A slightly longer puzzle update...

414 pieces down, 86 to go!

To all of you who have donated so far to Ella's puzzle, thank you SO, so much!  So far, from Ella's puzzle, we have raised $2070.00.  With that money plus extra donations and my savings, I was able to pay my first agency fee last week!  This allows me to get started on my dossier and home study.  These are the two big paperwork tasks that are required to get Ella home from China.  My dossier (which includes my home study) has to be in China (which is referred to as DTC or "dossier to China") by May 27.  That is five months and eight days from today.  :)  My wonderful social worker, who I spoke to for the first time yesterday, says its doable!  So I am trusting and taking each step as it comes.  So far, everything I have needed has been provided when I have needed it.  I am trusting that this will continue to be so.

There are still 86 pieces left in Ella's puzzle.  I would love to have it complete by Christmas.  Each piece is a $5.00 donation, and your name (or your family name, grandchild's name, etc.) is written on the back of the puzzle piece, like so:

Two of Ella's buddies have their names on pieces!

The puzzle is being put together as each piece is bought (sponsored?  I don't know the right word for it).  When it is complete, it will be framed in Ella's room.  I haven't seen the back since the border was completed and flipped.  I cannot wait to see it in one piece.  So far, 90 individuals and families have contributed to the puzzle.  It is going to be so beautiful.  

The money raised from the puzzle from here on out will be used for the home study fee of $1700 and for various fees while compiling my dossier (did you know every single background check in the history of ever has a fee?).  I do have a couple of other fundraisers planned, and those I will hopefully be announcing toward the middle to end of January.  

If you are interested in sponsoring a piece of Ella's puzzle, please let me know.  You can go to my Fundly site here.  I cannot wait to post a picture of it in all it's finished glory - hopefully by the end of next week!