The State of Texas x5.5

November 1st! Can you even believe it's November??? I can't. With the first day of November comes the first day of National Adoption Awareness Month. Did you know there are approximately 143 million orphans worldwide that need adopted? 143 million. Did you know that would be multiplying the population of the state of Texas over 5 1/2 times? We could fill the state of Texas over 5 1/2 times full of children who simply need loving, forever homes. Now there's some perspective, right? We all need to be doing our part to help lessen these numbers! Whether you are called to actually adopt one of these precious children or just want to support someone who is, we implore you to please do your part! I think that National Adoption Awareness Month would be the perfect month for us to get matched with Nora so we can finally see this sweet brown face we've been praying for, taping paper chain links together for, raising money for, and longing for. Will you join us in praying this will be the month our process continues in Haiti?

Don't get us wrong, just because our process seems "on hold" in Haiti right now, there is nothing "on hold" about this adoption. We are focusing full force on our fundraising efforts and trying to raise as much as we can before our goal date with Lifesong next week. Our latest fundraising project has branched from a friend's suggestion of using my Etch-A-Sketch drawings as a fundraising tool (thank you for the encouragement, Erin!) I'm pretty excited about this one! I have been partnering with downtown Goshen businesses over the past several weeks to draw their buildings/logos/products on the Etch-A-Sketch in order to create a 2012 calendar entitled "Drawing People to Downtown Goshen". It will feature 12 of the downtown businesses and will be sold in those businesses as well as from our blog (look to the right column!), and hopefully at the December Goshen First Fridays. Michiana Art News (a local publication) will be running an article promoting the calendar and I hope to get in touch with the local newspapers as well as potentially the news stations to cover the story as well. The calendars are $20 and 100% of the proceeds will go directly towards our adoption. What I like best about this fundraiser is that it is using the gifts God has given me to not only collect money to support our adoption, but also draw attention to downtown Goshen (which I think is a cool place to shop, eat, and hang out)! So, help spread the word and pre-buy your calendars today for Christmas presents, to support our adoption, to support downtown Goshen, to own some of my artwork, or just because you like us (hee, hee).

In other fundraising news, we are just one week out from Lifesong's goal date for our initial fundraising efforts. Our goal is $25,000 and we are just under 1/2 of the way there once our matching $3000 grant comes through (see support thermometer at right). We have been blessed by everyone's support of our news and we continue to watch God supply for our needs through your generous hearts. It will be very clear to Nora that we are not the only ones who love her and care about her--there are many, many others who desire for her to be here too and have extended their love to her through their support. We appreciate your willingness to come alongside us and support us financially as well as prayerfully during this journey. We said at the beginning we wanted to raise not only the funds to bring Nora home, but then to also have enough to help other families get started financially on their own journey of adoption. Will you help us in these efforts? Help our BIG God do BIG things by sending in your donation for our adoption! Here is how to do that once again...
Please send in your tax-deductible donation A.S.A.P.—remember the goal date to raise our support is November 9th!
Option #1: Send your check in the enclosed, stamped envelope.

• Please make checks payable to: Lifesong. To direct your donations to our adoption expenses, write "preference Thieszen #2263 adoption" in the memo section of your check.
• Send your check to: Lifesong for Orphans, Attn. “preference Thieszen #2263 adoption”, PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford Street, Gridley, IL 61744
• *Note: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.

Option #2: Donate online through Lifesong's PayPal account.

• To donate online, go to http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html. Scroll down until you see “By Credit Card (PayPal.com)” and click on the "Donate" button. Type in "preference Thieszen #2263 adoption" in the Purpose line.
• Where 100% of your donation from a check goes to us, if you use PayPal, you will be charged a 1.9-2.9% service fee. The amount actually received by Lifesong for Orphans for our adoption will be decreased by that amount.

Thank you again for supporting us as well as supporting the cause of the orphan during National Adoption Awareness Month!