Mukulu Lemonade Stand

After months of Daniel Isaac eagerly running to us every time he found a penny or a quarter on the ground or in the sofa cushion and declaring, "Look, money!  For our adoption!  We can use it for our baby!", we let him plan a fund raiser of "his own", and I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't swell over his ideas and help planning and executing his lemonade stand.  He took it all very seriously and had very specific ideas (which I finally figured out came from the movie Ramona and Beezus he saw several months ago where Ramona had a lemonade stand) for what would be served and what we would charge.  Thankfully, several friends helped bake cookies and Nana and Pops helped with the set up, take down and in betweens.  Not to mention, Grandmama and Papa's help throughout the day, especially with Noah David who was greatly offended that he wasn't allowed to endlessly dispense lemonade to the grass.  Daniel Isaac and Noah David painted the signs and themselves...we're still peeling yellow paint off of our feet and legs.  Daniel Isaac diligently served his customers after "taking their order", and he quickly learned what "keep the change" means.  He carefully added each coin and dollar to his Superman lunch box and remembered to thank each customer.  He began to wilt around 11:30 and was begging to swim, but after lunch and swimming with his buddies and a nap with Mama, he bounced back to business.  Our dear friends came and stayed to help the second half, and little Michael's enthusiasm helped keep my little man going in the heat.  Bottom line, many friends and strangers came by and supported my boys' efforts to participate in the fundraising part of the journey our family is on to bring our baby home from Uganda.  We were once again surrounded by love and generosity and got to experience more of our Lord's provision.  For us, a $30,000 goal seems really out-of-reach and overwhelming at times...but then my boy hosts a lemonade stand and makes almost $300 in one day, and there's a peace in my heart that just knows the rest will come.  And most importantly, baby will come.  And our family will grow, just as each of us are growing on this adoption journey.  And it is good and beautiful and exciting.  And in the words of Daniel Isaac when I told him how much money he raised..."Wow, that's awesome!"  Enjoy the pictures below...and join me in gratitude for the many ways our Father is providing for us...all of us.

Daniel Isaac's friends Catherine, Charlotte, and William came to support him and enjoy some lemonade and cookie treats! 

Daniel Isaac serving Miss Sarah some lemonade

We love our Deane!  Can't wait for baby to get to meet her!  She has been so faithful to help us, support us, and pray for baby and baby's birth family and us on this journey.

Daniel Isaac and Michael taking a little break to enjoy the lemonade

Jason, DI, and Michael (Cookie bakers and entrepreneurs)

Servin' up the lemonade!

Nana and her boys.

Melanie supervising cookie dispensing to the boys.  (She and her boys made the yummy lemon cookies and pecan sandies and was so awesome to share with every customer why we were doing what we were doing...THANK YOU MELANIE and boys!!)

Despite Daniel Isaac stating several times that he "just couldn't play", he managed a few breaks to run like the wind and wrestle with friends.

Sweet Holt Bear and Daniel Isaac...silly face pictures only.

3 handsome and VERY SILLY boys!  Holt, DI, and Pierce

Eli enjoying the sweet tea...and the dispenser.  :)

BIG HUG from Caroline

Dorsey came!!!  YAY!!!  DI had begun his "wilt" and hid behind me for this picture...

L-R: Melanie, Running DI, Feng, Nana, Grandmama, Papa, and Kyle

Daddy made it home in time from work to come buy his lemonade--HOORAY!

Our sweet friends the Peatmans walked down to enjoy some lemonade and cookies, each with their own ziploc baggie of coins...so precious!

Our youngest customer, sweet baby Molly!

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Brothers.

I never could have imagined the overflow of joy in my heart as I watch my boys love each other and grow as brothers.  Big brother, little brother.  Brothers.  They are buddies.  They wrestle, argue, annoy each other, hug each other, snuggle, share, yell, hide together, wonder off into imagination land together, catch bugs together, eat together, laugh together, sing together, dance together, "fly" together....they really love each other.  And I really love watching that. 

 My biggest boy's climbing skills are being perfected at Grandmama and Papa's house...

Words cannot describe how unpleasant it is for me to see my children enjoy bugs.  I loathe bugs.  Somehow the twinkle in their eyes makes it tolerable. ;)

RIP Mr. Grasshopper.  It was fun while it lasted...Noah David didn't mean to let his red, square croc squish you.  Apologies. 

Trampoline + net = Mama refrains from heart attack and a ton of family fun

Free dancer.

Ninja.

Big.  Just like brother.  Unhindered.

 
These boys share a lot of love for each other, and love for their sibling in Africa (or "Aaa-tuh" as ND says)is budding.  ANY time Daniel Isaac finds coins on the ground...here at home, in the street, on a sidewalk, etc., he runs proudly and excitedly exclaiming to Daniel or me, "Mommy look!  We can use this for our adoption!"  He doesn't want it in his "save" jar...or his "spend" jar.  He wants it for his baby brother or sister.  


It's on his heart and on his mind, which is why he is hosting a lemonade stand this Friday.  He has planned it and given me all of his ideas.  We've mixed and tested lemonade to make sure we get it right. We've baked cookies...and taste-tested them, too, of course.  I can't wait to show his little bro/sis these pictures and share how much his/her big brothers..."mukulus" loved them and thought about them and prayed for them before we ever even knew him/her.  


So please, if you're in the Auburn/Opelika area this Friday, stop by...

Mukulu's Lemonade Stand

Friday, June 10, 2011

10:00 a.m.- 12noon AND 4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.

(Nana & Pops' house)

414 N. 10th St. 

Opelika, Alabama

We've got lots more cookies to bake and lemonade to mix and ice tea to brew.  Tea and lemonade will be 50 cents and cookies 25 cents.  

Come check these two big brothers...and imagine with me what it's gonna look like when these two loving, big bros get ahold of their baby and begin to "brother" him/her.