It's No Potato Salad

We’re not making potato salad, but we are using a crowdfunding site to raise support for our adoption.

Who knows what number of people saw the Kickstarter campaign for some kid to make potato salad. That’s right, nothing special, he just wanted to make potato salad and asked for $10 on kickstarter. 5,500+ backers later he’s banked over $40,000 for his backyard bbq dish. Believe it or not this is actually a decrease from a whopping $70,000 he raised to begin with!

This is, in all truth, INSANITY! But it represents one of the reasons we chose crowdfunding as one of the many ways to raise support for our adoption. Crowdfunding allows for something that nothing else really does and that is an immediate camaraderie of participants. Who knows why anyone would give actually cold hard cash to a kid making potato salad in their mom’s kitchen on a summer weekday afternoon, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’s a lot of people stuck in a cubicle wishing they had a bowl of potato salad and the guts to post a kickstarter campaign to make it happen. Supporting someone in the pursuit of their goals is enticing, apparently no matter how small the endeavour. Making potato salad isn’t very hard, unless you’re a kid with no potatoes. I can’t imagine what that kid feels like now, but I’m going to guess he feel like a rock star.

Tony and I chose crowdfunding as one of the ways to support our adoption because of this idea. The idea of support. Not only financial support, but also emotional and moral support. There are “dips” in the process of adopting that often leave me feeling lonely and slightly isolated. There are times when the paperwork, travel arrangements, government rig-a-ma-roll and financial burden seem mountainous. These are the times that I am so grateful for my husband and for the real and tangible evidence that we have that other people in our community support us and our child. The idea that someone has invested in this process through a financial sacrifice tells us they are with us. I do know how this makes us feel, and we feel tremendously loved.

These are a few of the incredible women of our "village".

The idea of it “taking a village” to raise a child is not lost on us. From the moment we conceived our first child we have realized that parenting is not done in a vacuum, and thank goodness for that! We find ourselves ever grateful for the village that we have found ourselves a part of over these last 6 years. Our church, friends, family and community have made raising our children a joy in which we take great delight.

I look forward to the day we look back on our kids’ lives and attribute character developments, life skills and spiritual growth to God working through our family and friends. Knowing our kids will likely love the water because of my dad and appreciate art under the tutelage of my sister is exciting. Seeing our kiddos love for Jesus grow because of the influence of God’s work in the life of Tony’s brother and sister-in-law brings us great joy. Learning to co-parent with good friends lends support and perspective we just wouldn’t have alone.

In the same way, I think about the times we will tell our son the story of his adoption. I can’t wait to include the fact that his church, extended family and friends were actively involved in bringing him home. That he was loved before he even knew us, without reservation. That financial support was only the beginning of a lifetime of learning and love from the people who touch his life on a regular basis. Knowing that, I can imagine all of our children will find a place where they are loved and belong.

It’s a little nuts that the amount of money raised for a potato salad is more than the amount even necessary to bring our child home. But, when I really think about it, I kind of love it. It gives me a hope that people really do desire to reach out to each other. Whether it’s $5, $10 or $100 people realize that even a little bit given by the individual adds up to a lot when others catch the vision. And in reality, isn’t that what we’re made to do? 

If you would like to follow our story or join our team of support visit our YouCaring site.
Originially Posted: 7/11/14 on our YouCaring site.