Fundraiser cancelled.

So two weeks ago, I started to spread the word that we were giving away an ipad.

Unfortnately no one donated, so we're cancelling the fundraiser. I'll tell people what we do with ipad as soon as we decide.

iPads put the fun into Fundraising

See that up there? It's for REAL, people! A white, sleek, modern, oh so awesome and desirable Ipad2. You feel cool just holding it. They would make great Christmas gifts, for yourself or someone you love.

Well, someone gave us an iPad 2 and just looking at the box makes me feel cool. However, we don't want it or need it. Heck, we aren't awesome enough for iPads at Casa Starchenko. So we've decided to put it to good use. We're going to use it to benefit the much discussed, much ballyhoo'd Adoption from Poland. We want to give someone this Ipad on November 1st and raise money for our adoption adventure from Poland. It's going to be awesome. Here are the deets:

For every $5 you donate to our Adoption ChipIn, we'll toss your name into a basket. On November 1st, we'll enter everyone's names into a random generator, and let the interwebs choose the recipient. We'll announce the winner on November 2, right here on the blog, and on our facebook page and mail it off to you.

You can also spread the word for more entries:

1. You get one entry if you tell people on facebook and link to me at at Pennies for Poland

2. You can get another entry if you tell people about it on twitter and tag me @rustichouse_

3. If you get my email, and forward it to people who would be interested and put me in the recipient list you can get an additional entry.

Finally, if you dont want to participate but be entered anyway, email me at cstarchenko at gmail and I'll add your name to the list.

Here's an example:

You donate 50 dollars to our ChipIn- thats 5 names in the basket for you.

You spread the work on facebook and link to me- another name in the basket

You tweet your tweeps and tag me- another name in the basket

Your forward my email (or put this blog post in an email)- AGAIN! Your name in the basket! Are you tracking?

That's YOUR name 8 times in our Adoption Ipad Fundraiser basket!

Ok. Short version: Donate. Spread the word. An Ipad2 is involved. Ready. Set. Go!

Thanks so much for considering a donation to our adoption. We are so happy to have you along for the ride, and we can't wait to show you pix of our new little guy!

CS

Remiss

I'm not posting as much as I could. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed recently, even though I can't really pinpoint a reason for it. I blame it on lack of depth in my life with Christ. But I've been up to stuff:

I did a bridal shoot. I had fun. I'm full of anticipation of this Saturday's wedding in Virginia. I'm going by myself, which is both good and bad.

Lev turned 11 months old. It makes me teary and happy all at the same time.

We went to California. I took exactly one picture on my camera which I will post later, and it wasn't even in California. It's super cute. I need to learn to be cool when traveling with tiny people. This was a little daunting for me. But I want to go back. I didn't see people I wanted to see, or take the photos I wanted to take. It was unfulfilling and good at the same time.
Here's anther picture of Alex just for the fun of it. I can't find the one I really wanted to post. Oh well. He'd rather me post this one any ways. The other one was him getting ready to pound down an orange.

We also had our first homestudy meeting for our new adoption effort. I'm supposedly "paperchasing" (meaning I gather documents that prove my worthiness to be a mother), which I do in spurts. I have a goal of being done by the end of Decemeber, and packing it all off the adoption agency and from there to Poland. But I'm kind of slow. I've getting there, however. I mean it- I. WILL. BE. DONE. by the end of November to have everything apostilled and so on in December. Do I have to mention that paperchasing is my least favorite part of adoption? I like the wait more. And the wait is awful. But it's worth it. So completely worth it.

So if you've tracking with me, two posts down, I mentioned that photography was going well, and that soon, I would have an actual, legit, paid for shoot. And I got one. More than actually.

I have seven! I don't know what happened.

3 weddings/trash the dress sessions, 1 senior session, 2 families, and a maternity session. I get to go the beach, and spend a weekend in a dilapidated town called Radford, Viriginia, which I love. And they are paid for big girl gigs as another photographer on her blog put it.

Side note:
Alex and I went to Radford in February so could do some translation work, and I thought it was ok becuase there was a river and fun old houses on hills, reminiscent of the Bay Area, except southern style. And then we drove past a house where there were chickens in the front yard ( i LOVE chickens), and it became cool. And then we ate at this place called Mi Puerto, and Radford became awesome. I've been looking for a way back since then.

Anyways, this apprently makes me legit, and not just a mom with a camera. Alex told me the other day, wow! you're a small business owner, a real WAHM (work at home mom). And I thought to myself, "OMG! Businesses require the ability to do math! And technology upgrades."
I was terrified. I literally have no idea how to run a business. But then I realized, "I've invested exactly 87 dollars in this "business" and I've booked sessions that more than cover that. And then I realized, "wow. Now what? I have to keep the momentum going. And that takes time and work. But I get to choose when to work. It's already awesome."

I dont know why I'm so surprised that I am really doing this. I worked hard to get these shoots, and to develop the abilities to take pictures. Maybe I thought I couldn't do it for some reason. I dont know what I'm doing or what I should be doing next. So I guess I'll just keep doing the same thing. Maybe find a new lense or something.

Letters to Lev #13

Dear Lev,

You're 10 months old. It's just too much for me to think about- you being pretty much all the way through your first year with us. I get choked up when I think about it. You've become such an active and fun little man to have around- always showing up in time to mop or vacuum with me, and listening well while Pop reads in Russian, or attempting to touch every single animal that come into your reach. Oh, and you are a camera ham. You LOVE it. Pop and I were watching you play a couple of weeks ago, and we commented about how we lost our baby and gained a toddler:

You drink from a sippy cup, and can use a fork, although we have to limit fork usage since you like to poke yourself and others with it. You pretty much just feed yourself.

You crawl, unless a hand is nearby and then you just walk and hold mine or Pop's hand.

You climbed all the way up the stairs on the first try, and now we follow you closely while you climb the stairs, becuase we think that if you can, and like to, you should do it yourself.

We have a baby gate on the stairs, and one is going in your doorway soon.

You're giving up your morning nap- in 4-6 months it will be totally gone! Yay! Morning nap is more like a morning snooze on the way to afternoon nap.

You made up your own signs for "pick me up", "more", and "come with me", all involve waving your arms around in some form or another and distinctive grunts or squeals.

You play with everything but your toys- pots and pans, the vacuum cleaner, curtains, etc.

You babble sounds like words. We especially love it when we ask you questions and you say Uh-huh or nuh uh for yes and no. We think that's just so funny.

One of my favorite things about you this month is seeing how much you love being around other kids. You just LOVE them. You pay them nicely and squeal at them, and generally just have fun. I love that about you, because it shows that the Lord is answering my prayers for you, that you would love other kids, and help them to loved God more. It makes me pray extra hard for you.

And yet, you've experienced a lot as well- your little friend Savvy G is with Jesus now, and we're all still really sad about it. I still cry a little every day, because I think about the high hopes I had for your friendship and how much she loved seeing you and you her. And I think about how you wont really remember her, and how I have to remember her for you. And I'm happy to do that, becuase I'm your mom and that's my job. She was your first friend, the first person you ever interacted with besides me and Pop. I wish that we didn't have to walk this road while you are so young. You don't have any idea what happened, but it makes me treasure your life, and the miracle that it is that much more.

And after all of that, you are going to be a big brother! We're going adopt another little guy who needs a mom and dad too, and he'll become a Starchenko just like the rest of us. He won't be much younger than you, but he'll be your best friend, and you'll be his best friend! I am looking forward to seeing you both play together and and love each other and God dearly. It's going to be a long road to that point, but we'll get there, and when we do, it's going be exciting!

We love you sweet boy, and we pray for you to be a godly man.

Love,
Mom