Purchase a Jr. Frosty™ Halloween Coupon Book for $1, Benefits the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®! #Frosty4Adoption #Sponsored

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

“We would love a Wendy’s Jr. Frosty!”

That’s what my daughter and her best friend said when I told them that we were going to hand out Jr. Frosty coupons on Halloween to trick-or-treaters.  They don’t even know that the sale of the Wendy’s Jr. Frostyâ„¢ Halloween Coupon Book benefits the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®!  They don’t know that the coupon book is only $1 and is an economical trick-or-treat favor.  They don’t know that it’s a safe way to hand out treats.  What they care about is how delicious a Frosty tastes!  They love a Frosty!

As an adoptive mom, however, I care very much that purchase of the Wendy’s Jr. Frostyâ„¢ Halloween Coupon Book benefits The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®!  I’ve seen first hand how adoption creates a family.  I’ve always thought that one way to begin to change the world was to fix your own corner of it.  If everyone would just create peace, love, and harmony in their own family, there would be peace, love, and harmony in the world.

Every child deserves a family.  Every child deserves a parent to love and protect them.  It doesn’t matter if that parent is rich or poor, smart or not.  What matters is if that parent cares.  You’ve heard the sayings.  The most recent that struck me was that a child spells “love” as “t-i-m-e”.  And it’s true.  You don’t have to be beautiful to be a parent, or thin, or funny, or artistic.  You just need to be yourself, love, and protect.  None of us is perfect.  But in a child’s eyes?  A loving parent is perfect for them.

Adoption is the most mutually enriching experience I can imagine.  I frequently hear that my daughter is lucky to have a family like ours.  I know the truth.  My daughter created our family.  She turned my world from black-and-white to amazing colors.  I am the lucky one.  I am the lucky one.  And I am grateful every minute of every day for the precious gift that I’ve been given.

One day last week, my daughter, who is now in third grade was getting ready to go to school.  Even though she has to wear a uniform, students at her school are allowed to accessorize and oh my, can this girl of mine accessorize!  From head-to-toe.  Well, let’s start at the toes.  She put on some adorable purple short boots, topped by some wild socks in an animal print accented by bright pink.  Then her uniform skirt and shirt.  Add a multi-level scarf, jewelry, a fun fur vest, and a bright pink hat.  Wow.  She is a fashion force.  Skipping off to get in my husband’s truck, she was kicking her feet out sideways and singing, “Baby elephant, baby elephant, come play with me.”  It was one of those moments when my heart felt like it was growing a size bigger.  One of those moments that are seared into your brain.  I am blessed with a happy, healthy, beautiful child.  *sniff* *sniff*

I am a mom, I am a happy mom, I have that happy, healthy, beautiful child, because of adoption.  My life was here.  Her life was there.  Adoption brought us to each other.  Have you ever noticed that adoptive families usually have more than one adopted child?  When we were going through the adoption process, and I was nervous, I would remind myself that people wouldn’t do it multiple times if it wasn’t wonderful!  And it’s true!

Visit your local participating Wendy’s® to purchase a Jr. Frosty™ Halloween Coupon Book* for $1, while supplies last (available through October 31, 2014,).  Proceeds benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®!

*Coupon book may contain coupons for 5 or 10 free Jr. Frosty™ treats. Prices and participation may vary. Ninety cents to every $1 coupon booklet sold between 9/15/14 and 10/31/14 will benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. Coupons valid from 11/1/14 through 2/1/15. ©2014 Oldemark LLC

Q:  What is the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption?

A:   The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® as a non-profit public charity with one primary goal: to help every child in foster care find a loving, permanent family.  The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® believes that we have a responsibility to be the voice of foster care adoption, so that every child finds a family. As founder Dave Thomas said, “These children are not someone else’s responsibility. They are our responsibility.” The DTFA exist to find homes for children who are waiting to be adopted from foster care in North America.

Q:  How long has Wendy’s supported foster care adoption?

A:  For 22 years, Wendy’s® has supported foster care adoption and 4,000 children have found adoptive families.  This year, Wendy’s® aims to give $10 million to The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®.

Q:  But I’ve heard that there are no children available?

A:  There are more than 100,000 children in foster care awaiting adoption.  You can help!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.