Silky Fundaiser!

To help raise money for our adoption, we are dying and selling silks in the colors of the Ethiopian flag. If you order soon, you'll have them just in time for Christmas!

The silks are 35" x 35" and come in a set of four, red, yellow, green, & blue, for $30.

FREE SHIPPING to the continental U.S.!

Both sizes of silks are 8 mm Habotai silk are are dyed with professional-quality fiber reactive dyes. As with all hand-dyed things, there is variation in the color. (The girls are demonstrating the silks that we had already, so they're different colors.)

I made our first set of LARGE silks several years ago for our children, and they have endured much play! We've seen them used as blankets, a play tent, peek-a-boo, dress-up, carrying toys around, etc... They especially make great capes for flying around! Boys like them too!

The LARGE silks can also be used by ladies who don't want the wind to muss their hair or as a belt or scarf about the neck.

The possibilities are limited only by the imagination!

You can use the PayPal button below or contact us to make other arrangements.

Thank-you! (Scroll down to purchase.)

SOLD OUT 4/16/08
Thanks!

Pampered Chef Update

Several have asked how our fundraiser went. We sold almost $1,400 in products and will receive 20% of that! (A big "thank-you" to Dawn, our PC consultant!)

Thanks to all who supported us through this endeavor!

Love, William & Susan

Happy 13th Birthday, Jasmine!

Thirteen years ago on New Year's Eve, William & I went to the NC State fairgrounds to see the puppies. Little did we know that our Jasmine was waiting there for us to take her home! As we wandered around, a little boy approached me and asked if I wanted to hold the puppy. She was so round and cute -she looked like a teddy bear with pink tummy. We were both smitten!

We went home and researched her breed. She's a keeshond (kayz-hund). We found that they are a beautiful breed and are very good with children. We popped by an ATM and made her ours!

This past March, we almost lost our good friend. She grew very ill, and the doctors found that she had a grapefruit-sized tumor on her spleen and had to have surgery before her spleen ruptured. She is feeling much better now, and we hope that she has some happy, healthy years ahead!

Jasmine is spending the day lounging and will enjoy her special birthday treat -peanut butter-flavored yogurt drops! YUM!

11/21/07 -We made the mistake of letting the kids taste the dog teats, and the LOVE them and are begging for more! I wouldn't write this if the homestudy wasn't finished. HA! HA! ~S

Thank-you!!

Thank-you to all of those who contributed to the Mina Project to help the America World transitional home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

We began with $110 from our church. Together, our small group, friends, family, and fellow adoptive parents have collected a box of baby items and a total of $600 to send!

We are about to leave for the post office so that these things arrive early next week, and will be ready to go to Ethiopia early next week.

THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU EVERYONE!!

The Mina Project/Helping the transitional home

Matthew 25:14-30

Each year our church has set aside money to help people in need at the end of the year. This year, we are doing something a little different. On October 26 & 27, our church handed out a total of $35,000 to the everyone 18 years and older to multiply and invest in God's kingdom!! Envelopes were handed out containing $10 to $500!!

We have been struggling with what to do with our Mina Project money until today when we received an email from our agency requesting help. To ease the load of the orphanages and to provide better care for the orphans who are being adopted, most agencies in Ethiopia set up a transitional home where the children live between when they are accepted by a family until the family goes to Ethiopia to bring them home.

Last week, the America World transitional home in Ethiopia opened its doors to the first 13 children! They have all of their major needs and are receiving loving care, but they need some items to make the home a more stimulating and nurturing environment -like balls, jump ropes, coloring books, DVD player, CD player, diapers, etc...

The challenge is not just to give away what we have in our envelopes, but to multiply it by adding to it and/or enlisting others to join in. So, we're asking for your help!! If you could give just $10 (or more!) please, click the "Donate" button and send your donation through Paypal. We will be collecting money through Friday, November 16, 2007, and if we can do it longer than that, we'll let you know!

Thank-you!

~William & Susan

WE HAVE FINISHED WITH THIS PROJECT, THANK-YOU!!

LAST CALL FOR PAMPERED CHEF!!

First, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU!!! to all of those who have already ordered products from our Pampered Chef fundraiser!!!

In order to get these people their stuff, we are closing our Pampered Chef show at
12 PM EST, Thursday, November 15.

If you would like to place an order, please do so before then.

www.pamperedchef.biz/dawnphillips

~Click on "Order Products"

~Put in host name: Susan Schmidt

Thank-you!! God bless!

Doctors and Derby

This week, we went to the doctor a lot. Jeremy got a fiberglass wrap over his plaster splint so that he has a "real" cast now. His bone had moved some since his last x-ray at the hospital, so we needed to go back on Friday for more x-rays. (You can see a little bit of the bright green in the photo.) Later that day, he saw the pediatrician to get medication for his sinus/ear infections. All three kids got their flu and Hepatitis A vaccinations on Tuesday. On Friday, the x-rays looked good. No surgery or pins, thank God!! We go back in 4 weeks. At that time, they will take more x-rays before they remove the cast for good!

Our Pampered Chef fundraiser is going well. We are still accepting orders until Thursday, November 15. (Look to the bar on the right of the screen for the link and instructions.) We are now earning 20% of the product price!

Saturday morning was the Awana pinewood derby. We do not make fast cars, but they are creative and fun!!

Photo Update!

We've finally got our home PC up and running again- BIGGER and better even! Here are some photos from highlights (and low-lights!) of the events of our lives that we've been unable to share during the outage. Enjoy!

• October 16 -The Schmidts' 9th consecutive trip to the NC State Fair!
  

We like to get there before the fog rises off of the pond. It is the ONE day we like to get up early!

Playing tic-tac-toe with the Navy diver! A highlight for 2007.

• October 17 & 19 -Marissa lost her first and second teeth!

• October 27 -Jeremy's 10th birthday!

Jeremy began the morning geocaching with his best friend, Bethany.


We all enjoyed a spaghetti dinner complete with meatballs, garlic bread, salad, and Cheerwine! Jeremy chose to eat at the adult table with Grandma, Grandpa, and Mema.

Jeremy opened his mountain of presents!

Jeremy promptly broke his arm the second time around the block on his brand new scooter that he had just opened. He says he was going about 20 mph and decided he might ought to hit the brakes. (Yes, that is a paint stirrer and painter's tape!)

"Where did this come from?" Daddy had some fun with poor Jeremy. He asked him 3 times if he had seen his cast, and each time, it was a brand-new discovery!!
He was NOT funny like Annika. He was GRUMPY and could not wait to get out of there!

(I did get Jeremy's permission to take photos at the hospital. He said that it was OK. It was his birthday after all!)


We enjoyed the Lego-shaped, Cheerwine cake the next day!

Today is Sunday

This weekend was Missions Fair at our church (www.gethope.net). The showed lots of video clips featuring little African children, and it just made my eyes tear and my arms ache for our little guy!!

I had the privilege of working at the Compassion International table. Forty-five children got sponsors allowing them to receive care and education. We ran out of kids before the 2nd and largest service was let out! How awesome! There are more children needing assistance at the website (link above) if you want to help! They've got some cuties from Ethiopia!

The radio in my head and been playing this song over and over. I've been thinking and praying for the families from our agency who have been waiting the longest to be matched with their little ones, and also for our dear friends who are going through a very difficult time dealing with unknowns.

He Knows My Name

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in His hands

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call

~Tommy Walker

Referral Revelation!

We had some questions about the referral process, so William called our agency and spoke with our family coordinator. For some reason, I had it in my head that some "powers that be" in Ethiopia were reviewing our paperwork and matching us with a child or two. However, we were enlightened today when we found out that it is actually our agency in Virgina that gets files for available children and matches them up with the child requests found nearest to the top of the pile of dossiers! (Did anybody else know this?)

It almost feels like the "Great and Powerful Oz" has been exposed, and it's the AWAA staff behind the curtain!! I feel dumb, but it is also a relief in a way! The whole process isn't in a black box as I thought it was!

The October 3rd referral group got their court dates today for next Wednesday, November 7. They are expected to travel in early December!! Congratulations, y'all!

Since we do not have a referral, we most likely will NOT be traveling in 2007 which is a bit of a relief since both of the girls' birthdays are in December. I suppose our baby could have a December birthday too, but I surely do hope not!! Ha! Ha! (We would take him/them anyway!)