Well, the cut-a-thon is over, and we are eternally grateful for everyone who came out and supported us. Thanks to everyone online as well that showed your support by being a part of the event. A special thank you also goes out to the businesses who helped everything come together. It would have not been possible without Kristin Michael Salon, Felicia Whiteside Salon, Becky Newcombe, Elayna McElveen, and Nicole Eagle, our wonderful stylists for the day. I would also like to thank all of the businesses that contributed to the events: Alamo Drafthoouse, The flower Junction, Cookies by Michael Hoag and Paul Mitchell.
We made a grand total of $1,100.00 at the event! That is FANTASTIC!
The event did so much more than raise money for our adoption. It provided great awareness of adoption, Ethiopia, and orphans. There's nothing better and more joyful, than watching people come together for a common cause and making a difference. Something, that I am so proud to be a part of!
Most of all, this event brought me so much hope. With everything going on right now, in the world, I was starting to lose confidence, but thanks be to God! He showed up huge this weekend and completely restored our hope of bringing home our son and allowed us to enjoy and absorb all of the blessings and grace he put in our lives. Throughout this process I have looked to Him for guidance, and let me tell you. When you look to Him, you find a strength and a guidance that you cannot get anywhere else!
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
Thanks again to everyone who has played a part in our journey thus far! It will all be worth it when our little boy comes home, whenever that may be. Thank you for showing us your faith which allowed our faith and hope to grow!
Here is some information on the lovely stylists that will be generously donating their services to support our adoption.
ABOUT THE STYLIST:
Kristin Michael
Kristin has been a stylist for 6 years. She currently owns and operates a Paul Mitchell signature salon that has been open since 2009. For more information, go to www.kristinmichaelstylist.com. also check her out, Kristin Michael Salon, on facebook.
Felicia Whitesides
Felicia is a national educator for Paul Mitchell Systems. She owns/operates a Paul Mitchell signature salon. She has been in the industry 7 years and it is a true passion for her. Don't miss out on getting your haircut by Felicia for an extremely good deal. For more information on felicia go to www.feliciahairstylist.com.
Becky Newcombe
Becky has been doing hair for 6 years. She owns and operates her own salon at the Gallery of Salons. Becky is great with precision haircuts, and always makes sure her clients are satisfied. For more information about Becky, you can find her salon, Becky's Salon, on facebook.
Elayna McElveen
Elayna owns and operates Stunner Status salon. She can work with all textures and hair types and you will have a fun time in her chair! She has been in the industry for 5 years and you will walk away with not only a great haircut but an amazing experience.
And. let's not forget our lovely assistant for the day, Nicole Eagle. Nicole is a cosmetology student at Baldwin Beauty School and has almost completed her training. We're very excited and THANKFUL to have her helping us!
Have more questions about our adoption journey?? Here are a few links for you:
Thanks to the best graphic designer ever who happens to be my little brother (Thomas Ramey) and a generous friend who has a screenprinting business (Wes Turnbow), we have this REALLY cool shirts for our event! We will be selling these at the cut-a-thon on SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2011 at Gallery of Salons (2525 W. Anderson Ln, ATX 78757) or, if you don't live in the Austin area or can't make it out that day, you can order one NOW. (Just another great way to support our cause and you get a cool t-shirt out of the deal!) So choose your favorite color and make an order, so you can contribute to bringing our son home!!
For adult tees we are asking for a $20 donation, and for the child tees we are asking for a $15 donation.
Please email me at kristinmichaelstylist@gmail. com, or leave a comment at the bottom of the blog letting me know what color and size you want. To make your payment, please go to the "Donate button" --------->> on the top right-hand side of this blog and make your donation.
SUNDAY, April 10, 2011 my salon, along with 3 other salons, are having a cut-a-thon. A cut-a-thon is where haircuts are offered at a GREAT price and all the proceeds of every single haircut goes directly towards a good cause. In this case, the great cause is the adoption of our son. All of the hairstylist are capable of cutting and styling ALL hair types and ALL people. The more people come to get their haircut the more money we raise. SO TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TOO! We are asking for a $25 donation for women's haircuts, $15 for men's haircuts, and $5 for kid's who are 6 and under.
We have 4 amazing hairstylist, that will be providing the services, as well as, some very generous cosmetology students who have donated their time to assist the stylist. You don't need to make an appointment or anything. You can just show up at THE GALLERY OF SALONS(2525 W. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78757) anywhere between 12:00 - 4:00 and we will accommodate you.Bring the whole family, if you want, bring your friends, your neighbors. Especially bring the people who you've been meaning to recommend to your hairstylist, because they desperately need help in the hair department. (You know who I'm talking about. That person that just popped into your head after reading that sentence!) It's a great way for them to get a professional haircut for a really cheap price, and at the same time, contribute to a great cause!
JUST GOT A HAIRCUT? That's not a problem either. You can still come and be a part of this special event. We will be having a silent auction for some really cool stuff, lots of hair products, accessories, and t-shirts for all you shoppers out there, as well as a FREE raffle just for showing up and being with us!
WON'T BE AVAILABLE THAT DAY OR DON'T LIVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA? You're in luck, that won't be a problem either. You can still participate by buying a t-shirt, bidding on our silent auction items, or entering in our raffles. (More details to come on those, so keep checking back!) You could also just donate funds by using that "donate" button at the top right-hand corner of the blog. Another way to contribute, is get the word out. The only way this event is going to raise funds is if people show up. So you can also help by sharing this blogpost, tweeting out the event, donating your status on facebook to tell your fb friends about our event, or wherever else you can share information to other people. If you would like flyers to hang up at your office, in your neighborhood, at your church please contact me and let me know at kristinmichaelstylist@gmail.com.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP-- If you, personally, or your business would like to contribute to the event, we need you. We need raffle prizes, silent auction items, and even just people willing to help advertise. Please contact me if you feel led to do this.
It has been a whole month now since our paperwork arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In that short amount of time, a lot has been going on with the adoption process in Ethiopia. Things that are way beyond our control. Just to recap from previous posts, the Ethiopian government decided to immensly slow down the number of cases processed per day to focus on reform and make the process run more smoothly. In the long run, this will be a good thing for the children in Ethiopia waiting for families, but as of right now, this really sucks for us! They are saying that this could increase our wait time (which before the reform was 8-11 months) about one more year. Our agency's view on the matter is that they have seen a slow down of cases processed, but not as bad as they were saying. They continue to have hope, as well, that once they have worked out the kinks, that it will return back to "normal".
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24
It's been a day to day battle and constant prayer for God to restore the joy of His salvation in me and renew my spirit. Some days I will be full of hope and joy and stand firm that God is with me in this race. There are days where I feel that nothing is going according to plan, satan is winning and I doubt. I let other people's words crush me and influence me into believing that what we are doing is not "realistic" and not worth it. But the hardest days, are when my heart breaks for my son. I think about him a lot, only wishing that I can reach my arms out to him, hug him, and let him know that we are coming for him NO MATTER WHAT the wait, or what others say, or how much the cost. We will come for him. Playing with my children, having family dinners, reading books for bedtime...I feel like there is constantly a missing piece to our puzzle. It's such an unsettling feeling. A feeling I know will not go away until he is here with his sister, brother, mom, and dad. The thought of having this feeling for at least another year scares me. I have fears that it will start wearing on me or that the majority of my days will become the bad days, where I have doubts and sadness. Every day I am reminded by God that through him, I can have HOPE, and that He will make sure that our journey ends with us telling our waiting son of the hope that God has for him, as well.
I read this passage the other day, and it truly spoke to me and has become my prayer/anthem through this waiting time:
"But as for me, I will always haveHOPE, I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come a proclaim your mighty acts, O sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness as yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches to the sky, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?" Psalms 71: 14-19
Not only do I want my son to see and feel the glory of God through our journey to him, it's also my prayer that others will see the glory of God through this journey as well, regardless of how bumpy, smooth, exciting, miraculous, heartwrenching, or painful the path may be.
Here is a song from one of the worship leaders of Austin Stone, Aaron Ivey, that I listen to quite often. It helps me get through those bad days. It's a song about his wait for his little boy from Haiti.
