First Steps

Hey Everyone!

I'm very happy to report that our initial application to MLJ Adoptions has been approved for an adoption from Bulgaria.  Praise God!  

This was the first step in the official adoption process.  Next, we need to carefully go over and submit our contract with MLJ.  Prayers would certainly be appreciated!

Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us so far!

LOVE, (((HUGS))), BLESSINGS!

Jenn

~Exciting News~

Hey Everyone!

We just mailed out the initial application to MLJ Adoptions.  Please pray that the application is received, approved, and that this first step in our "official" journey goes well!  We are so excited to begin this adventure.  Please continue to pray that the process will move quickly for us so we can get our daughter home as soon as possible.  Thanks so much to all of you out there who have supported us so far!

LOVE, (((HUGS))), BLESSINGS!

Jenn

Positive changes

Hey Friends and Family!

Yay!  Check it out... we have raised approximately $5510.  This might seem like a drop in the bucket for our ultimate goal; however, this is a very exciting number!  We are getting so close to our first milestone of $7000!!!

Why is $7000 so important?  Well, once we hit $7000 we will begin the actual process with the adoption agency.  This will also give us the amount we need for the very important home study.

Why is the home study so important?  Aside from being one of the most influential things in determining whether or not we will be permitted to adopt, once we have completed our home study we can apply for grants.  There are many grants out there for people adopting.  Especially for people who want to adopt an older child like us.  We are confident we will receive one or more of these grants!

Another thing we want to make you aware of is that we have decide on a different adoption agency.  Instead of partnering with All God’s Children, we have decided to work with MLJ Adoptions.  We won’t go into all the reasons for our switch, but we feel it is the best move for us.  MLJ Adoptions offers all the same services (including in-country translators and drivers) yet they are less expensive.  Plus, they offer a military discount which is great because – as you know – Chris was in the Army.  Instead of our goal being $35,000, it will be closer to $30,000.  Still a huge amount, but every little bit helps!  We’re glad we’ve figured this out now before we actually started the process!

On the downside, we’re probably going to take a slight hiatus from fundraising until January.  With the holidays coming up, we know most people will be focusing their finances elsewhere.  However, after the New Year we plan to kick it into high gear!  Hopefully, you’ll be able to participate in one or many of our fundraisers in 2016. 

As always, please continue to pray for us. I’m sure you can image that taking on an endeavor like this can be discouraging at times and your prayers and encouragement help more than you could possibly know!

Remember, you can send funds to us online.  Click on the computer icon to the right of your screen!

Also, we still have a few of t-shirts still available.  Email me for info!

 

Thank you so much for your support so far on our adoption journey!  Please pray that we can bring our future daughter home soon!

LOVE (((HUGS))) BLESSINGS!

Update 9/8/15

Hey friends!

I just wanted to give a quick update on how things are going with our adoption journey.  As you know, we've just concluded our t-shirt fund raiser.  This was a HUGE success!  I did order a few extra t-shirt so we still have some available.  As of right now, there are only 5 left.  Please email me to order a shirt! - jenniferhartz@live.com

We also had our motorcycle fundraiser.  This went very well!  Chris said he would like to do it again and he has some ideas on how to make it even better.

Currently, we have raised $4,429!!!  This is amazing!  Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us thus far!  Our first mini goal is $7,000.  When we reach this mini goal we will begin the actual process with the adoption agency.  $7,000 gives us enough money for all the paperwork, applications, and even the very important home study.  Once our home study is complete we will be able to apply for adoption grants which would be a huge blessing.

Moving forward we are hoping to have a few restaurant voucher nights.  We're looking at Buffalo Wild Wings and a few others.  I'm hoping to have the spaghetti dinner around mid-October.  And there will be more craft shows at Beth Messiah in the not too distant future.

Even though we've made great progress, we still have a long way to go.  I'm certain God is going to bless our journey.  Please continue to pray for us and please keep suggesting fund raising ideas.  Some of you have sent me some really awesome ones!

Thanks again for all your prayers and support!

LOVE, (((HUGS))), BLESSINGS!

Jenn

T-Shirt Time!

It's T-Shirt Time!

Hey friends!  It's time to swing our second fundraiser into gear.  We're selling some excellent t-shirts.  I just love these shirts!  It's like Captain America for a good cause!  Of course Vaughn helped pick them out.  :)

The shirts are $20.00 each.  And I will ship to you if necessary. 

Please email me to order:  jenniferhartz@live.com

The more shirts we sell, the greater percentage we make per shirt so please buy one!  Even if you hate t-shirts.  LOL!

1st Fundraiser!!!

Hey Friends!

We're excited about our first fundraiser coming up.  Beth Messiah Synagogue is hosting a craft show and we will be participating.  Every penny we make at the fundraiser will go toward our adoption so please, please, PLEASE come out and visit our table!  Here's the info for the craft show

Place:  Beth Messiah Synagogue
            7130 Granby Street
            Norfolk, VA 23505

Date:  Sunday, June 28th

Time:  9:00AM - 4:00PM

If you can't make the craft show, I hope you will pray that we're able to sell all of our items.  Thanks!

Love, (((HUGS))), and Blessings!

Jenn

Update and Thank Yous

Hey friends!

Amazing!!!  We're almost to $2000.00 and we haven't even had a major fund raiser yet!  That's because we have some truly awesome friends and family members out there.  I just want to say a very special THANK YOU to the following people...

The Goose (aka Janet Hartz)
Michelle and Brian Jackson
Ben and Easly Shack
Kelly and Jeremy Bullock
Sally and Donald Hartz
Robert and Erika Cullipher
Dennis and July Mitchell

You guys ROCK!!!

Looking ahead, Chris's motorcycle fund raiser scheduled for August 15th is shaping up nicely.  We're hoping to set the date for our spaghetti dinner soon.  And Beth Messiah Synagogue will be having a craft fair in June which we will totally participate in... even though we're not particularly crafty!  LOL!

Thanks again and please keep praying for us and our little girl.

Oh yeah... one more thing... Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and future moms out there!!!

LOVE (((HUGS))) and BLESSINGS

Jenn

Video Update:  March 31st, 2015

This is my first video update... amazingly I didn't blow up my computer!

Hello and welcome to Vaughn's Little Sister blog!  Please join the Hartz-Puhac family on our adoption adventure as we seek to bring Vaughn's little sister home!
Stop back for updates on our journey, pictures, videos, and any other crazy thing I decide to add.  We're just getting started so let the adventure begin!
~Jenn