Starfish Supply Raiser Update...Week 2

This week has been a very exciting one for the Starfish Supply Raiser. Here is what has been sent in:

10 Onesies
19 Pairs of shoes
1 Pair of boots
6 Coats
61 Sleepers
25 Girls Outfits
2 Bottle Nipples
21 Boys Outfits
2 Sweaters
4 Pairs of Booties
14 Sets of socks
Numerous Bibs
3 Baby Hats
2 Outdoor Hats
8 Boxes of Instant Oatmeal
10 Bags of Craisins
27 Shirts
4 T-Shirts

$95.00 in the postage fund.

It really is just incredible to me that all of this has been raised so far. With 15 babies, Starfish goes through 105 sleepers a week, and that's if no one spits up. I didn't really have a goal when all of this started as far as how much would be raised. But I truly believe that we may be able send enough clothing to supply them for the year. There are still many families who are putting their boxes together.

Thank you so much to everyone. Isn't this just incredible?

Good Morning Everyone! Welcome to the Saturday Morning Chat Group!

Good Morning everyone and welcome to the Saturday Morning Chat Group! The chat group has really grown over the past month and it is great to be able to catch up with all of the women who come by and find out what they have been doing over the past week. The Saturday Morning Chat Group links are now available in blue or yellow. If you would like one to put on your blog, just let me know and I'll e-mail it to you.
So, grab your cup of coffee, jump in and try to keep up! The comments come fast when everyone is talking.

Thank You Kelley...

Kelley, thank you so much for these cute clothes! I think that Amanda is really going to be surprised when she opens her boxes. Everything is just beautiful. Kelley's blog is 'Sunshine & Rubber Duckies'.

ThankYou For the Special Hand Made Cards...

Thank you so much Michelle and Nancy for these special cards. I love that you made these for me. I will keep them always for Sophia to see what a great group of women waited for her with me.

Thank You So Much Laura...

Laura, Your box came today. Thank you so much! All of these clothes are so cute! Laura's blog is 'Nipper Family of 4'.

Thank You Kristy.

Thank you Kristy for the sweet cards and the little ladybug. They are very special.

Thank You So Much Patricia!

It was very exciting to see a package from NYC on my doorstep! Thank you so much Patricia for your Starfish package. That little outfit is so cute. I hope you all can see the little dancing Chinese girl on the shirt. I just love it! Patricia's blog is 'Hip Hip Hubei!'

It's Friday!!

Happy Friday Everyone~
I really do need this weekend! I have had a great but very busy week. It has been just crazy at work and things haven't been any quieter at home. It's all good though.
I haven't been as good as I usually am at visiting everyone's blogs, but I have made a point to change that and get myself back in sync with everyone.

SECRET BUDDY 2008, I am sorry that I haven't gotten the rules of engagement and themes out. I will do it today so that you will be ready to begin sending your gifts next month! We had a great group of ladies sign up, so I think you all are going to be very happy.

There will be the Saturday Morning Chat tomorrow. I may need to make a brief exit to drop Tyler off at a birthday party, but I'm going to see if dh can handle that. The chat seems to be able to run just fine when I'm away, so I don't see any problems there.

Have a great day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! I am very excited for tonight. Every year for Valentine's Day, my husband makes a lobster dinner for me with delicious pasta and vegetables...maybe some shrimp too. It's just perfect with a glass of wine. I look forward to it every year. I hope that you all have a wonderful day with your special someone.

The Question I Get Asked the Most....How Are You Going to Ship This?

Well, that's the big question and the answer is UPS. I have been informed by Amanda and my friend Chelley that if I use the US Postal Service, everything will be fine and less expensive until our packages reach their counterparts in the Chinese Postal Service...then things tend to come up lost. So, we are going to go with UPS so that we have tracking numbers and can verify that our packages actually get to Amanda.
Right now all of your donations are separated by family. My goal is to put a sheet in with each box with the first name and blog of the people whose donations are inside, also the people who paid the postage so that it could be sent to China with love. Then if all goes according to plan, I should be able to give you the tracking number of the box your donations are in and you can follow it until it gets to Amanda if you like.
IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO TRACK OUR BOXES AFTER THEY ARE SHIPPED, I WOULD LOVE THE HELP.
We also are buying space bags. You fill them with clothes and then vacuum the air out so that the clothing takes up little space. Anyone who would like to donate a box of space bags would be an angel.
We estimate shipping costs to be between $600 and $800. We are willing to cover the postage costs, but it may take us several months to get everything mailed out. Please be patient, everything will be shipped out. Donations to the postage fund are very appreciated. If we could raise half of the shipping costs, that would be tremendously helpful.
People have asked me why I don't just send Amanda money. My answer to that is that she is a woman who is caring for 15 children. She has nannies who help her, but she is very busy. Her primary focus is raising funds for surgeries and traveling with very ill infants to hospitals. I want these boxes just to show up at her door without her having to do anything. I want these beautiful donations from all of you to just melt her heart and take the burden of clothing all of those children off of her shoulders.
I also believe that there is a reward for the soul when you are choosing things for others, especially children. When my husband and I were shopping for our donations, it was a wonderful experience for us.
I feel the love in every box I have opened. I see that great care has been put into which clothes are chosen. I feel how soft they are and I see how carefully they are folded. I wish that you all could be here when I get home from work. There are 1-2 boxes every day now and to be the one who gets to open them is a very moving experience.

Thank You Nancy!

Thank you Nancy for your wonderful donation to Starfish! I LOVE those Little Mermaid pajamas, and all of the cute outfits and sleepers. Just wonderful. Nancy's blog is 'ASENND'.

Dannye 2...Thank You For Your 2nd Box for Starfish!

Dannye, Thank you so much for this latest box of donations for Starfish! Dannye's blog is 'LayDFrog'.

Chinese New Year...

We really enjoyed a wonderful Chinese New Year. We went to a very nice dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant with Steffie and her family. My camera batteries died (as usual, but the hubs keeps sticking up for the ever-failing camera). But Steffie e-mailed me this photo of Eli and Sophia together. Those two had a fantastic time running around, dancing and entertaining everyone. The company was wonderful, so was the food...it was a great time.


Also, we got this card in the mail from Tim's Aunt Carol. She's my Aunt Carol too now that we are married and she is a wonderful supporter of our family. I just love her. This is what she made inside of the card and it really touched my heart.

To The Most Incredible Person I Have Never Met...

I couldn't believe it when a box arrived today from my Secret Buddy for the Starfish Supply Raiser. I am just so overwhelmed. Thank you for supporting the things that are important to me. I appreciate it more than words can say. Being that you are in the same Yahoo group as me, we must have similar LID's. Wouldn't it be incredible if we were in China together? I'd have to figure out who you were by then though for it to work out : )

Attention Secret Buddy 2008 Participants!

Everyone has been matched and you should have received information on your secret buddy in your e-mail today. If you did not, please contact me directly at timnkim@gmail.com

Thank You Jennifer!

Jennifer, thank you so much for your Starfish donations! And thank you for the special card, it means a lot to me. I have it on my computer desk.
Jennifer's blog is 'My Three Sons...and a little China Girl'.

Thank You Secret Buddy!

Dear Secret Buddy,

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I did not order a Kimberley dress for myself and so I am so happy to have this one just for my Sophia. I secretly hoped you would order it for me and just somehow know that I did not buy one for myself. It is just beautiful and it means the world to me. I will have Sophia photographed in it when she comes home.

If you were wondering about any future things....hint hint...I love that apron on Robin's site that you can put an S on. And that bag with the funky flower stuff on it is fabulous too. You know, just being subtle here. In case you were looking for any ideas ; )

Oh, and I like the big hairbows at Angel Bow Tique..it's on my sidebar too.

Truly. You are the best. If I could start all over and pick anyone I wanted, I would pick you. I know that I keep saying it, but it's true...you have made this a wonderful experience for me.

Thank You Stacey!

Thank you Stacey for your Starfish donations. When I pulled that beautiful sweater out of the box, I though a little boy could be wearing that when he meets his forever family for the first time. That is a really beautiful sweater. Everything is just darling.

Some of The Starfish Babes...

The little girl above is Heather and she is currently available for adoption. She is listed with Small World Adoptions. For more info, please visit the Chinese Starfish blog.

Thank You Cyndi...

Thank you so much Cyndi for your donations to the Starfish home. The children will be very warm and cozy in these snow suits, slippers and sleepers!
Cyndi's blog is 'Waiting for Lilly Rae'.

Sunday...