Addie's Christmas Shop FAQ's

Hey Friends!

We are less than three days away from Addie’s Christmas Shop and the excitement (i.e. absolute craziness) is building here at the Baker House.  In all seriousness, we are covering this event with prayer and trusting that He is more than able to both keep my head from spinning and line everything up just right to bring His name glory and honor.

We are so incredibly pleased that so many of you are choosing to come spend your Saturday evening with us, and even more thrilled that so many of you are really genuinely excited about our purpose.  Many of you have had some of the same questions, so I thought that I would address them here, in order for everybody to know where to look for answers.  Sooooo, without further ado, here are Addie’s Christmas Shop’s FAQ’s:

1.   What type of payment will you be accepting?

We will accept cash, checks, and credit.  There will be a 3% fee for those that use credit.

2.   Where should we park?

Alright, this is probably the hardest question.  We had planned on using the empty lot across the street from our home for extra parking, but thanks to the deluge that has bombarded our home all day today, it’s likely to be a muddy mess over there.  So, we’ll just have y’all park on the street.   There are several empty lots that would be fine to park in front of… just try to be respectful of our neighbors.  And carpool as much as possible! J  If parking gets crazy, I’ve got a couple of guys in the fam that are ready to valet J

3.   So, how exactly is this gonna work?

This is NOT an auction.  We considered several ways of doing this event, and after weighing pros and cons, decided on what will basically be a shop.  The main living areas (den, kitchen, dining room) of my home will be set up with the goods on display.  When you spot something you can’t live without, grab it.  When you’re done gathering your awesome purchases, there will be a couple ladies ready to take your payment.  We’ve got shopping bags and tissue paper all prepared for you!

4.   I really, REALLY LOVE ______________.  Can I go ahead and reserve it? Pleeeeeeaaaase????

Short answer is – No.

Long, and slightly more gracious answer is-  I am so glad you like our products!  They are made by amazing men and women all over the world who are so abundantly thankful you appreciate and want to purchase their handiwork.  Please understand that each item at the store was paid for by amazing husband, and we do not have a limitless budget.  Therefore, we were unable to buy multiples of every item (there are some items that we do have multiples of, and many that are one of a kind).  We are not a thirty-one or Pampered Chef catalogue.  This is just little ol’ me offering you the goods I’ve fallen in love with, so that we can support the ministries that produce them AND support two more amazing ministries by giving them the money you spend.  If I reserved items before the shop opened, I would probably have at least 75% of what I’ve posted pictures reserved and unavailable on the day of the event.  It wouldn’t be a very fun evening if it was sold out before we opened J.  

5.   So, is everything from Africa?

Our family loves Africa, and more specifically Ethiopia, because the Lord has deeply burdened our hearts for that beautiful place.  We have an Ethiopian daughter, and the store is named after another Ethiopian child we call “daughter.”  However, we also love the rest of this great big amazing world our God created.  At last count, we are selling goods from 31 different countries in North (and Central) America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.  

6.   Don’t you love your own country?!?!

Tempted to not even dignify this with a response, but yes, we love the USA and are so blessed to call ourselves citizens of this great nation.  At Addie's Christmas Shop, you will have the chance to buy goods from multiple ministries located here in our own country, even our own city.  You will also get to fill you belly with yummy goodness from Scarlet’s Bakery, an enterprise affiliated with an amazing ministry here in Louisville, called Scarlet Hope.  ALSO, half of the money spent will be going to the Oldham County Pregnancy Resource Center to help moms in our own backyard.  We love our fellow Americans.  We love people.  Everywhere.

7.   Do I have to stay the whole time?

You are welcome to stay for the whole two hours or for ten minutes.  At about 8:00 we will put a pause on the shopping for about ten minutes to share our hearts behind the event and to make a BIG announcement, so if you’re around then, it would be great.  It will be a great time of fellowship, and not just shopping.  There are folks coming that I know from church, college friends, high school friends, family, neighbors, old friends, new friends, and people whose faces I’ve never seen before in my life.  We’re going to have a great time meeting and catching up- I can’t wait!

8.   How do I get to your house?

Okay, so I was going to answer this here, and then it occurred to me that this is a public blog.  As much as I love you, my readers, it’s probably not the best idea for me to advertise where I live.  If you need directions, check the Facebook event page.  I’ll post them there.  I’ll also post my phone number in case you get lost, but it’s super easy to find.

Alright, that’s all I’ve got for now… Can not wait to see each of your smiling faces Saturday night at 7 pm!!!

What's in a Name?

Three years ago, I lived in Fern Creek.  I attended and served at a church in urban Louisville.  My husband worked for a promotional packaging company.  I was a stay-at-home mom of a little girl who went to preschool three days a week.  I had two daughters- Payton & Addie.

Then it happened.  The derailment.  The painful, soul-wrenching, refining, and sanctifying derailment.

Have you ever seen the movie Polar Express?  You know that scene where the train is chugging along like a roller-coaster, and it suddenly reaches a point where the tracks are completely frozen over?  The train begins to spin out of control on the ice.   It's a moment when this happy, fun movie seems to momentarily be headed to Old Yeller territory.  All hope appears lost.

When we lost our girl, I felt a bit like that train.  We knew our purpose, we knew where we were headed.  And then, suddenly and without warning, we were spinning, slipping, and sliding, and hanging on for dear life.  Just like in the movie, the ice was splitting beneath us, and we were rapidly sinking into the watery depths, wondering what He was doing.

Hope was far from lost, though.  Even in our darkest moments when we felt so out-of-control, we were certain, though we could not see how, that the Lord was always sovereignly directing and orchestrating each moment.  We trusted Him, and it was a trust not based on the feelings at the time, but on His faithfulness and goodness in our lives to that point.  It was a trust that was accompanied by an inconceivable peace that only He can bring.

Tonight I am sitting in my home in LaGrange, typing.  My kiddos- Payton, Ellie, and Cole- are upstairs, fast asleep in their beds.  Addie is somewhere in Ethiopia, still covered by the prayers of the Lord's people.  Billy's working for his own company that the Lord has truly blessed.  I'm still a stay-at-home mom, but now carry the title of home-schooler (!?!) as well.  Sunday, we will get up and go to our church right down the road, here, in Oldham County- a place the Lord constantly confirms is right where He wants us.  I'm busy planning Addie's Christmas Shop, and pretty regularly fighting tears as I consider the impact this little one's life is going to have on hundreds of women around our country and the entire world. My heart still grieves the loss of my daughter, but the Lord is making this derailment beautiful.  That's what he does.  He redeems.  He gives hope.  He brings peace and joy.  He loves. He forgives.  He rebuilds and transforms.  Our entire lives have changed over the past three years, but HE has remained the same.  I'm so very thankful.

The Baker's are loving life in this little town of LaGrange, where a train runs, quite literally, right down the middle of Main Street, and we are so eager for the next chapters of our journey.  In fact, on the evening of Addie's Christmas Shop, we will be sharing some super exciting news with our guests.   Big stuff is happening in our family, and we'd love for you to continue to follow along with us on this blog, which is hereby renamed, "Beautifully Derailed."  There will undoubtedly be other derailments and detours in our lives, and this new name will serve to remind me that His ways are not my ways, and His good purpose is always going to prevail.  Also, there was just entirely too much confusion every time I posted a blog under the title, "Another Baker Baby."  :)

Thanks for reading folks!  Hope to see you on the 21st!!!

"In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."  Proverbs 16:9

"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  Proverbs 19:21