The #1 question I receive from you is … What is the Simply Love Kit? For the past four years, I’ve been helping you fundraise with Simply Love and Man Up products. I partnered with an outstanding Christian based printing company and together we built a unique fundraising tool for anyone who needs to spread the Simply Love message to protect and love the fatherless. The graphic designs are trademarked and exclusive for use with the purchase of the Simply Love Kit. We now have over 25 country shapes and 15 unique graphics, as well as customizing the products to meet your fundraising needs. This kit is available to anyone that is …

• Fundraising for their adoption
• Fundraising for their mission trip
• Fundraising for humanitarian projects
• Fundraising for orphan care

If you are reading this post, you are most likely feeling completely overwhelmed with fundraising A LOT of money to pay for your adoption, mission trips, and projects. Believe me, I totally understand. I want to help eliminate your stress. The Simply Love Kit is only 3 simple steps. Once you purchase the Kit, you will Continue Reading

Every Saturday, I have a regular post called “Crazy Links I Love” to help you shout out your adoption or missions fundraiser projects to my readers.  My Crazy Adoption wants to continue to support, encourage, and advocate for the fatherless in one spot every week.  Don’t be shy, take advantage of the new Inlinkz tool (I purchased it just for YOU!) to help you bring others to your blogsites and projects.

I made a special Vlog for you this week, to talk through the craziness how to use Crazy Links I Love to help you run a successful fundraiser.  You can add your links up to 48 hrs before it closes, but they are there permanently for others to view.

Go ahead and give it a try! If you have a project to share … click on Inlinkz or leave a comment.

It’s my honor to help fellow adoption families fundraise for their adoptions with our Simply Love Kit … I wish I could keep my blog store open 24/7 all year long, but running an apparel business would be a full time job.  Thankfully, bloggy friends you keep wrapping your hearts around the many projects featured here on my blog.  YOU make a crazy difference in the lives of orphans.  Every tee shirt you buy has helped change a life on the mission field.  We are all in this together!!

I’m so excited for you to rush over and buy [here] the 1st Simply Love coffee mug… they are adorable!!  My dear friend, Autumn Kerr (Visiting Orphans) started her adoption journey and took off with a bang.  Wait till you see the funky Simply Love Vintage tees and gear she has for sale- 100% of the funds will help her bring home her new son!!

The best part, she is giving away [on her blog] an iPad 2 in a special “Simply Love” drawing on Aug. 28th- enter with the purchase of any gear.  Every item is $25.  The tees come in a ton of different colors- WOW!

BUY HERE

Photo by Amber Beckham www.amberbeckham.com

{You Inspire Me}

1. I am trying to fundraise for Andrielis’ Education. This is perfect for World Health Day tmrw as she is trying to become a nurse, and part of the program involves her volunteering in a clinic and learning about different diseases! http://andrielis.blogspot.com/
2. I am raising funds for girls aged out of the orphanages in Latvia ages 17-20. These girls are put into the street with few to no belongings, no life skills, and no family or support system. Many girls end up going into prostitution by force. http://roadtolatvia.blogspot.com/2011/04/hope-for-girls-giveaway.html
3. Check out my NEW Lime Green tote, celebrating love of lime!!! You can purchase the new tote on the link below and make a difference in the life of an orphan [and my son's missions trip!] Lime Crazy Heart Ragged Edge Tote | My Crazy Adoption Official Store
4. We have a wonderful special that we are hosting at our Solomon Beads store… http://solomonbeads.com … You will receive a FREE pair of earrings for all orders totaling $40 or more.  So, stop on by and find something special for your mother, sister, daughter, or friend and take advantage of our fabulous offer.  Give a gift with a beautiful story of God’s perfect provision…give a gift with a purpose…give a gift that you have perfectly chosen.  Don’t see exactly what you are looking for?? We LOVE to make custom pieces so don’t hesitate to ask!
5. Young Couple Creatively Fundraise to Bring Home Their Son from Ethiopia
   LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL (April 8, 2011)-Gerrid and Jessica Smith of Lakewood Ranch, Florida have just launched a website http://BabyEsFamilyTree.com in an effort to help raise funds to bring home their adopted son Elijah from Ethiopia. The website has a picture of a large tree that is comprised of 1,000 small squares. For just $10, an individual can upload their picture to become part of Elijah’s, otherwise known as “Baby E’s”, family tree!The Smith’s are asking individuals and businesses to purchase space on their website to raise the remaining $10,000.00 needed to complete their adoption.
   “I love the African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And while this is true we believe it also takes a village to bring a child home…especially when it comes to adoption!”- Jessica Smith
   
   

6. My husband and I are moving to Kitale, Kenya by the end of the end of the summer with our 3 children ages 6,4 and 5 months.  We are joining a ministry called Mattaw Childrens Village that rescues, restores and redeems orphaned and abandoned children. www.mattawchildren.com
   My husband and I have been traveling to Kenya since 2002 when we were dating. To make a long story short, here we are today, pursuing a life in full time missions in Kenya.  I am spearheading the buidling of Mattaw’s addition of “Sprouts” baby home for preemies to age 2. We are hitting the pavement for fundraising for this baby home as well as our personal support for our family.

If you have a special project, fundraiser, or blog post you want to share with my crazy readers, please leave a comment with all your information and permalink (ex: http://agoodkindofcrazy.blogspot.com/2011/03/american-girl-doll-giveaway.html) to take readers directly to your site.  It’s your personal shout out!

You can also email me during the week and personally request to share your projects on Crazy Links I Love weekly post.  Please limit to adoption, missions, or orphan care fundraisers.  I want to help you get the word out there in blog land!

You Inspire Me

1.  Me, and my brothers, and sisters are raising money for a little girl in India who is going to have a surgery so that she can see. She had a cyst in her eye resently taken out, and she will be able to see when her surgery is done. I was wondering if I could put a post on your blog. I’m ten years old, and I am adopted from China. Love, Lily (Here’s the link to our blog)
http://davidandsarahb.blogspot.com/2011/03/geniveves-second-and-final-surgery.htmlI’d love to have a couple links on your blog

2.  The Ducommun Family are adoption baby #2 from Ethiopia and working hard on missions in Mexico.  Check out her amazing fundraising projects here – my etsy shop and fundraiser (rag dolls, onesies, tshirts) www.lkdKids.etsy.com
Ducommun blog: www.ducommunfamily.blogspot.com

3.  We sponsor a child through Children’s HopeChest at Grace Baptist Church’s orphanage/drop in center in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Several children are not currently sponsored. In order to provide meals for these children I came up with this adorable refrigerator magnet! $7 from each sale will provide approximately 6 meals for children who are not sponsored! would love it if you could feature my new project. They can be purchased in my Etsy Shop. If you decided to profile this, I can send you a few pictures if you’d like. Thank you so much. Debi

My blog is:
http://jenkinsethiopiaadoption.blogspot.com/

My Etsy Shop is:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EthiopiaAdoption

4.  Junk Posse Simply Love- click here! Each pendant is made by hand with Great Detail.  This necklace can be reversed & worn two ways. The front has “Simply Love” that is raised up and paired with a Beautiful white pearl wrapped in sterling & a Sterling key.  The back has a raised Heart with the “Love” hand stamped on it several times. Each pendant measure just under 1″ inch & comes with a nice “20″ inch Sterling rolo chain.

Note: Tracy is donating $30.00 of each necklace sale to the Gibson Family in the process of adoption.

Please read about them here:
Adoption changed our lives, our hearts and our family woven together with love.  We are praying that God brings us another child or two through the miracle of adoption.  We are waiting, hoping, and longing to expand our family … His timing is perfect.  We are overjoyed to have two stunning necklaces helping support our adoption journey.  Thank you for opening up your hearts to Simply Love.

 

Simply Love Challenge

If you are fundraising … I want to dare you to take the Simply Love Challenge- you pick the shirt design, ink color, shirt color and any article of clothing or products you want to print customizing Simply Love for your projects!!!  The big challenge- come up with the most creative products to print Simply Love on to spread the word about adoption and orphan care.  My amazing printing company is ready for the challenge, too!!  Pick Your Country Kit has helped families raise thousands of dollars to make adoption dreams come true.

I have prayed for the past year for a way to help families FUNdraise for their own adoptions, as well as mission trips and special projects that are geared to love orphans.  Simply Love is growing strong and showing up all around the world.  You already know I’m a big fan of tee shirts, so I came up with the idea to share my 4 designs and created 18 new countries. Email me if you have any questions.

“Pick Your Country” Kit is designed exclusively to help families adopting domestic to international or anyone advocating for orphans. Download “Pick Your Country” Adoption Kit Introduction. Everything is set up and ready to go.  You can start fundraising with Simply Love today!

Ginger took the crazy Simply Love Challenge today and picked sweatshirts, sweatpants, and baseball hats to print the Simply Love logo.  She is fundraising for three family members to travel to Uganda with Visiting Orphans in June!!!  She picked out-of-the-box products and I’m so excited to cheer her on as she raises funds for missions!!

My crazy adoption is launching new hats for men and women this week, as well as a variety of products from bags to outdoor gear that celebrate Simply Love.  You pick and take the challenge.  Click on the Simply Love “Pick Your Country” Kit button on the right side of the blog to start your FUNdraising adventure.  The rest is up to you!!

Bloggy friends, I’d love to hear your ideas on new products for Simply Love.  Please share in the comments.

STAY TUNED FOR A BIG CRAZY SURPRISE NEXT WEEK!!!

Crazy adoption friends, I want to thank you for supporting Adoption 101 and the amazing comments and emails you leave for me to read and inspiring others to look into the crazy adventure of adoption.  The advice I offer you in 101 are my own personal opinions and want to keep the door open for critique, advice, or guidance from you, too.  I’m just a mom and I learn so much from your adoption journeys!

As you already know from my crazy T shirt blitz… we are starting our 2nd adoption to Ethiopia.  We are completing our homestudy, (hopefully in the next couple weeks) so the subject I wanted to discuss on Adoption 101: Ready or Not is coming straight from my heart.  This has been a subject that my hubby and I have prayed and talked about for weeks.  Are we ready or not to start the next adoption?  Our hearts are ready to go forward 1000%!  We are prepared to work hard to complete the paperwork and fundraise for the cost of adoption.  We love being a mom and dad… there is no question that we want to open our home and hearts for another child through the miracle of adoption.

I feel like I’m starting an adventurous hike and my backpack is packed with most of the necessary tools I need to start the journey:  water bottle, snacks, extra socks, journal, band aids and flashlight.  I have friends who are ready to cheer and pray and support me to the finish line.  I’m a little out of shape, but I know I don’t have to run up the mountain… I can take my time and enjoy the beauty around me.  However, I don’t have a new map and I understand from others the trails have changed.  I see two roads ahead and I don’t know what path to take.  The signs are not clear to me yet.  I’m ready to start bouncing ahead full speed, but I’m starting to see warning signs pop up.

Hubby & I started talking about the reality of adoption and asking each other some really tough questions.  The financial cost is enormous, but we have the faith to know God will provide all our needs.  Here’s the tricky part of the journey… waiting for validation or confirmation from the Lord on His timing not our timing.  We are ready to move forward with our next adoption, but is God ready for us to move forward?   I read stories every day on blogs and adoption websites of the supernatural miracles for families fundraising.  I weep every time I read a new miracle of how God provides the finances for adoption.  We are struggling with moving forward with the process, not because of lack of faith, but responsibility.  We are praying fervently for direction.

I think the question comes down to – do we stop the paperwork and concentrate on raising the funds… all of it?  If we complete the dossier for an older child, most likely the referral will come quickly.  Are we being responsible to surge full speed ahead with the dossier, knowing we would be lost without a paddle if we did not complete our fundraising?  I trust in the Lord that He will provide in His perfect timing.  I believe if He wants us to adopt, He will open doors for us financially.

I’m working so hard (you are too!) coming up with ideas and creative projects, but now facing the reality of the costs of each stage.  We want to be responsible to our family, adoption agency and child waiting.   I really want to know your thoughts… will you share with me any advice, wisdom and guidance?  Are we ready or not?

Due to my HopeChest Project and the HIGH number of T shirts I have to roll & pack & mail out this next week… please hold off on contacting me about “Pick My Country.” I promise I will be available when all the T shirt craziness is over.  I appreciate your understanding & excitement about the new fundraising project- Adoption in a Box!!  I can’t wait to help you!!!

My crazy readers, here’s an update on what’s coming up next …

• Adoption Life LIVE & Adoption 101.- I really want to know what you are interested in learning more about in the adoption process. Please leave me a comment if you have any suggestions for live talk video and adoption talk.  I want to be a source of encouragement to you from A to Z.
• Wednesday WOW Recipes- we’ll start back up with tasty yummy non-beefy recipes to please our crazy families.
• Fun, Family Photos, Flips, Games & Giveaways- we will continue to have lots of fun here at My Crazy Adoption!!  I LOVE Giveaways and appreciate the special donations I receive to give to you.  Adoption Tuesday Trivia series will start back up again and I need your interaction to make it a helpful tool for families.
• Mommyhood stories, Mommy DIY crafts and activities to do with your kids.
• My Personal Crazy Picks-  things that I love.
• Please keep adding your personal photos up on Your Photos and your blog links at Inspired Links.
• We’ll end our week with scripture and meditations on Simply Sunday.

When do you bring back your Simply Love T shirts?

• My adoption Simply Love shirts are Coming back Soon – First, I need to get all the HopeChest T shirts out in the mail.  I don’t want to confuse anyone, but our 2 Simply Love T’s- Women & Men’s Man Up styles will be available again in Feb.  100% of proceeds goes directly into our adoption account.  We are also adding Youth to the batch- copy cat of the grown up T’s, but in black.

• Big Surprise- I will officially launch in 2 weeks…“Pick My Country” Package for fundraising families or groups that want to spread some love.  I like to call it- Adoption in a Box.  We are introducing 9 new Simply Love Countries for you to pick and use for your own personal fundraisers, projects, mission trips, travel groups and more.  I have prayed for an opportunity to help others raise the necessary funds for their own adoptions.  We’re all in this together!!  You will receive a detailed virtual packet with photos to download, fundraising ideas and details on ordering your own T shirts.  The most exciting news- if you are the first to order a “Pick My Country” you get to name the T shirt.  Africa- Zoie, Russia- Lanie, and China- Annie, but the rest are up for grabs!! Also, if there is a country you want, but it is not listed-  We can custom design your Simply Love Country in 1-3 days.  I will officially launch the new project in 2 weeks (after I mail out almost 700 HopeChest T shirts! whooohooo)

• Countries Available for “Pick Your Country”:  USA, China, Africa, Napal, Haiti, Russia, India, South Korea, ?

Sneek Peek- Simply Love China

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