The Gold Party

Amy, Kristy, and me






So you know that commercial that says "Put all your old gold jewelry in a bag and send it to us. We'll send you cash." Why don't I just send you a signed blank check, right? Well a friend of a friend hosted a "gold party" tonight to raise money for the adoption of a sweet baby girl in Ethiopia. Some girls and I decided to go, so I dug up some old gold rings and a bracelet that were buried deep in a cardboard box in the back of a closet. Remember when gold nuggett and pink ice were all the rage? Kristi and her husband recently received their adoption referral. They were planning a trip in May to bring their baby girl Lucy home, but the mother came back to the orphanage to get her. They are currently waiting on another referral.

There was a great turnout, and we had to wait a while to meet with the gemologists. I know you're biting your nails, so I won't keep you in suspense...my clunker jewelry was worth $30. At least I freed up a tiny space in my storage closet! One person made $475. No joke. I still can't believe it. In case you are planning to go to a gold party, let me give you a few tips (because attending one party makes me an expert). 18K is the way to make the money. 14K is okay, and 10K might not be worth the gas you use to get to the party. If you have gold plated jewelry, they will politely hand it back to you in your baggie. Have jewelry with stones? They will remove the stones and give them back to you. If you host a party, invite people over the age of 35. Gold jewelry really hasn't been in style the last 10 years or so (except for a brief attempt made by The Limited and Express in 2001), so invite people who might have a better collection. If you are raising money for a charity, you get a higher percentage of the proceeds. If you don't have a charity, you still help your friends make money. It's a win/win.

So here's the best part about the night: one of the bloggers that I keep up with was there! I came across Adrienne's blog a few months ago, and I have been reading about her family's road to adoption. It was great to meet her, but as she was sharing her story with me, I wanted to ask so many questions about her experiences because I love learing about the adoption process. I could hear my friend Sunny in the back of my mind saying "Why are you asking her that? You're a stranger to her." So Adrienne, I am sorry if I was a little nosey. But I now know more specific ways that we can pray for your precious family during your journey. Everyone - you really should read her story. And you should start collecting your old gold jewelry in a baggie. You never know how much you could get for it!

P.S. Kristi's sister Kelly took Preston's 9 month pics a few posts down, and she was the friend who shared her story on the 700 Club. Kelly's family recently adopted a little boy, Nathan, from Ethiopia.

P.S.S. Look at these darling t-shirts that you can purchase to help the Oatsvall Family raise money for their adoption.