Garage Sale Extravaganza!

Whoo hoo our garage sale is done and it was worth all the work and effort we, and many others put in!
A few months ago we had the idea of holding a garage sale and started to let people know what the plan was.  My Uncle John and Aunt Tina were planning to move to BC and offered to give us all of the stuff that they couldn't take with them!  Well, that was a very good start for our sale.  We hauled about 5 truck loads and 1 trailer load out of their house and yard to my folks garage.  Other people were e-mailing and phoning that they had stuff for us to pick up and Travis could hardly keep all the orders from me straight!  So the garage was full to the brim and we could barely walk anywhere.  The Seeds church in Altona called and asked if we would like all the clothes that were not taken at their yearly event called "grab and run."  We gladly accepted their kind offer.  When we went to pick up the clothes there were about 25 garbage bags of clothing for us to sell.  Then our friends offered over a dozen totes of children's clothing as well.  My Mom's friend's husband used to own a clothing store and borrowed us a truck load of clothing racks and 10 tables from their church in order to set up.

This was after 2 days of organizing.  Still a long way to go and we hadn't even touched the mountain of clothes piled in the back patio!

 We had friends come and help us for 3 days before opening day and it felt like we hardly got anywhere each day because there was so much stuff everywhere.  By Thursday (opening day) we were seeing light at the end of the tunnel and we were ready to open by 3:00.  Official opening time was 4:00 but it was pouring rain and so we didn't turn those early eager shoppers away!

The weather forecast for the weekend looked less than promising and I thought that the chances of us selling all of this stuff was slim to none.  My parents have a large overhang on both the front and back of their house so we lined their house with merchandise so everything was out of the rain and customers would stay dry while they browsed.  On the back patio we had all the adult clothes lined up and was a little a boutique which worked out very well.

People kept coming and coming.
The first night alone we received $2500 in sales from the garage sale and serving pork on a bun!  The rain was not stopping God from blessing this event.  We were amazed!  There were only a few brief times over the weekend when no one was shopping!

We want to thank all of these people for donating and or helping us!
First of all my Sister in Law Esther was by my side the entire time and worked tirelessly this whole week and we could have NOT done this without her help!!!!!!!!  Thanks so much Shawn & Esther, Austin & Emma!
Mom & Dad, Thank you for the use of your home that we completely evaded for more than a week! Plus all of your help and constant support makes travelling this road so much smoother!
Uncle John & Aunt Tina Enns - Thank you for your generosity and for your encouragement!  You are a blessing to us!
Ken & Ruth Bergman
Vince & Deb Zacharias & Crew
John & Lori Hamm & Crew
Helmut & Anna Friesen & Crew
Jake & Elsie Thiessen & Crew
Mom & Dad Thiessen
Garth & Kendra Thiessen
Lyndon & Lisa Thiessen
Justin & Erin Thiessen -Thanks for the Epicure spices!  The people loved them!!!
Joe & Jamie Teichroeb
Lloyd & Pauline Stoesz
Melissa Wiebe
Jason & Esther Thiessen
The folks at the church in Oak Lake
Lue & Deb Schwindt
Cory & Christine Schroeder
Grandma & Grandpa Schroeder
Cousin Al
Lee & Gail McLean
Andreas & Rita Schultz
Brent & Carla Hamm & Boys
Seeds Church
Tom & Crystal Martens
Mark & Melissa Jede

If I have forgotten someone please let me know!

Our GRAND TOTAL came to $4400 to date!!!!
We have a few large items left to sell on Pembina Valley Online this week and so we fully expect that we will reach the $5000 mark!

It is amazing because when Travis and I started talking about this he said he felt that we would be blessed with $5000 through this garage sale.  I didn't think much of that because I thought it was a bit far out but I smiled and nodded.  Later my Mom told me that my Aunt Tina had said the exact same thing to her!  Here I am the "doubting Thomas" who looks at things in my own realistic way, I am totally amazed at my God who over came the weather and all other odds to bring glory to himself.  He used many people to accomplish this but in the end he is the only one who could have possibly brought so many people out on this rainy, windy and very cold weekend to bring us one step closer to giving 2 kids a family and the love that they were meant to have.
Thank you again to all who came out and supported our efforts this weekend!

This was Friday Night after lots had sold!

Random Cousin Cuteness!

BONUS; Al Friesen from CFAM came and did an interview of our story at the garage sale so we will be listening on Monday to see what he all says during the morning show!