Ivy's Adoption Story Part 5

Ivy and I at the "Ivy Restaraunt" in West Hollywood

I went to work to photocopy my letter. I was going to send it to people in Iowa,Washington, and California. While I was getting ready to copy it , a mom at my school asked what I was doing and if she could read the letter. She started to cry and asked to keep it. That was a couple of weeks before school started.

On the first day back at school, I was greeted by the President of the Parents Association. She asked me if I played bunko. I said no. She said that they were going to have a bunko night where you pay $40. ( I was thinking, I wouldn't be going...I am saving for a baby!) She then told me that it was "Baby Bunko" and that at the end of the night , all of the money would go to Matt and I to use towards our adoption! She came back to me later and told me that it turned into "Baby Bingo" and it was going to be held at the school because so many people wanted to come. I was blown away!

God was so good in that Wendy was still home to experience this with me. ( She is not going to like me telling this part of the story. But this is part of it....so deal!) Wendy kept asking me if my mom was coming out from Iowa to come. I said no and that this was part of me living in California and her living in Iowa. We would miss out on some things. I had invited Wendy and the kids over for chili. While we were eating,my sister called and said that she was coming over. Hollie said that she wanted me to video her and her roommate rapping a song. (if you know Hollie...the funny thing is this is normal for her and I thought nothing of it.) When she came in the door she said she was going to video tape me to see if the camera worked. I didn't care, I just kept eating my chili. ( I wasn't "fat mommy " then...I was just "fat Kelli". ) As she was filming me, my mom walked in the door! I was so surprised! I asked her what she was doing and then it dawned on me that she must be here for my " Baby Bingo". I started crying so hard, my mom was crying, Wendy was crying, and Hollie was still videoing. My mom said, "Thank Mike and Wendy. They flew me out here."

In October.....

"Baby Bingo" was a huge success and so much fun. Money was coming in from people who were invited but couldn't make it. They had raffles and if you brought a baby gift you got a free ticket. Matt and I got to keep all of the baby gifts! There were prizes. Matt chose the balls and I called them out for bingo. They let me talk to the crowd and I talked about God's faithfulness to Matt and I already. God was sure showing me in a big way that He was in control of this! We were also getting money from around the country and encouraging notes from people getting the newsletter. I NEVER ASKED FOR MONEY IN MY LETTER! God had just put it on people's hearts to give. When we got home, I looked through all of the baby gifts. My mom asked me if I was sad that none of my friends were here to look through the gifts with me. I said "Heck no, I've waited forever for gifts like this and I don't care who is watching me open them!"
"Baby Bingo" raised around $5,ooo! I was overwhelmed with gratitude and love.

The week of "Baby Bingo", a teacher at my school said that her sister worked in a home for unwed mothers and had a girl who wanted to give her baby to a Christian home. I gave her Tim's website and phone number and told her to call him if she was interested in us.....that was that. Then I flew to Berlin, Germany with Wendy and the kids. I remeber so well sitting on Wendy's leather couch in Germany late one night and she asked me if I thought I would get that baby. I said no because I hadn't heard anything else.....little did I know that my baby was cooking and ready to meet me in just a few short months.