And The Winner IS.....

After a heated contest, the lucky recipient of the TWO Kenny Chesney tickets (along with Uncle Kracker) is......KAREN CARPENTER from Northport, AL!!! Congratulations, Karen. Thanks for your support. We hope you and a friend enjoy the concert at Tuscaloosa's brand new amphitheater! Take some pics of Kenny and post them for all to see.

Many thanks to the others who chipped in to help bring Selah Evette home. May God bless you this summer for your spirit of generosity and encouragement!

Kenny Chesney Ticket Auction

Our friends, Alan & Laurie Snyder, have generously donated to us two tickets to the Kenny Chesney concert scheduled for Wednesday, May 25th (7:30p) at the brand new Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. They suggested we use these coveted seats (section 202, row P, seats 26&27) in order to raise money for our adoption. Each day, Selah Evette is a little closer to being home but we still have a ways to go. WE NEED YOUR HELP!

HERE'S HOW:
Chip in just $10 for ONE chance to win the pair of tickets in a random drawing. Chip in $20 and earn TWO chances in the lottery. The more times you chip in, the higher your chances to win! Help also by sharing the story through facebook & twitter. The lottery will officialy close at 9pm on Monday, May 23rd.

Many thanks to you and the Snyders for all the love and support. Please keep us in your prayers. We leave for Ethiopia on May 24th - our anniversary! Can't wait to meet this little girl. Thanks for being a part of our journey.

COURT DATE!

This morning as I pulled out of our apartment complex, my phone rang and I instantly recognized the area code. It was the long awaited call from our agency letting us know we finally have a COURT DATE! Jenny & I will appear before a judge in Addis Ababa, the capitol city of Ethiopia, on Monday, May 30th nearly two years after our decision to adopt.

Needless to say we are thrilled to finally have travel dates! For the next several weeks we'll be making a thousand arrangements and packing as many supplies as we can stuff into two 50lb bags. (More info later on what we will be collecting to take. We know the orphanages need wipes, formula, plastic mattress covers, and more. We are also taking soccer balls for older children!)

We have some more fundraising to do between now and then. Some good friends of ours are working on a benefit dinner and silent auction. Details of that will soon be available. Also, Jenny is continuing to sell custom cards on Etsy - great for birth announcements, party invites, address changes, etc. Jenny is also selling cookbooks and booking photo sessions. (Yeah, she's a pretty big deal!) Email her with any questions you might have on these fundraising ideas!!

Of course, once we pass court, we'll be able to share pictures of Selah Evette Dixon! Can't wait for that! Please keep our family in your prayers during this exciting and busy time!

Fighting for KIRILL!

Please help our friends! We are all praying for Greg & Tesney as they try to adopt this little boy, Kirill. The judge in Russia has ruled that he is better off in an institution for the rest of his life rather than in a loving family as he is not "socially adaptable" despite all the experts in the courtroom saying the boy would, in fact, benefit. The ruling has been appealed but there is little hope. Clearly this is a spiritual battle! Please join us in prayer!

See full story:
http://networkedblogs.com/fPjpi

Also, please take the time to forward the sotry to the following major networks. We are hoping they will pick the story up and this will apply pressure to the judge. She just needs some encouragement!

evening@cbsnews.com
nightline@abcnews.com
oreilley@foxnews.com
2020@abc.com
foxreport@foxnews.com
special@foxnews.com
dateline@nbc.com
nightly@nbc.com
today@nbc.com
ombudsman@npr.org

Thanks for your prayers & support!