Introducing Kyle Bradlee Allen

Well we now have a face and a PA for our son!! He received his file on November 28. I called our agency on the following Monday to see what we needed to do to bring "our boy" home. Our letter of intent (LOI) was sent to China that Thursday and on the following Thursday we received our Pre Approval (PA)!! This day was the day we could tell everyone this was our boy!

He is two years old and has repaired cleft lip and cleft palate. He lives in a town very close to the Russian boarder so it is very cold there! (last night it was -26! BBUUURRRRR) He will turn 3 in March so I am praying we are there with him by then so we don't miss another birthday! (that has been my prayer since we started)

Please be in prayer with us that God will already fill his heart with love for us. That everyone who has a part in getting his paperwork finished will not be delayed. Pray for protection over him and that God keeps him safe from harm or illness!

Cant wait to share the rest of the journey with you! Thank you for your prayers and support!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!
Love
Charmon

BRING THAT BABY HOME! Auction on facebook

OK I finally have the Silent Auction on facebook! As of today, there is over 90 items. We are still waiting on a few more donations and we will add them once we receive them. Please, if you haven't already, check it out. 100% of all proceeds go to our adoption fund. IF you are not my friend on facebook and want to place a bid...PLEASE send me a message. I have the album set for "public" but for some reason anyone who is not my friend can not comment on the photos. Also share with your family, friends, adoption groups,etc.

On a side note...we are LID!!!  Chin@ logged our paperwork in their system on 10/12/12!!! Now we just wait for a match! HOPEFULLY, God's will, we will find our son on this months shared list. Please keep us and him in your prayers!

THANK YOU for your support!!

Charmon

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200094258898486.366275.1210384079&type=1&l=cf12ba4909 link to auction!!

Fundraising!

Just to get everyone up to date on our current fundraisers...here is the list. We have several options for you to choose from. They also make GREAT Christmas gifts!

First we have a "Blessed beyond belief" T Shirt --long and short sleeve. Available through "Under The Carolina Moon". Proceeds form sale goes to our adoption fund
http://underthecarolinamoon.com/search.asp

We also have a special bracelet through Jubilee Jewels

 http://jubileesjewels.com/hebrews-10-35?filter_name=hebrews

We also have different jewelry from "It Sparkles"
http://www.itsparkles.net/allen-family.html

I also have a few left over T Shirts if you look at my old post from July. ALOT of cute shirts..just limited sizes and quantities. Post a comment if you are interested in ordering one of those.

I am also doing a 31 fundraiser this month and for every person who host a party (can be an online or book party) Hope is donating $10 per party to our adoption fund! She is also donating her commission from sales!! Click on the link below, then click shop now beside my name! THis monrth special is for every $35 dollars you spend you get the med utility tote for only $5! And they have the limited edition snowman print!

https://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/preshop.aspx

We are also planning a silent online auction with ALOT of great items, OOBE jackets for men and women, painting, 31 Bags, toys, gift cards, etc so check back towards the end of Nov.

Thank you for you prayers, love and support! Hopefully it wont be long and we will be matched with our son!

 Until next time..God Bless!

Charmon

You are officially DTC!!!!

YIPEE!!!  Best email I have received all month! For everyone who doesn't know what that means, I will explain....
 D-dossier (which is all the paperwork you had to gather to send to China)
 T- to
 C- China

Which means...all of our paperwork is on the way to China!!! Once received there, it will be logged into their system and we will be able to find our son!!!  There are ALOT of unknowns so PLEASE pray for guidance and for GOD'S WILL to be done! I KNOW He has something BIG for us because everything has moved so quickly! I just cant wait to see it all unfold and see what He has in store for us! Don't worry, I will share as soon as I know! I can not begin to explain to you all the feelings I am experiencing right now. Excited, happy, nervous, anxious, anticipating and wondering.

Wonder when we will find our boy?

Nervous that we see God's will and NOT ours.

Happy that everything we have been doing for 3 months, is on its way to China.

Anticipating and Excited that we will have a miracle from the other side of the world in our arms someday.

Anxious that I want to see his sweet face and let him know his FOREVER FAMILY is on their way!

PLEASE be praying that ..
we have guidance and that we don't miss what God wants us to do. I can't even imagine reviewing files and saying you don't want a child. So I want the one God has for us to be the first and only file we see.

NOTHING will hold up our paperwork or what God is already doing in China to get us to our son.

Peace for me...those of you that KNOW me...know that I am OCD and do not like to be out of control. But with this process I don't want to be in control...I want GOD to be.

Thank you for your support and I will keep you posted as this amazing journey unfolds!

Love,
Charm

"You have been approved to adopt one child from Ch*na!"

What a great notice to FINALLY receive!!! I heard on Tuesday that our I800a had been approved and today we received the notice! Since our mail runs so late in the afternoon, I had to get the majority of my paperwork authenticated today without the notice. However, it will be sent to the state house tomorrow and they will have it on Monday morning. The wonderful lady there will overnight it back to me so by Wed all of our paperwork should be heading to Washington DC!! Hopefully not too much longer and we will be DTC. (which means our paperwork will be  in route to China!!) Once there and logged into their system we can then start reviewing files and be matched with our waiting boy. I can't wait to see what God has planned for us. I don't know all the miracles He is already performing but I cant wait to share them with you as I find out.

On a fundraising note..I had donated items that I currently have at a huge consignment sale this weekend! So far we have made $159.70! That is without sales from today! Pray that everything we sent (almost 500 items) sale. I have also extended the "31" sale for this month too. They have several new prints and can now monogram collegiate logo's! Still organizing the silent auction for next month so if you have any items you would like to donate let me know. We are also having another $250 gift basket giveaway from Under The Carolina Moon. Tickets are $1 each or 12 for $10. You can purchase items from   31 or jewelry from It Sparkles or Jubilee Jewels by clicking the link on the right side of the blog.

I will keep you posted as things happen! Pray you all have a great weekend. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Love
Charm

YARD SALE!

WHEW! what a day! We had a yard sale today at "Under The Carolina Moon" to raise adoption fund's. We raised $575! Cant believe how hot it was! It was only suppose to be in the low 80's but after being out there for a while it felt like it was over 100. All the sweat, standing, walking and YES, even dropping the corner of a wood table on the top of my foot, was worth every dime that we raised! WE are $575 closer to bringing our son home!

I would like to thank everyone who donated items, advertised on facebook, shared with friends, came and helped and came and bought! This would not be possible without each of you! Even if you thought you did nothing, just you being there offering support meant more than words can express.

On another note we received Todd's birth certificate back from NY and  it is authenticated! New York is now ready for China..only took them two months. Everything is in God's timing so I wont fret. We also received notice from our I800A that it was excepted. (after writing the check for $2 too much and having it rejected). Now we wait on our fingerprint cards. Another step closer. One step at a time we will eventually make it to China!

I also mailed two applications this week for grants so please be in prayer that we will be approved.

That is all the updates for now! Hopefully more good news to come soon! Thanks for following this ride with us!

Love
Charmon

HOT item from the yard sale! Tiger basketballs! Thanks to Pap for blowing them up!

On Overload

Well...no news to update everyone on. We are now in the "hurry up and wait" part of our paperwork. We are still waiting on NY to send Todd's birth certificate, HOPEFULLY it will come in the mail by the end of the week. I called today to check on our I800A status. The office in TX does not have it logged in the system yet, so no fingerprint cards have been mailed yet. So much for going Friday to get fingerprinted UNLESS God works a miracle. I KNOW everything is OK and believe it or not I am not stressing Because I know GOD has it all in control. I am trying to focus on raising the $7500 we need to move on to the next step. We have to send all of our forms to the state capital, then the US Dept, then on to the China Embassy to get authenticated. Once that is completed, all paperwork will go to our adoption agency to be translated. Then its off to China where we wait to get logged in and then matched with THE child.

I have been working on the blog to make it a little more interesting (was told it looked boring..AR...you know who you are LOL) I added the links to our fundraisers on the side...more to come..so hopefully you will find something you like. Currently, I am doing a 31 fundraiser, Under The Carolina Moon Fundraiser, planning a yard/bake sale for the end of August, and a silent auction. If you need any of these products let me know!

Please keep our son in your prayers.That God will keep him safe until we can wrap him in our arms. Also pray that God will touch peoples heart to donate money. Don't get me wrong...I don't expect everyone else to pay for our adoption. I am working two jobs, doing EVERY fundraiser I think is profitable and desirable, and applying for grants. I can only do so much though...the rest is up to God to provide.

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us so far. Without your love and support we wouldn't be as far along as we are. I will leave you with a great quote I came across today!

Until next time!
Charm

I800A!

Well we FINALLY received the email saying .."this is just to notify you that your home study is complete and has been sent to DSS. You may now send your I800A". That was the BEST news we had received in two weeks. It feel's like we have waited forever for the go ahead. Now we wait for fingerprint cards. Once we receive them we can drive to Charlotte and then all we wait on is the USCIS approval letter!! One step at a time we are getting closer to our baby boy. Still have a lot of hoops to jump through but at least we are progressing. I try not to think of more than a step at a time or I will go crazy! I can say that through this I AM learning patience...and NO I did not pray for that! Its hard for me not to be in control but all I can do is pray everything comes together in God's perfect timing not mine. Now we are off to the next fundraiser...I am now trying to organize a silent auction so if anyone has anything that would like to donate just let me know.  Please join us in prayer as we pray for DSS to process the home study quickly and get to immigration and for immigration to process everything quickly. Others I have asked has said it has taken them 38-45 days to get their USCIS approval letter. Also pray that wherever our boy is that God will keep his hand upon him and keep him from harm til we can get there. Thanks for your love, prayers and support! Can't wait to update you soon to say we are on the way to Charlotte!
Love
Charm

Fundraiser Tshirts

A WONDERFUL friend of mine donated her left over fundraiser shirts for me to sell. There is limited quantities so if there is one you like please let me know. You can post a comment or send me and email to charmallen99@yahoo.com. I will send you a paypal invoice. Please leave an email address if you post a comment. ALSO a great BIG THANK YOU to Kelly Apisa & Minus 1 Project for allowing me to sell some of her shirts also!!! Thank you all for your support! We are waiting now for Todd's background check from Florida. Once that gets her our home study will be ready to send to DSS and our I800A ready to mail. We only have to get police letters for our dossier and get everything authenticated and it will be done also. Hope everything worked as fast as I know but I am TRYING to learn patience. My prayer is that everything happens on God's time scale and not mine! Thank you all for your love and prayers. I will keep you posted!!
Love Charm

short sleeve-avil in black and gray tee

front/back

Black- 8- L, 4- xl, 3- 2xl , 1 youth med

Grey-1- 2xl

available in these two colors

                                                    purple- 2- xl
                                                    blue-  1- xl





back



front only shirts-short sleeve

red--2 L

Pink-- 2- 2xl

long sleeve...have a few in short sleeve but its a front only

                                                    Short Sleeve-- 3 sm,1 youth small
                                                    Long Sleeve-- 1 xl

Black is short sleeve--brown is long sleeve

                                            Blk w/ pink- 1- yth xs, 2 -yth M, 1 -yth L
                                                  3-S, 3-xl, 2- 2xl
                                            Blk w/ white-  2- yth xs,  2- yth L
                                                  3-S, 3-M, 4- L, 4- XL, 3- 2xl, 1- 3x
                                            Brown Long Sleeve- 2- yth S, 3- yth M, 3- yth L
                                                    3 - S, 3 - M, 4 - L, 4 - xl, 3 - 2xl, 1 - 3xl

**quanity updated 11/3/12**
Let me know if you are interested! REMEMBER sizes are very limited!  THANK YOU!!!
Short sleeve are $15 including shipping, long sleeve are $20 including shipping.

First Fundraiser

Well today was the last day of our raffle. My friends at Under The Carolina Moon donated a $250 gift set and we sold tickets for the last month. ($1 a ticket or 12 for $10) Thanks to all the support from friends, family, coworkers, and complete strangers that were customers at Under The Carolina Moon, we raised $1550 to help bring home our sweet boy.Congrats to Jamie Lyda for winning Kyle's first fundraiser! Now on to try and find another fundraiser to top this one. IF anyone has any suggestions please feel free to comment on this post or send me a message. I am not thinking about the total of the cost..I would get to overwhelmed...but God always provides the funds we need to go to the next step. Thank you again to everyone for your support! Its not about ticket's or winning a giftset its all about fullfilling God's plan for our family and one special little boy...keep watching for the next step!

Love Charmon

This is my mom and sister who helped sell tickets while I was at work! Thank you!!!

The start

I am VERY new to writing blogs so let me start by saying forgive me if this is a mess. I have read and I follow many other blogs so I thought we would start our own...

On May 7th, 2012 God touched our heart by way of a sweet little boy who is currently living in a foster home in China. We knew at that moment God was calling us to adopt. I have a dear friend who has 3 China blessings so I sent her a text and told her the news! She was over joyed and told me where to start. I called several agencies and was in turmoil over which one to use. On May 23rd, I was so stressed I was physically sick! I sat at my kitchen table and told God (me TELL God...imagine that! what was I thinking) I was NOT going to do this! He had got this one wrong! We were too old to adopt (43), it was too stressful..I just didn't think this was going to work and didn't want to go through all the heartache. My husband arrived home from work and we ate supper like normal. I NEVER mentioned one word to him about my day, the calls or the sickness I was currently suffering from. I excused myself and went to the bathroom and was not feeling well at all! Stress is horrible!  Around five minutes later my husband walked in our room and he had his cell phone with tears in his eyes. Thinking the worst, I thought something bad had happened and I asked him what was wrong. He replied " I just now had a chance to read my bible verse today" (He ALWAYS reads it first thing in the morning..it comes to his cell phone. Why he didn't have time to read it that morning and had to read it once he got home, at that moment, was right in the plan of God. I then asked what it said and he began to read...

"Hebrews 10:35-37-- Do NOT lose your courage,then,because it brings with it a great reward. You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what He promises. For, as the scripture says, Just a little while longer, and he who is coming will come; he will not delay (GNT)"

Needless to say all I could do was cry! Who am I that I would question God? Who am I that He would tell me just what I needed to hear at that moment? Who are we that He would call us to be parents of a precious child on the other side of the world who has no one? Since that moment we have been full steam ahead! We just completed our home study and are waiting on the draft to approve. Already have everything ready minus the home study to send off for our I800A.

This is a GREAT expense but we know where God guides, He will provide. All we have to do is work hard and go where He guides and He will make a way. My friend who owns "Under the Carolina Moon" has generously donated a $250 gift set and we have been selling raffle tickets for almost a month. We are having the drawing on Friday so once we get a total on how much we raised I will post the winner along with a pic if possible! I know as of last Saturday he had raised $1100! Thank you Lord!

There is not one doubt in my mind that God is going to do something GREAT! We can't wait to see how it all unfolds and who He has waiting for us that is undiscovered at this very moment. Your prayers, wisdom, and encouragement are welcomed. Thanks for sharing the ride with us!

Love Charmon....here is a a screen capture of the text Todd got!