Tail Gating for Gates

Today Our Beautiful Lord and Wonderful Savior established a river of blessing that poured through the parking lot of Next Level Church connecting all of us who attended the Tail Gate Anniversary Celebration to one precious little boy still waiting in China. We were offered a great spot to set up our "Tail Gating for Gates" van. We put out a picnic table, set up Bridger's Lemonade/Sno Cone stand, put out the signs, filled up the coolers and positioned the grill. After a long night getting it all ready... we felt prepared. But we weren't.

How can you prepare for a miracle? You can't. You just praise God and hold on!

God's favor and participation was evident in every detail! The most popular food tent at the event was very well organized and manned by outstanding tail gaters. They came over to us and asked to join in our cause with us. They asked for a sign and a donation jar and every once in a while they'd come over and dump the jar into Bridger's cash box. Remember Bridger's plan to raise a thousand dollars? Are you ready for this? $1,208.52! Bridge sold a lot of $20 Sno Cones and $10.00 Lemonades! The NLC Connection Group that put out our sign and donation jar brought a lot in too. They also won the coveted (can you say that about a church trophy?) "Golden Habachi".

The Shulte family blessed us tremendously by coming all the way from Sanibel to buy a sno cone from Bridger! We adore you guys, thank you for being so intentional about supporting adopting families and being such a great example to all of us who want to change the world one child at a time!

Little M. and the Missionaries (wink) came to the Lemonade stand as well and it was wonderful to see them! They worked with us yesterday and worshipped with us today! Great times!

A large last minute donation that came just before we left gave us dancing feet as we loaded up our gear and headed home together!

Next Level Church just took us over their goal to pay for Paul's plane tickets to get there and tickets to get both him and Gates home to the US!

We thank you Jesus and your church!

To all God's people in our Community, at Keller Williams and Next Level Church,(and that's all of you 'cause you know how He loves us!?} Thank you! To the folks at Naples Pepsi, Gordon Food Service, Warehouse Services and Marc at Racetrack! Thank you! To our awesome kids from 27 down to 4 years old, who have sore feet, pink faces and the best attitudes in the universe! Thanks guys! We're so proud of how you gave up any thoughts of a weekend to work back to back fundraisers to help your littlest brother. Thanks. Thanks to my prayer partners all over the international adoption internet world who lift us up and encourage our hearts. Thanks to all of you from the bottom of our broken hearts. It looks like Gates is going to have his fourth birthday party here at home this year and you're ALL invited!