a Christmas card with the smile and love that only a child can give.  God had placed on both of our hearts that we wanted to have a family.

After trying to have a family or our own, God revealed to us that infertility was an issue, and having our own child right now was not going to happen.  I tell everyone this because I know that Laura and I are not the only ones to go through this.  I don't think that I personally have ever "struggled", cried about, or questioned a part of my life more then I did the issue of being infertile.  I wasn't prepared for it, but nothing could have prepared me.  I never thought that it would be an issue.  I wanted to take this picture off our wall and hide it from the world.  I was ashamed. 

Luke 1:37 reads "For nothing will be impossible with God".  Even through all the heart ache and "struggle", God held onto Laura and I.  He wrapped His arms around us in love like only the Father can.  He reminded us that inside all this "struggle" lies the beautiful picture of a child who needs a loving home.  And he reminded us that His plan and His will will be done in us, and that he has provided and will continue to provide the way for us.    

Laura and I look forward to this journey and to the day we get to show all of you the picture of our family.  I hope that you enjoy reading about and learning about this process with us.  Thanks and come back again!!

Drew