International adoption is costly.
But, families who know God’s calling them to bring their little one home can be pretty creative. Some families have massive yard sales. Some use a talent they have and start up Etsy stores. Some teach a skill they have. Some sell coffee or homemade jam. Some design and sell t-shirts (don’t stop there – click here or here) or calendars. Some hold online drawings for timeshares or auctions.
And, others…write a book.
The Sardos family are no strangers to the cost involved in adopting — in addition to their four biological sons, they adopted 3 little girls from China. And, now, they are bringing home yet another–a little boy named Jude from Shanghai. “We do this because in our hearts we know this is the path we must take.”
When the oldest of their 3 girlies asked them what country her brothers were from, the idea for the book was planted. John and Jane worked together over the course of 6 years to create a book bringing their family’s story to life for the benefit of all sorts of families. They sat together, one coming up with one line, and the other finishing it in a sing-song rhyme to tell their family’s story of bringing a little girl home and then starting the process to bring a little sister for her home. Jane’s sister did the illustrations that bring in a Chinese flair in style, and John colored them on his computer with bold, bright colors.
As an elementary school principal, they have had the privilege of seeing firsthand the blessing their book has had on children. They donated copies to all the schools in their school district. Each of their three girls read it aloud in their classes and gave every child in their class a copy. A church local to them took copies to schools in Africa this summer. And, people have been moved. Their girls are proud of their stories. And, other children who were adopted can read it and be encouraged to be excited about their own stories. And, children who were not adopted and may not know much about it can start to see how adoption isn’t “weird” at all.
My son in law is a teacher and recently, a missionary family who adopted a child from Africa wanted the little boy moved to a classroom with a male teacher and he was moved to my son in law’s class. Of course I also have a family interested in adoption – we have 3 adopted children and work for a lady who also has 3 from Guatemala.
As an in-the-process-adoptive parent and a shool media specialist I would love to have this story available to my students and my future child.
This is a link to a family fundraising to bring home their two adoptive sons. Both boys have heart conditions and need treatment. http://foreverfamilyadoption.blogspot.com/2011/09/delays.html
(My blog is http://kandkadoption.blogspot.com/.We are also fundraising by selling coffee and Ordinary Hero mechandise through an online store.)
Tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/kelleylk/status/117591008149114882
Well, yeah, we’d love to have this book on our shelf! Cause we love all things China of course!
We love, love, love books! And books about China and/or adoption, all the more. :o)
I love the creative fundraising ideas! And we LOVE books!
I would love a copy of this book!!! And I will share this link on FB! :)
I’d like to win this for my cousin. They are adopting a little boy to add to their family any day now!
Laurasu82@yahoo.com
i have a friend that has adopted and this would be a great book as she talks with her children about adoption.
yanuzo at hotmail dot com
I would love to give this book to one of my cousins. My family has adopted many children from all over the world. It makes our family gatherings so much more full to have more kids running around!
ps Great blog! I love your pictures at the top!
Jenna
callherhappy.com
What a creative way to raise money and tell their family story in a way that can help others! I would love to have a copy of this book!
Id love to read the story of the adoption sounds beautiful
trustjesus7771 at yahoo dot com
My Chinese Empress and I love to read stories about adoption together. This would be a wonderful addition to her “library!” Michelle
My daughter is two and adopted from Kazakhstan, I have been struggling looking for a way to introduce the topic of adoption to her…this might be perfect! Erin
PS we love the blog!
I’d love to win this and donate it to the school library where I used to be the librarian.
we are paperwork ready and awaiting placement of a transracial infant adoption. I’d love to add this book to our collection. heinzmom at hotmail dot com
Would love to be able to read this to my kiddos :) Here is a link to my friend Nikole who is fundraising to bring 2 boys home from China !
http://www.daysmadeofnow.com/2011/09/xbox-kinect-giveaway.html
I would like to win this book as I work with children that have been adopted
brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com
shared on fb
http://www.facebook.com/brenda.witherspoonbedard/posts/157220581036158
brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com
This book sounds like the story of our family. We adopted a baby girl from China, then a few years later we brought home a little sister. Our oldest was a part of the process from the beginning and loved becoming a big sister. I would love to share this book with my girls because they would relate to it so well.
Although my children were not adopted, I think it is critical all children to understand it in order to be sensitive to their friends who are and also to plant the seeds to encourage adoption in the future.
olomon@hotmail.com
would love to win this-my sister recenly adopted a boy from Korea
laurie1993@verizon.net