(Updated) Bracelets for JJ and A Giveaway!

Update as of Tuesday morning:

Hello friends, and thank you for your absolutely amazing response to the JJ bracelets! I can tell you that there are a whole lot of people out there who love them some Martin Family-- and who want to help them get this little man home! So much so that we are pretty much fresh out of bracelets (okay, actually I'm currently surrounded by them, but they are all spoken for--upwards of 70 bracelets)! I wish I could keep cranking them out . . . but my family is ready to have me back for a bit . . . and I need to get my homeschooled "littles" up and running soon! If you are the crafty type and would like to make some JJ bracelets, do it! Sonia will send you the buyers, oh yes she will . . . and I will even send you the little JJ cards to go with your bracelets. If you are interested send me an email, I would love to give you some tips--and I would love to see JJ's "Chip-in" keep moving on up! Thanks again to all who have been a part of JJ's rescue team--this has been a sweet experience! If you didn't get a bracelet, but would still like to be entered in the giveaway for a chance to win one (along with the LOVEwater T-shirt), leave me a comment (on this post is okay) telling me an interesting fact about Sonia. It's not hard--she's very interesting! Hilariously interesting, in my opinion. Thanks for playing! Blessings from my nest ~ Tina

This little guy is waiting in China

to become Joshua John "JJ" Xiang Martin

the seventh son . . .

(Jason (14), Jordan (13), Justin (9), Jack (9), Jacob (7), JJ (7) & Joseph (7)!)

of this beautiful couple --

John and Sonia Martin.

I think the easiest way for me to show you Sonia Martin's heart is to use her own words, borrowed from her blog -- His Hands, His Feet. Sonia shares this about herself . . .

"I am a forgiven sinner madly in love with my Savior, wife to one flyboy and mother to many somewhat smelly boys. We are making our home wherever the Air Force sends us and striving to serve the Lord in all that we do. We recently returned from China with our two latest additions Jacob & Joseph. Orphanage mates from infancy, 7 months apart and teaching us daily what real love is. We are now racing against the clock to bring home our 7th son who is dying of an unrepaired heart defect. HE said go and we said yes. Glory. To. God."

So . . . in the midst of trying to find her new normal, having gone from four boys to six . . . in the midst of getting to know her two new Chinese treasures and figuring out what makes them tick . . . in the midst of a military move from Alabama to Florida . . . in the midst of the chaos that being a military wife, and a mama to six boys creates--God said, "Go back for JJ"! And John and Sonia said, "Yes!" (There may have been a gasp, or two in there, but they still said, "yes". That's the important part.)

International adoption is expensive. A double international adoption is extra expensive. An international adoption after you have just paid for two adoptions, well . . . I'm guessing it could cause one to gasp . . .

JJ's little heart is very sick. Surgery may be an option and it may not be. The surgeons here in the U.S. (by what they have seen of JJ's medical records) say that "it's not promising" -- in regards to whether or not they will be able to help JJ. The adoption process for JJ has been expedited. He needs his family now, and they need their Joshua John home. Joshua means "God rescues"--and the Martin Family, along with those who are standing with them, are trusting God for JJ's miracle!

So, this is where you get to be a part of the rescue team! We have been busy making "A Heart For JJ" bracelets --

The bracelets are $10 each, and one hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to the Martin Family to assist in getting their little man home! Each bracelet has a tiny silver heart bead, to remind you of sweet JJ.

If you would like to purchase a bracelet . . . or two . . . please leave me a comment below (If you don't have a Google account anonymous is fine, just make sure you leave me your name). Tell me the number/color of the bracelet(s). I will try to mark any bracelets that sell as "sold"--but it would be a good idea to read through the comments to make sure a bracelet is still available before you call dibs. You can either go directly to Sonia's blog and pay her "Chip-in" (on the right sidebar), or you can mail me a check and I will donate it via her "Chip-in". If you need to contact me, my email is on the right sidebar (below "Followers"). You can email me with your addy, and I will pay the postage . . . unless of course you are local--then I will hand deliver for a small fee, just kidding on the fee part.

In my previous post I mentioned a giveaway--which I will explain at the bottom of this post, so keep readin'!

Here we go with the bracelets . . . By the way, I haven't photographed all of the bracelets we've made --if you see one you want, but someone else has beat you to it I may have something similar. Just let me know!

Update: Wow!! You guys are blessing my socks off---the bracelets are going F-A-S-T. Not to worry, there are more! I need to take pictures of them though, and then I will try and get the new ones posted by late this evening (or possibly tomorrow morning)-- so check back! Thank you to all who have already blessed JJ's heart! You are making me smile big!

#1 on hold . . .

#1 Orange & White

#2 No longer available,

thank you Jill!

#2 Blues

#3 No longer available,

thank you Denise!

#3 Multi (this one runs a bit larger than average)

#4 No longer available,

thank you Jill!

#4 Orange & Turquoise

#5 No longer available.

( This one is going to JJ's mama!)

#5 Brown & Turquoise

#6 No longer available,

thank you Tanna!

#6 Red/Turquoise/Black

(the main bead is kind of a brick red)

#7 No longer available,

thank you Mer!

#7 Pink Speckle & Yellow

#8 No longer available,

thank you Robin!

#8 Lots of Pink!

#9 No longer available,

thank you Tanna!

#9 Black & Blue

#10 No longer available,

thank you Robin!

#10 Purple & Black

#11 No longer available,

thank you Vicky!

#11 Pink Speckle & Turquoise

#12 No longer available,

thank you Tanna!

#12 Red & Gray

#13 No longer available,

thanks Rebecca!

#13 Turquoise & Black

(the large black bead is wood)

#14 No longer available,

thank you Megan Anderson!

#14 Greens & Blues

#15 No longer available,

thank you Vicky!

#15 Pink Mix

#16 No longer available,

thank you Megan Anderson!

#16 Orange & Teal Multi

#17 No longer available,

thanks Christy!

#17 Orange/Pink/White

(It's like a party for your wrist!)

#18 No longer available,

thank you Mer!

#18 Brown wood

#19 Multi Hearts

(These bracelets are made of plastic beads

and are child sized--

Teddi & Brogan are the "creators".

The bracelets are $5.00 a set and

we have several sets!)

Sweetness.

On to the GIVEAWAY!

For each bracelet you buy,

you will be entered into a drawing for the bracelet below . . .

but that's not all!

Read on . . .

Taylor and Frankie (my daughter and son-in-love, for anyone who might not know) have a special project in the works . . .

custom "LOVE" t-shirts.

If you look closely the "O" is a water drop. All proceeds from these shirts are being used to bring clean drinking water to those in desperate need! If your name is drawn you will win the bracelet above and get to custom order a shirt in your favorite color (and your favorite size, how 'bout that)! I will do the giveaway drawing next Friday, August 19th. If you win, we will make a donation to JJ's fund and to a clean water organization in your honor!

The re-cap: If you want to buy a bracelet or two, leave a comment with the number(s). You can "Chip-in" directly to Sonia, or you can mail me a check. You can send me an email from my sidebar to exchange addresses. Every bracelet you buy will get you into the drawing for the bracelet/shirt combo!

And for anyone who is still reading . . . you can get an extra entry into the drawing (no purchase necessary) if you visit Sonia's blog and come back and tell me something interesting you learned about my sweet bloggy friend (or something you already know, if you happen to already be friends with this preciously, crazy-in-a--good-way, mom to seven stinky boys)!

Again, here is Sonia's link

to get to her blog,

and her Chip-in account.

I will stop now, so that you can get busy helping us help JJ!

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina