Garage Sale = Smashing Success

I would consider the garage sale a smashing success yet again!

We had over 25 generous families donate their junk treasures to us.

Our house began to look (and smell) like Goodwill - no kidding!

I priced so many items that I began dreaming about round sticky price tags.

People tracked down numerous tables for us to use.

Neighbors and friends baked yummy treats for us to sell.

and that was all before the sale began...

We hosted the garage sale Thursday - Saturday from 7:30 until 5:00 each day.

Exhausted, but very blessed, doesn't even begin to describe it!

We had no idea how we would do after doing so well in the fall (we made $2,400 in September).

Let me recount the blessings of those days...

•  My favorite part of the sale was hearing other people's adoption stories.  So many people came just because our sign and ad mentioned the sale was for an adoption cause.  Adoption is a tie that binds hearts together.
•  Several young children came to donate their coins and dollar bills - such sweet and soft hearts.
• My mother baked tons of Africa cookies for us to sell and babysat Xavier for us each day.  What a blessing!
• Friends brought Starbucks and lunch to help sustain us throughout the days.
• Friends came to visit, donate and hang out with us - their support means the world to us!
• A friend came to help run the sale on Thursday - not sure what we would have done without her help!
• Soooo many generous people gave donations - not the norm for garage sales!
• My favorite special story happened after the sale on Thursday evening...  We had finally packed everything back up and gone inside to collapse from exhaustion when the doorbell rang.  Todd answered the door for a man who said, "I really wanted to get to your sale but missed it due to work.  Here's something for your adoption."  He proceeded to hand Todd a $100 bill.  Humbled doesn't begin to describe it!  He went on to explain that adoption is close to his heart because their adoption through the county system will be final on May 10th for their little boy.  Fun fact:  we will be at the same court on May 10th with some friends to celebrate their adoption being final at the exact time this man and his family will be there to finalize their adoption.  God works in mysterious ways!   

Now for what everyone is really waiting to hear... 

We were blessed with raising right at $3,500 over those 3 days.  

I cannot explain to you the blessing that money is to Todd and I as we look towards travel plans to get Zaine.  Sure, that money is so helpful but I find the support of our friends, the connection with random people via adoption, and getting to share with people why we wanted to adopt an even greater blessing from those 3 days.

 

Here are a few pictures of the event.  I was not able to get pictures of the sale once everything was out because we had tons of people show up early so here are a few I snapped about halfway through us carrying everything out (at 5 AM)...

 

 

 

Giving brother a kiss!

and now a hug...