{ want to BOUNCE or eat some BBQ? }

WOW!!! God has provided almost the ENTIRE amount. We are about 10,000 dollars shy of what we need. Is that not amazing???? I went back and looked at our "adoption account" checkbook and it is so amazing how God has slowly but SURELY provided everything we need.

We had been praying about a specific grant. We applied for it, and prayed God would allow us to get it. Unfortunately, we were turned down. I was very very sad. The very next day, we got an email from a guy I used to work with a Lee Greenwood Theater. (did you guys know that I worked at The Lee Greenwood Theater for 4 years during college? yep. . .i listened to GOD BLESS THE USA 1,000 times) Well, this guy is now an evangelist. He said he and his wife had been praying and they wanted to help us. . . .with a fundrasier. . .bounce houses, food, etc.! I hadn't even seen this guy in YEARS. . . .! WOW!!!!

I was speechless. We had been praying for a fundraiser. . .a BIG one. . .one that someone would say, "HEY. . .WE WANT TO DO THIS FOR YOU GUYS. . " and you know what?? God, once again, answered that prayer.

((((((Here is the guy's site that is sponsoring it. Support him. . . .if you need a speaker for a youth group, give him a call!!!)))))))

So, here it is. . . .our FUNDraiser, that we already know God is TOTALLY behind. It's going to be at Kodak United Methodist Church.....just off the interstate, up the hill on the left, past Food City and Burger King.
PLEASE come if you are local. We are simply asking for donations. Just what you would typically spend on an evening out with your family for something super fun and then food. . . . .We are trusting in God to bring in the rest of what we need.

(there will be BBQ of course, and at least 3 bounce houses. . .all indoors. . ..loads of FUN!!)

Here is our flyer. Please share it with your friends, family, enemies, whoever!

:)

{ adoption update }

we are officially number

we had our number sent to us on November 15!!!

i can't wait to see our child(ren)'s face(s).

{ CHRISTmas trees & mantle}

we've had our CHRISTmas tree up since halloween. yep, we didn't even decorate for halloween or thanksgiving this year. we wanted to just enjoy our tree all season, and we have enjoyed it so much already. well, today, i've worked on getting the rest of the trees up.

here's a preview. . .

our family tree . . .

our mantle.

this year is the first year i've ever really liked our mantle at CHRISTmas. remember my fourteen dollar one from last year? it was beautiful, just a little TOO FANCY for me.

this year it is much more fun and whimsical. the LET IT SNOW sign usually hangs behind my stove each winter, but this time it's found a new home!

i used things i already had, which means i haven't purchased anything new this year. yippee!

the smell of this avon carolers candle is CHRISTmas to me. these carolers have been in my life every christmas since i can remember. as soon as i start pulling out our decorations, i can't wait to find my carolers! i get so excited to see where they will be make a home during the HOLY DAYS (not holidays, but HOLY DAYS. . .just read that).

this is our little tree on the kitchen table.

this is our tree in our bedroom. i LOVE it! not done with it yet. . .it's still a work in progress. when it's done, i'll post a pic of it. . .if i get it done!

and finally, our last work in progress. . .the boys' tree.

there are no ornaments on the tree, but that will change soon. we will start this in a few days, and i can't wait to see it get filled with beautiful ornaments that the kids make that tell the CHRISTmas story.

have you decorated or shopped today. . .or both? have a wonderful weekend! mom and i are headed to fantasy of trees this weekend, so hopefully, i'll have some new inspiration to get our bedroom tree done.

{ jump aboard the LOVE train - engagement }

i do not shoot couples, unless i know them. . .but actually, shooting couples is fun. i've realized it's much like shooting seniors, except with two, and LOTS of kisses!!!

this couple is no different. super fun. this guy has the best personality. my husband described him as just a guy you'd want to bring along with you on vacation. . .to make you laugh. . . and that he is.

and this gal, i just really like. she's beautiful, as you can see. . . she has a heart for people, a love for children, and now a worker with the blind!

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Couch. . .they just got married several months ago!

(they got married on the 11th)

{ our Tees }

i LOVE our t-shirts. i was really worried about not liking them. i drew the little guy holding africa, then sent them to this graphic design gal for her to take out my drawing imperfections and make it look more, well. . .professional. she did a great job. as you can see, they are totally suppose to look like life is good, but better. he he he!!! we ordered 148 shirts, and we have less than 10 left. we have a few smalls (S), and several extra larges (XL), and one 3x.

let me know if you want one or would like to get another size. i believe we may have to order another small amount of them.

LOVE this verse!

t-shirts EVERYwhere........

oh. and do you know how good God is? have i mentioned that lately? He has TOTALLY knit a group of us together. i'm so thankful for each of these ladies. they are blessings sent straight to me from my precious Lord!!!

just last week, we took a trip to south carolina to meet another precious adoptive momma. she was supermomma and answered tons of our questions while taking care of her sweet boys in panera.

{ on the list }

i'm going to try to be better at keeping the blog updated for adoption purposes, instead of the facebook page.

on SEPTEMBER 19, our agency, Generations Adoptions, sent us an email to inform us we are number

on the wait list. that means, we have been on the wait list for 1 month and 2 weeks. we were also told that we could have a referral within 3-6 months. . .more likely closer to the six month mark. . . .so maybe march???

it's so hard to believe. . .even harder to wrap my brain around leaving my boys for at least a month to travel to Uganda, but it will be a wonderful blessing when all of us are safe under one roof, this roof!!!

happy wednesday!

{ happy halloween }

HI HO SILVER!!!!!

our boys love THE LONE RANGER. my dad got them the dvd set, and now they love it. . .so they came up with this idea for halloween this year, and i was tickled to start planning THE LONE RANGER and TONTO's costume!!!

i think they are so cute!!!

{ our ADOPTion Tees }

Hey sweet friends. . . .

I have pics to put up of some great sessions lately. . .but first, I want to show you guys our t-shirts. Hubby and I really like Life is Good stuff. . . and we also, LOVE the scripture from Micah 6:8, so we came up with this little stick drawing. we sent my drawing to a local company and they put it on a shirt for us.

We are taking pre-orders right now. We are asking for a donation of at least 20 dollars per shirt. We have kid sizes and adult sizes, up to XXL! Let me know if you want me to put you down for a certain size or sizes!!!

:)

{ county fairs and coffee drinkers }

are you a coffee drinker??

if so. . .

JUST LOVE COFFEE has set us up a page. For every bag of coffee you order, they will donate 5 dollars to our adoption. I do not drink coffee. . . but one of my newest friends. . .also an adopting mommy said their products are fantastic!

Here is the link:

http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TheRunyans

I seriously have so many albums to upload to the blog. Here is the rest of my favorites from the fair photo preview I posted a few weeks ago. I've taken the girls' photos three times now, and this is the first time they decided to smile for me!

:)

Their sweet momma has been so generous in helping us with our adoption. We are so grateful to her. . .she's a jewel!

{ our online adoption fundraiser }

if you are friends with me on facebook, you have already seen this several times, i'm sure. . . .

but we have a few things uploaded onto an online auction site to help us raise money. we still have about 25,000 dollars to go. if i don't think about it, i'm fine, but when i start thinking about it too much, i get really down. . .

GOD is so good. just this week, HE amazed us once again.

check out our fundraiser here:

http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/1926/auctions/2095

{ adoption fundraiser }

school is back in session. . . . so you probably know your schedule for september. if the 24th is free, please head put it on your calendar to head out to Scrappin' In The City. . . .but call first. . . .and sign yourself AND a friend up. . . .865-247-6879!!!

this is our first fundraiser for our adoptions from uganda. if you are a local crafter or you'd like some help in photoshop or your camera, i'll be there and i'll be happy to help!!

you aren't required to stay the entire day, just come, have some fun, craft, buy somethings from the store or our auction. . . AND to beat it all, there is no ut game that day. . .so traffic won't be terrible!!!!

{ HOMESTUDY COMPLETE & fair photo}

so much going on in our lives lately, which has resulted in a {bad blogger}!

school starts back this thursday and there's still tons to do. we're sending off our USCIS application tomorrow. . .which is super exciting, and we are just enjoying this summer and one another as much as possible. . .but we are ready....i'm so ready to head to UGANDA!!!!!!

during prayer time this morning, I prayed it would "come quick."

i've done several fun shoots lately, and even a fabulous mini-session. here's one quick photo. i love shooting these little gals. . .especially since they seemed to have a good time and i caught MANY smiles this year!!!

{ finally. . .mini-session announcement }

{ HAPPY FOURTH MANTLE }

this was our mantle last year at this time

i've noticed that since i blog, i WILL NOT look back to the previous year to see what i did, or my mantles would look too much alike. although i used many of the same things, i like it this year. . .simple, but shows our love for our country!

i hope your weekend is filled with blessings!!!